identifier: Bennett, Wayne  (1993) Research and development of an instructional system : teaching security supervisors in the Canadian Forces.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Constraints on government spending prevent Unit Security Supervisors from attending the Unit Security Supervisor Course. To overcome this difficulty, a highly structured remote training package was developed by following a three phase Research and Development model. A needs assessment surveyed 80 course graduates to determine training objectives based on their actual duties. A systems approach to course design was used to produce in Instructor's Manual for optimizing performance oriented training. The package was formatively evaluated by content experts and instructional design experts. A field trial investigated the accuracy of content, the adequacy of instructional design decisions, and learner attitudes toward the courseware and the implementation of the course. Generally, this Research and Development Model was deemed to be a useful tool for course development but rather inflexible when it came to adjusting to unexpected events.


identifier: Leung, Freedom  (1993) Identifying young girls at risk for eating disorders : a multi-faceted self-inadequacy risk model.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

type: Thesis NonPeerReviewed

abstract: Low self-esteem, fear of negative evaluation, and body dissatisfaction have long been implicated in the development of eating disorders. The present study examined these attributes of the self as a multi-faceted self-inadequacy risk model for eating disorders. It was hypothesized that girls who display a self-profile characterized by extremely low self-esteem, high fear of negative evaluation and body dissatisfaction will report more of the eating, psychiatric and family problems found in eating disordered patients than girls who do not. To assess the validity and utility of this risk model, 918 adolescent girls and 74 eating-disordered female patients completed measures of family characteristics, attributes of the self, and eating and other psychiatric symptomatology. Results provided empirical support for the construct validity of the self-inadequacy risk model. The findings derived from two separate modes of risk group classification converged to indicate that the constellation of attributes of self-inadequacy used in the study defines a distinct vulnerable self-profile, which in its extreme form, predisposes young girls to eating pathology. The results also revealed that the self-inadequacy construct consists of two interrelated components: a body-image deficit and a general self-image deficit. Different combinations of the two components of self-inadequacy were associated with particular family and symptom profiles. Structural equation analyses illustrated how two sources of family influence contribute to the development of serious eating pathology. The first source was family preoccupation with weight leading to body dissatisfaction; the second source was general family dysfunction leading to self-esteem problems. The findings indicate that the interaction of the two sources of family influence leads to a pervasive sense of self-inadequacy, and a symptom profile characterized by both serious eating disturbances and other psychiatric symptoms. Results are discussed in terms of the potential usefulness of the identified construct for assessing risk for eating disorders among young girls, and the possible mechanisms by which the two sources of family influence and the two components of self-inadequacy lead to clinical eating pathology. Future research directions in this area are considered.


identifier: Rubin, David  (1993) The development of scholarly thinking on the Minoan religion from Sir Arthur Evans to the present.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This essay is a synthesis of theories, hypotheses and conclusions concerning Minoan religion, from the time of Sir Arthur Evans to the present. It does not present new evidence nor new documentation, but does analyze the problems and goals of contemporary academics' discussion. The analysis reveals how Evans' theories have been modified and updated through modern methods and the introduction of new disciplines.  The time covered is from Early Minoan III-Late Minoan II (c.2200-1400 BC). The discussion is limited to Crete with occasional references to the religion of the Greek mainland.  The evidence examined emphasizes the importance of religious sites and of the part that sacrifice, ritual and sacred garments played in Minoan religion. The discussion reveals that early scholars, including Evans, drew on the knowledge of preceding generations to arrive at their conclusions. Some of the evidence formulated by scholars in the 19th century remained the basis of ideas in the early 20th century.  The ultimate goal of this paper is to stimulate the interest of new students in Aegean history, particularly in Minoan civilization


identifier: Wagner, Elsie  (1991) Witchcraft, rebellion, and misrule : a study of Shakespeare's first tetralogy.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Although most studies of Shakespeare's first tetralogy of English history plays concern themselves with the structure of power, the roles of witchcraft and diabolism, elements central to 1 Henry VI and Richard III--the first and last plays of the tetralogy--have not been fully analyzed.  Witchcraft, introduced by Shakespeare as a structural device with the portrayal of Joan of Arc in 1 Henry VI, is demonstrated to be, iconographically, rhetorically, and critically, linked with rebellion, carnival, and misrule.  The demonic paradigm that gradually emerges as the tetralogy develops is taken to be an expression of power--political and metaphysical--the end result being the apotheosis of the profane.


identifier: Crabb, Leona  (1992) Mother's little helper : minor tranquilizers and women in the 1950s.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In 1955, Miltown became the first in a series of minor tranquilizing agents to be introduced into general use in North America. Its popularity was instantaneous. Medical journals, popular magazines, and even Hollywood celebrities overwhelmingly endorsed the drug as a safe and effective means of alleviating anxiety and tension. Public demand for the drug also skyrocketed and the use of Miltown quickly went from being a common medical practice to being a mass cultural phenomenon.  This thesis explores the Miltown phenomenon in the broader social, economic, and political climate of the 1950s, arguing that there is a direct link between the widespread use of Miltown, especially among middle class women, and the decade's obsession with anxiety, gender role conformity, and social stability.


identifier: Liu, Peijun  (1994) An analytical study of ride and handling performance of an interconnected vehicle suspension.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Design of a vehicle suspension involves a difficult compromise among the ride, handling and directional control performance characteristics. While a soft suspension is desired to enhance ride quality, hard suspension springs are required to achieve good handling and directional control performance. Auxiliary roll stiffeners, in conjunction with soft suspension, are frequently used to attain an acceptable compromise between ride and handling performance of a vehicle. Alternatively, an improved compromise between ride and handling can be realized by interconnecting hydro-pneumatic suspension struts in the roll plane. The interconnected suspension can provide soft suspension rate for improved ride quality, and firm roll stiffness and damping for adequate handling and control performance. In this dissertation, a hydro-pneumatic suspension, interconnected in the roll plane, is analytically investigated for its ride and handling performance potentials.  A highway bus equipped with the interconnected hydro-pneumatic suspension system is modeled in the roll plane as a four-degrees-of-freedom dynamical system subject to excitations arising from road irregularities and roll moment caused by directional maneuvers. The static and dynamic properties of the interconnected suspension are derived and discussed in terms of its load-carrying capacity, suspension rate, roll stiffness, and damping forces. The ride and handling performance characteristics of the interconnected suspension are deterministic excitations. A passive variable damping mechanism is proposed and investigated to achieve improved vehicle ride quality. The vibration isolation performance characteristics of the interconnected suspension employing the variable damping valves are further investigated for deterministic and random excitations. From the computer simulation results, it is concluded that the interconnected hydro-pneumatic suspension with inherent enhanced anti-roll stiffness and damping characteristics can provide an improved compromise between ride comfort and handling performance of a vehicle.


identifier: Gurram, Raghu  (1993) A study of vibration response characteristics of the human hand-arm system.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Prolonged exposure to vibration transmitted to the operators of hand-held power tools has been related to symptoms of vibration white finger (VWF) disease, also known as "Raynaud's Phenomenon of Occupational Origin". Many subjective and objective epidemiological, and clinical studies have established the prevalence rates and vibration related symptoms, such as VWF disease, loss of muscle strength, injuries to bones and joints, and disorders of the central nervous system. The mechanism leading to these disorders, however, remains almost unknown. The biodynamic response characteristics of the hand-arm system, subject to handle vibration are investigated through: (i) measurement and synthesis of driving point mechanical impedance; (ii) study of hand-grip pressure distribution to gain an insight to a probable mechanism leading to VWF disease; (iii) study of electromyography of finger flexor muscles to enhance an understanding of the vibration induced loss of muscle and grip strength; and (iv) study of vibration transmissibility of the hand-arm system and the protection offered by so-called "anti-vibration" gloves.  The biodynamic response of the hand-arm system is investigated for sinusoidal as well as stochastic excitations in the three orthogonal directions of vibration. Linear and nonlinear analytical models with constant and grip force dependent parameters are developed to characterize the dynamic response of the hand-arm system. A comparison of the model response to the measured data revealed that the nonlinear analytical models with grip force dependent parameters can accurately predict the hand-arm vibration response for different hand-grip forces over a wide frequency range of tool vibration. Further, the measured data reported in the literature are synthesized to propose a range of idealized values of driving point impedance in all the three directions of vibration.  The hand response to impinged and transmitted vibration is investigated through measurement and analysis of distribution of dynamic forces at the hand-handle interface, and electrical activity of the finger flexor muscles. A sensing grid comprising of flexible pressure sensors was fabricated to measure the interface pressure under static and dynamic conditions. The pressure distribution is related to impaired blood flow, and thus to the probable mechanism leading to the onset of VWF disease. The primary injury mechanisms are further investigated using electromyography (EMG) of the finger flexor muscles, the muscle group responsible for exerting the grip force on the handle. Analysis of the results showed that EMG of muscle group under vibration is as high as 6 times the EMG measured under static grip condition. A methodology is proposed to measure the hand-transmitted vibration and to assess the performance of the anti-vibration gloves. Analytical models are developed to characterize the vibration transmissibility of the hand-arm and the protective gloves. The study concluded that anti-vibration gloves attenuate vibration only in a limited frequency band.


identifier: Marino, Norman  (1994) The Antiochian Orthodox Syrians of Montreal, 1905-1980 : an historical study of cultural and social change over three generations.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Using the marriage registers of Montreal's two Antiochian Orthodox churches as its primary source, this thesis concludes that the Orthodox Syrian community in Montreal has undergone slow but substantial cultural and social change over three generations. The first-generation immigrants were characterized by cultural preservation and continuity. They established a vibrant ethnic community characterized by social and cultural traditions that were heavily influenced by religious, family, and hometown ties. The second generation, having been born in North America, is characterized by cultural and social integration. Although largely still attached to its ethnic cultural roots, a Canadian identity had emerged among the second generation which mitigated against its full identification with Orthodox Syrian culture. However, this new self-consciousness is well integrated and has produced a unique Syrian-Canadian identity. The third generation, in contrast, is characterized by cultural and social assimilation. Forces such as increased access to higher education, occupational diversification, as well as social and residential mobility, facilitated a process of assimilation among a majority of the third generation who by 1980 shared little in common with the pioneers who founded the Montreal community.


identifier: Roth, Robert M  (1993) Neurophysiological evaluation of sensory gating and selective attention in schizotypal personality.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Current debate centres around the question of whether schizotypal personality is part of a spectrum of schizophrenia-related disorders. Investigations of biological markers for schizophrenia in schizotypal subjects have tried to test this relationship. Given that there is considerable evidence for both sensory gating and binaural selective attention abnormalities in schizophrenia, as reflected by event-related potentials (ERP), these attention and preattention mechanisms were investigated in students scoring in the top (n = 11) and bottom (n = 12) 10% of scores on the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (Raine, 1991). Groups were matched for age, gender composition, handedness and education. Results failed to reveal group differences in suppression of the P50 in the sensory gating task, suggesting that preattentive gating is not disturbed. In contrast, on the selective attention task, predicted patterns of ERP differences were generally found. The schizotypal group was characterized by hyperarousal as indexed by shorter latencies of most ERP components, selective dishabituation of the orienting response to the rare salient stimuli, response-set deficits, intrusion effects, as well as large post-response cognitive processing of stimuli. Results were consistent with ERP abnormalities found in schizophrenics with florid and low formal thought disorders.


identifier: Stamadianos, Peter  (1994) Afro-Canadian activism in the 1960s.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Afro-Canadian activism in the 1960s

abstract: Afro-Canadian activism became increasingly militant in the 1960s. The rise in militancy in the Afro-American leadership of the 1960s was one factor contributing to the new era of black politics in Canada. Increased immigration from the West Indies also encouraged the proliferation of Afro-Canadian organizations dedicated to challenging racial discrimination.  Afro-Canadian activism, however, developed in a substantially different manner than black politics in the United States. On the whole, most Afro-Canadian organizations and leaders were considerably less militant in their tactics and strategies than their counterparts in the United States. Internecine divisions over ancestral origin were also more pronounced in Canada where the black population was ethnically heterogeneous when compared to the Afro-American community.


identifier: Ahlen, Karl  (1994) End depth and flow relationships for smooth open trapezoidal and circular channels.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The current study's objective was to obtain an accurate relationship between the end depth Y$\sb{\rm e}$ and the discharge rate for smooth open channels with trapezoidal and circular cross sections. To accomplish this, the momentum equation was used. The velocity and pressure head distributions at the end depth Y$\sb{\rm e}$ were determined to obtain the corresponding velocity and pressure coefficients, (alpha $\alpha$, beta $\beta$ and K).  The pressure head readings were obtained through the use of a static Pitot tube. Velocity readings were obtained through the use of a Pitot tube and a Laser Doppler Anemometer (LDA) system. The velocity measurements with the Pitot tube utilised procedures to take into account the curvilinear nature of the flow in the Y$\sb{\rm e}$ region.  The present investigation improves on existing studies in several ways. (1) The velocities over the entire end depth and critical depth sections for circular and trapezoidal cross sectional channels were measured over a range of flow conditions. (2) The pressure distribution at the end depth section for circular and trapezoidal cross sectional channels were measured to incorporate the pressure force term in the momentum analysis. (3) The pressure and velocity coefficients K, $\alpha$, and $\beta$ were evaluated based on the velocity and pressure distribution data. (4) Pressure head values were also calculated indirectly at the end depth section using velocity distribution data for circular and trapezoidal cross sectional channels.  Another aspect of the study was the improved analysis of the momentum equation with the calculation of $\alpha$ and $\beta$ coefficients for both circular and trapezoidal channels.  The improved analysis of the momentum equation provides for a more accurate functional relationship between the two flow variables. This would permit the establishment of a simple method for monitoring the flow rate in existing channels at their discharge point.


identifier: Perez, Elvira S  (1993) Model for the design and implementation of reliable and cost effective ISO 9000 quality control systems.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: A systematic approach for the design and implementation of quality control systems has been developed: a model in which a large number of variables that interact stochastically in a quality control system are studied using the principles behind the technique known as Design of Experiments. The model consists of four phases. In the first phase, an ISO 9000 quality control system is designed using current practices: experience and common sense. The second phase is a screening phase, where each inspection point is reclassified as relevant or non-relevant by measuring its influence on the final quality of the product. Those points classified as relevant are analyzed in detail in a third phase, the scrutinizing phase, in which combinations of factors and levels are determined by using principles from Design of Experiments (DOE) such as orthogonal arrays and from Taguchi signal-to-noise ratio. Factors, such as frequency of calibration, training of personnel and instruments and levels such as every month/every two months, in-house training/formal training and vernier/micrometer are determined based on experience and research of the manufacturing process and available inspection techniques. A series of experiments are carried out to obtain the best combination of factors and levels that confirm that the product is exceeding customers' expectations at a minimal cost. The different effects of each of these combinations on the final quality is measured. With the final phase, data analysis and a confirmatory run, inspection and quality control efforts are then directed to those areas where they are truly required.  The use of Design of Experiment ensures that the selected combination of factors and levels reduces the variability of the results of the implemented ISO 9000 quality control system, hence there is confidence that defective pieces are detected prior to shipment to the customer.


identifier: Liu, Chunyan  (1993) Thermal performance of a room with wall latent heat storage.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Thermal storage use in buildings is a promising approach for the improvement of energy efficiency. In this study, the feasibility and benefits of utilization of phase change materials (PCMs) in building envelope components for thermal storage were investigated.  The phase change material (PCM) gypsum board used in this study was made by soaking conventional gypsum board in a PCM with phase change range of 16.0$\sp\circ$C-20.3$\sp\circ$C. Both experimental and theoretical studies were performed to investigate the thermal performance of the PCM gypsum board when used in a passive solar building. The experimental study was conducted in a full scale outdoor test-room with the PCM gypsum board as inside wall lining. The test room was equipped with a computerized data acquisition and control system for transient thermal measurements. An explicit finite difference model was developed to simulate the transient heat transfer process in the walls with PCM gypsum board as inside lining. The model takes into account the transient boundary conditions, absorbed solar radiation, the melting/freezing of the PCM and employed a nonlinear film coefficient. Reasonable agreement between the simulation and the experimental results was observed.  The mathematical model may be used in conjunction with other building thermal analysis software to evaluate the design parameters and the operational characteristics of buildings with wall latent heat storage. This study shows that the utilization of the PCM gypsum board in a passive solar building can effectively limit room overheating by 4-5$\sp\circ$C during the daytime and reduce the heating load at night significantly.


identifier: McCool, Daniel  (1994) The social context of high school dropouts and prevention initiatives : the Québec case.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The high school dropout situation in the 1990s is taking on a greater urgency as society moves into an era in which technology and social organization require higher levels of skills and knowledge. This thesis examines how this social problem has evolved. In particular it explores the factors "pushing" students to drop out, and the responses established to prevent them from doing so. The policies implemented by the Quebec Ministry of Education (MEQ) are examined in light of what has been theorized and/or implemented elsewhere.  A variety of theories are reviewed, many of which argue that dropouts are "pushed" towards their fate by social and institutional factors. Others note the complexity of the problem, with its myriad of interacting variables.  An illustrative study of a program instituted under the MEQ's dropout prevention initiative is presented. This serves to allow for greater elaboration of the types of problems that are encountered in setting up and running a dropout prevention program.  The study concludes with an analysis of the MEQ's dropout prevention strategy, considering its strengths and limitations. Suggestions for improvement of the strategy and suggestions for further research are proposed.


identifier: Koechling, Ulrike M  (1993) Catalase : a possible marker for human alcohol consumption.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Earlier studies have suggested that catalase activity may be a predictor of alcohol intake in animals and in humans. The hypothesis that blood catalase may represent a biological marker for human alcohol intake was tested. An initial study was first designed to rule out the possibility that catalase activity is induced as a function of acute alcohol intake. Subjects (N = 80) were presented with either a control solution, or vodka and orange juice (EtOH 0.5 g/kg of bodyweight), and asked to provide four 100 ol blood and four breath alcohol samples (BAC), which were collected at 0.0, 0.5, 2.0, and 24.0 hours. Results showed no significant differences in catalase activity between individuals who had received alcohol, and controls, even when the effects of previous drinking history were covaried out of the analysis. In addition, results showed that, BAC was higher for the alcohol condition compared to that of controls. and for the alcohol condition, females had significantly higher BAC compared to males. This lack of effect of acute alcohol intake on the possible induction of catalase further supported the notion that catalase may be a viable marker of alcohol intake, rather than the converse. In the second study, the relation between catalase activity and alcohol intake was investigated in individuals with a family history of alcoholism (FH+), and without a family history of alcoholism (FH+). Subjects (N = 607) were recruited from three treatment centers as well as from newspaper advertising. They were asked to complete the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Questionnaire (MAST), MacAndrew Scale (MAC), and the Concordia University Alcohol Screening Questionnaire (CASQ). They were also asked to answer questions concerning their family history of alcoholism, and to provide a 100 ol blood sample. Results showed that FH+ individuals had higher mean catalase activity compared to FH- individuals. When individuals with FH+ were compared to those with FH- on the above measures, differences in the pattern of relation between catalase activity and alcohol intake were observed. Although a significant relation between catalase activity and alcohol intake was obtained for both FH- and FH+ individuals, this relation was significantly higher ( p < .001) for individuals with FH+. In order to rule out the possibility that catalase activity in FH+ individuals was a covariate of one or more variables, the data were subjected to multiple regression analysis. Results from the multiple regression analyses suggested that catalase activity in FH+ individuals made the highest contribution to the variance, even after accounting for several additional variables. These results support the contention that catalase activity may be a biological marker of the propensity of FH+ individuals to consume alcohol.


identifier: Collins, Curtis J  (1994) Janvier and Morrisseau : transcending a Canadian discourse.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The art of Alex Janvier and Norval Morrisseau successfully transcended the aesthetic norms of Canadian culture in the 1960's and 1970's. Their respective works synthesize indigenous North American arts to forge a new definition of painting by artists of Native ancestry, which acknowledges the artistic traditions of Europe. Morrisseau and Janvier reacted to the political and social climate of this nation through their respective expressions. However, each artist's contributions to Canada's artistic identity have been excluded from the our modern art history as a result of a problematic Western discourse, which has remained active for over a century. Fortunately, this situation is gradually changing as First Nations people such as Morrisseau and Janvier assert their beliefs within the context of Canada's true cultural diversity. Morrisseau's spiritual outpourings and Janvier's symbolic declarations are communicated through paintings, which have profoundly reshaped Native and non-Native approaches to art and culture during the twenty-year (1960-1980) focus of this thesis.


identifier: Frantzeskakis, Petros  (1994) Design of a parallel-series hybrid electric vehicle using multi-objective optimization techniques.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The objective of this thesis is to experimentally and analytically study and design a parallel-series Hybrid Electric Vehicle. The time response, power to cost ratio and overall electric drive efficiency were the criteria used in the selection of the electric drive unit. The results of constant current battery tests on several lead-acid batteries, namely Eastern-Penn RV31, Delco Voyageur 27FMF, Chloride 6EF7, Optima 800, and Eastern-Penn RV27 are presented. Furthermore, constant power tests results for two nickel-cadmium batteries (Saft Nife STM1.130 and Marathon 44SP100) along with the Eastern-Penn RV31 are presented. The Universal Battery Model was slightly modified and used to evaluate analytically the energy and power density of the RV31, STM1.130, and 44SP100 battery systems. Thereafter the analytical results of these batteries were compared with the experimental constant power battery test results. A mathematical model using governing vehicle dynamics equations was developed in the time domain for this investigation. The good agreement between the calculated and experimental results provided confidence to use the mathematical model for carrying out a multi-objective optimization on the electric drive system of the vehicle. The objectives investigated were specific energy, cost and cycle life of the battery system, range and acceleration. The mass of the battery pack, operating voltage of the electric drive system, specific energy density and final drive gear ratio were selected as design parameters. An experimental investigation was performed on the series mode of operation of the hybrid electric vehicle. The results of this investigation were used in the formulation of a multi-objective optimization procedure, which enabled the optimal tuning of the series mode of operation.


identifier: Battikha, Mireille  (1994) A computer integrated system for construction delay analysis : time and impact costs.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In recent years, considerable attention has been directed towards ascertaining the nature of disruptions in construction contracting. In practice, attempts are made to identify the causes of delays, modify the schedule by incorporating revised durations, and determine the impacts associated with the new project time. The analysis itself is usually complex and can be aided by a computerized approach.  In this work, the advantages and the shortcomings of the existing delay analysis techniques are highlighted and a new delay analysis technique is developed and tested. A methodology to quantify impact costs related to loss of productivity, is also proposed and discussed. In addition, both the delay analysis technique and the cost calculation methodology are accommodated within a computer integrated system, that is demonstrated and validated using a real case study. The developed system comprises of integrating existing management software tools, including: project management, database/spreadsheet, and an expert system. It is designed to assist practitioners in saving both time and money in the preparations of claims arising from delays.


identifier: Acland, Joan Reid  (1994) The native artistic subject and national identity : a cultural analysis of the architecture of the Canadian Museum of Civilization, designed by Douglas J. Cardinal.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The Canadian Museum of Civilization (CMC) was constructed as a national-popular symbol which would unite a multicultural society. Described as a 'Global Village', CMC was designed to appeal to the 'cultural tourist' of the 21st century. To this end, a marketing strategy was keyed to the Canadian interest in the mythical qualities of the Land. As a museum whose characteristic features have been its 'Indianness', the dissertation seeks to understand why a conflation of these two idioms, Land and 'Indianness', is seen to appeal to Canadians at this postmodern moment.  The role of Douglas Cardinal, architect of the Museum, is examined in terms of his effect as a Canadian of Blackfoot, Metis, and German ancestry. Both the formal qualities of the architecture and its signification as a symbol of national identity are considered. This is shaped through an analysis of the iconography of the architecture in relation to traditional Native spiritual symbolism in order to construct a narrative surrounding the Museum which is identity specific.  Primary source site visits and interviews were an integral aspect of the dissertation. My observations were developed and structured through the epistemological current of critical theory in anthropology, art history and cultural studies, drawing particularly on theories of postcolonial discourse and identity.  Essentially the dissertation explores the relationship between the artistic subject, expressive form and the problematic of signification in relation to a symbol of national identity.


identifier: Sharara-Taher, Lina I.  (1994) The corporate debt maturity choice : an empirical examination.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Unlike the extensive literature on the more general topic of capital structure, empirical research in the corporate debt maturity area is still scant. Related studies had formulated theoretical justifications for the observed cross-sectional multiplicity of debt maturities without a parallel concern in empirical research and to date, little empirical work has been conducted to test those formulations. In this context, this paper makes a major contribution in that it attempts to explain how corporate debt maturity choice is determined.  At the core of this study is a general multiple choice model that makes it possible to examine how the different hypotheses on debt maturity advanced thusfar determine that choice. Using an ordered model as opposed to a simple model had the advantage of capturing the segmentation in the debt maturity market while allowing a gain in efficiency for the parameter estimates.  The results from this model lend strong support to the hypothesis that, overall, when choosing the maturity of a new debt, corporate managers seek to minimize the agency costs of debt in general, especially those from the incentive for wealth expropriation by investing in riskier projects than originally anticipated. The evidence is also consistent with the assumption that managers do commit themselves not to transfer wealth from bondholders to stockholders by attaching protective covenants to the newly issued debt.  Finally, the model's classificatory ability is tested for meaningfulness by comparing it to the proportional chance model.


identifier: Avon, Susan  (1994) The Beaver Hall Group and its place in the Montreal art milieu and the nationalist network.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The Montreal art milieu of 1920 was conservative in nature and the Beaver Hall Group was formed, in part, in response to that local art scene. Essentially an exhibiting society, its members sought freedom of expression.  The formation of the Group also coincided with a period in Canadian history when Canada was casting off its colonial ties to England. Consequently, a nationalist cultural agenda developed among members of the English-Canadian intelligentsia. One of the goals of this network was to strike a national note in Canadian art, an aspiration championed by the Toronto-based Group of Seven. Through the intermediary of Group of Seven member A. Y. Jackson, the Beaver Hall Group was affiliated with this movement. The Montreal Group, however, was short-lived (circa 1920-1922) and virtually disappeared from Canadian art historical texts until the late 1950s when it began to be presented as having consisted primarily of women artists. Research reveals, however, that while there was a large contingency of female members, history has largely ignored the male members who comprised the majority of the Group.  In this thesis, the 1920 Montreal art scene is depicted and the Beaver Hall Group is placed within both local and national cultural contexts. Also, the issue of the Group's membership is discussed and a revised roster of members is proposed.


identifier: Carrier, Déane  (1993) Facteurs inhérents à la catastrophe technologique nuisant à l'utilisation de la radio comme moyen de communication d'urgence : les exemples de Saint-Basile-le-Grand et de Saint-Amable.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Le potentiel de la radio comme moyen de communication d'urgence est peu utilise lors de catastrophes technologiques. Parmi les differents elements qui peuvent expliquer ce constat, on retrouve la presence de trois facteurs inherents a la catastrophe technologique. La confrontation de ces trois facteurs a certaines composantes issues du contexte de travail des journalistes travailant a la radio creera des possibilites de mesententes ou de conflits entre les officiels impliques dans la gestion de l'evenement et les journalistes. Cette confrontation aura egalement un impact defavorable sur l'instauration d'un climat de confiance mutuelle et l'etablissement de la collaboration pro-active entre officiels et journalistes. Or, l'instauration d'un climat de confiance mutuelle et l'etablissement de la collaboration pro-active sont essentials a une plus grande utilisation du potentiel d la radio comme moyen de communication d'urgence. Les facteurs inherents a la catastrophe technologique nuisent donc a l'utilisation de la radio comme moyen de communication d'urgence. Nous nous servirons des exemples de Saint-Basile-le-Grand et de Saint-Amable pour illustrer nos propos.


identifier: Malek, Gazaly A  (1994) The outcome of the radical-conservative conflict in modern Malay politics : the Malayan Union crisis and the triumph of conservatism, 1942-1948.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The impact of British rule in Malaya on Malay politics resulted in the emergence of two opposing streams of Malay political views. One stream totally favoured the modernism of the West while the other, drawn from the traditional order, preferred to adapt modern ideas to the maintenance of the old structure. The beginnings of modern Malay nationalism coincided with the growing conflict between these two streams. The conflict between the radical, modern element and the conservative old order characterized and dominated the development of modern Malay politics.  From the turn of the century to the end of World War II, the radical stream, while it could not decisively defeat the conservative element, dominated the struggle for Malay leadership. However, the end of the war erased the gains of the radicals as the Kesatuan Melayu Muda (KKM) collapsed. The return of the British with the Malayan Union proposal for the political consolidation of Malaya directly threatened the Malay conservatives. Seizing the opportunity of the weakened position of the Malay radicals, the conservatives utilized the experience gained under the tutelage of the British as well as their traditional influence on Malay society to emerge as the dominant force in Malay politics. Thus the Malayan Union crisis boosted and propelled the Malay conservative elite to political dominance and ended over fifty years of the radical-conservative schism in Malay politics. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)


identifier: Smith, Margo J  (1993) The effect of vertical extensions on the evaluation of the brand extension and the original brand name.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects on the original brand name image and that of the extension when a vertical extension of the brand is introduced. Three variables were examined in the context of step-up and step-down extensions to determine their effect on the evaluation of the core brand and extension: brand concepts, distancing techniques and the presence of an information or attribute elaboration cue. An experiment was conducted using four well-known brand names (Rolex, Timex, Lexus and Toyota) from two product categories. The differences in evaluations between the three types of vertical extensions (prestige-oriented downscale, function-oriented upscale and function-oriented downscale) were examined.  The findings indicate that introducing the step-down Rolex, Lexus and Toyota, and an upscale Toyota and Timex lower brand name evaluations. The downscale extensions for Rolex and Timex and upscale extensions for Timex and Toyota received favourable evaluations. Both the step-down Timex and Toyota extensions received unfavourable evaluations.  Distancing the step-down extension name from Rolex led to a significantly more favourable evaluation of the Rolex name than when the extension name was closely tied to Rolex. Having the Toyota name closely associated with the downscale extension was also found to significantly improve the evaluation of the brand name than when the Toyota name was not salient.  Further experimental findings showed that extension evaluations can be significantly improved, for all types of vertical extensions, by introducing an attribute elaboration cue which is designed to reduce concerns consumers may have about the extension.


identifier: Strong, David Calvin  (1994) Sidney Carter (1880-1956) and the politics of pictorialism.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Pictorialism, a fine art movement in photography, first emerged in western Europe, and quickly spread to North America, around the turn of the century. The career of Sidney Robert Carter (Toronto 1880-1956 Montreal), a leading proponent of the movement in Canada, provides a window onto the Canadian experience, and furnishes an opportunity for the consideration of the particular nature of cultural transmission, specifically, the notion of the "international" art movement and its reception in colonial cultures.  Pictorialists distanced themselves from both commercial photographers and the established camera club circuit, and sought out more prestigious alignments within the larger art milieu. In this thesis Carter's career as a Pictorialist is traced, beginning with his ambivalent relationship with the Toronto Camera Club, proceeding through his election to the Photo-Secession, his attempts to organize a parallel group of photographers in Canada, and culminating in his organization of an international exhibition of pictorial photographs in Montreal in 1907.


identifier: Abdou, Adel A. M  (1994) Transient sound intensity measurements for evaluating the spatial information of sound fields in reverberant enclosures.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Over the last twenty years, new subjectively relevant objective room-acoustic indicators for evaluating the acoustical quality of an enclosure have been introduced. While these indicators give new insight into the acoustical "Goodness" of a listener position, in order to design halls, assess or to correct an acoustical defect in an existing enclosure, there is a need to understand to what extent they are influenced by the physical design features of the enclosure. To meet such a need, information about the directional characteristics of sound is required. The spatial distribution of sound energy is usually not considered due to lack of an efficient, accurate and easy to perform measurement method.  The main objectives of the present study are, first; to review known and speculative room-acoustic indicators for use in assessing reverberant spaces such as concert halls, opera houses, multi-purpose halls and churches. Second, to introduce an easy to perform measurement method for directional sensing in sound fields. Third, to develop a simple and inexpensive PC-based instrument primarily for the measurement of sound fields directional characteristics as well as contemporary room-acoustic indicators. Fourth, to propose new room-acoustic indicators which have relevance to directional information.  This study introduces a three-dimensional sound intensity measurement technique for obtaining spatial information of sound fields in an enclosure. The technique has been validated and its accuracy investigated. The method gives results that provide valuable information regarding the directional behaviour of sound in enclosures. Subsequently both the system and the measurement method were applied to known spaces as example applications in order to assess sound quality, to detect the effect of the surrounding interior features of the space, and to assess potential diagnostic capability with respect to interior physical changes.  The study has validated the measurement procedure as well as the importance and potential of visualizing the directional characteristics of sound fields at the listener position employing 3-D transient sound intensity impulses.  In order to utilize the now-available directional information, existing temporal and spatial sound diffusion indices and techniques have been reviewed and additional prospective quantifiers are proposed. The study allows the possibility of developing an appreciation between cause and effect in the matter of interior architectural features design and by providing a better judgment base, removes much of the guess work to achieve cost effective remedial treatments. It also exposes a new dimensional perspective to workers developing objective indicators of subjective response.*  *Originally published in DAI Vol. 56, No. 11. Reprinted here with corrected author name.


identifier: Dong, Renguang  (1994) Vertical dynamics of railway vehicle-track system.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: A comprehensive finite element (FE) model of railway vehicle-track system is developed to study the dynamic interaction between the vehicle and track. The vehicle is represented by a lumped parameter system. The track is modeled as a Timoshenko beam on discrete pad-tie-ballast supports. The tie is considered either as a rigid body or a non-uniform beam. The rail-pad and ballast are modeled as distributed spring-damper elements. The non-linear factors such as loss of wheel/rail contact, rail lift-off from the tie and tie lift-off from the ballast are taken into account. A cutting and merging method along with a set of special boundary conditions is established to extend finite length of track to infinitely long track so that a vehicle can be modeled to travel on the track indefinitely with a time-dependent speed. A numerical direct integration technique is employed to solve the equations of motions of the vehicle and track systems. An adaptive multi-point wheel/rail contact model is proposed and used to calculate the normal and geometrical longitudinal forces due to irregularities in the wheel/rail contact region. The developed FE model is validated using the experimental data obtained from British Rail and Canadian Pacific (CP) Rail. The FE results such as natural frequencies of concrete ties, the wheel/rail contact forces, the rail-pad forces and dynamic strains in the rail, generally show good correlation to the experimental data. The validated model is applied to investigate the characteristics of impact loads due to wheel/rail tread defects such as wheel flats, wheel shells and rail joints. The steady-state interaction between the vehicle and track, and the dynamic force due to rail corrugations are evaluated for high speed operation.  The results of this study show that the impact load is maximum at the ties, and is strongly influenced by the axle load, vehicle speed, actual shape of the defect, and rail equivalent mass. Elastomeric shear pads on the wheelset bearing, and reduced rail-pad stiffness, can potentially reduce dynamic bearing force and tie dynamic load, respectively. The magnitude of resonant force for vehicle-track system in a steady-state interaction mainly depends on the unsprung mass, tie spacing, vehicle primary and track ballast damping, and rail stiffness. In the presence of rail corrugation, the energy consumption due to longitudinal force increases quadratically with the depth of rail corrugation. The dynamic contact forces at neighboring wheels are influenced by each other and the basic mechanism that control such an interaction is the superposition of the dynamic responses. Stable solution in the speed range 0 to 1440 km/h demonstrates the effectiveness of the model for high speed simulation.


identifier: Hodgson-Thomas, Cris  (1995) An observation of ritual painting in Bali and its implications for the teaching and learning of art.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The traditional painters of Kamasan, Bali, Indonesia, have a precise schema for the paintings they produce. They live in a close community, which seems to outsiders to be peaceful and cohesive. Painting technique has been taught by parents to children, and preserved relatively unchanged for centuries.  What can be learned by an artist from another culture, about Balinese technique and lifestyle, that could be of use to painting and educational practise? As an artist/educator who had, to some degree, learned to abhor ritual, became bored easily with repetition, and saw self-expression as the main reason for art production, I was personally challenged by going to Kamasan and working with a painting family there.  Throughout the process of working in Bali, and reflecting on ritual, my philosophy has changed.  This thesis describes some of my experiences as a student in Bali. Based on my subsequent reflections upon return to Canada proposes that increased acceptance of ritual may be beneficial for art education practise.


identifier: Patel, Jagdish  (1995) A silicon micromachined subminiature condenser microphone : analysis, design, fabrication and testing.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Microphones are ordinary pressure sensors with an optimum behavior in a certain pressure and frequency range. The fundamental elements of a condenser microphone comprises of a diaphragm, backplate, airgap, and rear volume cavity. In order to analyze any system for its response behavior due to a particular loading, it is essential to obtain the characteristic properties of the system in terms of the natural frequencies, mode shapes and damping. This is done by solving a free vibration problem. The natural frequencies and mode shapes of the diaphragm of square and circular shapes including those with cutouts (openings) and abrupt changes in thickness are obtained. The results show that the natural frequencies increase as the size of cutout increases, and also when the abrupt change in thickness increases. But, the increase due to abrupt change in thickness is very small when compared that of the plate with cutout.  In the present investigation, silicon micromachining technology is used to fabricate the condenser microphone. The condenser microphone is fabricated from two wafer chips, one containing the silicon membrane and the other the Pyrex glass (#7740) which forms the backplate. Between the capacitance circuit. Lithographic techniques are used to manufacture the condenser microphone with specially shaped backplates which contain the airgap and side volume cavity. An Anodic bonding technique is used to bond the silicon membrane with the backplate. The silicon diaphragm is used as the moving electrode and the Pyrex glass backplate is made into a back electrode by a thin deposition of metal on it


identifier: Downing, Paul  (1995) Applying a post-modern framework to native self-government in Canada.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Due to their historical occupation of this country prior to European settlement Aboriginal people have special status in this country. Long viewed as wards of the Canadian state, Aboriginal people are no longer willing to remain in that position. Today natives are exerting pressure on the Canadian state to recognize them as self-governing people. This demand for self-government is one of the most complex issues facing the Canadian state and threatens the sovereignty of the nation-state. To date, a number of attempts have been made at arriving at a working form of native self-government. The Canadian state has been unsuccessfully trying to develop a universal concept for self-government, applicable for all natives and binding to all ten provinces. Instead what it should attempt is a community-based post-modern approach. Where each native community is consulted as to what type of self-government that particular community wishes to realize.


identifier: Lesley., Checkland-Orr  (1994) The teller in the tale : aspects of narratorial voice in the novels of George Eliot.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The primary concerns of this study are certain aspects of narratorial voice in Eliot's novels, and how, through them, the narrator manoeuvres the reader into positions conducive to the "extension of sympathy" that Eliot wishes to inculcate in her readers, hoping, as she does, that sympathy aroused toward characters in the fictional world will, by extension, carry through to situations and people encountered in daily life. A multi-vocal narrative voice, full of variety of perspective and tone, is deployed to influence the response of the reader, and includes among its devices "engaging" narratorial strategies such as direct address, strategic use of personal pronouns, narrative metalepsis, invitations to the reader to superimpose his or her own "fabula" onto/into the story being read, and reflective prudential commentary that applies equally to the phenomenological world as to the world of the novel. Reader-response theory is considered along with narrative theory in an attempt to illustrate and account for the effectiveness of selected strategies. While reference is made to most of her works, the study concentrates mainly on Scenes of Clerical Life, Adam Bede, and Middlemarch.


identifier: Nelson, Charmaine  (1995) Coloured nude : fetishization, disguise, dichotomy.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Representations of black female bodies in western art defy easy categorization. Situated as "other" within colonial discourse, the represented black female body has historically undergone a double fetishization on the basis of a perceived sexual and racial lack. Dorothy Stevens' Coloured Nude (1933) is symptomatic of this unique fetishization, a state which is indicative of the positioning of "Black Woman" as dichotomous to idealized white womanhood. Representations of black women in Canadian painting in the 1930's locate white artists' fascination with the black: subject as exotic "other". While the highly praised Coloured Nude (1933) situated "Black Woman" as sexually aggressive, exotic and unnatural, an exploration of contemporaneous female nudes reveals the frequent controversy over innocuous white female nudes and the dismissal of alternative constructions of black female nudes. These racialized museum practices were informed by a double standard of propriety which turned on the race of the subject.


identifier: Giordano, Daniela  (1994) Designing "learning organizations" : a critical evaluation of the strategies and policies proposed in the literature.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Designing organizations with enhanced learning capability is a leitmotif of current approaches to organizational design and has implications for the way organizations are managed with respect to education, training, and development. The aim of this work is the identification of the factors and processes that can play a role in the design and operation of a "learning organization", and the critical evaluation of the strategies and policies proposed in the literature. After a review of the major streams of thought on the topic of organizational learning, the issue of how individual members' learning relates to organizational learning is addressed, using three basic units of analysis: individuals, groups/teams, and networks. The more significant processes underlying organizational learning are made explicit, in order to evaluate how strategies, practices, and design principles proposed in the literature map into the former. It is shown how most of the policies and strategies presented as "good practices" for learning organizations may actually precipitate counterproductive side effects if they are not adequately contextualized. It is argued that a canonical conception of a "learning organization" must include the use of observational and self-representational tools to continuously assess the status of individual, team and network learning processes, and a suggestion is that network analysis is an often overlooked tool that can offer much to this end.


identifier: Solomon, Caroline M  (1995) Avery Brundage and the 1936 Olympic Games.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: When Hitler came to power, the Olympic Games had already been awarded to Germany. In the early phase of Nazi rule, Jews were expelled from sport clubs, making it impossible for them to train for, or participate in, the 1936 Olympics. The Amateur Athletic Union and American Olympic Committee, the organizations responsible for sending a U.S. team to Germany, were worried about the racist policies of the new regime. Despite a German pledge of non-discrimination made to the International Olympic Committee in 1933, the AAU and AOC passed resolutions making American participation contingent upon the cessation of discrimination against German-Jewish athletes. Discriminatory practices did, however, continue. Meanwhile, German officials in charge of the Games' preparations received continual pressure from Hitler to secure American presence at the Games. The boycott movement in the United States did, in the end, fail; but not because of German pressure. It failed primarily because of the personal intervention of AOC president Avery Brundage. Brundage, as well as other well-connected Olympic officials, had the opportunity to let the AAU and AOC determine American participation on the basis of an accurate assessment of the German-Jewish situation. Instead, they deliberately misled the two organizations and world public opinion by giving assurances they knew were false.


identifier: Anderson, Janice  (1995) Closed systems : Alexandra Luke, Hortense Gordon and the Canadian art history canon.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The marginalization of women's art within the Canadian art history canon articulates the dichotomy which exists between the practice of making art in a Canadian context and the selective recording of that practice within written history. Canadian painters Alexandra Luke and Hortense Gordon made significant contributions to the development and acceptance of abstract art in Canada, not simply through their own art practice, but also as teachers, lecturers and exhibition organizers, especially in Ontario. In spite of this contribution and the local, national and international reputations that both women enjoyed, their work does not appear in a position of significance in Canadian art history texts. The origin and meaning of this marginalization is based on the social construction of gender with the standard canon privileging male production. Feminist intervention in this system has failed to fundamentally improve or change the structure which is power-based and difficult to destabilize.


identifier: Canzer, Brahm  (1995) A social marketing approach to media intervention design in health and lifestyle education.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Instructional Design development has not yet produced a dedicated comprehensive model concerned with instruction for specialized areas of education where attitude-based behavioral change in social settings is the primary goal. As such, health and lifestyle education is one specialized field which is generally approached by instructional designers using an eclectic selection of conventional education and communication models which may often be unsuitable for the task.  The growing importance and complexity of this field has resulted in calls for better structure, organization and strategic thinking. Research suggests that an alternative intervention design paradigm is needed which will help direct needs assessment, suggest strategic design and measure effectiveness of the intervention effort.  This thesis describes a theoretically based paradigm and then demonstrates its efficacy through an applied intervention study on alcohol consumption behaviour directed at college students.  A large sample of students (N = 506) was surveyed using a multi-dimensional questionnaire designed to provide comparative information for diagnosis, intervention design and evaluation of intervention effort. A smaller group (N = 51) of students was evaluated before, during and after the intervention effort in order to track profile changes.  Intervention comprised the classroom presentation of a commercially available educational video-taped lecture on the alcohol industry, advertising effort and health related information and a feedback session where student survey responses were presented in order to foster discussion about peer behaviour and attitudes.  Nearly half of the heavy drinkers treated to the intervention effort reduced the amounts of alcohol consumed and two-thirds reduced the number of times they went to high risk social environments where alcohol consumption was likely to occur. Traditional mediated interventions have rarely demonstrated such strong impact and more often focus on more limited success measurements of design styles, knowledge learned and behaviour intention toward healthier behaviour.  Overall, results support the belief that the paradigm can guide health and lifestyle education intervention campaigns concerned with alcohol, smoking and other substance abuse cessation, sexually transmitted diseases and eating disorders.


identifier: Funk, Douglas  (1995) The role of the catecholaminergic projections to the forebrain in the modulation of autonomic responses to stress.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Exposure of animals to noxious or stressful stimuli increases heart rate (HR) and blood pressure through activation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Stressors also elicit the release of the neuromodulatory catecholamines dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) in several regions of the forebrain. Although many of these regions project to brainstem nuclei involved in the control of autonomic output, the functions of the catecholamines in the modulation of responses to stressful stimuli mediated by the ANS are not known.  To resolve this issue, a series of experiments was carried out to examine the effects of injections of agonists, and antagonists of DAergic and NAergic receptors into four regions of the forebrain innervated by the catecholaminergic projections, on an autonomically-mediated response to stress, the increase in HR induced by tail pinch, in rats anesthetized with urethane. The regions tested included the medial frontal cortex (MFC), agranular insular cortex (AIC), nucleus accumbens (NAC) and the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA).  Injections of an antagonist of Ý-adrenoceptors into each of these regions reduced the magnitude of the increase in HR induced by tail pinch. Injections of an agonist of Ý-adrenoceptors in the MFC, AIC and NAC increased basal HR but did not affect the pinch response. Injections of drugs acting at Ì-adrenoceptors altered neither of these parameters, but injections of a combination of agonists of Ì- and Ý-adrenoceptors made into the NAC markedly increased the magnitude of the response to pinch.  When injected alone, agonists or antagonists of DAergic receptors were largely without effect on basal HR and the response to pinch. However, injections of a combination of a D 2 antagonist and an agonist of the Ý-adrenoceptor into the AIC significantly increased the magnitude of the pinch response.  These results provide the first clear evidence that catecholamines released in the forebrain during basal conditions and in response to stress are important modulators of autonomic output. NA, primarily through actions on Ý-adrenoceptors, exerts the most salient influence, serving to facilitate the output of the ANS during both of these conditions. In the case of the NAC, this NAergic influence may be facilitated, in turn, by the stimulation of Ì-adrenoceptors. Although DA in these regions may not have a salient influence on autonomic output, it may, via the stimulation of D 2 receptors, modulate the actions of NA on Ý-adrenoceptors in at least the AIC.


identifier: Jiao, QingZhong  (1995) Admission control and congestion control in ATM/CDMA network.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: For CDMA to be a variable multiaccess approach to integrate multimedium services over a wide range of constant and variable bit rate server, it is important to come out with suitable admission and congestion control techniques. This is because in CDMA systems the user's transmission overlap and large bit error probabilities would result that users violate their average bit rate agreements with satellite. Our work tries to minimize the number of ATM/CDMA call overlap by proper traffic shaping function.  In this work, we show by computer simulation ways of alleviating congestion in ATM/CDMA broadband integrated satellite systems. A hybrid CDMA/TDMA/ATM approach is taken where a mixture of user classes namely video, voice, file and interactive data share a TDMA frame compared of four subframes where an ATM/CDMA technique is used by users of each class to access the time slots within their subframe. An M-array orthogonal sequence CDMA modulation is adopted and multipath fading satellite environment is assumed. Users are assumed to have the ATM/CDMA/TDMA interface and to commemorate their signals directly to the satellite in a hubless fashion.  Traffic shaping is something that happens in the customer premise equipment. If the policing function is the policeman, and the charging function is the judge, then the traffic shaping function is the lawyer. The traffic shaping function uses information about the policing and charging functions in order to change the traffic characteristics of the customer's stream to get the lowest charge or the smallest cell-loss, etc. In this work, we simulated the policing function and traffic shaping function which the leaky bucket scheme is investigated.


identifier: Hong, Henry  (1995) Optimum performance of solenoid injectors for direct injection of gaseous fuels in IC engines.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The growing environmental concerns have prompted the use of alternate fuels and a strong demand for electronically controlled gas injectors. This thesis investigates a solenoid operated fuel injector discharging gaseous fuel directly into the combustion chamber of an engine. A switching circuits is designed to boost the solenoid coil current for quick electromagnetic force generation to perform a fast injector opening. A capacitor incorporated in the switching circuit is used to oppose and to quickly diminish the coil current for fast injector closing. To accurately control the gas injection transient process, within fractions of a millisecond, a model of the solenoid magnetic circuit, including effects from eddy current and flux leakage losses in order to account for the hysteresis of the magnetization characteristics for force generation, is developed and matched with experimental results.  The performance studies showed that the stringent opening and closing timing requirements for the injector can be improved with proper selection of the design variables for the best performance. A systematic multivariable multiobjective constrained optimization procedure is developed to establish an optimal design. An optimized injection system could minimize the time delays and shape the profile of the injector needle motion in order to reduce the deviation between the expected and actual amount of the injected gas dose. A modified version of the Hooke and Jeeves unconstrained optimization method is used. Boundary constraints are placed on the design variables to ensure that the design is confined within realizable physical limits. To account for these constraints, a procedure is introduced that tracks three successive objective functions as the optimization iteration progresses, and when a boundary is violated. The penalty function method accounts for all other constraints.  There are no known optimization methods that will result in a global minimum. Even if a global minimum is known to exist, then to determine the global minimum is to perform an exhaustive minimization search. The optimization method presented in this thesis results in a global minimization without the need to perform an exhaustive search on the design variables. This is because there is some "a priori" knowledge from the performance study about variable interactions, and about the trend of system performance for changes in the design variables.  The research shows that a solenoid operated injector with small size and weight, can operate fast enough and accurately in direct injection applications, after its design is optimized with the use of a comprehensive solenoid model for fast transient operations.


identifier: Chaaban, Mohamed  (1995) A finite element calculation method for the heat transfer effects on the current-carrying capacity of underground electrical cables.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis presents a combined numerical and experimental study of the heat transfer modes that take place in cavities embedded within solid bodies. The motivation is to develop a practical numerical approach to quantify the role of various regions in the global heat dissipation around underground electrical cable installations, used in electricity transmission and distribution.  A detailed numerical solution of the complex heat transfer present; conduction, free convection and radiation, with unknown boundary values at the air-solid interfaces, is first developed. For the convective flows in the cavities, the Navier-Stokes equations are solved, in stream-function vorticity form, using a Newton-Galerkin finite element approach. For the radiation part in these cavities, the shape factors of surface elements of cables and ducts are calculated by a crossed-string technique.  A series of simplifications are then made to avoid the solution of the Navier-Stokes equations. First, the cables and their surrounding backfills are discretized in one common mesh, together with the intermediate air gaps, in such a way that only the Fourier partial differential equation is solved. To be able to do so, the air gaps are considered as fictitious solid materials with a specific thermal conductivity and a negligible thermal capacity. The individual thermal conductivity of each air gap is calculated by assuming the convection and radiation heat exchanges as separate thermal resistances acting in parallel between cables and ducts. The convection component is calculated by solving a concentric annuli problem. Results in the form of equivalent conductivity at various Rayleigh number and diameter ratios are then derived to cover the range of interest encountered in underground installations. The same approach is used to analyze the heat transfer in empty ducts by considering such ducts as populated by small fictitious unloaded cables.  The demanding resources of cable ampacity finite element conduction code are further alleviated through a new technique dubbed EFECAC (Economic Finite Element for Cable Ampacity Calculation). This technique takes advantage of the fact that the heat dissipation in cables is nearly axisymmetric and hence couples the 2D solution in the surroundings to a 1D axisymmetric grid inside the cable.  The Finite Element suite of codes thus developed are used to analyze conventional and non-conventional cable installations. These codes, equipped with an automatic mesh generator, currently enable industrial users to rapidly analyze a variety of complex underground installations.


identifier: Ibrahim, Ahmed M. M  (1995) Three-dimensional thermal analysis of curved concrete box girder bridges.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Bridge structures are exposed to severe environmental conditions over their lifetime as they are continuously gaining and losing heat from solar radiation, irradiation to the sky and convection to or from the surrounding atmosphere. These conditions cause large temperature variations within the structure at any instant of time. In concrete bridges, such temperature variations can result in stresses which can be as large as those caused by dead and live loads. Prediction of such temperature variations is a complex problem since the temperature varies with time, within the bridge cross-section, as well as from section to section along the bridge length. In long straight bridges with constant cross-sections, the assumption that the temperature is constant along the bridge length is valid and a two-dimensional analysis is sufficient to determine the distribution of temperature within the cross-section. However, in curved bridges, a three-dimensional analysis is necessary to predict the temperature distribution within the cross-section and along the axis of the bridge.  In the present research, a method of analysis and a computer program based on three-dimensional finite elements are presented to determine the time-dependent temperature variations and the corresponding stresses in box girder bridges of arbitrary plan and cross-section geometry for a given geographic location and meteorological conditions. A comparison is made between the results obtained from the analytical solution and temperature measurements obtained by other researchers on a straight bridge in Quebec to demonstrate the validity of the method of analysis. The program is then applied for a case study to illustrate the three-dimensional temperature distribution in curved concrete box girder bridges. Furthermore, a parametric study is performed to assess the influence of some chosen parameters on the temperature variation along the axis of such bridges


identifier: Oueslati, Faisal  (1995) An analytical investigation of passive and active suspension systems for articulated freight vehicles.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Articulated freight vehicles transmit high levels of whole-body ride vibration to the driver and high magnitudes of dynamic tire forces to the pavements. The high levels of ride vibration and tire forces are attributed to the excessive sizes and weights of these vehicles. The driver health and safety risks posed by ride vibrations, and the significant tire induced road damage caused by heavy vehicles have prompted a growing demand for design of driver- and road-friendly vehicles. Different active and passive suspension systems are thus analyzed to enhance the performance characteristics of articulated freight vehicles. The investigation is carried out in five phases: (i) development of a representative dynamic model of the vehicle; (ii) passive suspension design and optimization; (iii) ideal active suspension design; (iv) limited-state active suspension design; and (v) assesment of tire dynamic forces transmitted to the pavement. An articulated freight vehicle is characterized by an inplane nine degrees-of-freedom (DOF) dynamic system model. An analytical characterization of the randomly irregular road surface is presented and the time delays between the consecutive wheel inputs are incorporated using Pade approximation. The validity of the analytical vehicle model is asserted by comparing its response characteristics with the road measured data. A technique, based on covariance analysis, is employed to perform the multi-parameter sensitivity analysis and to design an "optimum" passive suspension. A performance index comprising ride quality, cargo safety, suspension rattle space and dynamic tire forces is formulated to derive the "optimum" suspension design. The effects of varying the suspension properties on the frequency response characteristics are investigated to further verify the conclusions drawn from the covariance analysis. Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) control technique is employed to design an ideal fail-safe active suspension scheme based on full-state feedback. Passive damping and stiffness elements are incorporated in the active suspension system to yield a fail-safe configuration with minimal power requirement. The performance characteristics of the ideal active suspension are compared to those of the "optimum" passive suspension to determine their potential performance benefits. In view of the excessive hardware and signal processing requirements, high cost and poor reliability of a full-state feedback active suspension design, a thorough analysis of a more realistic active suspension scheme, based on H$\sb2$ synthesis, is undertaken. Two suspension schemes based upon limited-state measurements are investigated. The performance characteristics of the propose suspension designs are compared to those of the full-state active suspension and the "optimum" passive suspension systems. Finally, a comprehensive analysis is undertaken to assess the effects of the passive and various active suspension schemes on the dynamic tire forces. It is concluded that the reduced state active suspension systems yield performance characteristics comparable to those of an ideal active suspension.


identifier: Kamoun, Faouzi  (1995) A new approach in the transient analysis of ATM multiplexers with bursty sources.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In this dissertation, we propose a new approach for the queueing analysis of discrete-time queues with correlated arrivals, arising in the ATM environment. In the first part of this work, we focus on the discrete-time transient analysis of a single server ATM multiplexer, where the arrival process consists of the super-position of the traffic generated by a homogeneous as well as by a heterogeneous set of independent binary Markov sources. We propose a new approach in the derivation of the transient joint probability generating function of the buffer content and the number of active sources. From this, time-dependent performance measures such as mean, variance and distribution of the queue length can be derived. Further, the transient analysis allows us to derive closed form expressions for the steady-state probability generating functions of the queue length, packet delay, as well as their corresponding first moments. We also present the idle and busy period analysis of the system. In the second part of this dissertation, we extend the approach to the transient and steady-state analysis of a multiserver ATM multiplexer and finally, in the third part, we demonstrate the applicability of the proposed approach in the steady-state analysis of a tandem queuing network with correlated arrivals. First we derive the steady-state joint generating function of the contents of the queues and the number of active sources. From this any moment of the queue length at each node can be extracted. In addition we derive explicit expressions for the average delay at each node as well as for the total average delay in the network. The main contribution of the first two parts of this work is to show how to extend the queueing analysis of the GI/D/c queue in order to handle the correlation in the arrival process. The advantage behind the proposed approach is that it places the ATM multiplexer analysis on the same platform as that of the GI/D/c queue. The main contribution of the third part of this work is to establish a general framework, under which an exact performance analysis can be carried out, at the network level, in an ATM environment.


identifier: Grant, Anita  (1995) Arthur Lismer in the context of Sheffield.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This is an analysis of the writings and lectures of Arthur Lismer on the subject of art appreciation and how they reflected the socio-political influences of late-nineteenth and early twentieth-century Sheffield. A detailed examination of this environment discusses the radical political history of the city, its support of non-conformist religions, and the educational system, all of which would have affected Lismer. Also discussed is the art milieu in Sheffield, which included three museums, a school of art, the Heeley Art Club, and particularly the pervading influence of John Ruskin. Parallels are drawn between Lismer's Sheffield background and his views on art appreciation, which included concerns about art training and education, the lack of aesthetic awareness, and the need for social and civic responsibility in the general public.


identifier: Saadé, Raafat G  (1995) Modeling of surges caused by the release of breakup ice jams.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In late winter and early spring, ice covers become weak in strength and break-up. The passage of the resulting ice floes may be arrested at a downstream location and create an ice jam. The increase in ice and water pressures may eventually cause the break-up of the blockage. The sudden release of the jam can result in violent ice runs and surges. Ice jam related floods can cause substantial damage to property, erode river beds, endanger hydraulic structures and affect safety at river crossings. The current understanding of the breakup ice jam phenomena is insufficient and therefore the state-of-the-art is not well advanced. There is an urgent need to improve it.  The primary objective of this study is to identify and determine through laboratory as well as numerical modeling, the processes involved during the collapse of an ice jam and the formation, development and propagation of the resulting surges and ice run. The research work was carried out in three parts, namely the investigation of the phreatic water levels along an ice jam, the transport of accumulation ice covers, and the characteristics of surges and ice runs caused by the jam release.  From this study, five different types of release mechanisms related to the break-up of ice jams were identified. It was evident that the surge characteristics depend primarily on the type of release mechanism and the prevailing initial hydrodynamic conditions prevailing immediately before release. Observations showed that during the collapse of the jam, its thickness profile at the toe of the ice jam undergoes redistribution for a short period of time and subsequently the ice mass moves downstream in a relatively single layer scenario,  A two-dimensional two-layer model is formulated for the simulation of an ice jam release event. The model is capable of simulating the phreatic water surface profile along an ice jam, the formation, development and propagation of the surge and ice run after the release and the redistribution of ice jam thickness after release.  The numerical model was validated by the experimental data of the present and post studies.


identifier: Joseph, Norma Baumel  (1995) Separate spheres : women in the responsa of Rabbi Moses Feinstein.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This dissertation is a detailed inquiry into the decisions of one major modern Orthodox authority pertaining to women's social and religious location in the communal sector. The problematic to be explored is the effect of modernity on a traditional religious community. By focusing on the texts or responsa of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein dealing with women's position in the public domain, the dilemma facing a religious community in the modern world is highlighted and examined. The research reveals his various standards for different Jews and his overall strategy of distinction. His main concern is the survival of his Jewish world in a difficult and sometimes dangerous environment. Nonetheless, while fighting change and legislating a mediated isolation, he is transformed, as is the responsa process, by the American experience.  The areas chosen to explore these issues are education, synagogue and ritual responsibility. These three spheres demonstrate Feinstein's commitment to gender separation. Clearly, his ideal of distinctiveness causes him to separate Jew from non-Jew, Orthodox from non-Orthodox as well as female and male. In addition, his cumulative decisions in these three spheres highlight his stance towards change and towards life in America. Remarkably, Feinstein's decisions treat the marketplace as neutral, allowing and even encouraging associations elsewhere unacceptable. Consistently, in these three spheres, Feinstein demonstrates his acceptance of women as knowledgeable, capable and religiously significant. It is in his rulings about women that we can see his accommodation to and argument against American modernity. American Judaism is different and Rabbi Moses Feinstein's responsa have substantiated much of that transformation


identifier: Laframboise, Kevin  (1995) An examination of the role of information technology as an enabler of business process reengineering.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Several change agents, including globalization and increasingly sophisticated information technologies, both hardware and software, are causing organizations to review the essence of doing business. An information-technology-enabled reengineering of business process is one response to the cry for quality improvement initiatives during the past few decades. A review of the literature reveals an integrated approach for effective business process reengineering is desirable. A revised model is suggested to envisage a BPR initiative as a holistic treatment of Information Technology, Corporate Strategy, Senior Management Commitment and Leadership, Human Resource functions, and Organizational Support features. To explore the construct validity of the model, this study undertakes a multiple case study consisting of three cases, in three industries: a national police service, an aerospace manufacturer, and an intimate-apparel manufacturer. Categorization according to the Venkatraman model is suggested, as well as suggestions for further research in this area.


identifier: Mielcarek, Beata I  (1995) Historical perspective, assessment and statistical analysis of Canadian commercial airline accidents.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The goal of this paper is to study the safety record of the Canadian commercial aviation industry, using accident data for the period from 1976 to 1993. An overview of the Canadian aviation history is provided in order to present the technological and economic aspects influencing the successful developments in the field of flight, as well as the specific elements affecting its safety record. General concepts of measuring air travel safety are also defined. An assessment of the risk of flying is made using accidents, fatalities and injuries rates over time. In addition, raw accident data is presented, thus providing a better understanding of the circumstances influencing air travel safety. Subsequent factor analysis explores and confirms the generally assumed dominant factors causing air disasters. Finally, a regression model developed to predict the yearly rate of total and fatal aviation accidents is presented. In addition, the effect of economic deregulation on aviation safety in Canada is assessed as well. Throughout the study, the use or variables directly related to flight operations, as opposed to the generally proposed economic indicators, is emphasized. In addition to providing an overall understanding of the air travel environment and the related risks, the analysis presented in this paper shows that the confirmed factors greatly contribute to predicting yearly accident rates.


identifier: Zhou, Yongsheng  (1995) Numerical evaluation of wind effects on buildings.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The wind environment around buildings and the wind pressures on building surfaces are studied by scale-model experiments in wind tunnels and confirmed by full scale measurements. Such experiments are often expensive and time consuming. Computational wind engineering as a new branch of computational fluid dynamics has been developed recently to evaluate the interaction between wind and buildings numerically. In the current study, a systematic examination of wind effects on buildings and wind flow conditions around buildings has been carried out numerically. Contrary to the usual numerical evaluations which were only performed on rectangular buildings, the current study evaluates the wind effects on buildings of different shapes such as L-shapes and Z-shapes. The steady state Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations and the k-$\varepsilon$ turbulence model have been adopted for the numerical studies. These equations have been solved with the SIMPLE method.  Some researchers declared that the discrepancies between the computed results with the k-$\varepsilon$ model method and the experimental data on the flat roof of a rectangular building are caused by the coarse grid used. To check this, a systematic evaluation of the k-$\varepsilon$ model method in predicting the wind pressure on flat roofs has been attempted by using grids of various densities. Computations were made for a low building and a taller building. Both the advantages and limitations of this most widely used method in computing the wind pressure on flat roofs under normal and oblique wind conditions have been discussed. This study revealed that these discrepancies can be attributed not only to the coarse grid arrangement but also to the k-$\varepsilon$ model itself.  To keep the advantages of k-$\varepsilon$ model in representing the fully turbulent flow in the external region far from solid walls and to avoid its shortcomings for the near wall flows, a two-layer methodology combining the k-$\varepsilon$ model in external flow region with either a one-equation model or a modified k-$\varepsilon$ model in the near wall area has been adopted in this study to predict the wind conditions around a cubic building. The two-layer method based on the modified k-$\varepsilon$ model has not been found effective. The two-layer method based on a one-equation model, however, has been proved very effective in predicting the separation above the roof surface and near the side walls of a cubic building which was not possible with the usual k-$\varepsilon$ model method; as a result, the prediction of the wind pressure on the roof and side walls has also been apparently improved


identifier: Loring, Tamara  (1995) A yes/no vocabulary test in a university placement setting.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Receptive vocabulary knowledge appears to reflect broader receptive L1 and L2 language skills such as reading and listening comprehension. The Yes/No vocabulary test, developed to provide a quick estimate of total receptive vocabulary size, requires subjects to check off known words, leaving unknown words blank. Scoring formulae based on signal detection theory offset the effects of guessing. Yes/No type tests, already administered to ESL learners from several language backgrounds, are still in need of validation. This study used a Yes/No test based on a general word list and a Yes/No test based on a university-entrance level word list. The results of these two instruments were measured against the results of an established North American university ESL placement test (The Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency) and its vocabulary subtest.  While for most of this study's subjects the results of the more "academic" Yes/No test correlated more closely with the overall Michigan Test and its vocabulary subtest, two language subgroups produced odd results. Most of the Arabic-speaking subjects obtained unusable scores, perhaps due to a high rate of guessing. The French-speaking subjects, on the other hand, appeared to approach both Yes/No tests with caution, and their results on the overall Michigan Test and its vocabulary subtest correlated more closely with the less "academic" of the two Yes/No tests.


identifier: Zhu, Weimin  (1995) Characteristics of dividing and combining flows.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In the present thesis, some aspects of dividing and combining flows are studied. The first part of the study considers the discharge characteristics of flow past a two-dimensional lateral slot located in a rectangular conduit. Existing theoretical solutions to this problem are based on free streamline theory. The test results provide data to verify the predictions of the theoretical model related to the dependence of the slot discharge coefficient on discharge ratios and the ratio of the kinetic energy to the total energy of the flow approaching the slot. The test results validate the model predictions.  A theoretical expression for the outflow through a rectangular lateral weir located in a circular open channel is derived. The theoretical weir discharge coefficient is expressed as a function of the parameters relating the geometry of the weir and the channel, and a velocity parameter that is a function of the dimensionless flow depth, the weir sill height and the approach Froude number. Experimental results are presented to verify the proposed theoretical model.  The characteristics of dividing flows in closed rectangular conduits are studied in the next section. The contraction coefficient and the loss coefficients of branching flows are determined using results of an existing model dealing with a two-dimensional lateral outlet fitted with an external barrier. For dividing closed conduit flows, two different procedures are used to obtain the variation of an energy loss coefficient and the contraction coefficient with the discharge ratio. Detailed velocity and pressure distribution profiles are presented to describe the flow processes.  In the final part of the thesis, the characteristics of combining flows past 90$\sp\circ$ junctions of a rectangular closed conduit are presented. Detailed pressure and velocity distribution data are obtained to understand the flow processes. Both the mean and fluctuating components of the velocity field are determined in the two flow sections immediately downstream of the junction. Simple empirical models are developed to determine the transfer of momentum and the contraction coefficient. Experimental data are used to verify the predicted results of the proposed models


identifier: Sun, Liguo  (1995) Bolted flanged connections made of fiber reinforced plastic materials.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) materials have been used in the chemical and process industries for several decades, chiefly because of the ability of many FRP materials to resist attack by various chemicals. FRP tanks, pressure vessels and piping have successfully been used to replace expensive equipment formerly made in stainless steel or nickel alloys. Although the laminate theory has been used to establish design formulas for cylindrical and spherical shells, little work has been done to investigate bolted flanged connections. The ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code or the codes of other industrialized countries do not include specific rules for the design of FRP bolted flanged connections.  Up to now, the only work done on fiber reinforced plastic flanges has either been experimental investigations, or finite element analyses. No attempt has been made on a stress analysis of bolted flanged connections based on the laminate theory. Thus the current design practice is merely an extension of metallic flange design methods.  In this dissertation, two methods are proposed for a stress analysis of fiber reinforced plastic flanged connections with full face gaskets, using classical and shear deformation laminate theory, respectively. A sample calculation using the first proposed method is included. In order to verify the analytical results, a finite element analysis with 3-D anisotropic layered solid elements, using ANSYS is performed. Finally, an experimental investigation into the effects of outside to inside diameter ratios on the flange stress distribution and maximum stress values is conducted.


identifier: Anderson, Margaret D  (1995) Relating college students' learning approach to their quality of learning outcome.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Over the past decade there has been a radical shift in conceptualizations of learning, from viewing the learner as a passive recipient of information, to viewing the learner as an active processor of information. As a result, recent theories have attempted to identify personality characteristics and cognitive abilities that mediate learning outcome. However, there is little empirical support for these theories.  The focus of the present study is to empirically test Biggs's (1985) theoretical model of the relationship between specific predictor and criterion variables. It examines the interrelationship among the predictor variables of Locus of Control, Approach to Learning, and Metacognition, and their relationship (singly and in combination) with the quality of learning outcome (structural complexity and depth of cognitive performance).  Rotter's Locus of Control Scale (Rotter, 1966), Biggs's Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ) (Biggs, 1988b), and Tobias's Assessment of Metacognition (Tobias, Everson, Hartman and Gourgey, 1991) were administered to 177 college students from a state university to measure the predictor variables. Essay answers to open ended questions based on three text passages were evaluated using the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy (Biggs and Collis, 1982) to determine structural complexity. Finally a 50 item multiple choice test consisting of questions designed to measure the upper four levels of Bloom's taxonomy (application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation) was administered to determine depth of cognitive processing.  The results of Pearson Product-Moment correlational analyses indicate a positive correlation between Internal Locus of Control and Deep (r =.23, p $<$ 0.01) and Achieving (r =.22, p $<$ 0.01) Approaches to learning, and Metacognition (r =.17, p $<$ 0.05). A negative correlation between Surface Approach and Metacognition (r = $-$.21, p $<$ 0.01) is indicated. Stepwise multiple regression analyses reveal that Metacognition is the only variable which predicts learning outcome (p $<$ 0.01). No relationship between any learning approach and learning outcome is supported.  The present study also examines the psychometric properties of the SPQ and provides support for the factor structure identifying the three Approaches to learning, but questions the strategies/motives subscales.