identifier: Strasser, Kimchi-Audrey  (2012) Dictyostelium cell-fate bias is regulated antagonistically by the Retinoblastoma orthologue RblA and the cyclin-dependent kinase Cdk1.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

format: text other

abstract:
A Dictyostelium cell chooses its fate based on the time of its last division prior to the initiation of development. At the onset of development, freshly-divided cells tend to form the stalk of the fruiting body while late-G2 cells become the reproductive spores. How the phases of the cell cycle are linked to cell-type differentiation is unknown. To address this issue, we targeted for analysis two key cell-cycle regulators, Cdk1 and the Retinoblastoma orthologue RblA.
Using RNA-blot analysis and reporter-gene studies, we showed that cdk1 is expressed shortly before mitosis then again during mid-development. We also generated a series of doxycycline-inducible cdk1 mutants. Cells expressing cdk1Y15F were blocked in mitosis and displayed defects in spindle assembly, suggesting that Cdk1 dephosphorylation on tyrosine15 is a pivotal step in the G2/M transition of Dictyostelium. Those expressing cdk1T14A were smaller than the control strain, implying that Cdk1T14 phosphorylation is one mechanism by which Dictyostelium coordinates cell growth with cell division. When given the choice between becoming spores or stalk cells, Cdk1T14A cells opted for the stalk fate. Importantly the developmental phenotype was rescued when cdk1T14A was expressed in RblA-deficient cells. By comparing the transcriptional profiles of wild-type and RblA-deficient cells, we found that RblA-repressed genes associated with cell proliferation. These genes were expressed in late G2 then again in mid-development.
Collectively our findings support a model in which RblA and Cdk1 play opposing roles in the cell cycle. In this model RblA prevents cell-cycle progression by repressing mitosis and S-phase genes. Repression is relieved in late G2 and genes such as cdk1 are activated, thereby allowing cells to advance through the cell cycle. The antagonistic relationship between Retinoblastoma and Cdks is not new; it has long been established in other model systems. The novelty of our findings is that RblA and Cdk1 also influenced development. We found that cells with an active Cdk1 (or lacking a functional RblA) at the onset of development were ushered to the stalk pathway. This is important since it implies that these cell-cycle regulators are part of the intrinsic signalling pathway responsible for initial cell-type choice in Dictyostelium.


identifier: Broadbent, Laura  (2012) Men In Various States: Poems and Microfictions.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

type: Thesis NonPeerReviewed

abstract:
This thesis is a three part lyrical inquiry into the nature of language and desire. The first part, “Men in Various States,” is a text that leaps from voice to voice, place to place, genre to genre, mimicking the vivid, living, sporadic dance of desire. These multiple genres are to reflect the kaleidoscopic incarnations of Eros as it passes through different personalities and neuroses. The series is a chorus of men, all in various states of confusion about love. By generating many questions and answering none, a unity or conclusion is reached in that each man, though vastly disparate, is but a different face on the ten-thousand-sided-dice of the same drive.
     Writing from a male perspective is a more pragmatic rather than political choice as it provides a cognitive distance needed to write about a familiar topic. More importantly I intend to show that desire manifests itself completely, often hideously, randomly,  and regardless of gender, thus I both inflate and defy male stereotypes.
     The second part of the thesis is an exercise in paradox: I use language to discuss the act of breaking free of language, breaking free of desire, since language is desire. The third section accepts that one may never be free of language but asserts that one may certainly make its borders and its meanings moveable.  An experiment in hybridity and versatility of voice, these texts stutter around the slipperiness of language and the transience of desire.


identifier: Eweda, Ahmed  (2012) An Integrated Condition Assessment Model for Educational Buildings Using BIM.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Building facilities compose a major part of any urban infrastructure. Despite their considerable economic, cultural and/or historic importance, several studies have shown that many buildings are sick, deteriorating and a major source of pollution. Maintaining a building is essential to keep it performing and functioning for a longer period of time as well as providing better quality of life for building occupants. Despite the importance of the condition assessment (CA) stage in the asset management process, literature review reveals that there is no building condition assessment framework that considers both physical and environmental conditions. Schools and educational facilities in Canada, which comprise a major component of the non-residential buildings sector, has passed 51% of their useful service life
 The primary objective of this research is to develop an Integrated Condition Assessment Model for Educational Buildings that considers both building physical and environmental conditions. This model will assist owners and facility managers in the condition assessment phase during the asset management process. As buildings are composed of spaces; this proposed model uses “space” as the principal element of evaluation. The Multi Attribute Utility Theory (MAUT) is used to calculate the physical and environmental conditions of each space, and the K-mean clustering is conducted to calculate the integrated condition of each one. Data are collected from experts via questionnaires to assign relative weights to models’ attributes using both the Analytical Network Process (ANP) and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) techniques. The proposed methodology upgrades the use of an object-oriented Building Information Model (BIM) so that it can be used as a platform and an advanced tool for storing, exchanging, and transferring assessment data inputs as well as serving in the assessment process. Integrated Condition Assessment model for Buildings (ICAB) is the developed automated tool that integrates with Revit© 2011. This integration allows the BIM model to be used as the data source and to provide any required graphical representation.
The model is implemented and tested using data collected from experts and from field measurements taken from an educational building in Montreal. Finally, the model was validated by experts working in the facilities management field and they acknowledged having good potentials.


identifier: Zhao, Kunsheng  (2012) ConfSys3: An Online Academic Conference System.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
As an important component of Concordia INdexing and DIscovering system (CINDI), Conference System (ConfSys) aims to provide useful functionalities and services to help both organizers and participants of any roles in an academic conference and eJouranl. All processes of auction, debate, decision, final version upload and so on associated with such events and issues are supported and facilitated by ConfSys.
After more than ten years development and improvement upon practical academic conference management experience, the second generation of ConfSys (ConfSys2) not only possesses a lot of strong and applied features such as user-group management, privilege system, context sensitive help system and smart daemon and database maintenance mechanism, but also be able to support multi-series academic conference.
The experience with ConfSys2 pointed to some of its shortcoming which in turn pointed to the need for additional features that were needed in conference management and to incorporate the management of eJournal. This has resulted in the third generation of ConfSys – ConfSys3. In this version, we have focused on the flexibility, extensibility and customization. ConfSys3 is based on the same platform as its previous version -- Tomcat, java/jsp and MySQL. In addition to the interface improvement and many new useful features such as automatic email management, automated verification of uploaded files, incorporation of special features needed for  eJournal management, introduction of concurrent track feature and associate editor, and a major upgrade to make it possible for organizers to customize their conferences. Hence, ConfSys3 is extending the advantages of ConfSys for better configuration to address specific requirements fo supporting peer review based academic events in various domains.


identifier: Zigayer, Allan  (2012) Phenomenologies of Impairment: The Self-Portraits of Frida Kahlo and Chuck Close.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Abstract

                                          Phenomenologies of Impairment:
                             The Self-Portraits of Frida Kahlo and Chuck Close

                                                        Allan Zigayer

The decision to represent oneself as the principal subject in a work of art raises questions as to the motivations governing the act of self-portrayal. Artists’ self-portraits have often been constituted in relation to practicality or expediency, with the artist being viewed as his or her most accommodating model. But when the practice manifests in a life-long preoccupation, as it does among others with Frida Kahlo and Chuck Close, we must surmise that something more is at stake. To the extent that both artists’ early lives were appreciably affected by impairment, disease, or physical or emotional trauma, their formative experiences were anything but conventional. If the reflexivity or protracted introspection that is also frequently associated with self-representation is even remotely connected to those concerns, their self-portraits would assume an added measure of significance relative to the study and interpretation of portraiture because the spectre of bodily impairment would infuse their work with the materiality of their embodied experiences. The question would then return to motivation, or what the artists would like us to perceive in their work, particularly if their work is based on their lived bodily experiences and less on the reification of inner subjectivity. The artists’ impairments would then functionally destabilize portraiture’s conventional honorific intentionality by imposing on representative likeness the dynamics of the individual’s problematic lived bodily experiences.


identifier: Ibrahim, Mina  (2012) Bulk, molecular and spectroscopic analysis of organic matter reactivity classes isolated from St. Lawrence estuary sediment.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Marine sediments constitute the major long-term sink for organic carbon (OC) on Earth, with <0.3% of the organic matter (OM) photosynthesized yearly in the global ocean ultimately becoming buried (Hedges and Keil, 1995). Burial of this small fraction of OM plays an important role in the global O2 and CO2 cycles, making elucidation of the mechanism controlling OM preservation of great importance. Three major OM fractions with contrasting chemical reactivities have been identified within sediments: labile (degraded in oxic/anoxic conditions), non-hydrolyzable (degraded in oxic conditions), and refractory (preserved in oxic/anoxic conditions). Identification of the reactivity classes, however, remains operationally defined; >75% of sedimentary OM remains molecularly uncharacterized. Bulk, spectroscopic and molecular techniques were used to investigate the mechanistic and chemical effects of physical protection and composition on OM preservation. A chemical fractionation procedure was implemented to separate and quantify OM from estuarine and lacustrine sediments with differing OM sources. Bulk (elemental and isotopic) analysis of the isolated fractions revealed the overall contribution of each class to total OM and any mechanistic relationships that may contribute to preservation. The project then focused on one fraction of particular interest, non-hydrolyzable organic matter (NHOM). Spectroscopic (FTIR and NMR) analysis was used to determine the chemical nature of NHOM. An optimized chemical oxidation utilizing ruthenium tetroxide (RuO4) was used to investigate the molecular structure, revealing a composition of cross-linked aliphatics regardless of the OM source. Compound specific isotope analysis of oxidation products suggested a common isotopic makeup of the preserved OM.


identifier: Boileau, Nicolas  (2012) Two Secondary School Mathematics Teachers’ Use of Technology through the Lens of Instrumentation Theory.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The primary goal of our research was to gain a sense of the technology that secondary school mathematics teachers in Montreal, Québec are currently using, how they are using it, and some of the reasons why they use the technology that they do, in the ways that they do. The secondary goal was to test the effectiveness of our approach in obtaining this information. The approach consisted of interviewing two local secondary school mathematics teachers. The interview questions prodded at what Instrumentation Theory  suggests to be some of the fundamental aspects of one’s interactions with technology; the ‘artifact’ (the particular technology), the subject (the user of that technology), the ‘task’ that the subject tries to complete with the artifact, the ‘instrumented techniques’ that they employ to complete the task (which reveal some of their ‘schemes of use’), and the process through which the subject and the artifact interact and ‘shape’ each other, called ‘an instrumental genesis’. The teachers’ responses to the interview questions revealed that, although they both used most of the same technology (with a few exceptions), significant differences existed between the ways that they used some of them, why certain technologies were used, and why others were not. The two teachers also differed in their views on the value of their instrumented techniques. These findings are discussed in light of the literature review, demonstrating some of the effectiveness of our approach. We believe that our approach was useful as it allowed us to elicit detailed descriptions of these two teachers’ uses of technology and because it facilitated the analysis of the data (as the questions were based on the same theoretical framework that was then used to analyze the teachers’ responses). We conclude with some suggestions for future research. One of the suggestions addresses ways in which our approach could be improved to give researchers who might use it in the future more informative responses.


identifier: Jahan, Mosarrat  (2012) Minimum Energy Broadcast in Duty Cycled Wireless Sensor Networks.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: We study the problem of finding a minimum energy broadcast tree in duty cycled wireless sensor networks. In such networks, every node has a wakeup schedule and is awake and ready to receive packets or transmit in certain time slots during the schedule and asleep during the rest of the schedule. We assume that a forwarding node needs to stay awake to forward a packet to the next hop neighbor until the neighbor is awake. The minimum energy broadcast tree minimizes the number of additional time units that nodes have to stay awake in order to accomplish broadcast. We show that finding the minimum energy broadcast tree is NP-hard. We give two algorithms for finding energy-efficient broadcast trees in such networks. We performed extensive simulations to study the performance of these algorithms and compare them with previously proposed algorithms. Our results show that our algorithms exhibit the best performance in terms of average number of additional time units a node needs to be awake, as well as in terms of the smallest number of highly loaded nodes, while being competitive with previous algorithms in terms of the total number of transmissions and delay.


identifier: Smith, Douglas Kristopher  (2012) Discursos hegemónicos y corrientes alternativas en la colectividad palestina de Chile.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The present thesis is a critical study of discourses of representation and identity regarding the Palestinian collectivity in Chile. Via an interdisciplinary theoretical and methodological framework, the initial analysis is centred on certain textual manifestations deemed hegemonic, stemming mainly from economically elite sectors of the collectivity, specifically the magazine Al Damir, published by the Fundación Palestina Belén 2000. Special attention is paid to the essentialization of business endeavours as a core value of Palestinian culture in Chile, as well as to the strong emphasis placed on Christian and the Western cultural aspects (including the ideology inherent in such presentations). These stereotypes are read and analyzed through the optic of Edward Said’s notion of Orientalism. Most importantly, they are critiqued in the context of other alternative textual spaces that challenge dominant discourses as a testament to the social diversity of the collective. Three different types of texts are analyzed in juxtaposition to Al Damir: the social commentary (in particular, from the magazine Palestina, Patria Mártir) and poetry of Mahfud Massís, which expresses the complex socio-political and personal reality of triple exile; textual fragments from the blog of activist and writer Nadia Silhi; and a selection of articles from the intellectually critical magazine Hoja de Ruta. Each of the aforementioned texts offers a different and at times conflicting, discursive production in terms of its engagement with socio-political issues, which are mainly ignored by Al Damir.

Desde un marco interdisciplinario y utilizando una metodología mixta, el presente estudio aborda un conjunto de discursos de identidad y representación de la colectividad palestina en Chile, reproducidos en textos escritos de tipo poético, ensayístico y de comentario social. Se examina, por una parte, ciertos discursos que se perfilan dentro de un marco hegemónico, asociados a un sector empresarial de la colectividad, vehiculados específicamente a través de la revista Al Damir, editada por la Fundación Belén 2000. Se pone atención a la configuración de estereotipos de lo árabe-palestino, leyéndolos desde una óptica crítica sobre la base de la noción de orientalismo. Se destaca en particular la esencialización del emprendimiento como valor propio, así como el énfasis en lo cristiano y lo occidental de la cultura palestina en Chile (y la ideología que éstos conllevan). Por otra parte, se analiza el surgimiento de espacios textuales alternativos que desafían a los discursos dominantes, poniendo en relieve la diversidad de la colectividad. Tres tipos de textos son considerados: reflexión social (en particular, la de la revista Palestina, Patria Mártir) y la poesía de Mahfud Massís que expresa la compleja realidad sociopolítica de su biografía de triple exiliado; fragmentos textuales del blog de la escritora y activista Nadia Silhi; y una selección de artículos de la revista de periodismo filosófico Hoja de Ruta.  En todos ellos se ilustra la producción de discursos diferentes y a ratos antagónicos respecto a Al Damir, toda vez que abordan temas sociopolíticos mayormente ignorados por dicha revista.


identifier: Salehisadaghiani, Farzad  (2012) Error Analysis in Multi-Agent Control Systems.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Any cooperative control scheme relies on some measurements which are often assumed to be
exact to simplify the analysis. However, it is known that in practice all measured quantities
are subject to error, which can deteriorate the overall performance of the network significantly.
This work proposes a new measurement error analysis in the control of multi-agent systems.
In particular, the connectivity preservation of multi-agent systems with state-dependent error
in distance measurements is considered. It is assumed that upper bounds on the measurement
error and its rate of change are available. A general class of distributed control strategies is
then proposed for the distance-dependent connectivity preservation of the agents in the network.
It is shown that if two neighboring agents are initially located in the connectivity range,
they are guaranteed to remain connected at all times. Furthermore, the formation control problem
for a team of single-integrator agents subject to distance measurement error is investigated
using navigation functions. Collision, obstacle and boundary avoidance are important features
of the proposed strategy. Conditions on the magnitude of the measurement error and its rate of
change are derived under which a new error-dependent formation can be achieved anywhere in
the space. The effectiveness of the proposed control strategies in consensus and containment
problems is demonstrated by simulation.


identifier: El Aghoury, Ihab  (2012) Numerical Tool for Fatigue Life Prediction Of Corroded Steel Riveted Connections Using Various Damage Models.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Fatigue of structural elements has been a major cause of many catastrophic failures of steel bridges. Corrosion is considered to be an influential factor that significantly contributes to the reduction of the fatigue life of steel structures. The objective of this research is to develop a numerical tool that is capable of predicting the fatigue life of steel members and connections while accounting for the effects of corrosion. To reach this goal, the research is divided into three phases.
In the first phase, a stress-life damage accumulation model (called the VTLC, for Virtual Target Life Curves) is proposed and validated using the experimental work available in the literature. The model has the advantage of including the effect of overloading. The VTLC model was verified using a case study of a riveted railway bridge.
In the second phase, a numerical tool is developed (named CorrFLP for Corrosion Fatigue Life Predictor). It acts as an add-on and uses available FEM packages as solvers. This tool is useful in predicting the fatigue life of railway or roadway steel bridges with riveted or bolted connections. CorrFLP uses the strain-life approach along with the theory of critical distances. CorrFLP is validated using several test results in the literature with and without the effect of corrosion.
To account for corrosion, a new fatigue strain-life model based on the Smith-Watson-Topper model is proposed in the third phase of this research. The model takes into account the corrosivity of the environment, the stress level, and the corrosive behaviour of the material used. A method is proposed to standardize a testing protocol to evaluate some new material constants that describe its behaviour in corrosive environments. The proposed strain-life method is implemented in CorrFLP and the resulting fatigue life predictions matched well with reported experimental results of twenty-four steel beams subjected to various fatigue and weathering conditions.
It is seen that the developed numerical tool, along with the corrosion-fatigue strain-life based model, would help structural engineers by generating several stress-life design charts to predict the fatigue life of several commonly-used structural components while accounting for different levels of corrosion.


identifier: Etezadbrojerdi, Maryam  (2012) Fiber Bragg Grating Smart Sensor Network for Anomaly Detection, Estimation and Isolation.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
A methodology is developed to provide a reliable and quantitative structural health monitoring information with emphasis on three properties, namely on locating the anomaly, modeling the anomaly profile, and identifying the damage inside the disturbed structures. Toward this end, a numerical method is developed to reconstruct the anomaly inside the monitored structure from the reflected spectrum of the Bragg gratings that are fabricated into the single mode (SM FBG) or high birefringence fiber (Hi-Bi FBG).
	Firstly, the effects of a non-uniform distribution of the transversal load and temperature on the FBG are analyzed and the perturbed reflected spectrum is modeled by introducing the change of the refractive indices and grating period along the fiber by using the transfer matrix formulation method.
	Furthermore, an inverse method based on the genetic algorithm (GA) is developed for reconstruction of non-uniform applied anomalies from the perturbed reflected spectrum. The genetic algorithm retrieves the changes in the characteristics of the sensor from the measured spectra information by encoding the refractive index or the grating period distribution along the Bragg grating into the genes.	Moreover, the effects of the simultaneously applied transversal and longitudinal forces on an FBG sensor are analyzed. The study on the effects of the simultaneous transversal and longitudinal forces on an FBG sensor would eliminate the need for the FBGs to be installed on both the orthogonal directions on top of the monitored surface. Consequently, the applied strain measurements can be achieved by parallel fibers in one direction. This will reduce the number of sensors and the complexity of the monitoring system. The perturbed reflected spectra are modeled by the transfer matrix formulation method. Furthermore, the anomaly gradients along the sensor’s length are determined from the intensity spectrum of the sensor by means of the GA. Additionally, the presented functionality of the GA algorithm is tested on a multiplexed FBG sensor system and the anomaly is modeled along a series of the sensors. Consequently, both the location and the model of the anomaly distribution are obtained. 	Secondly, the effects of the strain and the temperature changes on the Hi-Bi FBG are studied and the reflected intensity spectrums of the polarized modes of the sensor, which are affected by a non-uniform distribution of the temperature or the strain, are modeled theoretically. Each Bragg reflection corresponding to the principal axes of the fiber has different dependencies on temperature and strain. Using this property, the type of the anomaly can be specifically identified and specified. Furthermore, the temperature and the transversal load gradients along the sensor’s length are determined from the intensity spectrum of the sensor by means of the GA. The solution of the genetic algorithm is expressed in terms of the characteristic changes of the sensor, which are correlated with a non-uniform anomaly distribution inside the monitored structure. The presented methods are verified through extensive set of numerical case studies and scenarios.


identifier: Couture, Jennifer  (2012) The Changing Face of Consumer-Husbands: Transformations in the Mail Order Marriage Industry as a Reflection of Core-Periphery Relations.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This paper focuses on the social, political and economic transformations that have taken place in the existing mail order marriage industry prior to the development of, and throughout the rise of International Marriage Brokers (IMBs) or “mail-order marriage agencies”. A socio-historical analysis on transnational marriage is examined, as well as a content analysis of ads placed by consumer-husbands. Findings in this study show that there is a distinct permeability among brokers who deal in mail order marriage in terms of sex tourism, prostitution, domestic and care-related forms of work, reflected in migration patterns from periphery to core, and how this reflects the growing demands for traditional values expressed through “care” in western culture.


identifier: Colclough, Wesley B.  (2012) Transforming Hybridities: Brendan Lee Satish Tang's Manga Ormolu and Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas' Haida Manga.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
This essay discusses the works of artists Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas and Brendan Lee Satish Tang as they relate to manga and popular culture. Known as Haida Manga and Manga Ormolu, these hybrid works move through global circuits of exchange integral to a transcultural aesthetic where multiple signifiers have been folded and fused into one. Manga, like blue jeans and cell phones, unites viewers with universally recognizable themes in the art.

Yahgulanaas, a First Nations artist of mixed ancestry, introduced and developed “Haida Manga” by combining Japanese manga graphic novels with Haida narratives and formline , creating contemporary forms for old stories. In Coppers from the Hood, the traditional copper, an object of great respect and value in traditional potlatch ceremonies, is playfully replaced by car hoods sandblasted and painted copper with Haida Manga characters. Yahgulanaas' creative gesture demonstrates Haida is a living culture with an irrepressible power to innovate and transform.

Tang's Manga Ormolu ceramic sculptures subvert expectations of Chinese porcelain in Western culture through an uncanny amalgamation with war toys and techno-pop prosthetics. Japanese manga, found in fragments adjoining the Chinese vessel, points to the contemporary form of Orientalism where perceptions of Asia in Eurocentric nations are predetermined by cultural imports depicting transhuman dystopic futures of robot Armageddon. The distillation of ethnicity into one character-type is rendered ironically absurd. Strangely familiar, yet not quite the expected narrative of erotic and tranquil sublimity, these hybrid sculptures jar the Western viewer, and point to an oft forsaken subjectivity.


identifier: Calder, RSD  (2012) Water quality modelling, risk analysis and decision-making: an integrated study.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Falling detection limits, the proliferation of chemical contaminants and the rising population densities of the world’s watersheds are erasing the traditional conception of wastewater and drinking water as demarcated academic disciplines. This increased interconnectedness reflects increased awareness of the extent to which human activities impact water resources and to what extent these impacts are felt downstream. This text integrates the candidate’s contributions to the fields of industrial-scale wastewater treatment, municipal-scale wastewater management planning, and drinking water management and regulation made during his postgraduate studies. The collected works constitute a novel civil engineering dissertation that challenges the historic compartmentalization of subfields in water resources management.

1) A new type of wastewater treatment system is modelled with traditional computational fluid dynamics (“CFD”) methods in order to optimize operating conditions and design features and to model its principal hydrodynamic characteristics.

2) Risk analysis techniques are used to build a decision model for municipal-scale management of wastewater discharged to highly transient water bodies. A risk analysis framework uses environmental and economic impact valuations to translate CFD model output into concrete decisions about infrastructure investment.

3) The claim that improved analytical ability leads to stricter regulations than justified by available toxicological data is evaluated with respect to drinking water. The relationships between historical and present maximum contaminant levels and goals are evaluated, and the overall drinking water regulatory apparatus is outlined. Analytical ability is demonstrated to have a weak effect on resulting regulation, and the tightening of regulations is shown to be unlikely in the absence of updates to the underlying toxicological model.

4) Drinking water regulatory structures are compared with respect to their ability to protect public health in light of several widely reported outbreaks in Canada since 2000. Claims of inadequate government intervention and proposed alternative regulatory arrangements are contextualized using principles of risk perception and evaluated using principles of risk analysis.

5) Drinking water regulation in the United States is deconstructed to understand to what extent the landscape of rules and standards reflects the balancing of risks with the costs and benefits of treatment. The research points to risk biases that make low-risk, high-occurrence contaminants more likely to be regulated than high-risk, low-occurrence contaminants. Decentralization along the lines of the Canadian model is shown to have the potential to improve water quality outcomes in a way that is consistent with risk valuations already established.


identifier: Atieh, Ahmad  (2012) Design, Modeling, Fabrication and Testing of a Piezoresistive-Based Tactile Sensor for Minimally Invasive Surgery Applications.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has become a preferred method for surgeons for the last two decades, thanks to its crucial advantages over classical open surgeries. Although MIS has some advantages, it has a few drawbacks. Since MIS technology includes performing surgery through small incisions using long slender tools, one of the main drawbacks of MIS becomes the loss of direct contact with the patient’s body in the site of operation. Therefore, the surgeon loses the sense of touch during the operation which is one of the important tools for safe manipulation of tissue and also to determine the hardness of contact tissue in order to investigate its health condition. This Thesis presents a novel piezoresistive-based multifunctional tactile sensor that is able to measure the contact force and the relative hardness of the contact object or tissue at the same time. A prototype of the designed sensor has been simulated, analyzed, fabricated, and tested both numerically and experimentally. The experiments have been performed on hyperelastic materials, which are silicone rubber samples with different hardness values that resemble different biological tissues. The ability of the sensor to measure the contact force and relative hardness of the contact objects is tested with several experiments. A finite element (FE) model has been built in COMSOL Multiphysics (v3.4) environment to simulate both the mechanical behavior of the silicone rubber samples, and the interaction between the sensor and the silicone rubbers. Both numerical and experimental analysis proved the capability of the sensor to measure the applied force and distinguish among different silicone-rubber samples. The sensor has the potential for integration with commercially available endoscopic grasper.


identifier: Hogan, Mélanie  (2012) Crashing the Archive: A Research-Creation Intervention into the SAW Video Mediatheque.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Video Cache is a research creation intervention emerging from my doctoral research into defunct and crashed online archives, in the context of Canadian video art, which has a rich history of self-preservation and of documenting itself as an art movement. From major art galleries to personal collections; Canada has long privileged video as a tool for creative resistance, expression, and experimentation. Video Cache serves to track the SAW Video Mediatheque (based in Ottawa), from its launch to its crash and back online again, by updating its context and addressing in a practical way what it means to ‘activate’ the online archive. Much of my intervention occurred after the crash and during the two years the site was offline. It involved varied methodological entry points including in depth interviews with SAW Video staff and media archaeology to locate digital traces of the site. Key here is Video Cache’s success in simultaneously documenting the project and intervening to address archival loss: while it was the ‘cache’ that made the Mediatheque’s traces visible and re-visit-able, it was the ‘crash’ that signalled its ongoing archival value.

Video Cache was created in collaboration with Penny McCann, Director of SAW Video in Ottawa, Groupe intervention video (GIV) in Montreal, and Nikki Forrest at wayward.ca.


identifier: Wang, Ding  (2012) Cooperative Communication with Systematic Raptor Codes in 3GPP.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
In this thesis, considering a one-relay cooperative system, we propose a new cooperative transmission scheme which implements the systematic Raptor code standardized in 3GPP. Within the framework of this scheme, we compare the bandwidth efficiency perfomance of different relaying protocols.
To improve the performance of this cooperative system, we use Reed-Solomon(RS) code as inner code which is concatenated with the systematic Raptor code. We first study the scenario when Channel State Information(CSI) is available at the receiver but not available at the transmitter. In this case, only fixed-rate RS code can be implemented. Then we study the scenario when CSI is available at both the transmitter and receiver, and develop an adaptive scheme applied to our model. Last, a straight forward channel estimation method is studied to make the estimation of CSI available at the transmitter. The performance of all the proposed models and protocols are obtained with Monte Carlo simulation.


identifier: Thériault, Simon  (2012) The Symbolic Dimension of Consumer Attitudes.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Products and brands are multi-layered and involve utilitarian (functional), hedonic (enjoyment-related), and symbolic (ego-significant) aspects. Although the symbolic function of brands has been investigated in the literature, there is no unifying dimension or measurement instrument available to evaluate brand symbolism. The purpose of this research was to resolve this gap in the literature and develop a valid, reliable and parsimonious scale measuring the symbolic dimension of consumer attitudes toward product categories and brands within categories. Drawn from a comprehensive review of extant literature on branding, self-concepts and consumer behavior, an initial set of items was developed and refined to create a single-dimension scale composed of 34 items. Two additional studies were conducted to establish the unidimensionality, reliability, and validity of the scale. The symbolic dimension of consumer attitudes proved to be unidimensional and independent to the utilitarian and hedonic dimensions of consumer attitudes. The scale was also discriminated from other brand-related constructs, such as self-connection and brand engagement. It also successfully predicted several consumers’ responses. As such, it unveiled the mediating role of self-connection between the symbolic dimension of consumer attitudes and brand attitude. It confirmed, as well, the mediating role of the symbolic dimension of consumer attitudes between both consumers’ need for uniqueness and brand engagement and overall brand attitude. Limitations, managerial implications and future avenues of research are discussed.


identifier: Chen, Zhi  (2012) Seismic response of high-rise zipper braced frame structures with outrigger trusses.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Concentrically braced frame (CBF) structures provide high stiffness and moderate ductility, while they are prone to damage concentrated within a single floor. To overcome this drawback, researchers have proposed to add a vertical member to the CBF system, labeled a “zipper column”, with the aim to involve the buckling and/or yielding of several braces. Thus, the zipper column members are designed to transfer the unbalanced forces caused by buckling of braces in chevron configuration along the building height. By employing the zipper braced frame system (ZBF), the damage is more uniformly distributed over the height. However structures taller than 8-storey are prone to lateral drift amplification due to the higher mode effects. In this study, in order to control the lateral drift, it is proposed to add a set of outrigger trusses over one floor, at the roof level, and if necessary at another floor among those located at the mid-height.
Accordingly, the purpose of this study is two-fold: i) to investigate the inelastic be-havior of the 12- and 16-storey ZBF building structures with elastic zippers located in a high risk seismic zone and ii) to study the behavior of ZBF structures when outrigger trusses are added.
Nonlinear time-history analyses conducted in Drain-2DX software are considered in this study to analyze the behavior of the 12- and 16-storey buildings without and with outrigger trusses that are subjected to 21 ground motions equally divided in three ensembles: crustal, subduction and near-field. Outcomes of the study show that buildings located in a high risk seismic zone (Victoria, B.C.) exhibit less seismic damage when outrigger trusses are added to the ZBF system.


identifier: Mobtaker, Azadeh  (2012) Managing Supply for Construction Project with Uncertain Starting Date.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
There is a growing interest in supply management systems ¬¬in today’s competitive business environment. Importance of implementing supply management systems especially in home construction industry is due to the fact that several risks arising from different sources can adversely affect the project financially or its timely completion. Some risks of construction projects are out of managers’ control while other risks such as supply related ones can usually be controlled and directed by effective managerial tactics.
In this thesis, we address the supplier selection problem (SSP) in wood-base construction projects in the presence of project commencement uncertainties. The project could be delayed for any reason and thus materials required for the project may not be needed on the promised date, however, pursuing the supplier for new delivery date may not be easy and without risk. Accepting the delivery before the project commencement date will be again a costly option because of the high holding cost. In this thesis, we present two problem cases and present heuristic based solution approaches. In the first case we assume that price of the product increases with the delay. In the second case we assume that promised quantity at the agreed price reduces with the delay. The proposed approaches are tested on the randomly generated data set and compared with the optimal solutions.

The problems considered in this research are novel and the proposed approaches deal with the important and common risks in construction industry in order to achieve a robust supply chain. The solution approaches presented in this thesis can be applied to different industries to improve the quality and efficiency of supplier-buyer collaborations.


identifier: Adetiloye, Taiwo Olubunmi  (2012) Collaboration Planning of Stakeholders for Sustainable City Logistics Operations.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
City logistics involves movements of goods in urban areas respecting the municipal and administrative guidelines. The importance of city logistics is growing over the years especially with its role in minimizing traffic congestion and freeing up of public space for city residents. Collaboration is key to managing city logistics operations efficiently. Collaboration can take place in the form of goods consolidation, sharing of resources, information sharing, etc.

In this thesis, we investigate the problems of collaboration planning of stakeholders to achieve sustainable city logistics operations. Two categories of models are proposed to evaluate the collaboration strategies. At the macro level, we have the simplified collaboration square model and advance collaboration square model and at the micro level we have the operational level model. These collaboration decision making models, with their mathematical elaborations on business-to-business, business-to-customer, customer-to-business, and customer-to-customer provide roadmaps for evaluating the collaboration strategies of stakeholders for achieving sustainable city logistics operations attainable under non-chaotic situation and presumptions of human levity tendency.

City logistics stakeholders can strive to achieve effective collaboration strategies for sustainable city logistics operations by mitigating the uncertainty effect and understanding the theories behind the moving nature of the individual complexities of a city. To investigate system complexity, we propose axioms of uncertainty and use spider networks and system dynamics modeling to investigate system elements and their behavior over time.

The strength of the proposed work is its novelty and ability to investigate collaboration strategies both from macro- and micro-perspective allowing the decision maker to have a complete picture of the different possible collaboration opportunities and associated strategies and select the one most suited to their needs for sustainable operations planning.


identifier: Beauchesne, D.  (2012) Influence of disturbances on the movements of female woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) across multiple spatiotemporal scales.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: As human encroachment in natural habitats increases ubiquitously, understanding its impacts on wildlife is crucial. We investigated the impacts of anthropogenic disturbances (i.e. clearcuts and roads) on the movements of the woodland caribou, a threatened species inhabiting the highly managed southern fringe of the boreal forest. We used GPS telemetry data from 49 females followed between 2004 and 2010 in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region (Québec, Canada). Space use was evaluated at a coarser scale using individual home-range size as a function of observed disturbance levels within home ranges. Individuals first expanded their home ranges alongside increases in disturbance levels, yet subsequently shifted their behaviour when certain disturbance thresholds were exceeded by contracting home ranges and potentially trapping individuals in sub-optimal habitats. Fine-scale movements were investigated using a use-availability design contrasting observed and random steps (i.e. straight-line segment between successive locations). Individuals, although mostly avoiding disturbances, nonetheless regularly came in close contact with them. As a consequence, females modulated their movements daily and annually, avoiding disturbances predominantly during periods of higher vulnerability (i.e. calving, early and winter) during the day, while using them in periods of higher energy requirements (i.e. spring, summer and rut) during dusk/dawn and at night. Additionally, individuals altered their behaviour depending on the context in which they were moving, either relocating or remaining in altered habitats as disturbance levels increased. Our results suggest that current disturbance levels observed in the boreal forest cause behavioural shifts that may compel females to use suboptimal habitats, likely threatening the persistence of woodland caribou populations in North-American forests.


identifier: Carson, Robert Spencer  (2012) The Interaction of the Stress Regulated Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Proteins, ESI2 and RAN1, and the Localization of Ipp-1 and Pr-1.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The Early Salt-Stress Induced 2 protein, ESI2, from wheat (Triticum aestivum) was identified as an interacting protein with the GTP-binding protein RAN1.  Localization of both ESI2, and RAN1, has been performed using fluorescent protein fusions, transiently expressed in Nicotiana belthamiana, and observed using confocal fluorescent microscopy.  The proteins fused to independent fluorescent partners localized to separate cellular compartments, with RAN1 primarily localized to the nucleus.  However, the interaction of the two proteins detected by bimolecular fluorescent complementation, was found to be localized to the tonoplast. This interaction suggests a potential mechanism for the role of ESI2 in the sequestration of RAN1 and the regulation of cell division in response to stress.  Two additional proteins, expressed in wheat during stress response and shown previously, by Y2H assays to bind with ESI2, where also localized.  To further explore the effects of RAN1 on cell division in plants, a homozygous mutant for the Arabidopsis Ran1 was identified and a change in root growth shortly after germination was noted.


identifier: Steele, Christopher John  (2012) The relationship between brain structure, motor performance, and early musical training.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The current dissertation investigated the relationship between brain structure, motor performance, and musical training. Two structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques were used: voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The first study examined the structural correlates of visuomotor synchronisation performance in normal adults. DTI analyses showed that individual differences in synchronisation performance were negatively correlated with white-matter integrity in a region underlying bilateral sensorimotor cortex. Performance was also positively correlated with radial diffusivity in this region, suggesting the influence of a crossing fibre tract. Fibre tractography identified two fibre populations in this region: the corticospinal tract and superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). The SLF links parietal and auditory cortical regions previously shown to be engaged during performance of this task in a functional MRI study with the same sample. VBM analyses showed that grey-matter volume in cerebellar regions important for learning was related to the rate of improvement in synchronisation during learning of the task. The second study explored how musical training during early childhood may have long-lasting effects on brain structure and sensorimotor synchronisation performance. DTI was used to compare white-matter structure in three groups: (1) early-trained musicians (ET; before age seven), (2) late-trained musicians (LT; after age seven), and (3) nonmusicians. Groups were also tested on a visuomotor synchronisation task. ET and LT were matched for years of musical training and experience to isolate the possible effect of age of onset of musical training. Behaviourally, ET outperformed LT and nonmusicians on the synchronisation task. DTI results showed that ET had greater white-matter integrity than LT in the posterior midbody of the corpus callosum, a region connecting bilateral sensorimotor cortices. Measures of white-matter integrity extracted from this region correlated with both synchronisation performance and age of onset of musical training. These findings provide evidence that musical training during a potential sensitive period in development can differentially influence white-matter structure and behavioural performance. Our results are consistent with literature supporting the links between individual differences in brain structure and performance, and training and structural plasticity. They suggest that brain structure is the result of interactions between pre-existing factors, developmental factors, and training and experience.


identifier: Othieno, Nicholas Bernard Otieno  (2012) Combined Doppler Time-free Positioning for Low Dynamics GNSS Receivers.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: A technique to determine GPS positions without decoding the GPS time from the GPS signal or having to know an estimate of the GPS receiver position


identifier: Streck-Havill, Trenton  (2012) Playing Angels and Angels at Play: The Study of Religion in Tabletop Role-Playing Games.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Tabletop role-playing games (TRPGs) provide a unique religious experience to players through three levels of interaction. Players engage with religion and religious concepts in TRPGs through mechanics and system rules, setting, and interpersonal interactions with other gamers during the game session. Together these three facets of the TRPG experience create a bridge between the player and the game environment. This allows for players to experience the game setting as part of their conventional reality. Religious constructs erected in the game world and interacted with via the player's character, become authentic expressions of religion worthy of study by scholars of religion. Religion becomes actualized by the player as he translates the experience of his character into personal experience with the game environment. Mechanics help facilitate that translation by creating the liminal space of the game. Rules and system create boundaries for the game that creates the place where religious play can occur. Setting then fills the liminal space providing the environment that is explored, creating an understandable engagement with religious components of the game. Lastly, the act of play, by the player, creates religious belief within the setting. Taken together the game experience of the TRPG is actuated to conventional religious experience, which opens it up as a subject for religious study.


identifier: Yao, Yao  (2012) QoS in Distributed Broadband Wireless Communication (BWC) Systems with Optimum Antenna Layout.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis is concerned with optimization of distributed broadband wireless communication (BWC) systems. Distributed BWC systems contain a distributed antenna system (DAS) connected to a base station with optical fiber. Distributed BWC systems have been proposed as a solution to the transmit power problem in traditional cellular networks. So far, the research on BWC systems have advanced on two separate tracks, design of the system to meet the quality of service requirements (QoS) and optimization of layout of the DAS. This thesis considers a combined optimization of BWC systems. We consider uplink communications with multiple levels of priority traffic having any renewal arrival and departure processes. We develop an analysis that determines packet delay violation probability for each priority level as a function of the outage probability of the distributed antenna system. Then, we determine the optimal locations of the antennas that minimize the antenna outage probability, taking path-loss model, Rayleigh model and inter-cell interferences into account. We also study the tradeoff between the packet delay violation probability and packet loss probability.


identifier: Zhao, Lin  (2012) Development of an Integrated System for the Simulation and Assessment of Produced Water Discharges from Offshore Platforms.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Techniques for modeling of marine pollution have been studied for decades. Specialized modeling methods have been used to simulate the dispersions of pollutants from offshore outfalls. Produced water, the largest volume waste stream discharged from offshore oil and gas production activities, is a complex mixture of dissolved and particulate organic and inorganic chemicals including metals and hydrocarbons. In recent years, the growing importance and interest in the ocean environment assessment has urged further evaluation of produced water impacts on the marine ecosystem. This thesis study describes an integrated system for the modeling and assessment of produced water discharges in coastal area. The system integrates ocean circulation simulation, pollutant fate and transport modeling that couples near field mechanisms and far field processes, and risk assessment approaches where exposure risks and probabilistic risks are evaluated.
A literature survey is first introduced to review and present capabilities and limitations of the most widely used methods and models associated with assessment of the impact of marine pollution. This review identified the need for an integrated system with configurations of numerical schemes of Princeton Ocean Model (POM) for ocean circulation simulation, a Lagrangian method to simulate near field transport processes in three dimensional cross flows, and a numerical solution for far field transport modeling. The physical models are dynamically integrated to ensure mass and energy conservation. Furthermore to assess risks, a modified Monte Carlo method which uses a statistical model to establish the relationship between uncertainty parameters and output concentrations is integrated with physical modeling system along with risk characterization approaches to map risk levels.
Evaluation and field validations are conducted for each individual sub-models and for the overall integrated modeling results. Specifically, the near field model is validated against a field study performed in USA platform located about 100 miles of New Orleans Louisiana. The computational efficiency and accuracy of the far field model are evaluated through test cases in comparison with concentration distribution results generated from an exact analytical solution and a RWPT (Random Walk Particle Tracking) method. Validations of ocean circulation results and the integrated produced water dispersion results are conducted in a case study carried out on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, Canada. Validations show good performance of the developed modeling system which is used to provide satisfactory 3D simulation of marine pollutant dispersion for effective assessment and management of offshore waste discharges. Finally, a risk assessment is carried out to predict risks associated with predicted lead and benzene concentration resulting from potential future produced water discharges in the East Coast of Canada. This research study provide a tool for the modeling of complex transport processes in the coastal area, and improved methods for risk assessment of produced water impacts on the regional water environment.


identifier: Lightstone, Sabrina  (2012) Why I Fear Water.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Why I Fear Water

abstract: Twenty-year-old Crystal Levinson, the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, is searching for her Father; her paternal father, but also the figurative Father, God. When Crystal was a child, her mother was a practicing Jew, while her father, who later abandoned her family, denied God. Having been caught in the middle of extremes, Crystal  grows up haunted by a sense of absence. As Crystal searches for her missing father she also searches for her lost faith, and does so by narrating her connection to the divine through the symbol of water. To Crystal, the meaning of water fluctuates between God, nature, life, memory, history, heritage, faith, art, love, intimacy, connection and creation, all of which she glimpses through personal relationships and by sculpting. Crystal’s narrative draws upon religious symbolism while borrowing from spiritualist nature writing such as Barry Lopez’s "Desert Notes" and Annie Dillard’s "Pilgrim at Tinker’s Creek." Elizabeth Smart’s "By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept" and Virginia Woolf’s "The Waves" are strong influences due to the interiority and lyricism of their narratives, and their investigations into the connection between intimacy and spirituality.


identifier: Zhang, Yuying  (2012) Modeling of Contention-free and Contention MAC Protocols for Broadband over Power Line Networks.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Although the power lines were designed to deliver electric power, not for communications, a large volume of research on Broadband over Power line communications (BPLC) had appeared over the decades. The successful transmission of data over the power lines will make the BPL technology a cost-effective solution for the so-called “last miles” in communication networks [1]. Recently, this effort received a significant boost by the approval of the IEEE P1901 standard [20]. This standard specifies the regulations for the operation of the Physical and MAC layers of the BPL network. It proposes two major MAC protocols – Time Division Multiplexing Access (TDMA) for the contention-free access and Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) for the contention access. In this thesis, we present the performance models of the contention-free access and the contention access mechanisms. For the contention-free transmission mode, we determine analytically the probability distribution of the number of beacon periods that it takes to transmit a MAC frame over multi-hop communications subject to transmission errors, then, we developed an analysis that determines the network capacity, the number of users that the system may support. Also, we determine the MAC efficiency of the network when it’s operating under both contention-free and contention mode. These results may be helpful in the design of BPL networks.


identifier: Hébert, Billy  (2012) Queer Spaces of Montreal: Sites of Utopian Sociality and Terrains of Critical Engagement.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: From November 2009 to August 2010, I was actively involved as an organizer of and as a participant at Montreal queer events. In this thesis, I argue that the queer spaces (places-as-events) I studied can be seen as sites for alternative, deliberate, and accountable utopian forms of sociality, and as terrains of emergence for a critical analysis of the way things are and of how they could be. The analysis I present stems from multi-sited ethnography based on participant-observation at three queer festivals (two organized in Montreal, one in Toronto) and during the 2010 G20 protests. Throughout my ethnographic chapters, I provide a description of what I and other activists mean when we use the term ‘queer’, I discuss the ‘raison d’être’ of queer spaces, I identify the place-making practices of activists and organizers, and I provide a temporal framework with which to analyze what happens in and what emerges out of queer spaces. Ultimately, my contribution is to show that queer activists are deeply invested in a queer theoretical and political project, as such reconciling the study of queer spaces and the queer study of space.


identifier: Denzer, Ralph  (2012) Charting the Waters: Towards a Music Theatre Performance Based on Charles Darwin and His Theory of Evolution.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: An examination of the dramaturgical strategies involved in the creation of a work of music theatre concerning science.  A clearer understanding of music theatre dramaturgy can help to determine the best strategies that may be employed to bring science and the life and work of scientists to the stage.  Through defining music theater dramaturgy, an examination of case studies, and finally, an examination of my own creative research, a conclusion concerning the most useful dramaturgical strategies for creating a music theatre performance may be found.


identifier: Hou, Tianchi  (2012) How Do Chinese Consumers Perceive Celebrity Endorsers: A Social Identity Perspective.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Previous research of celebrity endorsement focused mainly on three aspects: source credibility, match-up theory, and meaning transfer model. Few studies have been done concerning social identity theory in Chinese market. This study shed new light on the current celebrity endorsement research. This study introduces the social identity theory to investigate celebrity endorsement and proposes a model on the basis of social identity theory, offering a new insight to understand the mechanism of celebrity endorsement. This study was conducted in China because it is full of potential opportunities for marketers. The results show that both ideal identity salience and endorser credibility exert positive impact on consumers’ identification with endorser, while endorser distinctiveness does not have an effect on endorser identification. Moreover, endorser identification has a positive influence on both consumers’ attitude toward the ad and the endorser, leading to a higher purchase intention. It is also found that endorser type has a significant effect on endorser credibility in terms of attractiveness and reputation, whereas product type does not affect consumers’ evaluation of endorser credibility.


identifier: Zhang, Cheng Jun  (2012) High-Speed Pipeline VLSI Architectures for Discrete Wavelet Transforms.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The discrete wavelet transform (DWT) has been widely used in many fields, such as image compression, speech analysis and pattern recognition, because of its capability of decomposing a signal at multiple resolution levels. Due to the intensive computations involved with this transform, the design of efficient VLSI architectures for a fast computation of the transforms have become essential, especially for real-time applications and those requiring processing of high-speed data. The objective of this thesis is to develop a scheme for the design of hardware resource-efficient high-speed pipeline architectures for the computation of the DWT. The goal of high speed is achieved by maximizing the operating frequency and minimizing the number of clock cycles required for the DWT computation with little or no overhead on the hardware resources. In this thesis, an attempt is made to reach this goal by enhancing the inter-stage and intra-stage parallelisms through a systematic exploitation of the characteristics inherent in discrete wavelet transforms.
In order to enhance the inter-stage parallelism, a study is undertaken for determining the number of pipeline stages required for the DWT computation so as to synchronize their operations and utilize their hardware resources efficiently. This is achieved by optimally distributing the computational load associated with the various resolution levels to an optimum number of stages of the pipeline. This study has determined that employment of two pipeline stages with the first one performing the task of the first resolution level and the second one that of all the other resolution levels of the 1-D DWT computation, and employment of three pipeline stages with the first and second ones performing the tasks of the first and second resolution levels and the third one performing that of the remaining resolution levels of the 2-D DWT computation, are the optimum choices for the development of 1-D and 2-D pipeline architectures, respectively. The enhancement of the intra-stage parallelism is based on two main ideas. The first idea, which stems from the fact that in each consecutive resolution level the input data are decimated by a factor of two along each dimension, is to decompose the filtering operation into subtasks that can be performed in parallel by operating on even- and odd-numbered samples along each dimension of the data. It is shown that each subtask, which is essentially a set of multiply-accumulate operations, can be performed by employing a MAC-cell network consisting of a two-dimensional array of bit-wise adders. The second idea in enhancing the intra-stage parallelism is to maximally extend the bit-wise addition operations of this network horizontally through a suitable arrangement of bit-wise adders so as to minimize the delay of its critical path.
In order to validate the proposed scheme, design and implementation of two specific examples of pipeline architectures for the 1-D and 2-D DWT computations are considered. The simulation results show that the pipeline architectures designed using the proposed scheme are able to operate at high clock frequencies, and their performances, in terms of the processing speed and area-time product, are superior to those of the architectures designed based on other schemes and utilizing similar or higher amount of hardware resources. Finally, the two pipeline architectures designed using the proposed scheme are implemented in FPGA. The test results of the FPGA implementations validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed scheme for designing DWT pipeline architectures.


identifier: Baluch, Omer  (2012) A Framework for Real-time Analysis in OLAP Systems.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
OLAP systems are designed to quickly answer multi-dimensional queries against large data warehouse systems. Constructing data cubes and their associated indexes is time consuming and computationally expensive, and for this reason, data cubes are only refreshed periodically. Increasingly, organizations are demanding for both historical and predictive analysis based on the most current data. This trend has also placed the requirement on OLAP systems to merge updates at a much faster rate than before.
In this thesis, we proposes a framework for OLAP systems that enables updates to be merged with data cubes in soft real-time. We apply a strategy of local partitioning of the data cube, and maintain a ``hot'' partition for each materialized view to merge update data. We augment this strategy by applying multi-core processing using the OpenMP library to accelerate data cube construction and query resolution.
Experiments using a data cube with 10,000,000 tuples and an update set of 100,000 tuples show that our framework achieves a 99% performance improvement updating the data cube, a 76% performance increase when constructing a new data cube, and a 72% performance increase when resolving a range query against a data cube with 1,000,000 tuples.


identifier: Downie, Peter W.  (2012) The Renewal of Journalistic Practice in Disaster: Reporting from the 2010 Haitian Earthquake.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This is a study of the practices and experiences of eight Canadian journalists in the week immediately following the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti. The central assertion of this study is that a reenergized journalistic community is born in disaster in the absence of the comfort, familiarity and technical capabilities of the traditional newsroom and its decision-making structures. The exceptional conditions of the Haitian earthquake produced, with no formal planning, a mutually supportive and cooperative journalistic community. This research concentrates on how journalism operates differently in a disaster zone by rediscovering “the authentic” and how, amidst the ruptured meanings of daily life for Haitians, the earthquake represents a unique opportunity for professional renewal.


identifier: Narayanan, Rajeev  (2012) A Framework for Noise Analysis and Verification of Analog Circuits.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Analog circuit design and verification face significant challenges due to circuit complexity and short market windows. In particular, the influence of technology parameters on circuits, noise modeling and verification still remain a priority for many applications. Noise could
be due to unwanted interaction between the various circuit blocks or it could be inherited from the circuit elements. Current industrial designs rely heavily on simulation techniques, but ensuring the correctness of such designs under all circumstances usually becomes impractically
expensive. In this PhD thesis, we propose a methodology for modeling and verification of analog designs in the presence of noise and process variation using run-time verification methods. Verification based on run-time techniques employs logical or statistical monitors to check if an execution (simulation) of the design model violates the design
specifications (properties). In order to study the random behavior of noise, we propose an approach based on modeling the designs using stochastic differential equations (SDE) in the time domain. Then, we define assertion and statistical verification methods in a MATLAB SDE simulation framework for monitoring properties of interest in order to detect errors.
In order to overcome some of the drawbacks associated with monitoring techniques, we
define a pattern matching based verification method for qualitative estimation of the simulation
traces. We illustrate the efficiency of the proposed methods on different benchmark
circuits.


identifier: Keough, Matthew T.  (2012) Improving the Measurement of the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory in Alcohol Misuse: Evidence from a New Laboratory Task.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Gray’s revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST) posits that the behavioural inhibition system (BIS) resolves motivational conflict by allocating resources for approach (behavioural activation system [BAS]) or avoidance (Fight/Flight/Freeze System [FFFS]). Persons with a strong BIS over-attend to threat, leading to elevated anxiety and behavioural ambivalence. The role of elevated BIS in alcohol use is complex, as anxiety may promote self-medication drinking, while attention to threat may be a protective factor. Theory and recent data suggests that a concurrent strong BAS makes the anxiolytic effects of alcohol more salient, biasing BIS conflict towards drinking. Existing laboratory tasks do not measure BIS as a conflict system and therefore, examinations of the complex interplay between the BIS and BAS for understanding alcohol use are limited. This study tested a new laboratory task [Motivational Flanker Task (MFT)] that better reflects the revised BIS and FFFS and used this new measure to test BAS as a moderator of the BIS-alcohol misuse relation. Undergraduates (N=150) completed self-reports of BAS/BIS/FFFS, and alcohol misuse, and completed the MFT and the Point Scoring Reaction Time Task (PSRTT). Results indicated that MFT measurement of BIS motivational conflict was consistent with self-report and PSRTT measures. MFT measurement of BAS (reward responsivity), but not FFFS (punishment sensitivity) was consistent with self-report measures. An elevated BIS was linked to alcohol misuse, but only at high BAS. These results demonstrate that the MFT is a promising measure of the revised BIS. Further, considering the joint effects of BIS and BAS clarified risk for alcohol misuse.


identifier: Shalaby, Mohamed Ahmed Wahby  (2012) Fingerprint Recognition: A Histogram Analysis Based Fuzzy C-Means Multilevel Structural Approach.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
In order to fight identity fraud, the use of a reliable personal identifier has become a necessity. Fingerprints are considered one of the best biometric measurements and are used as a universal personal identifier. There are two main phases in the recognition of personal identity using fingerprints: 1) extraction of suitable features of fingerprints, and 2) fingerprint matching making use of the extracted features to find the correspondence and similarity between the fingerprint images. Use of global features in minutia-based fingerprint recognition schemes enhances their recognition capability but at the expense of a substantially increased complexity. The recognition accuracies of most of the fingerprint recognition schemes, which rely on some sort of crisp clustering of the fingerprint features, are adversely affected due to the problems associated with the behavioral and anatomical characteristics of the fingerprints. The objective of this research is to develop efficient and cost-effective techniques for fingerprint recognition, that can meet the challenges arising from using both the local and global features of the fingerprints as well as effectively deal with the problems resulting from the crisp clustering of the fingerprint features. To this end, the structural information of local and global features of fingerprints are used for their decomposition, representation and matching in a multilevel hierarchical framework. The problems associated with the crisp clustering of the fingerprint features are addressed by incorporating the ideas of fuzzy logic in developing the various stages of the proposed fingerprint recognition scheme.
In the first part of this thesis, a novel low-complexity multilevel structural scheme for fingerprint recognition (MSFR) is proposed by first decomposing fingerprint images into regions based on crisp partitioning of some global features of the fingerprints. Then, multilevel feature vectors representing the structural information of the fingerprints are formulated by employing both the global and local features, and a fast multilevel matching algorithm using this representation is devised.
Inspired by the ability of fuzzy-based clustering techniques in dealing more effectively with the natural patterns, in the second part of the thesis, a new fuzzy based clustering technique that can deal with the partitioning problem of the fingerprint having the behavioral and anatomical characteristics is proposed and then used to develop a fuzzy based multilevel structural fingerprint recognition scheme. First, a histogram analysis fuzzy c-means (HA-FCM) clustering technique is devised for the partitioning of the fingerprints. The parameters of this partitioning technique, i.e., the number of clusters and the set of initial cluster centers, are determined in an automated manner by employing the histogram of the fingerprint orientation field. The development of the HA-FCM partitioning scheme is further pursued to devise an enhanced HA-FCM (EAH-FCM) algorithm. In this algorithm, the smoothness of the fingerprint partitioning is improved through a regularization of the fingerprint orientation field, and the computational complexity is reduced by decreasing the number of operations and by increasing the convergence rate of the underlying iterative process of the HA-FCM technique. Finally, a new fuzzy based fingerprint recognition scheme (FMSFR), based on the EHA-FCM partitioning scheme and the basic ideas used in the development of the MSFR scheme, is proposed.
Extensive experiments are conducted throughout this thesis using a number of challenging benchmark databases. These databases are selected from the FVC2002, FVC2004 and FVC2006 competitions containing a wide variety of challenges for fingerprint recognition. Simulation results demonstrate not only the effectiveness of the proposed techniques and schemes but also their superiority over some of the state-of-the-art techniques, in terms of the recognition accuracy and the computational complexity.


identifier: Chikhouni, Abdulrahman  (2012) Inter-organizational Network Structure: A Cross National Study.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
This study proposes to investigate the variance of network configurations between the firms of different countries. The research not only explores the differences but also attempts to explain potential sources for these differences. The model of the project indicates that the structure of inter-organizational networks is a function of two interrelated factors: the availability of strategic resources and the institutional profile of the domain of inter-organizational networks. The results suggest that the institutional profile has a direct effect on the network structure and that the availability of resources fully mediates the relationship between the regulative pillar and the network structure.

This study compares the network structures of 18 countries that have apparent differences in their institutional profiles. To neutralize the industry effect on network structure, the comparison is conducted for the biomedical industry alone. Two databases have been used to ensure the reliability of the network data: SDC Platinum and RECAP Recombinant Capital. Finally, Social Network Analysis and Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) techniques have been utilized in this project.

This research contributes to the international business literature by exploring the significant role that institutional differences play in explaining countries’ differences in their network structures.  The study also contributes to the discussion on the preference of closed vs. open network structures in the strategic management literature by introducing the contingency of countries to network structure preferences.


identifier: Khazali, Imad  (2012) Load Balancing for the Agile All-Photonic Network.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The Agile All-Photonic Network (AAPN) uses Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) to better utilize the bandwidth of Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) systems. It uses agile all-photonic switches as advances in the photonic switching technology made the design of all-photonic devices with switching latency in the sub-microseconds feasible. The network has a simplified overlaid star architecture that can be deployed in a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) or a Wide Area Network (WAN) environment. This overlaid architecture, as opposed to general mesh architecture, scales network capacity to multiples of Tera bits per second, simplif�ies routing, increases reliability, eliminates wavelength conversion, and the need for accurate traffic engineering.
The objective of this thesis is to propose and analyze
dif�ferent load balancing methods for the deployment of the AAPN network in a WAN environment. The analysis should provide interested Internet Service Providers (ISPs) with a comprehensive study of load balancing methods for using the AAPN network as their backbone network. The methods balance the load at the ow level to reduce packet reordering.
The methods are stateless and can compute routes quickly based on the packet flow identi�er. This is an important issue when deploying AAPN as an Internet backbone
network where the number of flows is large and storing
ow state in lookup tables can limit the network performance.
The load balancing methods, deployed at the edge nodes, require reliable signaling with the bandwidth schedulers at the core nodes. To provide a reliable channel between the edge and core nodes, the Control Messages Delivery Protocol (CMDP) is proposed as part of this thesis work. The protocol is designed to work in environments where propagation delays are long and/or the error rates are high. It is used to deliver a burst of short messages in sequence and with no errors. Combined with the reliable
routing protocol proposed previously for the AAPN network, they form the control plane for the network.
To extend the applicability of the load balancing methods to topologies beyond AAPN overlaid star topology, the Valiant Load Balancing (VLB) method is used to build an overlaid star topology on top of the physical network. The VLB method provides guaranteed performance for highly variable tra�c matrices within the hose traffic model constraints. In addition to the guaranteed performance, deploying the VLB method in the AAPN network, eliminates signaling and replaces the dynamic core schedulers with static scheduler that can accommodate all tra�c matrices within the hose tra�c model boundaries.


identifier: Ramadan, Hamzeh Hussein  (2012) Climate effects on the Litani basin watershed in Lebanon.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The hydrological sensitivity of a mid-size basin in the Mediterranean region to global and regional climate patterns is presented in the current study, based on a methodology to generate a basin-scale, long-term monthly surface temperature and precipitation time series that permits modeling the basin’s runoff.  To this end, the case of the Litani Basin was selected.  This basin is located in Lebanon and is situated east of the Mediterranean Basin. It is known to have a diverse regional environmental setting. This selection was made, first, to point out the importance of the physical and topographical characteristics that cover coastal versus mountainous regions of the basin on its hydro-climatological response and, also to demonstrate the opportunity for conducting related studies in areas with limited long-term measured climate and/or hydrological data. Monthly precipitation and temperature data were collected from different resources including grid based, satellites and gauging stations. The Hillslope River Routing (HRR) model was selected to generate the basin’s discharges.
Due to the lack of long-term runoff data, synthetic daily precipitation data were generated from the available monthly data using a two-part gamma distribution and mixed exponential models in order to produce and examine the resulting watershed runoffs. The Litani Basin is shown to maintain a dry trend in the period between 1900 and 2008. In addition, different climate pattern teleconnections in correlation with basin response were illustrated. The results show significant correlation between many global and regional circulation patterns and Litani’s hydro-climatology. To this end, the basin's streamflow regime was investigated subject to the effects of various hypothetical and predicted climate change scenarios. The results suggest a significant effect of the combination of temperature rise and precipitation decrease on the streamflow regime of the Litani. The results of this study will support water managers, planners and river agencies incorporating the impacts of climate change on watershed hydrology during the development of the basin planning process.


identifier: Li, Ying  (2012) Ownership Structure and Corporate Performance.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Previous studies of ownership structure mainly focus on the relationship between insider ownership and corporate performance. However, empirical results have failed to provide consistent evidence to prove whether the type of ownership does significant affect firm performance. Our paper fills this gap by classifying different types of shareholders (individual shareholders and institutional shareholders) and observes their relationship with corporate value respectively.  In addition, we examine quarterly panel data and indirect ownership to address the problem of endogeneity argued Demetz (2001).
Our results show that only institutional ownership has consistent and significant relationship with firm value in both yearly regressions and panel data regression, while the relationship between individual ownership and firm value is not significant. Institutional ownership first decreases then increases firm value as institutional shareholders hold higher stakes in the firm. However, the effect of institutional ownership is counteracted when individuals have unexpectedly high levels of ownership. We also find that if institutional shareholders acquire more shares during a quarter, the change in firm value during this period is positive. Our results support the hypothesis that firm value creation is higher if the largest shareholder is an institutional investor.


identifier: Mangiarini, Francesca  (2012) Flame Spray Pyrolysis for the Preparation of Upconverting Luminescent Nanostructured Materials.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Luminescent nanostructured oxides doped with lanthanide ions have a great potential in a wide range of conventional applications, such as lighting, displays and laser devices. Materials doped with lanthanide (Ln3+) ions are interesting due to their unique optical properties, since they undergo a process called upconversion, which is the conversion of a low energy source (usually near-infrared) to a higher energy emission (i.e. visible or UV) through a multiphoton process. In addition to this, with the continuous increase of demand for technology miniaturization, the use of nanosized phosphors with high emission efficiencies becomes essential to replace commercially available micron-sized counterparts. In order to achieve this, it is very important to engineer phosphors for their specific application and controlling the physical and optical properties of the materials directly during their synthesis.
In this thesis, a flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) synthesis has been developed for the synthesis of luminescent nanostructures oxides. This synthesis is a one step process that allows the preparation of nanoparticles with homogeneous size distribution and the direct control of their physical properties during the synthesis. Firstly, Gd2O3: Er3+, a system whose optical behaviour is well known, was chosen as a model to compare the properties of materials prepared by combustion synthesis with the ones prepared by FSP. The materials prepared by the latter showed higher luminescence intensity and better morphological homogeneity, due to the control achieved during the preparation. Secondly, a systematic study of the FSP method showed how the morphological and optical properties change with the variation of the synthetic parameters. In particular, it has been observed that as the temperature of the flame increases, the upconversion emission increases, along with the particle size and thermal stability. Thirdly, the luminescence intensity of the nanoparticles has been enhanced, choosing different doping combinations (Yb3+, Er3+ and alkali metal ions) and hosts materials (GdVO4). Finally, the synthesis of complex systems has been explored: core-shell (Gd2O3@SiO2) nanoparticles have been prepared more rapidly by FSP than with conventional wet synthesis methods. The versatility of FSP makes it a very suitable technique for the preparation of various nanomaterials tailored directly during the synthesis.


identifier: Kulig, Ewa M.  (2012) Exploration of neuromuscular plasticity: an examination of acetylcholine receptor and skeletal muscle fiber adaptations.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Muscle is an example of a beautifully orchestrated biological system whose main role is to convey a chemical stimulus into a mechanical response. Skeletal muscles carry out the function of moving the bones of the skeleton. Skeletal muscles display remarkable levels of adaptability and plasticity. The regulation of neuromuscular plasticity is influenced by signals coming from the motor neuron and from within the muscles. In this thesis, different transgenic and surgical mice models are used to investigate key aspects of muscle plasticity. Firstly, transgenic mice expressing a calmodulin-binding peptide are used to demonstrate that calmodulin regulates the aggregation of acetylcholine receptors. Secondly, the roles of Nuclear Factor of activated-Tcells (NFAT) transcription factors are investigated in adaptive muscle growth using mice knockouts for these transcription factors. The results presented indicate that NFATc2 and NFATc3 are essential for muscle hypertrophy and that they have distinct roles in the regulation of muscle growth. Thirdly, novel roles for the nerve-derived trophic factor agrin are explored in healthy and deteriorating muscles. Overall, the results presented in this thesis provide original information on the regulation of muscle plasticity and serve to point to novel potential targets in the regulation of various neuromuscular diseases.


identifier: Haji, Mehdi  (2012) Arbitrary Keyword Spotting in Handwritten Documents.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Despite the existence of electronic media in today’s world, a considerable amount of written communications is in paper form such as books, bank cheques, contracts, etc. There is an increasing demand for the automation of information extraction, classification, search, and retrieval of documents. The goal of this research is to develop a complete methodology for the spotting of arbitrary keywords in handwritten document images.
We propose a top-down approach to the spotting of keywords in document images. Our approach is composed of two major steps: segmentation and decision.  In the former, we generate the word hypotheses. In the latter, we decide whether a generated word hypothesis is a specific keyword or not. We carry out the decision step through a two-level classification where first, we assign an input image to a keyword or non-keyword class; and then transcribe the image if it is passed as a keyword. By reducing the problem from the image domain to the text domain, we do not only address the search problem in handwritten documents, but also the classification and retrieval, without the need for the transcription of the whole document image.
The main contribution of this thesis is the development of a generalized minimum edit distance for handwritten words, and to prove that this distance is equivalent to an Ergodic Hidden Markov Model (EHMM). To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to present an exact 2D model for the temporal information in handwriting while satisfying practical constraints.
Some other contributions of this research include: 1) removal of page margins based on corner detection in projection profiles; 2) removal of noise patterns in handwritten images using expectation maximization and fuzzy inference systems; 3) extraction of text lines based on fast Fourier-based steerable filtering; 4) segmentation of characters based on skeletal graphs; and 5) merging of broken characters based on graph partitioning.
Our experiments with a benchmark database of handwritten English documents and a real-world collection of handwritten French documents indicate that, even without any word/document-level training, our results are comparable with two state-of-the-art word spotting systems for English and French documents.


identifier: Khabbazian, Ali  (2012) A decision support system for goods distribution planning in urban areas.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Efficient goods distribution planning is vital to ensure high business revenues for logistics operators and minimize negative impacts on the environment. In this thesis, we address three main problems related to goods distribution planning in urban areas namely customer allocation, order scheduling, and vehicle routing. A three step approach is proposed.  In the first step, we use Nearest Neighbour and Tabu Search for balanced allocation of customers to logistics depots. In the second step, Genetic Algorithm approach is used to perform order scheduling at each depot for the allocated customers. In the third and the last step, we perform vehicle allocations and generate fastest paths for goods delivery to customers using modified Dijkstra’s algorithm. All these decisions are made considering realistic conditions associated with goods distribution in urban areas such as presence of congestion, municipal regulations, for example vehicle sizing, timing and access regulations etc. The objective is to minimize total distribution costs of logistics operators under these constraints.
A prototype decision support system is developed integrating the proposed approaches for goods distribution planning in urban areas.  The strength of the proposed decision support system is its ability to generate fast and efficient solutions for balanced customer allocation, dynamic order scheduling, vehicle allocation considering environmental constraints and fastest path generation under dynamic traffic conditions. The proposed model results are verified and validated against other standard approaches available in literature.


identifier: Philpot, Simone L  (2012) Aspects Of Ancient Maya Water Management At Minanha (Belize), An Interdisciplinary Approach.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The water management approach at the ancient Maya city, Minanha in Belize Central America, was examined through excavation and geomorphological analysis.  The results have successfully demonstrated that this natural feature, the Mayo aguada, was altered and used by ancient inhabitants in the region.  Analysis of twelve sediment samples collected from the aguada revealed two distinct groupings of sediments indicating the onset of terrace construction and active water resource management.  Two very different terraces were excavated, demonstrating the tendency of the ancient Maya to modify natural water management features, only when necessary to improve their effectiveness.  Finally, it was determined that the Mayo aguada was not capable of providing a year round water source naturally, but required regular maintenance to improve and maintain its water retaining capacity.  Comparisons were drawn between the water management approach exercised at this ancient city, and that of its large and influential neighbor, Caracol.
      Emphasizing an interdisciplinary approach, this research was undertaken with the assistance and supervision of a geologist, an archaeologist, a geographer, and an anthropologist.  Dominant themes relating to ancient water management practices were explored from the perspective of the appropriate field of study.  Interpretation of the results was thereby informed by several of the disciplines that have influenced archaeological theory and methodology.  The limitations of the archaeological data set were examined, exploring the distance between data and interpretation.  The data and interpretations have been presented with the goal of providing sufficient information regarding the subject matter and each discipline, such that a variety of readers can understand and apply the content herein to their own research endeavors.


identifier: Krishnan, Harish  (2012) Feasibility Study of Using PDMS as an Alternate Transmittance Cell Kit in an FTIR Spectrometer.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based microdevices have bought revolutionary change in the chemical analysis. Suitable mechanical properties of PDMS make it amenable for soft lithography and certain optical properties like transparency in Near InfraRed (NIR) make it a yet unexplored option for use as a window material in Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) Spectrometers. In our work, we investigate the utility of PDMS as a transmittance cell kit in FTIR Spectrometer replacing the CaF2 windows that are currently in use.
In this work, the spectral characteristics of PDMS in NIR and MIR have been thoroughly investigated. A set of design parameters were extracted through experiments and a preliminary design for a PDMS based cell kit has been suggested. PDMS Cell kit was fabricated using a SU-8 coated silicon wafer mold using soft lithography. Experiments by varying the base to curing agent ratio of PDMS pre polymer as well as selected heat treatment protocols were conducted, to improve the transmittance of PDMS in the MIR region. Due to the variation in base transmittances of PDMS across different samples and also due to inherent variations introduced by the FTIR spectrometer, there has not been an appreciable change in the optical characteristics of PDMS.
Further, to prove the utility of PDMS as a window material in the NIR region, Samples of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) were analyzed with the PDMS cell kit and the results were compared with the spectral analysis on same samples with a CaF2 kit. Even though PDMS does introduce its own artifacts, if a critical sample volume is used for the analysis, the performance of the PDMS kit is comparable to that of CaF2 cell kit. This volume which is dependent on the ratio of the thickness of a particular sample to that of the PDMS slabs, and the Critical Volume Ratio (CVR) of EVOO have been identified through this work. Once the CVR for a particular test sample is known, a PDMS based cell kit can effectively replace a CaF2 kit and hence will prove as a less expensive option. This opens up multiple opportunities for enabling low cost and rapid liquid sample analyses using PDMS based microfluidic devices directly as window material in an FTIR spectrometer.