identifier: Ke, Meina  (2012) Relationship between the Level of Details and Uncertainty in Design Research.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
There are two main purposes of this thesis. First, it refines existed EBD coding scheme which used to be called formal model of EBD process and develops a three-layer structure of EBD coding scheme. The refined EBD coding scheme is expressed as hierarchical structure. It is composed by three levels. The first level includes collecting, processing and expressing. The second level describes the design process as five basic parts: identifying problems, searching information, generating solutions, expressing solutions and evaluating solutions. The third level is formed by 7 parameters: analyzing problems, identifying conflicts or (new) requirements, searching synthesis knowledge, searching evaluation knowledge, generating solutions, expressing solutions and evaluating solutions.
Second, it focuses on applying this coding scheme in a case study to find out the relationship between the level of details and uncertainties in design research. Through hypothesis test, the conclusion shows that the uncertainty increases when the level of details is deeper under the fixed technique. In this thesis, a designer was assigned to solve a design task, and the whole design process was recorded as a verbal protocol. The subjects apply the EBD coding scheme to define the actions of the design.
This coding scheme has several benefits. First, this coding scheme is a generic and logical. In the study, five subjects were chosen to do the experiments. Via EBD coding scheme, the participants coded all the segmentations of the design process step by step. Second, the refined scheme is apt to understand and convenient for manipulating. The definition of the parameters of the EBD coding scheme is based on the previous researches and sources. No matter the subjects from which kind of background, through short-term trainings and continuous practice, they can operate the scheme easily and smoothly. The result of the protocol data gets a high percentage of agreements from different coders. Third, EBD coding scheme is a dynamic and developing system. The author can add more factors for building more levels. Fourth, encoding design process can further understand the cognitive thinking of a designer. The next object is expected to quantify and improve the design process and to get more perfect and complete design results.
In the study, it not only refines EBD coding scheme, but also applies the scheme in the same design protocol. According to the data analysis, we can get some results. Although the lower level can get a high agreement and low variance, this level cannot grasp adequate information from the design protocol. The higher could get a large amount of information. Nevertheless the percentage of agreement is low, and variance of the third level is high.


identifier: Wieczorek, Andrew S  (2012) Engineering Lactococcus lactis for the scaffold protein-mediated surface display of recombinant enzymes.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

type: Thesis NonPeerReviewed

abstract: Multi-enzyme complexes are responsible for the synthesis of a number of biochemical compounds and the degradation of complex polymers. An example of the latter is the degradation of cellulose by enzyme complexes termed “cellulosomes” which are produced by several bacteria of the class Clostridia. The basic structure of a cellulosome comprises a central scaffold protein, which associates with a multitude of cellulases via cohesin-dockerin interactions. The advent of cellulose utilization as feedstock for producing biofuels has garnered much interest towards designing custom-tailored recombinant cellulosomes and expressing them in microbes of interest. The metabolic diversity among bacteria also make this approach an appealing strategy for bestowing cellulolytic capabilities upon organisms which produce non-biofuel commodity chemicals such as lactic acid, succinic acid, acetone, amino acids, food additives and carotenoids. In addition, the display of recombinant multi-enzyme complexes in bacteria can yield novel insights into the mechanisms and parameters affecting their secretion, assembly and function. The industrially relevant lactic acid bacterium, Lactococcus lactis, is a model organism for the secretion and display of recombinant proteins, and the numerous biological techniques available for its manipulation make this organism particularly appealing for such a task. In this thesis, I present my work describing the incremental steps taken towards the surface display of custom-tailored multi-enzyme complexes on the surface of L. lactis. Chapter 1 describes the proof of concept for this project, including the choice of promoters, secretion signal peptide, and reporter enzymes. It also discusses the major bottlenecks observed based on the organism’s physiology. Chapter 2 describes the engineering of scaffold chimeras with cohesins of different specificity and the display of two enzymes on such scaffolds. I also investigated the catalytic profiles of the resulting complexes when enzymes were simultaneously or sequentially bound to the displayed scaffold. Finally, chapter 3 describes the optimization of the type 2 dockerin-cohesin interaction by the inclusion of the CipA “X” module, as well as the engineering of enzyme complexes with novel architectures by use of secondary “adapter” scaffolds and the subsequent assembly of multi-scaffold complexes. Also investigated is the potential of using a dual-plasmid system for the full in vivo assembly of such complexes without the exogenous addition of components.


identifier: Krishna Murthy Mohan Ram, Sundar Ram  (2012) Estimation of the seismic response of buildings and the effect of different scaling methods for ground motion.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The Seismic design code of Canada is changing rapidly to accommodate the needs of the future generation of buildings for management of earthquake hazard mitigation. In this context the recent advancement in Earthquake Technology and Structural Engineering has emphasized on the need for a better methodology and in-depth investigation into the area of structural performance evaluation in order to ensure that structures designed for the areas of high and moderate seismic hazard to the expected standards and meet the objective of life safety and collapse prevention in a real life scenario. In order to ensure the above performance objectives for a building structure, it is necessary to estimate its capacity with respect to the demand, and the dynamic response corresponding to the design levels of earthquakes. The research carried out here aims to investigate: (i) the earthquake demand and capacity profiles of a set of set of moment frame buildings designed according to the latest version of the National Building Code of Canada, and (ii) the effect of scaling and spectral matching techniques commonly applied to ground motions on the seismic demand parameters determined using the dynamic time history analysis. A set of buildings with steel moment resisting frames of 5, 10, 15, 20 stories in height and located in Vancouver area of Canada have been considered in this study. An extensive review has been conducted to determine the existing methods for performance-based design and the techniques available to selecting and scaling suite of earthquake records to perform a fully non-linear dynamic analysis in time domain. Based on that, a range of scaling techniques including linear scaling techniques, and spectral matching technique have been considered for an ensemble of recorded ground motion time histories. In addition a set of artificially generated spectrum-compatible earthquake records are also considered. The static pushover analysis has been carried out and the corresponding capacity curves have been obtained and interpreted with commonly used performance-based design methods. It is observed that all the methods considered here confirm that the existing design based on the code procedure is adequate and conservative. The pushover curves are also compared to the results obtained from the Time history analysis to determine the performance achievements of the buildings. The interstory drift obtained from the time history analysis using different scaling methods show a uniform and consistent pattern of deformation in low rise to medium rise frames whereas dispersion greater dispersion of the results has been observed in tall buildings. Other response quantities such as the lateral drift, base shear and bending moment show similar patterns. Based on the results from the research it is suggested to use the artificial records if site specific real ground motion records are unavailable. The scope for further research lies in exploring ways to the possibility of new scaling techniques that can control the dispersion in the response more effectively


identifier: Rinaldi, Remo  (2012) Inverted Shell Foundation Performance In Soil.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The use of shells in foundation structures over traditional forms has grown steadily since their inception in the early nineteen-fifties.  Shell foundations outperform conventional flat footings and are reputable performers especially when heavy super–structural loads are to be transmitted to weak bearing soil.  The geotechnical performance of shells in an elastic continuum concerns their bearing capacities and settlement behaviour, whose study has been trailing behind that of their structural performance.  Bringing contact pressures closer to uniformity at the soil–shell structure interface is essential in developing a viable behavioural response under vertically concentric and monotonic loading conditions.  This study encapsulates the development of new shell foundation geometries employing shell inversion under such loading conditions.  Experimental investigation involves validation of the numerical phase in a comparative study following a two–dimensional analysis of shell models using commercially available geotechnical software with finite element analysis.  New inverted triangular footings embedded in sand composed of ultra–high performance iShell Mix concrete using fiber–reinforced polymeric (FRP) microfibers are analyzed.  A parametric analysis examines key sensitivity elements including shell angle and shell thickness in granular soil for both upright shells and their inverted counterpart.  Linearly–elastic behaviour of concrete material is assumed while soil media is modeled under nonlinear elastic perfectly–plastic conditions following the Mohr–Coulomb yield criterion for loose, medium and dense sand states.  Theoretical modeling was developed to generate inverted shell bearing capacity factors to predict ultimate bearing capacities of the shell footings.  Simulation efforts scrutinized reveal comparable performance with bearing capacity increase of 3 – 5% for the inverted shells over upright shell models and notable improvements of 42 – 45% over conventional flat footings.  The developed models investigated represent forefront configurations of superior performance signifying that shells in foundations be highly regarded and fully exploited whenever feasible.

KEYWORDS:   shell, contact pressure, bearing capacity, settlement, finite element analysis


identifier: Ocampo-Gooding, Sonya I.  (2012) The Sheela-na-gig: An Inspirational Figure for Contemporary Irish Art.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: A Sheela-na-gig is an enigmatic, medieval stone carving of a female figure with exposed genitalia. It is exceptional both as a public image of a woman with an exaggerated vulva and because it is often located on a religious building. This thesis explores the connection between the Sheela-na-gig and Irish contemporary art considering theological, feminist and historical themes. The artists Barrie Cooke, Louise Walsh and Eilis O’Connell are reviewed with a focus on their works that were inspired by the Sheela-na-gig. The Killinaboy and Ballyvourney churches are focal points in this thesis because of their connection to the artists and because they have Sheelas that became linked to saints. The theological writings on virtues and vices are present in the early Irish texts of penitentials. These penitentials evolved into devotional rituals based on the Sheela, but were also used as a warning against immoral behaviour in monastic praxis. The thesis takes an interdisciplinary approach to inspiration and the forces that bring together the Sheela, the artists and certain social and theological issues in Ireland. The analysis is supported by interviews and oral histories that were collected as part of the research. In this way, the underlying themes of feminism, sexuality, form, repression, history and nature are revealed as key to understanding how the Sheela has served as an inspirational figure for selected contemporary Irish art.


identifier: Khetia, Vinay  (2013) Fatima as a Motif of Contention and Suffering in Islamic Sources.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The death of the Prophet Muhammad in 10/632 left a vacuum of authority in the early Muslim community. Ever since, Muslims of various sectarian persuasions have produced conflicting versions of the events which took place in the wake of Muhammad’s death and the behaviour of certain prominent personalities.  This dissertation examines the role played by the surviving daughter of the Prophet, Fatima, during this early, tumultuous period. The objective is not to present a ‘historical’ reconstruction of events, but rather to explore how the formative Islamic histories (2nd-4th/8th-10th centuries) and Shiite hadith (2nd-6th/8th-12th centuries) creatively shaped the image of Fatima in her conflict with the first caliph and successor to Muhammad, Abu Bakr, and his allies. For Sunnites, Abu Bakr was a wise leader who aimed to safeguard the unity of the Muslim community even if that entailed Fatima’s dissatisfaction. For Shiites, on the other hand, Abu Bakr and Umar (the second caliph and a key advocate of Abu Bakr’s leadership) were usurpers who marginalized and even viciously assaulted the daughter of the Prophet. In the making of both images, gender is at play. For the Shiites, Abu Bakr and above all Umar betray ideals of maleness by bullying a defenceless woman who is portrayed, somewhat against conventional views of the feminine, as sagacious and strong. The Shiite image of Fatima also draws on the idea of women as emotional to make her into a righteous sufferer and mourner on a cosmic scale. In the Sunnite-leaning histories, on the other hand, Fatima conforms to stereotypes of femininity by exhibiting excessive emotion and irrationality, while Abu Bakr plays the role of a wise, indulgent, paternal male. Western scholars have tended to view Fatima as a marginal figure; but an examination of the early sources shows her image to be key to the development of sectarian views and competing Sunnite and Shiite appraisals of the companions of Muhammad.


identifier: Godil, Sain  (2013) The Impact of Governance Quality in Stock Selection of Professional Investors.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: We study the impact of governance quality as a criterion in the stock selection process of actual portfolio managers. We assess the extent to which portfolio managers’ current holdings are consistent with their governance policy guidelines.  We also examine the extent to which governance quality guidelines impact manager performance relative to country specific benchmarks as well as the MSCI World Index. Companies which get a higher grade based on our new index of governance quality outperform the benchmarks, and are low risk, when compared to a basket of randomly selected companies. Key components of the new governance index include factors reflecting board structure and voting, skills and experience, stock ownership and conflicts of interest and compensation. The two criteria which are statistically significant out of the eleven criteria are director independence and metrics used in rewarding compensation. Respondents do take into account the governance variables they consider essential in their investment decisions, and such variables serve to enhance performance.


identifier: Zhong, Lexuan  (2013) Experimental Evaluation and Modeling of Photocatalytic Oxidation Air Cleaners.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Heterogeneous ultraviolet photocatalytic oxidation (UV-PCO), as a promising advanced oxidation technology, has been suggested as an alternative and energy efficient method to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) through the photocatalytic degradation of indoor air pollutants. However, the complicated PCO reaction mechanisms and unexpected intermediates still need to be further explored in order for this technology to be successfully applied in mechanically ventilated buildings.
Two main objectives of this study include the development of methodologies to evaluate the performance of PCO systems and the development of a reliable mathematical model to fully simulate the performance of these systems.
A pilot four-parallel duct system was set-up to equitably and thoroughly evaluate the performance of UV-PCO air cleaners under the conditions relevant to the actual applications for a wide range of indoor air pollutants. This study investigated the UV-PCO removal efficiency of two types of air filters (fiberglass fibers coated with TiO2 (TiO2/FGFs) and carbon cloth fibers loaded with TiO2 (TiO2/CCFs)) under ultraviolet C (UVC) and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) illumination. A systematic parametric evaluation of the effects of various kinetic parameters, such as types of pollutants, inlet concentration, airflow rate, light intensity, and relative humidity that influence the PCO performance, was conducted. In addition, gas-phase ozonation with a variety of chemical compounds was first examined when ozone was produced by VUV. Moreover, the formation of by-products generated from incomplete conversion was investigated to evaluate its impact on IAQ.
A time-dependent model was proposed for predicting the performance of an in-duct PCO air cleaner under the conditions relevant to the actual applications. A comprehensive model was developed by integrating light scattering model, reaction kinetic model, mass balance as well as optional ozonation model. The UV-PCO model and the UV-PCO ozonation integrated model were validated with experimental results; there was a good agreement between the model prediction and the experiment result. The relative rate-limiting process between physical interactions and photochemical interactions was fully investigated through simulation analysis. Depending on the physical properties of the catalyst, reactor geometries, operation conditions, as well as environmental conditions, the photochemical reaction occurring on the fixed active sites at the catalyst surface is the dominating process for this PCO system.


identifier: Zhang, Yao  (2013) Characterization of AtST4c function in flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
A main interest of our laboratory is to characterize the function of the 17 sulfotransferase-coding genes of Arabidopsis thaliana. The purpose of my project is to elucidate the biochemical and biological functions of AtST4c, a member of the AtST4 subfamily (AtST4a, b and c). AtST4c knockout plants were found to exhibit a photoperiod-independent early flowering phenotype suggesting that AtST4c plays a negative role in flowering induction. In addition, AtST4c knockout plants produced shorter primary roots, a reduced number of lateral roots, slightly smaller rosettes, fewer seeds per silique and finally smaller seeds, suggesting that AtST4c plays a positive role in Arabidopsis growth. Transcript expression studies showed that AtST4c is mainly expressed in roots and is repressed by the cytokinin trans-zeatin suggesting that the positive effect of AtST4c on plant growth is repressed by the cytokinin signaling pathway in Arabidopsis.
In order to further characterize the role of AtST4c in the control of flowering time, the expression of floral integrator genes such as LEAFY, SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CO 1(SOC1) and APETALA 1 was studied in AtST4c mutant plants. Our results show up-regulation of LEAFY and APETALA 1 in the mutant plants suggesting that AtST4c acts upstream of these two important meristem identity genes. However, no changes in SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CO 1(SOC1) expression were observed suggesting that the early flowering phenotype is independent of four of the five pathways that promote flowering in Arabidopsis. Taken together our results suggest that AtST4c participates in the control of flowering time via the aging pathway or by interfering with the repression mediated by the gene TERMINAL FLOWER 1.
To characterize the biochemical function of AtST4c, we compared the sulfated meatbolome of AtST4c knockout mutant plants and wild-type plants using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Using this approach we were able to propose a structure for the substrate of AtST4c.


identifier: Gelfand, Laurie  (2013) Beliefs about control and obsessive compulsive disorder: A multidimensional approach.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Perceived control (PC), or the belief that one possesses control over desired outcomes, is a well-studied concept in psychology due to its associations with indices of well-being and psychopathology. Low PC has been associated with the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders, in part because it has been proposed to affect an individual’s beliefs about his or her ability to control aspects of anxiety-related situations, including emotions, behaviours, objects and events. In the case of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), the importance of control constructs has been well and thoughtfully examined in relation to the controllability of thoughts, but there is a paucity of research examining control-related beliefs in other OCD-relevant domains. This research aimed to clarify the role of PC and its sub-components in OCD. The purpose of Study 1 was to evaluate variables mediating the relationship between PC and OCD symptoms as well as to discern which sub-components of PC predict OCD symptoms. Nonclinical and clinical participants completed a battery of questionnaires that included measures of OCD beliefs and symptoms, as well as scales assessing control-related beliefs, to determine the pathways through which PC and sub-components of control influence OCD beliefs and symptoms. The results demonstrated that the influence of PC over anxiety-related events on OCD symptoms is mediated by OCD-related beliefs including thought-action fusion, and that external locus of control orientations may explain the relationship between low PC and OCD symptoms. Results also demonstrated that low self-esteem is a robust predictor of OC symptoms. In Study 2, an experimental paradigm was used to examine the effects of manipulating specific control beliefs, control-related self-efficacy and predicted controllability, on the persistence of cleaning behaviour. Undergraduate student participants were asked to engage in a cleaning task following manipulations of control-related beliefs to determine the effects of such beliefs on cleaning behaviour. Results demonstrated that overpredictions of controllability contributed to longer cleaning times, and that low control-related self-efficacy beliefs increased participants’ desire to gain control over task outcome. Taken together, these results provide support that control-related beliefs are an important component of OCD phenomenology, and suggest that a multidimensional understanding of low PC, including elements of self- and world-controllability, should be incorporated into contemporary cognitive-behavioural models of OCD.


identifier: Cariseo, Liliana María  (2012) El triunfo del olvido como factor determinante para la imposibilidad del desexilio en el teatro de Roberto Cossa. Hacia un paralelo entre Argentina y España.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The policies of oblivion and amnesty initiated during the Argentinean military dictatorship (1976-1983) and perpetuated by successive democratic governments until 2003, that have much in common with the policies implemented in Spain during the Francoist dictatorship (1939-1975) and the Transition, expunged exiles victims of state terrorism from the collective memory of their people. These same exiles, the families of the victims and various Argentinean intellectuals, fought against such a regime of silence and oblivion. Among them, Argentinean playwright Roberto Cossa presented the issue of exile in Gris de ausencia (1981), Ya nadie recuerda a Frederic Chopin (1982), Lejos de aquí (1993) and Definitivamente, adiós (2003), allowing for a comparison between the Argentinean exile and that of the Spanish Republicans. By connecting the theoretical frameworks of memory and exile, the goal of this thesis is to show that in the same way as in just such a historical context many Argentinean and Spanish exiles were not able to recover their space in their societies because they were excluded from the collective memory (Halbwachs), in the afore-mentioned plays this incapacity is revealed by the characters through the impossibility of desexilio (Benedetti) determined by destiempo (Guillén) and the imperative of loyalty (Shklar/Faber). While these plays try to include the exiles in the collective memory by encouraging debate, paradoxically they present a somewhat forlorn vision in which, in the end, oblivion wins out —a reflection of a society that, in great measure, forgot their past.


identifier: Zhong, Rui  (2013) Credit Risk, Liquidity Risk and Asset Dynamics: Theory and Empirical Evidence.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
In this dissertation, we first generalize Leland (1994b)’s structural model from constant volatility to the state-dependent volatility with constant elasticity (CEV) and obtain the analytical solution for most variables of interest, including first-passage default probability, corporate debt and equity value. After incorporating jumps into asset dynamics, we develop an efficient algorithm to calculate the first passage default probability by adopting a restricted structure of default times and derive numerical solutions for the variables of interest. We find that the extra parameter in the CEV structural model has a significant impact on the optimal capital structure, the debt capacity, the term structure of credit spreads, the duration and convexity of risky debt, the equity volatility, the asset substitution impacts and the cumulative default probabilities.
Further, we incorporate the liquidity risk of the secondary bond market into the structural model with a constant elasticity of variance through the rollover channel and derive the analytical expressions for the variables of interest with an innovative method in Chapter 2. We find that state dependent volatility has noticeable impacts for all the interesting results, including the endogenous default boundary, the optimal leverage and the credit spreads, which depend on the value of the state dependence parameter.
In Chapter III, we compare the empirical performance of the two alternative volatility assumptions that we used in our study within the context of the Leland (1994b) model. Using time series data from both firm and risk level, We document that CEV structural model with the elasticity parameter around -0.67 on average exhibits a superior fitting in the CDS spreads across all the maturities. The relationship between the sign and value of and the firm specific measures of default risk, such as leverage ratios, CDS spreads and current ratios indicates that there is a tendency for   to increase as the risk of the firm decreases, but that the tendency is weak and fluctuates. We also note that the CDPs generated by the CEV structural model can fit the Moody’s observed data much better compared to these with constant asset volatility.
In the last Chapter, we study the market efficiency between the CDS and Loan CDS (LCDS) markets by constructing a CDS and LCDS parity relation under the no arbitrage assumption. We document persistent and significant violations of this relation with the cross sectional data from both markets. We identify time-varying and significant positive arbitrage profits from an artificial default risk-free portfolio that trades in both markets and simultaneously longs an undervalued contract and shorts the corresponding overvalued contract for exactly the same underlying firm, maturity, currency and restructure clauses. We show that the profits cannot be accounted for by trading costs or imperfect data about loan recovery rates in the event of default. Using panel regressions with macroeconomic and firm-level variables, we find that firm-level informational asymmetry and difficulty of loan recovery in case of default are much more important than macroeconomic factors in accounting for the arbitrage profits.


identifier: Le, Thanh Phuc  (2013) A driver-vehicle model for impaired motorists and strategies for planning autonomous vehicles.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Vehicle drivers play an important role in transportation safety and vehicle design. Understanding the driver’s behavior, especially the impaired driver’s behavior, is crucial to improve the vehicle safety. The proposed impaired driver model is based on the optimal preview control and the linear quadratic regulator. Two important parameters that could be counted for in a mathematical model of the driver are the reaction time and the preview time. For the impaired driver model, the value of reaction time is increased while the value of preview time is decreased. The simulation results for the model of the impaired driver and the vehicle produce a larger lateral deviation than the one of a normal driver, as revealed in the experiments conducted by the previous studies. The investigation on vehicle parameters reveals that the changes of parameters may improve the overall performance of the impaired driver-vehicle system. The controller for autonomous vehicles developed from the studies of the driver model may eliminate the negative effect of impaired drivers. The preview capability of driver is introduced to the design of the controller by using the preview control theory. The preview information of the path in terms of the lateral position and the velocity profile enhances the performance of the autonomous vehicle. The neural network is presented as a feasible alternative approach to implement the future path in design of autonomous vehicle controller. The neural network weights the path data and provides the adjustment as the preparation to the vehicle.


identifier: Ma, Chunxiao  (2010) A performance modeling of WiMedia UWB MAC.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The WiMedia Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) specifications include Multi-band Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) physical layer and distributed Medium Access Control (MAC) layer. Physical layer offers a range of coded data rates from 53.3 Mb/s to 480Mb/s. WiMedia MAC consists of Beacon period (BP), Distributed Reservation Protocol (DRP) and Prioritized Contention Access (PCA). DRP allows access to the medium through reservation, while PCA provides access to the bandwidth not utilized by DRP through contention. In this thesis, we present an integrated performance analysis of DRP and PCA schemes which includes the multi-rate transmission at the physical layer. We assume that DRP traffic consists of several classes of calls and we use a call blocking model to determine the performance of DRP scheme in terms of call blocking probabilities and bandwidth utilization of the system. Then we assume PCA traffic with multi-property levels. We determine the throughput and mean total delay for PCA traffic in the presence of DRP traffic under the non-saturation condition. The numerical results show that under heavy traffic throughout of low priority traffic drops and its delay increases sharply.


identifier: MacLeod, Emily  (2013) “Living Next to Living History”: When Official History Meets Vernacular Commemoration in Louisbourg, Nova Scotia.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
ABSTRACT

“Living Next to Living History”:  When Official History Meets Vernacular Commemoration in Louisbourg, Nova Scotia
Emily MacLeod

	Louisbourg, Nova Scotia is a town imbued with a spirit of the past. It was only a mere decade after Louisbourg’s final siege in 1758 that inhabitants had begun to resettle on the fortification’s ruins. Louisbourg was one of the first historic sites to be considered for designation under the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (1919), which resulted in two waves of expropriations, one in 1928 and another in 1962. Due to the initial removal of twelve families in the 20s and fifty-two properties from the extensive 1962 expropriation, there remained a silence in Louisbourg’s official narrative. This thesis examines the importance of both official and vernacular knowledge in (re)creating the Louisbourg narrative – how both sides engage with history and how this contributes to an attachment to place. The decision to create personal archives, genealogies, and festivals suggests that Louisbourg residents are coming to terms with the implications of living near living-history. Ultimately, however, the park exists in the town Louisbourg, but it is not of Louisbourg. The fluidity of history is severed by this disconnect. In order for these two solitudes to mediate the distance between professional and amateur historians, both sides must come together to weave their individual threads into the larger fabric that is Louisbourg’s evolving historical narrative.


identifier: Yan, HaiTao  (2013) Mixed Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Biomass Derived Compounds Used in the Thermal Catalytic Steam Cracking (TCSC) Process for the Production of Light Olefins.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
ABSTRACT

Mixed Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Biomass Derived Compounds Used in the Thermal Catalytic Steam Cracking (TCSC) Process for the Production of Light Olefins

HaiTao Yan

Light olefins and diolefins such as ethylene, propylene, butenes and 1,3-butadiene are considered as the backbone of the petrochemical industry as they are precursors of numerous plastic materials, synthetic fibers, and rubbers. The most prevalent technologies for producing these precursors are steam cracking and fluid catalytic cracking using petroleum-based feedstock like light naphtha and gas oil. However, petroleum based feeds have several problems in terms of limited reserves, environmental pollution and economic and geopolitical problems. Therefore, it is imperative to find an alternative source, which may be able to overcome the limitation of petroleum oil.
In the current work, hydrocarbons-alcohol mixed feeds have been used in the Thermal-Catalytic/Steam-Cracking (TCSC) process for the production of propylene and ethylene. Alcohols like methanol and ethanol can be obtained from biomass, a potential sustainable and renewable source, through gasification and/or fermentation, and they can also be produced from natural gas and coal which are longer lasting fossil fuels than petroleum. The results from on-stream cracking of mixed feedstocks indicated difference in behaviors of ethanol and methanol. While ethanol undergoes predominantly dehydration into ethylene, methanol predominantly intervenes directly on reactions involving hydrocarbons (reactants and their intermediates). Moreover, the addition of methanol to hydrocarbons feedstock significantly increased the product yield of C2-C4 olefins, particularly that of ethylene and propylene. However, there was a maximum limit of efficiency for the methanol content in the mixed feed. Over 25wt% of methanol, the beneficial effect was not as important as expected. In addition, the increasing presence of methanol in the feed significantly accelerated the kinetics of the catalytic cracking. The gradual and significant decrease of the apparent activation energy with increasing methanol concentration in the mixed feed was attributed to the effect of intensive interactions between the hydrocarbons and methanol. These results demonstrated the possibility of partial replacement of petroleum based feedstocks by methanol for the production of propylene and ethylene. In the last part of this work, co-processing biomass derived glycerol with hydrocarbon feedstock over TCSC process was studied. It was found that glycerol as an additive to hydrocarbon feed, can be beneficial till a content of 30 wt%. However, the main concern is the rapid catalyst decay caused by formation of coke. Therefore, there is a need for a more advanced hybrid catalyst having higher hydrogen spillover activity.


identifier: Li, Chunyuan  (2013) Spectral Geometric Methods for Deformable 3D Shape Retrieval.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
As 3D applications ranging from medical imaging to industrial design continue to grow, so does the importance of developing robust 3D shape retrieval systems. A key issue in developing an accurate shape retrieval algorithm is to design an efﬁcient shape descriptor for which an index can be built, and similarity queries can be answered efﬁciently. While the overwhelming majority of prior work on 3D shape
analysis has concentrated primarily on rigid shape retrieval, many real objects such as articulated motions of humans are nonrigid and hence can exhibit a variety of poses and deformations. In this thesis, we present novel spectral geometric methods for analyzing and distinguishing between deformable 3D shapes. First, we comprehensively review recent shape descriptors based on the spectral decomposition of the Laplace-Beltrami operator, which provides a rich set of eigenbases that are invariant to intrinsic isometries. Then we provide a general and ﬂexible framework for the analysis and design of shape signatures from the spectral graph wavelet perspective. In a bid to capture the global and local geometry, we propose a multiresolution shape signature based on a cubic spline wavelet generating kernel. This signature delivers best-in-class shape retrieval performance. Second, we investigate the ambiguity modeling of codebook for the densely distributed low-level shape descriptors. Inspired
by the ability of spatial cues to improve discrimination between shapes, we also propose to adopt the isocontours of the second eigenfunction of the Laplace-Beltrami operator to perform surface partition, which can signiﬁcantly ameliorate the retrieval performance of the time-scaled local descriptors. To further enhance the shape retrieval accuracy, we introduce an intrinsic spatial pyramid matching approach. Extensive experiments are carried out on two 3D shape benchmarks to assess the performance of the proposed spectral geometric approaches in comparison with state-of-the-art methods.


identifier: Wang, Tian  (2013) Experimental investigation of the Al-Mn-Zn system through diffusion couples and key samples coupled with thermodynamic modeling.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Al-Mn-Zn ternary system is experimentally investigated at 400℃ via diffusion couples and key samples experiments. Three new ternary compounds have been found in the current study. Phase relations and homogeneity ranges are determined for binary and ternary phases through EPMA, SEM/EDS and XRD. Compositions of the ternary intermetallic compounds τ1, τ2 and τ3 have been found as Al62Mn16Zn22,Al76Mn13Zn11  and AlxMnyZnz (x=9.5-12.7 at%; y=11-15 at%; z=74.6-77.2 at%). Al4Mn is found to form quasicrystal or stable equilibrium phase in the presence of Zn and depending on the solidification conditions. Binary compounds Al4Mn, Al11Mn4, Al8Mn5 and β-Mn exhibit limited ternary solid solubility. Experimental data on this system from the literature is spare, isothermal section of the Al-Mn-Zn phase diagram at 400℃ is constructed based on the current phase analysis results and experimental data.
DSC analysis approach is also used to investigate this ternary system. Partial vertical sections at 13, 14 and 15 at% Mn have been experimentally investigated and compared with preliminary thermodynamic calculations. Discrepancy is observed due to the absence of the ternary phases in the thermodynamic database. Thus, this ternary system has to be remodeled in the future.


identifier: Mirzaghafour, Faezeh Sadat  (2013) Modular Hub Location Problems.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Modular Hub Location Problems

abstract: Hub location problems deal with the location of a set of hub facilities and the design of the network so as to provide the most cost-effective way to route a set of commodities through the network. In this thesis we present the Modular Hub Location Problem (MHLP). The MHLP differs from classical hub location problems in the way the economies of scale are modeled. The MHLP considers a step-wise cost function to model the flow dependency of transportation costs at the links of the network. We propose four variants of the MHLP: single allocation and multiple allocation versions with the assumption of having direct connections or not for each case. Computational experiments are performed on benchmark instances in order to evaluate the efficiency and limitations of the considered models.


identifier: Jabbari Hagh, Mohammad  (2013) Improving the Bandwidth Efficiency of Multiple Access Channels using Network Coding and Successive Decoding.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
In this thesis, different approaches for improving the bandwidth efficiency of Multiple Access Channels (MAC) have been proposed. Such improvements can be achieved with methods that use network coding, or with methods that implement successive decoding. Both of these two methods have been discussed here.
Under the first method, two novel schemes for using network coding in cooperative networks have been proposed. In the first scheme, network coding generates some redundancy in addition to the redundancy that is generated by the channel code. These redundancies are used in an iterative decoding system at the destination. In the second scheme, the output of the channel encoder in each source node is shortened and transmitted. The relay, by use of the network code, sends a compressed version of the parts missing from the original transmission. This facilitates the decoding procedure at the destination. Simulation based optimizations have been developed. The results indicate that in the case of sources with non-identical power levels, both scenarios outperform the non-relay case.
The second method, involves a scheme to increase the channel capacity of an existing channel. This increase is made possible by the introduction of a new Raptor coded interfering channel to an existing channel. Through successive decoding at the destination, the data of both main and interfering sources is decoded.
We will demonstrate that when some power difference exists, there is a tradeoff between achieved rate and power efficiency. We will also find the optimum power allocation scenario for this tradeoff. Ultimately we propose a power adaptation scheme that allocates the optimal power to the interfering channel based on an estimation of the main channel's condition.
Finally, we generalize our work to allow the possibility of decoding either the secondary source data or the main source data first. We will investigate the performance and delay for each decoding scheme. Since the channels are non-orthogonal, it is possible that for some power allocation scenarios, constellation points get erased. To address this problem we use constellation rotation. The constellation map of the secondary source is rotated to increase the average distance between the points in the constellation (resulting from the superposition of the main and interfering sources constellation.) We will also determine the optimum constellation rotation angle for the interfering source analytically and confirm it with simulations.


identifier: Ahmed, Tanbir  (2013) Some Results in Extremal Combinatorics.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

title: Some Results in Extremal Combinatorics

abstract:
Extremal Combinatorics is one of the central and heavily contributed areas in discrete mathematics,
and has seen an outstanding growth during the last few decades. In general, it deals
with problems regarding determination and/or estimation of the maximum or the minimum size
of a combinatorial structure that satisfies a certain combinatorial property. Problems in Extremal
Combinatorics are often related to theoretical computer science, number theory, geometry, and information
theory. In this thesis, we work on some well-known problems (and on their variants) in
Extremal Combinatorics concerning the set of integers as the combinatorial structure.

The van der Waerden number w(k;t_0,t_1,...,t_{k-1}) is the smallest positive
integer n such that every k-colouring of 1, 2, . . . , n contains a monochromatic
arithmetic progression of length t_j for some colour j in {0,1,...,k-1}. We have
determined five new exact values with k=2 and conjectured several van der Waerden numbers
of the form w(2;s,t), based on which we have formulated a polynomial
upper-bound-conjecture of w(2; s, t) with fixed s. We have provided an efficient SAT
encoding for van der Waerden numbers with k>=3 and computed three new van der Waerden
numbers using that encoding. We have also devised an efficient problem-specific
backtracking algorithm and computed twenty-five new van der Waerden numbers with k>=3
using that algorithm.

We have proven some counting properties of arithmetic progressions and some unimodality
properties of sequences regarding arithmetic progressions. We have generalized Szekeres’
conjecture on the size of the largest sub-sequence of 1, 2, . . . , n without an
arithmetic progression of length k for specific k and n; and provided a construction for
the lower bound corresponding to the generalized conjecture.

A Strict Schur number S(h,k) is the smallest positive integer n such that every
2-colouring of 1,2,...,n has either a blue solution to x_1 +x_2 +···+x_{h-1} = x_h
where x_1 < x_2 < ··· < x_h, or a red solution to x_1+x_2+···+x_{k-1} =x_k where
x_1 <x_2 <···<x_k. We have proven the exact formula for S(3, k).


identifier: Kateb, Reem  (2013) On The Assessment of Communities of Web Services.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The notion of community of web services has been recently proposed and investigated to gather functionally similar web services in the same virtual space. This allows
increasing the visibility of web services and their collaboration, which makes their discovery and composition easier. Using the community infrastructure, users are supposed
to direct their requests to the community's manager (called master), that is in charge of
selecting the appropriate web service. Because many communities providing the same
functionality are available, selecting the best community to deal with, from the users
and providers perspectives, is a key factor that still needs to be investigated. Another
particularly challenging issue yet to be addressed is the selection by the master of the
appropriate web service to be hosted in the community. Reputation has been proposed
as a means to help users, providers, and masters evaluate and rank different candidates.
However, reputation is mainly based on users feedback, which is not always accurate.
Moreover, other performance parameters should be considered in the selection game.
In this thesis, we propose a new assessment process that focuses on various performance aspects of the community rather than just its reputation. This assessment
considers the performance parameters from the users, providers, and masters perspectives. In this approach, the communities performance rate is mainly based on the web
services hosted by those communities. Such an assessment approach helps the master of
the community differentiate between web services so that only the appropriate ones can
be invited or accepted to join based on the communities requirements. It also helps the
users and providers select the best available communities.
The proposed method works on three steps. The first step focuses on defining and
iv
computing the evaluation metrics used in the assessment process while considering the
requirements of all the stakeholders, namely users, providers, and communities. Thus,
each community or web service is described by a vector of metrics. The second step
includes the clustering of the evaluated communities and web services using the resulted
vectors from the first step. During the third step, the resulting clusters are ranked using
a function called goodness function. Web services and communities belonging to the
best cluster are then selected. The effectiveness of the proposed assessment approach is
tested by simulation and comparison to two other approaches in the literature.


identifier: Zhang, Biao Fei  (2013) Photoswitching of Bis-Spiropyran Using Upconversion Luminescent Tm3+/Yb3+-Co-Doped Lithium Yttrium Fluoride Nanoparticles.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
This thesis presents the synthesis and optical studies of a photoswitching model system, which consists of the lanthanide-doped upconversion luminescent nanoparticles (UCNPs) and photochromic bis-spiropyrans (BSPs).
The thermal decomposition synthetic strategy was employed to prepare monodisperse upconversion luminescent LiYF4 (Y3+ 74.5 mol %, Tm3+ 0.5 mol %, and Yb3+ 25 mol %) nanoparticles (UCNPs), using the optimized conditions established; a reaction temperature of 315 ºC, reaction time of 90 minutes, and an injection rate of 1.5 mL/min for precursor addition. The as-prepared UCNPs were fully characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), Fournier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and upconversion (UC) fluorescence emission spectroscopy.
Following a ligand exchange process, bis-spiropyran (BSP) was grafted on the surface of the UCNPs by replacing the oleate molecules. The BSP-UCNPs construct was investigated and we demonstrated the photoswitching of bis-spiropyran in this new system. Photoswitching occurs via fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from the UCNPs to bis-spiropyran.
We also explored the energy transfer efficiency between the UCNPs and ring-closed bis-spiropyran molecule and carried out a kinetic study of the photoswitching from ring-closed colorless bis-spiropyran to ring-open colored bis-merocyanine, as well as the photodegradation of the bis-spiropyran functionalized UCNPs.
Taking advantage of the high penetration depth, reduced photodamage, and minimal autofluorescence of the NIR light excitation, this model system could be useful in biological applications related to photoswitching of photochromic compounds which requires UV irradiation to achieve the photochromic transformation.


identifier: Basanta, Adam  (2013) Compositional Strategies in Light and Sound Installations.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
This thesis explores various compositional strategies in light and sound installations using luminosonic objects: objects which appear to emit both sound and light. Contrary to accounts of media installations which are analyzed from a visual art perspective, in this research, audiovisual installations are analyzed through the application and adaptation of musical concepts and language to the installation context. In particular, selected audiovisual installations are analyzed with respect to the constitution,
or compositional dynamics, of audiovisual materials. This analysis results in a typology of audiovisual relations, represented within a three-dimensional compositional state-space.
Furthermore, the production of audiovisual, spatio-temporal compositional structures within the installation context is investigated in relation to the embodied, mobile spectator. The elucidation of audiovisual materials and spatio-temporal structures is illustrated through analysis of selected works, as well as through original artistic output. Finally, several implications of this interdisciplinary research are suggested in relation to the fields of audiovisual installation and contemporary music composition.


identifier: Gray, Queenie Z.  (2013) Interpreting Impacts of Exotic Trout Populations on Mountain Lakes in the Era of Ecological Restoration.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Stocking exotic trout species in high mountain lakes was a common practice in Rocky Mountain Lakes in the 20th century. Currently, restoration action to remove trout populations favours the conservation of native food webs. Meanwhile, little is known about the self-sustaining trout populations, particularly in our study area. We assessed impacts of stocking trout on naturally fishless foodwebs of mountain lakes. Results were applied to management goals in Waterton Lakes National Park. A comparison of mean abundances of zooplankton in fish and fishless lakes revealed differences in less than half the taxa encountered. Principle component analysis did not show an association between zooplankton community structure and fish presence. Paleolimnological analyses suggested an increase in relative abundance of large-bodied cladocerans, but statistical power was low. The results show the importance of identifying explicit restoration objectives because impacts may not be compelling. If restoration by trout eradication is pursued, demographic characteristics can aid in selecting which populations are more easily depleted by gillnetting. We used generalized linear models to examine four population characteristics associated with population decline: 1) catch per unit effort (CPUE), 2) proportion of females, 3) proportion of mature individuals and 4) length of mature individuals. There were significant differences between populations in CPUE and length at maturity, but not on the proportion of females or mature individuals. We thus incorporated the former characteristics into a basic assessment system and ranked the 11 salmonid populations by their susceptibility to eradication. We presented a simple yet meaningful step in facilitating management actions commonly constrained by a lack of biological knowledge.


identifier: Dubois, Marie-Eve  (2012) Depressed Affect in Early Adolescence: An Examination of the Role of Gender, Co-Rumination, and Excessive Reassurance Seeking.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Coyne’s (1976) Interpersonal Theory of Depression highlighted the idea that mildly dysphoric individuals exhibit behaviours which further increase their risk of becoming depressed. Keeping Coyne’s framework in mind, the three studies presented in this dissertation were designed to better understand the role of co-rumination and excessive reassurance seeking in the development of gender differences in depressed affect which are observed starting in adolescence (Wichstrom, 1999). These studies were done with a sample of 270 early adolescents who were assessed at five time points across a school year, although data from only the last two time points were used for this particular project. The goal of the first study was to examine the validity and reliability of newly developed peer-nomination items for the measurement of excessive reassurance seeking and co-rumination, to be used in the other two studies. While the two measures were found to be highly related, model fit indices were significantly better when both measures were kept separate. The aim of the second study was to examine the moderating role of excessive reassurance seeking and co-rumination on the longitudinal association between anxiety and depressed affect. Only excessive reassurance seeking was found to moderate that association, and it was found that when combined with high levels of anxiety, depressed affect was found to be higher 6 weeks later. Excessive reassurance seeking on its own, however, was found to predict lower levels of depressed affect. No significant results were found in terms of co-rumination. The aim of the third and last paper was to examine how co-rumination and excessive reassurance seeking moderated the association between depressed affect and both isolation and victimization. It was found that co-rumination moderated the association between depressed affect at T4 and later victimization and isolation. Excessive reassurance seeking, on the other hand, only moderated the association between depressed affect and victimization. Together, this series of studies illustrates the important role of co-rumination and excessive reassurance seeking in the depression cycle.


identifier: Désilets, Hubert  (2013) Community structure of Diplostomum spp. (Digenea: Diplostomidae) in fish lenses.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Numerous evolutionary and ecological factors can influence parasite community composition and structure in fish. Time of sampling, host phylogeny, length, age, sex, and interspecific associations among parasite species are among them. I assessed the impact of these factors in larval diplostomid infracommunities (i.e., the assemblage of all the individuals of all parasite species in an individual host at a particular time) composed of four different Diplostomum species. I used the barcode region of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I to distinguish species of Diplostomum in 1065 metacercariae from the lenses of 828 fish distributed in 20 different host species collected in 2006, 2010 and 2011. Negative associations among Diplostomum species were found and the strength of these associations was a function of parasite abundance. These results suggest competitive interactions among nearly all Diplostomum species encountered. Inter-annual variation in Diplostomum infracommunities was far greater than inter-seasonal variation. The differences in infracommunity composition and structure could not be explained by host phylogeny. Host length and age, but not sex, had significant effects on Diplostomum infracommunity structure. However, a significant amount of variance in the system could not be explained, indicating the potential importance of other factors such as resistance or exposure in determining infracommunity structure. My work provided insights on factors affecting natural and potentially interactive larval trematode communities in fish.


identifier: Lamothe, Erle W.  (2013) International Nongovernmental Organizations, Populations, Structures: The Road to Collective Action on Emerging Issues?  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Constraints and opportunities provided by social networks of international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have recently become a focal point among international relations scholars under the heading network governance. This research adds to the understanding of how characteristics of NGO populations constrain and enable engagement on emerging issues by theorizing a connection between the dynamics of populations, hierarchical networks structures, issue emergence, and collective action. A mixed method approach combines statistical network analysis with process tracing case studies of networks within environmental and social advocacy fields at the international level in the European Union. Findings suggest that while characteristics of NGO populations do explain how networks become hierarchically structured, the structures themselves do not directly affect issue emergence. Further, the relationship between issue emergence and collective action is shown to not always be linear as academics have assumed, rather sometimes inverted or circular in nature, providing fertile ground for future research.


identifier: Poon, Tina  (2013) It Smells Crowded: An Experimental Investigation of Olfactory Influence on Spatial Perception.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Smell is arguably the most impactful of the 5 senses since scent has close ties with emotion and memory. As a result many retailers infuse their stores with scents to alter a consumer’s impression of the environment. However, to date very little research has investigated whether scent can alter an individual’s perception of crowdedness. Spatial crowding is a huge issue for many stores because a crowded environment can induce anxiety and negative emotions in consumers. Thus, the present study examines whether scent can be used to impact a consumer’s perception of spatial crowding, and whether scent and crowdedness interact to influence anxiety levels. Furthermore, the present study examines whether scent influences the spatial size of objects.

This theory was tested in an experimental research study where 120 participants were asked to judge the volume of six containers and the size of room they were in. Participants were randomly placed in the no scent, spacious scent, or intimate scent condition. The test room was either crowded or not crowded.  The results show that participants in the crowded condition, versus the not crowded condition, perceived the room as smaller and had lower room evaluations. In addition, participants in the crowded condition had higher levels of anxiety, however an intimate scent enhanced anxiety while a spacious scent reduced anxiety for those in the crowded room. In conclusion, managers should consider using scents in a crowded environment to reduce anxiety levels, but managers should be cautious to use an appropriate scent.


identifier: Khosroshahy, Masood  (2013) Analytical Lifecycle Modeling and Threat Analysis of Botnets.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Botnet, which is an overlay network of compromised computers built by cybercriminals known as botmasters, is the new phenomenon that has caused deep concerns to the security professionals responsible for governmental, academic, and private sector networks. Botmasters use a plethora of methods to infect network-accessible devices (nodes). The initial malware residing on these nodes then either connects to a central Command & Control (C&C) server or joins a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) botnet. At this point, the nodes can receive the commands of the botmaster and proceed to engage in illicit activities such as Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks and massive e-mail spam campaigns.

Being able to reliably estimate the size of a botnet is an important task which allows the adequate deployment of mitigation strategies against the botnet. In this thesis, we develop analytical models that capture the botnet expansion and size evolution behaviors in sufficient details so as to accomplish this crucial estimation/analysis task. We develop four Continuous-Time Markov Chain (CTMC) botnet models: the first two, SComI and SComF, allow the prediction of initial unhindered botnet expansion in the case of infinite and finite population sizes, respectively. The third model, the SIC model, is a botnet lifecycle model which accounts for all important node stages and allows botnet size estimates as well as evaluation of botnet mitigation strategies such as disinfections of nodes and attacks on botnet's C&C mechanism. Finally, the fourth model, the SIC-P2P model, is an extension of the SIC model suitable for P2P botnets, allowing fine-grained analysis of mitigation strategies such as index poisoning and sybil attack.

As the convergence of Internet and traditional telecommunication services is underway, the threat of botnets is looming over essential basic communication services. As the last contribution presented in this thesis, we analyze the threat of botnets in the 4G cellular wireless networks. We identify the vulnerability of the air interface, i.e. the Long Term Evolution (LTE), which allows a successful botnet-launched DDoS attack against it. Through simulation using an LTE simulator, we determine the number of botnet nodes per cell that can significantly degrade the service availability of such cellular networks.


identifier: Faal, Farshid ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2555-3221 <https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2555-3221>  (2013) Fault Detection, Isolation and Identification of Formation Flying Satellites using Wavelet-Entropy and Neural Networks.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The main objective of this thesis is to develop a fault detection, isolation and identification (FDII) scheme based on Wavelet Entropy (WE) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) for reaction wheels (RW) that are employed as actuators in the attitude control subsystem (ACS) of a satellites to perform the formation flying (FF) missions.
In this thesis two FDII approaches are proposed, i) Spacecraft-level fault diagnosis and ii) Formation-level fault diagnosis.

In the "spacecraft-level" fault diagnosis scheme in order to analysis faults, absolute attitude and angular measurements from a satellite are considered as diagnostic signals. In order to detect the fault, the wavelet-entropy technique is employed on diagnostic signals and the sum of the absolute wavelet entropies (SAWE) of the diagnostic signals are obtained and compared with an appropriately selected threshold. If the SAWE passes the threshold the faulty condition is established. In order to isolate the fault in a satellite the angular velocity measurements in a satellite are considered as diagnostic signals and the relative wavelet energy (RWE) of these signals are obtained and compared to a threshold. In our proposed fault identification scheme, the attitude measurements in a satellite are considered and the detail and approximation coefficients of the wavelet signals are obtained and these coefficients are used as inputs to an artificial neural network to identify the type of the fault in a satellite.
Using a confusion matrix evaluation system we demonstrate that our spacecraft-level FDII can detect, isolate and identify the high severity faults in a satellite however this scheme cannot detect low severity faults in a satellite.

Our proposed "formation-level" FDII scheme utilizes data collected from the relative attitudes and relative angular velocity measurements of the formation flying satellites. In this fault diagnosis scheme, the relative attitude and relative angular velocity measurements in a satellite with respect to each its neighbor's in a formation are considered as diagnostic signals. In order to detect the fault, the relative attitude measurements in a satellite are considered as diagnostic signals. The wavelet-entropy technique is utilized on diagnostic signals and the SAWEs with respect to each satellite's neighbor are obtained. These SAWEs are then compared with an appropriately selected threshold. The faulty satellite is determined if these SAWEs pass the thresholds. In order to isolate the fault in a faulty satellite, the relative angular velocity measurements are considered as diagnostic signals. The RWE of these signals are obtained and compared to a threshold. In our proposed fault identification scheme, the relative attitude measurements in a satellite are considered as diagnostic signals. In this scheme, the RWEs of the diagnostic signals are obtained and used as inputs to an artificial neural network to identify the type of the fault in a satellite.
According to the simulation results, our proposed FDII scheme can detect, isolate and identified both low severity and high severity faults in the reaction wheels of satellite.


identifier: Gutberg, Jennifer  (2013) An In-depth Analysis of Autonomous Motivation: The Role of Social Media in Gaining Millennial's Support for Charitable Causes.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The purpose of the present study is to expand upon the tenets of Self-Determination Theory within a context of social media (SM). Specifically, we are assessing the impact of dimensions of autonomous motivation on Millennials’ support for charitable causes, in the social media domain.
It has been said that ‘Millennials’ (those born after 1980) will be the most influential generation since the Baby Boomers. They are socially aware and civic-minded and engaged in helping societal causes. Furthermore, the relationship the Millennial shares with arguably the most influential form of modern technology, social media, is truly groundbreaking. Social media has proven itself to be a powerful tool, not only for businesses, but also for society as a whole.
The total sample consisted of 592 participants from two separate studies: Study 1 (CURE Foundation Denim Night Party in support of breast cancer awareness) and Study 2 (Dans la rue/Five Days for the Homeless charity to raise awareness for youth homelessness). Results indicated that integrated extrinsic motivation significantly predicted online-, cause-, and event-related behaviour intentions, while intrinsic motivation to know and experience stimulation significantly predicted all three behaviour intentions. Both the
managerial and theoretical implications of this study are addressed herein, as well as future research avenues.


identifier: El Boubakri, Abderrahmane  (2013) Analysis of the Performance of Droop Controlled Inverters in Various Conditions.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
DC-AC Converters (inverters) are frequently employed as interfaces of distributed power sources and energy storage units to ac distribution grids. The approach of operating them as a voltage source with droop based control loops and using locally measured quantities offers an effective way to control the amount of active and reactive power they provide/absorb. In this way, fluctuating renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic (PV) and wind, can help with power balancing, while grid forming units can better share load variations without dedicated communication channels.  Besides, it can allow a smooth transition of a micro-grid from the grid-tie to the autonomous mode in case of a grid fault. However, the dynamic response and steady state operation of a system with droop controlled inverters depends quite a bit on systems parameters, such as feeder impedances, as well as on the droop characteristics of the other units, what is not usually known.
This work focuses on the analysis of the performance of droop controlled inverters operating in various conditions. First, a 10 kVA three-phase inverter with a dq (vector) voltage control loop and active power (P) vs. frequency (f) and reactive power (Q) vs. grid voltage magnitude (V) droop characteristics is designed. Then, its behavior when operating connected to a stiff grid is investigated. Time domain simulations with SIMULINK and the technique of root locus, for which a small signal model is derived, are used to observe how the droop factors, frequency of the low pass filters used in the power measurements and feeder impedance affect the dynamic response. Next, the operation of two grid forming inverters in an autonomous micro-grid is considered. Again, the performance of the system is investigated with time domain simulations and root locus. The need for a virtual impedance loop as a means for allowing large droop factors to be used along with feeders with small inductances is observed and the effectiveness of this technique is demonstrated. The adverse impact of the conventional virtual impedance loop on the load voltage regulation is observed and an alternative implementation that minimizes this problem is proposed and its effectiveness is demonstrated. Finally, an autonomous micro-grid consisting of an inverter and a diesel engine generator set (genset) is studied. Time domain simulations are used to show that when the speed of response, in terms of power, of two grid forming units is very different, the smallest one can be overloaded. An approach for slowing down the fastest unit is proposed to minimize this issue.


identifier: Moeini, Golbarg  (2013) En-Route Flight Planning: A Mathematical Modeling Approach for Operating Cost Minimization, Dynamic Speed Control and Mid-air Collision Avoidance.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The presented study discusses the Air Traffic Flow Management Problem by introducing alternative routing options for aircrafts in a constrained airspace. This work aims to minimize the total cost while all safety constraints such as mid-air collision avoidance and separation distance between aircrafts are respected. In this regard, a mixed integer programming (MIP) model has been developed by using a non-time indexed modeling strategy that benefits from a 3-dimensional (3D) network. The model provides the flight-route with a list of consecutive nodes to be visited by an aircraft and calculations on speed changes, and exact arrival and departure times on each travelling arc. Therefore, the separation distance between aircrafts on the network will be guaranteed despite of high travelling speeds over the arcs to avoid mid-air collisions. Designed for a single airport arrival and departure instances, the NP-hard nature of the MIP model does not prevent large problems to be solved on a personal computer using CPLEX, but also provides real-time decision making possible through performing an iterative solution. To conclude the results for various air traffic capacities and verify mid-air collision avoidance, a simulation model has been developed using ARENA simulation software by Rockwell.


identifier: Seyedahmady Zavieh, Seyed Mohamad Amin  (2013) Pseudo Euler-Lagrange and Piecewise Affine Control Applied to Surge and Stall in Axial Compressors.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis addresses the control of the axial compressor surge and stall phenomena using Pseudo Euler-Lagrange and Piecewise Affine (PWA) controller synthesis techniques. These phenomena are considered as major gas turbine compressor instabilities that may result in failures such as the engine flame-out or severe mechanical damages caused by high blade vibration. The common approach towards the detection of the rotating stall and  surge is to install various types of pressure sensors, hot wires and velocity probes. The inception of the rotating stall and surge is recognized by the presence of pressure fluctuation and velocity disturbances in the gas stream that are obtained through sensors. The necessary measure is then taken by applying proper stall and surge stabilizing control actions. The Lyapunov stability of pseudo Euler-Lagrange systems in the literature is extended to include additional nonlinear terms. Although Lyapunov stability theory is considered as the cornerstone of analysis of nonlinear systems, the generalization of this energy-based method poses a drawback that makes obtaining a Lyapunov function a difficult task. Therefore, proposing a method for generating a Lyapunov function for the control synthesis problem of a class of nonlinear systems is of potential importance. A systematic Lyapunov-based controller synthesis technique for a class of second order systems is addressed in this thesis. It is shown, in terms of stability characteristics, that the proposed technique provides a more robust solution to the compressor surge suppression problem as compared to the feedback linearization and the backstepping methods. The second contribution is a proposed new PWA approximation algorithm. Such an approximation is very important in reducing the complexity of nonlinear systems models while keeping the global validity of the models. The proposed method builds upon previous work on piecewise affine (PWA) approximation methods, which can be used to approximate continuous functions of n-variables by a PWA function. Having computed the PWA model of the stall and surge equations, the suppression problem is then solved by using PWA synthesis techniques. The proposed solution is shown to have higher damping characteristics as compared to the backstepping nonlinear method.


identifier: Plunkett, Matthew  (2013) Understanding the Unforgivable Sin: A Study of Mark 3:20-35.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The unforgivable sin—blasphemy against the Holy Spirit—is the subject of debate, curiosity, and even fear for many. Many scholars and theologians have tackled the subject, yet there is no definite interpretation shared by a majority. This thesis focuses on Mark 3:20-35 in an attempt to gain the best possible understanding of the ambiguous sin in question. While several methodologies are used to varying degrees, this thesis focuses on the biblical passage from a narrative-critical perspective. With all aspects of the story being taken into consideration, a few important conclusions are drawn. First and foremost, the unforgivable sin can be defined as intentionally sabotaging the work of God by calling it Satanic. Secondly, while Jesus mentions such a sin because of the scribes from Jerusalem, one cannot conclude that they are guilty of the sin; Jesus’ words may have been a warning. Thirdly, Jesus’ family is clearly depicted as an opponent of Jesus. Finally, if indeed the scribes are in danger of committing an unpardonable sin, so are Jesus’ mother, brothers, and sisters, since their actions are similar to those of the scribes. The importance of such conclusions is significant is both academic and religious circles.


identifier: Nikbakht, Hamid  (2012) The Evolutionary Ebb and Flow of Genomic Nucleotide Content.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Nucleotide content is one of the most obvious and most easily quantifiable features of a genome. Consequently, all reports of new genome sequences include a report on the nucleotide content, i.e., the frequencies of each of the four nucleotide bases in the genome sequence. Despite the ease with which nucleotide content can be measured, however, it has proved to be much more complicated to explain the evolution of the genomic nucleotide content. A number of different explanations have been proposed. These include the effects of biased mutational patterns (i.e. neutralist models) such as biased DNA repair during recombination, as well as the effect of natural selection on shaping the genomic nucleotide content (i.e. selectionist models). A well known example for the latter group of theories is the effect of temperature in selecting for higher GC content to enhance the thermostability of the DNA. However, many of these theories do not address the problem of variations in nucleotide content between different regions of a single genome, i.e., intragenomic compositional heterogeneity. In this study, I investigate the evolutionary behaviour of the genomic nucleotide content in a group of model organisms and show that the current state of the nucleotide content of a genome by itself cannot always explain the entire evolutionary history of that genome and, in fact, the sequence of events happening to a genome regarding its nucleotide content can be much more complicated than how it looks. For example I show that having an unbiased content doesn’t necessary mean a stationary nucleotide substitution model in an organism. In this study I show that the bias in nucleotide content of a genome can change its direction several times and this going back and forth can actually happen very fast; fast enough to trace the results of this ebb and flow within the same genus. I present an example of this evolutionary ebb and flow of genomic nucleotide content within genus Plasmodium. I also discuss that these exceptional behaviours of the nucleotide contents of the genomes can, indeed, affect other features of living organisms such as the substitution rates between different nucleotides as well as their protein content, and consequently they can interfere with phylogenetic studies. In order to explain the heterogeneities within a single genome, I investigate the relationship between gene length and the degree of nucleotide bias, and find that these two parameters show a significant negative correlation. This lead me to propose a mechanism that can explain heterogeneity in the nucleotide content of the genome, without having to invoke variations in mutational patterns between different parts of the same genome. My proposed model resembles Charlesworth’s “Background Selection” model. My findings shed light on the importance of the evolutionary behaviour of the genomic nucleotide content to be considered in studying different features of an organism as well as studying the evolutionary relationship between the organism of our interest and other related species.


identifier: Thirukkumaran, Meneka Rosanna  (2013) Teaching art to students diagnosed with ADHD: An analysis of teacher strategies.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Teaching art to students diagnosed with ADHD: An analysis of teacher strategies
By: Meneka Rosanna Thirukkumaran

This research project identified a gap in the current body of literature on ADHD in classrooms.  Although many strategies were presented, there was a lack of research specifically in the area of art education.  For this reason, my study aimed to determine strategies that were being used with success by art teachers.  To investigate this topic, surveys were sent to art teachers and a sample of participants was also interviewed.  The main finding of this study was that participants seemed to teach from a student-centered perspective; teachers used strategies that made students accountable for their own learning and behaviour.  Student-centered teaching and learning involved being flexible with behavioural and curricular expectations, spending time with individual students, and engaging students through community (both in the school and in public).    The results of this research had implications for school policies and procedures, as well as for pre-service teacher education.  Although IPPs/IEPs are currently the main procedural tool for students with ADHD, teachers seemed to have more success by getting to know them on a more personal level.  As well, teachers indicated that students with ADHD were often more successful in art than in their core classes, which suggested that methods being used by art teachers could be adapted for other subjects.  According to this study, art teachers seemed to have a higher concentration of coded students than representations in literature; they had also developed subject-specific strategies for dealing with behavioural and academic issues.  This information could be incorporated into pre-service teacher education programs.


identifier: Parada, Mayte  (2013) The Role of the Clitoris in Sexual Behaviour and Reward In the Female Rat.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Sexual behaviour encompasses a variety of sensory stimuli that makes sex rewarding in both humans and rats alike. Despite what we know about the clitoris’ contribution to sexual pleasure in human females there is still a lack of research focusing on the function of the clitoris and its role in learning, sexual development, and sexual expression. The rat is a good animal model for the study of sexual function and dysfunction and can be used to add to our understanding of clitoral stimulation and function.  Accordingly, the five chapters encompassing this thesis were designed to expand our comprehension of the role that the clitoris plays in female sexual behaviour and reward in the rat. Chapter 1 showed that the clitoris is important for interpreting genital signals that differentiate stimulation received from males during copulation. It also showed that sexual experience buffers female rat pacing behaviour from the disruptive effects of lidocaine administration to the clitoris. Chapter 2 showed that manual external clitoral stimulation (CLS) is rewarding as assessed by the development of robust conditioned place preference, and activates immediate early gene c-fos expression selectively in the medial preoptic area (mPOA) and medial amygdala (MeA). Chapter 3 showed that manual external CLS could be paired with a neutral olfactory stimulus in sexually naïve rats and induced a copulatory partner preference for a male bearing the odour cue during the female’s first sexual experience with males. Moreover, if CLS was applied to sexually naïve
rats in the presence of a scented but inaccessible male, those females solicited more an unscented male during their first sexual experience with males. Thus, the ability

of CLS to be a positive reinforcer is context-dependent. Chapter 4 examined the sexual reward state induced by paced mating or CLS and its dependence on ovarian hormones. The conditioned place preference (CPP) induced by CLS developed regardless of the hormonal state of the female, whereas paced-mating induced CPP required hormonal priming. This shows that the reward state induced by CPP is independent of ovarian hormones, whereas the sexual behaviors that entice males to mount and intromit (thus bringing the clitoris into contact with the male’s penis and perineum at the female’s preferred rate) are not. Finally, Chapter 5 showed that prior copulatory experience with males eliminated the ability of CLS alone to induce CPP, suggesting either that experience with full internal and external CLS provided by a male conspecific has a greater reward magnitude and/or that copulatory experience renders subsequent external CLS alone ineffective as an unconditioned stimulus due to sensory preconditioning. Taken together, these data show that external CLS is a powerful reinforcer to a sexually naïve female rat. Although its hedonic value is not dependent on ovarian hormones, the sexual behaviors required to receive it are, and copulatory experience appears to reduce or eliminate its hedonic value.


identifier: Mehrabian, Alireza  (2013) Distributed Control of Networked Nonlinear Euler-Lagrange Systems.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Motivated by recent developments in formation and cooperative control of networked multi-agent systems, the main goal of this thesis is development of efficient synchronization and formation control algorithms for distributed control of networked nonlinear systems whose dynamics can be described by Euler-Lagrange (EL) equations. One of the main challenges in the design of the formation control algorithm is its optimality and robustness to parametric uncertainties, external disturbances and ability to reconfigure in presence of component, actuator, or sensor faults. Furthermore, the controller should be capable of handling switchings in the communication network topology.

In this work, nonlinear optimal control techniques are studied for developing distributed controllers for networked EL systems. An individual cost function is introduced to design a controller that relies on only local information exchanges among the agents. In the development of the controller, it is assumed that the communication graph is not fixed (in other words the topology is switching). Additionally, parametric uncertainties and faults in the EL systems are considered and two approaches, namely adaptive and robust techniques are introduced to compensate for the effects of uncertainties and actuator faults.

Next, a distributed H_infinity performance measure is considered to develop distributed robust controllers for uncertain networked EL systems. The developed distributed controller is obtained through rigorous analysis and by considering an individual cost function to enhance the robustness of the controllers in presence of parametric uncertainties and external bounded disturbances. Moreover, a rigorous analysis is conducted on the performance of the developed controllers in presence of actuator faults as well as fault diagnostic and identification (FDI) imperfections.

Next, synchronization and set-point tracking control of networked EL systems are investigated in presence of three constraints, namely, (i) input saturation constraints, (ii) unavailability of velocity feedback, and (iii) lack of knowledge on the system parameters. It is shown that the developed distributed controllers can accomplish the desired requirements and specification under the above constraints.

Finally, a quaternion-based approach is considered for the attitude synchronization and set-point tracking control problem of formation flying spacecraft. Employing the quaternion in the control law design enables handling large rotations in the spacecraft attitude and, therefore, any singularities in the control laws are avoided. Furthermore, using the quaternion also enables one to guarantee boundedness of the control signals both with and without velocity feedback.


identifier: Keropian, Zohrab/ ZK  (2012) La raison d'être of in situ electro-mobilization, phyto-extraction and phyto- stabilization of lithium tailing in heterogeneous rhizosphere by Brassica juncea and the monocotyledonous plants.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The research tested the Brassica juncea ability, to phytoextract and phytostabilize lithium from mine tailings in lieu with vanadium and chromium, sown in a heterogeneous acidic rhizosphere. Five different heterogeneous growth media formulations were prepared from lithium mine tailings, homogenized peat and dewatered municipal biosolids. The Brassica juncea was grown for eighty six days, under homogeneous growing conditions, irrigated bi-daily with organic fertilizer, amended with LiCl, harvested and chemically analyzed. The phytoextraction and phytostabilization data revealed that the Brassica juncea was capable of absorbing more vanadium in its physiological parts rather than lithium and chromium. Likewise the monocotyledonous plant was grown homogeneously on the most favorable growth media, amended with lithium chloride and was able to phytoharness and phytostabilize more lithium rather than chromium per dry weight basis. In botanical efficiency parameters the monocotyledonous plant was ten times more efficient than the Brassica juncea in the bioaccumulation and efficiency removal rates for lithium and twice as much as for chromium.   The relative growth rate of the monocotyledonous plant was twice as much as the Brassica juncea. Moreover, it surpassed the monocotyledonous plant in translocation indexes for chromium more than six times and twenty times for lithium. The findings revealed the possibility of a three way symbiosis formed between the hyperaccumulant plant grown in a heterogeneous rhizosphere and coupled with EK system at certain growth periods that will result in an increased electromigration and electrophoresis of heavy metals in the growth media solution.


identifier: Oviedo, Mary Yaneth  (2013) Manuela Sáenz: entre el género y la ficcionalización de la historia.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Manuela Sáenz Aizpuru (1797-1856), known as “The Liberator of the Liberator” and the mistress of Simón Bolívar, is one of the most important and controversial women of the period of Spanish American Independence. Recently, Saenz is on the select list of heroes of this period. However, male contemporaries depicted her as a masculine and immoral woman. Between 1860 and 1940, she was practically erased from official history and literature, due to minimal attention from historians and moralistic positions of society, particularly in her native land, Ecuador. In the middle of the twentieth century, she becomes the subject of writers and biographers who were gradually changing from this ‘negative’ image to a new representation in response to the lack of recognition as a transgressor of women’s spaces (domestic, military, public, and political). This thesis examines Sáenz’s representation in a biography and two historical novels of the second half of the twentieth century, and proposes that through re-signification and fictionalization of history it is possible to represent a new figure of Sáenz, which corresponds to a type of woman that is closer to the present times in Latin America and, at the same time, becomes a powerful aesthetic, cultural, and political icon.


identifier: Noshad, Khosrow  (2013) A multi-criteria framework for Supplier Quality Development.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Supplier Development (SD) includes efforts undertaken by firms to improve their suppliers’ capabilities and performance. It has emerged as one of the leading business practices in the past few years. Development of supplier’s quality is an important part of these programs. Supplier Quality Development Programs (SQDPs) are strategic quality development activities for increasing quality, reliability and efficiency of suppliers. Evaluation and selection of appropriate SQDPs to improve quality of supply chain is target of most companies, but results of these evaluations cannot be validated without ensuring credibility of a set of criteria. These criteria are factors that ensure success of SQD activities and used for ranking these efforts.
In this thesis, we propose a multi-criteria framework for Supplier Quality Development integrating DMAIC principles. In the Define phase, we identify criteria for SQD using systematic review of literature and industrial practices. In the Measure phase, we conduct a survey study with supply chain quality experts to measure the importance of SQD criteria. In the Analyze phase, we classify the SQD criteria into three groups using Kano’s model by analyzing them from the perspective of fulfilling basic needs, performance needs, and delighters/exciters. To examine the relationship between various SQD criteria, we apply Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) technique. In the improve phase, we apply the selected criteria to evaluate various Supplier Quality Development Programs using Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) technique called TOPSIS ( Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) and select the best one. In the control phase, we suggest audits for ensuring the criteria used for evaluation are up-to-date with the latest practices.
The strength of the proposed work is a comprehensive investigation of SQD criteria using knowledge from quality experts, literature review and industrial practice and suggestion of a practical multi-criteria analysis framework for evaluation and selection of appropriate SQDPs.


identifier: Fereig, Diane  (2013) Locating Kashmir in Lal Ded: Communicating Identity and Meaning Through Narrative.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The fourteenth century Kashmiri saint Lal Ded, also known as Lalla, has had a profound effect on the people of Kashmir.  To this day, her sayings are an everyday occurrence, and have been passed down through the generations orally, revered by all Kashmiris.  Many say Lalla is synonymous with Kashmir.  Her legends, lore, and her vaks (the oral sayings) have become an integral part of all things Kashmiri – so much so, that as we move into the twenty-first century, and identities are shifting and changing faster than one can imagine, so too are the identities of Kashmiris spread all over the globe, and along with them, Lalla is changing too.
How she changes and how Kashmiri identity changes is reflected in her narratives told by Kashmiris to each other, to friends, written in books and on the internet, told in stories, sung in songs, enacted in films and portrayed in media.  These narratives form a bond not only between Kashmiris as a cultural group, but also between Lalla and identity as a Kashmiri.
This thesis explores the nature of narrative by utilizing the works of Peter Gottschalk and Jordan Peterson to form a framework of analysis, and apply said framework to the narratives of Lalla’s story.  In doing so, a multi-layered form of communication and identity is revealed – a communication that can speak both literally and figuratively of the multiple layers of identity all human beings navigate.


identifier: Adams, Scott  (2013) Impact of Cancer and Chemotherapy on Autonomic Nervous System Function and Cardiovascular Reactivity in Young Adults with Cancer: A Feasibility Study.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Despite therapeutic advances, cancer patients demonstrate an increased risk of developing disease- and treatment-related cardiovascular (CV) and metabolic morbidity, as compared to their peers. In light of emerging evidence, cancer- and treatment-related damage to the autonomic nervous system (ANS) may play a role in the development of the aforementioned morbidity risks. This assertion needs to be verified. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of conducting concurrent ANS and CV evaluations in adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients undergoing treatment for various cancers by defining the i) methodological pitfalls and best-practice criteria for ANS testing in cancer, and ii) provide initial physiologic evidence of autonomic perturbations in cancer patients using the composite autonomic scoring scale (CASS). Thirteen patients were assessed, pre-treatment (T1) and following 4 cycles of chemotherapy (T2), using CASS and a modified Astrand-Rhyming cycle ergometer protocol, and their results compared to 13 sex and age-match controls. Overall, the average success rate in achieving the targeted feasibility criteria (FC) was 98.5%. Additionally, according to the CASS, there was evidence of ANS impairment at T1 in 5 of 13 patients, which persisted in 4 of 12 patients at T2, compared to 0 of 13 controls at T1 and 1 of 12 controls at T2. Using a 2 x 2 repeated measures ANOVA, treatment led to a significant improvement in patient heart rate (HR) recovery [F=6.188, p=0.027]. Results from this feasibility study suggest the investigation of ANS function in AYA cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy is possible, provided the proper precautions are taken. Furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report evidence of ANS impairment using CASS and sudomotor dysfunction in this population.