title: A comprehensive kinetic mode for high temperature free radical production of styrene/methacrylate/acrylate resins

contributor:
Hutchinson, Robin A.
Chemical Engineering

subject:
polymerization kinetics
kinetic model
styrene
methacrylate
acrylate
acrylate resin
free radical polymerization

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-28 19:56:36.906

abstract:
Acrylic resins, synthesized from a mixture of monomers selected from the methacrylate, acrylate and styrene families, are the base polymer components for many automotive coatings due to their excellent chemical and mechanical properties. The low molecular weight polymers with reactive functionalities are made via high-temperature starved-feed free-radical solution semibatch terpolymerization, operating conditions that greatly promote the importance of secondary reactions, such as methacrylate depropagation, and acrylate backbiting, chain scission and macromonomer propagation.

In this work, a generalized model for styrene/methacrylate/acrylate terpolymerization has been developed and formulated in the PREDICI software package and poorly understood high temperature mechanisms have been studied. Unknown rate coefficients for methacrylate depropagation, reactivity of acrylate macromonomer and penultimate copolymerization kinetics were determined via separate kinetic experiments. The generality of the terpolymerization mechanistic model was verified against data obtained under a range of polymerization conditions, and provides an exclusive insight into the kinetic complexity of methacrylate/styrene/acrylate terpolymerization at high temperatures.

abstract: PhD


title: GRADE 3 AND GRADE 6 MATHEMATICS: A COMPARISON OF ONTARIO’S 2005 CURRICULUM POLICY DOCUMENT, CURRICULUM SUPPORT MATERIALS, AND LARGE-SCALE ASSESSMENT TO COMPARABLE ELEMENTS IN FLORIDA

subject:
Bloom's Taxonomy
cognitive demand

abstract:
A high-quality, challenging, and accessible mathematics education provides students in elementary or middle school with a foundation for future understanding of mathematics (NCTM, 2007). As such, influential curriculum documents have changed over the years to emphasize the importance of mathematics−more emphasis has been placed on problem-solving, reasoning, and communicating (specifically: proposing and defending mathematical ideas and conjectures and responding thoughtfully to mathematical ideas) than ever before (Goos, 2004, p. 260). Research has also documented the importance of alignment among curriculum, textbooks, and large-scale assessments.
This study documented curriculum alignment among Ontario’s and Florida’s mathematics curriculum, curriculum support materials for Grades 3 and 6, and large-scale assessment questions for Grades 3 and 6; the latter two focussing specifically on the Measurement strand and the Geometry and Spatial Sense strand. Curriculum alignment was then compared between the two jurisdictions. The documents were examined and analyzed to compare the language used (action verbs) in the abovementioned documents with the six hierarchical thinking levels in Benjamin Bloom’s taxonomy in the cognitive domain (under the headings of: knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation) using Bloom-based assessment blueprints.
The findings from this analysis using the weighted Bloom-based assessment blueprints showed that: (a) a high cognitive demand was generated by the action verbs included in Ontario’s Grades 3 and 6 mathematics curriculum expectations; (b) a low cognitive demand, was generated by the actions verbs included in Florida’s Grade 3 and 6 mathematics curriculum standards, benchmarks, and grade level expectations; and, (c) a low cognitive demand was
generated by the action verbs included in the questions in Ontario’s and Florida’s curriculum support materials and large-scale assessments. Therefore, there are gaps in curriculum alignment for both jurisdictions which could have a significant impact on teacher practice and student achievement.
Four main ideas emerged through this document analysis, including the value of exploring a curriculum in depth, the importance of using an educational taxonomy to determine the cognitive demand generated by the action verbs used in documents, and the significance of curriculum alignment. The significance and implications of this study suggest that the research conducted for this project has made an initial contribution to growing work on how actions verbs imply different levels of thinking skills needed to meet an objective, complete a task or question, solve a problem, and/or follow a direction.


title: Quantification of Inter-subject Variability in Human Brain and Its Impact on Analysis of fMRI Data

contributor:
Abolmaesumi, Purang
Johnsrude, Ingrid S.
Computing

rights: This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.

subject:
fMRI
Inter-subject Variability
Group Analysis
Heschl's gyrus

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-29 07:07:55.77

abstract: In functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies, inter-subject anatomical variability of the human brain has been a major challenge in finding reliable functional/anatomical correspondences. Assessment of brain-behavior relations involves a series of geometrical/statistical operations on brain images to minimize such inter-subject variability, so that group maps of brain activity relative to brain anatomy can be developed. Various methods of image registration, segmentation, and analysis have been proposed for mapping functional activity on to anatomical atlases of the brain. The two most common techniques that have been widely accepted and used by neuroimaging scientists are volume-based (VB) analysis using group registration methods and region-of-interest (ROI)-based methods using automated segmentation algorithms or macro/microanatomical probabilistic atlases for labeling. Nevertheless, the analysis results based on these techniques are significantly affected by the accuracy of the selected segmentation and/or registration methods. Furthermore, conventional fMRI data analysis techniques (VB, and ROI-based methods) mainly rely on the assumption that brain processes are common and universal among individual humans; however, besides anatomical differences, there also exist cognitive and behavioral variability among individuals due to differential engagement of brain networks even when performing an identical cognitive task. In this thesis, I have assessed the impact of anatomy-based alignment techniques (VB, and ROI-based methods) on sensitivity of fMRI data group analysis. I evaluated the effect of the type of inter-subject registration used and related factors on sensitivity of group-level fMRI data analysis. Furthermore, I have also assessed the goodness of fit of probabilistic maps by proposing an evidence-based framework for evaluation of probabilistic maps. As a test model, I have selected the human auditory cortex. Auditory cortex is an interesting yet challenging case with substantial inter-individual functional/anatomical variability. For the sake of ROI-based method of analysis, I have proposed a novel approach for automatic segmentation of Heschl's gyrus, which is the landmark for primary auditory cortex. Finally, in order to assess the impact of inter-subject variability in anatomy on functional organization, I analyze data from an fMRI study, which demonstrates that the degree to which anatomical registration compensates for functional variability depends on the brain region activated.

abstract: PhD


title: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE CLINICAL SETTING: NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

subject: Nursing Mentor


title: Regulators of Sensory Cortical Plasticity by Neuromodulators and Sensory Experience

contributor:
Dringenberg, Hans C.
Psychology

subject:
Adult neocortical plasticity
Long term potentiation
Long term depression
Visual cortex
Barrel Cortex
NMDA receptor
Neurotransmitter
Histamine
Acetylcholine
Sensory deprivation

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-29 14:02:30.742

abstract:
Recent evidence indicates that the mature neocortex retains a higher degree of plasticity than traditionally assumed. Up- and down-regulation of synaptic strength, long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), is thought to be the primary mechanism mediating experience-dependent plasticity of cortical networks. The present thesis investigate factors that regulate adult cortical plasticity, focusing on the role of neuromodulators, recent sensory experience, and different anatomical divisions of the cortex in influencing synaptic strength. First, I investigated the role of the neuromodulator histamine in gating plasticity in the primary visual cortex (V1) of urethane anesthetized adult rats. Histamine applied locally in V1 produced an enhancement of LTP elicited by theta burst stimulation (TBS) of dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) and allowed a sub-threshold TBS to produce stable LTP. Second, the impact of visual deprivation on LTP in V1 was assessed. Animals that received 2 and 5 hr dark exposure showed greater potentiation of field potentials when stimulated though retinal light flashes or weak TBS of the dLGN, which failed to induce LTP in control animals kept in continuous light. Third, I performed a detailed characterization of LTP induced by different TBS protocols, recording in either the monocular or binocular segment of both V1 hemispheres (i.e., ipsi- and contralateral to the stimulated dLGN). Stronger, NMDA receptor-independent LTP was found in the contralateral V1. Interestingly, weak TBS induced LTD that was NMDA receptor-dependent in the ipsilateral V1. Furthermore, a lower LTP induction threshold was observed in the binocular than the monocular segment of ipsilateral V1. Lastly, I investigated cholinergic modulation of sensory-induced activity in the barrel cortex. Basal forebrain stimulation enhanced multi-unit activity elicited by whisker deflection, an effect that was more pronounced for weaker response driven by a secondary whisker than principal whisker deflection.
	This thesis demonstrates that neocortical plasticity consists of multiple forms of synaptic modification. Adult cortical plasticity is greatly influenced by preceding activity of the synapse by various neuromodulator systems, and by anatomical subdivisions within primary sensory cortex fields. Together, these mechanisms may facilitate the detection, amplification, and storage of inputs to primary sensory fields of the neocortex.

abstract: PhD


title: Resonant Micro-Inverters for Single-Phase Grid-connected Photovoltaic Systems

contributor:
Jain, Praveen K.
Bakhshai, Alireza
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Inverter
Micro Inverter
AC module
Photovoltaic
Control

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-29 13:57:39.306

abstract:
This thesis addresses the design and implementation of micro-inverters for grid-connected single-phase photovoltaic (PV) systems. Despite the existing research issues concerning Micro-inverters, they have recently become very attractive due to their modularity and capability of independent maximum power point tracking (MPPT). The complexity in the design of micro-inverters stems from strict grid connection standards and high expectations of compactness, large amplification gain, high efficiency over a wide range of operating conditions and excellent output power quality. Moreover, since micro-inverters are exposed to a wide temperature range, the reliability and life-time of this technology are major problems. The main limiting factor in the life-time of micro-inverters is the use of large electrolytic capacitors for power decoupling.

New circuit configuration and control structures to design a compact and efficient micro-inverter with high quality and robust output power injection capabilities are introduced in this thesis. In the proposed topology electrolytic capacitors are eliminated, removing the obstacles in achieving a durable and reliable design. To achieve a compact design, the proposed micro-inverter consists of a soft-switching high frequency resonant converter at the input and a hard-switching lower frequency inverter with a high order filter at the output.

Small and large signal models of the resonant converter are obtained to design controllers.  A new optimal controller and a design method are also proposed for the inverter that yield robust performance with a high quality output in the presence of grid voltage harmonics, impedance uncertainties and frequency changes. Furthermore, using a new nonlinear control strategy, a direct instantaneous power control method is proposed to achieve fast active and reactive power injections into the grid without using the measurement or calculation of active and reactive powers.

A comprehensive steady state analysis is carried out to arrive at a final design that ensures optimum responses for all operating conditions. Moreover, for all proposed controllers, stability analysis is performed to guarantee sufficient stability margins accounting for uncertainties and nonlinearities. Analytical, simulation and experimental results are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed methods.

abstract: PhD


title: Three Essays on Information Asymmetry and Principal-Agent Problems

contributor:
Johnson, Lewis
Management

subject:
Information Asymmetry
Principal-Agent Problems

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Management) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-29 14:19:56.636

abstract: In this dissertation, we investigate three different questions that are related to information asymmetry and principal-agent problems. The first question is whether principal-agent conflicts lead executives to influence the design of their own employment contracts to exploit the shareholders; the second is the question whether conflicts of interest hamper the effectiveness of affiliated analysts in detecting and curbing earnings management; and the third is whether small investors are at an informational disadvantage. The three studies provide evidence on the existence of information asymmetry and principal-agent problems in various contexts. In particular, we find that the benchmarking process of executive compensation observed is a remedy of the agency costs incurred; that analysts from independent research firms monitor firms they cover more effectively than analysts affiliated with investment banks; and, strikingly, that small investors actually may have better information regarding firms’ financials even when compared to professional equity analysts. Together, these studies provide new insights into the cornerstone problems of the finance literature.

abstract: PhD


title: Supportive Care Needs Following an Acute Stroke: A Descriptive Enquiry of Caregivers' Perspective

contributor:
Harrison, Margaret B.
Nursing

subject: stroke, family, supportive care needs, informal caregivers

abstract: Thesis (Master, Nursing) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-29 14:38:28.115

abstract:
Thesis Objectives
The thesis research was undertaken to improve knowledge about caregivers needs and develop a means of assessment for the acute care sector. Specific objectives were: 1) identify and evaluate the applicability of a supportive care framework to guide in the comprehensive assessment of the needs of informal caregivers of patients with stroke, 2) describe the needs reported by a cohort of active caregivers, and 3) assess the utility of a tool for application in acute care stroke practice.
Population and Setting
	Family caregivers of patients admitted to hospital with an acute stroke in a major urban center. Focus group of nurses employed in acute stroke care at a regional stroke centre.
Methods
	1) Integrative study of the stroke research was conducted to identify the type and range of reported needs. 2) Mixed methods exploratory study of family caregivers of patients with acute stroke was conducted. 3) Focus group of nurses employed in acute stroke care was carried out to evaluate the applicability and feasibility of the assessment tool.
Results
	Integrative Study: Seventeen studies that reported on the needs of family caregivers of patients with acute stroke were identified. Reported needs were wide ranging, crossed all domains and are similar to those reported in the stroke population.
	Exploratory Study: Ten family caregivers participated in a needs assessment using an already developed survey modified for the stroke population. All fully completed the 42 item survey and six of these caregivers initiated an impromptu post-survey discussion. The cohort of caregivers reported unmet needs in the six domains.
	Nurses employed in acute stroke care reported that the new caregiver assessment would be useful in identifying family caregiver needs.
Conclusions
	The study identified a wide spectrum of needs experienced by this cohort of caregivers. Both caregivers and nurses found the assessment approach valuable in improving this area of care. Further refinement and validation of the survey would provide the specificity to identify the very different needs of individual families and would provide direction to the healthcare community in planning for a more seamless transition across the continuum.

abstract: MNSc.


title: Regulation of Calpain 2 by Calpastatin

contributor:
Davies, Peter L.
Biochemistry

subject:
Calpain
Calpastatin
Protease
Inhibitor
Surface Plasmon Resonance
X-Ray Crystallography
Aggregation
Calcium

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Biochemistry) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-29 15:27:16.208

abstract: Calpains are a family of intracellular cysteine proteases activated by calcium.  They participate in many processes including cell motility, cell cycle progression and cell death, in response to calcium signaling.  Because calpain over-activation as a result of calcium dysregulation is a contributing factor to many disease states, these enzymes are important therapeutic targets.  Within the cell, calpains 1 and 2 are regulated by the protein inhibitor calpastatin.  This unstructured protein is specific for calpain, binds tightly, and recognizes only the activated form of the enzyme.  Detailed kinetic data obtained using surface plasmon resonance allowed the association and dissociation rates of each of the four calpastatin inhibitory domains to be measured.  Based on this, inhibitory domain 4 was selected to be co-crystallized bound to calpain 2.  The X-ray crystal structure of this complex provided both the first view of the active enzyme, as well as the first view of how it is inhibited. Calpastatin wraps around the enzyme making contact with each domain.  It lies in the active site as a contiguous polypeptide chain and escapes cleavage by forming a loop away from the catalytic cysteine. In addition to inhibiting substrate cleavage, calpastatin protects calpain in two ways; it prevents autoproteolysis, and it prevents calcium-dependent aggregation.  The crystal structure of the calpastatin:calpain complex revealed no obvious reason for this stabilization. To elucidate how this protection occurs, peptides were synthesized corresponding to conserved subdomains of calpastatin.  Surprisingly, each peptide alone was capable of preventing aggregation in vitro, by blocking hydrophobic patches exposed upon activation.  The increased hydrophobic surface of the activated enzyme may alter calpain’s affinity for other proteins such as substrates.  By binding across many domains of calpain, calpastatin could act to block protein-protein interactions.  These studies have characterized calpastatin’s interaction with calpain, which will further our understanding of the enzyme’s regulation and aid in the development of better calpain inhibitors.

abstract: PhD


title: Investigating the Heterogeneity in Regional Body Composition, Metabolic Risk and Response to Weight Loss Among Obese Men and Women

contributor:
Ross, Robert
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Obesity
Weight Loss
Metabolic Risk
Insulin Resistance
Body Composition
Adipose Tissue

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-29 20:55:08.67

abstract:
While the excess accumulation of abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue (abdominal SAT and VAT, respectively), is independently associated with increased health risk, the relative amount of lower body SAT is associated with an improved health profile. In contrast to the established metabolic benefit of reducing VAT and abdominal SAT, the first study in this thesis investigated whether loss of lower-body SAT during diet and/or exercise induced weight-reduction resulted in a deterioration of metabolic profile in a sample of obese men (n = 58) and women (n = 49). After control for potential confounders, reductions in VAT, abdominal and lower body SAT were all associated with improvements in certain metabolic risk factors. However, only reductions in VAT and abdominal SAT remained associated with improvement in risk factors independent of changes in other AT depots.
Recently, it was suggested that a large breast size among women may predict type-II diabetes risk independent of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. While the mechanism is unknown, a large breast size may predict health risk by indicating fat deposition in ectopic depots such as VAT or inter-muscular AT (IMAT). The second study investigated the independent associations between breast volume with metabolic risk and regional fat distribution in 92 overweight or obese premenopausal women. Although breast volume was not significantly associated with metabolic risk, after control for age, BMI and waist circumference level, women with the highest breast volume had approximately 1.1 and 1.3 kg more VAT and IMAT, respectively, by comparison to women with the smallest breast volume.
In contrast to the metabolic benefits of weight loss among metabolically-abnormal obese (MAO) individuals, weight loss among metabolically healthy obese (MHO) individuals may be unnecessary or even harmful. In the third study, 63 MHO and 43 MAO men and women participated in an exercise or diet weight-loss intervention. In response to similar weight loss, MHO and MAO men and women showed significant improvements in insulin sensitivity. However, significant improvements in other metabolic variables (triglycerides, fasting glucose, HDL-cholesterol, and total cholesterol) were only observed among MAO, but not MHO subjects.

abstract: PhD


title: Analysis of Seismicity in Mines and Development of Re-Entry Protocols

contributor:
McKinnon, Stephen D.
Mining Engineering

subject:
Mining Seismicity
Rockbursts
Aftershock Sequences
Mine Safety
Ground Control
Re-entry Protocol

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Mining Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-30 12:14:32.101

abstract:
Following a large seismic event in hard rock mines, there is a short-term increase in aftershock activity, which over time decays to background levels. During this time of elevated seismic activity the risk of aftershocks with sufficiently high magnitude to cause damage is also high. Workers are therefore restricted from re-entering affected areas for a specified time period. This is the re-entry protocol. The objective of this research has been to produce practical, standardized guidelines for the development of re-entry protocols.
This thesis is divided into two parts. In Part I, current re-entry practices are evaluated based on the results of a survey of 18 seismically active mines, mostly in Ontario. Based on this compilation, a complete set of best practice guidelines are proposed.
Part II of this thesis presents an in-depth study of the temporal evolution and characteristics of aftershocks and their implications for re-entry protocol development. Through this part of the thesis, eight mining and two crustal seismicity catalogues are used to study the statistical properties of aftershock sequences. These include the modified Omori’s law, Båth’s law, the Gutenberg-Richter frequency-magnitude relation, the Reasenberg and Jones model, and the Epidemic Type Aftershock Sequence (ETAS) model. Statistical procedures for identifying the most consistent parameters of these relations were developed and tested.
Despite the site specific nature of mining seismicity, consistent statistics were identified and used to develop guidelines for re-entry protocol development in Ontario mines without the requirement for previous intensive calibration. These simple recommendations are intended for those mines with limited historical seismicity, and to serve as a first approach guide for developing a re-entry protocol. Their applicability is, however, limited to single aftershock sequences.
For mines with a significant seismic database a probabilistic approach for setting a family of decay curves (seismic envelopes) and estimating seismicity rate thresholds for re-entry protocol development is proposed. With this formulation it is possible to interpret the decay behaviour of new aftershock sequences and quantify the degree of confidence of the re-entry protocol decision making process in real-time. This is the recommended method for the standardization of re-entry protocol development.

abstract: PhD


title: A Verification Framework for Access Control in Dynamic Web Applications

contributor:
Cordy, James R.
Dean, Thomas R.
Computing

subject:
Software Maintenance and Evolution
Security Modeling and Analysis
Testing and Verification
Model Driven Engineering
Source Transformation
Model Transformation and Composition

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-30 14:30:53.018

abstract: Current technologies such as anti-virus software programs and network firewalls provide reasonably secure protection at the host and network levels, but not at the application level. When network and host-level entry points are comparatively secure, public interfaces of web applications become the focus of malicious software attacks. In this thesis, we focus on one of most serious web application vulnerabilities, broken access control. Attackers often try to access unauthorized objects and resources other than URL pages in an indirect way; for instance, using indirect access to back-end resources such as databases. The consequences of these attacks can be very destructive, especially when the web application allows administrators to remotely manage users and contents over the web. In such cases, the attackers are not only able to view unauthorized content,but also to take over site administration. To protect against these types of attacks, we have designed and implemented a security analysis framework for dynamic web applications. A reverse engineering process is performed on an existing dynamic web application to extract a role-based access-control security model. A formal analysis is applied on the recovered model to check access-control security properties. This framework can be used to verify that a dynamic web application conforms to access control polices specified by a security engineer. Our framework provides a set of novel techniques for the analysis and modeling of web applications for the purpose of security verification and validation. It is largely language independent, and based on adaptable model recovery which can support a wide range of security analysis tasks.

abstract: PhD


title: Explanatory Models of Recovery From Stroke Within the African-Caribbean Community in Canada

contributor:
Lamb, Marianne
Nursing

subject: Explanatory Models

subject: Stroke Recovery

subject: African-Caribbean

subject: Stroke in the African-Caribbean Community

subject: Nursing

subject: Illness and Culture

abstract: Thesis (Master, Nursing) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-30 09:59:56.286

abstract:
Stroke is the most common serious neurological condition worldwide. Members of the Black population are at an increased risk of suffering a stroke due to several risk factors which are more prevalent in this racial group. The purpose of this qualitative research study is to describe how African-Caribbean stroke survivors, who live in Canada, understand their illness and manage their care during the early recovery period.
	Eight participants who were of African-Caribbean origin who were living in Canada and recovering from a stroke were interviewed. Results of the study indicate that participants were not knowledgeable about the risk factors for stroke, they did not recognize the warning signs of a stroke as a medical emergency, and they did not always follow treatment regimes recommended by their physicians.   Participants in the study described stroke as a catastrophic event, resulting in feelings of intense fear, being out of control, uncertainty, yearning for their old self, and feelings of detachment from their own body. Motivating factors in their recovery from stroke were the support of family, their own individual personal determination, and the acceptance of the illness by the participants. Nurses and physiotherapists were valued by the participants due to the role they played in improving their functional abilities.
	Participants expressed a desire for nurses to become knowledgeable about the African-Caribbean culture, in order to provide them with education pertaining to diet as well as steps they can take to reduce their risk of having another stroke.
Responding to the care needs of this population will require individualized nursing care which considers the influence of culture on how the illness is perceived.

abstract: MNSc.


title: The Effects of a Mental Imagery Workshop on Coaches’ Encouragement of Imagery Use

contributor:
Law, Barbi
Latimer, Amy
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Mental Imagery
Coach Training Program
Mental Imagery Workshop
Recreational Athletes

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-30 10:35:41.541

abstract: Recreational athletes are encouraged to use mental imagery by their coaches less frequently than elite athletes (Jedlic, Hall, Munroe-Chandler, & Hall, 2007). The purpose of this study was to examine whether a mental imagery workshop would increase recreational level coaches’ encouragement of imagery to their athletes when compared to coaches attending a communication workshop. The workshops provided coaches with imagery or communication information and tools as well as role-playing opportunities. Recreational sport coaches (N = 132; M age = 41.80 years, SD = 9.67) completed the Coaches Encouragement of Athletes Imagery Use Questionnaire (CEAIUQ; Jedlic et al.), Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire (CART-Q; Jowett & Ntoumanis, 2004), and questionnaires assessing coaches’ demographics, confidence, knowledge, and attitudes towards imagery. These questionnaires were completed before the workshop and online four weeks later. Repeated measure MANCOVAs, controlling for sex and highest level coached, were performed comparing the coaches’ encouragement of imagery use, as well as their confidence, attitudes, and knowledge of mental imagery, across the two study groups. No group by time interactions were found for any of the five functions of imagery. However, group by time interactions were found for knowledge (F(1, 132) = 5.45, p = .02, ηp2 = .040), attitudes (F(1,132)  = 4.45, p = .01, ηp2 = .055) and confidence (F(1,132),= 7.10, p = .04, ηp2 = .032) towards imagery. Paired-samples t-tests demonstrated that the mental imagery group significantly increased their confidence from baseline to follow-up (t(65) = -2.75, p = .01). Findings provide direction for designing future coach education training programs and aid in understanding recreational sport coaches’ views on encouraging their athletes to use imagery.

abstract: M.A.


title: Residential Care for Elderly People in Beijing, China: A Study of the Relationship between Health and Place

contributor:
Rosenberg, Mark W.
Geography

subject:
Health Geography
Residential care

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-30 12:15:57.972

abstract:
This thesis is a study of the residential care for elderly people in Beijing, China. First, a set of statistical indicators are developed for mapping the spatial distribution of the elderly population and residential care facilities (RCFs). Secondly, in-depth, semi-structured interviews are used to understand the socio-cultural meanings of access, the decision making process in relocation, the well-being of elderly residents, as well as the challenges of residential care and social welfare reform. In total, 27 elderly residents, 16 family members, and five RCF managers were interviewed in six RCFs in Beijing. The constant comparative method is used to analyze all the transcribed interview materials.
There are several major findings resulting from the research: the distribution of the elderly population and residential care resources is geographically uneven across the districts of Beijing and the supply of resources does not match the potential need. Elderly people and their family members choose residential care because of the shortage of community and home care resources and/or the advantages of residential care. The decision making process is a process of balancing geographical factors, quality of services, and financial affordability. Access to residential care is an interactive process influenced by geographical, economic, and social-cultural factors. The physical and socio-cultural environments of RCFs and individual’s sense of place play important roles in their adaptation and well-being after the relocation from the home to a RCF. Building up the active aging model with joint efforts from governments, society, RCFs, and individuals is helpful and effective for promoting the well-being of elderly residents in RCFs. At the end, the study also provides suggestions for the government, organizations, and RCFs on aspects such as administration, policy making, planning, volunteering, and management of RCFs to meet the challenges of residential care in China.
The study confirms the importance of healthy living environments to the well-being of elderly residents. It also provides knowledge for understanding the reconfiguration of filial piety in decision making processes and utilization of residential care in current Chinese society. From a health geography perspective, this thesis is one of the first studies on residential care in China.

abstract: PhD


title: Three Essays on Updating Forecasts in Vector Autoregression Models

contributor:
Gregory, Allan W.
Economics

subject:
Updating Forecasts
Timing of Announcement
Earnings Release
Nonfarm Payroll Employment Forecast

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Economics) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-30 12:34:42.629

abstract: Forecasting firms' earnings has long been an interest of market participants and academics. Traditional forecasting studies in a multivariate time series setting do not take into account that the timing of market data release for a specific time period of observation is often spread over several days or weeks. This thesis focuses on the separation of announcement timing or data release and the use of econometric real-time methods, which we refer to as an updated vector autoregression (VAR) forecast, to predict data that have yet to be released. In comparison to standard time series forecasting, we show that the updated forecasts will be more accurate the higher the correlation coefficients among the standard VAR innovations are. Forecasting with the sequential release of information has not been studied in the VAR framework, and our approach to U.S. nonfarm payroll employment and the six Canadian banks shows its value. By using the updated VAR forecast, we conclude that there are relative efficiency gains in the one-step-ahead forecast compared to the ordinary VAR forecast, and compared to professional consensus forecasts. Thought experiments emphasize that the release ordering is crucial in determining forecast accuracy.

abstract: PhD


title: A Dimmable High Power Factor Electronic Ballast for Compact Fluorescent Lamps

contributor:
Jain, Praveen K.
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Power electronics
Compact fluorescent lamps

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-30 12:51:59.682

abstract:
Incandescent lamps are now being gradually replaced by Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) as CFLs consume less power to produce the same light output and its lifetime is much longer than that of an incandescent lamp.  However, current CFLs have the following drawbacks: (1) the line current drawn from the CFL produce a large amount of unwanted harmonics that results in very poor input power factor; (2) the dimming performance of a CFL with conventional incandescent lamp dimmers is very poor.  The performance of the CFL depends on the design of the electronic ballast circuit that is located at the base of each CFL.  For a CFL electronic ballast to be practical, its size and cost is of utmost importance. Thus, the main challenge in the design of practical dimmable CFL ballasts is to solve the aforementioned CFL performance issues while minimizing its size and cost.
In the first part of this dissertation, two novel high power factor single-stage electronic ballast topologies are proposed to solve the poor power factor issue of the CFLs that are currently on the market.  Both proposed circuits have the following advantages: (1) only one switch is required in the power circuit; (2) the switch has both lower current and voltage stress than other conventional circuits; (3) the built-in power factor correction (PFC) circuit allows incandescent phase-cut dimmer to be used for dimming the CFL; (4) the circuit design is simple and it requires less system space compared to other conventional high PF electronic ballast topologies.  The second part of this dissertation proposes a new control circuit that enables the lamp to maintain high power factor throughout the majority of the dimming range.  In the proposed control scheme, the dimmer phase-cut angle is fed-forward to the control circuit.  The controller then determines the proper duty cycle based on the phase-cut angle to facilitate the desired dimming operation.  This novel control circuit was first implemented using analog circuitry. After assessing the performance of the analog version of the proposed controller, it was then digitally implemented through the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technique.  The feasibility and performance of both the proposed electronic ballasts and control concept have been verified through theoretical analysis, simulation and experimental results on a 13W 4-pin D/E CFL from Osram Sylvania.

abstract: There is a portion of this thesis that has the potential to be patented or commercialized.

abstract: PhD


title: Digital Control of Voltage Regulators for Fast Transient Response in Computer Applications

subject:
voltage regulator
digital controller
switch mode power supply
dc-dc power converter
non-linear control
predictive control
multiphase interleaved buck converter
current sharing
current balancing

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-30 14:25:58.436

abstract: In this thesis, three techniques are proposed to enhance the transient performance of voltage regulators (VR) for computer applications. Voltage mode control with load line positioning and phase current balancing technique is first introduced to maximize the transient response of the VR and to balance the phase current for multiphase VR under high frequency dynamic load conditions. The VR and its control method is modeled and analyzed in depth for its targeting applications. Secondly, a predictive non-linear voltage mode control method is digitally implemented to further enhance the transient response of the VR. The proposed control method enables the VR to operate at a lower switching frequency in the 250KHz range for higher efficiency during steady state operation but to respond quickly accordingly to transient events when necessary. This control technique allows the use of simple VR topologies and can reduce the number of bulk capacitors. Thirdly, a VR with Transient Circuit and digitally implemented non-linear control is introduced to greatly enhance the transient response of the VR. The proposed control method allows the VR to operate at a lower switching frequency in the 250KHz range for higher efficiency under static load condition, but to respond even quickly with the aid of the Transient Circuit upon large load steps. This method allows the use of simple VR topologies and can potentially remove all the bulk capacitors. In the thesis, theoretical analysis, simulations, and experiments are given to describe and verify the proposed techniques.

abstract: PhD


title: Freeze-Thaw and Sustained Load Durability of Near Surface Mounted FRP Strengthened Concrete

contributor:
Bisby, Luke
Civil Engineering

subject:
Civil Engineering
Strengthening
NSM FRP
Freeze-Thaw

abstract: Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-30 18:11:56.424

abstract: In recent years, a modified method to strengthen reinforced concrete (RC) structures has emerged involving application of fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs) in the ‘near surface’ of a member. The near surface mounted (NSM) method entails placing a pre-cured FRP bar, rod, strip, or plate, along with an adhesive into a pre-cut groove or slot in the cover of a member. Advantages of the NSM technique over externally bonded (EB) systems include minimal surface preparation and installation time, the ability to anchor the FRP into an adjacent member, superior protection from mechanical and environmental damage, and superior bond properties. Although a number of laboratory studies, field applications, and experimental field projects have employed the NSM FRP strengthening technique, none of these have been performed in a climate where cold environments and freeze-thaw cycling could cause adverse effects. This thesis presents the results of an experimental program to investigate the flexural and bond performance and freeze-thaw durability of a specific NSM carbon/vinylester FRP tape strengthening system through a series of tests on strengthened slab strips and a series of pull-out bond tests. The effects of adhesive type (cementitious or epoxy) and exposure condition (room temperature, freeze-thaw, sustained load, or freeze-thaw under sustained load) are examined. The results indicate no discernable negative impacts on the performance of the grout strengthened members after exposure to freeze-thaw cycles and/or sustained load. The slab strips strengthened with epoxy adhesive displayed minor changes in ultimate load (less than three percent) after exposure to freeze-thaw cycles or a period of sustained load, while the combined effect of freeze-thaw cycles and sustained load produced an average reduction in ultimate load of eight percent. The epoxy adhesive strengthened pull-out bond tests experienced a 27% average drop in ultimate load after 150 freeze-thaw cycles. These results suggest that additional research on the combined effects of sustained load and freeze-thaw cycling are warranted, particularly for NSM strengthening applications using epoxy adhesives.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Syntax-based Security Testing for Text-based Communication Protocols

contributor:
Dean, Thomas R.
Computing

subject:
Security Testing
Mutation Testing
Text-Based Communication Protocol

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-30 16:01:18.048

abstract: We introduce a novel Syntax-based Security Testing (SST) framework that uses a protocol specification to effectively perform security testing on text-based communication protocols. A protocol specification of a particular text-based protocol under-tested (TPUT) represents its syntactic grammar and static semantic contracts on the grammar. Mutators written in TXL break the syntactic and semantic constraints of the protocol specification to generate test cases. Different protocol specification testing strategies can be joined together to yield a compositional testing approach. SST is independent of any particular text-based protocols. The power of SST stems from the way it obtains test cases from the protocol specifications. We also use the robust parsing technique with TXL to parse a TPUT. SST has successfully revealed security faults in different text-based protocol applications such as web applications and kOganizer. We also demonstrate SST can mimic the venerable PROTOS Test-Suite: co-http-reply developed by University of Oulu.

abstract: PhD


title: Helices and Hamburgers from the Assembly of Linear ABC Triblock Copolymers in Block-Selective Solvents

contributor:
Liu, Guojun
Chemistry

subject:
Block Copolymers
Nanoparticle
Self-Assembly
Morphology Studies
Helical Morphology
TEM Tomography
Janus Particle

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2010-04-30 18:01:06.281

abstract:
This Ph.D. thesis reports the discovery and study of several morphologies of ABC triblock copolymer assemblies in block selective solvents.  One block copolymer self-assembled into helices (mostly double and some triple helices), and the other block copolymer formed a mixture of structures resembling hamburgers and striped cylinders.

The helices, biomimmetic structures which are unusual from block copolymer self assembly, were prepared from the triblock copolymer poly(n-butyl methacrylate)-block-poly(2-cinnamoyloxyethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(tert-butyl acrylate) (PBMA-b-PCEMA-b-PtBA).  They were formed spontaneously in several binary solvent mixtures including dichloromethane/methanol, tetrahydrofuran (THF)/methanol, and chloroform/methanol.  They were formed in the composition ranges where the mixtures were good for the PtBA block, poor for the PCEMA block, and marginal for the PBMA block.  The structure was studied and established by TEM, AFM, DLS and 1H NMR and by TEM tomography.   The mechanism and kinetics of helix formation was examined.

The Hamburger and striped cylinder structures were produced from poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-block-poly(2-cinnamoyloxyethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(succinated glyceryl monomethacrylate) or (PtBA-b-PCEMA-b-PSGMA) in mixtures of THF, (-)-sparteine and 1- or 2-propanol.  Here THF solubilized all the blocks of the copolymer, while propanol was a precipitant for the middle block (PCEMA), and the chiral amine, (-)-sparteine, complexed with PSGMA and made it insoluble.  Within the Hamburger-like structure, the “filling” was made of the complexed PSGMA chains and the "buns" were made of PCEMA.  The striped cylinders were made of stacking alternating PCEMA and PtBA stubs.  The PtBA chains were located on the outer surfaces of both of these structures.  With the hamburger structures, after PCEMA crosslinking, we were able to remove the chiral amine by dialysis and make the PSGMA chains soluble again in solvents such as N, N dimethylformamide.  The hamburgers were thus separated into two halves, with each half existing as a Janus particle, which had PtBA chains on one side and PSGMA chains on the other side.  The Janus particles might have interesting applications, such as in Pickering emulsion stabilization.

abstract: PhD


title: A Comparison and Outline of Tolerances in Performing Optical Time Division Multiplexing using Electro-Absorption Modulators

contributor:
Cartledge, John C.
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
OTDM
electro-absorption modulators
system tolerances
optical time division multiplexing
160 Gbit/s

abstract: Thesis (Master, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-17 22:51:56.471

abstract:
As high bandwidth applications continue to emerge, investigation in technologies that
will increase transmission capacity become necessary. Of these technologies, Optical
Time Division Multiplexing (OTDM) has been presented as a possible solution, supporting
a next generation bit rate of 160 Gbit/s. To perform the demultiplexing task,
the use of tandem electro-absorption modulators (EAMs) has been widely studied,
and due to its benefits was chosen as the topology of this thesis.
To create an effective model of an OTDM system, the vector based mathematical
simulation tool MatLab is used. Care was taken to create an accurate representation
of an OTDM system, including: the development of a realistic pulse shape, the
development of a true pseudo-random bit sequence in all transmitted channels, the
optimization of the gating function, and the representation of system penalty.
While posing impressive bit rates, various sources of system performance degradation
pose issues in an OTDM system, owning to its ultra-narrow pulse widths.
The presence of dispersion, timing jitter, polarization mode dispersion, and nonlinear
effects, can sufficiently degrade the quality of the received data. This thesis gives a clear guideline to the tolerance an OTDM system exhibits to each of the aforementioned sources of system penalty. The theory behind each impairment is thoroughly discussed and simulated using MatLab. From the simulated results, a finite degree of sensitivity to each source of system penalty is realized. These contributions are of particular importance when attempting to implement an OTDM system in either the laboratory, or the field.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Novel Azole-Based Heme Oxygenase Inhibitors: In Vivo Characterization and Therapeutic Application in Cancer

contributor:
Nakatsu, Kanji
Pharmacology and Toxicology

subject:
Heme Oxygenase
Carbon Monoxide
Angiogenesis
Cancer
Drug Development

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Pharmacology & Toxicology) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-01 04:58:01.402

abstract: Heme degradation is catalyzed through the action of heme oxygenases (HO), present as inducible (HO-1) and constitutive (HO-2) isoforms, resulting in the endogenous production of carbon monoxide (CO), biliverdin and iron.  Numerous studies attempting to elucidate the physiological roles of these products have relied on metalloporphyrin inhibitors of HO; however, they have limited utility, as they are known to inhibit other hemoproteins.  Previous work in our laboratory has led to the identification of a number of azole-based compounds that inhibit HO in vitro, including several that have demonstrated selectivity for HO-1.  The principal goal of this project was to characterize lead compounds in vivo and investigate their therapeutic potential as anti-cancer agents.  The first objective was to develop a method to screen novel azole-based HO inhibitors (abHOi) in vivo.  To this end, we describe a non-invasive method of measuring CO exhalation (VeCO) as a measure of in vivo HO activity.  Using the VeCO method, we found that the inhibition of HO by abHOi was dose- and time-dependent, and was comparable to the effectiveness of the classical metalloporphyrin HO inhibitor, zinc protoporphyrin.  Moreover, abHOi inhibited HO by a reversible, non-competitive mechanism and had no effect on HO-1 or HO-2 protein expression.  Interestingly, structurally similar azole antifungal drugs were found to inhibit HO activity at therapeutically relevant doses, which raises the possibility that some of the anti-mycotic and anti-tumourigenic effects of drugs like ketoconazole may be mediated, in part, by the inhibition of HO.  Our last objective was to investigate the effectiveness of abHOi in in vitro and in vivo models of tumour angiogenesis, growth and metastasis.  We found that the HO-1-selective abHOi, QC-15, decreased cancer cell viability and inhibited endothelial cell sprouting from aortic rings and capillary-like endothelial cell tube formation in vitro.  In an orthotopic breast cancer model, treatment of tumour-bearing mice with QC-15 reduced primary tumour volume and lung metastasis, but not tumour angiogenesis.  These results demonstrate that abHOi are valuable pharmacological tools in the elucidation of the physiological roles of HO and its products and, barring serious toxicity, promising therapeutic entities for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

abstract: PhD


title: Diffusive Transport of Volatile Organic Compounds through Geomembranes

contributor:
Rowe, Kerry
Civil Engineering

subject:
geomembranes
volatile organic compounds
diffusion
partitioning
aqueous
vapour

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-01 08:12:38.382

abstract:
The diffusive transport of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) through geomembranes is examined.  The key diffusive parameters: diffusion (Dg), partitioning (Sgf) and permeation (Pg) coefficients, for transport from both vapour and aqueous phases are evaluated.  Consideration is given to different types of geomembrane, exposure to cold climatic conditions, and aged geomembranes exhumed after 3 and 25 years.  Laboratory sorption and diffusion tests are performed and modeling is used to infer diffusive parameters from experimental data.
	The transport of VOCs through polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) geomembranes from both aqueous and vapour phases is evaluated by Purge & Trap-GC/MS.  Results indicate that VOC transport through geomembranes in a simulated landfill environment is identical despite the phase they originate from.  Subsequently, this finding is confirmed by examining diffusion of vapour-phase VOCs using Solid Phase Microextraction-GC/FID.
	Diffusive transport of VOCs through traditional PVC, LLDPE and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembranes is compared with that through two novel co-extruded geomembranes, one with a polyamide inner core, the other an ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) inner core.  Both co-extruded geomembranes show a 10-200-fold decrease in Pg values and therefore improved diffusive resistance to VOCs compared to the traditional geomembranes.  EVOH also shows a 5-12-fold decrease in Pg values compared to an HDPE geomembrane.
	The effects of cold environments on the diffusion of VOCs are studied. Five geomembranes are exposed to simulated cold climatic conditions in the laboratory. Results from diffusion tests run at 2-24oC indicate Dg and Pg decrease with temperature. The temperature and diffusion coefficients relationship follow the Arrhenius equation. Activation energies of diffusion are calculated specific to each geomembrane and contaminant. An HPDE geomembrane taken from a field site in the Canadian Arctic after three years of exposure to cold climatic conditions shows minimal decreases in Dg and Pg when compared to new HDPE.
	Finally, the diffusion of VOCs through an HDPE geomembrane exhumed from a decommissioned PCB landfill originally built in 1984 is examined. Profiling of PCB concentrations in the landfill clay and composite liners is investigated indicating minimal PCB diffusive migration after 25 years.

abstract: PhD


title: An Investigation into the Leaching of Enargite Under Atmospheric Conditions

contributor:
Peacey, John
Mining Engineering

subject: Enargite Leaching

abstract: Thesis (Master, Mining Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-02 23:12:46.528

abstract:
The leaching behaviour of enargite was studied under atmospheric pressure. The kinetics of enargite dissolution appear to be extremely slow under the conditions studied using both small scale shake flasks and bench scale stirred tank reactors. An enargite concentrate and a purer
mineral specimen were utilized and the effect of numerous variables including temperature, particle size, acidity, oxygen flow rate, iron addition, redox potential and pyrite addition were investigated. The initial rate of copper dissolution from enargite was relatively fast up to about 40% copper extraction but this was followed by a much slower dissolution rate. The first stage is thought to be reaction rate controlled while the latter stage appears to be diffusion controlled.
The activation energy was determined to be 32 kJ/mol for the concentrate and 33 kJ/mol for the pure specimen in the temperature range of 55-85°C. In the presence of high concentrations of copper sulphate, enhanced copper recovery was observed for the pure enargite specimen. This could be the result of a change in the reaction product layer on the enargite surface and perhaps
the formation of intermediate Cu2S. Previous work has shown that adding excess pyrite enhances copper extraction from enargite but these results could not be reproduced. Particle size reduction appears to be the most effective method to increase extraction rates, however only 70% copper recovery and 35% arsenic recovery was achieved after 24 hours of leaching at d80=2μm. At these
reaction rates, it appears that enargite dissolution at atmospheric pressure will not be an economical process compared to other technologies such as high temperature/pressure oxidation or roasting.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Pedestrian-Induced Bridge Response: Using a modal response model to predict the vibrations of a bridge when subjected to periodic pedestrian loads

contributor:
Green, Mark F.
Civil Engineering

subject: Bridge Dynamics Pedestrian Vibration Response Modal Harmonic Serviceability Parametric

abstract: Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-03 12:36:05.561

abstract:
The availability and use of new materials and construction techniques are allowing bridges to be built that are longer and more slender to those that have been constructed in the past.  This can cause bridges to have lower stiffness and damping, and thus be less able to resist dynamic effects.  This is of special concern for pedestrian bridges, because the harmonic loads that pedestrians apply to the bridge have the potential to excite the bridge’s natural frequencies.  In addition, pedestrians can be sensitive to these vibrations.
A model was developed in order to better understand the effects that a pedestrian can have on these vibration-prone bridges.  The model consisted of two parts: a finite element model that used the structural data for the bridge in order to produce mass-normalized mode shapes, and a bridge-pedestrian interaction program that used the structural and modal data, along with pedestrian loading scenarios, to generate the bridge response.
A parametric study of two bridges was conducted.  The bridges included: a short span bridge that would not be expected to respond excessively to pedestrian loads, and a long-span, lively bridge that had natural frequencies in the range of pedestrian loading.  Many loading cases were examined by varying the following parameters: load case, number of pedestrians, damping, and pacing frequency.
The modal solution was an effective method of finding the bridge responses.  It was determined that pedestrian loads can be represented by a simple constant plus sinusoidal load.  The excessive vibrations of long and slender bridges could be addressed by increasing damping on susceptible modes.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Feminist Narratives of Sport: a second- and third- wave consciousness-raising project

contributor:
Adams, Mary Louise
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
feminism
Canadian women's interuniversity sport
personal narratives

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-04 23:43:53.475

abstract: In Canada there are increasing numbers of girls and women playing sport (Ifedi, 2005). In part, these opportunities are the result of earlier feminist efforts in the 1970s and 1980s and yet feminism itself is very rarely a part of the experiences of girls and women once they are involved in sport. The purpose of this thesis is to explore how this might be different and to create feminist politics around women’s high performance sport in Canada. This consciousness-raising qualitative writing project features three narratives written from a first-person perspective based on my experiences playing interuniversity sport. Chapters on methodology, second- and third-wave feminism and Canadian sport history provide a context for the narratives chapter. I urge other athletes to take up feminisms so that they might gain a different perspective to understand their experiences and see greater connections between themselves and other women. This might inspire women to change what they expect from and how they evaluate their experiences in sport in ways that align with feminist ideas. The project concludes with some thoughts on doing a qualitative writing project that might be helpful to other graduate students who are considering doing this type of research.

abstract: M.A.


title: Fibroferrite: crystallographic, optical and synthesis experiments

contributor: Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering

subject:
Mineralogy
Geological Sciences

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-06 15:08:18.092

abstract: Fibroferrite [Fe(OH)SO4•5H2O] is a product of the AMD (acid mine drainage) process and forms by chemical weathering and oxidation of iron sulfides in hydrothermal and magmatic ore deposits. The present work consists of two distinct parts. The first part is a crystallographic and optical study of 30 samples of  fibroferrite from natural occurences and mine waste. The second part covers the description of all the experimental attempts to synthesize fibroferrite. Powder-diffraction data were collected and the Rietveld refinement procedure was conducted for each of the 30 natural samples in order to refine the values of the lattice constants of each sample. The a and c values of the lattice constants of fibroferrite measured in this study were found to conform to the values reported in the most recent literature. Optical observations were conducted, using a spindle stage, on each of the 30 natural samples. The purpose of the optical analysis was the selection of crystals adequate for a single crystal X-ray diffraction study. Samples were selected for a study on a rotating anode source and further studies at a synchrotron facility. None of the selected crystals was suitable for a single crystal X-ray diffraction study and the unit cell could not be found. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy chemical analyses using a scanning electron microscope were performed on the 10 natural samples supplied by the Royal Ontario Museum and the Canadian Museum of Nature. The energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy chemical analyses did not allow a real understanding of the level of substitutions of other cations for ferric iron within the atomic structure of fibroferrite. Several experiments were performed in order to synthesize fibroferrite. Commercially available reagents were used. All the experimental attempts conducted failed in synthesizing fibroferrite. A too restricted Eh and pH range of the laboratory conditions at which the experiments were conducted and the formation of metastable phases could be evoked as reasons of this failure.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: The Characterization of Metal Biotransformation Capabilities of Photosynthetic Microorganisms

contributor:
Lefebvre, Daniel D.
Biology

subject:
Biotransformation
Metal Sulfide
Serine Acetyltransferase
Cysteine Desulfhydrase
C. reinhardtii
S. leopoliensis
C. merolae
Copper
Zinc
Cadmium

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-07 00:05:20.199

abstract: Industrial activity over the last two centuries have increased heavy metal contamination worldwide and has led to greater human interaction with these contaminants. Cadmium, copper and zinc are particularly common industrial effluents and are highly toxic in elevated concentrations. Due to the hazards of heavy metal pollution, there is a growing demand for cost effective and efficient means to remove heavy metals. Photoautotrophic microbes can biotransform heavy metals into the relatively biologically unavailable and insoluble metal-sulfides.  By characterizing the sulfur assimilation pathways’ role in heavy metal biotransformation, more effective heavy metal bioremediation processes may be developed. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Synechoccocus leopoliensis and Cyanidioschyzon merolae were exposed to cadmium, copper, and zinc and their abilities to synthesize metal-sulfides were assessed. Sulfate, sulfite and cysteine were enriched in the respective media of each species to determine the role of sulfur metabolites in enhancing metal tolerance and metal-sulfide formation. The activities of cysteine desulfhydrase, serine acetyltransferase and O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase activity were analyzed under the stress of Cd(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II).  C. merolae supplemented with sulfate yielded a significant increase in Cd(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) tolerance, higher sulfide formation, and increased enzyme activity.  C. reinhardtii and S. leopoliensis supplemented with sulfate yielded significantly more biomass than the sulfite and cysteine treatments when exposed to Cd(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II). In all species the addition of sulfite and cysteine was found to be detrimental to cell growth. C. reinhardtii had an average increase of 5-8 times the initial cysteine desulfhydrase and serine acetyltransferase activity for each metal treatment. Cd(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) proved to have a limiting effect on S. leopoliensis’ enzyme activity. The potential limitations in the sulfur assimilation pathway will be discussed. C. merolae may prove to be a successful candidate for metal bioremediation. Utilizing supplemental sulfate nutrition may improve the rate of biotransformation in aerobic microbes.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Borders and the Exclusion of Migrant Bodies in Singapore's Global City-state

contributor:
Mullings, Beverley
Geography

subject:
Singapore
Borders
Migrant workers
Social exclusion
Global city

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-11 15:31:12.683

abstract: Feminist geographic debates have drawn attention to the multi-scalar role of borders as processes of social differentiation that are reproduced and inscribed on the bodies of migrant workers in everyday life. This thesis explores these questions in the context of Singapore’s global city-state where the increasing visibility of low-wage foreign workers in local residential areas has become a subject of tense neighbourhood frictions that frequently bring borders into sharp relief. Using the case-study of a recent public furore surrounding the proposed location of a foreign worker dormitory in Serangoon Gardens, one of Singapore's well-known middle-class estates, it examines the ways that migrant exclusions in local residential areas are informed by border anxieties and practices that mark out the labouring bodies of foreign workers as alien and “out of place.” The Serangoon Gardens incident exhibited a moment of tension whereby gendered, racialised, and class-based meanings attached to specific forms of flexible labour (particularly foreign construction and domestic work) were inserted into wider debates about nation, community, and the socio-spatial preservation of middle-class identity and belonging. Insofar as Singapore’s growth remains undergirded by the systematic in-flow of low-wage foreign workers to service its infrastructural and social reproductive labour needs, a study of borders helps illuminate the inherent contradictions and barriers of mobility within the global city as an exclusionary landscape. This thesis argues that the deeply marginalised place of foreign workers in society stems predominantly from the constitutive role of the state’s managerial migration regime in shaping everyday social meanings and practices that construct these workers as unassimilable subjects within the city-state. The outcome of these multi-scalar forms of bordering practices has been to produce a transient, depoliticised, and governable migrant population in the interests of security and economic prosperity in Singapore’s global city-state.

abstract: M.A.


title: Reducing Acoustic Noise in MRI Scanners

contributor:
Mechefske, Chris K.
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
Acoustic Noise
Noise Reduction
MRI Scanner
Noise Control

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-07-13 11:46:03.585

abstract:
A study of methods for reducing the acoustic noise in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners is presented in this thesis. The structural-acoustic coupling mechanism of MRI scanners was investigated using a method of structural-acoustic modal analysis. Mathematical expressions of generalized radiation impedances of gradient coil ducts with perforated panel inserts were developed and the effects of the perforated panel inserts on the acoustic noise in the duct were discussed. The possibility of using micro-perforated panel (MPP) absorbers in MRI scanners to reduce the acoustic noise was then investigated through analytical and computational modeling. A comprehensive experimental study was conducted after the analytical and computational investigation. Finally, design methods and procedures were developed specifically for the MPP absorbers in MRI scanners. Design considerations and recommendations were given as well.
Several major conclusions can be made from this research. Firstly, the method of structural-acoustic modal analysis is effective for finding the structural-acoustic coupling modes which should be avoided in the design of MRI scanners. Secondly, a perforated panel insert produces significant effects on the radiation impedance of gradient coil ducts and MRI scanner bores. This attribute partly contributes to its capability of reducing the acoustic noise in a duct. Thirdly, the effectiveness of MPP absorbers in MRI scanners can be accurately predicted using a combination of theoretical analysis and computational modeling. Moreover, it has been proved that well designed MPP absorbers are effective in reducing the acoustic noise in MRI scanners. Lastly, the presented design methods and recommendations for the MPP absorbers can be relatively easily used by MRI designers or engineers to tackle the acoustic noise problem in MRI scanners.

abstract: Contains information to be used in patent application.

abstract: PhD


title: Evidence Linking Alterations in the Moment-to-Moment Pressure-Natriuresis Mechanism to Hypertension and Salt-Sensitivity in Rodents

contributor:
Adams, Michael A.
Pharmacology and Toxicology

subject:
pressure-natriuresis
arterial pressure
renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure
renal arterial pressure
hypertension
salt-sensitivity
animal models
genetic
environmental
fetal programming
visceral adipose tissue
magnetic resonance imaging
abdominal girth

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Pharmacology & Toxicology) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-12 10:11:21.197

abstract:
Hypertension and salt-sensitivity are independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease.  Although both conditions are idiopathic, they develop due to a complex interplay between susceptibility genes and environmental factors.  Given that the kidney plays an important role in regulating blood pressure, in particular, by maintaining sodium and water balance via pressure-natriuresis, it is not surprising that disturbances in the proper functioning of this intrarenal mechanism have been linked to these conditions.  Although direct coupling of changes in renal arterial pressure (RAP) to renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure (RIHP) and consequent sodium excretion is well established, few studies have characterized the moment-to-moment aspects of this process.  Thus, the main focus of the research presented herein was to characterize the moment-to-moment RAP-RIHP relationship, and assess the functioning of this intrarenal mechanism in various animal models of genetic and environmentally-induced hypertension and/or salt-sensitivity.
In adult normotensive rats, the response time of RIHP to acute changes in RAP was rapid (<2 seconds), and the moment-to-moment RAP-RIHP relationship was linear over a wide range of pressures.   Additionally, the functioning of this relationship was not affected by inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system and autonomic nervous system.  Further, the acute RAP-RIHP relationship was impaired in hypertension and/or salt-sensitivity.  Specifically, animals with a hypertensive phenotype (i.e. young spontaneously hypertensive rats [SHR] and pro-atrial natriuretic peptide gene-disrupted mice [ANP -/-]) displayed a rightward shift in the moment-to-moment pressure-natriuresis curve towards higher RAP.  This rightward shift was associated with increased structurally-based vascular resistance properties in the hindlimb of young SHR versus their normotensive controls.  Salt-sensitive phenotypes were associated with a blunting of this acute mechanism.  Specifically, this blunting was evident in both the ANP -/-, a transgenic model of salt-sensitive hypertension, and in adult perinatal iron deficient (PID) rats, a developmentally programmed model of salt-sensitivity.  It appears that a blunting in the RAP-RIHP relationship is influenced by an imbalance of key blood pressure modulating factors (e.g. ANP).  Further, visceral obesity was associated with salt-sensitivity in PID rats; however the mechanism(s) are yet to be elucidated.  Novel methodologies (MRI, abdominal girth) were developed for non-invasive assessment of visceral obesity to aid future research.

abstract: PhD


title: "You Can't Get There From Here": Small-Town Ontario, Nostalgia, and Urban Memory in Works of Selected Ontario Writers

contributor:
Ware, Tracy
English

subject:
Small-Town Ontario
Nostalgia
Memory

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, English) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-13 09:27:11.759

abstract: This dissertation examines the role of memory in the construction of small-town Ontario in the work of a number of Ontario writers. After an initial overview of the vexed position the small town holds in Canadian and Ontarian cultural discourse, this dissertation then examines the role of distance - temporal, spatial, and cultural - in memorial reconstructions of small-town pasts, and claims that this distance is essential to nostalgic visions of the small town. This dissertation does not discuss the small town as merely an idyll or anti-idyll, but analyzes the effect of something Leo Marx calls the “pastoral design,” defined as the “larger structure of thought and feeling of which the ideal is a part” (24). The effect of this structure is most apparent in Stephen Leacock’s Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town, and this dissertation argues that Leacock’s Mariposa is the product of melancholics daydreaming of a better small-town past in order to soothe their contemporary urban anomie; however, Leacock also reveals the decidedly ambivalent effect the urban sphere has on its own nostalgic image. Chapter Three examines Sunshine Sketches’ influence on Deptford in Robertson Davies’ Fifth Business; Deptford is at once an acknowledgement of, and departure from, Leacock’s Mariposa. The unstable portrayal of the town suggests that Deptford is no complement to an urban sphere, but is shaped by the same processes of modernity affecting the city. In Chapter Four the dissertation discusses Alice Munro’s Lives of Girls and Women, specifically how narrator Del Jordan collapses the distance between her present and past, and how Munro’s text undermines the values attendant to rural and urban space. Finally, Chapter Five identifies the presence of a rural-urban binary in two texts by Jane Urquhart. For Urquhart’s characters, the small-town past is a solemn object of loss, but is ultimately a construct that can only be a reflection of the mourning or remembering self. This dissertation reads these small-town narratives as sophisticated statements on the role of urbanization in memories of a personal and social past, and on the vexed position of the rural in an increasingly cosmopolitan world.

abstract: PhD


title: Cynicism in the Fin de Siècle

contributor:
Varadharajan, Asha
English

subject:
Cynicism
Fin de Siècle

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, English) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-17 16:38:24.165

abstract: Cynicism is one of the most frequently used, but most polysemic, words in the modern lexicon. This dissertation attempts to shed some light on a dark subject by tracing the idea of cynicism from the late eighteenth century to the late nineteenth century and early twentieth in order to construct a multi-faceted theory of modern cynicism which is in turn applied to, and modified by, the writings of H. G. Wells, Joseph Conrad, and George Bernard Shaw. The genealogy of cynicism that I construct in the first chapter draws upon existing research in the area as well as original research from a range of books and articles published from 1790 to 1895. This genealogy shows that the idea of cynicism takes shape largely in relation to the nineteenth century’s anxieties about the social and subjective consequences of modern culture. In the remaining chapters, I examine each writer’s understanding of and engagement with cynicism and explore the ways that each participates in, modifies, or rejects the pessimistic form of modern cynicism associated with the fin de siècle. I suggest that in rejecting the pessimistic form of realism typical of the period, Shaw comes closer than other authors to recovering a salutary neo-Cynicism; I also argue that he perceived, but was not able to overcome, the subjective barriers to political change that more recent theorists have associated with twentieth-century cynicism.

abstract: PhD


title: Stigma Experienced by Parents of Adults With  Intellectual Disabilities

contributor:
Ouellette-Kuntz, Hélène
Stuart, Heather
Community Health and Epidemiology

subject:
Intellectual Disability
Stigma
Parents
Experiences

abstract: Thesis (Master, Community Health & Epidemiology) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-19 18:06:55.622

abstract:
Background:
Stigma can not only affect the stigmatized individual, but also those closely associated with that individual, such as parents. Parents are often in the role of primary caregivers for individuals with intellectual disabilities. However, few studies have looked at the experiences of stigma in parents of adults with intellectual disabilities.
Objectives:
Three objectives of the current study were to test the internal consistencies of three scales aimed to measure experiences of parents of adults with intellectual disabilities (two stigma scales and one scale looking at positive personal, perspective on life, and relational changes in parents), test the inter-correlation between the scales and describe the parents’ experiences.
Methods:
A self-administered survey containing the three scales was mailed to parents of adults with intellectual disabilities by agency staff on the investigators’ behalf. The participants were identified through a database of anonymized information about individuals with intellectual disabilities within the six counties of South Eastern Ontario. A total of 97 participants (parents) were eligible for the study.
Results:
The scale measuring positive changes experienced by parents had significant item non-response. However, all three scales achieved good to excellent internal consistencies when tested in the current sample. The two stigma scales were moderately correlated with one another in a positive direction, while the scale measuring positive changes in parents did not significantly correlate with either of the stigma scales. Mothers and younger parents (less than 65 years) were more likely to report that stigma affected their ability to interact with relatives than fathers and older parents. Parents of adults with dual diagnosis (having both an intellectual disability and mental health problems) were more likely to report that stigma affected their family’s quality of life than parents of adults with an intellectual disability only.
Conclusion:
Both of the stigma scales are recommended with caution, with recommendations ranging from rewording of items, change in item order within the survey, more conservative item response categories, reconsideration of dichotomizing responses and a mode of survey administration which lowers the potential for non-response. Certain groups of parents of adults with intellectual disabilities experience stigma differently than others.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Feature Based Registration of Ultrasound and CT Data of a Scaphoid

contributor:
Abolmaesumi, Purang
Computing

subject:
Feature-Based Registration
Ultrasound
CT
Scaphoid

abstract: Thesis (Master, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-28 11:17:31.934

abstract:
Computer assisted surgery uses a collection of different techniques including but not limited to: CT-guided, fluoroscopy-guided, and ultrasound-guided imaging which allows medical staff to view bony anatomy of a patient in relation to surgical tools on a computer screen.  By providing this visual data to surgeons less invasive surgeries can be performed on a patient's fractured scaphoid.  The data required for a surgeon to perform a minimally invasive surgery while looking only at a computer screen, and not directly at a patient's anatomy, will be provided by CT and ultrasound data.  We will discuss how ultrasound and CT data can be used together to allow a minimally invasive surgery of the scaphoid to be performed.

  In this thesis we will explore two techniques of registering segmented ultrasound images to CT data; an Iterative Closest Point (ICP) approach, and an Unscented Kalman Filter-based Registration (UKF).  We use two different ultrasound segmentation methods; a semi-automatic segmentation, and a  Bayesian segmentation technique. The segmented ultrasound data is then registered to a CT volume.  The success or failure of the
registrations is measured by the error calculated in mapping the corresponding land-
marks to one another and calculating the target registration error.  The results show that the Unscented Kalman Filter-based registration using the Bayesian segmentation of ultrasound images has the least registration error, and has the most robustness to error in initial alignment of the two data sets.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: A Comparative Analysis of Mark III Water Pump Carriage Systems

contributor:
Stevenson, Joan M.
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Forest Firefighting
Ergonomics
Biomechanics
Accelerometry

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-21 15:44:33.548

abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness and user-acceptability of three Mark 3 water pump carriage systems for the Aviation and Forest Fire Management division of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR).  Twenty Ontario Fire Rangers were recruited to wear three different designs of the Mark 3 carriage system (Original, Modified, and OMNR Prototype) through a circuit of tasks that simulated a Fire Ranger’s working environment. Subjective ratings were determined for difficulty of loading/unloading, discomfort, system stability and overall performance after each pump condition with a final ranking questionnaire on the same variables after circuit completion.  Two tri-axial accelerometers mounted on each pump and the sternum of each participant provided data for calculation of relative pump-carrier accelerations. Measures were determined for the mean relative accelerations, 50th and 90th percentile acceleration amplitude distributions, and median acceleration frequencies. One-way repeated measures ANOVA with post-hoc comparisons were conducted on the objective and subjective rating data followed by ranking each score to attain a total score.  Overall, the OMNR Prototype was ranked as the best system. It received a first place ranking for all subjective variables and a first place ranking in 10/18 objective variables with a second place ranking on 6/18 scores.  It was concluded that the OMNR Prototype will be recommended for implementation as the OMNR fire suppression system. However, prior to full implementation, additional in-field evaluations should be conducted.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Identification and Characterization of a Novel Antisense Non-Coding RNA from the T-DNA Locus of Rosewood, an Activation-Tagged Poplar Tree

contributor:
Regan, Sharon
Biology

subject: Activation-Tagging Poplar MicroRNA Anthocyanin

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-21 11:35:33.684

abstract: Activation-tagging is a functional genomics technique where strong enhancers are inserted randomly into target genomes and can over-activate endogenous genes.  When interesting phenotypes occur as a result, it can lead to the discovery of new genes or the characterization of known genes.  From a population of ~2000 activation-tagged poplar trees created in our lab, a mutant with red xylem was identified and named rosewood.  Based on previously identified poplar mutants, the red-wood phenotype suggested a change in lignin biosynthesis, but work done during this thesis revealed that the red wood is actually a result of increased anthocyanin content.  Efforts to engineer edible plants for increased anthocyanin content are on-going, due to their antioxidant properties and wide-ranging health benefits to humans.  Although poplar trees are not eaten by humans, discovery of a novel aspect of anthocyanin regulation could have implications beyond the Populus genus.  In this thesis, rosewood’s single T-DNA insertion was identified and characterized.  Rosewood’s case turned out to be atypical in the analysis of activation-tagged mutants: no surrounding protein-coding genes could be implicated in rosewood’s phenotype, and instead several novel, non-coding, upregulated RNAs were discovered next to the T-DNA enhancers.  Only four cases of activation-tagged non-coding RNAs appear in the literature, only one of which involved a novel gene.  To date, there is no clear methodology on how to annotate plant non-coding RNAs discovered in this fashion.  A major part of this thesis consisted of setting up a workflow for this purpose, which accounts especially for the current computational tools that can be used for microRNA prediction in plants.  Based on molecular data and bioinformatics analyses, it is proposed that the locus at the T-DNA insertion contains one or more natural-antisense microRNAs and that these are somehow responsible for rosewood’s increased anthocyanin content.  The results of a phenotype recapitulation attempt in stem tissue using one of the novel transcripts are discussed.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Long-term development and recent dynamics of High Arctic coastal basins

contributor:
Lamoureux, Scott F.
Geography

subject: Limnology Hydrology

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-24 10:26:59.208

abstract:
This study aimed to understand annual and long-term chemical and physical processes that affect the development and state of coastal lakes in the Canadian High Arctic.  The first major research project studied the formation of hypersalinity in a seasonally isolated marine basin (SIMB) located near Shellabear Point, Melville Island, Northwest Territories (75'N, 113'W).  To quantify the role of brine rejection from a seasonal ice pan, an annual ice-formation model was applied, which incorporated stable oxygen isotope fractionation.  This model complemented seasonal sampling of ionic and isotopic composition and a full-year recording of physical lacustrine parameters.  Additionally, a pilot study using radon-222 as a tracer of groundwater seepage was undertaken to quantify the brine seepage from surrounding permafrost into the hypolimnion of the SIMB.  Results indicate that brine rejection from the annual formation of lake ice in a SIMB is the major driver of hypersalinity in this system, and that the current chemical constitution may have formed in less than a decade.  This study contributes novel hypotheses on the chemical formation of hypersaline lakes, but also coastal meromictic lakes derived from epishelf lakes during the Holocene.
The second investigation focused on the seasonal variability of limnological processes in two coastal freshwater lakes in the Canadian Arctic.  East and West Lake are located at the Cape Bounty Arctic Watershed Observatory (CBAWO, 75'N, 109'W), Melville Island.  From 2006 to 2009, there have been two central changes in the lake systems: 1) an enhanced ionic loading into both lakes since 2007, and 2) a significant increase in the suspended sediment concentration in the lower 15 m of West Lake in 2009.  The elevated ionic concentrations are a result of increased active layer thickening during an unusually warm summer in 2007.  The high turbidity in 2009 had a substantial impact on annual mixing of West Lake.  The suspended sediment produced a density gradient that prevented river-generated density currents from delivering fresh oxygenated water to the bottom of the lake, and prevented thermal warming.  The lack of re-oxygenation and nutrient delivery likely had a substantial impact on the benthic ecosystem in the lake.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Not Just Reading and Writing: Exploring Literacy in Ontario's Secondary Schools

subject: literacy, Ontario, OSSLT, OSSLC

abstract: In 2002, Ontario became the first province in Canada to require the successful completion of a high-stakes large-scale literacy test as a requirement for graduation: the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). Students must now successfully complete the OSSLT or a complementary course, the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course (OSSLC), prior to graduation from secondary school. Not surprisingly, students who are at-risk for failure on either the OSSLT or the OSSLC are a major concern to school boards. As a result, improving student achievement in literacy has become a common focus within school boards throughout the province. Two research questions guided my research exploring these ongoing efforts: 1) What literacy initiatives are in place to support students who struggle with literacy? and 2) What OSSLT preparation practices are in place to support students who struggle with literacy?  The current study discusses the literacy initiatives and OSSLT preparation practices that are in place within 31 Ontario school boards. The Annual Director’s Reports of these school boards were analyzed to provide an overview of these literacy initiatives and preparation practices.


title: Rhizosphere/Soil Microorganisms in the Phytoremediation of Biphenyl and Dioxane

contributor:
Ramsay, Juliana A.
Ko, Kenton
Chemical Engineering

subject:
Chemical Engineering
Biodegradation

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-25 14:38:52.732

abstract:
Biphenyl and dioxane biodegradation by poplar and willow rhizosphere microorganisms was studied in a phytoremediation test-plot contaminated with biphenyl and dioxane. A dioxane-degrading consortium enriched from the contaminated rhizosphere soil did not use dioxane as the sole source of carbon and energy, but did co-metabolize dioxane in the presence of tetrahydrofuran (THF).  An isolate obtained on agar plates containing basal salts and glucose grew on glucose and co-metabolically degraded dioxane after THF degradation. The rate and extent of dioxane degradation by this particular isolate increased with increasing THF concentration. This isolate was subsequently identified as a Flavobacterium by 16S rDNA sequencing. This is the first report of a dioxane-degrading Flavobacterium which is phylogenetically distinct from any previously identified dioxane degrader.
Rhizosphere microorganisms in the phytoremediation test-plot were capable of degrading biphenyl in the presence of the terminal electron acceptors (TEAs) nitrate, sulfate or carbon dioxide. TEAs (sulfate and carbon dioxide), nutrients in basal salts medium (BSM) or fertilizer enhanced biphenyl degradation. Although root exudates appeared to enhance biphenyl degradation slightly, it was not statistically significant (p > 0.10). A fungus enriched and isolated from the rhizosphere soil, was found to degrade biphenyl under anaerobic conditions only.  The fungus was identified by a primer pair ITS4 and ITS1F as Pseudallescheria boydii.
The microbial community in the rhizosphere of the poplar and willow trees was sampled from different soil locations in the test-plot over a 5-year period. The denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) results indicated that soil type had a significant impact on microbial community composition with a more diverse microbial population in native soil samples than in engineered soil samples. Although tree type had less influence on microbial diversity, diversity did decrease with time in the engineered soil of the willow rhizosphere. There was no significant influence of soil depth on the microbial community. Three aerobic biphenyl-degrading consortia were enriched from different rhizosphere soils, and the major microorganisms found in the enriched consortia were identified by 16S DNA sequencing as being in the family of Flavobacteriaceae, Alcaligenaceae, and Mycobacteriaceae.
Direct polymerase chain reaction (DPCR) without prior DNA extraction and DGGE yielded the same results as PCR assays using extracted DNA in the analysis of microbial populations in dioxane- and biphenyl-degrading consortia. Therefore, the combination of DPCR and DGGE has the potential for the fast analysis of the microbial populations of environmental and clinical samples with limited diversity.

abstract: PhD


title: Frontier Sets in Large Terrain Environments with Applications to Decentralized Online Games

contributor:
Stewart, James
Computing

subject:
Computer Graphics
Visibility
PVS
Frontier Sets
Terrains
Game Programming
Computer Science

abstract: Thesis (Master, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2010-05-25 14:53:24.375

abstract:
In current online games, player positions are synchronized by means of continual broadcasts through the server. This solution is expensive, forcing any server to limit its number of clients. With a hybrid networking architecture, player synchronization can be distributed to the clients, bypassing the server bottleneck and decreasing latency as a result. Synchronization in a decentralized fashion is difficult as each player must communicate with every other player. The communication requirements can be reduced by computing and exploiting frontier sets: For a pair of players in an online game, a player's frontier is the region of the game space where the player may move without seeing (and without communicating to) the other player. A pair of frontiers is called a frontier set. This thesis describes the first fast and space-efficient method of computing frontier sets in large terrains.

Frontier sets are computed by growing regions in a connected set of quads in a hierarchical decomposition of the terrain. The solution involves the precomputation of a potentially visible set (PVS) for each quad in the decomposition, which stores all the quads potentially visible from any point within the current quad. Since the memory needed to store the PVSs for all the quads is quite large, a compression technique is introduced which controls the size of each PVS. A PVS merging algorithm, with both lossless and lossy variations, is also described which permits adding the PVS of a point or quad to the PVS of a growing region. The new algorithm is compared to a simple region growing approach where frontiers are grown along the individual terrain points. Using similar merging techniques, the new algorithm performs better, producing larger frontier sets with faster execution times.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Scaling of Metabolic Enzymes: Transcriptional Basis of Interspecies Variation in Mitochondrial Content

contributor:
Moyes, Christopher D.
Biology

subject:
Mitochondria
Allometric Scaling
Transcriptional Regulation
PGC-1alpha

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2010-06-09 10:50:02.133

abstract:
Mitochondrial content, an important determinant of muscle metabolic capacity, changes in individuals during development, and in response to physiological and environmental challenges. This phenotypic plasticity is attributed to the coactivator PPARγ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) but it remains unclear if this transcriptional regulator accounts for evolutionary variation in mitochondrial content.  In an attempt to explain why some species have higher muscle mitochondrial enzyme levels than other species, I examined if the transcriptional mechanisms that control mitochondrial content of a tissue in an individual are also responsible for differences between species. If PGC-1α creates differences between the mitochondrial content of species based on variation in promoter binding motifs, then cis-factor evolution may be the guiding force in scaling trends.
In this thesis I explored the basis of size-dependent patterns by looking at layers of regulation, from catalytic activities to promoter evolution and regulation. A representative family, Rodentia, was used to collect muscle samples from a size range of approximately 20g up to 17 kg. As expected, in rodent lower limb muscles, mitochondrial and glycolytic enzyme activity exhibited reciprocal scaling patterns, though the scope differed between muscles. Very little of the variation was accounted for when the activity was related to DNA content. However, when COX activities were expressed relative to DNA, the scaling patterns were similar among the 3 muscles. To determine if interspecies differences were linked to transcriptional regulation,  ~800bp of the PGC-1α promoter from 56 terrestrial mammals (5g-5000kg) was examined. The basal placental mammalian promoter possesses putative elements for Sp1, HNF3, myogenic factors and metabolic effectors, which have been retained in mammals with little change in order or spacing. To investigate the ability of these promoters to control PGC-1α expression, rodent promoters were cloned into luciferase reporter gene constructs and transfected into a common mouse myoblast background (Sol8 cells). Unlike mitochondrial content, promoter activity did not vary with body size across the rodent family. Likewise, PGC-1α transcript levels did not vary in rodent muscles in a way that would explain differences in COX activity. This suggests that though PGC-1α may be crucial for within species variation, transcriptional regulation of PGC-1α is not responsible for interspecies variation in mitochondrial content.

abstract: M.Sc.