identifier: Laakso, Hanna Maria  (2002) DOGMAtic iconoclasm : performative aspects of realism and excess in Lars von Trier's Breaking the waves and The idiots.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This study is an exploration of several aspects of performance in Lars von Trier's Breaking the Waves and The Idiots , focusing especially on the seemingly oppositional concepts of realism and excess. The emphasis here is on the new form of filmmaking that Lars von Trier, together with Thomas Vinterberg, initiated by writing the Dogma Manifesto as a set of filmmaking "rules" in 1995. A close analysis of Emily Watson and Bodil Jorgensen's performances in these two films illuminates the filmmaker's unique approach to performance and also demonstrates the strong impact this new kind of a cinema had on the actor's craft. Through an investigation of the use of performance, von Trier's filmmaking will be placed within the context of Scandinavian theatrical and filmic traditions. The study examines how von Trier's films show the prominent influence of the late nineteenth century Scandinavian theatrical tradition that is most fully embodied by Ibsen and Strindberg; this obvious influence aligns von Trier with other Scandinavian filmmakers like Dreyer and Bergman, whose work also shows the influence of modernist theatre. Von Trier's films, especially through the use of performance, redefine the traditional Scandinavian approach to cinema. This analysis of performance leads to a consideration of the significance of contextualizing performance culturally, historically and socially.


identifier: Edeh, Rosaline U  (2002) Louise Lemieux Bérubé : artist in motion.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

type: Thesis NonPeerReviewed

abstract: This study is an analysis of textile artist Louise Lemieux Bérubé and her substantial contributions to the field of arts and crafts within Quebec. The emphasis is placed on her recent body of work Pour la Passion des Textiles (2000) and its use of computer aided design technology. As well, her roles as president of the Conseil des Métiers d'art and director of the Montreal Centre for Contemporary Textiles, will be examined. Her extensive efforts as an artist, teacher and leader must be explored in order to determine the breadth of her influence within the construct of Quebec's arts and crafts milieu. Adding to the study is an exploration of the use of technological advancements in the art of weaving which will determine whether or not this results in a dichotomy or serves as an ideal pairing of art and science.


identifier: Cousins, Darlene Caroline  (2002) Otto Dix's Portrait of the lawyer Hugo Simons : German art for a Canadian Museum.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Sometimes a work of art with no immediately apparent connection to political conflict can disguise a powerful statement relevant to the vicissitudes of war. This situation can arise in portraiture, which can be more than merely the record of a meeting between the artist and the sitter.  In 1925, while Adolf Hitler was still all but unknown to the German people, the artist Otto Dix (1891-1969) produced an image of a friend, the Jewish lawyer Hugo Simons (1892-1958). This thesis will examine the painting and how the harrowing story of racism, propaganda and censorship under the Nazi regime is embedded in the image.  Chapter One will look at the career of Dix and the developments in his life and artistic training, as well as his work as a founding member of the neue Sachlichkeit art movement. It was during his involvement with this group that the portrait was painted. Chapter Two will focus on the professional relationship that formed between Dix and Simons in 1920s Düsseldorf. Chapter Three will deal with the politics and social conditions of 1920s-1930s Germany, the rise of Nazism during this period and the implementation of discriminatory cultural laws and racist aesthetics. Chapter Four chronicles the Simons family's flight from Nazi Germany, and the long-standing friendship of the two men is shown through letters written to Hugo Simons from Otto Dix after the Simons family settled in Canada in 1939. Finally, Chapter Five looks at the portrait's 'rediscovery' by curators and art historians in 1991, and the saga of its acquisition by the MBAM


identifier: Brook, Glenn Leonard  (2002) Canada, a people's history : an analysis of the visual narrative for a colonial nation.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In 2000-2001, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation produced a television documentary series, in both English and French, on the history of Canada. The seventeen episodes of the series ranged from North American pre-history to the early 1990s. Working from journals, diaries, and letters, the series ostensibly presented Canadian history from the perspective of the people who experienced it. The visual narrative was comprised of reenacted events, actors portraying historical figures, as well as paintings, sketches and photographs. Visual narration was accompanied by a female voiceover. Broadcast during a period of mounting internal social diversification and the external pressures of globalization, the series seeks to re-affirm a unified national identity while linking a colonial past to a modern present. By examining the visual form and content in the series' historical narrative, this thesis serves as a study of the manner in which visual material--both still imagery and film--functions in the discourse of national identity. This study argues that the visual narrative's mode is colonialist and its discursive formation is romanticist, with the representational form given to First Nations' subject identity serving as the comparative basis for that of the non-Native identity, and landscape and nature contributing to the delineation of subject identity. The main theorists employed in this analysis, are Jacques Lacan and Homi K. Bhabha.


identifier: Stratica, Niculae  (2002) A natural language processor for querying CINDI.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In this thesis we present our work in designing and implementing a Natural Language Processor for querying Cindi, the Concordia Virtual Library System. The Natural Language Processor, named NLPQC, semantically parses natural language questions and builds corresponding SQL queries for the database. This makes the NLPQC system a Natural Language interface to relational databases. Our contribution to the field of the Natural Language interfaces is done through the reuse of WordNet and of the Link Parser, which are two proven tools from the Open Source domain, and through the introduction of a pre-processor that generates rules and templates for the semantic parsing. The NLPQC system is designed to be platform independent and can accept any database schema.


identifier: Ren, Chun Lei  (2002) Parsing and abstract syntax tree generation in the GIPSY system.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The GIPSY system is the implementation of a new programming paradigm: Lucid language are the basis of the system. The objective of the thesis is syntax trees for the programs of both languages. We chose JavaCC/JJTree from tens of compiler construction tools. By modifying the original Lucid lexical and syntactical specifications, and customizing the JavaCC/JJTree generated files, we implemented target AST-building-abled SIPL and GIPL Lucid parsers. Lucid SIPL. Finally, we successfully integrated GIPL and Indexical Lucid SIPL parsers, their translator, and the simulating GIPSY stub.


identifier: Zhang, Yuegang  (2002) Development of chip size monitoring system in deep-hole machining.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This investigation concerns with the metal chip size monitoring method in deep-hole machining process. Monitoring and control of the chip size and shape is very important in deep-hole machining because a visual monitoring is obstructed by hidden chip passages. Yet, for the process, any chip size which may result in passages clogging will result in a failure of machining process. In this manufacturing process monitoring system, the three principal components for chip status monitoring have been investigated: the sensing chip concentration, the signal processing, and the classification (decision making). A new sensing system and monitoring method have been investigated and proposed for use. An inductive proximity sensor was selected and used for data acquisition (sensing), and a personal computer utilized for signal processing. As a monitoring method, the expert system of deep-hole machining control has been suggested for decision making based on the sensing system signal. The experimental testing has revealed that the sensing system signal is strong enough to be used for the machine tool control.


identifier: Zhang, Daying  (2002) Progressive failure analysis of composite laminates using non-linear and stochastic FEA.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The first-order shear deformation theory and the von Karman geometric non-linearity hypothesis are used to develop the finite element formulation. For the stochastic failure analysis, a stochastic finite element methodology based on the Monte Carlo Simulation is used. For the case of uni-axial compression and bi-axial compression, the tensor polynomial form of the maximum stress criterion is used to predict the failure of the lamina. For the case of bi-axial compression combined with in-plane positive or negative shear loadings, the tensor polynomial form of the 3-D Tsai-Hill criterion is used to predict the failure of the lamina. The maximum stress criterion is used to predict the onset of delamination at the interface between two adjacent layers. The influences of plate aspect ratio, symmetric and unsymmetric lay-ups, and fiber orientations on the deflection response, the first-ply failure load, the ultimate failure load, the failure mode and the maximum deflection associated with failure loads are determined.


identifier: Al-Shibli, Murad Musa  (2002) Direct adaptive control for underactuated mechatronic systems using fuzzy systems and neural networks : a Pendubot case.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis describes the implementation of a vertical motion and position control scheme for a mechatronic system, specifically the Pendubot robot. The Pendubot is a non-linear, underactuated and unstable two-link planar robot arm that is frequently used as a benchmark in research studies involving nonlinear control theory and underactuated systems. Control of the Pendubot poses two challenging tasks: (i) to swing the two links from their stable hanging position to unstable vertical equilibrium positions, and (ii) to balance the links about the desired equilibrium positions. PD fuzzy controller is formulated and employed to meet challenges associated with swing-up control. Vertical balance control employs fuzzy systems and radial Gaussian neural networks. As such, an adaptive neural network and fuzzy controller is further analyzed, where the balance stability depends on a controller weight that is determined using Lyapunov theory. This approach is proven to be globally stable, with errors converging to a neighbourhood of zero. Then, the proposed swing-up and the balancing controllers are coupled together to achieve the motion objective in a stable manner, while resisting the external disturbances. The simulation results show that both the swing-up and balancing control schemes can be realized using 25 and 5 If-Then-rules, respectively. The simulation results confirm the results attained from the theoretical analysis.


identifier: Zou, Ming  (2002) Interpolation methods in the simulation of power electronic converters.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis is devoted to the simulation of switching events in power systems and power electronics circuits. It addresses issues related to algorithms using fixed time step integration methods. In power electronic circuits simulation, the high repetitive rate of switching events causes numerical difficulties that require development of techniques to achieve an accurate representation of switching events. Various techniques are proposed in the literature to accurately determine switching instants. The thesis proposes an interpolation-extrapolation (IE) algorithm, which eliminates numerical oscillations and provides a sufficiently precise solution. The method gives accurate results even with larger time steps. The proposed method is tested in a number of circuits using electronic switches and to power electronic circuits. To solve the problems resulting from natural commutation of diode and forced commutation of transistors and Gate Turn Off Thyristors, an extension of the IE technique is proposed. Contrary to existing methods, the proposed method eliminates the need to force the semiconductors to work as pairs, or to add snubber circuits across every switch. To test the applicability of the method, it has been successfully implemented and tested in commercial packages under development at IREQ (Institut de Recherche d'Hydro-Québec)


identifier: Song, Xin Xin  (2002) Performance analysis of a multiplexer with priority queues and correlated arrivals.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Broadband networks are integrating different applications such as data, voice and video in a single network. The priority mechanism allows differentiating among services such that they can meet their QoS requirements. Since a switch output port may be considered as a statistical multiplexer, and the packets coming from an application are correlated, it is very important to obtain a good understanding of the statistical multiplexing with priority queues and correlated arrivals.  In this thesis, we present performance analysis of a discrete-time system with two priority queues and correlated arrivals. A packet is transmitted during a slot if there are packets available in either queue. The packets in the low-priority queue are transmitted only if the high-priority queue is empty. The arrival process to each priority queue consists of the superposition of the traffic generated by a number of independent binary Markov sources and the arrivals to the two queues are independent of each other.  The joint Probability Generating Function (PGF) of the two queue lengths and the number of sources is derived and the unknown boundary function is determined using the busy period distribution of the high-priority queue. From here, we determine closed form expressions for mean and variance of queue lengths as well as mean packet delay. Also we show the correspondence of our results with previous work by reducing our solution to the results of a multiplexer without priority in many special cases. At last we present numerical results, which show the effect of the high-priority traffic on the low-priority traffic and demonstrate the significance of the correlation on the performance of the system.


identifier: Ren, Da Qi  (2002) A modular approach to formal specification and verification of dependable distributed protocols.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Dependable distributed system typically utilize a hierarchy of protocols to provide for reliable and timely services. Such protocols have both dependability and real-time attributes, and the analysis of these protocols is a problem of growing complexity. The development of precise and accurate formal specifications of these protocols and their subsequent formal verification to gain assurance have been a great challenge. Exploiting the inherent modularity in the design of most dependable protocols, in this thesis, we present our modular approach to specification composition and verification of dependable distributed protocol. In particular, we consider redundancy management protocols that are needed to manage redundant resources used in the system for dependability purposes. Utilizing building-block protocols inherently used in redundancy management protocols, we perform compositional specification and verification of a checkpointing and recovery protocol based on them. The key idea is that if a library of these basic components, like the primitives and sub-protocols are being formulated, then these elements aid in systematic and hierarchical development of dependable distributed protocols. The main contribution of this thesis to illustrate the fact that by defining a priori validated building-blocks for dependable distributed protocols, larger and more complex protocols can be easily specified and verified. For a mechanical support in formal verification process, we use formal tools such as Specware and PVS.


identifier: Narsinghani, Jeetendar  (2002) Fast symbol synchronization algorithms for on-board processing satellites.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Satellite communications continue to undergo changes not only from advancing technology, but also from new service and regulatory activities. Therefore, advanced digital satellite communication systems using efficient on-board processing capabilities are required. Signal regeneration on-board the satellite makes it possible to use different multiple access schemes for the uplink and the downlink. The uplink and the downlink can be separately optimized for greater power efficiency and bandwidth utilization. A multiple access scheme using the frequency division multiple access (FDMA) for the uplink and time division multiplex (TDM) for the downlink has been considered for regenerative satellite communications. However, the feasibility of this approach depends on efficient means to directly interface the two multiple access formats on-board the satellite. The conversion from frequency to time division multiplex format requires the uplink signal to be demultiplexed and each individual carrier to be demodulated.  The main objective of this thesis is to present the existing symbol timing recovery structures, analyze them and prove the feasibility of the proposed technique which is less complex and that has fast-acquisition characteristics than the conventional techniques


identifier: Liu, Yubo  (2002) Performance analysis of optimized link state routing (OLSR) protocol.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) is referred to as autonomous system of mobile routers, connected by wireless links. MANET can be applied when networks need to be rapidly deployable, without prior planning or any existing infrastructure.  OLSR protocol is an optimization of the pure link state protocol for mobile ad-hoc networks. It concentrates on functions at the IP layer while any protocol such as IEEE 802.11 can be used in the underlying MAC layer. Multipoint Relays (MPR) are introduced so as to minimize flooding of control messages. This technique significantly reduces the number of retransmission and network congestion.  In this work we emphasize the performance analysis of OLSR. A detailed protocol simulation model is established in C++. The main performance criteria are throughput, overhead, buffer overflow, transfer delay, etc. We give herein detailed evaluation and explanation of the simulation results.


identifier: Liu, Jinglei  (2002) Turbo coded OFDM with a novel synchronization technique for broadband wireless applications.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In this thesis, an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system, featuring a novel bandwidth efficient synchronization technique robust to multipath propagation, is presented and analyzed. The timing offset and frequency errors due to the transmission over a wireless multipath fading channel can result in rapid bit error rate degradation in OFDM systems. The idea of the proposed simple and efficient synchronization technique is to reduce this degradation by designing a synchronizer with a smaller error variance and also less overhead. This enables us to strengthen the robustness of OFDM to severe multipath propagations by successfully removing the cyclic prefix (Inter Symbol Interference free) and maintaining the orthogonality between all the subcarriers (Inter Channel Interference free). Furthermore, the thesis focuses on the application of diverse channel coding for the coded orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (COFDM). The performances of the COMM based on Turbo Convolutional code (TCC) and Turbo Block code (TBC) are analyzed and compared. This work also includes channel estimation, which is very important for coherent demodulation in OFDM.


identifier: Li, Qing  (2002) An FPGA implementation of RM-BTC Codec using Log-MAP algorithm.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Due to their powerful error correcting capability and superior coding gain, Turbo Codes are used in 3rd generation wireless and satellite communication systems. For these applications, efficient implementation of Turbo Codes, i.e., development of codec providing high throughput with small chip area and low power consumption is of growing importance.  In this thesis, Turbo Code using Reed-Muller code as its constitute code is implemented in VHDL and logic synthesis is executed. The Max-Log-MAP algorithm is used due to its significantly reduced complexity and negligible performance degradation from MAP algorithm. The implementation of codec mainly focuses on achieving the smaller chip area and lower power dissipation, and target to device Virtex-E FPGA. For this purpose, the system and module level optimization of codec architecture is carefully considered through the parallelism and pipeline, interleaving technique, function unit sharing and memory access. The quantization and finite accuracy are also discussed. The simulation in RTL level on a wide variety of test vectors is done, and results show that the encoder/decoder execute properly and correct functionality is realized. The synthesis reports show that chip utilization is reasonable and more resource remains for future improvement.


identifier: Guo, Man  (2002) FPGA design and implementation of systolic array-based viterbi decoders.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The Viterbi algorithm is known to provide an efficient method for the maximum likelihood decoding of convolutional codes. In this thesis, a design and FPGA implementation of a Viterbi decoder with a constraint length of 9 and code rate of 1/2 is presented. In this design, a novel systolic array architecture with time multiplexing, arithmetic pipelining and clock-to-data skews tolerance is developed. Further, by modifying this Viterbi algorithm, an adaptive Viterbi algorithm that is based on strongly-connected trellis decoding is proposed.  Using the proposed adaptive algorithm, a design and FPGA implementation of a low-power adaptive Viterbi decoder with a constraint length of 9 and code rate of 1/2 is presented. The systolic array-based architecture used in this adaptive Viterbi decoder is a modified version of the architecture used for the non-adaptive Viterbi decoder in that the latter is modified to include the modules, which are needed for generating the survivor information and for eliminating the spurious toggles in the adaptive Viterbi decoding process.


identifier: Javed, Khalid  (2002) Strength of sensitive clay under cyclic loading.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Sensitive clay is a kind of clay, which loses its shear strength when it is subjected to cyclic loading. High-rise buildings, towers, bridges etc., founded on sensitive clays usually suffer from reduction of the safety factor during its life span. Cyclic loading on foundation of sensitive clay during the undrained period may lead to quick clay condition and a catastrophic failure of the structure. In the literature, governing parameters such as cyclic deviator stress, pore water pressure, axial strain, pre-consolidation pressure, confining stress, initial degree of saturation, water content, liquidity index and the number of cycles are divided into two categories and then presented as a function of sensitivity. Nevertheless the limited data available has restricted the use of empirical formulae. It is of interest to note that sensitive clay's shear strength increases due to consolidation and decreases due to cyclic load. In this case, the pre-consolidation pressure plays the role of governing parameter. In this investigation, the experimental results available at Concordia University as well as the data available in literature will be used to evaluate the empirical formulae and models. The governing parameters will be evaluated on this basis. Based on this analysis, a procedure to assist practicing engineers in designing foundation on sensitive clay is proposed.


identifier: Gowing, David Gordon  (2002) Inflation, money supply and the equity risk premium : a respecification.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis establishes the impact of inflation on the equity risk premium in North America by empirical modeling of time series data (econometric models). The equity risk premium is a monetary value that people require in order to change their investment behavior, in particular to switch investment funds from risk free vehicles to risky equity securities. The specific macroeconomic variable of interest is inflation.


identifier: Mak, Ann Wing Hien  (2002) Detection of oligonucleotide sequences on diazonium modified silicon substrates through electrical impedance measurements.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: 4-nitrobenzenediazonium modified silicon substrates were used in the detection of immobilized 20-mer homo-oligonucleotides through electrical impedance measurement. The silicon (100) and (111) substrates were functionalized with the diazonium through cyclic voltammetry and the nitro group was subsequently reduced to an amino group by cyclic voltammetry. The functionalized substrates were activated with glutaraldehyde and the oligo-20mer with an amino-linker was immobilized onto the surface. Electrical impedance shows a negative shift in the flat-band potential upon immobilization of the oligo probe layer following glutaraldehyde treatment. Upon hybridization with the complementary oligo-20mer sequence, a positive shift in the flat-band potential was observed. A comparison between the immobilized oligo(dT) 20 and that of the oligo(dA) 20 demonstrated that the use of the oligo(dT) 20 as a probe layer is better than that of the oligo(dA) 20 . The results also show that the Si(100) oriented substrates performed better than the Si(111) substrates under the same conditions. Qualitative verification of the various modification steps up to glutaraldehyde treatment has been performed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Shifts in the flat-band potentials are observed following the various modification steps and these results show that the immobilization of the oligo(dT) 20 probe layer on the Si(100) substrates using a diazonium moiety is rapid and reproducible.


identifier: Vigneault, Frédéric  (2002) Structural analyses of the 5' untranslated region of the psbC chloroplast mRNA in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Chloroplasts carry out photosynthesis in plant cells and algae, and possess their own genomes. Nuclear encoded gene products synthesized in the cytosol are transported into the chloroplast to control the gene expression. In the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii , translation of the psbC mRNA, which encodes subunit P6 of the photosystem II, has been shown to be regulated by the TBC1, TBC2 and TBC3 nuclear products via its 547 nt long 5 ' untranslated region (5 ' UTR). The middle region (222-320) is absolutely required for translation and is predicted to form a stable stem-loop structure. The chloroplast mutant psbC-FuD34 modifies the sequence of this stem-loop and abolishes the translation. It is predicted to increase the stem-loop stability. Another chloroplast mutation, psbC-F34suI , partially suppresses the requirement for the TBC1 factor and is predicted to decrease the 222-320 stem-loop stability. This study did not reveal a precursor 5 ' end that needs to be processed in psbC transcripts, contrary to other mRNAs encoding PSII subunits. Dimethyl sulfate was used in vivo and in vitro to analyse 5 ' UTR structures. It did not clearly establish the presence of the 222-320 stem-loop structure, but revealed some structural differences between the wild-type and psbC-FuD34 . The in vivo methylation pattern generally agreed with computer predicted secondary structure. Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis was used to compare the melting profiles of wild type and several mutant 5 ' UTRs. Important differences in the unfolding pattern exist between the wild type, psbC-FuD34 and deletion mutants near the middle stem-loop. Moreover, more than one conformation can exist at the same conditions. This study suggests that structural interactions with the 222-320 stem-loop play an important role in the translation of the psbC mRNA.


identifier: Sabetti, Antonino  (2002) Localization of the Arabidopsis tRNA nucleotidyltransferase in plant cells and characterization of a novel Arabidopsis protein (Gim1p) interacting with tRNA nucleotidyltransferase.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The enzyme tRNA nucleotidyltransferase catalyzes the addition of CMP and AMP residues to the 3 ' end of immature tRNAs. In eukaryotic cells, the nuclear, mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes all encode tRNAs and tRNA nucleotidyltransferase is therefore required in these compartments as well as in the cytosol. In yeast, one gene codes for the tRNA nucleotidyltransferase that functions in the nucleus, mitochondrion and cytosol. As a single gene coding for tRNA nucleotidyltransferase has been identified in Arabidopsis , we were interested in determining whether its gene product(s) is(are) targeted to multiple locations. Protoplast transformation experiments using a green fluorescent protein:tARNA nucleotidyltransferase fusion protein suggests that, as in yeast, both mitochondrial and nuclear targeting information are encoded by the Arabidopsis tRNA nucleotidyltransferase. In addition, this protein also appears to be targeted to the chloroplast.  The Arabidopsis homologue of the yeast Gim1p which has been shown in a yeast two-hybrid assay to interact with the Arabidopsis tRNA nucleotidyltransferase (Gu, 2000), complemented a cold and benomyl-sensitive defect in the yeast GIM1 gene. The two-hybrid interaction between the Arabidopsis Gim1p homologue and the Arabidopsis tRNA nucleotidyltransferase was shown to be dependent on the presence of the yeast Gim5p. This observation may suggest that the interaction between Gim1p and tRNA nucleotidyltransferase requires the G[barbelow]enes I[barbelow]nvolved in M[barbelow]icrotubule assembly C[barbelow]omplex (GIMC) of which both Gim1p and Gim5p are components.


identifier: Gagnon, Chantal  (2002) Les enjeux sociotraductologiques et idéologiques de deux grands discours traduits de René Lévesque et de Pierre Elliott Trudeau.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In Canada and in Quebec, studying the translations of political speeches raises a number of problems, particularly the linguistic, political, and social questions that have long been associated with Quebecois society's, and to a lesser degree Canadian society's, search for identity. This thesis illustrates these issues through the examination of the translations of two important speeches, one delivered by René Lévesque and the other by Pierre Elliott Trudeau. More specifically, the thesis analyzes the sociopolitical issues involved in these speeches using a table developed by Christina Schäffner and Teun A. van Dijk. At first, both speeches appear to represent the nation. In other words, it seems that each prime minister was naturally speaking for the entire population they represent. However, further research proves that once translated, the texts reveal that the two prime ministers were not necessarily speaking for all citizens: they were addressing only those who had voted for them. Furthermore, the research shows that in Quebec and Canada, the translation of political speeches is an effective tool used for the dissemination of ideologies.


identifier: Dauphin, Jean-Claude  (2002) Le De cultura ingeniorum Oratio de Johannes Amos Comenius : notice biographique, traduction et commentaire traductologique.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Le mémoire explique d'abord la place de Comenius (1592-1670), pédadogue, évêque et philosophe, dans le monde des idées. Comenius est de ceux qui, dans les Temps modernes, ont révolutionné l'éducation en défendant des principes incontestables aujourd'hui: proscrire la violence de l'apprentissage, privilégier la compréhension, partir du réel, ouvrir les portes de l'éducation aux femmes comme aux hommes. Comenius est aussi considéré comme le père des Moravian Brethren et est à la source du courant piétiste. Il a, enfin, proposé un système d'unification des connaissances et contribué à la fondation de la Royal Society de Londres.  La deuxième partie du mémoire présente la première traduction française du De Cultura Ingeniorum Oratio , discours latin prononcé par Comenius à Saros Patak, en Hongrie, pour marquer le lancement d'une réforme scolaire. Le texte expose ce qu'est un peuple cultivé. La traduction est accompagnée de notes et est présentée en regard le texte latin.  Un commentaire traductologique constitue la troisième partie du mémoire. Après avoir souligné l'opposition entre la tradition littérale allemande qu'illustrent bien Schleiermacher, Hölderlin et Benjamin et que défend Berman, et l'école fonctionnelle représentée par Christiame Nord, pour qui toute traduction ne doit fidélité qu'à son but, l'auteur opte pour cette seconde théorie. Il justifie son choix en soulignant que si la première approche ne peut s'appliquer à la traduction de textes techniques, la seconde, plus englobante, convient autant à ceux-ci qu'aux textes littéraires tout en permettant une certaine littéralité, comme l'auteur le montre dans sa traduction.


identifier: Sharkey, Andrea  (2002) Access to global communication for youth in rural communities and its relationship with out-migration.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Based on results from questionnaires completed by a sample of male and female students between the ages of 17 and 19 from 3 rural Ontario high schools (N = 47), this analysis examines the effects of media and communication access and use for adolescents in rural and small town areas on their decisions of whether to live in rural or urban areas in the future. Data from this sample suggests that media and communication tools play a role in decisions about future living in two ways: (1) through the creation and/or reinforcement of stereotypes of rural and urban living and (2) through the facilitation of rural and non-rural communication and interaction. Each of these factors can act as both mechanisms which pull youth back to rural areas and push youth towards urban areas in the future. Negative stereotypes of rural communities as being dull and uneducated coupled with positive stereotypes of cities as being exciting and opportunity-filled, can encourage youth to move to urban centres in search of the urbanized youth culture depicted in the media. Positive stereotypes of rural communities as being safe, friendly, and spacious coupled with negative stereotypes of cities as being dangerous and dirty can encourage young people to return to small towns in the future. Similarly, communication tools can be used to encourage local networks which correlates with wanting to return to rural towns or they can be used to facilitate urban support systems which correlates with decisions to live in urban regions.


identifier: Ratti, Déborah  (2002) Entre pouvoir et résistance : la place de l'individu dans les sociétés technocratiques.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Cette thèse se veut d'étudier le phénomène de surveillance dans les sociétés technocratiques. Elle prend pour hypothèse que les nouvelles technologies, loin de définir les bases de ces sociétés, sont reprises et utilisées par le discours dominant dans l'exercice du pouvoir. Aussi, en retraçant les divers moments de l'évolution d'une société disciplinaire en une société de contrôle, puis en une société du risque, nous montrons comment le sujet est étudié, approché et dominé par le système. Les discours résistants apparaissent comme étant nécessaires à la survie de l'apparat: ils procurent un sentiment d'échappement sans pour autant modifier les relations de pouvoir en place


identifier: Blackstock, Jr. Bill  (2002) A contested space in transformation : rave culture and club culture in Metropolitan Toronto.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Rave culture and club culture in Toronto are used in this investigation as a case study for the examination of the transformation of contested space and its implications brought about through internal and external agents of change that are based on differing discourses and practices.Drawing on textual research in the disciplines of sociology, philosophy, and geography concerning various spatial dimensions and field research conducted through personal telephone interviews and documentary work carried out in City Hall, the transformation is seen as the result of media reports, commercialism and co-optation, legislation, and inner fragmentation.


identifier: Wolfson, Katarzyna  (2002) Memory's anchors : an exploration of the role of material culture in remembering the Jews of Kazimierz in Krakow, Poland.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The quarter of Kazimierz provides an anchor for the memory of Jewish life in Poland. The tangible nature of the quarter promotes different modes of remembering. This ethnographic study investigates the role of material sites, objects and photographs in remembering the Jews of Kazimierz. First, the physical landscape of the quarter is introduced through a walking tour. The tour is supplemented with narratives of three Holocaust survivors who all share personal connections with Kazimierz. Also, the trade in Judaica and its role in the commemoration of Polish Jews is examined. In an exploration of three different categories of objects, their agency is problematized and accentuated. Lastly a photographic narrative of the quarter is presented. Through this visual record the construction and maintenance of the quarter as a place of memory is considered. The following include some of the notions this thesis incorporates: material culture, remembrance, collective memory, consumption and photographic representation.


identifier: Davis, Kimberley  (2002) Preaching to the converted : charismatic leaders, performances and electronic media in contemporary Islamic communities.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In the early 1990s multi-party elections were held in Mali for the first time replacing the decades-old dictatorship of Moussa Troare. The result was a dramatic shift in Malian society including: the opening of the economy, a proliferation of religious expression, and the development of an independent and private media. This shift, I believe, has resulted in the popularization of charismatic religious leaders through their appropriation of electronic media, to which the authorities have responded. This thesis explores this phenomenon in Mali through the religious performances of one such Islamic leader, Cheikh Cherif Ousmane Madani Haidara.  Like other Islamic charismatic leaders, Haidara's performances are disseminated through electronic media, including radio, audio-and videocassettes, and television. Using these media, along with the force of his message among certain groups within Mali, Haidara has been able to wield extensive amounts of educational, economic, material and spiritual power. In response to Haidara's impact, the secular government and the religious authorities in Mali have become increasingly involved in the leader's activities and his following, including censorship of the organization through which he operates, Ancar Dine . (Abstract shortened by UMI.)


identifier: Arabi, Rania  (2002) Investigating the notion of homeland in Palestine : PLO returnees' experience : deconstructing and reconstructing the homeland under Israeli occupation.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis investigates the notion of homeland from the point of view of PLO returnees: the clash between the vision of Palestine as 'homeland', the vision of a state, and the present reality. The study is mainly based on semi-structured interviews, and also uses life histories and narratives of the selected sample of the PLO Returnees. Theoretically, this work is backed by the work of a number of authors in anthropology, sociology, geography and political science. The centrality of the notion of 'homeland', the notion of memory construction, the role of the imagination in building a nation and/or community and the diaspora experiences are all central in the theoretical formulation. The choice of this research topic about Palestine is supported by the absence of research focused on understanding the notion of 'homeland' in Palestine in general and in particular, from the perspective of the PLO returnees, the impact of their vision on the Palestinian discourse about homeland, return, and the formation of a Palestinian state. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)


identifier: Kalogeridis, Stefania  (2002) Geographic information systems within the UNHCR for complex humanitarian emergencies management : the Kosovo case study.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This study is an exploration of the recent integration of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in humanitarian aid activities during the Kosovo Complex Humanitarian Emergency (CHE). Four emergency relief issues are analysed: relief coordination, timely provision of aid, protection of refugees in the camps and the respect of refugees and their cultures. Emphasis is placed on the ability of the GIS to integrate a range of spatially referenced information relevant to humanitarian aid and to disseminate this information to policy-makers, refugee camp managers and the general public. The study ends with a list of policy recommendations in order to further the use of GIS within the UNHCR for a more effective management of CHEs.


identifier: Idé, Minori  (2002) The effectiveness of international environmental regimes : the case of the ISO 14000 regime.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: ISO 14000 is a series of international environmental standards, which emerged in response to the combined forces of global economic integration, a shift from command-and-control regulations to voluntary forms of environmental protection, and the promotion of sustainable development. The most important component of ISO 14000, and the only element that can be certified, is ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS). It is a process-based, generic, voluntary standard, which does not set specific performance targets. It aims primarily to eliminate non-tariff trade barriers and improve environmental performance on a continuous basis. Since its introduction in 1996, the number of ISO 14001 certifications has increased dramatically, but it has been adopted unevenly around the world. Given the objective of ISO 14000 to be "practical, usable, and useful" to any type and size of organization, this thesis examines the structures and procedures of ISO 14000 and who has and has not adopted the standard and why. Despite the efforts of ISO, ISO 14000 standards are developed predominantly by large-scale economic actors and technical experts from developed countries. As the current adoption pattern indicates, the implementation cost and technical complexity of the standard is preventing many, such as small-and-medium-enterprises and organizations in developing countries, from adopting the standard. To achieve universal adoption, the thesis suggests that it is necessary to enhance the level of representation of international actors, and multiple stakeholders, and to increase the environmental accountability of the standard by strengthening capacity building and ensuring transparency of performance.


identifier: Gaskin, Stephane  (2002) Novelty preference in rats : global cerebral ischemia versus cytotoxic lesions of the hippocampus.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Rats have a natural tendency to spend more time exploring novel objects than familiar objects, and this preference can be used as an index of object-recognition memory. Rats also show an exploratory preference for objects in locations where they have not previously encountered objects (an index of place memory), and for familiar objects in contexts different from those in which the objects were originally encountered (an index of context memory). In Experiment 1, rats were subjected to either 10 minutes of global-cerebral-ischemia (ischemia)--which resulted in significant neuropathology in the hippocampus with no observable damage to other areas--or sham ischemia. Rats were then tested on all three versions of the novelty-preference paradigm (NPP), with retention intervals, between the familiarization and test phases, of either 5 minutes or 24 hours. Both ischemic and sham rats displayed a novelty preference on all three trial types when the retention interval was 5 minutes. Rats that received sham surgery, but not ischemic rats, displayed this preference on OBJECT and PLACE trials with a 24-hour interval. Rats that received sham surgeries displayed a novelty preference. Neither group discriminated between objects on CONTEXT trials with a 24-hour interval. In Experiment 2, rats with cytotoxic lesions of the hippocampal formation were tested on the OBJECT version of the NPP with retention intervals of either 15 minutes or 24 hours. Both sham and rats with hippocampal ablation discriminated between novel and familiar objects in both delay conditions. The combined findings of these two experiments suggest that object-recognition deficits following ischemia are not due to hippocampal damage.


identifier: Frenkiel, Sarah  (2002) Infants' generalization of motion and mental properties to animals and people.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: It has recently been proposed that infants have formed conceptual categories, such as animate and inanimate objects, by the end of the first year (Mandler, 1992). How such global domains are represented remains to be determined. It has been argued that infants distinguish between animates and inanimates on the basis of the motion and mental characteristics of members of these two categories (Mandler, 1992; Rakison & Poulin-Dubois, 2001). In the present study, the inductive generalization paradigm was used to examine 16- and 20-month-olds' knowledge of the motion and mental capabilities of animate beings. Twenty-four 16-month-old infants and twenty-four 20-month-old infants participated in the study. The main objective of the present study was twofold: (1) to determine if infants can generalize motion and mental properties across category members, and (2) to examine the breadth of the animate category in young infants. The task included four trials, each of which consisted of a baseline and a generalization phase. The experimenter modelled two motion properties (jumping over a wall, moving up a set of stairs) and two mental properties (looking in a mirror, answering a phone) using a monkey doll. Test exemplars were toy replicas of animals and people. As expected, 16- and 20-month-old infants performed more actions during the generalization than during the baseline phase. Sixteen month-old infants chose the animal and person equally often to imitate both motion and mental properties, suggesting that infants have developed a concept of animates by that age. In contrast, 20-month-old infants chose the person significantly more often than the animal to imitate the mental properties, suggesting that by 20 months of age, infants reserve mental properties preferably to people.


identifier: Snooks, Rodney James  (2002) Better realism through chemistry.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Better realism through chemistry

abstract: The practise and history of the science of synthetic chemistry, that of preparing new substances, is examined in relation to the issue of atomic/molecular realism, the status of the literal existence of atoms and molecules. The discussion is situated by a brief examination of leading contemporary work considering scientific realism in general. On the basis of past criticism of scientific realism and general metaphysical principles regarding existence and observability, it is argued that a good case can be made for the existence of causal entities bearing sufficiently close analogical resemblance to familiar, everyday objects. Numerous considerations from the current practise of synthetic chemistry and its history are argued to support a position of realism concerning atoms and molecules. This conclusion is drawn because hypothesised molecules and their shapes have numerous causally efficacious properties resembling those of macroscopic bodies, and because these properties only expand their coherence through technological and intellectual innovation independent of the molecular hypothesis.


identifier: Zeleke, Elleni Centime  (2002) Confronting modernity : dialectical images of post revolutionary/post cold war in Addis Ababa.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis takes issue with Ethiopian Studies (stuck as it is in an Orientalist-Semiticist paradigm) as well as acultural models for theorizing modernity and development. Rather, this thesis seeks to build a method that can shed light on the conditions of possibility of modern Ethiopia, especially in the post-revolutionary period (1974). This thesis has found that following Walter Benjamin's notion of dialectical images is the best way to go about building this kind of a method. As such, it attempts to build dialectical images of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. Further, the confrontation of modernity with the local, as discerned in these images is read as emblematic of a larger process of what Ethiopia is currently confronted with as it attempts to become more modern and more developed.  The idea that modernity is dead or on the contrary that it never arrived in the "periphery" (two sides of the same coin) is left to rest in the popular literature. Rather, it is the point of this thesis to show that modernity's story, far from being over, may just now be reaching its apex.


identifier: Wiseman, Dawn  (2002) Reconstructing knowledge, negotiating cultural difference : using web-based media to build inclusive learning spaces for math and science.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis-project is an examination of how new media, specifically the graphical user interface of the World Wide Web, can be used to deliver effective informal, science learning opportunities for Aboriginal children in mid- to late elementary school. A review of current issues relating to education in Aboriginal communities located within Canada is presented. A model web site, Explore!, and pilot content, developed in collaboration with parents, educators and Elders from Aboriginal communities, then forms the basis for a formative and summative evaluation of both product and process. Because the content of Explore! is only pilot material, summative evaluation by members of the target audience is summative within the framework of the thesis-project, but formative with respect to further development of Explore!


identifier: Webster, Barry  (2002) The modesty wrap : a collection of short stories.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The Modesty Wrap is a collection of short stories that explores the tensions between self-constructed male identity and the limits/demands of the human body. Each story makes use of a first person narrator whose identity, created through language and societal interpellation, is undercut, challenged or transformed through the inescapable presence of the physical body. Illness, physical accidents, and death pose challenges to the characters' conceptions of themselves and their place in the world. The tension inherent in the body versus identity conflict is paralleled in the characters' (often failed) attempts to negotiate a space between the seemingly inescapable biological composition of the body, and a somewhat body-less, more queer, fluid construction of sexuality.


identifier: Zisimatos, Helen  (2002) Oracular.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Oracular

abstract: This thesis explores the difficulties and fragilities of relationships between, in this case, men and women. It reflects on larger issues of alienation, identity, subjectivity, while at the same time referencing possibilities of life beyond death. It is structured by interchanging poem and prose sections, the latter in footnotes. The identities of the main characters, Angela and Dahl, are woven in the poem sections, and are seen to be unstable. Self-sacrifice, madness and blindness, with respect to issues of love, are classic references throughout.


identifier: Forsyth, Jessie  (2002) Identity formation and native Canadian women's literature : radicalizing resistance.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Focusing on the literature of two writers, Lee Maracle and Jeannette Armstrong, this thesis explores processes of 'claiming voice' within a context of resistance. The central questions focus on challenges to, and methods of, re-writing affirming identities. Key theoretical concerns involve negotiating essentialist and constructivist discourses, and disrupting binary oppositions, in order to locate and legitimate claims of oppression without perpetuating the discursive structures supporting colonialist ideology. Using a wide range of texts, the thesis examines three aspects of identity formation as crucial to the project of radicalizing resistance: a dialogical interaction between personal and political identities; the need to re-write narratives of history; and the ways in which race- and gender-constructs intersect in naming 'Self.' Concepts of collaboration, continuity, and dialogue, expressed both thematically and structurally, play a key role throughout the thesis.


identifier: Costello, Jane  (2002) Evaluation of an electronic portfolio template system.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The design, development and formative evaluation of an Electronic Portfolio Template System for Cycle 1 students in the Quebec Education System is described. The prototype is a web-based, database-driven process and showcase portfolio container that facilitates portfolio development. This system contains administrator, teacher and student environments. Each of these environments, along with the installation, set-up and documentation process was evaluated. In all, twenty-six participants evaluated the various environments and processes. Results of all evaluations are presented. The student environment received the most feedback with strengths reported relating to interface design, usability, learnability and aesthetics and weaknesses reported relating to suitability and navigation. Interface design, learnability and aesthetics were reported as strengths while marginal navigation weaknesses were reported in the teacher and administrator environments. Evaluative comments, recommendations for improvement and suggestions for further research are presented.


identifier: Boulé, Julie J  (2002) Attitudes of young Quebecers towards English and French.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This matched guised study investigated young Quebecers' attitudes towards English and French and the speakers of those languages. A total of 414 participants rated the voices of 4 bilinguals (males and females) reading in English and French in terms of fourteen traits (e.g., kindness, sense of humor, level of education) and a socio-economic scale. In this adaptation of the classic study by Lambert, Hodgson, Gardner and Fillenbaum (1960), students from both ethnolinguistic heritages in English and French colleges participated as raters.  Participants consistently rated the English guises more favorably on almost all of traits, and no French guises were favored on any of the characteristics investigated. Some results indicate that higher L2 proficiency and contact with members of "the other" ethnolinguistic group correlates with more balanced views.


identifier: Peng, Hong  (2002) Improving compositional verification through environment synthesis and syntactic model reduction.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: With the increasing complexity of large scale Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) designs, simulation cannot cover all the corner cases in a reasonable time frame. Formal verification is emerging as a supplementary approach to main-stream simulation. Among various formal verification approaches, model checking is a fully automatic approach to verify a finite state machine against its temporal specifications. It has been successfully used in several industrial verification projects. However, its application is limited by the size of the system to be verified due to state space explosion. There are two main methods to tackle this problem: compositional verification and model reduction . Compositional verification is to verify each partition in the system separately and then derive the system specification from the partial proofs. Model reduction is to reduce the size of the system such that it can be handled by a model checking tool. In this thesis, we integrate these two approaches to perform model checking.  In a compositional verification, properties are only true under certain environments. One of the problems in the compositional reasoning approach is to generate the environment assumption , i.e., stimulus for the module (partition) under verification. In our approach, we provide the environment assumptions as temporal logic formulas and then synthesize an executable hardware description language module from it. Compared with existing related work, the proposed environment has a smaller state space, which is a key factor in compositional verification. The synthesized modules are composed with the design block under verification and then fed into a model checking tool.  However, in case the size of the composed module is still beyond the capability of model checking, we use a novel syntactic model reduction algorithm, which analyzes the source code and removes the redundant variables and values. The reduction we propose in this thesis is based on the static analysis of control flow diagram of the program. The values of state variables in the program are partitioned into active values , and deactive values according to their dependency to the properties. and thus the value domains of the variables are much smaller than the original ones. Compared with existing related work, the proposed approach is automatic and has better performance in the reduction of datapath intensive designs.  In order to demonstrate the application of the proposed techniques, we verified an industrial size ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) switch fabric from Nortel Networks which complexity is beyond the capability of plain model checking tools.


identifier: Peacock, Patricia  (2002) Seven women, seven pioneers : the stories of seven women and their influential roles in the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches in the province of Quebec at the end of the twentieth century.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This work is the study of the lives and works of seven women, considered pioneers in their fields, in the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches in the Province of Quebec in the latter third of the twentieth century. Four of the subjects are francophone; three are anglophone. Three of the francophone women are feminist theologians, two of whom are nuns. The fourth has recently left the Roman Catholic Church to join the Anglican Church. The three anglophone, women are Anglican priests, among the first to be ordained in Canada. The seven women are studied from the point of view of being pioneers, within the question of the ordination of women and the role of women in the church in Quebec. This thesis will examine how their experiences have paved the way for others to follow.


identifier: Chauvin, Louis  (2002) An ethic of simplicity : for life's sake.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis offers an Ethic of Simplicity as a response to what is perceived by an increasing number of people as a destructive and dehumanizing socio-economic system. The thesis starts with a description of the methodology used to determine who "simple lifers", the adherents to this ethic, are and what they are concerned about. The next three chapters expand on these concerns: (1) they are beginning to question the wisdom, relevance and sustainability of an economic system that is based on, and aggressively promotes, continuous growth in consumption and production. Recent studies show that the purported benefits of the current model of the capitalist system, are now giving way to disillusionment; the rich are getting richer, the poor poorer and more numerous and people in the middle are working harder and longer to maintain gains made in standards of living (Chapter 2); (2) the gradual spread of the current model of the capitalist system across the face of the globe has highlighted its shortcomings (Chapter 3); (3) evidence is growing that we are testing the limits of the physical systems of the planet. The Worldwatch Institute warns that we would need 3 to 5 planet Earths to provide North American consumption levels to everyone on the planet and to absorb their wastes (Chapter 4).  In Chapter 5, it is suggested that current attempts by national governments, international bodies and the business community at reversing the growing inequities and environmental damage have proven highly inadequate. Citizen groups have awakened and are asking for greater and more sincere efforts at reining in what they see as a rogue economic sector. The citizens supporting these groups need, however, to be able to disengage from the system if they are to have the independence to critique business and government. A growing number of them are. In the Conclusion, the value system and behavioural standards of the Ethic of Simplicity propose moving consumption back to its traditional position as a social epiphenomenon rather than a central one. Thus, at the same time as it liberates people from financial servility, it relieves the stress on the ecosystem and promotes a more equitable sharing of the planet's resources.


identifier: Pizzamiglio, M. Teresa  (2002) Variability in perceived social competence as a predictor of emotional reactivity in early adolescence.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The present research examines the long-hypothesized association between variability of self-esteem and emotional reactivity within the context of peer interactions. Self-esteem variability is defined as short-term fluctuations in self-esteem and operationalized as the standard deviation of multiple assessments. Emotional reactivity is defined as the association between the perception of an event and the emotional response to it. 102 male adolescents (ages 13 to 15) participated in the research. Multiple data on self-perceived social competence were collected using Time Sampling. These repeated data were averaged into a measure of level of perceived social competence and the standard deviation used as a measure of variability of perceived social competence. Using the Experience Sampling Method, repeated data were collected in situ on the perceptions of the quality of participants' peer interactions (1144 distinct peer events) and on the emotional reactions following them as measured by scales of sadness, anxiety, anger and positive affect. Individual difference data (e.g., popularity) were collected during group testing. Hierarchical Linear Modeling was used for analyses. The predictive power of (1) level and (2) variability of perceived social competence, (3) emotional distress (measured with depression and anxiety scales), (4) popularity (measured by peer rated friendship nominations and liking ratings), (5) scores on Stability of Self scale and (6) the interaction between level and variability of perceived social competence were tested concurrently. Consistent with hypotheses, variability was associated with increased emotional reactivity to events, that is, it was a significant moderator of the association between perceptions of interaction quality and feelings of sadness, anxiety and positive affect. For example, participants with higher variability reported more sadness when interaction was perceived as negative than did their peers with less variable perceived social competence; no differences between participants were noted when the interaction was perceived as positive. Emotional distress was a significant predictor of the negative association between interaction quality and feelings of anger. Popularity acted as a 'buffer' to temper the association between interaction quality and sadness. Consistent with hypotheses, variability of perceived social competence was a significant predictor of higher levels of sadness, anxiety and anger. Unexpectedly, average level of perceived social competence was a significant predictor of higher levels of sadness, anxiety and anger. Results are discussed in terms of the nature and measurement of self-esteem variability, its role as a vulnerability factor for the experience of negative affect, and popularity's role as a protective factor.


identifier: Bartlett, Nancy  (2002) Physical and relational aggression and victimization among children : the role of familial and individual factors.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The overarching aim of this study was to answer the question of why boys and girls might engage in different forms of aggression and victimization. To this end, there were four major goals: (a) to determine the most parsimonious system of conceptualising forms of aggression and victimization to examine; (b) sex differences in relational and physical aggression and victimization; (c) family and individual factors related to dominance and aggression/victimization; and (d) the association between aggression and victimization. Individual factors were within four domains: peer dominance status, self-discrepancy, self-efficacy, and social importance.  Participants were 367 5 th and 6 th grade, English-speaking boys and girls in suburban Montreal, Quebec. Peer-ratings of aggression and victimization as well as dominance were obtained, and participants rated their parents on dimensions of involvement and supervision. Self-ratings were obtained for actual, ideal, and ought selves regarding dominance-related characteristics; self-efficacy for aggression, conflict, and non-conflict situations, as well as outcome expectancies for aggression; and social importance for male and female dominance-related characteristics.  Results showed that, using Confirmatory Factor Analysis, two separate factors (physical and relational) emerged for aggression and victimization. Boys were rated as using more physical, and girls more relational aggression (after controlling for physical aggression). Boys received higher ratings on physical victimization (when they were also aggressive). The major findings related to the remaining goals were that the association between parenting and dominance differed for boys and girls; dominance was negatively predictive of physical, and positively predictive of relational aggression for girls; dominance was negatively predictive of victimization; actual-ideal discrepancy for male dominance-related characteristics was predictive of physical victimization for boys; self-efficacy for conflict situations was negatively related to relational and positively related to physical aggression for girls; social importance for female dominance-related characteristics was negatively predictive of physical and positively predictive of relational aggression, and; victimization was more strongly related to aggression for girls.  The results of this study may help to clarify the confusion about how to conceptualise different forms of aggression. In addition, it adds to the literature on sex differences in types of aggression by attempting to empirically test the reasons for girls' and boys' use of different aggressive strategies and elucidating some of the factors that are differentially predictive of aggression and victimization for boys and girls.


identifier: Ives, Cindy A  (2002) Designing and developing an educational systems design model for technology integration in universities.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This study was inspired by the challenges of integrating educational technologies into universities. Beginning with a discussion of economic, political, social, technical and cultural forces for and against technology-enhanced learning, the study aimed to find appropriate initiatives in the research and experience of universities that have successfully harnessed teaching and learning technologies. The objective of the research was to use multiple methods and an emergent design to identify and describe the factors affecting successful institution-wide technology integration efforts with a view to informing more effective policy.  The investigation was conducted using a variety of sources, beginning with an analysis and synthesis of recent research on technology-supported postsecondary teaching and learning. A systematic literature search resulted in more than 300 descriptive and interpretive reports published since 1995. These studies employed various combinations of qualitative and quantitative designs to study technology use in a wide variety of disciplines and many different campus contexts. A broad analysis of the literature suggests that critical success factors are organisation-dependent, related to variables such as organisational mission, goals, culture and practices, as well as faculty and student perspectives.  In the second part of the study three types of university models were explored (planning, design and implementation), using two case studies to learn about one model in more depth. The models were then analysed with respect to their ability to address the factors that emerged in the literature review. A new model for designing and integrating technologies for teaching and learning emerged from the analysis and synthesis of research literature and models. Based on a modified form of educational systems design, this model offers a systemic and multiple shareholder approach to institution-wide planning, design, implementation and evaluation of learning technologies. Focused on learning as the core business of the university, the model offers an alternative to strategic planning approaches. The potential usefulness of the model was evaluated by comparing it with existing technology plans available on the websites of three Canadian universities, selected to be representative of the sector.  The thesis concludes that a multiple perspective, participative approach is necessary to successful integration of technology across the university.


identifier: Vyas, Nikhil  (2002) Polyolefin elastomer blends as an alternative to poly(vinyl chloride) flooring.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) flooring products in the form of flexible sheets and tiles dominate the resilient flooring market. These flooring products are produced by calendering compounds based on vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer filled with calcium carbonate, essentially with plasticizers and other additives. Plasticizers have become matter of concern from indoor air quality (IAQ) point of view as they are suspected to be the one of the sources of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, considered harmful to human health.  In the research work reported here, polyolefin elastomers (POE) filled with calcium carbonate filler are prepared and their mechanical properties are evaluated as an alternative to poly(vinyl chloride), PVC matrix for flooring products. POEs are olefin copolymers synthesized using metallocene technology and does not require plasticizers for processing, yet can provide similar flexibility to the finished product as that of plasticized PVC. Also, POE can incorporate relatively higher amounts of post consumer polyethylene (PC-PE) while maintaining adequate properties. The POE used in this study is Engage-8440, which is an ethylene-octene copolymer. Two types of PC-PE are studied in this research: the first one is a 50-50 mixture of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and low density polyethylene (LDPE) and the second is a high density polyethylene (HDPE). The mechanical and thermal properties, as well as the technique is used to study the difference in thermal properties of the two recycled resins. Further, heat and UV stabilizers are added and the tensile properties of POE/PC-PE blend composites are tested for accelerated weathering effects.  As a result of the present study, an alternative flooring material is attempted with appreciable properties, such as Young's modulus, tensile strength at break and yield point, elongation at break, impact, hardness and static load limit values.


identifier: Karava, Panagiota  (2002) An investigation of the performance of trickle ventilators.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This study presents a full-scale experimental investigation of the air leakage characteristics of two trickle ventilator types, namely slot and pressure-controlled. Furthermore, the performance of trickle ventilators under the influence of the wind, which is the main driving force of the air flow through low-rise buildings, and the validity of the orifice equation to represent their behaviour have been assessed. Finally, the potential of trickle ventilator integration in ventilation design of office buildings is investigated through flow network simulations and design solutions for the opening area of trickle ventilators to satisfy the fresh air requirements, as recommended by ASHRAE, are presented.  It was found that the air flow through trickle ventilators may be modelled/predicted accurately and utilized in the design of natural/hybrid ventilation systems. However, the pressure-controlled ventilator appears to be preferable since it provides for better IAQ, and its performance is better than that of the slot ventilator with respect to comfort and energy use to warm up the ventilated air during the heating season


identifier: Stojanova, Angelina  (2002) Characterization of c-Myc-mediated repression of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 promoter.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The effect of trans-acting factors on cis-acting DNA elements on the HIV-1 promoter is the principal determinant governing transcriptional activation or repression. Few host factors that limit viral transcription and contribute to stable, nonproductive infections have been described. C-myc is a nuclear phosphoprotein that we have shown can negatively regulate HIV-1 promoter expression and viral replication in CD4+ T-lymphocytes. The mechanism implicates c-myc in a direct role. The electrophoretic mobility shift assay demonstrated that c-myc could specifically recognize the HIV-1 initiator element and linker scanning mutagenesis of the LTR confirmed the loss of c-myc-mediated repression in the absence of this region. C-myc can also recognize E box motifs. This element is present within the initiator region and has been demonstrated to be occupied by the c-myc related protein, USF which stimulates HIV-1 transcription. Results from co-expression studies indicated that c-myc mediated repression did not occur through direct binding to the E box and competition with USF. Moreover, c-myc appears to cooperate with initiator binding proteins, YY-1 and LSF to additively reduce gene expression. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments indicated that these cellular factors are capable of interacting in vivo and in the absence of the HIV-1 long terminal repeat. This suggests that c-myc, YY-1, and LSF are capable of forming a multiprotein complex and preassembling prior to binding to the initiator element.  Thus, c-myc negative regulation of HIV-1 transcription offers one potential explanation for the emergence and maintenance of latent proviral reservoirs


identifier: Shadley, Gillian  (2002) Reflections in their mirrors : how adolescent girls experience their bodies.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: A lot of research supports the theoretical notion that bodies are a site of turmoil for many adolescent girls. Numerous articles state that adolescent girls struggle with their weight and body image and that this discontentment can lead to serious problems such as lower self-esteem, depression, and eating disorders. However, there has been little research that documents how girls themselves talk about, relate to, experience and live in their bodies.  The purpose of this study is to explore aspects of how, at the beginning of the 21 st century, a group of adolescent girls in a single sex school experience their bodies. Eleven grade 10 girls, age 15 and 16, volunteered to participate in this study. Data was collected using six in depth group interviews and individual drawings. Although the media does play an important role in the lives of these young women, results indicate that the participants' parents play just as equally critical a role and that they have a tremendous influence on how the girls experience their bodies. Moreover, issues like choosing their clothing, being labelled based on what they wore and the idea of feeling comfortable (both physically and psychologically) in their bodies were examined in order to try and obtain a clearer picture of how these young women experienced their bodies. It was discovered that although they often felt ill at ease with their bodies, it was not a permanent or ever lasting feeling


identifier: Eichstedt, Julie A  (2002) Toddlers' inference of people's desires for objects : the effect of gender-stereotype knowledge.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Children as young as 18 months of age are capable of reasoning about other people's desires for objects and food items. During the same age range, children acquire concepts of male and female, including knowledge of the activities, toys, and other objects associated with each gender. The present study assessed whether children's knowledge of gender stereotypes plays a role in their inferences about men's and women's desires for objects. Using an object request task, 20- and 24-month-old children were shown a series of object pairs, each consisting of one feminine- and one masculine-stereotyped item. A male or female experimenter expressed a desire for one of the two items, as revealed by a happy vs. disgust facial expression, then requested that the child give him or her one item. Half of the children observed the experimenter expressing preferences for the gender-appropriate objects, and the other half, preferences for the gender-inappropriate objects. A stereotyping task was also included to ensure that the objects were gender stereotyped by the children. Children were hypothesized to be more likely to select the desired item to hand to the experimenter if it was gender consistent than if it was gender inconsistent, beginning at 24 months. This effect was hypothesized to be stronger for girls than boys. Children were also administered a task to assess their understanding of other people's desires for food items, in addition to various gender-concept and gender-typing measures.  Results suggested that some children show a rudimentary ability to reason about others' desires for gender-typed objects in the second year of life. Specifically, boys who demonstrated adequate gender-category knowledge and a basic understanding of others' desires for food successfully offered the experimenter the desired item on the majority of trials. Although these boys also displayed significant gender-stereotype knowledge on the stereotyping trials, they based their desire inferences on the experimenter's affective cues, rather than on the gender stereotyping of the objects. Girls with similar gender and food desire knowledge, however, did not consistently offer the experimenter the desired items. Rather, they offered the experimenter cross-gender-typed items, regardless of which objects were desired.


identifier: Kotecha, Krishpa  (2002) A pilot study on the phenomenography of problem solving.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Great emphasis is placed on Problem Solving in the secondary school mathematics curriculum. Consequently a vast body of research has also been conducted. In the classroom, teachers persevere at demonstrating a variety of methods to model this skill we call problem solving. However, students remain to have great difficulty. Phenomenography, research with the goal of analyzing, and describing experience, is used in this study to determine what students believe Problems, and Problem Solving to be. Forty-six students from a secondary three and secondary four class were asked to answer two questions: (1) Please define (in your own words) a problem . Think of it in the mathematical sense. (2) Please define (in your own words) problem solving . Think of it in the mathematical sense.  Student responses were tabulated. Five variables, (perseverance, classification of problems, personal attachment to problems and problem solving, interpretation of problem solving, and the mention of methods used to solve problems) are related to student achievement (measured by percentile rank). Observations are made about student perceptions, and their achievement. Further research is needed to determine if these perceptions can be modified.


identifier: Noiseux, Marie Hélène  (2002) Canadian bank mergers, rescues and failures.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis consists of three essays. The first essay (thesis chapter two) investigates the 29 bank combinations between 1900 and 1931 that reduced the Canadian banking sector from 35 to 11 banks. The concentration of the Canadian banking industry is examined using the four-firm and the Hirshman-Herfindahl (HHI) indexes using monthly data on bank branches per institution and region, and nationally. Most of the substantial increase and variation in bank concentration in the national and regional HHIs based on bank branches are explained by merger activity. The second essay (thesis chapter three) examines the merger of La Banque Nationale (LBN) with La Banque d'Hochelaga (LBdH). This merger was facilitated by a generous financial arrangement with the Quebec government, and continuing federal government loans. As Bennett and Loucks (1996) conclude, political connections ensured a long period of forbearance for LBN and facilitated LBN's rescue. Accounting and reporting window dressing also assisted the rescue of the economically insolvent and too-important-to-fail LBN. These findings support the conclusions of Kryzanowski and Roberts (1993, 1999) that forbearance and window dressing played an important role in preventing the failure of many Canadian banks during the 1920s and 1930s. The third essay (thesis chapter four) examines the failure costs of the 29 Canadian bank failures since Confederation for various stakeholder groups over four sub periods with different safety net regimes. The determinants (including safety net regime) of four total loss measurement metrics are estimated. With the introduction of explicit deposit insurance and the abolition of double liability, the proportion of total losses directly borne by banks and the government increased significantly, and the proportion borne directly by shareholders of the failed bank decreased significantly. This finding supports the conclusion of Kane (1985) that deposit insurance creates moral hazard among bank stakeholders. These results also extend the work of Kryzanowski and Roberts (1993, 1998, 1999) by suggesting that forbearance heightened bank-specific losses and lessened bank industry-specific losses during the two most recent sub periods due to careful monitoring and control of bank failure and closure by the government and the CBA (Canadian Bankers Association)


identifier: Hajizadeh Moghaddam, Azita  (2002) Leaching of heavy metals from chromated copper arsenate (CCA) treated wood.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Preserved, treated wood is commonly found in solid waste. Among the different types of preserved wood, chromated copper arsenate (CCA) treated wood recently has received much attention due to the scale of usage and its significant role in soil and water contamination. As the ash of CCA treated wood is hazardous, it cannot be burned, and the best available disposal method is thus landfilling. Leaching of the metals from disposed preserved wood in landfills pollutes the soil, water and the environment. The existing literature on leaching of CCA treated wood is reviewed, and several factors affecting leaching of the metals from wood, including pH of the leachant, temperature, the duration of leaching, the type of leachant are discussed. These factors affect each of the metals including chromium, copper and arsenic, differently. Definition and comparison of the effect of these mentioned factors on each preservative metal several experiments were performed. In all experiments ground wood (remaining at the top of sieve No. 10) was soaked in leachant (ratio 1:10). The leachants were nitric acid, sulfuric acid and acetic acid (0.1N), having pH values of 3, 4 and 5. They were left in an incubator for 5,10 and 15 days. The temperature of the incubator was set to 15C̕ for 15 days and then the experiment was repeated for temperatures 25C̕ and 35C̕. On the other hand to investigate the biodegradability of the leached wood, unleached wood and some of the leached wood samples were chosen. The necessary nutrients for growth of fungi and soil were added and the amount of generated CO 2 was measured through the experiment. The results of the experiments showed that sulfuric acid (pH3) is the most effective leachant. Most of the leaching happens in the first 5 days and temperature increases the amount of leached metals. The leached CCA wood is still resistant to biodegradation.


identifier: Abdel Messie, Joud  (2003) Layered hybrid ARQ/FEC for increasing quality of service for MPEG 1-2 video communication over networks : design and practical implementation.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis details the design and implementation of a new technique, called the Layered Hybrid ARQ/FEC, for increasing the Quality of Service (QoS) of MPEG video bitstreams while they are transmitted over networks and enduring data loss. This new technique, which is the major focus of this thesis, can be achieved by first combining the two error control methods: Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) with RS-FEC (the Reed Solomon Forward Error Correction method), and second by defining different layers of protection for each type of frame in the MPEG video stream. This thesis starts by explaining the structure of MPEG video bitstreams and the different levels of importance of each type of frame (I, P, or B frames). Also, the thesis explains in details some ARQ and FEC techniques, focusing on Reed-Solomon mechanism. The thesis then introduces the Layered Hybrid ARQ/FEC technique being applied on MPEG video; the method is first theoretically detailed and then implemented as a server/client application-layer software using C language. Data are collected, and analysed, and compared with other methods. Finally, conclusions are derived and suggestions for future improvements are highlighted.


identifier: Claveau, C. David  (2002) A VLSI sensory-motor architecture for an obstacle avoidance task in an unstructured environment.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Obstacle avoidance is a difficult task for autonomous robots. To overcome limitations of traditional computer vision systems, some robots have made use of efficient VLSI sensory-motor systems. However, because the processing in these systems is at the pixel level, it is difficult to achieve algorithms that can deal with real-world, unstructured environments. To make these VLSI sensory-motor systems more widely applicable, new architectures and strategies are needed.  This thesis presents an architecture for a VLSI sensory-motor system designed for obstacle avoidance by a mobile robot in an unstructured environment. Drawing inspiration from biology and behavior-based robotics, the development of the architecture is guided by an emphasis on the requirements of an obstacle avoidance behavior for a mobile robot. The architecture incorporates features which enable it to deal with unstructured environments. A special foveation and weighting scheme are used to facilitate the detection of real-world objects. The sensory and motor maps of the system are aligned to relate features in the visual field to a left and a right control signal. The effectiveness of the architecture is demonstrated through computer simulation. A model of a sensory-motor system based on the architecture is used to create a realistic looking virtual environment simulator. Simulation results show that such a system is capable of efficient obstacle avoidance in an unstructured environment, while using only a small number of simple operations connected hierarchically, potentially leading to an implementation with small pixels


identifier: Du, Yimin  (2003) Hardware implementation of non-binary turbo code for DVB/RCS.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Double binary convolutional turbo codes, using Circular Recursive Systematic Convolutional (CRSC) codes as component codes, have been shown to outperform binary turbo codes. These codes are adopted in the Digital Video Broadcasting--Return Channel via Satellite (DVB-RCS) standard. The outstanding coding performance of these codes intrigues the investigation of hardware implementation issues. In this thesis, first a simplified Max_Log_MAP algorithm is derived for the Non-binary convolutional turbo code, and then different aspects of the implementation issues of the decoder with VLSI are explored. In addition, a complete decoder VLSI design of non-binary convolutional turbo code for DVB/RCS will be presented. After discussing several quantization and normalization schemes, a new optimal renormalization approach will be proposed. With this new approach, the decoder can be speeded up considerably. In order to save area, a practical simplification method of branch metric calculation is introduced, which makes the whole design much more efficient. From an architectural point of view, an optimal full pipelined structure is designed with the forward path metric and backward path metric recursive circuits being optimized for speed and other functions including concise interleaver generation, data input, branch metric calculation being optimized for area. In the last part of this thesis, another pipelined area saving method is proposed. The design is modeled in Very high speed integrated circuit Hardware Description Language (VHDL) and synthesized on a single chip FPGA (Xilinx Virtex-E). According to the RTL level and gate level simulation results and the in-chip test result, the decoder can work up to 7 Mbits/s data rate at 6 iterations with VirtexE FPGA.


identifier: Farhat, Ibrahim  (2003) Fault detection, classification and location in transmission line systems using neural networks.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Successful applications of neural networks in electrical power systems have demonstrated that this powerful tool can be employed as an alternative method for solving problems accurately and efficiently. The features of neural networks, such as their ability to learn, generalize and parallel processing, among others, have made their applications to many systems ideal. The use of neural networks as pattern classifiers is among their most common and powerful applications.  This thesis presents an artificial neural network approach to detection, classification and isolation (location) of faults in transmission line systems. The objective is to implement a complete scheme for distance protection of a transmission line system. In order to perform this goal, the distance protection task is subdivided into different neural networks for fault detection, fault identification (classification) as well as fault location in different zones. The other purpose of this work is to study and compare the application of three different neural network architectures for the protection of the transmission lines. The considered three approaches are back-propagation, radial basis functions and support vector machines. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of these structures when applied to the problem of transmission line protection. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)


identifier: Feng, Le  (2003) Performance of serial concatenated convolutional codes with MSK over ISI wireless channels.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Serial concatenated convolutional code (SCCC) with minimum shift keying (MSK) modulation technique over AWGN channel and ISI channel in wireless communication systems are investigated and analyzed. Iterative log-MAP (Maximum A Posteriori Probability) decoding algorithm is applied. The design criteria for serial concatenated codes are given. For AWGN channel, the simulation results show SCCC with MSK is an alternative to turbo codes and the performance is superior at high SNR. The types of the interleaver, the interleaver size, the number of iterations and different algorithms that influence the performance are investigated and simulated. For intersymbol interference (ISI) channel, which is caused by multipath, limited bandwidth and motion in wireless communication systems, zero-forcing and least mean square equalization algorithms are used to compensate for the effect of ISI. It is shown that least mean square algorithm has better performance than zero-forcing algorithm.


identifier: Glavac, Vladimir  (2003) A VHDL code generator for Reed-Solomon encoders and decoders.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Reed-Solomon codes are error correcting codes that are used in many applications such as satellite communications, digital audio tape, and in CDROMs. Such diverse applications call for the use of many different Reed-Solomon codes. The topic of this thesis is the development of a program to produce synthesizable VHDL code for an arbitrary Reed-Solomon encoder or decoder. A novel extension of the Massey-Berlekamp algorithm for solving the key equation is presented. This modified algorithm is a key aspect of the Reed-Solomon decoder designs discussed in this thesis. The details of the design of both RS encoders and decoders are presented in detail. A program written in a high level language was designed so as to generate the VHDL code that corresponds to the algorithms for encoding and decoding. Several encoders and decoders were synthesized for the Xilinx XCV1000 series of field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The resulting area and speed metrics are presented for several designs of Reed-Solomon encoders and decoders.


identifier: Janarthanan, Vasudevan  (2003) Modular composition and verification of transaction processing protocols using category theory.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Establishing the correctness of reliable distributed protocols supporting dependable applications necessitates modular/compositional approaches to tackle the inherent complexity of these protocols. Efforts involved in the specification and verification of these reliable distributed protocols can be considerably reduced if the protocol is composed utilizing smaller components (building-blocks) possessing individual functionalities that are integral parts of the overall protocol operation. In this thesis, we introduce techniques utilizing the concepts of category theory for the modular composition of dependable distributed protocols. In particular, we show how by defining external interfaces of basic modules, and morphisms linking two different modules, a larger or more complex protocol can be formally composed and verified. To illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology for compositional specification and verification, in this thesis, we present a modular composition and verification of a transaction processing protocol namely the non-blocking atomic three phase commit (3PC) protocol using category theoretic concepts. Specifically, we illustrate how the overall global properties of the protocol can be proved by utilizing constructs of local sub-properties of the inherent building blocks of the 3PC protocol. A key benefit of this modular approach is that these identified building blocks would be helpful to system designers for their capability of specifying and facilitating rigorously tested and pretested formal theory modules of required system and component behavior; and also supporting system design decisions and modifications.