title: Incorporating an ethic of context and place in mechanistic research: a place-based wildfire risk assessment in the Xáxli'p survival territory

contributor: Pawlowska-Mainville, Agnes (committee member)

format:
electronic
1 online resource (xi, 133 pages)

subject:
Wildfires.
Wildfires.--British Columbia.
Wildfires--Economic aspects.
Wildfires--Psychological aspects.
Wildfire risk.
Wildfires--Prevention and control.
Xaxli'p (First Nation)

abstract: Wildfires pose a significant economic and social challenge to communities throughout British Columbia. For some Indigenous communities, a large landscape fire has the potential to change their traditional territory and communities permanently. To allocate limited resources to the costly effort of wildfire mitigation, communities need a baseline for the spatial distribution of risk. For the Xáxli’p and their community forest, the wildfire risk is an urgent concern, locally effected by forest fuels, human ignition, and wind. Local knowledge of community members gathered through workshops were used to validate existing forest, wind, and access data. Using existing data and community data, areas of higher risk and other landscape considerations were identified and mapped to support planning by the Xáxli’p Community Forest to create a fire-resilient landscape.


title: Strategic analysis & recommendations for Southwest Garden Supplies's nursery operations

type: Text thesis

contributor: University of Northern British Columbia Business Administration (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
1 online resource (62 pages)

subject: Garden centers (Retail trade)--Management.

subject: Garden centers (Retail trade)--Personnel management.

subject: Nursery stock--Management.

abstract: Southwest Garden Supplies is a garden centre which is undergoing growth in its sales in both of its departments: nursery and bulk garden/landscape materials. With the increasing quantity, and sales of plants, the company requires strategic analysis and recommendations to improve its nursery operations. Some factors which require improvement are: a lack of enough employees, and two, a lack of systematic processes required in the maintenance, and sale of plants. Because only family members work at the nursery, and maintain the rest of the enterprise, there are more tasks which need to be accomplished than there are hands. Southwest Garden Supplies is in the process of hiring new employees, and approximately three new employees shall commence work in the foreseeable future. As of now, tasks like fertilizing, efficient watering, weeding, and pruning are not being executed in a systematic manner. Therefore, a lot of the plants are not optimally maintained. Due to a lack of organization, and time, pricing is a complex matter of hardship. As of now, there are minimal price tags placed on plants. Only the administrator in charge of the nursery knows the prices. Therefore, if she is not around for whatever reason, the remaining staff do not know how to price the plants. During the summer, watering by hand takes a minimum of three hours per day, that too after office hours; meaning the family leaves work close to 9:00pm, only to start again at 7:00am the next morning. This watering process leaves the other tasks of plant maintenance incomplete. As discussed, the nursery division of the garden centre needs to be run optimally. The purpose of this paper is to undertake research on how the nursery can be maintained efficiently, including how plant inventory can be best managed, and how the administration staff can maintain healthy relationships with the new employees. Human resource management will be discussed due to the importance of increased employee loyalty and decreased employee attrition. Results/Recommendations shall be made as to what steps need to be taken in order to streamline the nursery maintenance processes for the staff, and make shopping at Southwest Garden Supplies more fluid, and straightforward.


title: Homing, redd site characteristics and the effect of dissolved oxygen on development of larval coho salmon

contributor: University of Northern British Columbia NRES-Biology (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
1 online resource (xii, 101 pages)

subject:
Coho salmon.
Coho salmon.--British Columbia.
Coho salmon--Migration.
Coho salmon--Spawning.
Biochemical oxygen demand.
Coho salmon--Development

abstract: Life histories of Pacific salmon are remarkable in that they return to specific freshwater sites to spawn after multiple years of ocean residence. In Chapter 1, I investigated site fidelity at a reach scale for Interior Fraser Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) (IFC). Coho Salmon eggs were incubated at known spawning locations in the Coldwater River, British Columbia, to obtain reference data for comparison to otolith signatures of returning adult salmon. The majority of adults (67%) returned to their natal spawning locations at the reach scale, while 33% strayed to other spawning sites within the Coldwater River, illustrating straying at small scales. Straying to novel incubation sites at the reach scale demonstrated plasticity in homing within a watershed. In Chapter 2, I investigated the characteristics of the hyporheic redd zone over two years where Coho Salmon were observed to spawn. Within a reach, physical variables were homogenous, but heterogeneity was found among reaches where Coho Salmon were observed to spawn – particularly for intragravel temperature and dissolved oxygen. The difference in temperature and dissolved oxygen among sites had a pronounced effect on survival, rate of development, and emergence time for Coho Salmon fry. Heterogeneity among spawning locations demonstrate trade-offs that exist between rate of development and survival. Chapter 3 investigated the effect of low and variable dissolved oxygen on developing salmon embryos. A family effect was found as smaller eggs produced smaller alevin, but the effect of low dissolved oxygen on growth was also greater for the families with small eggs. Treatment affected rate of development and initially had an effect on length and mass, but by button-up there was no longer an effect of low dissolved oxygen on size. My work demonstrates plasticity in Coho Salmon at different life stages. Plasticity is important for utilizing new habitats or adapting to existing habitats as they change.


title: Data visualization and predictive modeling for identifying comorbidities in diabetic patients

contributor: University of Northern British Columbia Computer Science (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
1 online resource (viii, 125 pages)

subject:
Diabetes.
Comorbidity.
Diabetes--Treatment.
Forecasting--Mathematical models.
Information visualization.

abstract: Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world. Diabetic patients are also more susceptible to develop additional comorbidities over time even causing death. This makes it essential to identify the risk of developing comorbidities as early as possible for effective diabetes management and to reduce the burden on healthcare system. Large volumes of clinical data which has been collected over the years has potential to be translated into meaningful information to enable healthcare professionals gain insights into diabetic patient comorbidities. This research has two key contributions. First, an interactive diabetes dashboard is developed in which the data is integrated and shown in the form of visually appealing charts, graphs and tables. The dashboard displays aggregated results with drilldown capabilities to allow navigation at finer granularities of various metrics. Second, predictive models are built to forecast the likelihood of one of the three common comorbidities for diabetic patients – Benign Hypertension, Congestive Heart Failure, and Acute Renal Failure. The models use advanced data mining algorithms such as Logistic Regression, Neural Network, CHAID, Bayesian Network, Random Forest and Ensemble. Results from these models are also incorporated into an interactive assessment tool that has the ability to take user input and predict the likelihood of one of these comorbidities. Northern Health (NH) dataset consisting exclusively of diabetic patients is used for this research.


title: Soil genesis in relation to glacial history, Central Yukon.

contributor: University of Northern British Columbia (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 244

subject:
Soil formation -- Yukon.
Soil structure -- Yukon.
Glacial landforms -- Yukon.
S592.2 .D36 2010

abstract: Upland soils formed in three different parent materials in the Lewes Plateau of the Central Yukon were studied: till from the McConnell (MIS 2) and penultimate (MIS 4 or 6) glaciations, and weathered bedrock beyond the penultimate limit. Soils at penultimate and McConnell sites have solum thicknesses of 50-75 cm and <50 cm respectively but other field and chemical observations did not identify differences in weathering patterns between age groups. The two groups have distinctive clay mineral assemblages, with smectite present in the youngest deposits. These results contrast with reconnaissance studies conducted in the 1970s and 1980s on low-elevation soils in the Klondike Plateau. My study shows that field criteria are insufficient for differentiating between McConnell and penultimate deposits in upland landscape positions in the Lewes Plateau and that the presence of smectite clay may be attributable to different parent materials and source areas for ice and into solely changing paleoclimatic conditions. Soils formed on weathered bedrock have characteristics consistent with both limited and significant weathering. These pedons have solum thicknesses that exceed the depth of the excavated pits (85-110 cm) as well as distinctive clay mineralogy, but chemical data suggest that only limited weathering has occurred. Sola are strongly cryoturbated despite the restricted occurrence of permafrost in the contemporary environment. Two scenarios for the genesis of these soils are proposed which favour either preservation of relict soil features beneath cold-based ice, or prolonged interglacial soil formation following erosion of till deposited by warm-based ice. Alternatively, the area may have remained ice-free throughout the Quaternary so that soil evolution was shaped by multiple glacial-interglacial climatic cycles. --P.ii.

abstract:
Sample data collected for the thesis is available here: https://doi.org/10.5683/SP2/0PNPGC
The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1659516


title: "Filling everybody's buckets": The impact of participation in community development organizations on women's capabilities in northern British Columbia

contributor: University of Northern British Columbia International Studies (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
1 online resource (viii, 123 pages)

coverage:
British Columbia, Northern.
British Columbia, Northern.

subject: Community development corporations.

subject: Community development corporations.--British Columbia, Northern.

subject: Women in community development.

subject: Women in community development.--British Columbia, Northern.

subject: Women in community development--Psychological aspects.

abstract: This research explores the experiences of women participating in CDOs (community development organizations) in communities in northern British Columbia and how that participation affects their capabilities. Data was gathered through interviews, electronic surveys, and participant observation. This data was then assessed within the combined theoretical frameworks of the capabilities approach and participatory development. Through analysis, the positive impacts of women’s participation in CDOs on their capabilities and communities were brought to light.


title: Experiences of second-generation students of Punjabi Sikh ancestry in the British Columbia school system

contributor: Ho Younghusband, Christine (committee member)

contributor: University of Northern British Columbia Education (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
1 online resource (xi, 135 pages)

coverage:
British Columbia.
British Columbia.

subject: Sikhs--Education.

subject: Sikhs--Education.--British Columbia.

subject: Children of immigrants--Education.

subject: Children of immigrants--Education.--British Columbia.

subject: Education--British Columbia.

abstract: Punjabi Sikhs migrating to Canada form a disproportionately large population of the migrants from South Asia. There has been limited research or current literature on the schooling experiences of the second-generation children of these migrants despite the large numbers of this group migrating to Canada. The effects of minority status within the K-12 British Columbia school system regarding school experiences of second-generation students of Punjabi Sikh descent are presented throughout this research process. The investigation focused on the research participants’ perceived school experiences and whether there were differences based on the school type’s demographic composition of responders. I categorized these school types into three: small minority population, large minority population, and large majority population. I hypothesized that schools with large majority populations would have greater perceived satisfaction with school experiences. I found that I could further analyze by subscale and total scale groupings, based on my original correlational analysis. I found differences on school experiences (SE) and home experiences (HE) subscales based on school type, school type being differentiated by schools with a minority population, a large minority population, or a large majority population of the responder demographic of second-generation students of Punjabi Sikh descent. I found that responders from small minority population schools and large minority population schools showed a statistically significant difference in responses than responders from large majority population schools.


title: Seasons of a river

contributor: University of Northern British Columbia English (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
1 online resource (vi, 122 pages)

subject:
Indians of North America.
Race relations.
Race relations.--Canada.
Decolonization--Canada.
Fiction.

abstract: Seasons of a River is a fictional story about a woman looking back on her life. In her recollections she has to acknowledge and come to terms with the fact that her relationships with indigenous people in Canada have been inequitable and unbalanced. She realizes that she has been in the role of helper, of ally, and as such has perpetuated ideas of colonization and oppression, despite her good intentions. The protagonist, Annan, is in the process of trying to understand the complicated issues involved with the helping industry and her part within that industry. My introduction discusses the power differentials within allyship relations. I discuss how liberalism, at the root of the helping industry, although seen as a positive ideology, often perpetuates inequities and injustices when dealing with groups that are seen as “different.” I also discuss the importance of relationship building and listening and the need for quelling the tendency to assist others without consultation. This introduction and story also contain themes of ageism and how these attitudes are woven into the fabric of society in such a way as to internalize oppression and the idea of staying in one’s “place.” Ultimately, this story is about transformation.


title: White spruce growth sensitivity to climate variability in pure and mixedwood stands

contributor: University of Northern British Columbia Natural Resources & Environmental Studies (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
1 online resource (x, 155 pages)

subject: Trees--Growth--Environmental aspects.

subject: Trees--Growth--Environmental aspects.--British Columbia, Northern.

subject: Trees--Growth--Forecasting

subject: Climate changes.

subject: Forests and forestry--Climatic factors.

subject: White spruce--Growth.

abstract: It is prudent to understand how tree growth responds to climate variability to better project their growth in the current and future changes in climate in boreal forests. In this thesis, I studied how climate variables influence individual white spruce trees (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) over short and intermediate periods in pure and mixedwood stands in northeastern British Columbia. In Chapter 2, I studied the importance and the influence of annual, seasonal, and monthly microclimate variables on the annual growth of white spruce trees in pure and mixedwood stands. In Chapter 3, I studied the importance and the influence of microclimate variables on sap flow of white spruce trees through different time scales in these two stand types. My key finding in these two chapters is that stand composition and structure are essential determinants of how spruce radial growth and sap flow respond to fluctuations in climate variables, and how they will respond to projected future climate scenarios. A combination of warmer temperatures and drought during summer will negatively affect white spruce trees growth in pure and mixedwood stands in the studied region. Spruce sap flow in both stand types is likely to increase as the climate warms, increasing the demand for soil water. As this resource becomes less available, white spruce in both stand types are likely to respond with processes that can compromise their physiological integrity. White spruce growing in mixedwood stands might be more sensitive to drought stress than in pure stands due to the higher competition for limiting resources (primarily water). This thesis provides information of expected changes in tree growth to climate variability and demonstrates the importance of appropriate site selection to plant spruce trees and management of pure and mixedwood stands.


title: Quantifying contact force artefact in near infrared spectroscopy

contributor: University of Northern British Columbia Health Sciences (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
1 online resource (xvii, 142 pages)

subject: Near infrared spectroscopy.

subject: Electric measurements.

subject: Near infrared spectroscopy--Simulation methods.

subject: Muscles--Measurement.

abstract: Transcutaneous near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) of muscle requires coupling between the device and the skin. An unfortunate by-product of this coupling is contact force artefact, where the amount of contact force between the device and the skin affects measurements. Contact force artefact is well known, but largely ignored in most NIRS research. We performed preliminary investigations of contact force artefact to quantify tissue behaviour to inform future NIRS designs. Specifically, we conducted three studies on contact force artefact: (i) an experimental investigation of static load at varied levels of contact force and muscle activation, (ii) an experimental investigation of oscillating load at varied levels of contact force and frequency, and (iii) a Monte Carlo simulation of photon propagation through skin, adipose tissue, and muscle. Our results confirmed that contact force artefact is a confounding factor in NIRS muscle measurements because contact force affects measured hemoglobin concentrations in a manner consistent with muscle contractions. Further, the effects of contact force are not altered by muscle contraction and a likely candidate for the mechanism responsible for contact force artefact is the viscoelastic compression of superficial tissues (skin and adipose) during loading. Simulation data suggests that adipose tissue plays a key role in diffuse reflectance of photons, so any compression of the superficial tissues will affect the reflected signal. Further research is required to fully understand the mechanisms behind contact force artefact, which will, in turn, inform future NIRS device designs.


title: Effects of supplementary nitrogen on biomass and nitrogen accumulation in the sundew Drosera capensis L.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 24

subject:
Drosera capensis.
Plants, Effect of nitrogen on.
Plant nutrients.
QK495.D76 B78 2002

abstract: The effect of nutrient supplementation on biomass and nitrogen accumulation in the insectivorous plant Drosera capensis L. was studied under laboratory conditions using supplementary feeding of ammonium chloride (Nr4CI) to plant leaf surfaces. The nitrogen solution used was based on a standard concentration of 157.6 mM NH4CI. Drosera capensis did not differ significantly in biomass or nitrogen accumulation from concentrations of 50%, 75%, 100%, 150%, or 200% of nutrient fertilizer when applied to the foliage. Reproductive structures were observed in higher numbers in those plants treated with higher concentrations of Nr4Cl but no relationship was found between reproductive structures and biomass or nitrogen concentrations. The results of this experiment potentially indicate that D. capensis can grow and initiate reproductive structures without additional nutrients above which already exist in the soil mixture. The results also suggest that D. capensis does not readily absorb NH4CI through its leaves.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1233866


title: Mineral weathering and ectomycorrhizae of Picea glauca x engelmannii (Moench.) Voss with emphasis on Piloderma

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 70

subject:
Ectomycorrhizas.
Forest soils.
Soil formation.
Weathering.
QK604.2.M92 G56 2000

abstract: Piloderma is one of the most recognizable ectomycorrhizal fungi in many forest ecosystems in North America. It is a broad host range fungus commonly observed in many economically important coniferous and deciduous trees in central interior British Columbia. Piloderma may benefit these forests through increased soil mineral weathering and nutrient availability. This thesis investigates the role of Piloderma in the weathering of common soil minerals to supply K and/or Mg in the rhizosphere soils of Picea glauca. I also documented the changes in the physical, chemical and mineralogical properties of rhizosphere soils influenced by Pilodermaand other common ectomycorrhizal fungi. In the first study, I investigated the role of Piloderma in weathering and extracting K and/or Mg from biotite, microcline, and chlorite. Specifically, I compared the in vitro growth, morphology, and chemical properties of Piloderma growing within three K and/or Mg-containing minerals that are commonly found in soils of central interior British Columbia. Piloderma cultures were grown for 110 days in medium enriched with K and/or Mg from biotite, microcline, and chlorite, in K and Mg poor media and in medium optimized for proper fungal growth. Chemical analysis indicated that Piloderma more efficiently weathered biotite to obtain K over microcline. The different growth, morphologies, and small amounts ofMg found in all treatments indicated that chlorite and biotite provide a sufficient supply ofMg. Piloderma grown in treatments with insufficient K showed distinct fibrillar growths, hypha! swellings, and hyphae devoid of ornamentation and could be indicative of nutrient deficiency. This study indicated that considerable amounts of K and minor amounts of Mg are essential for !"roper Piloderma growth and, perhaps more that Piloderma could provide sufficient amounts of K from the weathering of biotite. In the second study, the pH, total C and N, cation exchange capacity, and the contents of mica, chlorite, kaolinite, 2:1 type expandable clays, and amorphous materials were compared between two ectomycorrhizosphere soils (soils containing considerable ectomycorrhizal colonization) and non-ectomycorrhizosphere soils (bulk) of Picea glauca x engelmannii (Moench.) Voss) to elucidate the role of ectomycorrhizae on the chemical and mineralogical properties of soils in the field. The two ectomycorrhizosphere soils were characterized by colonization dominated by (1) Piloderma, and (2) Inocybe lacera-like and ~ Hebeloma-like morphotypes or where Piloderma colonization was <1 %. Results showed that pH was one unit lower in ectomycorrhizosphere compared to nonectomycorrhizosphere soils. Total C and N were significantly higher in ectomycorrhizosphere soils where C was three times higher and N was two times higher than non-ectomycorrhizosphere soils. Cation exchange capacity as well as exchangeable K+, and Na+ were higher in ectomycorrhizosphere soils compared to bulk soils where K+ >Na+. Base saturation was significantly lower in non-ectomycorrhizal soils compared to both ectomycorrhizosphere soils. Compared to bulk soils X-ray diffraction did suggest the transformation of mica and chlorite to 2:1 type expandable clays in ectomycorrhizosphere soils.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1212010


title: Voices in thread: Women's childhood experiences of a primary caregiver that remained in a relationship with an alleged or known sex offender, an arts-based inquiry.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 200

subject:
Art therapy.
Domestic relations.
RC489.A7 J64 2014

abstract: Voices in Thread is an arts-based inquiry that examines the overarching question What are women's lived experiences of childhood, or young adulthood, when their primary caregiver remained in a relationship with a known or alleged sex offender?' Using quilting as an art form, women creatively document their reflections of lived experiences. The stories of four women were gathered through participatory fiber-art group sessions, journaling, and individual interviews and analyzed using thematic and metaphoric analysis. The women reflect on their lived experiences, experience of participation in the group sessions, their process of creating their fiber-art, and a description of their finished fiber-art. The women's stories become captured in a collective quilt that serves as a multi-vocal visual narrative of their lived experience. This research creatively provides insight and awareness to generate meaningful discussions that can support and/or enhance social work responses, intervention strategies, and policy to, and for, children and their families. --Leaf ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b2006817


title: Vertical distribution, nitrogen content, and natural 15n and 13c abundance of epiphytic macrolichen functional groups and soil in sub-boreal spruce forests of central British Columbia.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 112

subject: Epiphytic lichens -- British Columbia -- Central Interior Region.

subject: Forest canopies -- Research -- British Columbia -- Central Interior Region.

subject: Nitrogen -- Fixation.

subject: Forest canopy ecology -- British Columbia -- Central Interior Region.

subject: QK584.6.E64 K63 2015

abstract: Forest canopy research in old growth sub-boreal spruce (SBS) forests of British Columbia's (BC) central interior plateau forests has revealed rich epiphytic lichen communities that represent a critical interface between the atmosphere and the soil. Cyanolichens can contribute nitrogen (N) to forests by fixing atmospheric N₂ gas into available, reduced forms such as ammonium (NH₄⁺). Variations in the ratios of the natural abundance of the stable isotopes of N (i.e. ¹⁴N:¹⁵N) in forest ecosystem components represent an important in situ method to estimate N inputs from biological N₂-fixation. I used this method to evaluate the importance of epiphytic cyanolichens to N inputs in sub-boreal forest ecosystems of central interior BC. Four old growth sub-boreal forest sites were chosen based on cyanolichen abundance and diversity – two High Cyano sites and two Low Cyano sites. Interior hybrid spruce (Picea glauca x engelmannii) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) trees were randomly selected at the High and Low Cyano sites and access into canopies achieved through a single-rope technique. Vertical distributions of lichen biomasses were quantified and a vertical niche of foliose chlorolichens was observed in the canopy where cyanolichens were deficient. Lichen functional groups, conifer needle, and soil samples were obtained and their ¹⁵N:¹⁴N, %N, ¹³C:¹²C, %C contents measured using a continuous flow gas isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Comparisons of stable isotope ratios between High and Low Cyano sites were made. Sub-boreal forest epiphytes and foliage had isotopically lighter N (i.e. more ¹⁴N) at sites with high cyanolichen abundance, indicative of greater inputs of biologically fixed-N.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b2006835


title: Stress in nursing: an examination of stressors and coping mechanisms of nurses in rural hospitals in northern British Columbia

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 94

subject: Nurses -- Job stress -- British Columbia, Northern.

subject: Nursing -- British Columbia, Northern -- Psychological aspects.

subject: Nursing -- Attitudes.

subject: RT86 .L47 1998

abstract: This survey study examined stress, coping and social support mechanisms in a sample of 87 nurses working in rural hospitals in northern British Columbia. Instruments included the Tension Thermometer, a control appraisal measure, the Ways of Coping Questionnaire, a social support check list and the Nursing Stress Scale. Evidence was found to support the concept that nursing is stressful. While most of the stressors identified by the nurses fell into Parkes' categories of nursing stress, the number one stressor was workload/overload as indicated by forty-six percent of the respondents. As hypothesized there was a positive relationship between nurses' appraisal of a stressful situation and the use of emotion-focused coping. In addition, general social support was positively related to nursing stress while specific measures of social support were not related to nurse stress. Implications for counselling are discussed.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1194573


title: Writing missing links: Rewriting women's history through literature.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 107

subject:
Women in literature.
Women novelists.
Atwood, Margaret, 1939- Alias grace.
O'Faolain, Nuala My dream of you.
Donoghue, Emma, 1969- Sealed letter.
Point of view (Literature)
Narration (Rhetoric)
PN56.5.W64 K65 2012

abstract: Throughout history, women's achievements and struggles often went unnoticed and underrepresented by literature and historiography. Writing Missing Links: Rewriting Women's History through Literature' discusses ways in which contemporary women novelists revise and rewrite histories by providing counter-narratives to established mainstream historical and political discourses. These creative projects of dismantling and questioning history, truth, and objectivity unearth women's history occluded by patriarchal Master Narratives. Three historical novels that redefine literature and history from a woman-centred perspective frame this thesis: Alias Grace (1996) by Margaret Atwood, My Dream of You (2001) by Nuala O'Faolain, and The Sealed Letter (2008) by Emma Donoghue. My theoretical approach focuses on the feminist concept of narrative voice that asserts a women-centered point of view, as well as feminist criticism's relationship to other critical discourses such as postmodernism, historiography, (post-)colonialism, and new-Victorian studies. --Leaf iii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1844736


title: Sign it, say it, read it: the effectiveness of American sign language as a supplement to reading instruction for children with Down syndrome

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 82

subject: Reading -- Remedial teaching.

subject: Natural gas pipelines -- Right of way -- Research -- British Columbia -- Tumbler Ridge Region.

subject: Revegetation -- Research -- British Columbia, Northeastern.

subject: Natural gas pipelines -- Environmental aspects -- British Columbia, Northeastern.

subject: Soils -- British Columbia, Northeastern.

subject: LC4620 .S93 2016

abstract: "Sign it, Say it, Read it" was a 16 session study designed to isolate and examine the effect of using sign language within a comprehensive reading program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A group of 19 students were divided between a treatment and a control group. The treatment group received a comprehensive reading intervention augmented with explicit sign language instruction. The control group received the same comprehensive reading program, but without the sign instruction. Initial and final assessments were conducted of the entire group using a mix of standardized tests and informal inventories. For 16 sessions, a teacher at the Down Syndrome Research Foundation delivered a reading program specific to this population of students. In conjunction, two school reinforcement sessions occurred each week for the duration of the study. The pre and post-performance measure scores were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance, (ANOVA) and t-tests for within subjects and between groups. Significant results were found for within subject ANOVA tests. Large effect sizes were found for the treatment group when comparing between group paired t-tests. The findings suggest that this intervention is effective for students with ID/DD. It also appears that sign language augmentation favourably affects language and literacy outcomes. Follow up investigation using a larger sample size for a longer period of time is recommended.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b2140979


title: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" as "shero":  Re-defining the mythological hero.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 97

subject: Women heroes on television.

subject: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Fictitious character).

subject: Women heroes -- Mythology.

subject: Feminist television criticism.

subject: Heroes on television.

subject: PN1991.77.B84 O53 2005

abstract: This thesis examines Buffy Summers from the television show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer using feminist television criticism to position the character within third wave feminism and pop-culture hero mythology. The central question is: how and why is Buffy not a hero but a "shero"? The term "shero" is a feminist backlash to the traditional heroine and hero. She is a strong, courageous woman, who accomplishes great things in the face of patriarchal forces that would keep her meek and dependent. The methods used in this thesis are based on television theory methodologies, including ideological analysis and literary analysis from a third wave feminist perspective. I argue that female stereotypes, represented in television, language and hero mythology play a significant role in limiting women's roles within these areas. However, I believe that BfVS is a show that challenges female stereotypes and successfully redefines traditional views of women and heroes on television. The results of this thesis contribute to the growing literature of third wave feminism and feminist television criticism. More importantly, this thesis establishes the character, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as a shero and feminist role model, which has been lacking in popular culture.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1289856


title: Learning from healing the healers.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 204

subject: Grief therapy -- British Columbia -- Prince George Region.

subject: Grief -- British Columbia -- Prince George Region -- Cross-cultural studies.

subject: Carrier Indians -- British Columbia -- Prince George Region -- Death.

subject: Sekani Indians -- British Columbia -- Prince George Region -- Death.

subject: Carrier Indians -- British Columbia -- Prince George Region -- Attitudes.

subject: Sekani Indians -- British Columbia -- Prince George Region -- Attitudes.

subject: Bereavement -- Psychological aspects.

subject: RC455.4.L67 G73 2007

abstract: The original aim of this research was to provide learning materials for hospital-based health care providers as a step in building a much needed bridge between the worlds of First Nations people in the region served by Prince George Regional Hospital and an institutional culture in the hospital which has often failed to understand them and their needs. I collaborated with Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS), an organization that provides health care services to member First Nations in the district west of Prince George, British Columbia, and CSFS in turn facilitated my collaboration with six elders. ...These elders were members of a program known as Healing the Healers. ...The result of this collaboration was a collection of narratives by five of the Healing the Healers members and my reflections as a health care provider on what I learned from the elders who had become my mentors. --P.ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1326092


title: A multi-method investigation of the Prevention and Early Active Return-to-Work Safely (PEARS) program in the Northern Health Authority.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 125

subject: Vocational rehabilitation -- British Columbia -- Prince Rupert.

subject: WorkSafeBC. Prevention and Early Active Return-to-Work Safely program -- Evaluation.

subject: Occupational health services -- British Columbia -- Prince Rupert -- Evaluation.

subject: Employees -- Services for -- British Columbia -- Prince Rupert.

subject: HD7255 .W55 2008

abstract: This study is an investigation of participants' experiences with the Prevention and Early Active Return-to-Work (PEARS) program in Prince Rupert. PEARS was created by the Occupational Health and Safety Agency for Healthcare (OHSAH) in B.C. because the injury rate for healthcare workers. Quantitative and qualitative methods were use in this study to gain a better understanding of participants' experiences with PEARS. A phenomenological qualitative orientation was used in order to expand my understanding of PEARS through the descriptions of the participants' experiences with the program. Quantitative findings were limited to descriptive statistics because of small sample size (n=25). From the qualitative analysis, four major themes were extrapolated: perception of PEARS, perception of injury, the efficacy of PEARS' services, and the challenges of implementing PEARS in Prince Rupert. PEARS was a positive experience. However, stakeholders will have to use creative strategies to allow for the growth of PEARS.--P.ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1435062


title: Beautifully damned: Religious imagination in Coleridge and Byron.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 113

subject: English poetry -- 19th century -- History and criticism.

subject: Imagination in literature.

subject: Coleridge, Samuel Taylor, 1772-1834 -- Criticism and interpretation.

subject: Byron, George Gordon Byron, Baron, 1788-1824 -- Criticism and interpretation.

subject: Romanticism -- Religious aspects.

subject: PR575.I56 S59 2011

abstract: This thesis is an exploration of damnation as it appears in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' and Christabel,' and in George Gordon Lord Byron's Cain: A Mystery,' The Giaour,' and Manfred.' The concept of imagination is central to each of these texts, and in each case the damnation of the respective protagonists is precipitated by those characters' inability to rightly perceive the world around them--a failure of imagination. While modern criticism has tended to sideline discussion of the theological aspects of the imagination, this thesis joins a recent movement in recognizing that the divorce of religious concerns from Romantic criticism can only result in an incomplete understanding of the texts in question. Christianity played an important role in the lives of both Coleridge and Byron, and the cosmology, ontology, and eschatology that appear in their works are intimately connected to a form of Christian theology (whether orthodox, heterodox, or heretical). For both Coleridge and Byron a theological conception of the imagination--what I call religious imagination'--lies at the heart of the human experience. Each of the protagonists discussed herein experiences a living hell, yet in each case, it is the degree to which those individuals exercise religious imagination that determines whether their experience will be an endless suffering, or whether it will lead to redemption and thus mark that individual as beautifully damned.' --P. ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1740944


title: An investigation into the needs of parents with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 184

subject: Parents with disabilities -- Services for.

subject: Fetal alcohol syndrome -- Patients.

subject: HQ759.912 .A27 2005

abstract: No abstract available.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1295193


title: Canopy macrolichen distribution in a very wet oldgrowth forest landscape of the upper Fraser River watershed.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 75

subject: Forest lichens -- British Columbia -- Upper Fraser River Watershed.

subject: Old growth forest ecology -- British Columbia -- Upper Fraser River Watershed.

subject: Old growth forest conservation -- British Columbia -- Upper Fraser River Watershed.

subject: QK587.7.B8 R33 2008

abstract: Windward slopes of the inland mountain ranges in British Columbia support a unique temperate rainforest ecosystem. Continued fragmentation and loss of old-growth forests in this globally rare ecosystem, has led to calls for the identification of conservation priorities between remaining stands. This thesis addresses this concern by surveying the relative abundances of 37 canopy macrolichens over a 70-km² area of remaining old-growth (>140 years) forest in the upper Fraser River watershed, British Columbia, Canada. To ensure adequate representation of landscape-scale old-growth forest characteristics, we divided study plots equally among leading tree species and between broadly defined sites of wet' and dry' relative soil moisture. Other variables included: minimum mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, solar loading, and canopy openness. This thesis integrates two statistical techniques: Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling ordination for analysis of lichen assemblages and logistic regression to evaluate the habitat conditions of a subset of 8 lichen species previously identified as old-growth associated'. Ordination suggested that community assemblages were greatly influence by both the presence and abundance of bipartite cyanolichens. These communities correlated well with increasing levels of relative soil moisture, temperature, precipitation, and canopy openness, with little to no significant effect of tree leading species. Logistic regression models identified relative soil moisture and temperature in all parsimonious models. Leading tree species, in combination with moisture and temperature, were important factors explaining the presence or absence of 5 of 8 modeled lichen species. The results of this thesis emphasize the importance of maintaining representative areas of old-growth forests that are potentially less prone to natural disturbances such as fire. Of concern to the maintenance of lichen populations in old-growth inland temperate rainforests

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1513757


title: Increased biogas production by anaerobic co-digestion of wastewater sludge with fruit and vegetable waste, and by sludge pre-treatment.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 121

subject:
Biogas.
Compost.
Sewage sludge digestion.
Anaerobic bacteria.
Biomass energy.
TP359.B48 P37 2012

abstract: Full scale anaerobic co-digestion of fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) and municipal wastewater primary sludge significantly increased biogas production. Digester operation remained stable. Undigested FVW was visible in dewatered sludge suggesting that FVW should be added to the first stage digester to prevent short-circuiting and increase the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of the FVW. Batch lab results confirmed that co-digestate addition to first stage sludge (FSS) is preferred to second stage sludge (SSS). FSS produced significantly more methane (514 ± 57 L CH₄ kgVS⁻¹ added) than SSS (392 ± 16 L CH₄ kgVS⁻¹ added). In a related study, combined alkaline and ultrasonic pre-treatment of thermomechanical pulp mill sludge (PMS) significantly increased the soluble TS, VS and COD of the PMS over non-treated sludge. Pre-treatment did not significantly improve biogas production over 28 d, but did increase VS reduction, and the initial rate of methane production. Overall, biogas production from PMS was inconsistent.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1783865


title: Creative drama in the writing process:  The impact on elementary students' short stories.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 180

subject:
Short story -- Authorship.
Drama in education.
English language -- Study and teaching.
Creative writing -- Study and teaching.
PN3373 .C67 2003

abstract: This study investigated the impact of creative drama as a prewriting strategy, on both, the content and the process, of short story writing. Two grade 6/7 classes were involved in the study for a period of ten weeks, one receiving drama and the other one a lesson/discussion prewriting instruction. With regard to the scores the drama students received on their compositions in the nine categories measured (ideas, detail, audience awareness, sentence structure, language style, plot, setting, character, and narration/dialogue), they were slightly higher than those of the alternate group in the first of the two stories and highly significantly higher in the third story. The progressive increase in scores suggests that using creative drama as a prewriting activity is even more effective when used over a longer time span. The results also showed that students exposed to drama wrote longer stories, used more dialogue, and wrote more frequently in the first person. Other qualitative differences in the content of thestories between the two groups included students' approach to plot development, characterization, and setting description. The study also demonstrated that the students who received drama were generally positive about the prewriting activities, they enjoyed the writing process, and most frequently referred to their experience as being "fun".

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1247998


title: Exploring depoliticization discourses of women's multiple caregiving roles: Implications of economic decline and public policy change for women in rural northern British Columbia.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 157

subject: Rural women -- Cariboo Region (B.C.) -- Economic conditions.

subject: Rural women -- British Columbia, Northern -- Economic conditions.

subject: Women caregivers -- British Columbia, Northern -- Social conditions.

subject: Women caregivers -- Cariboo Region (B.C.) -- Social conditions.

subject: British Columbia -- Social policy.

subject: HQ1459.B8 B87 2008

abstract: This thesis explores discourses of reprivatization and depoliticization of women's caregiving. The research is set in the context of a twenty year period of economic decline in British Columbia. In 2002, the newly elected provincial government restructured health and social services, significantly changing access to the social safety net. The study explores the experiences of women who are multiple role caregivers in two small communities in northern British Columbia, and more particularly examines the meanings women make of the caregiving they do. Women in this study understand caregiving as both a duty and an honour, but most significantly as a delicately balanced web of relationships. Their ability to negotiate their movement between the public, private and economic spheres is primarily based on balancing those relationships with their economic needs. In doing so, they contest the state's insistence on defining their role as caregivers and insist that locating caregiving in either the public or private sphere be done by the women themselves, on their own terms. The implication for social work is that of understanding the economic marginalization of caregivers as not strictly an argument for additional resources. The primary theoretical implication suggested by this thesis is the need to examine the structures of power and oppression and the development of agency rather than simply the development of programs and resources in response to perceived or identified need.--P.ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1435061


title: Counselling Aboriginal peoples: A thematic study of counselling experiences.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 92

subject: Cross-cultural counseling.

subject: Social work with Indians.

subject: Indians of North America -- Counseling of -- Canada.

subject: Social work with indigenous peoples.

subject: BF636.7.C76 S48 2013

abstract: Aboriginal people in Canada have experienced the effects of colonization, oppression, and marginalization. The Federal Government of Canada has formally apologized for the policy of residential schools. Aboriginal people who attended the schools are entitled to compensation and counselling. This research focused on Aboriginal people who attended counselling with a non-Aboriginal counsellor. The research aimed to understand how the counselling process was beneficial and how it might be improved. Following the recruitment and interviews of nine participants, four themes emerged, which revealed the different aspects of counselling experiences. Theme one examined the benefits of the counselling process, themes two and three identified motivation and level of comfort as playing roles in the counselling process, while theme four identified external factors affecting counselling. Overall, this thesis provides insight into the counselling experience of nine Aboriginal participants who received counselling from non-Aboriginal counsellors. Suggestions for improvements and future research are outlined. --Leaf ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1862836


title: Community multiscale air quality (CMAQ) modeling of the atmospheric quality and pollutant deposition over the Terrace-Kitimat Valley of northwestern British Columbia, Canada

format:
electronic
1 online resource (xx, 260 pages)

subject: Air--Pollution.

subject: Air--Pollution.--British Columbia, Northern.

subject: Air--Pollution--Measurement.

subject: Air quality indexes.

subject: Computer simulation.

abstract: Tracking the effects of air pollution from industries is important for developing management strategies under changing emissions. However, computational tools for air pollution assessment often do not elucidate modeling uncertainty, making it difficult for environmental policy-makers to know how much confidence to put in model results, which also hampers aspects that may need improving. This study examined how the WRF-SMOKE-CMAQ modeling system with various planetary boundary-layer (PBL) schemes and atmospheric datasets mimics the local meteorology, air quality and acidic deposition at 1 km horizontal resolution over the industrializing Terrace-Kitimat Valley of northwestern British Columbia. Quantitative and qualitative correspondence of model outputs with observational data varied with station location, the nature of pollutant emissions, and quantity of chemical species. Valid model outputs were used to delineate present compliance with objectives on ambient fine particulate matter, and baseline exceedance of critical loads of sulfur and nitrogen deposition for the forest ecosystem. Spatial impacts of anticipated industrial emissions on the environment were also assessed. An additional 15 tonnes day-1 permissible SO2 emission from an aluminum smelter in Kitimat was projected to result in 50–88 % increase in aerial exceedance of the limit for protection of lichen, and 37–67 % increase in spatial exceedance of acidic deposition to soils. Cumulatively, 16–18 km2 of plant habitat, and 10–11 km2 of soil in an area contiguous with the smelter site will likely be damaged by its SO2 emission under the latest regulation. Should two Liquefied Natural Gas projects commence operations, cumulative NOx concentrations are expected to remain below harmful levels, while pre-existing areal exceedance of nitrogen deposition will barely increase (0–1 km2). An additional 4 km2 area will be exposed to SO2 concentrationsiii that are directly harmful to vegetation, while 13–14 km2 total area with an average of 29.7–35.0 kg ha-1 yr-1 excess sulfur deposition was estimated. These projections assumed all future emissions of NOx, SO2 and other air pollutants will be from elevated point sources.


title: Communication patterns and satisfaction in medical interviews.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 100

subject:
Communication in medicine.
Medical history taking.
Physician and patient.
R727.3 .D47 2002

abstract: No abstract available.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1232015


title: Mountain communities at risk:  A case study of gateway community growth management and resort development.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 206

subject: Rural development -- Canada, Western -- Case studies.

subject: Community development -- Environmental aspects -- Canada, Western.

subject: Resort development -- Canada, Western.

subject: Sustainable development -- Canada, Western.

subject: HN49.C6 H67 2004

abstract: With the decline of the resource extraction industries many rural gateway communities in western Canada are attempting to capitalize on their pristine environment locations. This research analysed the ability of the local governments of Golden, Fernie and Canmore to manage growth associated with large-scale resort development. The ability to encourage and manage sustainable development was assessed in terms of policy formulation and implementation within an adaptive management framework. The goal of the growth management strategies is to achieve sustainable communities through ecological, economical, cultural and social sustainability. Through globalization, local governments of gateway communities are experiencing similar growth related pressures and challenges. This research will add to the body of knowledge required by these gateway communities to retain their local history and unique character in the face of rapid growth brought on by large-scale resort development.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1288754


title: "Pick Me, Pick Me, I Want to Be a Counsellor": Assessment of a MEd-Counselling Application Selection Process using Rasch Analysis and Generalizability Theory.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 83

subject: University of Northern British Columbia. School of Education -- Entrance examinations.

subject: University of Northern British Columbia. School of Education -- Admission.

subject: Counselors -- Training of -- British Columbia -- Prince George.

subject: LE3.B865 S43 2010

abstract: The purpose of this research project was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Many-Facet Rasch Model and Generalizability Theory as applied to the application selection committee for the Masters of Education in Counselling Program at UNBC. These two models investigated the items used to score applicants and assessed the rater characteristics of each member on the application selection committee. This evaluation was used to inform the School of Education and provide feedback to refine the selection process in the future. Overall, the applicant selection process at UNBC produced a unitary score that can be used to rank all individuals applying to the counseling program. The 5-point rating scale used to evaluate applicants served as an appropriate measurement tool for assessing applicants. The raters who participated as members on the selection committee were fitting both as groups and as individuals in selecting applicants for the counselling program. To conclude, the Many-Facet Rasch Model and Generalizabiilty Theory served as appropriate measurement tools for describing the details of items, raters, and applicants. --P.ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1677146


title: Montane landscape heterogeneity and vegetation change in Jasper National Park, Alberta (1949--1997).

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 132

subject: Upland ecology -- Jasper National Park (Alta.)

subject: Landscape ecology -- Jasper National Park (Alta.)

subject: Vegetation dynamics -- Jasper National Park (Alta.)

subject: QH106.2.A3 M58 2005

abstract: No abstract available.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1293157


title: Sustaining biological diversity in managed sub-boreal spruce landscapes:  Residual habitat strategies for cavity nesting species.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 96

subject: Habitat (Ecology) -- British Columbia.

subject: Landscape ecology -- British Columbia.

subject: Forest landscape management -- British Columbia.

subject: SD387.L35 Z56 1998.

abstract: No abstract available.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1194512


title: Knowledge to action: First nations engagement with research for community benefit.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 130

subject: Knowledge management.

subject: Intellectual capital.

subject: Takla Lake First Nation (B.C.) -- Attitudes.

subject: HD30.2 .G37 2013

abstract: Knowledge translation is the sharing of knowledge in an effort to make research more meaningful to society. Currently, many gaps exist in effective knowledge to action especially for research carried out with Aboriginal peoples. My master's research explores knowledge transaction and knowledge to action in regards to recent research initiatives in, and for, the Takla Lake First Nation (TLFN). Using content analysis based on focus group interviews with 17 community participants, I was interested to see if community members' expectations of the research process had been met, and to hear from community members themselves about strategies and approaches they wanted taken to translate knowledge obtained from research into actions. This thesis research finds that a better understanding of the context and ways of knowing of a group is necessary to undertake effective research and knowledge translation activities. Also, there is a need for more defined and established evaluation criteria and techniques for Aboriginal knowledge translation. Finally, I argue that the TLFN want future actions in the community to derive from strength-based approaches based in the traditional TLFN culture as a method to improve community unity, health and wellbeing. --Leaf ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1890840


title: The influence of glacier change on sediment yield, Peyto Basin, Alberta, Canada.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 101

subject: Glaciers -- Climatic factors -- Peyto Glacier (Alta.)

subject: Sediments (Geology) -- Alberta -- Peyto Lake Watershed -- Analysis.

subject: Climatic changes -- Alberta -- Peyto Lake Watershed.

subject: GB2430.P49 M59 2013

abstract: The relation between sediment yield and glacier fluctuations at timescales less than a century remains uncertain. The primary goal of this study was to assess the influence of glacier activity on sediment yield within the Peyto Lake watershed. The research focused on a small alpine watershed in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta containing Peyto Glacier and the proglacial Peyto Lake. Using photogrammetric methods I determined changes in length, area, and volume of Peyto Glacier from a topographic survey map (1917) and 18 sets of aerial photographs (1947-2005). I also collected 18 sediment cores from Peyto Lake that consists of laminated, silt-clay couplets which can be shown through ¹³⁷Cs activity to be clastic varves. Varve thickness and sediment properties were combined to produce an annual record (1917-2010) of specific sediment yield (SSY) for the watershed. I then compared the SSY record to dimensional changes of Peyto Glacier as well as available mass balance records, hydrometric records, and climate records over the study period (1917-2010). Over the period 1917-2005, Peyto Glacier retreated 2198 ± 18 m, shrank 4.0 ± 0.9 km², thinned 44 ± 31 m, and lost 581 ± 404 x 10⁶ m³ water equivalent (w.e.). I measured an additional 85 ± 4 x 10⁶ m³ w.e. of ice loss from thinning ice-cored moraines adjacent to the glacier. Over the period 1917-2005 SSY averaged 446 ± 176 Mg km²yr⁻¹, which is among the highest measured yields in the Canadian Cordillera; however, this value is relatively low for glaciated basins worldwide. The SSY record has a poor relation to short-term dimensional changes of Peyto Glacier, likely due to the complexity of sediment transfers in proglacial environments. Long-term trends in SSY are hypothesized to arise from increasing (1870-1940) and decreasing (1970-2010) glacier contribution to streamflow over the past century.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1890950


title: Envisioning change Prince George women's experiences of substance use and mental health through photography.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 218

subject: Women -- Mental health -- British Columbia -- Prince George.

subject: Women -- Substance use -- British Columbia -- Prince George.

subject: RC451.4.W6 M34 2013

abstract: This thesis documents a qualitative, community-based project called Envisioning Change that took place in Prince George, British Columbia in 2011-2012. The project engaged five women in the creative process of photography to explore their experiences of substance use and mental health. Based on the innovative method of Photovoice, women took photographs representing their experiences. Their photographs were subsequently used to guide in-depth interviews. Interviews were analyzed revealing five themes that highlight the importance of addressing women holistically within their particular contexts. One of the primary findings was of women's strength and resilience in coping with and recovering from mental health and substance use issues. The photographs were exhibited in Prince George and the project was presented at multiple conferences. Photographs are a unique and impactful approach for sharing research results to local, national, and international audiences. Feedback from participants indicated that the project was an empowering and transformative experience. --Leaf ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1890812


title: Local scour around bridge abutments under ice covered conditions.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 155

subject:
Scour at bridges.
Bridges -- Abutments.
Ice on rivers, lakes, etc.
TG325 .W8 2014

abstract: Local scour refers to the sediment transport around hydraulic structures by flowing water. Excessive scour around the abutment can potentially cause damage to the bridge, which may also result in catastrophic consequences. Abutment scour refers to the local scour generated by the flow passing around bridge abutments. One of the challenging problems for hydraulic engineers is the prediction of maximum scour depth around abutments and pier foundations so that proper provisions can be made in the design and construction to mitigate the consequences. Despite significant research efforts to improve the understanding of scour related problems, abutment scour is still among the more complex and challenging problems. Over the past few decades, local scour around bridge abutments has received wide attention, and many researchers have contributed various studies on the topic. The current state knowledge on local scour still has insufficiently understood aspects, for example, ice accumulation has never been addressed in the abutment scour research. The impacts of ice cover has never been conducted. To fill this gap, the present research is conducted. The ice cover can change the channel morphology and flow field. It is well known that river ice affects the vertical and lateral distribution of flow in a channel. Additionally, because river ice affects the flow conditions, it potentially influence sediment transport. Hence, the scour around abutments is affected. In the present research, a series of large flume experiments are conducted. By adding different simulated ice covers in the flume, ice-covered flow can be generated. By comparing the scour profiles and maximum scour depth around two commonly used abutments in three non-uniform sediments, the ice cover impacts have been investigated. A significant increase can be noticed by adding ice cover. With the increase in ice cover roughness, the maximum scour depth increase correspondingly. Meanwhile, semi-circular abutment can generate a relatively small scour hole. Further

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1976638


title: Exploring options for the use of experiential knowledge in resource and environmental planning and management in north-eastern British Columbia.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 169

subject: Environmental management -- British Columbia, Northern.

subject: Natural resources -- British Columbia, Northern -- Management.

subject: Conservation of natural resources -- British Columbia, Northern -- Planning

subject: Experiential learning -- British Columbia, Northern -- Case studies.

subject: GE320.C2 P35 2005

abstract: No abstract available.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1302875


title: What factors are associated with the use of teletrauma in northern British Columbia?

format:
electronic
1 online resource (xi, 168 pages)

subject:
Telecommunication in medicine.
Health services accessibility.
Medical care.
Medical care.--Canada.

abstract: Despite the existence of universal health care for Canadians, health inequalities persist. Those residing in rural regions of Canada may be at a disadvantage for accessing appropriate services. To enhance access, a teletrauma program was implemented in the Robson Valley, connecting rural clinicians during emergency cases. This study was undertaken to better understand the experiences of teletrauma users and why teletrauma is utilized. Data were gathered from 14 interviews with clinicians, health administrators, a researcher, and a health executive. Guided by interpretive description methodology, four major themes emerged, including: teletrauma affects the entire system of care; teletrauma enables a network of care built on interprofessional relationships; reasons clinicians use teletrauma are multifaceted and interrelated; and, interconnectedness of the healthcare system. Information from this study provides insight into the role and function of teletrauma in northern British Columbia and how it may better serve the needs of rural clinicians.


title: Support for Yukon children with special needs during the transition to kindergarten.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 123

subject: Children with disabilities -- Education (Preschool) -- Yukon

subject: Children with disabilities -- Services for -- Yukon.

subject: Kindergarten -- Parent participation -- Yukon.

subject: LC4019.2 .A48 2004

abstract: No abstract available.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1275036


title: Cold tolerance and seasonal gene expression in Dendroctonus ponderosae.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 182

subject: Mountain pine beetle -- Effect of cold on.

subject: Mountain pine beetle -- Effect of temperature on.

subject: QL596.S35 F73 2011

abstract: Several aspects pertaining to quantification of seasonal Dendroctonus ponderosae gene expression, specifically, obtaining measures of inset RNA integrity and selection of stable endogenous controls are discussed. mRNA transcript levels indicate glycerol production in D. ponderosae occurs through both glycogenolytic, gluconeogenic and potentially glyceroneogenic pathways, but not from metabolism of lipids. A two-week lag period between fall glycogen phosphorylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase transcript up-regulation indicates gluconeogenesis may serve as a secondary glycerol-production process, subsequent to the potential exhaustion of the primary glycogenolytic source a successive one-two punch of glycerol production. Glycerol kinase is found to be present within D. ponderosae and its mRNA transcript levels increased in the autumn, along with those of triosephosphate isomerase and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, suggesting that glycerol is produced from dihydroxyacetone phosphate intermediate. Constant alcohol dehydrogenase transcript levels indicates that a glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate intermediate is not involved in production of glycerol in D. ponderosae. --P. ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1741108


title: Effects of overstory paper birch (Betula Papyrifera March) on physiology, growth, and biomass responses of under-planted conifer seedlings

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 81

subject: Paper birch -- Effect of light on -- British Columbia, Central.

subject: Paper birch -- British Columbia, Central -- Growth.

subject: Paper birch -- British Columbia, Central -- Seeds.

subject: QK495.B56 S44 2000

abstract: This thesis tested whether two- and three-year old under-planted Abies /asiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt., Thuja plicata Donn ex. D. Don, Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco, and Picea glauca x P. engelmannii (Moench) Voss seedlings responded to changes in light quantity and spectral quality (measured by red to far-red ratios) under five densities of overstory paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) on a site in the interior cedar hemlock (ICHmk2) subzone, about 80 km east of Williams Lake, British Columbia. The five B. papyrifera densities were 0 (clearcut), 400, 800, 1200 stems ha-1 , and unthinned (> 10,000 stems ha-1 ). Generally, light quantity and red to far-red ratio increased three-fold in the clear-cut compared to the unthinned paper birch treatment. Conifer photosynthesis and percent foliar nitrogen was greater on the clear-cut compared to other paper birch densities. Total biomass was three-fold greater in the clear-cut grown seedlings of A. lasiocarpa, P. menziesii, and P. glauca x P. engelmannii, while for the most shade tolerant species, T plicata, the difference was two-fold. Similarly, relative growth rate increased for all species as birch density decreased. Results showed that A. lasiocarpa, P. menziesii, and P. glauca x P. engelmannii were more plastic in their photosynthetic and growth responses to increasing light compared to T plicata. Growth response to variation in light may be an important factor when deciding on appropriate densities of overstory paper birch for different under-planted conifer species.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1212007


title: An analysis of popular mainstream feminist writers and the "crisis" within feminism

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 124

subject:
Feminism.
HQ1154 .E57 1998

abstract: This thesis examines the question of a crisis within feminism. This so-called "crisis," is influenced and promoted by such controversial popular feminist writers as Camille Paglia, Christina Hoff Sommers, and Katie Roiphe. Through the study of the recent popularization of feminism in mainstream presses, including Susan Faludi and Naomi Wolf, and the role of feminism in the academy, I will explore what is being described as a "crisis" within feminism. I am interested in how some of these authors came to be labeled "anti-feminist," specifically, Sommers, Roiphe and Paglia, while Faludi and Wolf remain firmly accepted in feminist circles. This study is initiated with a brief overview of the historical roots of feminism, reviewing as well, how the history of the women's movement has come to be written. Chapters Two and Three analyze the recent publications of popular writers, Sommers, Roiphe and Paglia, who constitute the foundation of this examination. The fourth and concluding chapter considers the recent proliferation of the terms: "postfeminism," and "anti-feminism"and how and what these terms mean to contemporary feminism. Finally, postmodern theory is employed to aid in interpreting the current dynamic in feminism; as well, postmodemism is used to recast the work and personae of Camille Paglia. I argue that the critical work of Sommers, Roiphe and Paglia is useful to contemporary feminism, in that it challenges feminists to enter the terrain of popular culture in order to disseminate feminism throughout mainstream society.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1191369


title: Gender, development, and christian NGOs

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 121

subject: Women in development.

subject: Non-governmental organizations -- Developing countries.

subject: HQ1240 .T87 1998

abstract: This study examines how Christian non-governmental organizations(CNGOs), a sizable and distinct group of Canadian non-governmental organizations(NGOs), work with women in developing countries. More specifically, it attempts to find out if CNGOs are using the most recent Gender and Development(GAD) approach. This is done by including a literature review of the different strategies development agencies use when working with women. Then an analysis of CNGO gender and development policies is undertaken. First, the number of CNGOs having GAD policies is determined. Then a more complex evaluation is conducted to find out which CNGOs have the best GAD policies. This assessment is based on how many goals they included inherent in the GAD approach. Second, two projects from different CNGOs are evaluated to find out if they incorporated GAD strategies into project activities. These case studies show the different kind of strategies used when working with women in developing countries. They also serve as examples of how GAD can be implemented into projects and the limitations faced in practical application. This study is a significant contribution to information about how CNGOs are implementing the GAD approach into policies and program.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1191372


title: The role of fluorescent pseudomonad bacteria in the resistance of paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.) to armillaria ostoyae in the southern interior of British Columbia

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 104

subject: Armillaria root rot -- British Columbia, Southern.

subject: Pseudomonas fluorescens -- British Columbia, Southern.

subject: Paper birch -- Disease and pest resistance -- British Columbia, Southern.

subject: Douglas fir -- Disease and pest resistance -- British Columbia, Southern.

subject: QR82.P78 D35 1999

abstract: The overall goal of this study was to investigate the role of fluorescent pseudomonad bacteria in the resistance of paper birch to infection by the root rot fungus Armillaria ostoyae in the southern interior of British Columbia. The objectives of this study were to compare the population sizes of pseudomonads in the rhizosphere of pure birch, pure Douglas-fir and mixed stands of the two species and investigate the incidence and strength of antagonism exhibited by fluorescent pseudomonad bacteria isolated from these different stand types toward Armillaria ostoyae in dual culture in vitro experiments. The pseudomonad populations were determined by growing paper birch and Douglas-fir seedlings in soils collected from young and mature birch, Douglas-fir and mixed stands and isolating the pseudomonads from the roots of these seedlings. The birch stands supported an average of 4 times more pseudomonads than the Douglas-fir stands and the mixed stands had intermediate populations. The young stands had twice as many rhizosphere pseudomonads as the mature stands. There was no difference in the populations of pseudomonads isolated from the paper birch and Douglas-fir seedlings grown in the same soil types on a per seedling basis. Th<?re was a significant positive correlation between pseudomonad populations and percent cover of birch and density of birch in the stands (stems per hectare). Populations of pseudomonads were strongly negatively correlated with basal area of Douglas-fir, percent cover of Douglas-fir and carbon:nitrogen ratio of the soil. Of the 270 pseudomonad isolates paired with Armillaria ostoyae in vitro, 53% inhibited the linear growth of the Armillaria fungus and 94% caused a reduction in the mass of the fungus compared to the unchallenged control Armillaria isolates. Overall, the pseudomonad bacteria isolated from the pure birch stands were significantly more antagonistic toward Armillaria than those isolated from the Douglas-fir stands. In the 20 pseudomonad isolates tested, the mechanism of antagonism exhibited by these bacteria appeared to be the production of antifungal substances such as antibiotics. IV This study provides evidence that paper birch provides a more favorable environment for fluorescent pseudomonad bacteria in the rhizosphere and indicates a possible mechanism by which paper birch can positively influence the health of managed forest stands.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1191912


title: Host location and selection of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) by the Warren root collar weevil (Hylobius warrei ).

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 145

subject: Hylobius -- Behavior -- British Columbia, Interior.

subject: Lodgepole pine -- Diseases and pests -- British Columbia, Interior.

subject: Curculionidae -- Behavior -- British Columbia, Interior.

subject: QL596.C9 B35 2015

abstract: The Warren root collar weevil, Hylobius warreni Wood, is a phytophagous pest of conifers in the interior region of British Columbia, particularly lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia). Literature suggests the weevils locate hosts based on vision and random movements, while the mechanisms of host assessment are unknown. Tracking individuals with harmonic radar, I found predominantly random overall movements, while movements during host location were based on tree size and proximity. These results were supported by the analysis of an existing capture-mark-recapture data set. In further experiments, I found that lodgepole pine seedlings under induced stress produced differential concentrations of a number of terpenes based on parental resistance to the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae), and that weevils fed differentially on branches of different chemical compositions. These findings strengthen the evidence for host location by vision and random movements, and provide new evidence for host assessment involving chemosensory signals. --Leaf ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b2006856


title: Child soldiers: a threat to democratic consolidation

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 68

subject:
Boys as soldiers -- Political aspects.
Children and war -- Political aspects.
Democracy.
JC423 .M37 1996

abstract: This thesis examines the consequences of child participation in armed combat. It argues that democratization studies have neglected this variable of child soldiers when assessing the requirements necessary for democratic political development. This thesis demonstrates that child soldiers are a threat to the establishment of democratic polities in those countries where they are active. As a result, it recommends that greater attention be given to the phenomenon of child soldiers. This thesis argues that child soldiers are a critical force within a country's civil society. Consequently, it argues that specific measures must be taken to assist child soldiers re-integrate into civil society, for democratic political institutions do not function independently of social forces. As such, child soldiers are an influential force in determining the success and longevity of emerging democratic polities.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1164987


title: Treatment of refinery oily sludge using ultrasound, bio-surfactant, and advanced oxidation processes.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 128

subject: Petroleum waste.

subject: Hydrocarbons -- Environmental aspects -- Research.

subject: Petroleum waste -- Biodegradation.

subject: TD899.P4 S53 2012

abstract: Oil refinery sludge can be generated throughout the oil production process. It consists of a large amount of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) and other hazardous materials which should be disposed of appropriately. In order to find effective methods to treat the oily sludge, three different approaches were investigated in this research, including bioremediation, oil recovery, and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). In terms of the bioremediation approach, the oily sludge was mixed with soil, and a screened bacterium strain was then introduced with the supplement of nutrients and the addition of bio-surfactant. The reduction rate of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) in oily sludge spiked soil was up to 50.8% after 40 days of biodegradation. With regard to recovering oil from the oily sludge, three processes were investigated, including ultrasonic treatment alone, freeze/thaw treatment alone, and the combined ultrasonic and freeze/thaw treatment. The experimental results revealed that the combined process could achieve satisfactory performance of oil recovery. In terms of the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), the ultrasonic treatment alone, the Fenton process alone, and the combination of ultrasound and Fenton's reagents, were examined for their abilities to reduce petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) content in oily sludge. The Taguchi experimental results indicated that the combination of ultrasound and Fenton reagents achieved the best effect, with the highest TPH reduction rate of 88.1% being observed in the experimental conditions. --Leaf ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1835792


title: Water conservation: An adaptation of the cascade analysis for complex urban facilities.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 93

subject:
Water conservation.
Hydraulics.
Water-supply -- Management.
Water -- Distribution.
TD388 .Z34 2014

abstract: This thesis targets the world most critical and scarce resource, water. As rural and urban population increase, demand for water also increases. It is essential that a water conservation strategy be adopted to ensure efficient use of water resources. Three major contributions towards such a strategy are presented in this thesis. The first contribution provides a green sustainability value index that can be used as a measure of a facility's sustainability. The second contribution generalizes a scheme for the application of water cascade analysis (WCA) at a hospital with approximate water saving of 50% at minimal cost. The third contribution illustrates the flexibility of applying WCA at complex urban facilities with unbiased identification of pinch point for reuse. The WCA algorithm used for assessment is proposed to replace the convoluted schemes in the literature that may have deterred practitioners from using it. --Leaf ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1977005


title: Governance of microfinance institutions (MFIs): A case study of Bangladesh.

subject: Grameen Bank.

subject: Microfinance -- Bangladesh.

subject: Financial services industry -- Bangladesh -- Management.

subject: Economic development projects -- Bangladesh.

subject: HG178.33.B3 I85 2010

abstract: The microfinance programme initiated by the Grameen Bank has become a model of lending to the poor and is now part of the global anti-poverty strategy. The present study examines the corporate governance practices of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Bangladesh including the Grameen Bank based on a survey of 36 MFIs constituting almost 90 percent of the borrowers in Bangladesh in 2008. --P.ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1686288


title: Effect of Formica aserva Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) on ground dwelling arthropods in central British Columbia.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 78

subject: Ants -- British Columbia, Central.

subject: Ground beetles -- British Columbia, Central.

subject: Spiders -- British Columbia, Central.

subject: QL568.F7 S36 2012

abstract: Carabids and spiders have potential as bioindicators, but may experience niche overlap with some ants. While some studies have uncovered mixed responses by these taxa to ants, negative associations are frequently found. We examined carabids and spiders in a British Columbia clearcut in zones colonized and non-colonized by Formica aserva ants. The number of carabids captured in colonized and non-colonized zones differed significantly from expected, and species-specific patterns were observed. While the activity-abundance of most spider species did not differ between zones, the activity-abundances of five species were significantly different in colonized and non-colonized zones. We also investigated behavioural responses by the carabid Pterostichus adstrictus to signals of ant presence, and observed that this carabid avoided crushed F. aserva gasters. Our results indicate that F. aserva may influence the activity-abundance of some carabid and spider species, and that some carabids may be able to detect F. aserva chemical signals. -P. ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1808124


title: Accounting restatements: Market and liquidity impacts.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 64

subject:
Financial statements -- United States.
Liquidity (Economics)
HG4028.B2 T58 2013

abstract: Accounting restatements are significant economic events that impact a firm's reputation for integrity and reliable reporting. This study used around 2900 firms of United States to study the stock market and liquidity impacts at accounting restatement during 1997 to 2010. In addition, this study also attempts to capture the impacts of regulatory initiatives like Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) on stock market and liquidity impacts of accounting restatements. This study used Fama-French 3 factor model for calculating the expected abnormal return and found that post-regulation negative abnormal return is lower than pre-regulation period. This study also documented that post-regulation period and business cycle was negatively related with illiquidity. However, no statistical significance was found between accounting restatement and illiquidity. --Leaf ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1863085


title: Students Who Stay: Stories of Northern Medical Program Graduates and Place Integration.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 113

subject: Physicians -- Supply and demand -- British Columbia, Northern.

subject: Physicians -- British Columbia, Northern -- Attitudes.

subject: Medical students -- British Columbia, Northern -- Attitudes.

subject: Physicians -- Training of -- British Columbia, Northern.

subject: RA410.9.C2 P38 2014

abstract: Canada's persistent nationwide physician shortage is further complicated in remote, rural, and northern areas because a considerable majority of Canadian physicians choose to practice in larger urban centres, leaving many sparsely populated communities with inadequate access to physicians. Research into physician maldistribution clearly shows that increasing the supply of medical graduates alone will not improve the situation in rural and remote Canada. In addition to recruitment, processes that contribute to retention must be considered and integrated into strategies aimed at reducing physician maldistribution. There remains a lack of knowledge about the unique experiences of students who train in northern British Columbia (BC). The purpose of this research is to better understand the significant, influential, and transformational experience of northern BC-trained medical students and new physicians in order to better support northern communities in retaining a sustainable physical workforce. Qualitative data from interviews with seven NMP graduates currently practicing medicine in northern BC were analyzed. Strong themes related to students' backgrounds, characteristics of community, and experiences throughout their time in the NMP suggest that the evolution of individuals' attitudes and decisions prior to arriving in a community influence their ongoing process of integration and retention in place. --Leaf ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1949594


title: Women's Experiences of laws, policies and practices in response to VAWIR: whose rights are maintained?

contributor: University of Northern British Columbia College of Arts, Social, and Health Sciences (Degree granting institution)

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 137

subject: Criminal justice, Administration  of -- British Columbia, Northern.

subject: Women -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- British Columbia, Northern.

subject: Women -- Violence against -- British Columbia, Northern.

subject: Women -- Crimes against -- British Columbia, Northern.

abstract: This study explores women’s experiences of the criminal justice system in response to experiencing male violence in their intimate relationships, in a northern British Columbia community. Employing qualitative research methodology, this research utilized semi-structured interviews with women who had experienced male violence in their intimate relationships. Study findings revealed that participants were victims of structural violence and covert and overt oppressions. While all participants spoke of system strengths through their positive interactions with RCMP, the majority of women felt their interactions with the criminal justice system were negative. Many women did not feel their specific protection order or more broadly, the criminal justice system process upheld their legal rights to safety.

abstract: VAWIR

abstract: Violence against women in relationships

abstract: Criminal justice system


title: Transition houses:  Safety, security, and compassion.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 94

subject: Women's shelters -- British Columbia, Northern.

subject: Abused women -- Services for -- British Columbia, Northern.

subject: Abused women -- Housing -- British Columbia, Northern.

subject: HV6626.23.C2 A44 2008

abstract: The purpose of this research is to examine service efficacy in northern British Columbian transition houses. My research will attempt to examine what services women have found valuable to making their lives safe, what services could be offered to improve the quality of service provision in transition houses, and any recommendations for change that women have for service providers. Eight women were interviewed in a northern community in order to identify which services were most helpful to themselves and their children. A thematic analysis was applied to the data which yielded five main themes of importance: safety, support, creative service delivery, internal challenges, and external influences. From the analysis, it is evident that women find the transition house a valuable service, one that has assisted them in their healing journey.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1598935


title: Heuristic Path Finding Method for Online Game Environment.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 105

subject: Computer games -- Programming.

subject: Artificial intelligence.

subject: Electronic data processing -- Evaluation.

subject: Computer algorithms.

subject: QA76.76.C672 T36 2010

abstract: Pathfinding is one of the main problems for computer gaming. It has long been a bottleneck for system performance in the online game industry. Due to the vast amount of pathfinding requests and attributes of game maps, many pathfinding methods that work well for the console game environment have failed the challenges of online games. In order to obtain a satisfactory performance, the background processing system has to sacrifice either efficiency or accuracy otherwise it would require a hardware improvement. Therefore, after investigating possible solutions to resolve these common issues of pathfinding, we have designed a Heuristic Path Finding Method. Under this method, designers analyze the game map structure and build area information first. The online game system will then generate path templates for in-game usage based on the map information. As the templates are being generated, the system's pathfinding Artificial Intelligence (AI) will pick a path from the templates and adjust it accordingly to produce a real path. This method improves pathfinding tasks with higher accuracy, is less time consuming and requires fewer resources from the game system. We have also created a testing system as a tool for testing and evaluating pathfinding related work. We carried out a series of experiments with the testing system on the online game service, and showed us that our method is a better solution than a few known algorithms.--P. i.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1737771


title: Lake Babine women's rites of passage: an archaeological inquiry

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 153

subject: Indian women -- British Columbia, Northern -- Rites and ceremonies.

subject: Economic development -- Canada -- Planning.

subject: Resource-based communities -- Economic aspects -- Canada.

subject: Canada -- Rural conditions.

subject: E98.W8 M37 2000

abstract: No abstract avaialble.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1212903


title: On the dualisabilty of finite {0, 1 }-valued unary algebras with zero.

subject:
Unary algebras.
Duality theory (Mathematics)
QA251 .S33 2014

abstract: This thesis provides a few results regarding the natural dualisability of certain {0, 1}-valued unary algebras with zero. We use pp-formulae to develop a sufficient criterion for non-dualisability of such algebras. With this criterion, we show that {0, 1}-valued unary algebras with zero with unique rows whose rows form an order ideal (with respect to the lattice order {0, 1}ⁿ under 0 < 1) are not dualisable if its rows do not form an lattice order. For the case where the rows do form a lattice, we use the Interpolation Condition to show that the algebra is dualisable. The last result of this thesis provides another sufficient criterion for non-dualisability by looking at two-term reducts. --Leaf ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1953325


title: The development of a sampling protocol for monitoring fine-grained sedimentation at forest road stream crossings.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 83

subject: River sediments -- Sampling -- British Columbia, Northern.

subject: Forest roads -- Environmental aspects -- British Columbia, Northern.

subject: Stream ecology -- British Columbia, Northern.

subject: GB1399.9.B7 R49 2002

abstract: No abstract available.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1226020


title: Study of document retrieval using Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) on a very large data set.

format:
electronic
Number of pages in document: 103

subject:
Latent semantic indexing.
Information retrieval.
Text processing (Computer science)
QA76.9.T48 Z36 2010

abstract: The primary purpose of an information retrieval system is to retrieve all the relevant documents, which are relevant to the user query. The Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) based ad hoc document retrieval task investigates the performance of retrieval systems that search a static set of documents using new questions/queries. Performance of LSI has been tested for several smaller datasets (e.g., MED, CISI abstracts etc) however, LSI has not been tested for a large dataset. In this research, we concentrated on the performance of LSI on large dataset. Stop word list and term weighting schemes are two key parameters in the area of information retrieval. We investigated the performance of LSI by using three different set of stop word lists and, also, without removing the stop words from the test collection. We also applied three different term-weighting (raw term frequency, log-entropy, and tf-idf) schemes to measure retrieval performance of LSI. We observed that, firstly, for a LSI based ad hoc information retrieval system, a tailored stop word list must be assembled for every unique large dataset. Secondly, the use of tf-idf term weighting scheme shows better retrieval performance than log-entropy and raw term frequency weighting schemes even when the test collection became large. --P. ii.

abstract: The original print copy of this thesis may be available here: http://wizard.unbc.ca/record=b1659653