title: Exploring Young Female Athletes' Perceptions of Their Modified Sport Environment

contributor:
Côté, Jean
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Competitive Engineering
Qualitative Research
Positive Youth Development
Youth Sport
Photo Elicitation

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-03 08:22:17.026

abstract:
Competitive engineering involves making modifications to the structure of youth sport (e.g., rules, facilities, equipment and competitive structure) to promote positive sport experiences and desirable athlete outcomes. Although this is a promising approach to structure youth sport, empirical evidence supporting competitive engineering has focused on skill development and performance, with little known about how athletes’ perceive these modified competitive environments. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore young female athletes’ experiences in their competitively engineered soccer environment. Seventeen recreational and competitive soccer players, aged 8-11, participated in semi-structured interviews that featured several visual qualitative methods (i.e., athlete-directed photography, an athlete drawing exercise, a pile-sort exercise and a photo-elicitation interview) to facilitate insight on their sport environments.
Results from the athlete interviews revealed that the athlete’s competitively engineered soccer experience was perceived as being a unique environment that emphasized personal development, positive relationships with coaches, peers and parents, and the underlying enjoyment of sport. Results were summarized into five themes that fell under the overarching unique environment concept, including: (a) strong friendships, (b) supportive coaching, (c) evolving challenges, (d) emphasizing fun, and (e) family influence. One final underlying concept was revealed by contrasting soccer with other sport settings, highlighting that soccer was just one, of many, unique and potentially positive sport environments for the athletes. While athletes positively viewed the competitive engineering strategies and underlying philosophies they were exposed to in soccer, it is important to note that the athletes’ also reflected positively on the range of experiences, emotions and outcomes they gained from participating in diverse sport environments. These findings add to the youth sport literature, extending our knowledge of how modifications to the youth sport structure influence the athletes’ experiences, providing practical implications to further promote positive sport outcomes and experiences for young athletes.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Resource-based learning: Gateway to information literacy.

publisher: , University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales, U.K.

abstract:
ID: 92
Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation.


title: Age and Growth of Black Bass in Eastern Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte as Sampled Through Competitive Angling Events

contributor:
Tufts, Bruce L.
Biology

rights: Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada

rights: ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement

rights: Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University

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

subject:
Growth
Fishing
Angling
Age
Lake Ontario
The Bay of Quinte
Smallmouth Bass
Largemouth Bass

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-08 11:08:56.207

abstract: This three year study (2012-2014) investigated the age and growth parameters of two economically important recreational fish species, Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu) and Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides). Age and length data were obtained for both species through sampling at competitive fishing events held on Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte. Scales, dorsal spines, and otoliths were used to determine age in both species. The results of this study found that scales and dorsal spines were effective aging structures for fish up to an age of 9 in Smallmouth Bass, and 7 in Largemouth Bass. As previously demonstrated, otoliths were found to be an effective aging structure at all ages. A comparison of the aging structures for tournament bass indicated that scales would be an effective aging structure for most tournament caught Smallmouth Bass, while otoliths would be required to effectively age tournament caught Largemouth Bass. Growth was determined through back calculation of length-at-age. Growth in Lake Ontario Smallmouth Bass was found to be greater than growth in Largemouth Bass, which is in contrast to findings of growth studies on other North American bass populations. Growth in present day Smallmouth Bass also exceeds growth of historical Smallmouth Bass from Lake Ontario. The results of this growth study indicate that there has been a recent change in the ecology of Lake Ontario Smallmouth Bass populations that makes it unique relative to other North American populations. The potential of competitive fishing tournaments as an assessment tool for recreationally important fish populations in large water bodies is demonstrated through this study. Although tournaments are biased towards the older fish in a population, data obtained through tournaments can provide information about an important component of the population that is not well represented with other sampling approaches. Using this information, fisheries managers are able to more fully understand and better manage recreationally important fish populations for sustainable use.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Field Performance of Exposed Geosynthetic Composite Liner Systems

contributor:
Beninger, Richard J.
Rowe, Kerry
Take, W. Andy
Civil Engineering

subject:
Barrier systems
Geosynthetics

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-30 11:20:25.266

abstract:
Geosynthetic clay liners (GCL) overlain by a geomembrane (GMB) in a geosynthetic composite liner system in landfill liner and other waste containment applications can be left exposed for weeks, months, or in some extreme cases, even years. Three known consequences of leaving a GMB-GCL composite liner system uncovered, namely geomembrane wrinkling, GCL panel shrinkage, and more recently down-slope erosion of bentonite from a GCL are investigated in a second field experiment at the Queen’s University Environmental Liner Test Site (QUELTS II).
Wrinkles were quantified for black and high albedo white high-density polyethylene geomembranes (both smooth and textured). Relative to the black geomembrane, wrinkles in the white geomembrane formed later in the morning and reduced sooner in the evening. Wrinkles in the white geomembrane relative to the black were less frequent, smaller in height, and had much shorter maximum interconnected lengths.
GCL panel shrinkage and solar-driven down-slope bentonite erosion were quantified for four GCLs (two powdered bentonite GCLs, one polymer enhanced bentonite GCL, and one multicomponent GCL with a polymer coating installed coating up) left covered only by a black geomembrane, and for one GCL (containing fine-grained granular bentonite) left covered by a black geomembrane, white geomembrane, or 0.3 m of gravel cover.
All GCLs experienced some overlap reduction except the GCL covered by gravel, although no loss of panel overlap occurred during 28 months of monitoring. If immediate cover is not possible, the choice of GCL type and the use of a white geomembrane can result in slower shrinkage rates.
 	In addition to timely covering, GCL selection can reduce bentonite susceptibility to down-slope erosion. The polymer coated GCL (coating up) was found to be the most resistant to down-slope erosion, while the polymer enhanced and powdered bentonite GCLs were all far more resistant to erosion than the fine-grained granular bentonite GCL, although no erosion features with bentonite loss were detected on any GCL within the first seven weeks of exposure following the May 2012 construction. The use of a white geomembrane reduces the thermal effects on the composite liner, but ultimately did not prevent solar-driven down-slope bentonite erosion.

abstract: I give permission to restrict my thesis from public access until my journal papers are submitted and accepted for publication.

abstract: PhD


title: Essays on Networks and Macroeconomics

contributor:
Bergin, James
Viero, Marie-Louise
Economics

subject:
Unemployment
Inflation
Social Networks

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Economics) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-13 17:40:12.809

abstract:
This thesis consists of three essays related by the themes of networks and macroeconomics. The first essay examines the role of networks in workers’ search for employment. Unemployed workers gain employment by sending resumes directly to employers, and indirectly through employed friends. I find that the amount of search effort a worker undertakes is related to how many employed friends it has, and whether networks are substitutes or complements in search. When search costs are linear I find that complementary networks cause those with the most friends to search, while substitutable networks cause search effort to be independent of an individual’s network position. Finally, I examine the role of aggregate links on aggregate matching.
The second essay examines the impact of networks on aggregate labour market variables, such as unemployment and unfilled vacancies. It is concluded that networks lead to wage heterogeneity, increased unemployment volatility, and higher autocorrelation of vacancy rates. The conclusions follow analytically using an approximation method, and quantitative magnitudes are discussed using numerical simulations. Finally, issues of network formation and multiple equilibria are addressed.
The final essay analyzes the role of imitation on firm pricing decisions. A generalization of Calvo pricing is developed. It is shown that price dynamics are much different in a model with imitation. I demonstrate analytically that sticky inflation can arise. I partially characterize equilibrium prices and inflation. I finish the chapter by generalizing the network effects.

abstract: PhD


contributor:
McKegney, Sam
English

subject:
Indigenous
Writing
Homelessness
Gender
Youth
Multimedia
Digital Culture

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, English) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-30 21:40:49.756

abstract: “Emerging Voices: Reading Canadian Youth Online” examines digital youth-generated cultural content, including text, intertext, visual art, photography and tweets. I argue that youth are not simply passive recipients of culture; they are cultural producers who have recently gained access to new audiences through the use of digital technology. This dissertation examines three communities of content producers: young Indigenous writers mobilizing traditional knowledges to address contemporary issues like residential school legacies, racism, and substance abuse; street-entrenched youth from the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, BC creating multimedia content that disrupts the silence and stigma surrounding youth homelessness; and young feminists utilizing performative autobiography and self-portraiture to render the impacts of gender-based violence visible as part of the #YesAllWomen and #AmINext? Twitter movements. My analysis reveals that youth knowledges are highly generative and that the form of youth cultural production often reflects its content; just as youth knowledges are determined by intersecting identities and experiences, youth cultural content is created through intersecting media and modes of expression. Ultimately, my dissertation advocates for a model of cultural criticism that recognizes young people as knowledge producers, engages ethically and closely with their creative interventions, and attunes itself to the contexts and technologies that are shaping their work.

abstract: I request it be restricted for the purposes of publication.

abstract: PhD


title: High-Latitude Responses of Diatom and Chironomid Assemblages to Regional Climate Changes and Other Environmental Stressors

contributor:
Smol, John P.
Biology

subject:
Yukon
Alaska
Paleolimnology
Nutrients
Ice Cover
Diatoms
Ice Fields
Kukulek
Chironomids
Climate Change
Variability
Arctic

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-02 14:26:00.714

abstract: High-latitude freshwater ecosystems are amongst the most vulnerable to climate change impacts. However, the response to warming is rarely straightforward and may be modulated by local or regional factors, producing variability in biotic responses. This thesis examines three important drivers of local to regional-scale variability in the climate response of diatoms and chironomids, specifically: 1) the modulation of regional climate by the Wrangell-St. Elias ice fields over the Holocene in the Yukon; 2) the role of ice cover as the dominant driver of diatom assemblages in the High Arctic; and 3) the interaction between climate and nutrient dynamics at the archeological site Kukulek, Alaska. In the Yukon, paleolimnological records from three lakes at varying distances from the Wrangell-St. Elias ice fields were used to investigate the possible influence of large cryospheric features over the Holocene. The lake proximate to the ice fields showed a response to the Holocene Thermal Maximum, a warm period of similar magnitude to expected warming, suggesting that the moderating effect of the ice fields evident in recent records (spanning ~150 years) might deteriorate as the ice fields ablate. In the High Arctic, using a comparative study design we explicitly contrasted the diatom response to warming in four groups of sites characterized by different ice cover regimes. The diatoms shifted in a predictable manner from a low diversity, epipelic and epilithic assemblage, to a more diverse, largely epiphytic, assemblage likely in response to warming-associated changes in ice cover. At the Kukulek archeological site, marine-derived nutrients from historical hunting activities were traced by stable isotopes entering the adjacent pond, potentially tracing two periods of disturbance in the sediment record: the 1878-1880 AD famine and the archeological excavation in the 1930s. Warming temperatures, coincident with the late 19th century disturbance, may have compounded the fertilization of this pond as thawing permafrost released nutrients from the Kukulek site, affecting the diatom species composition. Collectively, this research increases our ability to effectively use diatom and chironomid assemblages as paleoecological proxies for climate and other environmental changes at high latitudes. Understanding context is key for improved paleoclimate reconstructions in this under-studied region.

abstract: PhD


title: Boredom, Overload, and the Crisis of Meaning in Late Modern Temporality

contributor:
Kibbins, Gary
Cultural Studies

rights: Creative Commons - Attribution-Non-commercial-Share Alike - CC BY-NC-SA

subject:
Boredom
Choice Overload
Information Overload
Temporality
Late Modernity
Semiocapitalism
Meaning-making
Spiritual Crisis
Spiritual Crisis
Texting
Conceptual Drawing
The Line
Affect
Ritual
Habit
Repetition

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Cultural Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-02 22:29:38.881

abstract: Boredom, in its blankness, has been both a canvas and a subject for modern artists and intellectuals. Whereas those in the early and mid-twentieth century theorized and aesthetically reencountered the conditions of boredom as a wasteland, boredom appears in the work of today as impossibly dense. Boredom in the semiocapitalist information age only remains blank insofar as it is full to the brim with information of inscrutable complexity and choices without real alternatives. Because boredom is fundamentally an experience of time distorted and emptied of meaning, developing this theory of boredom sustains a critical reflection on the temporality of contemporary everyday life. My approach is through vignettes of communication practices that are attempts at meaning-making and modulating time, but are also, in some sense, boring. After reviewing key literature on boredom pre- and post-digital revolution, I first turn to a consideration of texting. While texting is usually derided as trivial and time-wasting, I consider it as habitual in a compulsive, physical sense, but also ritual, in the sense of something done in a patterned way to affirm a bond. The experience of repeated sending and receiving is analyzed as an experience of accelerating or decelerating interpersonal temporalities. In the next chapter, I follow the shape of communication paths through the network and arrive at an exploration of line-making itself. Treating the line as a heuristic device, I consider the line as a cipher of boredom and the networked line, specifically, as an icon of late modernity. Chapter four deals with the use of lines and linearity in conceptual art and writing that explores boredom as a counter-spectacle; that is, as both a symptom of info- and entertainment culture and as a state from which it can be understood. I posit this work as an other of choice and information overload. Having used these vignettes to develop the idea of a uniquely late modern boredom of overload, I conclude that any confrontation with the twenty-first-century politics of information on the grounds of such practices as surveillance or semiocapitalism, is incomplete without an understanding of this boredom as a public affect.

abstract: I am submitting book proposals based on this work to academic presses, which are known to prefer to publish work that is not already freely and easily available online.

abstract: PhD


title: Displayskin: Design and Evaluation of a Pose-Aware Wrist-Worn Device

contributor:
Vertegaal, Roel
Computing

subject:
Wearable Computing
Smartwatch
Human Computer Interaction

abstract: Thesis (Master, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-07 17:03:24.147

abstract:
The recent surge in wrist-worn devices has stirred an increasing interest in wearable technology, however, reactions to these devices are split and the use-case of these devices is still unclear. This thesis explores affordances and opportunities offered by wrist-worn devices through the design and implementation of DisplaySkin.
We approach the topic of wrist-worn displays by initially presenting a historical analysis of the development of the wristwatch. Based upon this analysis we present a series of design guidelines: we suggest that wrist-worn devices should be designed for non-focal attention, supply the user with contextual information, accommodate glance based interactions and consider the user’s body pose.
Implementing these guidelines, we built DisplaySkin, a wrist-worn, pose aware device. DisplaySkin features a large flexible electrophoretic display and advanced sensing capabilities, allowing it to orient content towards the users face, independently of their body-pose. This design approach takes both new technological opportunities, as well as the cultural history of the wristwatch into account.
To evaluate DisplaySkin, we conducted two experimental studies. The first study investigates the effects of display size on a scrolling task, demonstrating that, even if the input area is kept constant, users are able to complete tasks faster using a larger display. In our second experiment we investigate the pose-aware display, demonstrating that using a pose-aware display improves reaction times when acknowledging notifications on a wrist-worn display.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: The Econometrics and Economics of Education

contributor:
Lehrer, Steven F.
MacKinnon, James G.
Economics

subject:
education
racial gaps
test scores

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Economics) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-06 17:52:10.206

abstract: This thesis contains three essays spanning the fields of econometrics and the economics of education. The first is a methodological essay wherein I propose a solution to the test score measurement problem. Test scores that measure the same skill or trait are often scaled differently. I propose a statistical methodology to express test scores in a standard format to make them comparable across different tests. While other methods to standardize scores exist, the method I develop avoids several statistical pitfalls that commonly befall other procedures. The second chapter is an applied paper examining the question of whether academic achievement increases when students are the same race as their teacher. I pay particular attention to the effects of same-race teachers on academic achievement in both the short and medium run. Using a model that takes into account past school inputs, I find positive effects of racial matching on student achievement; moreover, these benefits persist with time. The third is a methodological piece that develops a technique to answer the question of whether one can be confident that a statistical estimate of something such as a mean or a regression parameter estimate lies between two points. The procedure has desirable statistical properties, and is ideally suited for use when testing for the existence of zero or near-zero effects.

abstract: PhD


title: The Development of Praxis, Empowerment and Capacity for Social Justice Action Among Youth Participants in a Technology- Embedded, Online Social Justice Education Program

contributor:
Reeve, Richard
Education

subject:
Social Justice Education
Freire
Technology

abstract: Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-07 19:08:14.701

abstract: This study explores the use of technology for social justice education in one case, TakingITGlobal (TIG). Framed by the theoretical work of Paulo Freire, the principles of social justice education and empowerment theory this study explores youth empowerment and engagement in TIG’s on-line platform. TIG’s program model has a clearly stated mandate to leverage technology use for social justice education and action and connects youth engagement in social justice issues to a structured framework that provides resources, opportunities for action and possibilities for connecting with an active community. While much has been written on the use of social media in supporting social justice, little work has been done around the use of social media within an explicit social justice education framework. Data were collected in the form of documents from the TIG website, an interview with a senior staff member and documents written by TIG youth members in which they self-reported their experiences using the TIG platform. Findings from the case study demonstrated that the primary focus of technology use in the platform was to facilitate the development of awareness and issue understanding, connect engaged individuals to networks and empower them to engage in sustainable and meaningful action. TIG pedagogy adhered to the principles of social justice education and demonstrated the technology-embedded practices that support the transformative use of technology. The findings indicate that TIG expressed a clear intention to use technology to support social justice education and action and that TIG’s social justice education program and technology use interacted to support participants’ feelings of empowerment and development of praxis. Participants consistently identified their experience using the technology and platform as having a positive impact on their feelings of empowerment, their engagement in social justice, and their capacity to achieve their social justice goals. Considering the evidence regarding the conditions necessary for transformative use of technology it would appear that more research should occur around the transformative potential of technology used explicitly for social justice within a pedagogic approach that adheres to the essential elements of social justice education.

abstract: M.Ed.


title: Glycemic State Regulates Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Responsiveness of Neurons in the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Hypothalamus

contributor:
Ferguson, Alastair V.
Biomedical and Molecular Sciences

subject:
Glucose
Paraventricular Nucleus
Hypothalamus
Electrophysiology
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biomedical & Molecular Sciences) -- Queen's University, 2015-09-24 08:45:06.487

abstract:
Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a member of the family of neurotrophins and binds to the tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) receptor. Like other neurotrophic factors, BDNF is involved in the development and differentiation of neurons. Recently, studies have suggested important roles for BDNF in the regulation of energy homeostasis. The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is critical for normal energy balance contains high levels of both BDNF and TrkB mRNA. Studies have shown that microinjections of BDNF into the PVN increase energy expenditure, suggesting BDNF plays a role in energy homeostasis through direct actions in this hypothalamic nucleus.
We used male Sprague-Dawley rats to perform whole-cell current-clamp experiments from PVN neurons in slice preparation. BDNF was bath applied at a concentration of 2nM and caused depolarizations in 54% of neurons (n = 25; mean change in membrane potential: 8.9 ± 1.2 mV), hyperpolarizations in 23% (n = 11; mean change in membrane potential: -6.7 ± 1.4 mV), while the remaining cells tested were unaffected. Previous studies showing effects of BDNF on γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) mediated neurotransmission in PVN led us to examine if these BDNF-mediated changes in membrane potential were maintained in the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX) sodium channel blocker (N = 9; 56% depolarized, 22% hyperpolarized, 22% non-responders) and bicuculline (GABAA antagonist) (N = 12; 42% depolarized, 17% hyperpolarized, 41% non-responders), supporting the conclusion that these effects on membrane potential were postsynaptic.
We also evaluated the effects of BDNF on these neurons across varying physiologically relevant extracellular glucose concentrations. At 10 mM 23% (n = 11; mean: -6.7 ± 1.4 mV) of PVN neurons hyperpolarized in response to BDNF treatment, whereas at 0.2 mM glucose, 71% showed hyperpolarizing effects (n = 12; mean: -6.3 ± 2.8 mV).
Our findings reveal that BDNF has direct impacts on PVN neurons and that these neurons are capable of integrating multiple sources of metabolically relevant input. Our analysis regarding glucose concentrations and their effects on these neurons’ response to other metabolic signals emphasizes the importance of using physiologically relevant conditions for study of central pathways involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Experimental and Numerical Investigations of Annular Swirling Primary Flow in a Short Subsonic Air-Air Ejector with Entraining Diffuser

contributor:
Birk, Michael A.
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
Air-Air Ejector
Annular Flow
Back Pressure
IR Suppression
Entraining Diffuser
Swirling Flow
Exhaust System Noise Reduction
Plume Temperature Reduction
Ejector
Air Ejector
Pumping
Pressure Ratio

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-09 15:05:20.935

abstract:
In the current research, the annular swirling flow in a short subsonic air-air ejector that can be found in helicopters, fixed wing aircrafts, ships and other applications was investigated experimentally and numerically under different inlet flow conditions and geometric parameters. These ejectors are attached to the exhaust systems of gas turbine engines. A key phenomenon studied was the large wake that appears downstream of the primary nozzle of the ejector system. This phenomenon is typically called core separation in the industry. The effects of the core separation on the ejector performance parameters were also studied.
	It was found experimentally that severe core separation took place for swirl angles greater than 20 degrees. This core separation leads to severe distortion in the exit velocity and temperature profile. The core separation also changed the pressure recovery along the device axis and this leads to a rebalancing of the pumping at the mixing tube inlet and entraining diffuser. This affected overall ejector pumping, back pressure and film cooling effectiveness.
Numerical studies were carried out using two-equation turbulence models that were available in ANSYS Fluent. In a series of CFD simulations, the measured flow parameters in the annulus were used as CFD inlet boundary conditions (AIBC). In another series of CFD simulations, the measured flow parameters at the nozzle exit were applied as CFD inlet boundary conditions (NEBC).
With applying both the AIBC and NEBC using cold and hot inlet flow conditions with swirl angles < 20o, the RNG k-ε turbulence model showed superiority over the other turbulence models and a useful tool for effectively designing such devices particularly with applying the NEBC. At higher swirl angles the CFD did not accurately predict the strong changes in pressure recovery of such devices.
	In the current study, detailed performance data of air-air ejectors including the core separation phenomenon were generated. The understanding of the impact of core separation on such devices was improved. Deficiencies of the two-equation turbulence models in predicting the core separation in the ejector devices were identified. The effects of the swirl strength and other parameters on the ejector performance criteria were evaluated.

abstract: PhD


title: Health and Medicine as “the Rallying Points of Unity:” Physicians, Activism and International Efforts in the Early Cold War

contributor:
Duffin, Jacalyn
Smith, Timothy
History

subject: humanitarianism

subject: history of medicine

subject: World Medical Association

subject: health

subject: World Health Organization

subject: cancer control

subject: international institutions

subject: activism

subject: Medical Association for the Prevention of War

subject: internationalism

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, History) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-10 09:07:07.508

abstract: This thesis is an exploration of different manifestations of the struggle to determine the place of health and medicine in the international diplomatic and institutional landscape during early years of the Cold War. Relying on analysis of archival material and a survey of contemporary medical literature, this thesis makes a contribution to the literatures on international health arrangements, the interplay between domestic and global policy issues, and the evolution of a humanitarian impulse within certain corners of the medical profession. The actors and organizations profiled here grappled with questions related to whether the medical profession could lead the international system to a higher moral plane through the intrinsically apolitical nature of the pursuance of health, or whether medicine and its inherent power relationships could ever escape politics. In their efforts to enshrine health and medicine within the international system, physicians and other health professionals pursued a course that was as pragmatic as any in the idealistic context of the postwar period, but they also demonstrated a philosophy and outlook that fit with the grand visions that dominated plans of the period. As medical professionals looked beyond their borders to address issues with global repercussions, they nonetheless brought their national paradigms, circumstances and preconceptions to their efforts. This thesis therefore casts a lens on the dynamic interplay between national and international efforts to apply the spirit of medicine to concerns ranging from cancer control to the prevention of war. It also explores the manner in which physicians sought to organize themselves on an international basis to exchange valuable expertise about issues affecting their profession domestically.

abstract: Intending to publish from thesis.

abstract: PhD


title: Identification of Novel Genes Involved in N-Glycosylation and Regulation of Archaella Assembly and Exploration of the Effect of N-Glycosylation on Archaella Assembly in Methanococcus Maripaludis

contributor:
Jarrell, Ken F.
Microbiology and Immunology

subject:
fla operon
archaella assembly
Methanococcus maripaludis
archaeal N-glycosylation
arnE
archaella regulation

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Microbiology & Immunology) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-10 16:50:37.719

abstract:
In this thesis, using Methanococcus maripaludis as a model organism, significant, novel advances have been made to the understanding of the archaeal N-glycosylation pathway as well as archaella regulation and assembly. The archaellum is the swimming organelle in the third domain of life, the Archaea. Genes involved in archaellation are mainly clustered in the fla operon. The structural proteins of archaella, termed archaellins, are usually glycoproteins modified with N-glycans. In M. maripaludis, a euryarchaeon, all three archaellins FlaB1, FlaB2 and FlaB3 are modified at multiple sites with an N-linked tetrasaccharide with the structure Sug-1,4-β-ManNAc3NAmA6Thr-1,4-β-GlcNAc3NAcA-1,3-β-GalNAc, where Sug is a unique sugar (5S)-2-acetamido-2,4-dideoxy-5-O-methyl-L-erythro-hexos-5-ulo-1,5-pyranose exclusively found in this species. Using FlaB2 as a reporter protein, I genetically identified three novel genes, aglU, aglV and aglW, which are involved in the synthesis of the archaellin N-glycan. AglU, a putative threonine transferase, is thought to be responsible for the transfer of the threonine onto the third sugar residue in the N-glycan. AlgV and AglW, annotated as a methyltransferase and a UDP-glucose 4-epimerase, respectively, are involved in the biosynthesis of the unique terminal sugar.
Since it has been shown that disruption of the N-glycosylation pathway caused defects in archaella assembly or function, I explored the specific requirement of N-glycosylation of archaellins on archaellation by eliminating the four N-glycosylation sites in FlaB2 in all possible combinations. As many as three N-glycosylation sites could be removed from FlaB2 without interfering with archaella assembly or function. However, archaella could not be assembled when all four N-glycosylation sites in FlaB2 are eliminated.
While there is evidence that archaella synthesis in M. maripaludis is not constitutive, no transcriptional regulators had been identified for the fla operon in any euryarchaeon. I genetically identified and characterized ArnE as the first euryarchaeotic transcriptional activator of the fla operon. Deletion of arnE resulted in the cessation of the transcription and translation of the reporter gene flaB2 and translation of FlaB2 was restored when the mutant was complemented with arnE in trans. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays confirmed the specific binding of purified ArnE to DNA fragments from the fla promoter.

abstract: Two chapters in this thesis are unpublished manuscripts and waiting for publication.

abstract: PhD


title: An immune modulatory role for the fes proto-oncogene

contributor:
Greer, Peter A.
Basta, Sameh
Pathology and Molecular Medicine

subject:
fes oncogene
immune system

abstract: Thesis (Master, Pathology & Molecular Medicine) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-13 16:20:30.348

abstract:
The Fes protein tyrosine kinase is abundantly expressed in phagocytic immune cells, including
tumor associated macrophages. Fes knockout mice (fes-/-) display enhanced sensitivity to LPS,
and this was shown to be associated with increased NF-κB signaling and TNFα production from
fes-/- macrophages. Interestingly, tumor onset in the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV-Neu)
transgenic mouse model of breast cancer is significantly delayed in fes-/- mice, and this was
associated with increased frequency of CD11b+ myeloid and CD3+ T cells in the premalignant
mammary glands. Recent studies have also implicated Fes in cross-talk between MHC-I and the
NF-κB and IRF-3 pathways in macrophages. Signal 3, the production of inflammatory cytokines
and Type I interferons downstream of NF-κB and IRF-3 pathways in antigen presenting cells, is
considered an important component of T-cell activation, after engagement of T cell receptor by
MHC presented antigen (Signal 1) and co-receptors by their ligands (Signal 2).
Using a lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) model of immune activation, I
show that LPS stimulated fes-/- macrophages promote more robust activation of LCMV antigenspecific
CD8+ T cells than wild type macrophages (fes+/+). Furthermore, LPS stimulated fes-/-
macrophages showed increased phosphorylation of NF-B and IRF-3. I also showed that Fes colocalizes
with MHC-I in dynamic vesicular structures within macrophages. These observations
are consistent with a model where Fes regulates Signal 3 in antigen presenting cells through roles
in cross-talk between MHC-I and the NF-kB and IRF-3 signaling pathways. This suggests that
Fes plays an immune checkpoint role at the level of Signal 3, and that Fes inhibition could
promote tumor immunity through increased Signal 3 driven T cell activation.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Popularity-driven Caching Strategy for Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over Information-Centric Networks

contributor:
Hassanein, Hossam S.
Oteafy, Sharief M. A.
Computing

subject:
in-network caching
Optimization
Content-centric network
Queueing analysis
Binary integer programming
Dynamic adaptive streaming

abstract: Thesis (Master, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-14 10:59:01.719

abstract: The growing demand for video streaming is straining the current Internet, and mandating a novel approach to future Internet paradigms. The advent of Information-Centric Networks (ICN) promises a novel architecture for addressing this exponential growth in data-intensive services, of which video streaming is projected to dominate (in traffic size). In this thesis, I present a novel strategy in ICN for adaptive caching of variable video contents tailored to different sizes and bit rates. My objective is to achieve optimal video caching to reduce access time for the maximal requested bit rate for every user. At its core, my approach capitalizes on a rigorous delay analysis and potentiates maximal serviceability for each user. I incorporate predictors for requested video objects based on a popularity index (Zipf distribution). In my proposed model, named DASCache, I present queuing analysis for Round-Trip Time (RTT) of cached objects, providing a cap on expected delay in accessing video content. In DASCache, I present a Binary Integer Programming (BIP) formulation for the cache assignment problem, which operates in rounds based on changes in content requests and popularity scores. DASCache reacts to changes in network dynamics that impact bit rate choices by heterogeneous users and enables users to stream videos, maximizing Quality of Experience (QoE).  To evaluate the performance of DASCache, in contrast to current benchmarks in video caching, I present an elaborate performance evaluation carried out on ndnSIM, over NS-3.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Numerical simulations of rough-wall turbulent boundary layers

contributor:
Piomelli, Ugo
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
roughness
turbulence model
fluid mechanics
favourable pressure gradient
boundary layer
CFD
numerical simulation
turbulence

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-14 12:36:52.843

abstract: At sufficiently high Reynolds number, all surfaces are rough, and roughness affects most flows in engineering and the natural sciences. Examples range from atmospheric boundary layers over buildings and canopies, to engineering surfaces with erosion, deposits, etc. To study the roughness effects, we take a high-resolution approach to capture the flow around individual roughness elements using direct and large-eddy simulations (DNS and LES); the goal is to elucidate phenomena which have been difficult to access using physical experiments, and to help develop engineering correlations and models. First, most experiments and turbulence models are based on a standardized type of roughness, sand-grain roughness, which can be described using a single length scale. The relationship between the geometry of an arbitrary surface and the canonical one must be known, to predict critical flow parameters such as the drag, using either experimental correlations or turbulence models. Using numerical experiments, we relate this length-scale to the roughness geometry, and propose a guideline for its prediction in the industrial setting. Next, to explain the dependence of drag on the topographical details, we examine the role of the wake of the roughness elements in the drag generation of a rough surface. The wake field is found to promote vertical momentum transfer and near-wall instability; it might provide a link between geometry details and the engineering modeling of roughness effects. Lastly, we focus on a more realistic flow scenario -- the one with freestream accelerations -- and study the combined effects of roughness and  acceleration, a phenomenon widely present in engineering flows over airfoils or complex landscapes. It is first shown, by comparing equilibrium accelerating flows  obtained in the present  study with the non-equilibrium flows in the literature, that the roughness and acceleration effects are interdependent and depend on the flow equilibrity.  Then, using DNS data of a spatially developing flat-plate boundary layer, it is found that the effect coupling develops as the  roughness affects the turbulence time scale and thus the flow susceptibility of the acceleration stabilization, while acceleration changes the wake velocity and ultimately the roughness destabilization level.

abstract: PhD


title: Characterizing the Role of the Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 UL21 Protein in Viral Nuclear Egress

contributor:
Banfield, Bruce
Microbiology and Immunology

subject:
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2
Nuclear Egress

abstract: Thesis (Master, Microbiology & Immunology) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-16 09:10:57.385

abstract: The herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is an important human pathogen that is the main cause of genital herpes infections and has a significant and wide-ranging impact on human health. HSV-2 infections are one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases and are highly prevalent worldwide, thus making understanding their infection mechanisms all the more relevant. The UL21 gene, which is conserved amongst members of the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily, encodes a tegument protein that is essential for HSV-2 propagation. More specifically, UL21 plays a critical role in the primary envelopment of capsids during nuclear egress, however the precise mechanism by which it does this is unclear. To investigate the role of UL21 in HSV-2 nuclear egress, we focused on events upstream of primary envelopment. First, we examined the role of UL21 in disrupting the localization of nuclear lamins during infection. Nuclear rim localization of lamins A, C, B1, and B2 was indistinguishable between the wild-type (WT), UL21 null (∆UL21), or repaired (∆UL21R) HSV-2 strains, suggesting UL21 is not implicated in the disassembly of nuclear lamins at the nuclear membrane. Additionally, UL21 did not influence the localization of the nuclear egress complex (NEC), composed of UL31 and UL34, insofar as cellular and virally-encoded UL31 and UL34 localization patterns were indistinguishable between the UL21 null, and repaired or wild-type strains. Lastly, in an attempt to characterize interacting partners for UL21, we focused on proteins implicated in nuclear egress or proteins that may function to recruit UL21 to the nuclear membrane, where it may carry out its essential role(s). While no interactions were detected between UL21 and key mediators of primary envelopment including UL31, UL34, or Us3, UL21 localization at the nuclear rim was enhanced by the overexpression of the inner nuclear membrane protein, LAP2β, suggesting a potential interaction between the two proteins. However, more experiments are warranted before any conclusive remarks can be made regarding such interaction. Taken together, these data have shed light on HSV-2 nuclear egress and have eliminated possible theories regarding the role of UL21 in HSV-2 primary envelopment.

abstract: The data presented in this thesis may be used for upcoming publications, and as such, we wish to restrict accessibility of this work until it is published.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Urbanizing Suburban Downtowns: Transit-Supportive Design Guidelines for Downtown Mississauga

subject:
light rail transit
LRT
Suburban
streets
Urbanization
mississauga
Shopping Center
urban design
downtown
transit oriented development
retrofitting
TOD

abstract: The City of Mississauga is a suburb in the Greater Toronto Area that is actively pursuing a more urbanized core. The implementation of light-rail transit (LRT) in the suburbs needs to be carefully planned in order to ensure the success of the actual system as well as the surrounding blocks, districts, and city as a whole. The purpose of this report is to develop transit-supportive design guidelines for the Downtown Mississauga LRT loop. The study will focus on how to successfully integrate LRT on suburban streets in Downtown Mississauga to create an urban street character. This report is a resource that can be used by the City of Mississauga, developers, and other municipalities who are interested in implementing light rail transit and associated developments on suburban streets. Municipalities that contain a regional mall and an existing or future light-rail transit system will benefit most from the lessons learned, best practice examples, recommendations, and design guidelines presented in this report. While not comprehensive across all aspects of urbanization, this report places a strong emphasis on built form, streets, and urban design.


title: eHealth Literacy and Online Health Information Seeking in Parents During Hospitalization of a Child: A Cross Sectional Study of Parental Coping in the Digital Age

contributor:
Almost, Joan
Nursing

subject:
eHealth Literacy
Information Seeking
Parent(s)
Coping
Hospitalization
eHealth
Child Hospitalized
Health Information
Online Health Information

abstract: Thesis (Master, Nursing) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-19 17:43:42.845

abstract: Background: Many parents of hospitalized children use the Internet to look for health information regarding their child’s condition. Due to the unregulated nature and unreliable quality of online health information this important problem focused coping strategy may be influenced by person characteristics such as eHealth literacy self-efficacy. Unfortunately, research focusing on online health information seeking as a coping behaviour is limited. This study sought to fill this gap and expand research in this area. The purpose of this study was to explore how eHealth literacy self-efficacy contributes to online health information seeking amongst parents of hospitalized children and, ultimately, how it contributes to problem focused coping strategies and coping outcomes of parents when their children are hospitalized. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used to test the hypotheses with a sample of 61 parents of paediatric inpatients in a single paediatric unit in Southeastern Ontario. Parents were asked to complete a questionnaire including demographics, Internet use, eHEALS, Brief COPE, and Psychological Well-being Index. Results: The results demonstrated that eHealth literacy self-efficacy contributes positively to online health information seeking amongst parents of hospitalized children. Older age was found to contribute to decreased use of the Internet to seek health information amongst parents. Personal characteristics (length of stay and income) were found to make significant contributions to problem-focused coping behaviours whereas eHealth literacy self-efficacy and online health information seeking were not. Furthermore, problem-focused coping behaviour was found to contribute positively while length of hospital stay was found to contribute negatively to coping outcome (emotional state) of parents of hospitalized children. It is hoped that findings from this thesis will provide useful insight into coping and information seeking amongst parents of paediatric patients in the digital age.

abstract: MNSc.


title: An immersive virtual reality environment for diagnostic imaging

contributor:
Fichtinger, Gabor
Computing

subject:
Virtual Reality
Radiology
Diagnostic Imaging

abstract: Thesis (Master, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-23 18:03:39.849

abstract:
Advancements in and adoption of consumer virtual reality are currently being propelled by numerous upcoming devices such as the Oculus Rift. Although applications are currently growing around the entertainment field, wide-spread adoption of virtual reality devices opens up the potential for other applications that may have been unfeasible with past implementations of virtual reality. A virtual reality environment may provide an equal or larger screen area than what is provided with the use of multiple conventional displays while remaining comparatively cheaper and more portable.

A virtual reality application for the viewing of multiple image slices was designed using: the Oculus Rift head-mounted display, Unity, and 3D Slicer. Volumes loaded within 3D Slicer are sent to a Unity application that proceeds to render a scene for the Oculus Rift head-mounted display. Users may interact with the images adjusting windowing and leveling using a handheld gamepad controller. Multiple images may be brought closer to the user for detailed inspection.

Application usage was demonstrated with the simultaneous visualization of concurrent slices of a serial CT scan of a patient with a lung nodule. Also demonstrated was the studying of multiple-sclerosis lesion evolution by visualization of a large time-series MRI dataset. Experiments for validating usage of the virtual reality system for differential diagnosis and remote collaboration were performed.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: The Role of Unmet Needs in Self-Harming Behaviours

contributor:
Holden, Ronald R.
Psychology

subject: Self-mutilation suicide

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-20 17:04:25.541

abstract: Suicide and self-mutilation are widespread societal issues, making them an important area of research. The interpersonal theory of suicide (ITS) and Shneidman’s theory of psychache have each garnered substantial support in suicide research; however, to date, there have been no studies that combine the theories in hopes of creating a better model of suicide. There has also been very limited research that has applied these theories to self-mutilation, a behaviour highly correlated with suicide. It is expected that these two theories are compatible given that they both focus on unmet needs which create an undesirable state, and they both suggest that an additional factor is necessary for unmet needs to create suicidality. The current research also contributes theoretically to the literature by investigating previously unexplored possible antecedents to suicide and self-mutilation, namely adverse childhood experiences and early maladaptive schemas (unmet needs from childhood that influence an individual’s interpretation of the world). Data were collected from two distinct populations: 428 university undergraduates and a community sample of 533 individuals. Participants completed questionnaires assessing the criterion measures of self-mutilation and suicidality and the psychological predictors of psychache, thwarted belongingness, perceived burdensomeness, and acquired capability for suicide. Analyses revealed that, for both the university and community samples, the ITS model (interaction of thwarted belonging, perceived burdensomeness and acquired capability) and psychache each added unique variance to the prediction of suicide ideation, motivation, preparation, and non-suicidal self-injury. A combined model, however, was not better able to predict a past suicide attempt. Further, contrary to expectation, the ITS-self-harm relationship was not mediated by psychache. Explanations for these findings are provided. Overall, these results provide important theoretical and practical contributions to the literature suggesting the utility of a new, blended model of suicide. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

abstract: PhD


title: 'Rehabilitation': A critical examination of the disciplining of street-connected girls in Mombasa, Kenya within a charitable children's institution

contributor:
Epprecht, Marc
Global Development Studies

subject:
street-connected girls
institutionalization
development
Mombasa
discipline
rehabilitation

abstract: Thesis (Master, Global Development Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-22 20:41:06.181

abstract: In Mombasa, Kenya government officials, public figures, NGOs and wananchis (civil society) often decry the presence of street children, viewing them as both criminal and therefore as in need of discipline and reform, and as limited rights-bearing citizens deserving of education and a ‘work-free’ childhood. To address this social concern, charitable children’s institutions (CCIs), operating under the Children’s Act (2010) are granted authority by the Government of Kenya to remove and relocate children from urban spaces by institutionalizing them under the premise of ‘rehabilitation’. Despite widespread critique, the practice of institutionalizing street-connected girls in Mombasa, Kenya remains common, with few studies examining the longitudinal and gendered effects of such schemes within the current era of rights-based ‘development’. With attention to spatial, historical and sociopolitical specificity, I explore the complex, shifting and historically-situated relationship between the Wema Centre and the women who, as street-connected young girls, became the targets of ‘rehabilitation’ schemes aimed at their own transformation. Situating such programmes contextually within colonial histories of power, I use Foucault’s concept of ‘disciplinary power’ (1979) to unpack the aims and practices of the Wema Centre’s ‘rehabilitation’ scheme to analyze how and through what means the Centre desires to transform street-connected girls. In reflecting on their experiences of institutionalization, ‘graduates’, who have spent on average 11.2 years of their lives institutionalized, recognize various ways in which they have benefited from the CCI’s intervention. However, in being confronted with significant challenges that ‘rehabilitation’ does not address, they also articulate strong demands for change to the ways in which the Wema Centre operates, while continuing to devise their own strategies of managing the difficulties they face on the “outside” and upon exiting care. In this thesis, I draw together my findings in a way that presents the Wema Centre’s ‘rehabilitation’ scheme as it both: 1) trains street-connected girls in gendered, useful ways in order to create ‘ideal’ Kenyan women necessary to sustaining the social reproduction of the conditions of production within neoliberal patriarchal capitalism, and 2) depoliticizes the conditions in which poverty arises by leaving political-economic questions unexamined, allowing the Wema Centre to sustain itself within the development apparatus.

abstract: Findings are sensitive and I would like to retain greater control over how research findings are disseminated over the next 5 years.

abstract: M.A.


title: Evaluating the efficacy of an intervention to reduce the impact of stigma in adults with Mood and/or Anxiety Disorders

contributor:
Milev, Roumen
Stuart, Heather
Neuroscience Studies

subject:
self-stigma
impact of stigma
Inventory of Stigma Experiences
psychoeducation
anti-stigma intervention
stigma associated with mental illness

abstract: Thesis (Master, Neuroscience Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-10-01 12:42:39.77

abstract:
Objectives. To evaluate the efficacy of a group-based, psychoeducational and behavioural modification intervention, Overcoming Stigma in Mood and Anxiety Disorders, to reduce the impact of mental-illness-related stigma.
Methods. This pretest-posttest design measured changes to various psychosocial impacts of stigma for participants with Mood and/or Anxiety Disorders using a modified 12-item Stigma Impact Scale from the Inventory of Stigma Experiences.
Results. Participants of the Overcoming Stigma in Mood and Anxiety Disorders intervention reported a significant decrease to five of the twelve stigma impact items, including self-esteem, social contacts, personal goals, family relationships and physical health.
Conclusion. The results of this study are encouraging. A multicentre, three-armed randomized control trial is recommended to test the efficacy of the intervention with control groups. This is another important step towards developing evidence-based interventions to overcome self-stigma and manage social stigma to have a full and meaningful life.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: A Social Network Perspective on Ownership and Self-Determination in Participatory Research

contributor:
Moore, Spencer
Kinesiology and Health Studies

rights: Creative Commons - Attribution-Non-commercial - CC BY-NC

subject:
knowledge translation
social network analysis
integrated knowledge translation
stakeholder engagement
participatory research
research ownership
community-based research

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-21 09:56:16.27

abstract: Participatory research (PR) is the co-creation of new knowledge by researchers working in equitable partnerships with those affected by the issue under study or those who will benefit from or ultimately act on its results. A core driver of PR is the self-determination of stakeholders who intend to improve their lives, health or practice through active involvement in creating the evidence they need for action. In order to foster self-determination, PR utilises strategies intended to create community ownership over the research process, particularly when the research idea originates from outside the community. However, little is understood about the range of strategies employed or how community stakeholders perceive their utility in fostering ownership. This dissertation asks the question, what processes and strategies foster engagement within a participatory project, and how have these contributed to community ownership and self-determination over the research process? First, a systematic review was undertaken to synthesise best-practice participatory engagement strategies as employed by leading PR practitioners (manuscript 1). Then using social network techniques, we examined an active community-based participatory research project to ask, how do influence and decision-making evolve over the course of a participatory project as the project is developed and matures (manuscript 2)? A further set of network measures was applied in a longitudinal analysis to reveal changes in network structure, significance of change in actor roles, and demonstrate sustainability of change in ownership once the original non-community champion stepped aside (manuscript 3). Finally, through a qualitative case study using the participants from the same study, we explored what strategies were employed within the partnership to assure ownership and control by the community partners; and from the point of view of these participants, how responsible were these strategies for fostering the change in influence observed in the network analysis (manuscript 4)? Results show the dynamics of how community ownership emerged over the course of the PR project, and how stakeholders perceived engagement strategies to have fostered this change. Findings have implications for building community ownership and self-determination, while at the same time advancing methodological understanding of social network analysis for studying community partnerships.

abstract: PhD


title: The Sustainable Campus: A Comparison of Comprehensive Sustainability Policies in the Campus Master Plans of the University of Guelph and Queen’s University

subject:
campus master plan
policy
sustainability
higher education
institutions
campus planning

abstract: Higher education institutions are increasingly welcoming the challenge to reassess their operations against today’s sustainability standards and to steadily implement sustainable planning practices on their campuses. Campus Master Plans (CMPs) with sustainability policies have manifested and their overall goal has been to build sustainable, healthy, vibrant, and balanced communities within their campuses. The promotion and implementation of sustainability planning practices as well as policies have propelled higher education institutions into the public realm as one of the many leaders in sustainable planning. Despite these efforts, there has been little guidance on incorporating sustainability into campus planning policies. There has also been varying approaches to developing and implementing sustainable campus planning policies. This knowledge gap and lack of sustainability coordination has initiated strong interest in investigating how higher education institutions have approached sustainable campus planning. This report assessed the campus sustainability planning policies of the CMPs of the University of Guelph and Queen’s University. It addressed the following research questions: 1) which of the two CMPs offer a more comprehensive and well-defined collection of campus sustainability policies (i.e. ranging from sustainability research and community partnerships to transportation and energy consumption)? and 2) what lessons can the CMP identified in the first research question provide other Canadian higher education institutions with similar institutional and host municipality characteristics looking to implement comprehensive sustainability policies in their CMPs? When comparing the sustainable CMP policies of both institutions, it was found that the University of Guelph held a more comprehensive set of sustainable CMP policies than its counterpart . Although Queen's University's CMP policies exhibited a multitude of sustainability policies and objectives that were also detailed, according to the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System evaluation criteria by the Association for the Advancements of Sustainability in Higher Education, it did not contain a comprehensive set of sustainable policies. This was the focus of the report because of the widely accepted principle that sustainability is holistic and encompasses the three pillars: environment, economics, and equity.


title: Education Without Margins: an Exploration of Six Teachers’ Understandings and Enactment of Equity and Inclusive Education in Diverse Urban Classrooms

contributor:
Cooper, Amanda
Education

subject:
Minoritized Youth
Diverse Urban Classrooms
Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
Equity and Inclusive Education

abstract: Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-21 21:09:34.113

abstract:
Context: According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), approximately 40,000 immigrant students enter into the Canadian public school system each year; of those students, 80% are non-English speaking and 90% will attend schools in Montreal, Toronto, or Vancouver (OECD, 2011). As a result of this level of immigration, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is one of the most richly diverse communities in the world. While visible minorities account for 20.6% of the total Canadian population, 46% of the GTA are visible minorities (Statistics Canada, 2014). Diversity is also increasing in relation to religion, language, and Aboriginal peoples, as well as same-sex marriages (Statistics Canada, 2014).
Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore how in-service teachers’ identities impacts their practice in diverse urban classrooms, as well as to identify what types of professional development and school initiatives, if any, are occurring to address equity issues.
Method: The conceptual framework for this study views equitable reform across the following three levels: the macro/institutional (school structure), micro/personal (teacher identity), and meso/instructional (practices). Six one-hour, semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers who are currently working in diverse urban communities in the GTA. Data were first coded deductively to explore the extent to which the data were consistent with variables arising from the literature and the conceptual framework. Following deductive coding analysis, inductive coding was used to interpret concepts and themes arising from the raw data that were not represented in the conceptual framework.
Results: The findings suggest that, by validating and honouring diverse student identities and experiences, teachers can tackle equity issues in the classroom through culturally responsive practices that place the student at the center of the learning experience. If the goal of equitable reform initiatives is to transform the learning outcomes for minoritized groups, then teachers need to be supported in their endeavours to create transformative learning spaces that engage students in their own learning in authentic ways and also challenge social inequities both inside and outside the classroom.

abstract: M.Ed.


title: Improving Code Search Using Learning-to-Rank and Query Reformulation Techniques

contributor:
Zou, Ying
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject: Code Search

abstract: Thesis (Master, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-23 16:44:28.655

abstract:
During the process of software development, developers often encounter unfamiliar
programming tasks. Online Q&A forums, such as StackOverflow, are one of the
resources that developers can ask for answers to their programming questions. Automatic recommendation of a working code example can be helpful to solve developers’ programming questions. However, existing code search engines support mainly
keyword-based queries, and do not accomodate well natural-language code search
queries. Specifically, natural-language queries contain less technical keywords, i.e.,
class or method names, which negatively affects the success of the code search process
of existing code search engines. On the other hand, a code search engine requires a
ranking schema to place relevant code examples at the top of the result list. However, existing ranking schemas are hand-crafted heuristics where the configurations
are hard to determine, which leads to the difficulty in using them for new languages
or frameworks.
In this paper, we propose the approach which uses query reformulation techniques to improve the search effectiveness of existing code search engines for naturallanguage queries. The approach automatically reformulate natural-language queries
using class-names with semantic relations. We also propose an approach to automatically train a ranking schema for the code example search using the learning-to-rank technique. We evaluate the proposed approaches using a large-scale corpus of code examples. The evaluation results show that our approaches can effectively recommend
semantically related class-names to reformulate natural-language queries, and the improvement on the search effectiveness over existing query reformulation approaches
is statistically significant. The automatically trained ranking schema can effectively
rank code examples, and outperform the existing ranking schemas by 35.65% and
48.42% in terms of normalized discounted cumulative gain (NDCG) and expected
reciprocal rank (ERR), respectively.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: The LEEDing Attraction to the BESt

subject:
sustainable
real estate
environmental
certification
LEED
BOMA BESt
net rents
capital values
office building
green premium

abstract:
In light of growing awareness of the socioeconomic and environmental benefits associated with the design of the built environment, sustainable building construction and assessment methods are becoming increasingly more relevant and important in Canada’s real estate markets.  Investors, developers, contractors and tenants are realizing that the integration of green building practices into their real estate assets can significantly reduce energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and waste streams, and can also yield significant economic returns (Eichholtz et al, 2010; Fuerst, 2009; Kats, 2003; Pivo, 2008).  To understand how green buildings can successfully penetrate the commercial market in Canada, it is important to understand the forces of attraction to these environmentally certified properties.

The present study was conducted to determine if environmental certification had a statistically significant impact on the market value of commercial office buildings in downtown Toronto, Ontario.  Based on a review of the literature, building variables that were expected to have an impact on market value (net rents and capital value), such as total office area and vacancy rate, were compiled for 113 properties, 63 of which had achieved environmental certification through either BOMA BESt or LEED rating systems.  Using a variation on the hedonic price model and in applying ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, the author sought to assess if a relationship existed between environmental certification and net rents and capital values.  Net rental rates and capital values ($/ft2) were extracted from a private IPD database for December 2014 and for 12-quarter averages ranging from December 2011 to December 2014.

The results of this study demonstrate that properties that achieved environmental certification commanded rental rates that were, on average, 32 percent higher than control buildings (P<0.10).  The hedonic regressions on capital value also indicated an elevated green premium (P<0.05) and suggested that environmental certification is more closely correlated with capital value than with rental rates.  While the findings of these models provide limited generalizability to real estate markets beyond Toronto and beyond the current timeframe, they provide motivation for additional research to address how the green premium might be priced in other environments as a function of both location and time.  Furthermore, the results demonstrate that green building practices are strongly valued in Toronto’s current real estate market, and that perhaps there exists a sophisticated future for the development of sustainable and healthy urban landscapes.


title: The development and characterization of a nickel/metal hydride microbattery for microfluidic applications

contributor:
Barz, Dominik P. J.
Chemical Engineering

subject:
Microfabrication
Microbattery
Battery on Glass
Physical Vapor Deposition
Nickel Metal Hydride
Micro Power Supply
Microfluidics
Thin Film Electrode

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-23 10:24:47.341

abstract:
Micro Electro Mechanical Systems as well as Microfluidics are versatile technologies which have been evolved due to the advantage of miniaturization over the last decades. However, the majority of microfluidic devices are still powered by macroscale power supplies. Here, interconnection problems, unwanted electronic interactions (noise), and difficulties in controlling the power delivered are some of the problems which can arise. One possible approach to ease such difficulties is through the use of integrated (embedded) power sources. This thesis is focused on the development and characterization of a nickel/metal hydride microbattery on a glass substrate which can be easily integrated during the regular microfabrication process of the microfluidic device.
Glass or glass-like materials, such as silicon dioxide, are often used as substrates for microfluidic chips. Hence, we pursue a two-dimensional approach in that we fabricate thin films of electroactive materials on glass wafers using microfabrication techniques which are common in semiconductor (electronics) industries. A tailored polymeric layer is placed between the two electrodes to serve as an electrolyte reservoir and electrode separator in a sandwich-like structure which mimics a typical microfluidic chip design.
The microfabricated electrodes are investigated in terms of material characterization and electrochemical performance. In detail, we use x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive spectroscopy, and profilometry to study the materials properties as well as the surface morphologies. Furthermore, cyclic voltammetry, charge-discharge characterization, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are performed to gain insights into the electrochemical performance of the single nickel electrode and of the single metal hydride electrode. This is also accompanied by a mathematical derivation and evaluation of electrolytic and gas sorption models of the metal hydride electrode.
Finally, the performance of the microbattery is investigated using charge-discharge, voltage-current, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements.

abstract: PhD


title: The Effects of Electroconvulsive Therapy or Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Olfactory Sensitivity and Identification in Individuals with Depression

contributor:
Milev, Roumen
Neuroscience Studies

subject:
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Olfaction
Neuroscience
Psychiatry
Depression
Smell
Olfactory
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

abstract: Thesis (Master, Neuroscience Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-23 21:55:03.644

abstract:
Background: Previous research has found links between olfactory deficits and depression. Olfactory ability is restored with successful treatment with antidepressant medication. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) are two effective treatments for depression. It is not known whether these somatic treatments may, similarly to pharmacotherapy, restore olfactory sensitivity and identification ability in individuals with depression.
Objectives: The objective of the present study was to determine whether treatment with ECT or rTMS is associated with improvement in olfactory sensitivity or identification in individuals with depression.
Methods: Six patients receiving ECT and three patients receiving rTMS completed the study. Before beginning treatment and 20-30 days after their first treatment, patients were assessed using the Smell Threshold Test (STT), Smell Identification Test (SIT), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHPS). The control group consisted of nine matched healthy participants.
Results: There was no significant difference between the ECT, rTMS, and control groups for olfactory sensitivity either before or after treatment. At both testing visits, the rTMS group performed significantly worse on olfactory identification compared to control, while the ECT group performed comparably to control. Olfactory identification ability was significantly correlated with HDRS score at baseline but not after treatment. Olfactory performance was not correlated with BDI or SHPS score.
Conclusions: The results of this pilot study suggest that individuals with depression may not have decreased olfactory sensitivity ability compared to healthy controls. However, in those who do exhibit poor olfactory identification, rTMS may be effective in restoring sense of smell. Further research is needed to determine whether olfactory deficits are caused by depressive symptoms, and whether ECT may also restore olfaction in individuals who have olfactory deficits. Determining the links between olfaction and depression may be important for promoting the early diagnosis and treatment of depression, and for improving quality of life and everyday functioning.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: The Surgical Procedure Feedback Rubric for Assessing Resident Performance in the Operating Room: Does it Work?

contributor:
Shulha, Lyn
Education

subject:
Workplace-Based Assessments (WBA)
Rubric
Validity
Intraoperative Assessment
Direct Observation
Surgical Education

abstract: Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-24 22:04:31.729

abstract:
Competency-based training models in surgical education challenge programs to adequately document and assess trainees’ clinical decision-making, problem solving, and procedural skills in the operating room. While a variety of tools for the assessment of procedural skills exist, validated intraoperative assessment tools are scarce. Those that have been validated often employ checklists or numerical rating scales, which are prone to bias and provide limited feedback to residents. The Surgical Procedure Feedback Rubric (SPR) was developed by the Department of Surgery at Queen’s University to document the quality of resident performance during a single, directly observed operative encounter and provide targeted feedback to support learning. It differs from other assessment tools because it defines performance criteria by increasing complexity through the use of behavioural anchors, thus embedding standards of performance in the tool.
This study begins the process of building a validity argument for the SPR. Validity in educational assessment is an evaluation of the appropriateness of inferences made with the use of an assessment tool. Kane and Stobart’s validity frameworks guided this study. The purpose of this study was to examine the inference that the SPR is able to distinguish between the intraoperative performances of different levels of learners.
A 14-month observational study was conducted in the General Surgery, Orthopaedic and Obstetrics and Gynecology training programs. Document analysis of the SPR provided evidence that the SPR was being used as intended. Exploratory factor analysis identified a 3-factor structure of the SPR consisting of Operating Room Preparation, Technical Skills and Intrinsic Competencies. Three-way (PGY x Program x Role) ANOVA confirmed the results of factor analysis, showed the utility of the SPR in discriminating between residents by postgraduate training year (PGY), and provided evidence for partial transferability of the SPR between programs and different roles in surgery. These results contributed to evidence to support scoring, generalizability and extrapolations inferences in the validity argument of the SPR.
In addition to supporting the validity argument for the SPR itself, results of this study provide evidence for the use of rubric-based assessment tools to support competency-based assessment systems in medical education.

abstract: M.Ed.


title: Optimality of Walrand-Varaiya Type Policies and Approximation Results for Zero-Delay Coding of Markov Sources

contributor:
Linder, Tamás
Yüksel, Serdar
Mathematics and Statistics

subject:
zero-delay source coding
quantization
stochastic control
causal coding

abstract: Thesis (Master, Mathematics & Statistics) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-27 15:57:18.667

abstract: Optimal zero-delay coding of a finite state Markov source through quantization is considered. Building on previous literature, the existence and structure of optimal policies are studied using a stochastic control problem formulation. In the literature, the optimality of deterministic Markov coding policies (or Walrand-Varaiya type policies) for infinite horizon problems has been established. This work expands on this result for systems with finite source alphabets, proving the optimality of de- terministic and stationary Markov coding policies for the infinite horizon setup. In addition, the ε-optimality of finite memory quantizers is established and the depen- dence between the memory length and ε is quantified. An algorithm to find the optimal policy for the finite time horizon problem is presented. Numerical results produced using this algorithm are shown.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Family Cohesion and Flexibility in Early Episode Psychosis

contributor:
Bowie, Christopher R.
Psychology

subject: Family Psychosis

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-27 16:02:55.117

abstract: Our understanding of treatment for psychotic disorders has improved considerably over the last 20 years. One area that has received international attention is the importance of early intervention for psychosis. Research suggests that family support promotes recovery and is a key component of any successful early intervention program. However, very little is known about familial interaction patterns in families that are coping with the unexpected onset of a psychotic illness and the factors that help to foster adaptive family functioning during this challenging time. The purpose of this study was to understand the individual, caregiver, and family factors that are associated with healthy and adaptive family functioning in early episode psychosis and to explore differences in family interaction patterns between families with an individual with psychosis and healthy control families. This study employed two methodologies: (1) an online caregiver survey that examined relationships among various caregiver and family system variables such as caregiver appraisals, coping strategies, quality of life, perceived helpfulness of support systems, and family functioning and (2) an experimental laboratory-based study that examined the real time affective states and dynamic flexibility of family interactions in families with an individual with early psychosis and healthy control families. The results of this project indicate that cognitive appraisals about the illness, its consequences, and one’s caregiving role are important predictors of family functioning. Specifically, greater positive caregiver appraisals were associated with better family functioning. Family members of an individual with psychosis reported more family difficulties across dimensions of cohesion and flexibility; however in the laboratory-based observation study, families with an individual with psychosis were equally flexible and diverse in their expression of affect, and had more predictable interactions compared to healthy control families. This is the first study to use state space grids to visually depict family interactions in real time, demonstrating its unique applications both for research and clinical intervention. The findings from this study have important implications for the field of early intervention in psychosis and could inform relevant treatment targets for family-based interventions.

abstract: PhD


title: Using Paleolimnology to Reconstruct Past Environments of Lakes Affected by Direct Anthropogenic Activities

contributor:
Smol, John P.
Biology

subject:
Diatoms
Environmental Change
Paleolimnology

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-28 19:10:25.802

abstract: Although the magnitude of recent anthropogenic environmental change is unprecedented, humans have been leaving measurable footprints on the landscape prior to the era of industrialization. This thesis examines the long-term impacts of human activities on aquatic ecosystem by using limnological and paleolimnological approaches to examine: 1) the long-term impacts of a small oil and gas operation located in the Cameron Hills, Northwest Territories, on local aquatic ecology; and 2) the impacts of a Dorset Palaeoeskimo settlement on a nearby lake at Port au Choix, Newfoundland. In the Cameron Hills, water samples and dated sediment cores were analyzed in order to assess modern-day as well as long-term impacts of oil and gas activities on aquatic ecosystems. Both modern water chemistry and paleolimnological records provided evidence of catchment disturbance and localized acidification in lakes more closely associated with the oil and gas operations. Nonetheless, changes recorded in the sediment record suggested that recent climate warming is the dominant driver of changes in these lakes. At Port au Choix, paleolimnology was used to examine changes in aquatic ecology related to Dorset Palaeosekimo sealskin processing activities and to assess changes in the environment that might have led to the abandonment of the site at ~1180 cal BP. Concurrent elevated periods in sedimentary δ15N and chlorophyll-a concentrations provided evidence of Dorset activities.  In addition, changes in diatom assemblages were suggestive of ecological shifts related to nutrient additions, likely as a result of past seal processing activities. Analysis of nearby reference ponds provided no indication of changes in climate that might have resulted in site abandonment. Collectively, these studies demonstrate how paleolimnology can be used to increase our understanding of the impact of human activities on aquatic ecosystems in a variety of settings.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Migrant Workers and the Canadian Live-In Caregiver Program: the Impact on Multigenerational Family

contributor:
Kobayashi, Audrey
Geography

subject:
Live-In Caregiver Program
Migration

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-28 19:22:41.432

abstract:
Filipino workers migrating overseas have put at risk the traditional model of eldercare in the Philippines. Instead of co-residing with their aging parents or guardians, migrant workers, especially women, choose to work in Canada, typically caring for Canadian children and people in the last stages of their lives. This situation raises the question of who will care for their own parents during their final years. Existing literature addresses the effects of migrant workers leaving behind their children and spouses; however, the ramifications of worker emigration on seniors, the elderly, and the infirm have not been explored to the same extent.
This master’s thesis addresses the gaps in the literature by providing a qualitative examination of the impact of worker migration on traditional Filipino senior care, focusing on Live-In Caregivers in Victoria, BC, Canada. Migrant workers are able to take care for their families through remittances, which in turn pay for education, health care, and an overall higher standard of living. Primary eldercare becomes a responsibility shared by all members of the family who are left behind. Caring for the elderly is thus maintained transnationally through cultural adaptation.

abstract: M.A.


title: Identification and Development of Enzymes Associated With the Sperm Inner Acrosomal Membrane and Their Function During Fertilization

contributor:
Oko, Richard
Anatomy and Cell Biology

rights: Creative Commons - Attribution-Non-commercial-No Derivate Works - CC BY-NC-ND

subject:
Acrosome
Inner Acrosomal Membrane
Fertility
Fertilization
Plasminogen
Plasmin
Reproduction
Matrix Metalloproteinase 2
Zona Pellucida
Sperm
IVF
Cumulus Oophorus
MMP2
Acrosin

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Anatomy & Cell Biology) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-29 10:55:52.479

abstract:
In order for mammalian fertilization to transpire, spermatozoa must transit through the female reproductive tract and penetrate the outer investments of the oocyte: the cumulus oophorus and the zona pellucida.  In order to penetrate the oocyte, spermatozoa must undergo the acrosome reaction.  The acrosome reaction results in the exposure of the inner acrosomal membrane (IAM) and proteins that coat it to the extracellular environment.  After the acrosome reaction, the IAM becomes the leading edge of spermatozoa undergoing progressive movement.  Thus the enzymes which effect lysis of the oocyte investments ought to be located on the IAM.  An objective of this study was to identify and characterize enzymatic activity detected on the IAM and provide evidence that they play a role in fertilization.  This study also describes procedures for fractionating spermatozoa and isolating the IAM and proteins on its intra- and extra-vesicular surfaces, and describes their development during male gametogenesis.  Since the IAM is exposed to the extracellular environment and oviductal milieu after the acrosome reaction, this study also sought to characterize interactions and relationships between factors in the oviductal environment and the enzymes identified on the IAM.
The data presented provide evidence that MMP2 and acrosin are co-localized on the IAM, originate from the Golgi apparatus in gametogenesis, and suggest they cooperate in their function.  Their localization and results of in vitro fertilization suggests they have a function in zona pellucida penetration.  The data also provide evidence that plasminogen, originating from the oviductal epithelium and/or cumulus-oocyte complex, is present in the immediate environment of sperm-egg initial contact and penetration.  Additionally, plasminogen interacts with MMP2 and enhances its enzymatic action on the IAM.  The data also provide evidence that MMP2 has an important function in penetration of the cumulus oophorus.  Holistically, this thesis provides evidence that enzymes on the IAM, originating from the Golgi apparatus in development, have an important function in penetration of the outer investments of the oocyte, and are aided in penetration by plasminogen in the female reproductive tract.

abstract: Chapter 4 is a manuscript that has been submitted for publication, undergoing review.  I would like the thesis to remain restricted until the data presented is accepted for publication.  I would also like the abstract to be restricted until the entire thesis is released.

abstract: PhD


title: Brand Attachment as a Limitation on Customer Prioritization Strategies

contributor:
Dacin, Peter
Management

subject:
Customer Prioritization Strategies
Brand Attachment

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Management) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-29 14:47:42.476

abstract: The marketing literature suggests that the existence of a strong customer attachment to a brand has the potential to bring increased profitability to that brand. While there is certainly the potential for positive benefits, the premise of this thesis is that there is also potential for negative outcomes, including limiting the implementation of other profit seeking strategies (such as customer prioritization strategies) for the brand. I argue that the reason for the expected detrimental effects arises because customers with strong brand attachment often develop a necessity to maintain their perceived brand-self distance, which leads them to constantly assess company actions. When a company’s actions (such as the implementation of customer prioritization strategies) result in a perceived increase in brand-self distance (feeling of being farther away from the brand) for the customer, thereby threatening his/her relationship with the brand, customers with a strong brand attachment are likely to increase their intentions to engage in not only positive behaviours for the brand as previously believed (e.g. repurchase behaviours, paying price premiums etc., Park et.al, 2013), but also neutral and negative behaviours such as retaliatory actions against the brand (by spreading negative word-of-mouth, engaging in problem solving complaining, ending brand relationship etc.) in order to restore or increase their brand-self distance. Contributions and managerial implications are further discussed.

abstract: PhD


title: Evaluating Engineering Career Resources Available Within the Ontario High School System

contributor:
Strong, David S.
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
Education
Career Advising
Engineering
Outreach
Engineering Education
High School

abstract: Thesis (Master, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-07 16:13:21.06

abstract:
Awareness and knowledge of both engineering education programming and the engineering profession is important for students in high school because strategic course choices must be made for students to qualify for university enrolment. Strategic and informed high school course selections must be made so students will graduate with the prerequisites needed for application to a university program. This complexity may be particularly concerning for students who realize late in high school that they wish to pursue an engineering education.

This research aims to provide insight into how Grade 12 students learn about post-secondary programs and career planning, and how students are supported in this learning by teachers and guidance counsellors. The students were surveyed to learn how they use resources to learn about post-secondary programs. Grade 10 Careers teachers, Grade 12 mathematics and science teachers, and guidance counsellors were interviewed on their advising experiences and their knowledge of engineering was explored. A phenomenological qualitative approach encouraged participants to describe their experiences and the meaning they associate to them.

The findings show that student participants found value in the visibility of many universities and programs online, and in their interactions with resources. Teacher and guidance counsellor participants frequently associated students who presented academic strength and interest in mathematics and science, particularly physics, as those who could become engineers. These participants also described conflicting surface knowledge of engineering disciplines. Advising by teachers and guidance counsellors was found to be very focused on getting students to a post-secondary program in which they will likely succeed. While there was little discussion by the teachers and guidance counsellors in advising on the alignment between the post-secondary program and the students’ intended career path, findings from the student survey showed that students do refer to their teachers for career-related information. With the common association of strong mathematics and science student with engineering, low confidence in their engineering knowledge, and academic planning focused advising, there is little assurance that high school students currently have the knowledge needed to make an informed decision selecting an engineering education and career pathway.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: The role of the Fer protein-tyrosine kinase in HER2-positive breast cancer

contributor:
Greer, Peter A.
Pathology and Molecular Medicine

subject:
Breast cancer
Fer kinase

abstract: Thesis (Master, Pathology & Molecular Medicine) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-29 20:20:56.091

abstract: Fer is a member of a distinct subclass of cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine kinases with homology to a family of adaptor proteins that regulate membrane-cytoskeletal remodeling events, including receptor endocytosis. Fer has been found to promote metastasis using shRNA knockdown and mouse engraftment models of lung cancer and triple-negative breast cancer. Interestingly, in a transgenic mouse model of HER2-positive breast cancer, mice targeted with a kinase-inactivating mutation (ferDR/DR) had delayed tumor onset, suggesting an important role for Fer activity in tumorigenesis. ferDR/DR mammary tumor epithelial cells (MTECs) from these tumors were hyper-sensitized to EGF stimulation, and this was linked to increased rates of EGFR internalization. This study identifies a role for Fer kinase activity in suppressing EGFR mitogenic signaling, as well as metastasis. In vitro experiments were conducted to validate that a rescue of Fer kinase activity in ferDR/DR MTECs suppresses EGF internalization. As this was correlated with a suppressive effect on downstream signaling and cell proliferation, this suggests that the native function of Fer is to negatively regulate transduction of EGFR signals. Next, MTECs were examined in vivo to show that Fer disruption impairs metastasis. When cells were examined in vitro, loss of Fer activity was associated with impaired cell migration and increased susceptibility to anoikis, suggesting that Fer contributes to multiple cellular processes during metastasis. Fer was also examined in a structure-function study by rescuing Fer expression in ferDR/DR MTEC cells using a panel of domain-specific mutants. We showed that Fer activity may be self-regulated by F-BAR domain activity and phosphorylation of Tyr402, as targeted mutations in these motifs impaired both Fer auto-phosphorylation and the ability of the kinase to suppress EGF-linked mitogenic signaling. Together, these results suggest that Fer plays a direct role in HER2-positive breast cancer by both promoting metastasis and by buffering signals originating from EGFR.

abstract: Work will be prepared for later publication

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Security Aid: The Development Regime of Surveillance and Social Control

contributor:
Murakami-Wood, David
Sociology

subject: Policing; humanitarian; Canada; globalization; insecurity; development.

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Sociology) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-30 15:11:41.544

abstract: Security aid refers to practices of development that focus on enhancing regimes of surveillance, policing, prisons, border management, and social control in recipients countries of the global South. Similar to traditional aid regimes, security assistance is animated by humanitarian sentiments, yet it also corresponds with a desire of prosperous countries to manage perceived insecurities fomenting in the “underdeveloped” world. My dissertation combines interviews with security experts and a comprehensive use of the Access to Information Act to explore Canadian practices of security aid. I argue that security aid regimes are expressions of humanitarian reason, though these altruistic sentiments are subordinate to two overlapping objectives: 1) the advancement of Canadian strategic interests and 2) the “development” of security agencies in the global South into transversal networks of security directed by norm-makers of the global North. I describe Canada as a norm-supporter within the broader arrangement of globalizing security governance, where Canadian security innovation provides practical and technical contributions to transversal practices of social control set by norm-makers. With a focus on developing tangible and concrete best practices of policing and surveillance, Canada explicitly avoids the responsibilities of global inequalities that correspond with security assistance trends. In contributing to debates on security communities and Canada’s “place” within these formations, I suggest that the transversal security community has two overarching characteristics twinned to its particular set of security aid practices: transnational security cooperation-integration, and morally anchored tropes of global humanitarianism. In the following pages, I argue that “security aid” is a mirroring of these normative imperatives, and explore the practices of the transversal security community through an investigation of Canadian security aid.

abstract: Please restrict this thesis for the 5-year period.

abstract: PhD