title: Using Haskell to Implement Syntactic Control of Interference

contributor:
Tennent, Robert
Computing

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618458 bytes
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subject:
programming
type system
interference
haskell
embedding
definitional interpreter
denotational semantics
domain-specific language
imperative
functional

abstract: Thesis (Master, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-10 21:23:33.291

abstract: Interference makes reasoning about imperative programs difficult but it can be controlled syntactically by a language's type system, such as Syntactic Control of Interference (SCI). Haskell is a purely-functional, statically-typed language with a rich type system including algebraic datatypes and type classes. It is popular as a defining language for definitional interpreters of domain-specific languages, making it an ideal candidate for implementation of definitional interpreters for SCI and Syntactic Control of Interference Revisited (SCIR), a variant that improves on SCI. Inference rules and denotational semantics functions are presented for PCF, IA, SCI, and SCIR. An extension to Haskell98 is used to define Haskell functions for those languages' semantics and to define type constructions to statically check their syntax. The results in applied programming language theory demonstrate the suitability and techniques of Haskell for definitional interpretation of languages with rich type systems.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: An analysis of the different spike attack arm swings used in elite levels of men's volleyball

contributor:
Costigan, Patrick
Kinesiology and Health Studies

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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:
Volleyball
Upper limb
Kinematics
Attack swing

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-16 12:10:06.42

abstract:
Objective
As part of this work, two preliminary studies were conducted that identified three possible swings used at the elite level of volleyball and the resulting ball velocities created using these swings.  Therefore, the purpose of this work was to explore the kinematic aspects of the different spike attack arm swings (straight ahead (SA), cross body (CB) and outside (OS)) where each different swing was broken down into its constituent parts.

Methods
Six elite-level varsity players participated in this study.  A motion tracking system was used to collect motion data which was used to calculate the kinematics of the upper arm during each of the swing types.  A number of minimums and maximums were then calculated including maximum hand speed.  To compare means between swings one-way ANOVA’s were used.

Results
Few differences were found between the swing types.  The only difference seen between the SA CB swings was a more pronounced wrist flexion during the CB swing.  It is possible that this helped propel the ball across the body during the CB.  The OS swings differed from the CB and SA swings in that the OS was less horizontally adducted and there was a more pronounced external rotation during CB than during OS.  These differences are likely to be responsible for the ball being hit away from the midline of the body during the OS swing.  Typically, the hand speed results agreed with those of the study done previously concerning resulting ball speeds when these swings were employed.

Conclusions
Between the SA, CB and OS swing types, only the OS was consistantly different throughout the three studies.  It is recommended that future studies attempt to examine the whole body during these types of swings.  Also, it appears that elite-level players may be quite different kinematically, and each one should be treated as a separate case in a training situation.  The findings of these studies may help coaches, trainers and athletes develop better training, injury prevention and rehabilitation programs in the sport.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Time dependent response of pulled-in-place HDPE pipes

contributor:
Moore, Ian D.
Civil Engineering

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subject:
High density polyethylene
Horizontal directional drilling
Constitutive modeling
Pipe-soil interaction

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-12 18:03:43.501

abstract:
Horizontal directional drilling is increasingly used to install pipes without costs and disruptions associated with conventional ‘cut and cover’ installations.  This technique, which was developed by industrial innovators, feature complex soil and pipe response which is not well understood.  The success of this operation depends on knowledge of the pulling forces applied, level of ground disturbance, ground expansion or fracture from mud pressure, and the effect of the pulling operation on the pipes.  Tensile stresses in the pipe vary with time during and after installation, and along the pipe.  This applies especially to polymer pipes where the stresses during insertion and those over the service life of the pipe may influence its performance.

The main objective of this study is to model the short term and long term response of pipes installed using horizontal directional drilling and to investigate the effect of the time dependent behaviour of polymer pipes, as well as other installation variables on the performance of the pipe during and after installation.

The mechanical behaviour of high density polyethylene used to manufacture a significant portion of pipes installed using horizontal directional drilling is investigated and two sophisticated constitutive models are developed to simulate the time-dependent behaviour of high density polyethylene.  The interaction between the pipe and the surrounding soil during horizontal directional drilling installations is also investigated and modelled.

A FORTRAN algorithm is developed to calculate the short and long term response of elastic and polymeric pipes installed using horizontal directional drilling.  The program uses the HDPE constitutive models as well as the pipe-soil interaction model developed in the study.  After evaluation, the developed program is employed in a parametric study on the sensitivity of short term and long term pipe response to different parameters, including the effect of overstressing the pipe during installation.

As Multiaxial modeling is necessary for accurate analysis of some applications including the swagelining method, a uniaxial constitutive model developed in the current study is generalized to a multi-axial model that can simulate the response to biaxial stress-strain fields.  The multi-axial model is implemented in a finite element code and its performance in simulating multiaxial stress-strain fields is evaluated.

abstract: PhD


title: Transformation of round-trip web application to use AJAX

contributor:
Dean, Thomas R.
Electrical and Computer Engineering

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782877 bytes
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subject:
AJAX
Transformation
Web application
TXL
Slicing

abstract: Thesis (Master, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-13 09:43:55.515

abstract:
AJAX is a web application programming technique that allows portions of a web page to be loaded dynamically, separately from other parts of the web page. This gives the user a much smoother experience when viewing the web page. This technique also conserves bandwidth by transmitting only new data relevant to the user, keeping all other content on the web page unchanged. The migration from traditional round-trip web application to AJAX-based web application can be difficult to implement due to the many details required by AJAX.

In this thesis, an approach is presented to automate the process of AJAX conversion using source transformation and backward slicing techniques. The result is an AJAX-based web page that will enhance the user experience and also conserve bandwidth.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Dealing with a massacre : spectacle, eroticism, and unreliable narration in the Lemnian episode of Statius' Thebaid

contributor:
Griffith, R. Drew
Classics

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subject:
Latin Literature
Thebaid
Hypsipyle
Lemnian Episode
Statius

abstract: Thesis (Master, Classics) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-18 16:18:54.985

abstract: I offer three readings of the Lemnian episode narrated by Hypsipyle in book five of the Thebaid, each based upon an interpretive tension created by textual, intertextual, and cultural factors and resolved by the death of Opheltes, the child nursed by Hypsipyle. In the first reading (chapter two), I suggest that Hypsipyle emphasizes the questionable nature of the evidence for the involvement of Venus and other divinities in the Lemnian massacre, which is on the surface quite obvious, as a subconscious strategy to deal with her fear of divine retribution against her and Opheltes. In the second reading (chapter three), I argue that much of the violence of the massacre is eroticized, primarily by allusions to Augustan elegy and Ovidian poetry, and that this eroticism challenges a straightforward, horrified reaction to the Lemnian episode. In the third reading (chapter four), which continues the argument of the second, I suggest that the reaction of Statius’ audience to the Lemnian massacre was influenced by familiarity with the violent entertainment offered in the Roman arena, and that this encouraged the audience to identify with the perpetrators of the massacre rather than the victims. The problematization of the audience’s reaction and of the divine involvement in the massacre is resolved by the death of Opheltes, which is portrayed as both undeniably supernatural in origin and emphatically tragic in nature. Thus, as the first half of the Thebaid draws to a close, Statius decisively affirms the power of the gods and the horrific tragedy of violence and prepares to embark upon the war in the Thebaid’s second half, which will end ultimately with the double fratricide of the sons of Oedipus and Statius’ prayer for future generations to forget this sin.

abstract: M.A.


title: Pricing, hedging and testing risky assets in financial markets

contributor:
Shimotsu, Katsumi
Economics

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subject:
Interest rate options
Nonparametrics
State-price densities
HJ-distance

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Economics) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-19 00:00:55.996

abstract:
State price density (SPD) and stochastic discount factor (SDF) are important elements
in asset pricing. In this thesis, I first propose to use projection pursuit regression
(PPR) and local polynomial regression (LPR) to estimate the SPD of interest rates nonparametrically.
By using a similar approach, I also estimate the delta values in the interest rate options and discusses how to delta-hedge these options. Unlike SPD measured in a risk-neutral economy, SDF is implied by an asset pricing model. It displays which prices are reasonable given the returns in the current period. Hansen and Jagannathan (1997) develop the Hansen-Jagannathan distance (HJ-distance) to measure pricing errors produced by SDF. While the HJ-distance has several desirable properties, Ahn and Gadarowski (2004) find that the specification test based on the HJ-distance overrejects correct models too severely in commonly used sample size to provide a valid test. This thesis proposes to improve the finite sample properties of the HJ-distance test by applying the shrinkage method (Ledoit and Wolf, 2003) to compute its weighting matrix.

abstract: PhD


title: FVIII Immunity : early events and tolerance mechanisms to FVIII

contributor:
Lillicrap, David
Pathology and Molecular Medicine

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subject:
Hemophilia A
Immune Tolerance
FVIII antibodies
Dendritic Cells

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Pathology & Molecular Medicine) -- Queen's University, 2008-08-14 18:22:51.56

abstract:
Among the complications of current treatments for hemophilia A, the development of anti-FVIII antibodies including “FVIII inhibitors” remains the major clinical problem in treating hemophiliacs. Factor VIII inhibitors work through neutralizing the coagulation cofactor activity of the infused FVIII and preventing the restoration of normal hemostasis. This thesis explains the influence of genetic background on the generation of FVIII inhibitors, introduces a new pre-clinical approach that reduces the immunological response towards FVIII and predicts the in vivo behavior of recombinant and plasma-derived FVIII products in hemophilic patients.

First, we studied the influence of the genetic background on the formation of FVIII antibodies by treating hemophilia A Balb/c and C57BL/6 mice with repetitive FVIII infusions. We observed that the C57BL/6 mice developed higher FVIII antibody titers than the Balb/c mice. Our results suggest that differences in the cytokine immune responses due to FVIII in Balb/c and C57BL/6 mice are responsible for the different FVIII antibody titers in each of these strains.

Second, we investigated the use of FVIII-pulsed immature dendritic cells in inducing immune tolerance against FVIII prior to the FVIII treatment. We showed that in vivo, FVIII does not induce the activation and proliferation of hemophilic T cells. Furthermore, infusing FVIII-pulsed immature dendritic cells into hemophilic mice resulted in a long-term reduction in immune reactivity towards FVIII. Also, we have proposed methods on how to improve the tolerogenic abilities of dendritic cells. Our results indicate that the immature dendritic cells induced the formation of T regulatory cells and that these T regulatory cells were responsible for the observed reduction in immune reactivity.

Finally, we were able to identify the mechanisms behind the immune system activation in mice treated with either recombinant or plasma-derived FVIII products. We showed that plasma-derived FVIII results in reduced FVIII antibody titer formation in hemophilic mice. Our results demonstrate that the differences in antibody formation in hemophilic mice treated with either recombinant or plasma- derived FVIII products are due to the distinct cytokine micro-environment induced by each product.

This thesis contributes to the current knowledge on FVIII immunology and the in vivo behavior of FVIII in hemophilic mice. The results generated from this thesis can be used to modify the available FVIII treatments in order to minimize the immunological complications of FVIII and improve the quality of life of hemophilic patients.

abstract: PhD


title: International trade, foreign direct investment and productivity : an empirical investigation

contributor:
Lapham, Beverly J.
Economics

format:
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subject:
Exports
Foreign direct investment
Imported intermediates
Productivity
Heterogeneity

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Economics) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-20 10:21:01.069

abstract:
This dissertation investigates the effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) and international trade on firm level decisions and examines the effect of policy changes on aggregate productivity and welfare in open economies.  The first two chapters build an open economy model of FDI and
trade where heterogeneous firms make simultaneous foreign investment and export decisions.  The theoretical model is estimated using Indonesian manufacturing data.  The estimated model is then used to perform a variety of counterfactual experiments to assess the positive and normative effects of international barriers to trade and FDI.  I find that the impact of FDI on aggregate productivity is at least three times the impact of international trade on aggregate productivity.

The third chapter, co-authored with Hiroyuki Kasahara, investigates whether importing intermediate goods improves plant performance.  While addressing the issue of simultaneity between productivity shocks and the decision to import intermediates, we estimate the impact of the use of foreign intermediates on plants' productivity using plant-level Chilean manufacturing panel data. We find that by importing foreign intermediates, manufacturing plants can improve productivity.

abstract: PhD


title: Parameter estimation in nonlinear continuous-time dynamic models with modelling errors and process disturbances

contributor:
McAuley, Kimberly B.
McLellan, P. James
Chemical Engineering

format:
1585120 bytes
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subject:
Parameter estimation
Dynamic models
BSpline
Maximum likelihood
Differential equations
Stochastic differential equations
Nonlinear models

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-20 16:34:44.586

abstract:
Model-based control and process optimization technologies are becoming more commonly used by chemical engineers. These algorithms rely on fundamental or empirical models that are frequently described by systems of differential equations with unknown parameters. It is, therefore, very important for modellers of chemical engineering processes to have access to reliable and efficient tools for parameter estimation in dynamic models.  The purpose of this thesis is to develop an efficient and easy-to-use parameter estimation algorithm that can address difficulties that frequently arise when estimating parameters in nonlinear continuous-time dynamic models of industrial processes.
The proposed algorithm has desirable numerical stability properties that stem from using piece-wise polynomial discretization schemes to transform the model differential equations into a set of algebraic equations. Consequently, parameters can be estimated by solving a nonlinear programming problem without requiring repeated numerical integration of the differential equations.
Possible modelling discrepancies and process disturbances are accounted for in the proposed algorithm, and estimates of the process disturbance intensities can be obtained along with estimates of model parameters and states. Theoretical approximate confidence interval expressions for the parameters are developed.
Through a practical two-phase nylon reactor example, as well as several simulation studies using stirred tank reactors, it is shown that the proposed parameter estimation algorithm can address difficulties such as: different types of measured responses with different levels of measurement noise, measurements taken at irregularly-spaced sampling times, unknown initial conditions for some state variables, unmeasured state variables, and unknown disturbances that enter the process and influence its future behaviour.

abstract: PhD


title: Computer-aided exercise

contributor:
Graham, Nicholas
Computing

format:
3275372 bytes
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subject:
Exercise video game
Motivation
Enjoyment
Engagement

abstract: Thesis (Master, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-23 15:44:59.46

abstract:
An underlying goal of designers of some exercise video games is to increase people's motivation to exercise. Research in the field of exercise psychology shows that performing physical activity in groups increases exercise participation and adherence. However it is unclear whether the benefits of grouping apply to video games involving physical activity.

This research investigates whether the motivational benefits of grouping translate to exercise games. We experimentally validate three properties of collaborative exercise games. Experiments were performed using a custom exercise game, designed with game requirements intended to increase exercise motivation. We discovered that the exercise enjoyment and engagement benefits of grouping do translate to exercise games: players preferred collaborative over single-player exercise games, and found our collaborative exercise game equally enjoyable and engaging in both co-located and distributed settings. Most interesting, non-exercisers and exercisers found the game equally enjoyable and engaging.

These results indicate that collaborative exercise video games are a promising approach to helping with exercise enjoyment and engagement, and that developers should consider incorporating multiplayer support into their exercise games.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Classroom communication and the teaching of Chinese in Canada : a case study

contributor:
Myers, Marie J.
Education

format:
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subject: Communication

subject: Teaching Chinese as a second/foreign language

subject: Teaching beliefs and practice

abstract: Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-25 17:02:58.559

abstract:
A few reasons taken together have led to the undertaking of this study: an urgent need to examine classroom teaching in the drastically growing teaching-Chinese-as-a-second/foreign-language (TCSL/TCFL) industry; a personal interest in probing a cross-cultural Chinese teacher’s treatment of communication in teaching; and the implications from theories of teacher beliefs and practice.
    Thus, this study investigated how a TCFL teacher posits her teaching beliefs and practice in light of her communicative habits when facing a variety of tensions (e.g., those from culture, ideology, educational tradition, curricular prescription, and pedagogical trend). This qualitative case study was triangulated with multiple data sources: interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis, with an experienced teacher in Canada who has taught in both China and Canada.
    The findings of the study supported the literature on teacher beliefs and practice, and on the implementation of communicative language teaching (CLT). The majority of this teacher’s practices were based on the premise that they corresponded to the actualization of her beliefs. Meanwhile, there existed a few minor gaps between her educational beliefs and practices. This teacher demonstrated adaptability in tailoring her teaching to be most suitable in meeting her educational needs and beliefs. This study first provides insights to TCFL classroom teaching and program development in North America with CLT implementation in this area. In addition, the results of the study have implications for the evolving process of teachers’ belief systems and patterns of practice and future research into this field.

abstract: M.Ed.


title: An optimization study of integrated agriculture production systems for meeting household food, fodder and fuel demands : a case study in the dryland region of India

contributor:
van Loon, Gary
Environmental Studies

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subject:
Optimization
Agriculture
Food
Fodder
Biomass
Village
India
Dryland
LINDO
Electricity
Livestock
Cropping pattern

abstract: Thesis (Master, Environmental Studies) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-24 16:12:50.1

abstract:
For the nearly 70% of India’s population of 1.2 billion who reside in rural villages,
agriculture is often the primary source of income, as well as of food, fodder and fuel. Rural agricultural systems are recognized as complex mixed-cropping-livestock systems, whereby primary and secondary products from one component of the system are used in another. For instance, primary products such as grain and milk from livestock can be used for human consumption, while secondary products such as crop residues can be used as fodder or fuel, while manure finds use as fertilizer. Variations in cropping pattern and intensity will determine the production potential of food, fodder and fuel within a region. As limiting factors, land area and
yield must also be considered in agricultural planning activities. The present research aims to develop a rational method for crop selection within a particular agro-ecoregion. An optimization
model is constructed to optimize for selected parameters that are set to maintain defined basic minimum standards for human nutritional and livestock fodder demands.
An agricultural survey was carried out in 2007 for three villages in Karnataka State,
India. All three villages were located within the dryland agro-ecozone, where crop yields are relatively low. The survey was stratified according to household landholding area ranging from
marginal (0-1 ha) to large (>4 ha). Information was solicited on the demographic indicators of the population, the cropping cycle and cropping varieties used within the regions, and certain livestock parameters were gathered. Various demands, such as human food energy and protein requirements as well as fodder, and constraints, such as land area, were modeled to determine the
potential for food, fodder and fuel production under optimal cropping pattern. The linear programming software, What’sBest, Version 9.0 from LINDO systems, was used to solve the optimization model.
Results indicate that the current export-driven cropping pattern produces inadequate food to satisfy human nutritional demands at the village level, particularly among marginal and small households, who produce in the range of only 10 and 50 % of required food energy and protein, respectively, on a household basis. The current cropping pattern is also inadequate to satisfy
village-wide livestock fodder demand, especially in villages heavily centered on cash crops,wherein only 30-40 % of fodder demand can be accounted for.
On an individual household level, it is determined that a minimum 0.8 ha of land area is required to satisfy both food and fodder demands, placing strain on marginal households, who own less then 1 ha of land. The optimization model also demonstrates that it is possible to produce adequate food and fodder for both human and livestock consumption within the land area available in all the villages, if between 30-60% of land area is cultivated with food-based crops
used for village wide consumption. This would require diversion of between 50 and 90 % of current land area under oilseeds and commercial crops to cereal based crops. In villages that cultivate sufficient proportion of cereal and pulse based food crops, as little as 4 % diversion of
crops towards cereals may be necessary. Results also indicate that double cropping systems can generate crop residues sufficient to provide fuel for generation of 2.6-11.3 kWh/hh/day of electricity, adequate for cooking and lighting; this could be done at the same time as providing enough primary product to satisfy food and fodder needs.

abstract: M.E.S.


title: Determinants and methods of assessment of melatonin levels among rotating shift nurses

contributor:
Aronson, Kristan J.
Graham, Charles H.
Community Health and Epidemiology

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subject:
Shift work
Melatonin
Light at night
Physical activity
Nurses

abstract: Thesis (Master, Community Health & Epidemiology) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-26 08:39:21.645

abstract:
Background: Long-term night shift work has been associated with multiple cancer sites, including breast, prostate, colon and endometrial. The mechanism for this effect is hypothesized to include the hormone melatonin; where increased light at night exposure during shift work reduces melatonin production and decreased melatonin levels are associated with increased cancer risk. In addition, physical activity has been shown to reduce cancer risk and existing laboratory studies indicate it has the potential to influence melatonin levels.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of light intensity exposure, physical activity and melatonin levels was conducted among 61 rotating shift nurses at Kingston General Hospital. Light intensity exposure was measured using a light intensity data logger and melatonin concentrations were measured from urine and saliva samples, collected over a 24-hour period. Physical activity was assessed from a study questionnaire and one-day diary.

Results: A statistically significant inverse association between light exposure and urinary melatonin levels was observed; however, the relationship was no longer significant when stratified by shift group. Analysis of salivary melatonin levels demonstrated that circadian rhythms of melatonin production in night workers were not altered in timing, such that peak melatonin production occurred at night. No association between light exposure and the magnitude of salivary melatonin variation was observed. The relationship between recent physical activity and melatonin differed by shift group, with a positive association seen among day workers, while an inverse relationship was seen among night workers. There was no association between usual physical activity and melatonin in either shift group. Finally, no significant correlation was observed between sleep duration and melatonin among either day or night workers.

Conclusions: While this study demonstrated an inverse relationship between light intensity and melatonin, the comparison of functional time points between day and night workers meant that differences in urinary melatonin levels between shift groups could be attributed to differences in the time of day when urine samples were collected. No consistent relationship between recent or usual physical activity and melatonin levels was observed in either shift group. Sleep duration was not correlated with urinary melatonin levels, suggesting it cannot be used as a proxy for melatonin production.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Obtaining a quality model for manufacturing systems and establishing a maintenance-quality link

contributor:
Guay, Martin
Chemical Engineering

format:
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subject:
Hybrid systems
Industrial
Maintenance
Manufacturing
Quality

abstract: Thesis (Master, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-25 11:18:16.925

abstract:
This thesis describes the application of the stochastic-flow-modeling (SFM) approach
to represent the quality behavior of a manufacturing system. Initially, a simple,
one-product type SFM is discussed and then a more complex multiple-product manufacturing system is developed. This quality SFM-based model has aggregation by station, product, and operational shift. Subsequently, potential supervisory control architectures that could be used in conjunction with this quality-based SFM are discussed and developed. Distribution parameter fitting is explored using static and adaptive approaches and a comparison between these two approaches is given. Then, the accuracy of the SFM modeling technique is demonstrated using two simulation examples.

Effective equipment maintenance is essential for a manufacturing plant seeking to produce high quality products. The impact of equipment reliability and quality on throughput have been well established, but the relationship between maintenance and quality is not always clear nor direct. Therefore, after developing a SFM to
represent the quality of a manufacturing system, the focus of this work shifts towards
identifying correlations between maintenance and quality. This thesis describes a
statistical modeling method that makes use of a Kalman filter to identify correlations
between independent sets of maintenance and quality data. With such a method, maintenance efforts can be better prioritized to satisfy both production and quality requirements. In addition, this method is used to compare results from the theoretical maintenance-quality model to data from an actual manufacturing system. Results of the analysis indicate the potential for this method to be applied to preventive, as well as reactive maintenance decisions, since ageing aspects of equipment are also considered in the model.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Three essays on the size and contribution of intangible investment to the overall capital stock

contributor:
Lloyd-Ellis, Huw
Economics

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subject:
Capital Stock
Intangible capital
Unrecorded capital
Intangible investment
Intangible capital goods
q-theory
Intangible spending
Price of intangible capital

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Economics) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-26 09:32:06.389

abstract:
This thesis aims to contribute to a better understanding of the overall magnitude
of intangible investment and the impact of this intangible investment on the behavior
of the capital stock and on the value of capital goods.
I begin by constructing a data set to document firms’ expenditures on an identi-
fiable list of intangible items in Canada. I then examine the implications of treating
intangible spending as the acquisition of final (investment) goods on estimates of GDP
growth for Canada. I find that investment in intangible capital by 2002 is almost as
large as the investment in physical capital. Furthermore, the growth in GDP and
labor productivity may be underestimated by as much as 0.1 percentage point per
year during this same period.
I proceed by measuring the size of the stock of the intangible capital in Canada
using newly released data on the market value of all securities in the economy. The
approach taken relies on a quantitative application of the q-theory of investment to
generate the quantity of capital owned by firms. I find that the intangible capital
stock accounted for approximately 30% of overall capital since 1994. Of this, the
R&D reported by national accounts makes up only 23%. These results imply that
official Canadian statistics failed to account for 26% of the value of the capital stock
in their 2005 quarterly data collection.

Finally, I extend the q-theory of investment to model explicitly the decision of
firms to invest in intangibles. I then use the model to measure the contribution of
intangible goods to the overall capital stock in the U.S. The model departs from
the one mentioned earlier in that it highlights the embodiment of intangible goods
in tangibles and the role of relative price movements in the measurement of the
contribution of each type of investment to the overall capital stock. I find that the
growth in the overall capital stock from the late-80s until 2000 was driven mainly by
an increase in the contribution of intangibles. However, the contribution of intangibles
fell consistently after 2000. These results underscore the importance of accounting
for the movements in the price of intangibles rather than focusing only on their rising
share in overall investment.

abstract: PhD


title: An ecological approach to examining positive youth development in competitive youth sport

contributor:
Côté, Jean
Deakin, Janice
Kinesiology and Health Studies

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1029066 bytes
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subject:
Youth Sport
Positive Youth Development

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-26 10:18:58.482

abstract:
Research in the field of developmental psychology has highlighted the importance of structured activities in providing positive experiences and outcomes for youth. In particular, youth participation in organized sport has been linked to the development of physical, motor, and psychosocial skills. Although these outcomes have been discussed in the sport psychology literature, it is not clear how positive youth development may be facilitated through sport. An ecological approach was used to examine developmental processes, personal characteristics, contextual factors, and time elements that may be linked to youth sport participation and positive development.
	Study 1 used a quantitative methodology to examine the relationship between developmental asset possession and youth sport outcomes such as burnout and enjoyment. Of the eight asset categories examined, four emerged as significant predictors of burnout and/or enjoyment. Specifically, positive identity, support, and empowerment were linked to burnout and positive identity, empowerment, and social competencies were linked to enjoyment.
	Study 2 also utilized a quantitative methodology in order to investigate differences between a group of youth sport “specializers” and a group of youth sport “samplers”. Outcomes including burnout, enjoyment, and developmental assets were compared as well as experiences in sport. The groups did not differ in developmental asset possession or in sources of enjoyment. However, “samplers” reported more experiences integrating sport, family, and community whereas “specializers” were more likely to have more experiences with diverse peer groups. The “specializers” also reported higher levels of burnout (i.e., exhaustion) relating to their sport participation.
 	Study 3 examined the development of positive youth within a sport specialization context. Through the use of interviews with elite youth sport coaches and practice observations, four characteristics (i.e., appropriate training structure, opportunities for personal and social development, opportunities for physical and motor skill development, and the presence of supportive interactions) were developed outlining how elite sport settings can enable the development of positive youth.
	This line of research highlighted the key role of the sport experience in promoting positive youth development. If youth sport programs are delivered with an emphasis on skill development in conjunction with the growth of key assets and an appropriate contextual experience, young people have the potential to emerge as healthy, secure, and positive citizens who feel valued and invested within their homes and communities.

abstract: PhD


title: Impossible Speech: 19th-century women poets and the dramatic monologue

contributor:
Berg, Maggie
English

format:
784896 bytes
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subject:
English literature
Women poets
19th-century literature
Dramatic monologue

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, English) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-26 14:13:29.982

abstract: This study seeks to redress the continued exclusion of women poets from the theorization of the dramatic monologue.  I argue that an unacknowledged consensus on the definition of the dramatic monologue exists, in spite of the oft-proclaimed absence of one, and that it is the failure to recognize this consensus which has in part debarred women poets from the theorization of the form.  In particular, the failure to acknowledge this consensus has led recent feminist critics attempting to “rethink” the dramatic monologue, such as Cynthia Scheinberg and Glennis Byron, to reinscribe the very model they are attempting to rewrite by admitting into their analysis only those poems which already conform to the existing model.  In consequence, these critics inadvertently repeat the exclusion they are attempting to redress by reinscribing a model which is predicated—as both Scheinberg and Byron acknowledge—on the exclusion of women poets.  In order to end this cycle of exclusion, my project begins from a different beginning, with Hemans instead of Browning, and traces her innovations and influence across the dramatic monologues of two key dramatic monologists of the 19th-century, Augusta Webster and Amy Levy.  In the hands of all three women poets, the dramatic monologue develops into a form which calls into question not only the nature of the self, as is characteristic of Browning’s model, but more crucially, the possibility of the subject.  Their poems persistently dramatize what Judith Butler calls “impossible speech”—speech that is not recognized as the speech of a subject—and thereby challenges the model of authoritative speaking which underpins both men’s dramatic monologues and the prevailing theory of women’s as a clutch for linguistic freedom, power and authority.  This project therefore has dual aims: to complicate our current conception of the dramatic monologue by placing the women’s dramatic monologues in conversation with the larger tradition of the form; and to complicate our understanding of 19th-century women poets’ conception and constructions of female subjectivity by re-theorizing their poetic strategies in the development of the dramatic monologue.

abstract: PhD


title: A macroeconomic study of the costs, consequences and policy implications of sectorial labour reallocation

contributor:
Head, Allen
Koeppl, Thorsten V.
Economics

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subject:
Sectoral labour reallocation
Search and matching
Adjustment costs
Skills and training
Unemployment

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Economics) -- Queen's University, 2008-08-05 23:44:39.827

abstract:
This thesis uses a macroeconomic approach to study labour adjustments following
sector-specific shocks. I develop a general model, investigate its dynamic adjustment
process and apply it to study the Canadian economy in 2002–2006. This episode is an
interesting case study because it features a significant labour reallocation to the resource sector and away from manufacturing, precipitated by an increase in global commodity prices and an associated exchange rate appreciation.

The results establish that impediments to the adjustment process are economically
significant in the aggregate for this episode, imposing costs of up to three percent of output during the transition. These findings augment several studies that suggest individual workers can face large and persistent earnings losses during job turnover. However, unlike previous research, I use the search and matching approach — which incorporates explicit labour market frictions — to uncover the sources of these costs for the macroeconomy. The findings emphasize that job loss itself is not particularly important quantitatively,
but rather the non-transferability of skills during job turnover is a key concern.

Finally, I investigate how labour market policy impacts the economy’s response to
sector-specific shocks by analyzing a counterfactual policy change in unemployment benefits and improved skill acquisition through faster learning and training subsidies. The results reveal interesting policy trade-offs. First, I find that increasing unemployment benefits prolongs the economy’s adjustment, reduces employment, output and welfare and increases unemployment incidence and duration. However, because this policy impacts high-productivity and low-productivity sectors differently, it shifts the composition of the remaining jobs towards high-productivity sectors, thereby raising aggregate productivity and also reduces wage inequality. Second, I find that faster skill acquisition has the potential to deliver large economic gains in the long-run, but requires up-front investment costs which entail reduced economic performance in the short-run.

abstract: PhD


title: Recovering software tuning parameters

contributor:
Cordy, James R.
Computing

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subject:
Software
Reverse-engineering
Tuning parameter
Autonomic computing

abstract: Thesis (Master, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-28 19:36:43.291

abstract: Autonomic Computing is an approach to designing systems that are capable of self-management. Fundamental to the autonomic ideal is a software's awareness of  and ability to tune parameters that affect metrics like performance and security. Traditionally, these parameters are tuned by human experts with extensive knowledge of parameter names and effects---existing software was not designed to be self-tuning. Efforts to automate the isolation and tuning of parameters have yielded encouraging results. However, the parameters are identified manually. This thesis proposes the adaptation of reverse engineering  techniques for automating the recovery of software tuning parameters. Tuning parameters from several industrially relevant applications are studied for patterns of use. These patterns are used to classify the parameters into a taxonomy, and to develop a metamodel of the source code elements and relationships needed to express them. An extractor is then built to obtain instances of the relationships from source code. The relationships are represented as graphs, which are manipulated and queried for instances of tuning parameter patterns. The recovery is implemented as a tool for finding tuning parameters in applications. Experimental results show that the approach is effective at recovering documented tuning parameters, as well as other undocumented ones. The results also indicate that the tuning parameter patterns are not specific to a particular application, or application domain.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Moral panic over merit-based immigration policy : talent for citizenship and the American dream

contributor:
Kobayashi, Audrey
Geography

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subject:
Citizenship
Immigration
United States
Canada
Moral panic

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-30 12:35:39.393

abstract: This thesis examines a moment in recent U.S. immigration history where an opportunity was created to move towards merit-based immigration, but that proposal was rejected. In addition to the highly publicized proposal for the legalization of undocumented immigrants residing in the United States, the 2007 Immigration Reform Bill proposed a merit-based immigrant selection policy, or “Point System.” The new system would have evaluated potential immigrants according to characteristics deemed to be in the U.S. “national interest.” Critical discourse analysis of policy documents, media coverage in The New York Times and San Diego Union Tribune, and political rhetoric on the floor of the U.S. Senate reveals a distinct moral geography to selection policy. Whereas in Canada, economic immigration is the popularly endorsed mode of immigrant selection, the U.S. “Point System” proposal launched a diatribe by politicians and pundits, who called merit-based immigration “an experiment in social engineering” (Barack Obama 2007), against a “natural” human and “moral imperative” to reunite families (Robert Menendez 2007). This thesis demonstrates the complexity of the relationship between race and class, and how its complexity, when considered against the backdrop of immigration policy reform, becomes bound up in state endeavours to form and perpetuate national identity through discourses of citizenship. The U.S. economy’s need for transient labour conflicts with the state’s nation-building project: one that excludes Hispanic migrants. The moral crisis over the dismantling of family reunification in the U.S. serves as a competing discourse to the existing anxiety about Latino immigration and undocumented migrants, and as discussion, albeit veiled, of whether or not it is morally right to construct an immigration policy that disadvantages certain groups, most notably Latinos.

abstract: M.A.


title: Iterative joint detection and decoding of LDPC-Coded V-BLAST systems

contributor:
Yousefi, Shahram
Electrical and Computer Engineering

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subject:
Bell Labs Layered Space-Time (BLAST)
Soft-input soft-output detectors
Low-density parity check (LDPC) codes
Iterative decoding
Joint detection and decoding

abstract: Thesis (Master, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-08 19:29:17.66

abstract: Soft iterative detection and decoding techniques have been shown to be able to achieve near-capacity performance in multiple-antenna systems. To obtain the optimal soft information by marginalization over the entire observation space is intractable; and the current literature is unable to guide us towards the best way to obtain the suboptimal soft information. In this thesis, several existing soft-input soft-output (SISO) detectors, including minimum mean-square error-successive interference cancellation (MMSE-SIC), list sphere decoding (LSD), and Fincke-Pohst maximum-a-posteriori (FPMAP), are examined. Prior research has demonstrated that LSD and FPMAP outperform soft-equalization methods (i.e., MMSE-SIC); however, it is unclear which of the two scheme is superior in terms of performance-complexity trade-off. A comparison is conducted to resolve the matter. In addition, an improved scheme is proposed to modify LSD and FPMAP, providing error performance improvement and a reduction in computational complexity simultaneously. Although list-type detectors such as LSD and FPMAP provide outstanding error performance, issues such as the optimal initial sphere radius, optimal radius update strategy, and their highly variable computational complexity are still unresolved. A new detection scheme is proposed to address the above issues with fixed detection complexity, making the scheme suitable for practical implementation.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Bringing the message home : enabling urban aboriginal families for wholistic health

contributor:
Lévesque, Lucie L.
Kinesiology and Health Studies

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subject: Health Aboriginal

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-30 13:51:46.555

abstract:
BACKGROUND: The health of Aboriginal children and families has been negatively influenced by existing social and economic disparities, dramatic lifestyle disruption, social marginalization, inactivity, dietary change, and lower rates of educational attainment (in comparison with non-Aboriginal populations). Interventions to reduce these risks should emphasize a wholistic approach, consistent with indigenous understandings of the interconnectedness of physical, spiritual, mental and emotional wellbeing. Some positive effects have been seen in family based interventions promoting health, however researchers do not yet know how best to leverage the influence of family through these interventions. This study takes a community-based participatory approach and ecological perspective to develop tailored strategies and resources to engage families in supporting wholistic health messages received through AKWE:GO (a community-based outreach program for at-risk urban Aboriginal youth).
PURPOSE: To discover what activities families (i.e., parents and children) associate with wholistic health, as well as any barriers, facilitators, and competition faced when attempting to engage in health behaviours. Findings will be used to inform the development of take-home packages for AKWE:GO families promoting wholistic health.
METHODS: Fifteen women and 4 men (most are parents of AKWE:GO participants), and 13 girls and 10 boys involved in the AKWE:GO program at the Native Friendship Centres in Kingston and Owen Sound participated in one of 6 sharing circles (4 in Kingston, 2 in Owen Sound). Adults and children attended separate circles, which were facilitated by the AKWE:GO coordinators. Sharing circle questions were centered on wholistic health and based on principles of social marketing. Discussions were recorded and subsequently transcribed. Inductive and deductive content analysis was performed, supported by NVivo 8 software.
RESULTS: Findings from deductive analysis indicate that AKWE:GO families consider engagement in physical activity, traditional activities, healthy eating, budgeting, and meaningful conversation with significant others to be conducive to wholistic health.  Inductive analysis of parent discussions revealed differences in community readiness between Kingston and Owen Sound.
CONCLUSION: Results highlight the importance of considering population needs and community-readiness when developing health promotion strategies and resources for a given population.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Order in the household : domestic violence in 17th century Massachusetts

contributor:
Snider, Laureen
Krull, Catherine
Sociology

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subject:
Domestic violence
Puritan
Massachusetts
Women
History
Marriage
Slippage

abstract: Thesis (Master, Sociology) -- Queen's University, 2008-06-30 15:23:07.094

abstract:
The 17th century was quite nakedly a period of nation-building, cultural dislocation, and renegotiation of status within the Massachusetts Bay Colony. As a binding legal document formulated on Puritan religious principles The Body of Liberties mapped out the relationship of the church to the commonwealth, the Commonwealth to the male head of household, and the head of the household to the wife, children, and servants. By formalizing what had previously been a matter of custom and tradition, this early document solidified the social hierarchy and brought it under the purview of law. It was within this context that the first legal prohibition against domestic violence was formulated in the West, dictating that “Every marryed woeman shall be free from bodilie correction or stripes by her husband, unless it be in his own defence upon her assault” (excerpt from the Body of Liberties cited in Pleck 1987:21-22). Given that this migrant culture lay at the precipice of change (geographically displaced and in the process of displacing), and because they were equipped with the technical means to ‘fix’ these relations through law backed by force and sanction, it is reasonable to ask: ‘Why this law?’ ‘Why now?’ and ‘Toward what effects?’
       I begin by arguing against Pleck’s (1987,1989) claim that the Massachusetts Bay Colony devised a law against domestic violence out of humanitarian concern for women. By describing the socio-political context in which this law was one small aspect of a much broader and somewhat fragmented endeavor to assert ‘order’ and to establish authority, I argue that it would be a mistake to emphasize its prohibitive message over and above its productive and often contradictory effects. Drawing from Haskins insights on 17th century English legal tactics, and Roberts-Millers (1999) analysis of Puritan logic and language use, I warn against reading Puritan rhetoric or legal discourse literally, or ignoring the ways in which a complex system of regulatory controls and discursive slippages interacts to produce unexpected effects. When this new law prohibiting domestic violence is placed within this context, new insights and new questions emerge.

abstract: M.A.


title: Ventilatory constraints and breathlessness during exercise in the elderly, in the obese, and in those with mild airflow limitation

contributor:
O'Donnell, E. Denis
Physiology

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subject:
Ventilatory constraints during exercise
Breathlessness

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Physiology) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-02 14:17:41.602

abstract:
Breathlessness during activity is increasingly recognized as a common symptom in the elderly, in older individuals with minor airway obstruction due to tobacco smoking, and in those with obesity. The underlying mechanisms of perceived respiratory difficulty in each of these populations remain unknown and are largely unstudied.
Objective: The main purpose of this original research was to elucidate the alterations in central ventilatory drive and in dynamic ventilatory mechanics that might explain the origin of increased breathlessness during exercise in these three populations.
General Hypothesis:  In individuals with largely preserved resting pulmonary function, increased intensity of breathlessness during activity will arise as a result of measurable abnormalities of dynamic ventilatory mechanics, central respiratory drive, or both in combination.
General Methods: We examined sensory-mechanical relationships during cardio-pulmonary exercise testing in each population (total n=146). We compared indices of ventilatory control (ventilation, pulmonary gas exchange and metabolic load), dynamic mechanics (breathing pattern and operating lung volumes) and ratings of dyspnea intensity in three well characterized cohorts:  elderly versus younger; smokers with minor airway obstruction versus age-matched non-smokers, and obese versus lean participants.
Results:  Individuals across all three study populations had preserved resting pulmonary function. Compared with their respective control groups all three symptomatic groups demonstrated consistent abnormalities  in dynamic airway function during exercise [expiratory flow limitation (EFL), dynamic increases in end expiratory lung volume, and restricted tidal volume response]; all  had greater ventilatory requirements reflecting variable ventilation-perfusion and metabolic abnormalities. In all three groups, intensity of breathlessness increased as ventilatory demand approached capacity. In the elderly (with or without airway obstruction), breathlessness intensity ratings at a standardized ventilation during exercise correlated with indices of mechanical volume restriction secondary to EFL. In obese individuals, increased ventilatory drive secondary to increased metabolic loading (and not mechanical abnormalities) was the primary factor contributing to exertional breathlessness.
Conclusion: Although the origin of breathlessness during physical exertion in the elderly (with or without minor airway obstruction) and in obese individuals is multi-factorial, we identified the central etiological importance of the combination of increased ventilatory drive and restrictive dynamic mechanical constraints to increasing ventilation.

abstract: PhD


title: Microsatellite variability in four contemporary rhinoceros species : implications for conservation

contributor:
Boag, Peter T.
Biology

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subject:
Rhinoceros
Microsatellites
Conservation genetics
Endangered species
Large mammals

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-02 23:01:32.553

abstract:
Rhinoceroses are arguably the most endangered of all large mammal taxa.  In order for ongoing conservation of this species to be successful, it is crucial to accurately characterize the remaining genetic diversity for all rhinoceros species.
	To do this, I optimized a standard suite of 24 taxon-specific rhinoceros microsatellite loci.  These loci have the power to provide the most comprehensive estimate of comparative microsatellite genetic diversity within and among the four extant African and Asian rhinoceros genera.
	These loci were further used to evaluate the comparative influences of rhinoceros species versus microsatellite taxonomic origin as predictors of rhino microsatellite diversity, and finally to examine the evolutionary relationships between extant rhino taxa.
	The African black michaeli rhino subspecies had the highest level of microsatellite genetic variability of all available rhinos, while southern white and Indian rhinos were the least variable rhinos.  These findings also suggested that species and taxonomic origin of microsatellite loci were both significant predictors of microsatellite heterozygosity in rhinoceroses.
	A weak association between the Sumatran and black rhinos was found with a DLR neighbour-joining tree.
	The standard loci were able to assign unique genotypes to all available rhinos as well as differentiate between all rhino species by correctly assigning individual rhinos back to their respective populations.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Characterizing the function of the Fps/Fes tyrosine kinase in the mammary gland

contributor:
Greer, Peter A.
Pathology and Molecular Medicine

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subject:
Fps/Fes tyrosine kinase
Adherens junction
Mammary gland
Lactation

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Pathology & Molecular Medicine) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-03 11:53:01.135

abstract:
The fps proto-oncogene encodes a 92 kDa cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase. Previous studies have shown that Fps expression in the mammary gland changes with development, and Fps has a suppressor function in mammary tumorigenesis. The aim of my thesis was to elucidate the role of the Fps tyrosine kinase in regulating mammary gland development and function. We have shown that the expression of the Fps kinase in the mammary gland increased during pregnancy and reached its maximum during lactation. The level of Fps tyrosine phosphorylation paralleled the expression pattern.  Pups reared by fps-null females gained weight more slowly than those reared by wild-type females. Epithelial cells were the primary source of Fps expression. Milk protein and fat content were not affected by the absence of Fps. Similarly, no differences in mammary gland structure were observed with whole mount or histological analysis.
Fps was shown to be in a multi-protein complex with E-cadherin, β-catenin and p120-catenin. A strong co-localization signal was observed for Fps and E-cadherin. Immunofluorescence analysis indicated that the localization of E-cadherin and β-catenin was disorganized and less concentrated at sites of cell-cell contacts in the fps-null glands. The interactions between the different adherens junction components were altered in the fps-null tissue. Specifically, less E-cadherin and β-catenin was associated with p120-catenin in the fps-null glands. Suprisingly, no phosphotyrosine differences were detected for the adherens junction components.
Conditions were established to grow primary murine epithelial cell cultures that could be used to investigate the function of Fps. Fps expression was up-regulated in these cells in response to lactogenic hormones. A lentiviral system encoding a murine p53 shRNA sequence was used to increase the growth potential of the primary cells. Continual growth of the infected and uninfected primary epithelial cell mixture resulted in the establishment of an immortalized cell line. Immunofluorescent and immunoblot analyses revealed that the cells have undergone an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. With the transduction of a myc-epitope tagged Fps into the cells, we have generated cell lines with the appropriate genetic backgrounds to study the function of the Fps kinase in the mammary gland, specifically as it relates to tumorigenesis.

abstract: PhD


title: Achievement gap in the highly selective German school system : a critical analysis of strategies for equitable education in a primary school

contributor:
Burney, Shehla
Education

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subject:
Intercultural pedagogy
Germany
Primary school
Achievement gap

abstract: Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-03 15:00:06.839

abstract:
Germany has historically been a country where peoples from various countries have worked and settled, and diverse cultures have existed. Yet, German schools still adhere to what could be described as assimilative and deficit-oriented practices (Gogolin & Krüger-Potratz, 2006; Schanz, 2006). In addition, the German education system has a high degree of social selection (Auernheimer, 2006a) that creates severe educational inequities between German and immigrant students. After four years of primary school, students are streamed into one of the three major secondary school types Gymnasium, Realschule, and Hauptschule, based on achievement. Since these schools provide education of varying quality, students are denied equal opportunities.
      	The purpose of this study is to explore and critically analyze possible ways to alleviate the existing inequities in the German school system, which are reflected in the achievement gap between immigrant and German mainstream students (Hormel & Scherr, 2004; Schofield, 2006). Using a case study approach, I analyze the educational work of the award-winning German primary school “Kleine Kielstraße” located in Dortmund with a culturally and linguistically diverse student population, situated in a socially disadvantaged district. My purpose was to gain insight into the school’s practices and strategies for recognizing diverse students and for striving to provide equitable education for all students.
Despite the strategic steps taken by this school based on the competence and the enthusiasm of the principal and staff, it is quite evident that structural changes in the highly selective, three-tiered German secondary school system are required before educators can effectively challenge the built-in inequities. Though the German school system is designed and programmed to discriminate and deny equal opportunity, the participating school demonstrates a pedagogical approach that provides more equitable education for all students regardless of their cultural background and ethnicity. This thesis explores these strategies of the school to create an understanding that a progressive “Intercultural Pedagogy” can go a long way in providing a better education despite structural inequities.

abstract: M.Ed.


title: Finite element analysis of stress rupture in pressure vessels exposed to accidental fire loading

contributor:
Birk, Michael A.
Kim, Il-Yong
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

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subject:
Finite element analysis
Pressure vessel stress rupture

abstract: Thesis (Master, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-04 10:55:32.008

abstract:
A numerical model that predicts high temperature pressure vessel rupture was developed.  The finite element method of analysis was used to determine the effects that various parameters had on pressure vessel failure.  The work was concerned with 500, 1000 and 33000 US gallon pressure vessels made of SA 455 steel.  Experimental pressure vessel fire tests have shown that vessel rupture in a fully engulfing fire can occur in less than 30 minutes.  This experimental work was used both to validate the numerical results as well as to provide important vessel temperature distribution information.
	Due to the fact that SA 455 steel is not meant for high temperature applications, there was little published high temperature material data.  Therefore, elevated temperature tensile tests and creep rupture tests were performed to measure needed material properties.  Creep and creep damage constants were calculated from SA 455 steel’s creep rupture data.
	The Kachanov One-State Variable technique and the MPC Omega method were the creep damage techniques chosen to predict SA 455 steel’s high temperature time-dependent behaviour.  The specimens used in the mechanical testing were modeled to numerically predict the creep rupture behaviour measured in the lab.  An extensive comparison between the experimental and numerical uniaxial creep rupture results revealed that both techniques could adequately predict failure times at all tested conditions; however, the MPC Omega method was generally more accurate at predicting creep failure strains.  The comparison also showed that the MPC Omega method was more numerically stable than the One-State Variable technique when analyzing SA 455 steel’s creep rupture.
	The creep models were modified to account for multiaxial states of stress and were used to analyze the high temperature failure of pressure vessels.  The various parameters considered included pressure vessel dimensions, fire type (fully engulfing or local impingement), peak wall temperature and internal pressure.  The objective of these analyses was to gain a better understanding of the structural failure of pressure vessels exposed to various accidental fire conditions.
	The numerical results of rupture time and geometry of failure region were shown to agree with experimental fire tests.  From the fully engulfing fire numerical analyses, it was shown that pressure vessels with a smaller length to diameter ratio and a larger thickness to diameter ratio were inherently safer.  It was also shown that as the heated area was reduced, the failure time increased for the same internal pressure and peak wall temperature.  Therefore, fully engulfing fires produced more structurally unstable conditions in pressure vessels then local fire impingements.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Identifying a Prognostic Test in Follicular Lymphoma Using a Tissue Microarray and Immunohistochemistry

contributor:
Feilotter, Harriet
LeBrun, David P.
Pathology and Molecular Medicine

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Follicular Lymphoma
Prognostic Test
Tissue Microarray

abstract: Thesis (Master, Pathology & Molecular Medicine) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-04 15:55:16.121

abstract: Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an attractive model for discovering biomarkers and elucidating mechanisms of tumour progression. We hypothesized that alterations in the expression of proteins with known roles in cancer biology and hematological cells might correlate with clinical outcome and thereby shed light on biological mechanisms. Sections from a tissue microarray (TMA) containing FL samples from 67 patients were immunostained for candidate biomarkers, including p53, p16INK4a, Bcl-2, Bcl-6, MUM1, PML, phospho-ERK, and p27Kip1. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to identify markers that correlate significantly (p<0.05) with overall survival (OS). The chi-squared or Fisher exact test were used to examine associations between histological markers and baseline clinical features, including the Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (FLIPI) score. Expression of p16INK4a or p53, or absent CD10 expression correlated with poor survival. Patients with p16INK4a-negative tumours had a median OS of 13.4 years compared to 8.3 years for those with p16INK4a-positive tumours (p=0.006). Expression of p16INK4a was significantly associated with low hemoglobin, elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), high histological grade, high cell proliferation index, presence of associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and high-risk FLIPI classification. Our observation of a positive association between p16INK4a expression and indicators of tumour aggressiveness is novel and perhaps surprising since loss of the INK4a tumour suppressor gene is one of the most frequently observed lesions in human cancers, including lymphoma. Expression of p16INK4a may be part of a cellular response to unidentified pro-mitotic mutations, such as deleterious mutations of the RB tumour suppressor gene, associated with more aggressive instances of FL. Immunostaining FL diagnostic biopsies for expression of p16INK4a may serve as an informative prognostic biomarker to aid clinicians managing FL patients.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Cold pressor pain and psychophysiological activation in high and low pain catastrophizers

contributor:
Tripp, Dean A.
Psychology

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subject: Pain Catastrophizing

abstract: Thesis (Master, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-04 16:02:48.514

abstract: Pain catastrophizing is a robust predictor of heightened pain report. However, theoretical models addressing mechanisms of catastrophizing are lacking. The purpose of this study was to examine whether high and low catastrophizers manifest differential psychophysiological arousal patterns in an experimental laboratory pain setting. Gender differences and covariates were also examined. Participants were 102 undergraduate students (56 female, 46 male) at Queen’s University recruited from the Psychology 100 subject pool aged 17-28 years (M = 18.44, SD = 1.40). After deleting participants with missing data, n = 95 for pain report/psychological variables, and n = 93 for psychophysiological measures. Participants were pre-screened using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) from which individuals were selected from the top third (i.e., PCS score ≥ 24) and the bottom third (i.e., PCS score ≤ 13) of the distribution to represent high and low catastrophizers respectively. Participants completed measures of depression and anxiety before participating in a cold pressor task. Participants’ heart rate (HR) and galvanic skin response (GSR) were recorded during periods of baseline (3 minutes), pain induction (1 minute), and pain recovery (10 minutes). The Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) was completed following the recovery period. Results showed that catastrophizing was related to greater pain intensity during pain induction and during pain recovery, as well as greater retrospective sensory and affective reports of pain. Women reported greater pain intensity during pain induction, during pain recovery, and greater retrospective reports of sensory pain. These effects were significant even when controlling for depression and anxiety. With regard to psychophysiological arousal, catastrophizing was related to higher HR during pain induction. There also appeared to be trends suggesting that catastrophizing may also be associated with HR before and after pain induction. Results provide partial support for an appraisal model of catastrophizing and may be useful in informing future models implicating catastrophizing in the development and maintenance of chronic pain.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Application of simulated lung fluid analysis to characterize the influence of smelter activity on the respiratory bioaccessibility of nickel-bearing soils in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia

contributor: Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering

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subject: Geology Toxicology Nickel Dust

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-07 10:29:10.129

abstract:
The city of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia has been labeled an “asthma hot spot” attributed to mining activity, prompting further investigation into toxic elements (Lee et al., 2006). Inhalation of nickel-bearing particles is a particular concern due to the presence of a nickel smelter 10km upwind of the city. The toxicological properties of nickel are well-documented, thus the primary objective is the characterization of phases identified as problematic in the lungs. To determine the smelter’s influence on nickel bioaccessibility in the soils throughout the city of Kalgoorlie, surface soil samples were taken from areas within the city and compared to soils near the smelter and outside the city, distant from the smelter. Soils were sieved to isolate the respirable fraction (<10um) potentially associated with lung disease and analyzed using a simulated lung fluid to determine the concentration of nickel soluble in the lungs. The soluble nickel represents the fraction that may be involved in allergic or asthmatic reactions, while the insoluble compounds may be of concern as some are carcinogenic. Further soil characterization was done using a six step sequential extraction and mineralogical analysis to identify nickel-bearing minerals. The influence of the smelter activity on nickel bioaccessibility in the soils within Kalgoorlie is low, but soils near the smelter host significantly higher nickel concentrations and higher bioaccessibility. Respiratory nickel bioaccessibility in soils ranges from 1 to 3% in and outside the city of Kalgoorlie, while the area surrounding the smelter increases to up to 6.8%. In each case, there is a direct correlation between bioaccessibility percent and percent nickel bound in the water-soluble and exchangeable fractions, but the simulated lung fluid dissolves more nickel in each sample than is present in these two fractions, potentially due to the presence of weak chelating agents in the solution. Respiratory bioaccessibility is low in Kalgoorlie soils because nickel occurs primarily in sulfides, with minor oxides and silicates, all relatively insoluble in lung fluid. However, the high concentrations of these compounds could be of concern, as they are potential carcinogens at high concentrations.
Lee, Y.P., Cook, A., Thompson, P., Weinstein, P. 2006. Epidemiology. 17(6):283-284

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: The influence of snowcover distribution and variable melt regimes on the transport of nutrients from two high Arctic watersheds

contributor:
Lafrenière, Melissa J.
Geography

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subject:
High Arctic
Hydrology
Snow Distribution
Nutrients

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-08 00:31:46.107

abstract:
In June 2005, fieldwork was conducted during the spring snowmelt period at Cape Bounty, Melville Island, Nunavut to examine the relationships between snow accumulation, runoff, and nutrient fluxes in two High Arctic watersheds.  The snowcover was quantified by means of eleven depth and three density measurements at 42 survey transects (100 m) distributed throughout the West and East watersheds.  River discharge was monitored at the watershed outlets, where water samples were collected four times daily during the first ten days of melt and twice daily once flow receded.  Water samples were also collected from headwater and tributary sites in the two watersheds, and samples were analyzed for DOC, DON and DIN (NH4+ and NO3-).

An objective terrain classification weighted equally on slope, aspect and land surface curvature was applied to the two watersheds using an ISODATA unsupervised classification scheme to determine watershed SWE.  The terrain model confirmed that topography likely explains greater SWE in the West watershed, and provides a method for reproducible estimates of watershed SWE in future years.  However, improved methods for estimating SWE in channels and deep snowbanks are required to ensure accurate assessments of watershed SWE.

The seasonal trends in DOC, DON, and DIN concentrations and specific fluxes are reported for both watersheds.  The export of DON and DIN was strongly correlated with DOC in the West watershed, indicating that the flushing of terrestrial nutrients from surficial soils by snowmelt runoff governs nutrient export.  Despite less watershed SWE (51%), the East watershed exported greater specific fluxes of DOC (33%) and DON (43%) during the melt season.  This suggests that the East watershed had greater connectivity with OM sources early in the melt season.  Furthermore, low DOC:DON ratios (< 15) in the East River indicate that a larger portion of DOM was likely derived from algal or microbial sources in the East watershed relative to the West watershed.  The export of DIN was similar in the two watersheds, and results suggest that DIN export was likely controlled by watershed vegetation coverage and runoff volumes during snowmelt.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Telephone peer support group program for women with spinal cord injury living in small communities and rural areas in Ontario : participants’ perspectives

contributor:
Pentland, Wendy
Rehabilitation Science

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subject:
telephone peer support
phenomenological study

abstract: Thesis (Master, Rehabilitation Science) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-08 02:45:25.455

abstract:
This study was born out of the Telephone Peer Support Group Program for Women with Spinal Cord Injury Living in Small Communities and Rural Areas in Ontario, funded by the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation. It represents the final chapter in the evaluation process of this innovative and participatory program, which produced positive results for a majority of women who took part in it. A phenomenological approach according to Moustakas was used to deepen the understanding and describe the participants’ experience of the program. The seven women who took part in the program contributed their narratives.

Emotional support and learning were the main structures of the experience as reported by the women. The program was a space where participants gave and received emotional support through sharing, connecting and exchange.

Participants who differed from the majority in the group because of the nature of their injury did not benefit as much from the program.

For true peers, the program was a space of “real understanding” and learning in which participants’ perceptions of self were shaped and new identities found, where loneliness was replaced with the feeling of belonging and “not being alone”. It was the space where the bodily aspects of SCI and the socially constructed roles of women were examined, where solutions for health and lifestyle issues were discussed and embraced, and where relationships with others developed into the positive interactions of informed and empowered individuals.

The women with SCI attributed changes in their attitudes and behaviours to participation in this program. Reported changes ranged from increased knowledge about a proactive and healthy lifestyle, to completed annual medical check-ups, changed pain treatment, changed dietary and exercise regimes, to the establishment of a web-site with information about a healthy and proactive life for women with SCI.
For the majority of participants in this program, it was an enriching and life changing experience which has a huge potential for reaching isolated women with SCI. For service providers, the program was an opportunity to provide services to underserved populations, impacting their quality of life by using cheap and accessible technology. For participatory researchers it was a rewarding experience of seeing immediate benefits reported by satisfied research participants.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Conceptual Design for a Surface-Guided Total Knee Replacement With Normal Kinematics

contributor:
Wyss, Urs P.
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

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subject:
Total Knee Replacement
Design
Knee
Arthroplasty

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2008-09-18 16:56:02.502

abstract:
The objective of this thesis was to develop a concept and methodologies for designing a total knee replacement (TKR) with normal kinematics and a high range of motion. The design philosophy was that a TKR can function similar to the normal knee, provided that after TKR the inherent passive characteristics of the joint are restored to normal with minimum disruption in the functions of the remaining structures of the joint.
As the first step prior to design, cadaver experiments were conducted and biomechanical models of the passive knee were developed to study the mechanics of the normal knee. The guiding roles of the tibial articular surface including the menisci, the combined effects of the cruciates and contact forces, and the elongation patterns of the cruciates were investigated. Based on the results obtained from these studies and the relevant information in the literature, design requirements for a TKR with normal kinematics were identified, and an innovative design concept was introduced. On the medial compartment of this design the shape of the articular surfaces resembled a ball-and-socket joint, and on the lateral side a pair of guiding bearing surfaces mimicked the guiding roles of the cruciate ligaments.
The novelty in the design concept lies in the design of the shape of the lateral articular surfaces. The progressive variations of the curvature of the medial and lateral aspects of the lateral condyle generate the desired guiding effect for the full cycle of extension and flexion. The bearing spacing defined as the distance between the medial and lateral contact points was kept constant throughout the motion, as this was proved to be necessary to ensure compatibility between the geometry of the bearing surfaces and the desired pattern of motion. Appropriate methodologies were developed to generate the complete shapes of the bearing surfaces and to build the prototypes based on the constraints of the bone geometries and kinematics of a sample cadaver knee. The kinematic test of the prototype proved the viability of the design concept and methodologies. The novel design philosophy, concept and methodologies developed in this thesis provide a foundation for a new generation of TKR with normal kinematics.

abstract: PhD


title: Setting as a poetic device to enhance character in the apologos of Homer's Odyssey

contributor:
Griffith, R. Drew
Classics

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subject: Odyssey Setting

abstract: Thesis (Master, Classics) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-09 07:45:38.062

abstract:
This thesis will look at the use of the description of setting as a means to enhance and define character in the apologos of the Odyssey. The approach to this study will be two-fold. First, the descriptions of the various locales in the poem help establish a first impression of the characters that dwell within them. Second, and more importantly, the characters’ reaction and response to that setting further defines their character-traits, revealing their inner self to the audience. While this phenomenon is most commonly found with characters in their own setting, it can also be quite informative for characters in a foreign setting.
	The main type of description on which I will focus is that generally found at the beginning of each respective episode. These descriptions are marked by a break in the narrative and set the scene for the remainder of the episode. I consider only descriptions longer than the formulaic noun-adjective combinations or the epithets found throughout the poem. While the latter two types are important, I will mention them only in comparison with the former type.
	In Chapter Three I will focus on this relationship between description and character with regard to the Cyclopes and Phaeacians, although other scenes will be mentioned. In Chapter Four I will focus on the Lotus-Eaters, Sirens, Calypso, Circe, the Nymphs on Ithaca, and the realm of the afterlife.

abstract: M.A.


title: Aboriginality, existing aboriginal rights and state accommodation in Canada

contributor:
MacDonald, Eleanor
Political Studies

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subject:
Aboriginal rights
Aboriginality
Identity
Group rights
Canadian constitution
Aboriginal politics

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Political Studies) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-09 23:23:43.659

abstract:
ABORIGINALITY, EXISTING ABORIGINAL RIGHTS AND STATE ACCOMMODATION IN CANADA: ABSTRACT
	The central focus of this dissertation is the relationship between aboriginality, aboriginal rights and state accommodation in Canada.  The work considers how the existence of a plurality of conceptions of aboriginality impacts the capacity of aboriginal rights to protect and accommodate this collective identity.  This dissertation takes the position that aboriginal rights, as they are currently constructed in Canada, cannot account for the existence of this definitional multiplicity, and so impose serious limits on the degree to which aboriginality is accommodated and protected by the state.  This case is built by looking at Supreme Court cases that deal with Section 35(1) of the Constitution Act, 1982.  The investigation contained herein examines the written legal submissions of the aboriginal and non-aboriginal participants in these cases, as well as the Court’s decisions, in an effort to trace the various articulations of aboriginality put forward by the parties.
	The dissertation demonstrates that, even though there is a multiplicity of conceptions of aboriginality – in other words, the aboriginal litigants, the provinces, the federal government and the Supreme Court justices advance different and often competing conceptions of aboriginality – aboriginal rights are constructed to protect and accommodate a single, particular vision of this collective identity.  Moreover, this version of aboriginality does not coincide with the version of this collective identity advanced by the aboriginal litigants themselves.  Consequently, the work in this dissertation argues that aboriginal rights fail to accommodate and protect aboriginal peoples’ collective identities and pose a substantial threat to these identities.

abstract: PhD


title: Evolution of the PGC-1 protein family in the control of oxidative metabolism in vertebrates

contributor:
Moyes, Christopher D.
Biology

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subject:
Molecular
Comparative
Evolutionary physiology

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-10 10:13:04.808

abstract:
Mitochondrial biogenesis requires an intricate transcriptional coordination between the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes to establish the structural and functional components of the organelle. This coordination is paramount in vertebrate muscles where oxidative capacity must be adjusted to meet varying energy demands. I investigated the regulatory circuits controlling mitochondrial content in vertebrate muscle in the context of development, adaptation to nutritional status and temperature, and in an evolutionary perspective.
Initial experiments focused on the role of transcriptional regulators in the metabolic changes in the myocardium of aging rat. I hypothesized that the changes in oxidative capacity associated with aging would be primarily driven by the peroxisome proliferator activated-receptors (PPARs), the nuclear respiratory factors (NRFs) and their common coactivator PPARgamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha). However, the reduction in oxidative capacity in the heart of old rats was independent of these regulatory axes and occurred partially through post-transcriptional processes.
The next series of experiments investigated the transcriptional networks regulating the metabolic remodelling in goldfish subjected to dietary and temperature stress. As a potent regulator of mitochondrial proliferation in mammals, I hypothesized that PGC-1alpha assumed a similar role in lower vertebrates. Similar to their mammalian homologues, PPARalpha and NRF-1 assumed their respective roles in regulating lipid metabolism and mitochondrial proliferation in goldfish. In contrast, PGC-1alpha was only a good predictor of the PPAR axis, while PGC-1beta was a better indicator of the NRF-1 and mitochondrial gene expression axis.
This apparent divergence of the PGC-1alpha homologues in vertebrates inspired the subsequent study, in which I investigated the evolutionary history of the PGC-1 family in vertebrates. Specifically, I sought to assess if PGC-1alpha functional divergence had a structural and evolutionary basis. PGC-1alpha phylogeny revealed asymmetric rates of evolution across the different domains of the protein. The domains essential to PGC-1alpha coactivating activity as well as PPARs interaction motifs were relatively well preserved in all lineages. In contrast, the NRF-1 interacting domain experienced accelerated rates of evolution in fish lineages compared to tetrapods. In addition, fish PGC-1alpha exhibited consequent insertions in this domain that could have important repercussions on its ability to bind NRF-1 and regulate mitochondrial gene expression.

abstract: PhD


title: Public adoption in Ontario : available children and the decision-making processes of applicants considering children with and without disabilities

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subject:
Adoption
Child welfare
Disability
Decision making
Rehabilitation
Grounded theory
Mental health
Foster children

abstract:
In much of Canada, the number of children in child welfare care has been increasing significantly in recent years. In Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, the permanent ward population doubled in size over the decade ending in 2005, according to the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (Gail Vandermeulen, personal communication, January 6, 2006). Ontario law asserts that it is preferable for children who are permanent wards with no access to their biological parents to leave care via domestic adoption rather than remain in fostering arrangements (Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services, 2000). Nevertheless, rates of adoption for these children in Ontario actually declined over the past ten years according to the former government minister of the Ministry of Community and Social Services (Marie Bountrogianni, personal communication, February 23, 2004).
The purpose of these investigations was two-fold: to profile the population of children who were legally available for domestic public adoptions while developing a theory about the decision-making processes of adoption applicants as they consider available children with and without disabilities. In the first study a representative sample of over 20% of the files of children who were permanent wards of the state on December 31, 2003 and legally available for domestic public adoption in Ontario was reviewed. Results indicated that 57.8% of children had at least one type of disability. Children with disabilities were more likely to enter care at older ages, were significantly less likely to be residing in adoption probationary homes, and have an official permanency plan of adoption than were the child wards who had no disabilities. Multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that the variables most predictive of permanency plans included the age at which a child entered care.
The second study included interviewing 15 adoption applicants. Using a grounded theory approach the data regarding participants’ decision-making processes were analyzed and a substantive level theory generated. A core category resulted and was labeled, gaining balance. Key categories included commitment, persistence, and evaluation. The findings were member checked by a select group of participants and were found to have considerable explanatory power.

abstract: PhD


title: Assesing biological recovery from acidification and metal contamination in urban lakes from Sudbury, Canada : a paleolimological approach

contributor:
Smol, John P.
Paterson, Andrew M.
Biology

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subject:
Paleolimnology
Diatoms
Scaled chrysophytes
Sudbury
Metal contamination
Acidification
Cultural eutrophication

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-10 12:04:59.828

abstract: The acidification and metal contamination of freshwater resources are major environmental concerns in many areas, with Sudbury (Ontario, Canada) having been amongst the most severely impacted.  Many scientific investigations have examined the effects of these environmental stressors on aquatic systems, but relatively little is known about the biological recovery process following smelter emission reductions.   Therefore, paleolimnological techniques were utilized to determine if diatom and scaled chrysophyte assemblages have recovered toward their pre-disturbance conditions as a result of reduced anthropogenic inputs. Pre-industrial algal assemblages were primarily dominated by circumneutral to alkaline and pH-indifferent taxa.  However, there was a shift toward acid-tolerant species in all study lakes with the onset of open pit roasting and smelting operations. Coinciding with emission reductions, scaled chrysophyte assemblages in two of the three study sites have shown evidence of biological recovery.  Given the population growth of the city of Sudbury over the last century, and the lack of scientific information regarding cultural eutrophication trends in the region, paleolimnological techniques were also used to track long-term biological changes within diatom assemblages related to cultural disturbances.  Historically, oligotrophic diatom taxa primarily dominated the algal assemblages in each of the four study lakes.  With the onset of urban environmental stressors there was a shift toward taxa which thrive in more productive systems.  In addition, diatom assemblages appear to track increased lakewater pH through time.  Finally, geochemical analysis tracked the increase in copper and nickel concentrations in lake sediment with the onset of open pit roasting and smelting activities and the subsequent decline in concentration with emission controls.  Metal concentrations in recently deposited lake sediments remain elevated compared to pre-industrial concentrations. Paleolimnological studies comparing pre- and post-disturbance algal assemblages are of interest to lake managers as these data will aid in setting realistic mitigation targets for freshwater systems impacted by acidification, cultural eutrophication, and metal contamination, and will help gauge biological recovery mechanisms.  Furthermore, this study provides insight in to the role other environmental stressors (e.g., climate change) may play in the biological recovery process.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Timing equity issuance in response to mandatory accounting standards change in Australia and the European Union

contributor:
Welker, Michael Alan
Management

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subject:
IFRS
GAAP reconciliation
Information asymmetry
Market value
Market timing
Equity issuance

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Management) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-10 17:39:27.512

abstract:
This study examines the association between changes in accounting performance resulting from mandated adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and managerial incentives to engage in opportunistic equity issuance. Based on 2,719 Australian and the European Union firms that are required to adopt IFRS starting in 2005, I find that firms disclosing a material decline in reported net income under IFRS relative to reported net income under local standards are revalued downwards, while firms disclosing a material improvement in reported net income under IFRS relative to reported net income under local standards are revalued upwards. This indicates that relative to financial statements prepared according to local accounting standards, financial statements under IFRS convey new information that impacts market value.
Building on the market timing hypothesis, I find that managers exploit their private information about the effects of changes in accounting standards on accounting performance and that managers strategically time equity issuance before their firms disclose those effects. In particular, during the three-year window prior to a firm disclosing the financial statement effects of IFRS adoption, the firm’s likelihood and size of equity issuance are negatively associated with the change in reported net income resulting from IFRS adoption. This is consistent with the prediction that firms whose reported performance is negatively affected by mandated changes in accounting standards are more likely to issue equity and issue a larger volume of equity in advance of the disclosure of those negative effects. The association between equity issuance and the relative decline in accounting performance resulting from IFRS adoption is robust to alternative definitions of equity issuers, specifications and measures of accounting performance, and changes in sample composition. I find some evidence that equity issuance is positively associated with earnings forecast optimism, where earnings forecast optimism is another proxy for information asymmetry arising from mandatory adoption of IFRS.

abstract: PhD