identifier: Zhang, Shihua  (2011) A TLM-RTL Systemverilog-Based Verification Franework for OCP Design.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Open Core Protocol (OCP) establishes itself as the only non-proprietary, openly licensed, core-centric protocol that is used to support “plug-and-play” SoC (System-On-Chip) design practices. Designer can reuse OCP-compliance IP cores based on system integration and verification approach in multiple designs without reworking, reducing the development time and cutting down overall design costs.
In this thesis, we develop a reusable verification framework of OCP. Assertion-based verification was chosen in order to enforce the flow. An OCP SystemVerilog monitor which is developed in house is used to verify the OCP SystemC TL1 (Cycle-accurate Level) design. The monitor can also be reused for OCP designs described at different abstraction level and thus dramatically reduce the time needed for OCP functional verification. To increase the functional coverage of OCP models, Cell-based Genetic Algorithm (CGA) with random number generators based on different probability distribution functions is provided on OCP TL1 models for generating and evolving the OCP transactions. Furthermore, SystemC Verification Library (SCV) is employed as pure random number generator to compare with the proposed CGA. The experiments show that some probability distributions have more effect on the coverage than others. The best population of the CGA can be reused on OCP RTL models to reduce the verification time.


identifier: Agarwal, Akanksha  (2011) Trace Abstraction Based on Automatic Detection of Execution Phases.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

type: Thesis NonPeerReviewed


identifier: Côté, Valérie / V.C.  (2011) Entre art et artisanat: le processus de légitimation artistique des acteurs du monde de l'art au Québec dans les années 1960-1970. Walter Schluep: une étude de cas.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Ce mémoire s’inspire de la théorie des mondes de l’art développée par le sociologue américain Howard Becker et tente de montrer comment les acteurs du monde de l’art, en place dans les années 60-70, ont permis au bijoutier-joaillier Walter Schluep de franchir la frontière de l’artisanat pour intégrer le monde artistique québécois. Nous proposons d’abord une recension des écrits décrivant la situation ayant entraîné le renouveau de la pratique dans le contexte de l’émergence d’un segment artistique dans les disciplines artisanales depuis les années 40. Nous nous intéressons ensuite à l’origine de la distinction entre la conception du statut de l’artiste et celle de l’artisan avant d’aborder le cas de Walter Schluep dont la volonté de positionnement en tant qu’artiste et l’esthétique de la production témoignent de l’attitude particulière de cet artisan. De là, ce constat mène aux actions entreprises par des acteurs influents du milieu artistique ayant participé à la consécration de ce joaillier en tant qu'artiste. L’intervention de l’État ainsi que le discours de la critique d’art contribue à construire la valeur artistique d’une production et font enfin l’objet d’une analyse plus approfondie en raison de leur rôle déterminant dans le processus de reconnaissance.


identifier: van Sertima, Adam  (2011) Wafaa Bilal’s Domestic Tension: A politics of performance in gamic space.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: I argue that considering the performance, the artist and the elements of the performance– in this case, a robotic paintball gun– as boundary objects sets the stage for a political strategy that reaches across demographic and ideological lines in politically charged art. This thesis is anchored in a close reading of the video blogs that Wafaa Bilal posted as an ongoing diary during the 31 day performance Domestic Tension (2007) and considers the use of boundary objects as means to create social space in performance artwork. This consideration is contextualised through other artworks using similar themes of violence in the social and political contexts in which they occurred. The two most specific examples discussed are Francisco Goya’s painting The Executions of the Third of May, 1808 (1814 Oil on canvas) and Chris Burdon’s infamous performance and subsequent film “Shoot!”. This strategy is predicated on granting a form of agency to art objects. The theoretical underpinnings of this analysis are found in the work of Anthropologist Alfred Gell, Sociologists Bruno Latour, Michel Callon and John Law and the work of Susan Leigh Star and James R. Griesemer. I suggest that one of the effects of granting agency to non-human actors (actants) is that it creates fluid spaces, especially in the context of performances that resemble digital games. This allows us to contextualise digital games both historically vis-a-vis similar themes in other media, and better analyze the activation of art works, especially performative ones, in our currently internet connected age.


identifier: Schau-Larsen, Astrid  (2011) In God We Trust: Christianity, Uganda and the AIDS Epidemic.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Pyne Feinberg, Pohanna  (2011) Making the invisible visible: documenting the creative process.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Documenting community art collaborations is valuable to those who participate in the project, to the future of the communities involved, and to art history in general. Community art is generated from a creative process based on inter-subjective exchange and conceptual exploration. Therefore, documents can provide a tangible trace to the ephemeral aspects of the artwork’s evolution. However, identifying documenting methods that are respectful, practical and participatory can prove challenging. This analysis of the Skol-CEDA project archive suggests that documenting the co-creative process can involve producing a combination of media that, as they are juxtaposed, can be activated discursively in the archive.  By employing forms of auto-documentation, such as participant interviews and evaluations, the resulting archive becomes imbued with a spirit of shared authorship. The individual and group evaluations are instrumental in providing a vehicle for constructive criticism and for measuring how well the participants’ aspirations were met. Furthermore, as participants bear witness to their personal experience, they recognize their stories in future representations of the project and their contribution to public memory becomes a meaningful act of social agency.


identifier: Akcay, Zeynep  (2011) Les stratégies de mise en abyme et l’idéalisation du cinéma d’animation : une étude sur l’autodéfinition.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Il appert que les efforts pour dégager et préciser les caractéristiques essentielles de l’animation sont inefficaces en raison de la confusion qui règne  au sein des critères auxquels on fait appel mais également en raison de la multitude de ses usages.
Une description basée sur des caractéristiques essentielles et universelles de l’animation est donc incapable de définir le phénomène .
Le concept wittgensteinien de « jeux de langage » se révèle une perspective prometteuse pour une étude de l’animation car en la considérant comme l’ensemble de ses usages ce paradigme nous permet de repérer des réseaux de ressemblances (et des différences) dans les usages de l’animation de rendre compte de différents « usages » de l’animation tout observant les « règles du jeu » et les divers « coups » ayant cours en ces usages.

En considérant la mise en abyme comme un usage pertinent  du cinéma d’animation, on peut accéder à une « autodéfinition » de l’animation dans les films, autodéfinition qui en reproduit les « mythes », notamment : le don de vie à des matériaux ou à des dessins inertes, leur plasticité qui permet un façonnage conforme à la volonté du cinéaste et la préséance de la fantasmagorie sur les normes habituelles de la réalité.


identifier: Akhavein, Hassan  (2011) Electron and proton transfer during conformational changes in reaction centers reconstituted into liposomes.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Bany Hamad, Ghaith  (2011) Identification of Soft-Error at Gate Level.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Due to shrinking feature size and significant reduction in noise margins, as we are moving into very deep sub-micron technology, circuits have become more susceptible to manufacturing defects, noise-related transient faults and interference from radiation. Traditionally, soft errors have been a much greater concern in memories than in logic circuits. However, due to technology scaling, logic circuits have become equally susceptible to soft errors. Moreover, enhanced usage of commercial off the shelf (COTS) electronic components for avionics has also increased the importance of analyzing soft errors in hardware circuits. Conventionally, understanding soft error glitches requires circuit level modeling, which requires information available only at late stages in the design flow. Instead of this approach some researchers have produced modeling techniques using Reduced Order Binary Decision Diagrams (ROBDD) and Algebraic Decision Diagrams (ADD), which does allow analyzing soft error at an earlier stage in design flow. In this thesis, a new methodology for modeling soft errors glitch propagation path using Multiway Decision Graphs is introduced. This modeling technique is applicable on both combinational
and asynchronous circuits. The proposed glitch propagation path modeling technique jointly takes care of logical and electrical masking. Our methodology involves new ways of injecting glitches including glitch injection in feedback paths of asynchronous circuits. This work presents a complete framework to exhaustively provide all the possible sequences of signals that lead to the possibility of glitch propagation to the primary output in combinational and asynchronous circuits. In addition, a new tool is developed based on the proposed methodology called Soft Error Glitch-Propagating Path Finder (SEGP-Finder) to automate the identification of these sequences of signals. This work helps designers identify the vulnerable circuit
paths at the logic abstraction level. Also, this methodology allows designers to apply radiation tolerance techniques on reduced sets of possibilities. By applying our methodology on different combinational and asynchronous circuits an improvement in terms of possible-fault injection vectors is observed. As an example, approximately 8% of all the possible input vectors and sequences is required for obtaining exhaustive glitch propagation path identification in a representative implementation of a bundled data asynchronous circuit. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time MDG based decision diagram based soft error identification approach is proposed for combinational and asynchronous circuits.


identifier: Shobeiri, Saeed  (2011) The Impacts of Perceived Experiential Values on Customer Outcomes and Behavioral Intentions in Online Retailing.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Idris, Maher  (2011) Pattern-Based Trace Correlation Techniques for Software Evolution.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Jensen, Sandra  (2011) Posting Places in Dis*us*ing Spaces.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Posting Places in Dis*us*ing Spaces


identifier: Breton-Carbonneau, Gabrielle  (2011) « Bienvenue Au Québec! » The Integration of Newly Arrived Immigrant Students in Quebec Classes d’Accueil.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This qualitative study focuses on the need for teachers to foster inclusive learning environments in Quebec’s “Classes d’Accueil”- literally ‘welcome classes’- for new immigrants to Canada who arrive in Quebec without a functional knowledge of the French language. Transitioning into a new culture comes with many social, personal and academic hardships and it is the responsibility of teachers to foster safe, welcoming and socially just milieus. Since the official language of instruction in Quebec is French, the classe d’accueil provides a unique setting for exploring two principal issues: how teachers look upon the linguistic and cultural diversity of their learners, and how teachers negotiate their way between potentially opposing tensions-- to integrate newly arrived children into Quebec, and, to reinforce Quebec’s distinct cultural and linguistic status. By drawing on New Literacy Studies (Gee, 1988; Street, 2003) and second language education perspectives, and through the incorporation of data from in-depth teacher interviews, classroom observation and analysis of classroom materials, this study argues that 1) teachers foster inclusive or exclusive learning environments in their classrooms contingent upon their personal and political ties to the French language and the Quebec culture and 2) that these attachments to Quebec’s Franco-national identity directly influence the manner in which they structure the learning environment in their classrooms. Evidence from this study further suggests that education in Quebec is not always inclusive, particularly for students enrolled in classes d’accueil.


identifier: Naghavi, Parastoo  (2011) Acculturation To The Global Consumer Culture And Ethnic Identity: An Empirical Study In Iran.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Globalization is a phenomenon that was always present through different market trades. However, the evolution of technology mixed with open market frontiers has lead to a change in the communication systems, product circulation and movement of population for economic, social, political, ecological or leisure reasons. These trends have influenced behaviors of population and their exposure to other cultures, habits and consumer behaviors. In fact, consumer behavior theorists and marketing managers had to adapt to these important changes infusing a balance of “global consumer culture” and “ethnic identity” while experimenting resistance at the national, regional and local levels. Should they standardize, adapt or use a combination of methods to achieve success? How should they proceed? How should they adapt?
The Middle East is particularly an interesting context to answer some of these strategic questions. More precisely, Iran offers an interesting perspective to investigate the relationship between acculturation to global consumer culture (AGCC) and Ethnic Identity (EID) with consumer behavior. Are Iranian more materialists or oriented towards their own culture and identity when it comes to buying products-services?
Following a series of empirical studies in different countries, this particular study investigates the relationship between AGCC and EID with materialism (MAT), ethnocentrism (CET), and demographics. The results indicate the negative relationship between AGCC and EID, and positive impact of both on MAT. While, not enough evidences are found to accept CET and AGCC relation, the positive influence of EID on CET was founded. The Ethnic Identity (EID) seems to be the greater influencer on Materialism, Global Consumer Culture and Ethnocentrism.
Among indicated products categories, food, global and local, was the only culturally bound product. The reason for this claim was the significant influence of Ethnic Identity on local food and significant impact of AGCC on global foods. However, both constructs (AGCC and EID) have a positive influence on luxury products, clothing and appliances consumption, asserting that these categories are not culturally bound products.


identifier: Salem, Ali Mohamad  (2011) Formal Validation of Security Properties of AMT's Three-Way Handshake.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Multicasting is a technique for transmitting the same information to multiple receivers over IP networks. It is often deployed on streaming media applications over the
Internet and private networks. The biggest problem multicast introduces today is that it is an all or nothing solution. Every element on the path between the source and the receivers (links, routers, firewalls) requires multicast protocols to be enabled. Furthermore, multicast has a conceptual business model, and therefore is not an easy case to make. These factors, embedded deep in technology, but ultimately shaped by economics, led to a lack of multicast deployment. To address this problem, the AMT (Automatic IP Multicast without explicit Tunnels) specification has been
developed by the Network Working Group at the IETF. This specification is designed to provide a mechanism for a migration path to a fully multicast-enabled backbone.
It allows multicast to reach unicast-only receivers without the need for any explicit tunnels between the receiver and the source. We have formally validated the three-way
handshake in the AMT specification using AVISPA against two main security goals: secrecy and authentication. We have demonstrated that the authentication goal is not met: an attacker can masquerade as an AMT relay, and the AMT gateway (at the end user) cannot distinguish a valid relay from an invalid one. Another attack was also found where an intruder can disconnect or shutdown a valid session for a valid end-user using a replay attack.


identifier: Mehrandish, Mona  (2011) On Routing, Backbone Formation and Barrier Coverage in Wireless Ad Hoc and Sensor Networks.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Mirshams Shahshahani, Parisa  (2011) Extending the Knowledge Discovery Metamodel to Support Aspect- Oriented Programming.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Software engineers often have to resort to various program analysis tools to analyze the structure and sometimes behavior of a system before they can make changes that preserve system reliability and other quality attributes. The Knowledge Discovery Metamodel (KDM) is an OMG standard which specifies a language-independent representation of the programs to be analyzed. The advantages of using KDM are
numerous including an increase in productivity and a cut in overall costs during maintenance, as it allows for a reuse of available KDM compatible tools and expertise. Currently, KDM supports a number of procedural and object-oriented programming languages. However, no support currently exists for aspect-oriented programming languages. This thesis aims at filling this gap, by extending KDM to support AspectJ, perhaps the most popular aspect-oriented language. We show an application of the extended model to an aspect-oriented application.


identifier: Hadley, Jo-Anne  (2011) Translating the Québécois Sociolect for Cinema: The Creation of a Supertext in Bon Cop Bad Cop.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Abstract
Translating the Québécois Sociolect for Cinema:
The Creation of a Supertext in Bon Cop Bad Cop

Jo-Anne Hadley

This thesis addresses the subtitling of the Québécois sociolect into English. In the bilingual comedy film Bon Cop Bad Cop, although the meaning of the Québécois dialogue is rendered, the flavour of the original sociolect is lost. This thesis posits that the failure to render the Québécois sociolect in the English subtitles of Bon Cop Bad Cop gives rise to understatement, thereby creating a “supertext” for bilingual movie-goers who read the subtitles that actually enhances the humour of this comedy. Examples of the supertext will be drawn from Bon Cop Bad Cop to illustrate this hypothesis. Dialogue and subtitles from Bon Cop Bad Cop will be compared and contrasted with those from De père en flic/Father and Guns, a film whose subtitles successfully render the Québécois sociolect and thus do not create a supertext. This analysis will serve to determine the types of adaptation and compensation that were used in Father and Guns to render the sociolect. The findings from this project will be of interest not only to subtitlers but all translators of the Québécois sociolect.


identifier: Khataie, Amir H.  (2011) Activity-Based Costing in Supply Chain Cost Management Decision Support Systems.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Activity-based costing and management (ABC/M) is an accounting and management approach that enhances the level of understanding about business operation costs, especially the overhead costs. ABC/M generates more reliable and precise cost information compared to those of traditional cost accounting (TCA) systems. The integration of ABC/M in supply chain (SC) mathematical decision support models can elucidate the managerial aspects of ABC/M more as an accounting and management tool.
Most of the supply chain (SC) order management decision support systems (DSSs) developed so far are based mainly on the material flow and capacity constraints without considering the profitability factor. This thesis first presents a profitable-to-promise (PTP) multi-objective mixed-integer programming (MIP) model which considers profitability in order to effectively manage order acceptance decisions in supply chains, subject to capacity constraints by using ABC/M.  The proposed model fulfills a desirable amount of orders completely and accepts a selective number of orders partially having the objective of minimizing the amount of residual capacity and increasing the profitability simultaneously.
Because of the common disadvantages that traditional operations research (OR) approaches have such as, complexity in modeling, impossibility of  integrating qualitative factors, and inability of on-time model result analysis,  the thesis presents a new generic DSS modeling methodology with system dynamics (SD) and based on ABC/M cost structure. The approach presented results a novel real-time cost monitoring and analysis system. SD is a dynamic simulation approach with learning ability to investigate the status changes in the system that correspond to the system variables’ changes as well as their interactions amongst them.
Subsequently, the thesis elaborates on both models by integrating them and introducing them as hybrid (MIP-SD) decision support system. In the hybrid system, MIP model generates the order management policy and SD model monitors the cost behavior of each implemented policy during the implementation process.  The main purpose is to show how ABC/M acts as a common cost accounting, information, and managerial approach to synchronize the two mentioned models and to introduce the combination as a hybrid DSS system.
In general, the approach provides the order fulfillment optimal mix aligned with the implementation strategy considering the factors such as, minimizing the residual capacity, considering the customer satisfaction level, selling price, the cost of resources incurred for each order fulfillment policy, and the share of each product and/or order from manufacturing overhead costs. Such an approach can assists management to analyzing and foreseeing the consequences and outcome of each order fulfillment strategy chosen besides finding the optimal order fulfillment combination.


identifier: Cheikhrouhou, Soumaya  (2011) Is Your Product in the Right Place? The Effect of Objects’ Elongation and Spatial Disposition on Size Perception.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Kassem, Sally S.  (2011) Integrated Forward and Reverse Logistics Network Design.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Many manufacturers are moving towards green manufacturing. One of the actions for environment friendly manufacturing is collection of end-of-life products (EOL). EOL products are transported to the proper facilities for reprocessing or proper disposal. Movement of collected products is performed through reverse logistics networks. Reverse logistics networks may be designed independent of forward logistics networks, or as integrated networks, known as integrated forward and reverse logistics (IFRL) networks. Recent research shows that IFRL networks are more efficient than independent networks. In this work, we study a number of IFRL networks. We present a comprehensive mathematical model to represent an assignment and location-routing IFRL network. Afterwards, this model is decomposed into a number of sub-models that represent different IFRL networks. For each network we develop a solution methodology to solve practical size problems.
Two sub-models based on the comprehensive model are presented to design two IFRL location-routing networks. The first network considers decision on the location to establish a disassembly plant. The second network considers decisions on the location to establish a manufacturing facility. For both networks, routing decisions are assigning customers to vehicles, and establishing vehicles’ routes.  We develop two heuristic methods to solve the models. The heuristics are able to reach optimal or near optimal solutions in reasonable computational times.
The vehicle routing problem with simultaneous pickup and delivery and time windows (VRPSPD-TW) is studied in this work. We use a sub-model of the comprehensive model to represent the problem. Classic heuristics and intelligent optimization or metaheuristics are widely used to solve similar problems. Therefore, we develop a heuristic method to solve the VRPSPD-TW. Results of the heuristic serve as initial solutions for a simulated annealing (SA) approach. For most tested problems, the SA approach is able to improve the heuristic solutions, and reach optimal solutions. Computational times are reasonable for the heuristic and SA.
We also study the multi-depot vehicle routing problem with simultaneous pickup and delivery and time windows (MDVRPSPS-TW). A sub-model of the comprehensive model represents the problem. The network considers assignment of customers and vehicles to depots, assignment of customers to vehicles and routing of vehicles within customers’ time windows. We develop a 2-phase heuristic and a SA approach to solve the problem. Heuristic solutions serve as initial solutions for the SA approach. SA is able to reach optimum or near optimum solutions. Computational times are reasonable for the heuristic and SA


identifier: Shafiei-Dizaji, Nassir  (2011) Multi-Agent Approach to Modeling and Implementing Fault-Tolerance in Reactive Autonomic Systems.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Recently, autonomic computing has been proposed as a promising solution for software complexity in IT industry. As an autonomic approach, the Reactive Autonomic Systems Framework (RASF) proposes a formal modeling based on mathematical category theory, which addresses the self-* properties of reactive autonomic systems in a more abstract level.
This thesis is about the specification and implementation of the reactive autonomic systems (RAS) through multi-agent approach by laying emphasis on the fault-tolerance property of RAS. Furthermore, this thesis proposes a model-driven approach to transform the RAS model to agent templates in multi-agent model using Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformation (XSLT). The multi-agent approach in this research is implemented by Jadex, a high-level Java-based agent programming language. The intelligent agents are created in Jadex based on the Belief-Desire-Intension (BDI) agent architecture.  The approach is illustrated on a case study.


identifier: Hargadon, Michael A  (2011) Like City Lights, Receding: ANSi Artwork and the Digital Underground, 1985-2000.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The rise of the Internet has obscured knowledge of the modes of mass online interaction that preceded it.  Foremost amongst these was the Bulletin Board System (BBS), whose unique technological constraints encouraged the development of the art form known as ANSI.  Through an examination of the economic paradigm shift that permitted mass adoption of microcomputers, the technological operating environment of the 1980s and 1990s and the ethos of the software piracy scene of that era, this thesis explains why this species of art took the form that it did, why artists chose to express themselves in this medium, and how ANSI defined the aesthetics of the online world between 1985 and the turn of the century.  Far from a mere form of expression, the production and display of ANSI art on BBSes served as a signifier of and route to the acquisition of status within the sub rosa branch of autonomous dial-in computer systems that comprised the pre-Internet digital underground.


identifier: Ruttle, Paula L.  (2011) Associations between youth’s diurnal cortisol and physical and mental health outcomes: Importance of time since onset, severity and chronicity.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Previous investigations of the association between cortisol and physical and mental health outcomes have yielded inconsistent results.  Examining how long the individual has experienced the problem may help clarify these divergent findings.  Four questions were examined including (1) Do the associations between diurnal cortisol and internalizing behaviours differ depending on how long youth have experienced the behaviours? (2) Do the associations between diurnal cortisol and externalizing behaviours differ depending on how long youth have experienced the behaviours?  (3) Do associations persist if behaviours are examined at a later point in time (i.e. mid-adolescence)?  (4) Do the associations between diurnal cortisol and physical health problems in early adolescence differ depending on the chronicity of the health problem?
Data from the Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project were employed to examine these associations.  In general, results suggest that the association between cortisol and health outcomes differ depending on how long the problem has been experienced.  When examined concurrently in adolescence, youth with more internalizing behaviours had higher morning cortisol; however, when examined longitudinally, youth with more internalizing behaviours in childhood had lower morning cortisol levels as adolescents. Youth with more externalizing behaviours in childhood had flattened diurnal cortisol rhythms as adolescents, and this finding
persisted when examined in adolescence. Similarly, blunted patterns of adrenocortical activity in early adolescence were also related to more internalizing and externalizing behaviours in mid-adolescence.  Furthermore, this notion seems to hold true for physical health problems such that acute health problems (i.e. infections) were associated with elevated levels of cortisol whereas more chronic health problems (i.e. asthma and allergies) were associated with blunted patterns of diurnal cortisol. The findings suggest that both hyper- and hypocortisolism may be evident within the same sample and this is related to how long the problem had been experienced.  Future research should consider sampling cortisol at more than one time point to more thoroughly examine the possibility of blunted hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity in prospective, longitudinal studies.


identifier: Chigogidze, Anna  (2011) On the Interaction of Syntax and Phonology in Georgian.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
This thesis is an investigation of the interaction of the phonological and syntactic components in Georgian. Presenting a summary and critical analysis of two studies of the interaction of syntax (word order) and intonation in the speech of native Georgian speakers, the findings of these studies are compared with the observations made in the Swans Study – an experimental analysis of freely-generated speech that examines the reading of a fictional story by a Georgian-speaking informant.
The Swans Study compares the intonation patters of experimentally constructed and natural (freely generated) speech, confirming the results of previous studies on Georgian intonation, and offering questions for further exploration. To explain the lack of unique correspondence between case marking and syntactic position (grammatical function) in the story “Mzia and the Swans”, an overview of the Georgian case marking system is provided.
Finally, the Georgian lateral fronting rule is described in a discussion on the necessity of maximum specificity in rule representations. The lateral fronting rule also attests to the close relationship between the syntactic and phonological modules, applying only when the triggering segment is found inside the same word as the dark lateral, and not applying when the triggering segment and the dark lateral are separated by a word boundary.


identifier: Roy, Kaushik  (2011) Recognition of Nonideal Iris Images Using Shape Guided Approach and Game Theory.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Most state-of-the-art iris recognition algorithms claim to perform with a very high recognition accuracy in a strictly controlled environment. However, their recognition accuracies significantly decrease when the acquired images are affected by different noise factors including motion blur, camera diffusion, head movement, gaze direction, camera angle, reflections, contrast, luminosity, eyelid and eyelash occlusions, and problems due to contraction and dilation. The main objective of this thesis is to develop a nonideal iris recognition system by using active contour methods, Genetic Algorithms (GAs), shape guided model, Adaptive Asymmetrical Support Vector Machines (AASVMs) and Game Theory (GT). In this thesis, the proposed iris recognition method is divided into two phases: (1) cooperative iris recognition, and (2) noncooperative iris recognition.
    While most state-of-the-art iris recognition algorithms have focused on the preprocessing of iris images, recently, important new directions have been identified in iris biometrics research. These include optimal feature selection and iris pattern classification. In the first phase, we propose an iris recognition scheme based on GAs and asymmetrical SVMs. Instead of using the whole iris region, we elicit the iris information between the collarette and the pupil boundary to suppress the effects of eyelid and eyelash occlusions and to minimize the matching error.
    In the second phase, we process the nonideal iris images that are captured in unconstrained situations and those affected by several nonideal factors. The proposed noncooperative iris recognition method is further divided into three approaches.
    In the first approach of the second phase, we apply active contour-based curve evolution approaches to segment the inner/outer boundaries accurately from the nonideal iris images. The proposed active contour-based approaches show a reasonable performance when the iris/sclera boundary is separated by a blurred boundary. In the second approach, we describe a new iris segmentation scheme using GT to elicit iris/pupil boundary from a nonideal iris image. We apply a parallel game-theoretic decision making procedure by modifying Chakraborty and Duncan's algorithm to form a unified approach, which is robust to noise and poor localization and less affected by weak iris/sclera boundary. Finally, to further improve the segmentation performance, we propose a variational model to localize the iris region belonging to the given shape space using active contour method, a geometric shape prior and the Mumford-Shah functional.
    The verification and identification performance of the proposed scheme is validated using four challenging nonideal iris datasets, namely, the ICE 2005, the UBIRIS Version 1, the CASIA Version 3 Interval, and the WVU Nonideal, plus the non-homogeneous combined dataset. We have conducted several sets of experiments and finally, the proposed approach has achieved a Genuine Accept Rate (GAR) of 97.34% on the combined dataset at the fixed False Accept Rate (FAR) of 0.001% with an Equal Error Rate (EER) of 0.81%. The highest Correct Recognition Rate (CRR) obtained by the proposed iris recognition system is 97.39%.


identifier: Nawfal, Wissam  (2011) Interlocking Directors: Impact on Canadian Merger and Acquisition Outcomes.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This paper examines the effect(s) of interlocking boards on the outcomes of merger and acquisition transactions in Canada. Among the most significant results of this paper is evidence indicating that merger deals with an interlocking relationship, i.e. having one or more shared directors between the transacting firms, results in higher cumulative abnormal returns the target and acquiring firms. Merging firms with interlocking directorates were found to be more successful during the merger process, have a higher likelihood of transacting with cash, and have a significantly higher frequency of toeholds as well as higher toehold percentage ownership. This paper also presents a brief snapshot of the Canadian market for corporate control by documenting various firm and board characteristics, such as firm size, the fraction of inside, outside, grey and female directors serving on the average sample firm, as well as the average tenure of directors, and the average amount of share ownership held by directors, as well as how these characteristics influence the likelihood of interlocks between firms. A higher than average number of women and grey directors were found to have significantly positive effect on the propensity of interlocks, whereas, surprisingly, larger firm size had the reverse effect.


identifier: Snow, Shelley  (2011) Healing through sound: An exploration of a vocal sound healing method in Great Britain.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
This thesis reports the results of ethnographic research conducted on a vocal sound healing method practiced in Great Britain at the College of Sound Healing, founded by acupuncturist and sound healer Simon Heather.  This phenomenological, narrative inquiry embraces a perspective recognizing the dialogic nature of ethnographic research, and includes the perspective of sensory anthropology by exploring the role of the senses in sound healing. The research also positions sound healing in relation to the field of music therapy, the career practiced by the researcher.  The study involved a sample of 13 individuals who had undergone sound healing.  Data collection consisted of interviews and participant observation/sensation.
Findings of the study reflect a wide range of experiences which embrace a holistic conception of health encompassing both mind and body.  Categories evolving out of participants’ own language used to describe their experiences include the following:  physical, mental, insight, emotional and spiritual.  Effects such as the release of emotions and trauma, a change from negative to more positive thought patterns, the elimination of physical pain, relaxing, calming effects and receiving deeper perceptions of life situations, are among the experiences described by participants.
Contributions to an evolving theory of sound healing include the recognition that altered states of consciousness appear to play an important role in facilitating certain kinds of healing; the phenomenon of after-effects of sound healing which extend and evolve for sometimes days, weeks and even months after a sound healing session; the role of the senses in terms of healing efficacy, with colors experienced as healing in and of themselves; and an analysis of the relationship between intuition, intention and the sounds utilized in this method of sound healing.


identifier: Pelletier, Geneviève  (2010) Intérieurs montréalais, immigration et identité: la domesticité en transition.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Pletch Kanashiro, Aiko  (2011) The Effects of Accommodation on the Pursuit of Interaction in Naturalistic Settings.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Jin, Shize  (2011) Assessment of TV advertisement effectiveness through audience eye movements.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The evaluation of advertisement effectiveness during the advertisement design phase and pre-launch phase is critical for the advertisement’s success in the targeted market. This evaluation should predict advertisement’s final performance as accurately as possible. In today’s advertisement business, questionnaire-based evaluation methods, such as attitude and opinion rating are widely used. To obtain good survey results, high quality questionnaires and proper interviewing procedures have to be developed with the support of the competent execution and supervision. These activities are usually costly even though some of them can be conducted online. We study the feasibility and effectiveness of assessing ad through capturing and analyzing the audiences’ eye movements. We assume that some attributes of audiences’ eye movements are correlated to their visual attention defined in the context of TV ad effectiveness. To validate our research hypotheses, experiments were conducted. In the experiments, subjects were required to watch several TV ads in sequence and the subjects’ eye movement data were collected simultaneously. By analyzing the data patterns and comparing them with the effectiveness evaluation obtained from questionnaire-based method, we found that the proposed method produces similar evaluations to those resulted from the traditional attitude and opinion rating method.


identifier: Alsalman Hnaide, Sofian  (2011) A Framework for Developing Context-Aware Systems.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
In ubiquitous computing the environment constraints are often regarded as static and software
applications are allowed to function in a mobile ecospace. However, in context-aware
systems the environment attributes of software applications are dynamically changing. This
dynamism of contexts must be accounted for in order to provide the true intended effect
on the application of services. Consequently, context-aware software applications should
perceive their context in a continuous manner and seamlessly adapt to it.
This thesis investigates the process of constructing context-aware applications and identifies
the main challenges in this domain. The two principal requirements are (1) formally
defining what context is and expressing the enclosed semantics, (2) formally defining dynamic
compositions of adaptations and triggering their responses to changes in the environment
context.
This thesis proposes a component-based architecture for a Context-aware Framework
that would be used to bring awareness capabilities into applications. Two languages are
formally designed. One is to formally express situations, leading to a context reasoner, and
another is to formally express workflow, leading to timely triggering of reactions and enforcing
policies. With these formalisms and a component design that can be formalized, the
thesis work fulfills a formal approach to construct context-aware applications. A proof-ofconcept
case study is implemented to examine the expressiveness of the framework design
and test its implementation.


identifier: Taylor, Jacob  (2011) PCP in the American Media: The Social Response to a Forgotten Drug Fad.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Between 1977 and 1979, American society experienced a sudden, fearful reaction to the discovery that PCP, a dangerous new hallucinogenic drug, was in widespread use. This social response, powered by a surge in alarming news discussions of PCP, was intense, but it was also brief and quickly forgotten; PCP has since faded from popular memory and garnered little historical attention. Yet PCP's transience obscures its important role in the broad shift in American attitudes towards drugs that began in the late-1970s.

This thesis examines the social reaction to PCP through an analysis of the national news. Drawing from examples of newspaper, periodical, and television reporting, it traces the roots of public attention to the PCP issue and the evolution of PCP's cultural image. The first section focuses on the dramatic media representations of PCP as a cause of violence and madness in its users. I argue that despite the sympathetic manner in which PCP users were often portrayed, media depictions of crazed and violent users dehumanized their subjects and contributed to a stigmatization, not so much of drug use, but of madness. The second section focuses on media images of youth PCP use. Situating the PCP issue in the context of shifting American attitudes to drugs, I argue that images of young PCP users as victims contributed to the re-emergence in the late-1970s of a pervasive intolerance of drug use.


identifier: Barrett, Stephen C.  (2011) Blending State Differences and Change Operations for Metamodel Independent Merging of Software Models.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
A typical model merging session: requires a great deal of knowledgeable input; does not provide rapid feedback; quickly overwhelms the user with details; fails to properly match elements; performs minimal conflict detection; offers conflict resolution choices that are inadequate and without semantics; and exhibits counter-intuitive behavior.

Viewing model merging as a process, this research defines a hybrid merge workflow that blends the best of the main approaches to merging, expressing its phases as algebraic operators for performing transformations on model and relationship data types. Normalization and denormalization phases decouple models from their originating tool and metamodel. State-based phases capture model differences in the model itself, establish element correspondence using multiply matching strategies, and extract change operations. Operation-based phases then partition and order the changes prior to the detection and automatic resolution of conflicts.

The work has culminated in a prototype that validates the workflow, while realizing several novel model merging ideas, which are evaluated with simple and involved test cases. Combining the hybrid merge approach with the semantic expressiveness of decision tables---open to user modification---and an interactive and batch mode of operation allows the tool, named Mirador, to successfully address, to varying degrees, all of the previously cited shortcomings.


identifier: Niu, Xiaoxiao  (2011) Fusions of CNN and SVM Classifiers for Recognizing Handwritten Characters.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Zarrabi, Houman  (2011) Multilayer Modeling and Design of Energy Managed Microsystems.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Aggressive energy reduction is one of the key technological challenges that all segments of the semiconductor industry have encountered in the past few years. In addition, the notion of environmental awareness and designing “green” products is yet another major driver for ultra low energy design of electronic systems.

Energy management is one of the unique solutions that can address the simultaneous requirements of high-performance, (ultra) low energy and greenness in many classes of computing systems; including high-performance, embedded and wireless.

These considerations motivate the focus of this dissertation on the energy efficiency improvement of Energy Managed Microsystems (EMM or EM2). The aim is to maximize the energy efficiency and/or the operational lifetime of these systems. In this thesis we propose solutions that are applicable to many classes of computing systems including high-performance and mobile computing systems. These solutions contribute to make such technologies “greener”. The proposed solutions are multilayer, since they belong to, and may be applicable to, multiple design abstraction layers. The proposed solutions are orthogonal to each other, and if deployed simultaneously in a vertical system integration approach, when possible, the net benefit may be as large as the multiplication of the individual benefits.

At high-level, this thesis initially focuses on the modeling and design of interconnections for EM2. For this purpose, a design flow has been proposed for interconnections in EM2. This flow allows designing interconnects with minimum energy requirements that meet all the considered performance objectives, in all specified system operating states.

Later, models for energy performance estimation of EM2 are proposed. By energy performance, we refer to the improvements of energy savings of the computing platforms, obtained when some enhancements are applied to those platforms.  These models are based on the components of the application profile. The adopted method is inspired by Amdahl’s law, which is driven by the fact that ‘energy’ is ‘additive’, as ‘time’ is ‘additive’. These models can be used for the design space exploration of EM2. The proposed models are high-level and therefore they are easy to use and show fair accuracy, 9.1% error on average, when compared to the results of the implemented benchmarks.

Finally, models to estimate energy consumption of EM2 according to their “activity” are proposed.  By “activity” we mean the rate at which EM2 perform a set of predefined application functions. Good estimations of energy requirements are very useful when designing and managing the EM2 activity, in order to extend their battery lifetime. The study of the proposed models on some Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) application benchmark confirms a fair accuracy for the energy estimation models, 3% error on average on the considered benchmarks.


identifier: Mlek, Magdalena  (2011) Nursing Students' Learning Experiences in Clinical Settings: Stress, Anxiety and Coping.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
This qualitative study explored nursing students‟ learning experiences during their clinical rotations, with a focus on stress, anxiety and coping. The six student participants were in the last semester of a three-year nursing program in a Montreal CEGEP. Three students reported this experience to be stressful, two described their experience as very positive and one described it as average. Despite different perceptions, all of the study participants identified a variety of stressors. These were classified under four thematic areas: 1) Learning environment, 2) Preparation for clinical and perception of self, 3) Effects of stress and anxiety, and 4) Coping skills.
Participants felt that communication and the development of relationships with nurses and medical staff was difficult and stressful. Therefore, as students, they felt they did not belong on the team. Although participants described most of their teachers as approachable, several reported that the constant evaluation process, high and unrealistic expectations teachers had regarding students‟ knowledge and performance, and lack of autonomy to practice led to heightened states of stress and anxiety.
Stress did not have an adverse effect on the performance of the clinical skills as reported by the students, but they acknowledged that it did affect their memory, retention and thinking process negatively. The study yielded new qualitative data on coping methods which students use in special situations in the clinical environments: a combination of emotion-focused and problem-focused coping methods. Emotion-focused methods were used more often. The findings have implications for improving learning and teaching practice and the environment of clinical experience for all concerned: nurse educators, nursing staff and teams, medical and management team and the students.


identifier: Ghaemi, Afsoon  (2011) From Domain Models to Components - A Formal Transformation Approach Towards Dependable Software Development.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Many academic, industrial, and government research units have unanimously acknowledged the importance of developing dependable software systems. At the same time they have also concurred on the difficulties and challenges to be surmounted in achieving the goal. The importance of domain analysis and linking domain models to software artifacts were also recognized by various researchers. However, no formal approach to domain analysis was attempted. The primary motivation for this thesis stems from this context. Component-based software engineering offers some attractive mechanisms to tackle the inherent complexity in developing dependable systems. Recently a formal approach has been put forth for such a development. This thesis provides a formal approach for domain analysis, and transforms the domain model to components desired by this development process.
Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) is a mathematical theory for identifying and classifying concepts. This thesis taps its potential to formally analyze the domain in a software development context. It turns out that the approach presented in this thesis cannot be fully automated; nevertheless several useful contributions have been made.  These include (1) capturing formal concepts and defining them in FCA; (2) defining composition rules to categorize formal concepts and their trustworthy properties; (3) integrating partial formal context tables to build the concept lattice; (4) specifying and developing a model transformation approach to construct trustworthy OWL ontology; (5) implementing a model transformation technique to generate the TADL specification of the reusable component-based system. The proposed approach is applied to CoCoME, as a benchmark case study in the domain of component-based development.


identifier: Sadrarhami, Hajar  (2011) Integration of and Access to Distributed Data and Tools in Genomics.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: One of the important data sources in bioinformatics is protein or nucleotide sequences that are used as input to many programs to collectively or individually analyze them. There exists an ample amount of protein sequences scattered over many different databases. This division complicates the process of feeding them into existing programs to be further analyzed. Moreover, there exists a program integration portal, namely Mobyle that makes the common programs available with unified interface to the users; in addition, it provides the functionality of chaining the results from one program to another. The two existing programs in Mobyle fetch sequences to feed the other programs, however, they fetch sequences from limited number of databases that are statically defined by the Mobyle administrator. In addition, neither of these tools have access to the DAS servers, resulting in the loss of a major data source. In this work, a program was developed and integrated, namely DasSeqFetcher, for use in Mobyle to dynamically fetch sequences from all available sequence databases providing a DAS reference server. Also, both DAS reference and annotation servers were developed for a database made by our research group which holds experimentally characterized lignocellulose-active proteins. The reference servers can then be added to DAS registry to be used by DAS client tools, e.g. DasSeqFetcher.


identifier: Allaire, Joliane  (2011) The Use of Popular Theatre in Community Organizations: A Case Study of L'équipe d'intervention théâtrale participative Mise au jeu.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis is a case study of L'équipe d'intervention théâtrale participative Mise au jeu, a Montreal-based Popular Theatre company founded in 1991. This case study examines two of Mise au jeu's projects: Jeunesse enJEUX Montréal and Acquis de Droit! Throughout this analysis I identify the strategies they use to support the community members who are involved with the projects. I also analyze the Popular Theatre techniques they have implemented and what impact their interventions have had among the communities in which they have worked. I highlight the use of an inclusive and participatory process that Mise au jeu leads, as well as how they allow the community members to identify issues that affect them. I describe how Mise au jeu builds alliances with other organizations in order to better their chances of achieving their directives and how they addressed local authorities and other community members with the issues that these projects dealt with. This case study is based on documentation, individual interviews, and my personal observations of the projects' workshops and performances.


identifier: Parr, Jocelyn  (2011) Uncertain Weights and Measures.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Uncertain Weights and Measures

abstract:
Uncertain Weights and Measures is a novel set in 1920s Moscow, where the principal character curates a collection of elite human brains, one of which is Lenin’s. It is from an unspecified later perspective that Tatiana L-- narrates the years 1920 – 1930, years in which she lived in Moscow and eventually became the director of the historic Pantheon of Brains. This museum, otherwise known as the Institut Mozga, housed the collections of the first neuroscientists, Drs Bechterev, Burdenko and Vogt and was open to the public between 1928 and 1930. While some of the characters, such as the doctors, are based on historical figures, others, such as Tatiana and her husband Alexandr P--, are my inventions.
Tatiana, and the museum itself, embodies one of the central paradoxes of the early Soviet regime. She believes that history determines human development and that a new type of human being will be born out of the ideals of the Revolution; yet, she also believes that individual genius exists. It is a conflict between Marxist determinism and Romantic individualism. For Tatiana, this conflict manifests in two ways: in love and in work. The novel is her attempt to reconcile these contradictions in herself and in her memories of 1920s Russia. Primary concerns are the intersections of neuroscience and propaganda; memory and history; love, emigration and melancholy.  The central theme is that totalizing systems like Communism, rationalism and positivism fail us by denying irrational elements of the human spirit.


identifier: Karev, Anatolij  (2011) A mesoscopic whole link continuous vehicle bunch model for multiclass traffic flow simulation on motorway networks.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Modeling of heterogeneous driver behaviour is vital to understanding of dynamic traffic phenomenon taking place on motorway networks. In this research, we present a mesoscopic whole link continuous vehicle bunch model for multiclass traffic flow simulation on motorway networks. Two main attributes of traffic flow classification have been used are: (i) vehicle type, specifying in turn a vehicle length and, together with type of a preceding vehicle, time headway; and, (ii) desired speed, defining together with the speeds of the neighbouring vehicles, the vehicle acceleration/deceleration mode. It is assumed that vehicles in uncongested to moderate congested flow move in bunches dividing the drivers into the two main groups: (i) independent “free” drivers which usually manifest themselves as leaders of bunches; and, (ii) followers, or drivers which adapt their speed to the leader’s speed and follow each other at constrained headways specified by predecessor/successor pairs. The model proposes a solution to arbitrary traffic queries involving a motion in bunches having various speed and size by assuming the rate of driver arrivals follows semi-Poisson distribution and proportion of free drivers is predefined. The solution, assuming limited overtaking possibilities for all drivers, involves formation of longer queue behind bunches moving with slower speed and transformation of some of the “leaders” into “followers” because of adjustment their speed to the speed of the preceding slow-moving bunches. The present solution considers both stochastic and deterministic features of traffic flow and, therefore, may be easily extended to a specific uncertainty level.


identifier: Bormanis, Katrina D  (2010) The Monumental Landscape: Canadian, Newfoundland, and Australian Great War Capital and Battlefield Memorials and the Topography of National Remembrance.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The extinguishment of the living memory of the Great War (1914-1918) does not herald the expiration of its cultural memory. Rather, the Canadian, Newfoundland, and Australian cultural memory of the Great War remains both resonant and renewed in the present. Its public persistence and perpetuation is physical and performative alike. Firstly, this is exemplified by the continued custodial care of Canada’s, Newfoundland’s, and Australia’s national war memorials, domestically and abroad (former Western Front). Secondly, it is signalled by the perennial remembrance rituals enacted at these sites each Anzac (25 April, Australia), Memorial (1 July, Newfoundland), and Remembrance (11 November) Day. This thesis, which compares and contrasts the ongoing histories of Canada’s, Newfoundland’s, and Australia’s national (capital and battlefield) Great War memorials, plumbs this phenomenon.
Chapter One charts the erection of battlefield memorials in France to the Newfoundland, Canadian, and Australian 1914-1918 dead and missing. I argue that the Beaumont-Hamel (1925, Newfoundland), Vimy (1936, Canada), and Villers-Bretonneux (1938, Australia) memorials sanctified their sites, according to the criteria cultural geographer Kenneth Foote has established, becoming what he terms “fields of care.”
	Chapter Two chronicles the construction of three capital monuments: the St. John’s National War Memorial (1924), the Ottawa National War Memorial (1939), and the Canberra Australian War Memorial (1941). Post-unveiling, all three of these national memorials, I explain, have been subject to a process that Owen Dwyer characterizes as symbolic accretion, which results in the placement of add-ons (plaques and wreaths) to these structures, as well as context-specific enactments within their space (commemorative ceremonies and protests). These symbolic accretions (allied and antithetical) underscore how memorials and their spaces always attract the attachment (literal and figurative) of new, if never static, meanings.
In Chapter Three, I explore the pilgrimage and battlefield tourism histories of the Beaumont-Hamel, Vimy, and Villers-Bretonneux memorial sites, providing extended accounts and analyses of the pilgrimages mounted to mark the unveiling (1936) and the rededication (2007) of the Vimy memorial.
In Chapter Four, I interrogate the process, politics, and potent symbolism surrounding the recent entombment of the remains of an Australian and Canadian Unknown Soldier of the Great War in Canberra (1993) and Ottawa (2000). The resultant tombs, I argue, function as allied accretions to the Australian War Memorial’s Hall of Memory and the National War Memorial.


identifier: Culleton, Shawna Plischke  (2011) What We Talk About When We Talk About Porn: A Meta-‐critical Analysis of Moving Image Porn Studies Discourse Since 1989.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Taleb, Ahmad  (2011) Query Optimization and Execution for Multi-Dimensional OLAP.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) is a database paradigm that supports the
rich analysis of multi-dimensional data. While current OLAP tools are primarily
constructed as extensions to conventional relational databases, the unique modeling
and processing requirements of OLAP systems often make for a relatively awkward
fit with RDBM systems in general, and their embedded string-based query languages
in particular. In this thesis, we discuss the design, implementation, and evaluation
of a robust multi-dimensional OLAP server. In fact, we focus on several distinct but
related themes. To begin, we investigate the integration of an open source embedded
storage engine with our own OLAP-specific indexing and access methods. We then
present a comprehensive OLAP query algebra that ultimately allows developers to
create expressive OLAP queries in native client languages such as Java. By utilizing
a formal algebraic model, we are able to support an intuitive Object Oriented query
API, as well as a powerful query optimization and execution engine. The thesis
describes both the optimization methodology and the related algorithms for the
efficient execution of the associated query plans. The end result of our research is a
comprehensive OLAP DBMS prototype that clearly demonstrates new opportunities
for improving the accessibility, functionality, and performance of current OLAP database
management systems.


identifier: Piché, Mireille  (2011) La réception des Nouvelles de Martha de Marie Laberge.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Paddon, Susan  (2011) Two Tragedies in 429 Breaths.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Two Tragedies in 429 Breaths

abstract:
ABSTRACT

Two Tragedies in 429 Breaths

Susan Paddon

Two Tragedies in 429 Breaths is a book-length poem series exploring the experience of loss through engagement with the works of Anton Chekhov. The poems are told from the perspective of a daughter who reads Chekhov obsessively while spending a spring and summer caring for her mother, who is dying from pulmonary fibrosis—a respiratory disease that affects the body not unlike TB. Like Anne Carson’s The Glass Essay, in which the speaker’s world is heavily influenced by her reading of Emily Brontë, the speaker in Two Tragedies in 429 Breaths observes the world around her through the prism of the relationships in Chekhov’s work and life.
	Throughout the collection, the speaker addresses Maria Chekhova and studies Chekhov’s wife, Olga Knipper, as she tries to penetrate and understand her own complicity in the veneer of normalcy that her mother seeks to maintain despite her deteriorating condition. The narrative continues after both Chekhov and the speaker’s mother have died, demonstrating how the lives around these central figures carry on, but are nonetheless intrinsically linked to their loss.
	Heavily reliant on the epistolary form, the collection is divided into six sections. The first five are given the name of a month (May through September) and follow chronologically what is happening in the speaker’s home, while providing a narrative that follows Chekhov’s life (beginning with him and his sister as children and ending in July of 1904 when the writer dies in Germany). The final section, “After,” explores the notion of the archive that remains after death for both public and private figures. What can we know? What do we have the right to look at? Photographs function as both objects to be studied and artifacts to be preserved, and represent a notion of privacy that is lost after death.
	The concept of simultaneous tragedies is another theme in the book. The idea comes from one of Chekhov’s short stories, translated as both “Enemies” and “Two Tragedies,” in which two deaths taking place at almost the same time lead to an exploration of the hierarchy of suffering. Can one death be more important than another? Does regret or sadness arising from other traumas become self-indulgent in the face of death?
	Religion also plays a key role in the lives of all of the protagonists, whether in the beliefs of the speaker’s mother and Olga Knipper, or the agnostic doubts of Chekhov and the speaker herself. All of them in their way struggle with death and the prospect of an afterlife.
	This project has been highly influenced by the work of Sharon Olds, Susan Sontag, John Berger and Anne Carson. For my research, I am indebted to the work of Donald Rayfield, Harvey Pitcher, Jean Benedetti, Michael Finke, and of course, Anton Chekhov.


identifier: Kristof, Joseph William  (2010) A Random Field Model for the Prediction of Changes in the Undrained Shear Strength of Petroleum Contaminated Clay Soils.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Quite often grounds in urban areas are subjected to contamination due to leaks from underground storage tanks of gas stations and of heating oil, as well as from spills of trucks and tankers carrying crude oil, heating oil or gasoline.  Moreover the ever growing urban population pushes city boundaries to areas where industries had operated and the ground is heavily contaminated by petroleum and/or its derivatives.  These contaminants reduce the load carrying capacity of the soil, thus compromising the stability of structures.
A laboratory investigation has been carried out to determine the undrained shear strength of completely saturated contaminated clay. The undrained shear strength, Su, is the parameter required in the total stress analysis (TSA) of foundations emphasis is placed  on the experimental determination of the undrained total stress analyses (short term analysis) parameters. Specifically, the effect of contaminants on the undrained shear strength Su, must be determined in order to verify the following two requirements:
1. A foundation must not collapse or become unstable under any conceivable loading.
2. Settlement of the structure must be within tolerable serviceability limits.
Indeed experimental tests, as well as a statistical model developed in this study confirm that contaminants deteriorate the undrained shear strength of the soil and have significant effects on the elastic moduli. Consequently the immediate bearing capacity of the soil is affected and the integrity or serviceability of the foundation may be jeopardized.
A statistical random field model, based on the undrained shear strengths obtained in the laboratory, was used to model the contaminated soil. A method was developed to predict the statistical properties of the excursion set of the Gaussian random field above high thresholds. A new heavy tailed random field called the Student Random Field was also introduced, for which the distribution of the size of one cluster of its excursion set was derived. The tail distribution of its supremum was also approximated. Finally, as previously mentioned, this random field theory is applied to real data obtained from a series of triaxial tests with 2, 4 and 6% crude oil, heating oil and gasoline contaminated soil.


identifier: Chen, Eva  (2010) Collaborators and Competitors Negotiating in Gains and Losses.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The economy is driven by everyday negotiations between sellers and buyers. Electronic Negotiation Systems (ENSs) are embedded with features and methods that help users better manage their negotiation processes, and work with their counterparts in order to achieve superior outcomes. As ENSs inevitably mediate the information exchange, the representation of this information plays a crucial role in decision support. Still, there is a lack of empirical research on ENSs, especially on the impact of information framing on the process, as well as on the outcomes of interactions. Research in this area is further complicated when the interactions of users with dissimilar motivations are taken into account. This project aims at investigating how framing by the ENS impacts the negotiation process and outcomes for different motivational orientations. It proposes a research framework that examines the effects of ENS framing of outcomes (i.e., as gains or losses) and motivational orientation (i.e., competitive or collaborative) on the negotiation process and consequences at the dyadic and individual levels.

An experimental 2X2 factor design was used to test the underlying hypotheses, which: (1) examined the outcomes (i.e., higher joint outcome and contract balance) and the process (i.e., greater number of offers and cooperativeness) affected by different ENS frames for different motivational orientations; (2) contrasted the difference between the gain and loss frames for collaborative and competitive dyads; and (3) detailed the impact of ENS framing and motivational orientation on individual perceptions (i.e., cognitive effort, discussion climate, outcome satisfaction and relationship). The experiments were conducted in two environments (laboratory with 276 and quasi-field with 490 participants) to increase external validity of the results. In general, the findings showed that:  (1) collaborative dyads have higher joint outcome in the loss than gain frame, while the opposite was found for competitive ones (i.e., higher joint outcome in the gain rather than loss frame); (2) the impacts of ENS framing was stronger for collaborative dyads; (3) loss frame caused less disparities in terms of number of offers and joint outcome between the two orientations; and (4) negotiators did not perceive any differences of framing despite the dissimilarities in objective measures (e.g., joint outcome and number of offers).


identifier: KHAN, SALMAN  (2011) THERMAL CONTROL SYSTEM DESIGN FOR AUTOMATED FIBER PLACEMENT PROCESS.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Azizi, Seyyedmohsen  (2010) Cooperative Fault Estimation and Accommodation in Formation Flight of Unmanned Vehicles.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Hirzallah, Walaa  (2011) Effectiveness of Electrochemical Treatment of Municipal Sewage.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Municipal wastewater was treated in four phases, using electrocoagulation batch reactors. In Phase I, a comparison between electrocoagulation (EC) and chemical coagulation showed enhanced effluent quality when EC is used. In Phase II, two concentrations of a conditioner were added to four-hour EC experiments at two different voltage gradients to increase conductivity and initiate electroflotation, thus improving solid-liquid separation. Complete phosphorus removal was observed in Phase II. However, the four-hour duration resulted in higher operating costs, especially given that flotation was achieved within the first 45 minutes.
Tests of Phase III were run using current densities of 10, 20 and 40 A/m2 and treatment durations of 30, 60 and 120 minutes. In each run, four 1.5 L electrokinetic reactors were operated in parallel, with continuous and intermittent exposure to DC current. Wastewater samples from two treatment plants (WWTP1 and WWTP2), with different initial characteristics, were used to evaluate the treatment efficiency.
Phosphorus was entirely removed for all runs for WWTP1 and above 90% for WWTP2. Final COD concentrations after treatment were below 40 mg/L for both wastewater samples. Intermittent exposure prevented excess dissolution of the anodes, while allowing mixing and enhancing flocculation. Operating costs of the treated samples started at the level of 16 CAD/1000m3 and depended on material and energy costs. The final phase compared flat and perforated electrodes in terms of material and energy consumption, as well as operating costs. It was demonstrated that the use of perforated anodes can reduce operating costs by 50-75%.


identifier: Bourque, Simon D.  (2011) Mechanisms Linking Lipid Metabolism and Longevity in Yeast.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Proper control of lipid metabolism in the endoplasmic reticulum, lipid bodies, peroxisomes and mitochondria is essential for longevity regulation. However, the molecular mechanisms linking longevity and lipid metabolism in these organelles have not been defined prior to studies described here. The establishment of such mechanisms operating in chronologically aging yeast was the objective of my thesis.
To develop a tool for quantitative monitoring of the age-related dynamics of changes in the cellular and organellar lipidomes of chronologically aging yeast, I was able to solve the inherent limitations of the currently used methods for lipidomic analysis (including the limitations characteristic of mass spectrometry-based techniques) by devising a survey-scan electrospray ionization mass spectrometry method for quantitative lipidomics. This novel method enables within a very limited period of time and using a very low number of cells to resolve, unequivocally identify and accurately quantitate all molecular forms of lipid species composing yeast lipidome and the majority of molecular forms of lipid species composing the lipidome of cultured human cells.
Using a combination of the functional genetic, cell biological, electron and fluorescence microscopical, proteomic, lipidomic, and metabolomic analyses, I established three molecular mechanisms linking longevity and lipid metabolism confined to the endoplasmic reticulum, lipid bodies, peroxisomes and mitochondria. One of these mechanisms underlies the ability of a caloric restriction diet to extend longevity of
iv
chronologically aging yeast by specifically remodeling the metabolism of neutral lipids in the endoplasmic reticulum, lipid bodies and peroxisomes. The other mechanism underlies the ability of lithocholic acid, a novel anti-aging compound that my research enabled to identify, to extend yeast chronological life span by targeting the longevity-defining aspects of lipid metabolism confined to the endoplasmic reticulum, lipid bodies and peroxisomes. The third mechanism underlies the ability of lithocholic acid to extend yeast chronological life span under caloric restriction conditions by remodeling lipid metabolism in the mitochondrial membrane, thereby altering the repertoire of membrane lipids in mitochondria and influencing several longevity-defining processes confined to these organelles.


identifier: Alton, Caitlin J  (2011) Cultural Diversity in Mile End: Everyday Interactions between Hasidim and Non-Hasidim.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
In this thesis I have examined how Hasidim and non-Hasidim interact in Mile End in a microstudy of one street in the neighbourhood, Rue Hutchison. Through this work I provide insight into the broader picture of interculturalism and reasonable accommodation in Montreal. Most people living in Mile End like living in a diverse neighbourhood; however, there is a continuum of adjustment for interviewees in Mile End which reflects how comfortable they are living with Hasidim. Through oral history interviews, ethnography, and a collaborative ethos of sharing authority with interviewees I show places where interactions between Hasidim and non-Hasidim occur, show their importance to residents living in the neighbourhood, and the potential to bring people from different groups into contact or exposure with each other. I believe the most important part of what makes a multi-ethnic neighbourhood work are individual relationships, such as those I developed with my interviewees.
	This work makes two unique and important contributions. First, it explores the interactions between these two groups, and their potential for creating mutual understanding. Second, this thesis makes use of an innovative research methodology: a combination of oral history and ethnography. Through oral history I allowed interviewees to share the realities of their day-to-day life and through ethnography I observed how people live and move through the neighbourhood.


identifier: Pelaez, Sandra  (2011) The coach as a moral influence.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

title: The coach as a moral influence

abstract:
Elite sport requires a great amount of time deliberately devoted to training and to
optimize improvement (Ericsson, Krampe, & Tesch-Römer, 1993). Coaches are
important social influences for an athlete (e.g., Smith & Smoll, 1996). Elite athletes
spend more time with coaches than with other potential sources of influence. Therefore,
the main purpose of the present study was to study the coach as a moral influence.
The review of literature indicated that coaches are moral influences for their
athletes. However, this evidence has to be considered with caution because of the
characteristics of the designs of the studies (e.g., theoretical framework, methodology).
Based on the evidence provided by the literature review, two qualitative case studies were
conducted in an attempt to address current gaps in literature. For the pilot study, 7 elite
coaches that had been athletes themselves were sampled and for the main study 10
coaches with the same characteristics were sampled. Interviews were conducted and data
was inductively analyzed using Grounded Theory strategies for analysis (Corbin &
Strauss, 2008; Strauss & Corbin, 1998). In addition, the dimension of the Coaching
Efficacy Scale evaluating coaches’ self-efficacy to instil morality in their athletes was
used in the main study (Feltz, Chase, Moritz, & Sullivan, 1999).
Evidence from these research efforts generated four major findings. First, coaches
are important moral influences. Participants in this study recognized their past coaches
had a moral influence over them. Also, these participants acknowledged that as coaches,
they had the moral obligation to watch over morality within the team. Second, coaches’
iv
conceptions of morality entail four dimensions: a) “elite sport involvement”; b) “game”;
c) “interaction with others”; and d) “self-related”. Third, participants’ past moral
influences are reflected in their conceptions of morality, and captured in their current
coaching practices. Past coaches are models from which current coaching interventions
are built. Finally, a better understanding of moral influences in sport can be attained if
different theoretical contributions are considered together. Important factors concerning
moral influence are a coach-athlete relationship and culture.
Findings from this thesis have addressed a knowledge gap in the field. This
qualitative design has provided valuable information concerning the factors that enable or
prevent moral influences, and the environment where moral influences take place. Also,
this data has provided insight on potential targets in the design of future educational
coaching interventions to sensitize coaches concerning morality. Future research
endeavour should continue build upon this thesis by considering other populations (e.g.,
athletes) and other sport contexts (e.g., recreational). The relationship between coachathlete
relationship and culture needs to be examined in-depth.


identifier: Stiegman, Martha  (2011) In the Same Boat? Exploring Treaty Rights, Resource Privatization, Community Resistance,and Mi’kmaq / non-native Solidarity in Bear River First Nation,through Video-based Participatory Research.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
This research/creation explores alliances between social movements resisting neo-liberal globalization, and Indigenous peoples’ struggles for self-determination. This is done by examining dynamics in and around the Mi’kmaq community of Bear River First Nation (BRFN) through video-based participatory action research. The thesis includes an introduction; three chapters previously published in academic anthologies, two of which were co-written with Sherry Pictou, a community leader in BRFN; and a video documentary on DVD.
	This thesis examines BRFN’s position with regards to the recognition and exercise of their treaty right to fish, in the wake of the Supreme Court’s R. v. Marshall (1999). It also details BRFN’s strategy for defending those rights - with a particular emphasis on the conflict resolution and alliance building with neighboring non-Indigenous fishers that has been central to their strategy. These intersections are analyzed in three different contexts: within the movement to build community-based fisheries management as a means of asserting inherent treaty rights and as strategy of resistance against resource privatization and rationalization of the fishing industry; within the knowledge and cultural production integral to BRFN’s strategy of solidarity building, and of asserting the Mi’kmaq concept of Netuklimuk; and within the current process of treaty right implementation that is intensifying colonial and neo-liberal dynamics. The

experiences of BRFN and neighbouring fishers are also presented through the video documentary, In the Same Boat?
	Neo-liberal transformations, as they intensify both colonial and capitalist dynamics, have proven an interesting site for alliance building in BRFN’s traditional territory of Kespuwick (Southwest Nova Scotia). Undoubtedly, it is the political ground won by the Mi’kmaq through R. v. Marshall that forced open such a dialogue. Also important are the dynamics of resistance: both groups emphasize local, direct-democratic governance, guided by a critical analysis of neo-liberal globalization and a desire to preserve subsistence livelihoods. While the dynamics of resistance within BRFN and non-native fishers are unique, and the lessons we can draw from this case study are not universally applicable, it has much to teach us about the ways colonial and capitalist dynamics intersect in resource dependent communities in Canada, the challenges facing Indigenous peoples’ self-determination struggles in the context of neo-liberal globalization, the limits of Crown/First Nation negotiations within the current context, and of the need for social movements resisting neo-liberal globalization to learn from and ally themselves with the self-determination struggles of First Nations.


identifier: Osman, Hany  (2011) Supply Chain Reconfiguration and Inventory Integration in a Stochastic Environment.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Velasquez, Ana M.  (2010) Classroom context and aggression: Understanding the effects of and change in classroom social structure.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Peers relations have been regarded as a powerful developmental context that can influence multiple aspects of children's functioning and well being (Rubin, Bukowski, & Parker, 2006). Given that to a great extent these peer interactions take place within classrooms, this particular social context is an essential domain for the study of children’s socialization.  The present dissertation sought to further our understanding of the multiple effects that the classroom may have on children’s social development, particularly for antisocial behaviour. Through a series of three interrelated studies, the classroom was examined as a fundamental context of experience and measurement, as a predictor of individual development, and as dynamic system that changes over time. These issues were addressed in a sample of 1594 Colombian children, who were assessed at four time points during a school academic year. The first study (Chapter 1) describes a statistical technique that capitalizes on the valuable information that peer-nomination-based assessments provide about individual members of the classroom, while ensuring the reliability and validity of the measures. Particularly, a regression-based technique that corrects scores obtained from sociometric and peer assessments to prevent the risk of bias due to differences in classroom size (i.e., number of nominators) is proposed and examined. The advantages of the regression-based technique over the widely-used standardization technique, in terms of practicality, efficiency, and interpretability are presented. The second study (Chapter 2) examined the effect of classroom cohesion and aggression-related norms on changes in individuals’ aggressive behaviours across the school year. Results from this study revealed that classroom norm salience predicted higher and increasing levels of students’ aggression. In addition, it was found that classroom cohesion prevented direct forms of aggression, while it enhanced conformity to aggression norms in girls. Finally, the third study (Chapter 3) explored how classroom norm salience changes over the course of the school year and to what extent teachers’ cognitions and behaviours explain such changes. Evidence indicates that teachers’ support prevented classroom norm salience from increasing over time. Results from these studies are discussed in light of their practical implications for interventions directed at preventing aggression and promoting social competence in the school context.


identifier: Vezina, Sophie  (2011) Organizational Identity and Strategy: An Exploratory Study of Parallelisms.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The goals set by an organization and the plans, resources and people deployed to work towards these objectives have an impact on firm performance and ultimately firm survivability. An organization’s identity, what is central, enduring and distinct about a firm may also have an impact on firm performance and ultimately its survivability (Albert & Whetten, 1985). A neglected area of study, the relationship between strategy and organizational identity, will be the core focus of this exploratory study.

This thesis aims to explore whether parallelisms between organizational identity and strategy exist, and whether these parallelisms may affect firm performance. Using the constructs of Organizational Identity Orientation (Brickson, 2005; Brickson, 2007) and Strategic Typology (Miles & Snow, 1978), the research questions are explored through a multimethod approach. 25 firms in the Information Technology consulting industry in Ottawa participated in this study; a top management representative from each firm participated in an interview and completed a questionnaire. Qualitative and quantitative results suggest support for some parallelisms between the constructs, such as the compatibilities shared between Relational organizational identity and Defender strategy. Limitations of study are discussed, and propositions for future research are developed and contributions to the field explored.


identifier: As'ad, Rami Afif  (2010) Integrated Production-Inventory Models in Steel Mills Operating in a Fuzzy Environment.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Despite the paramount importance of the steel rolling industry and its vital contributions to a nation’s economic growth and pace of development, production planning in this industry has not received as much attention as opposed to other industries. The work presented in this thesis tackles the master production scheduling (MPS) problem encountered frequently in steel rolling mills producing reinforced steel bars of different grades and dimensions. At first, the production planning problem is dealt with under static demand conditions and is formulated as a mixed integer bilinear program (MIBLP) where the objective of this deterministic model is to provide insights into the combined effect of several interrelated factors such as batch production, scrap rate, complex setup time structure, overtime, backlogging and product substitution, on the planning decisions.
Typically, MIBLPs are not readily solvable using off-the-shelf optimization packages necessitating the development of specifically tailored solution algorithms that can efficiently handle this class of models. The classical linearization approaches are first discussed and employed to the model at hand, and then a hybrid linearization-Benders decomposition technique is developed in order to separate the complicating variables from the non-complicating ones. As a third alternative, a modified Branch-and-Bound (B&B) algorithm is proposed where the branching, bounding and fathoming criteria differ from those of classical B&B algorithms previously established in the literature. Numerical experiments have shown that the proposed B&B algorithm outperforms the other two approaches for larger problem instances with savings in computational time amounting to 48%.
The second part of this thesis extends the previous analysis to allow for the incorporation of internal as well as external sources of uncertainty associated with end customers’ demand and production capacity in the planning decisions. In such situations, the implementation of the model on a rolling horizon basis is a common business practice but it requires the repetitive solution of the model at the beginning of each time period. As such, viable approximations that result in a tractable number of binary and/or integer variables and generate only exact schedules are developed. Computational experiments suggest that a fair compromise between the quality of the solutions and substantial computational time savings is achieved via the employment of these approximate models.
The dynamic nature of the operating environment can also be captured using the concept of fuzzy set theory (FST). The use of FST allows for the incorporation of the decision maker’s subjective judgment in the context of mathematical models through flexible mathematical programming (FMP) approach and possibilistic programming (PP) approach. In this work, both of these approaches are combined where the volatility in demand is reflected by a flexible constraint expressed by a fuzzy set having a triangular membership function, and the production capacity is expressed as a triangular fuzzy number. Numerical analysis illustrates the economical benefits obtained from using the fuzzy approach as compared to its deterministic counterpart.


identifier: Curran, Brendan G  (2011) Singin’ in the Scourge: Two AIDS Musicals, Two Political and Cultural Contexts.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: A comparative analysis of two very different filmic texts, this thesis examines both the disparities and similarities between John Greyson’s Zero Patience (1993) and Chris Columbus’s Rent (2005). Both musicals set during the height of the AIDS epidemic, these texts are emblematic of the diverging cultural responses of Canada (Patience) and the United States (Rent) to HIV/AIDS. This project extrapolates on these incongruent socio-cultural and socio-historical responses through an autobiographical lens and a methodology focused on the adaptation of source texts in each case (respectively And the Band Played On [1987] and Scènes de la vie de bohème [1888]) and on the genre dynamics of the musical, while similarly assessing the filmmakers’ accountability in their representations of the scourge. Persisting into its fourth decade, the pandemic is rarely depicted in contemporary arts and cultural products; this omission and the consequences of such are furthermore addressed through this investigation.


identifier: Lu, Qiqi  (2010) Short-Term Performance of Chinese A-Share IPOs.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Thibault, Julie  (2011) La terminologie des médias sociaux.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: La terminologie des médias sociaux

abstract:
La terminologie des médias sociaux numériques en est encore à ses balbutiements.
Au rythme auquel évoluent les technologies de l’information et de la communication
(TIC), le recensement a peine à suivre. L’anglais est prédominant et les emprunts
linguistiques à cette langue sont nombreux en français. Le présent fichier
terminologique répertorie sous forme de fiches bilingues et unilingues des termes
anglais du domaine des médias sociaux principalement utilisés par les internautes ou
recommandés par les organisations chargées d’enrichir la langue française.


identifier: Chaisook, Suchada and Mustafa, Mehmet Ali  (2011) A Performance Modeling and Analysis of Cognitive Radio Networks.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

creator:
Chaisook, Suchada
Mustafa, Mehmet Ali


identifier: Wang, Fang  (2010) Individual Characteristics in Performance Appraisal.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Paquin, Karen  (2011) Assessing the effects of forest management techniques on sequestering carbon in northern woodlots.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Canadian woodlots can play an important role in mitigating climate change through increased carbon sequestration.  I conducted a survey of private woodlot owners in Ontario to address three questions related to forest carbon storage and forest management techniques (FMT).  The survey responses showed that the largest portion of woodlot owners in this study (46%) is not actively engaged in forest management on their properties, opting for natural succession.  Using the data from the survey, I completed four sets of simulations with the CBM-CFS3 model.  The simulation results indicated that current carbon storage on the woodlots is 240,753 tons and, if all the landowners let their forests grow without management (natural succession), in 300 years, carbon storage will increase to 501,236 tons.  The FMT that stored the greatest amount of carbon over the long-term was a 10% commercial thinning (665,007 tons).  Adding a 60-year rotation interval to the 10% commercial thinning increased carbon storage even more (791,027 tons).  Conversely, clearcuts and wildfires had devastating effects on carbon storage.  After a clearcut or wildfire, transitioning to a red pine forest recovered more lost carbon than any FMT or natural succession.  All of these are long-term perspectives, but in the short-term, natural succession may be the best method for storing carbon.  However, what made this investigation most interesting was the complexities of the woodlots themselves, their stand make-up, ownership and uses.  The diversity of these woodlots may offer a path of least resistance to increasing carbon storage on them.


identifier: Thomas, David  (2011) ‘Chews Me’: An Investigation into the Effects of Chewing Gum on Consumer Endurance and Recall During an Extended Shopping Experience.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Of all the atmospheric factors, scent may be one of the most powerful. This research examines whether effects of olfactory stimuli on consumer behavior in retail settings can be obtained via retronasal administration, and to what extent retronasally administered stimuli affect consumer responses. The focus of this research is on consumer responses that are of interest to retailers, yet have not been addressed in the marketing literature, such as endurance at completing a shopping task, fatigue, browsing, and attention to and memory for information encountered in the retail environment. It is predicted that the scent of peppermint increases endurance and reduces feelings of fatigue, while the scent of cinnamon is expected to improve attention and memory.
Eighty-seven students (65% female) participated in field experiment with a one factor between participants design (scent: peppermint, cinnamon, control) in which scents were administered to the experimental groups using flavored chewing gum. The average time spent shopping was significantly higher for the peppermint condition than for the cinnamon or the control condition. Retronasal olfaction also influenced perceived shopping time.  There were no significant effects on self-reported fatigue, workload, attention, or memory.  Overall, this research shows that certain retronasally delivered olfactory stimuli lead to changes in some consumer responses.


identifier: Bachrachas, Janine  (2010) On the Mean Curvature Flow.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: On the Mean Curvature Flow.


identifier: Préfontaine, Jade  (2011) La chanson contemporaine engagée : manifestivité et altermondialisme dans l'oeuvre de Tomás Jensen.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Ding, Fang Fang  (2010) Comparative Study of Maintenance Strategies for Wind Turbine Systems.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.