title: Radical Ambition: A Portrait of the Toronto New Left, 1958-1985

subject:
new left
social movement

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, History) -- Queen's University, 2016-09-30 13:40:34.416

abstract: This thesis examines the rise and decline of the New Left in Toronto from 1958 to 1985. It argues that New Leftism — whose three leading ideals were self-management, national liberation, and community — arose as much from the Old Left as it did from the peace movement. In contrast to earlier readings that interpret the New Left narrowly — essentially, as the combined forces of the white student and peace movements evident mainly on university campuses — this thesis documents the extent to which New Leftism, interpreted as a political formation, provided a framework for a diversity of radical social movements, especially feminism, Black Power, gay liberation, resistance to the capitalist redevelopment of the city, and transnational solidarity. It also questions a declensionist narrative that adopts a “decadal” approach to the radicalism of the sixties, according to which 1970 spelled the end of “60s” radicalism. Quite the contrary, this thesis argues: in Toronto, it would be truer to say that 1970s were “the sixties,” in that only in this later decade did many New Left movements attain their full maturity. New Leftists successfully challenged a host of institutions, sometimes with permanent effects. The educational system was transformed. Cultural institutions and practices were revolutionized. Questions of race and gender, once peripheral to the left, were made central to it. Democratic community institutions became far more powerful. A token of the strength and durability of the New Left in Toronto was the extent to which it remained the bête noir of a series of other radical groups upholding the model of the vanguard communist party — which challenged the New Leftists’ prominence but many members of which often wound up agreeing with their positions. It was only in the early 1980s, with the ascent of a new right, that Toronto’s New Left unmistakably entered a period of decline. Yet, even then, many of its key themes were picked up by fast-growing anarchist and socialist feminist currents. Far from constituting a minor phenomenon, Toronto’s New Left, one of the largest movements for social justice in Canadian history, bequeathed to its progressive successors an imposing legacy of struggle and cultural achievements. It is the purpose of this thesis to evaluate, both critically and sympathetically, the extent to which the New Left attained its radical ambition.

abstract: Restriction necessary due to impending publisher's agreement

abstract: PhD


title: Accommodating Muslim Minorities in Secular Societies: Public Education in England, Scotland, Ontario, and Quebec

contributor:
Banting, Keith G.
Political Studies

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

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

rights: Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University

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

subject: Muslim integration and accommodation; faith schools; religious education; political actors; church-state settlements

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Political Studies) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-06 15:30:04.092

abstract:
Abstract
This thesis examines one of the most sensitive challenges facing contemporary democracies: the accommodation of Muslim minorities in public institutions and services. It focuses on the field of education, and on two particular issues: the public funding of Islamic schools and the accommodation of Muslim needs in public secular schools. The analysis is based on an examination of outcomes in four jurisdictions that differ significantly in the level of accommodation that has emerged: England, Scotland, Ontario, and Quebec. I seek to explain why such variation in outcomes exists among these four cases. I draw on four bodies of literature to underpin the theoretical framework: historical institutionalism, political mobilization by civil society, political parties, and ideationalism. My argument can be summarized simply; historic church-state settlements, unique in each case, are the most important factor explaining the variation in outcomes in England, Scotland, Ontario, and Quebec. In some cases, the historic church-state template is incrementally adapted to accommodate Muslim minorities. In other cases, relatively little accommodation occurs and the path-dependent trajectory of church-state relations remains entrenched. While the historic church-state template is a necessary factor in the explanation, it does not fully account for the variation. For a more complete picture, I demonstrate that there are several additional key factors that also shape the outcomes: first, national identity and public attitudes towards immigration and immigrants; second, the extent of mobilization by political agents, such as civil society organizations and historic churches; and third, the response of political parties to demands by Muslims for institutional accommodation. Ultimately, I conclude that Muslims in these jurisdictions are receiving some accommodation, but the process is slow and partial.
This thesis makes important theoretical and empirical contributions to the discussion of Muslim integration in liberal democratic states. First, a framework has yet to be developed that considers the theoretical implications of institutional accommodation of Muslims; I address this gap. Second, this research demonstrates the utility of historical institutionalism in explaining the adaptation of church-state templates to accommodate Muslims’ demands. Last, this study makes an original contribution by comparing the cases of England, Scotland, Ontario, and Quebec in the accommodation of Muslims in education. A comparison of Canada with the United Kingdom has not yet been done.

abstract: The findings have yet to be published. There is concern regarding protection of intellectual property.

abstract: PhD


title: Identical Origins, Divergent Paths: Filial Responsibility Laws in Canada and the United States

contributor:
Freedman, David
Law

subject:
Law
Filial Responsibility Laws

abstract: Thesis (Master, Law) -- Queen's University, 2016-09-30 14:22:10.068

abstract: This dissertation examines the origins of filial responsibility laws in Canada and the United States, laws which prescribe that adult children have an obligation of support which is owed to their parents. Filial responsibility laws enable an indigent parent, or an institution providing medical treatment and care to an indigent parent, to seek financial support from that parent’s adult children through the use of litigation. While those who favour these rarely-used laws claim that they bring many benefits to both the family and the state, there is little evidence to suggest that such benefits are actualized. The development and use of the laws in Canada and the United States make it clear that the limitation of the expenditure of government funds was the primary motive for these laws and the support of families a distant secondary motive.

abstract: LL.M.


title: Investigating Multiple Roles of Vocal Confidence in Persuasion

contributor:
Fabrigar, Leandre R.
Psychology

subject:
Attitudes
Persuasion
Confidence
Voice
Elaboration Likelihood Model

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2016-09-30 14:27:48.55

abstract: Although persuasion often occurs via oral communication, it remains a comparatively understudied area. This research tested the hypothesis that changes in three properties of voice influence perceptions of speaker confidence, which in turn differentially affects attitudes according to different underlying psychological processes that the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM, Petty & Cacioppo, 1984), suggests should emerge under different levels of thought. Experiment 1 was a 2 (Elaboration: high vs. low) x 2 (Vocal speed: increased speed vs. decreased speed) x 2 (Vocal intonation: falling intonation vs. rising intonation) between participants factorial design. Vocal speed and vocal intonation influenced perceptions of speaker confidence as predicted. In line with the ELM, under high elaboration, confidence biased thought favorability, which in turn influenced attitudes. Under low elaboration, confidence did not bias thoughts but rather directly influenced attitudes as a peripheral cue. Experiment 2 used a similar design as Experiment 1 but focused on vocal pitch. Results confirmed pitch influenced perceptions of confidence as predicted. Importantly, we also replicated the bias and cue processes found in Experiment 1. Experiment 3 investigated the process by which a broader spectrum of speech rate influenced persuasion under moderate elaboration. In a 2 (Argument quality: strong vs. weak) x 4 (Vocal speed: extremely slow vs. moderately slow vs. moderately fast vs. extremely fast) between participants factorial design, results confirmed the hypothesized non-linear relationship between speech rate and perceptions of confidence. In line with the ELM, speech rate influenced persuasion based on the amount of processing. Experiment 4 investigated the effects of a broader spectrum of vocal intonation on persuasion under moderate elaboration and used a similar design as Experiment 3. Results indicated a partial success of our vocal intonation manipulation. No evidence was found to support the hypothesized mechanism. These studies show that changes in several different properties of voice can influence the extent to which others perceive them as confident. Importantly, evidence suggests different vocal properties influence persuasion by the same bias and cue processes under high and low thought. Evidence also suggests that under moderate thought, speech rate influences persuasion based on the amount of processing.

abstract: PhD


title: Language, Logos, and Social Ontology: Naturalist and Post-Naturalist Narratives of Human Rationality and Social Reality

contributor:
Bakhurst, David
Philosophy

subject:
Social Ontology
Naturalism
Social Reality
Post-Naturalism

abstract: Thesis (Master, Philosophy) -- Queen's University, 2016-09-30 14:48:51.423

abstract: I distinguish two ways that philosophers have approached and explained the reality and status of human social institutions. I call these approaches “naturalist” and “post-naturalist”. Common to both approaches is an understanding that the status of mind and its relation to the world or “nature” has implications on a conception of the status of institutional reality. Naturalists hold that mind is explicable within a scientific frame that conceives of mind as a fundamentally material process. By proxy, social reality is also materially explicable. Post-naturalists critique this view, holding instead that naturalism is parasitic on contemporary science—it therefore is non-compulsory and distorts how we ought to understand mind and social reality. A comparison of naturalism and post-naturalism will comprise the content of the first chapter. The second chapter turns to tracing out the dimensions of a post-naturalist narrative of mind and social reality. Post-naturalists conceive of mind and its activity of thought as sui generis, and it transpires from this that social institutions are better understood as a rational mind’s mode of the expression in the world. Post-naturalism conceives of social reality as a necessary dimension of thought. Thought requires a second person and thereby a tradition or context of norms that come to both structure its expression and become the products of expression. This is in contrast to the idea that social reality is a production of minds, and thereby derivative. Social reality, self-conscious thought, and thought of the second person are therefore three dimensions of a greater unity.

abstract: M.A.


title: Reversibly Photo-Crosslinkable Polycarbonate-Based Polymersomes for Drug Encapsulation and Delivery

contributor:
Amsden, Brian
Chemical Engineering

subject:
polymersomes
polymerization
drug delivery
polycarbonate
coumarin
chemical engineering

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-09-30 15:23:27.321

abstract:
This thesis describes the preparation of polymersomes from poly(ethylene glycol)-block-polycarbonate (PEG-PC) copolymers functionalized with pendant coumarin groups. Coumarin groups undergo photo-reversible dimerization when irradiated with specific ultraviolet wavelengths, so they can be used to prepare polymers with photo-responsive properties. In this case, the pendant coumarin groups enable stabilization of the polymersome membrane through photo-crosslinking of the hydrophobic block.
Initially, several novel cinnamoyl and coumarin functionalized cyclic carbonate monomers were synthesized using ester, ether, or amide linkages. While the homopolymerization of these functionalized monomers proved challenging due to their high melting points, both cinnamoyl and coumarin functionalized monomers were successfully copolymerized with trimethylene carbonate (TMC) at 100 ℃ using a catalyst-free melt polymerization process where the TMC doubled as a solvent for the higher melting point monomer. Using this system, polycarbonate copolymers with up to 33% incorporation of the functionalized monomers were prepared. In addition, an investigation of some anomalous polymerization results identified previously unreported triethylamine-based catalysts for the melt polymerization of carbonate monomers. These studies also demonstrated that the catalyst-free polymerization of TMC occurs faster and at lower temperatures than previously reported.
Subsequently, the photo-crosslinking of cinnamoyl and coumarin functionalized polycarbonates was compared and coumarin was identified as the more effective crosslinking agent when using 300-400 nm UV. An investigation of the photo-reversibility of the coumarin dimerization revealed no discernible change in the properties of crosslinked networks, but rapid photo-reversion in dilute solutions. The photo-crosslinking and photo-reversion kinetics of the coumarin functionalized polycarbonates were determined to be second-order in both cases.
Finally, the self-assembly of PEG-PC diblock copolymers functionalized with coumarin was examined and both reverse solvent evaporation and solvent displacement were found to induce self-assembly, with hydrophilic mass fractions (f-factors) of 12-28% resulting in the formation of solid microparticles and nanoparticles and f-factors of 33-43% resulting in the formation of polymersomes. The stabilization of these polymersome membranes through photo-initiator-free photo-crosslinking was demonstrated with the crosslinking allowing polymersomes to withstand centrifugation at 12,000 x g. In addition, the encapsulation of calcein, as a model small molecule drug, in the stabilized polymersomes was successfully demonstrated using confocal microscopy.

abstract: PhD


title: Yielding Behaviour of Electron Beam Lithography and Focused Ion Beam Made Nanocrystalline Micro/Nanopillars

contributor:
Diak, Bradley J.
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
Micropillars
Electron Beam Lithography
Focused Ion Beam Milling
Yield behaviour

abstract: Thesis (Master, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-09-30 16:22:18.869

abstract: Electron beam lithography (EBL) and focused ion beam (FIB) methods were developed in house to fabricate nanocrystalline nickel micro/nanopillars so to compare the effect of fabrication on plastic yielding. EBL was used to fabricate 3 μm and 5 μm thick poly-methyl methacrylate patterned substrates in which nickel pillars were grown by electroplating with height to diameter aspect ratios from 2:1 to 5:1. FIB milling was used to reduce larger grown pillars to sizes similar to EBL grown pillars. X-ray diffraction, electron back-scatter diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and FIB imaging were used to characterize the nickel pillars. The measured grain size of the pillars was 91±23 nm, with strong <110> and weaker <111> and <110> crystallographic texture in the growth. Load-controlled compression tests were conducted using a MicroMaterials nano-indenter equipped with a 10 μm flat punch at constant rates from 0.0015 to 0.03 mN/s on EBL grown pillars, and 0.0015 and 0.015 mN/s on FIB-milled pillars. The measured Young’s modulus ranged from 55 to 350 GPa for all pillars, agreeing with values in the literature. EBL grown pillars exhibited stochastic strain-bursts at slow loading rates, attributed to local micro yield events, followed by work hardening. Sharp yield points were also observed and attributed to the gold seed layer de-bonding between the nickel pillar and substrate due to the shear stress associated with end effects that arise from the substrate constraint. The onset of yield ranged from 108 to 1800 MPa, which is greater than bulk nickel, but within values given in the literature. FIB-milled pillars demonstrated stochastic yield behaviour at all loading rates tested, yielding between 320 and 625 MPa. Deformation was apparent at FIB-milled pillar tops, where the smallest cross-sectional area was measured, but still exhibited superior yield strength to bulk nickel. The gallium damage at the outer surface of the pillars likely aids in dislocation nucleation and plasticity, leading to lower yield strengths than for the EBL pillars. Thermal drift, substrate effects, and noise due to vibrations within the indenter system contributed to variance and inconsistency in the data.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Karst hazard analysis towards the development of predictive karst models for southern Ontario

contributor: Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering

subject:
Lake on the Mountain
Prince Edward County
Sinkhole
Karst

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-09-30 22:31:01.176

abstract:
An investigation into karst hazard in southern Ontario has been undertaken with the intention of leading to the development of predictive karst models for this region. The reason these are not currently feasible is a lack of sufficient karst data, though this is not entirely due to the lack of karst features. Geophysical data was collected at Lake on the Mountain, Ontario as part of this karst investigation. This data was collected in order to validate the long-standing hypothesis that Lake on the Mountain was formed from a sinkhole collapse. Sub-bottom acoustic profiling data was collected in order to image the lake bottom sediments and bedrock. Vertical bedrock features interpreted as solutionally enlarged fractures were taken as evidence for karst processes on the lake bottom. Additionally, the bedrock topography shows a narrower and more elongated basin than was previously identified, and this also lies parallel to a mapped fault system in the area. This suggests that Lake on the Mountain was formed over a fault zone which also supports the sinkhole hypothesis as it would provide groundwater pathways for karst dissolution to occur. Previous sediment cores suggest that Lake on the Mountain would have formed at some point during the Wisconsinan glaciation with glacial meltwater and glacial loading as potential contributing factors to sinkhole development.
A probabilistic karst model for the state of Kentucky, USA, has been generated using the Weights of Evidence method. This model is presented as an example of the predictive capabilities of these kind of data-driven modelling techniques and to show how such models could be applied to karst in Ontario. The model was able to classify 70% of the validation dataset correctly while minimizing false positive identifications. This is moderately successful and could stand to be improved.
Finally, suggestions to improving the current karst model of southern Ontario are suggested with the goal of increasing investigation into karst in Ontario and streamlining the reporting system for sinkholes, caves, and other karst features so as to improve the current Ontario karst database.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Lineup Size and Number of Cues: When Bigger Isn’t Better

contributor:
Lindsay, Roderick C. L.
Psychology

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

subject:
Face Recognition
Lineups

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2016-09-30 18:53:32.036

abstract: Larger lineups could protect innocent suspects from being misidentified; however, they can also decrease correct identifications. Bertrand (2006) investigated whether the decrease in correct identifications could be prevented by adding more cues, in the form of additional views of lineup members’ faces, to the lineup. Adding these cues was successful to an extent. The current series of studies attempted to replicate Bertrand’s (2006) findings while addressing some methodological issues—namely, the inconsistency in image size as lineup size increased. First, I investigated whether image size could affect face recognition (Chapter 2) and found it could, but that it also affected previously-seen (“old”) versus previously-unseen (“new”) faces differently. Specifically, smaller image sizes at exposure lowered accuracy for old faces, while these same image sizes at recognition lowered accuracy for new faces. Although these results indicate that target recognition would be unaffected by image size at recognition (i.e., during a lineup), lineups are also comprised of previously-unseen faces, in the form of fillers and innocent suspects. Because image size could affect lineup decisions, as it could become more difficult to realize fillers are previously-unseen, I decided to replicate Bertrand (2006) while keeping image size constant in Chapters 3 (simultaneous lineups) and 4 (simultaneous-presentation, sequential decisions). In both Chapters, the integral findings were the same: correct identification rates decreased as lineup size increased from 6- to 24-person lineups, but adding cues had no effect. The inability to replicate Bertrand (2006) could mean that the original finding was due to chance, but alternate explanations also exist, such as the overall size of the array, the degree to which additional cues overlap, and the length of the target exposure. These alternate explanations, along with directions for future research, are discussed in the following Chapters.

abstract: PhD


title: Refractometry Studies of the Optical Properties of Polymer Films and the Development of Polymer Coated Refractive Index Sensors

contributor:
Loock, Hans-Peter
Chemistry

subject:
PDMS
solvents
sensor
silicon-on-insulator
near infrared
polymer
Refractive index
swelling
SU-8
ring resonator
BTEX
interferometer
refractometry

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2016-09-30 19:58:18.078

abstract:
Sensors for real-time monitoring of environmental contaminants are essential for protecting ecosystems and human health. Refractive index sensing is a non-selective technique that can be used to measure almost any analyte. Miniaturized refractive index sensors, such as silicon-on-insulator (SOI) microring resonators are one possible platform, but require coatings selective to the analytes of interest.
A homemade prism refractometer is reported and used to characterize the interactions between polymer films and liquid or vapour-phase analytes. A camera was used to capture both Fresnel reflection and total internal reflection within the prism. For thin-films (d = 10 μm - 100 μm), interference fringes were also observed. Fourier analysis of the interferogram allowed for simultaneous extraction of the average refractive index and film thickness with accuracies of ∆n = 1-7 ×10-4 and ∆d < 3-5%.
The refractive indices of 29 common organic solvents as well as aqueous solutions of sodium chloride, sucrose, ethylene glycol, glycerol, and dimethylsulfoxide were measured at λ = 1550 nm. These measurements will be useful for future calibrations of near-infrared refractive index sensors.
A mathematical model is presented, where the concentration of analyte adsorbed in a film can be calculated from the refractive index and thickness changes during uptake. This model can be used with Fickian diffusion models to measure the diffusion coefficients through the bulk film and at the film-substrate interface.
The diffusion of water and other organic solvents into SU-8 epoxy was explored using refractometry and the diffusion coefficient of water into SU-8 is presented. Exposure of soft baked SU-8 films to acetone, acetonitrile and methanol resulted in rapid delamination. The diffusion of volatile organic compound (VOC) vapours into polydimethylsiloxane and polydimethyl-co-polydiphenylsiloxane polymers was also studied using refractometry. Diffusion and partition coefficients are reported for several analytes.
As a model system, polydimethyl-co-diphenylsiloxane films were coated onto SOI microring resonators. After the development of data acquisition software, coated devices were exposed to VOCs and the refractive index response was assessed. More studies with other polymers are required to test the viability of this platform for environmental sensing applications.

abstract: PhD


title: Neighborhood Perception of Safety and the Mobility Gap Between Men and Women in Old Age

contributor:
Alvarado, Beatriz
Community Health and Epidemiology

subject:
Perception of Safety
Mobility
MAT-sf
Gender Mobility Gap
Older Adults
Gender
Physical and Social Disorder
Seniors
Neighborhood Safety
Disability
Mobility Limitations
International
Aging
Neighborhood Characteristics

abstract: Thesis (Master, Community Health & Epidemiology) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-02 21:02:07.735

abstract:
Background and Objectives: Mobility limitations are a prevalent issue in older adult populations, and an important determinant of disability and mortality. Neighborhood conditions are key determinants of mobility and perception of safety may be one such determinant. Women have more mobility limitations than men, a phenomenon known as the gender mobility gap. The objective of this work was to validate a measure of perception of safety, examine the relationship between neighborhood perception of safety and mobility limitations in seniors, and explore if these effects vary by gender.

Methods: This study was cross-sectional, using questionnaire data collected from community-dwelling older adults from four sites in Canada, Colombia, and Brazil. The exposure variable was the neighborhood aggregated Perception of Safety (PoS) scale, derived from the Physical and Social Disorder (PSD) scale by Sampson and Raudenbush. Its construct validity was verified using factor analyses and correlation with similar measures. The Mobility Assessment Tool – short form (MAT-sf), a video-based measure validated cross-culturally in the studied populations, was used to assess mobility limitations. Based on theoretical models, covariates were included in the analysis, both at the neighborhood level (SES, social capital, and built environment) and the individual level (age, gender, education, income, chronic illnesses, depression, cognitive function, BMI, and social participation). Multilevel modeling was used in order to account for neighborhood clustering. Gender specific analyses were carried out. SAS and M-plus were used in this study.

Results: PoS was validated across all sites. It loaded in a single factor, after excluding two items, with a Cronbach α value of approximately 0.86. Mobility limitations were present in 22.08% of the sample, 16.32% among men and 27.41% among women. Neighborhood perception of safety was significantly associated with mobility limitations when controlling for all covariates, with an OR of 0.84 (CI 95%: 0.73-0.96), indicating lower odds of having mobility limitations as neighborhood perception of safety improves. Gender did not affect this relationship despite women being more likely to have mobility limitations and live in neighborhoods with poor perception of safety.

Conclusion: Neighborhood perception of safety affected the prevalence of mobility limitations in older adults in the studied population.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Sensorimotor Working Memory Capacity Limits

contributor:
Flanagan, J. Randall
Psychology

subject:
Memory
Object Manipulation
Weight Prediction
Sensorimotor Memory
Motor Learning

abstract: Thesis (Master, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-03 16:02:07.113

abstract: Two novel studies examining the capacity and characteristics of working memory for object weights, experienced through lifting, were completed. Both studies employed visually identical objects of varying weight and focused on memories linking object locations and weights. Whereas numerous studies have examined the capacity of visual working memory, the capacity of sensorimotor memory involved in motor control and object manipulation has not yet been explored. In addition to assessing working memory for object weights using an explicit perceptual test, we also assessed memory for weight using an implicit measure based on motor performance. The vertical lifting or LF and the horizontal GF applied during lifts, measured from force sensors embedded in the object handles, were used to assess participants’ ability to predict object weights. In Experiment 1, participants were presented with sets of 3, 4, 5, 7 or 9 objects. They lifted each object in the set and then repeated this procedure 10 times with the objects lifted either in a fixed or random order. Sensorimotor memory was examined by assessing, as a function of object set size, how lifting forces changed across successive lifts of a given object. The results indicated that force scaling for weight improved across the repetitions of lifts, and was better for smaller set sizes when compared to the larger set sizes, with the latter effect being clearest when objects were lifting in a random order. However, in general the observed force scaling was poorly scaled. In Experiment 2, working memory was examined in two ways: by determining participants’ ability to detect a change in the weight of one of 3 to 6 objects lifted twice, and by simultaneously measuring the fingertip forces applied when lifting the objects. The results showed that, even when presented with 6 objects, participants were extremely accurate in explicitly detecting which object changed weight. In addition, force scaling for object weight, which was generally quite weak, was similar across set sizes. Thus, a capacity limit less than 6 was not found for either the explicit or implicit measures collected.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Linear Hyperspectral Unmixing Using L0-norm Approximations and Nonnegative Matrix Factorization

contributor:
Gazor, Saeed
Yousefi, Shahram
Kim, Il-Min
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Non-negative matrix factorization
linear mixing model
sparse spectral unmixing
Lp-norm
Hyperspectral imaging
Arctan function
L0-norm

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-05 09:34:35.463

abstract: Spectral unmixing (SU) is a technique to characterize mixed pixels of the hyperspectral images measured by remote sensors. Most of the existing spectral unmixing algorithms are developed using the linear mixing models. Since the number of endmembers/materials present at each mixed pixel is normally scanty compared with the number of total endmembers (the dimension of spectral library), the problem becomes sparse. This thesis introduces sparse hyperspectral unmixing methods for the linear mixing model through two different scenarios. In the first scenario, the library of spectral signatures is assumed to be known and the main problem is to find the minimum number of endmembers under a reasonable small approximation error. Mathematically, the corresponding problem is called the $\ell_0$-norm problem which is NP-hard problem. Our main study for the first part of thesis is to find more accurate and reliable approximations of $\ell_0$-norm term and propose sparse unmixing methods via such approximations. The resulting methods are shown considerable improvements to reconstruct the fractional abundances of endmembers in comparison with state-of-the-art methods such as having lower reconstruction errors. In the second part of the thesis, the first scenario (i.e., dictionary-aided semiblind unmixing scheme) will be generalized as the blind unmixing scenario that the library of spectral signatures is also estimated. We apply the nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) method for proposing new unmixing methods due to its noticeable supports such as considering the nonnegativity constraints of two decomposed matrices. Furthermore, we introduce new cost functions through some statistical and physical features of spectral signatures of materials (SSoM) and hyperspectral pixels such as the collaborative property of hyperspectral pixels and the mathematical representation of the concentrated energy of SSoM for the first few subbands. Finally, we introduce sparse unmixing methods for the blind scenario and evaluate the efficiency of the proposed methods via simulations over synthetic and real hyperspectral data sets. The results illustrate considerable enhancements to estimate the spectral library of materials and their fractional abundances such as smaller values of spectral angle distance (SAD) and abundance angle distance (AAD) as well.

abstract: PhD


title: Significance of Heat Dissipation in the Cathode Catalyst Layer on the Lifetime and Reliability of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

contributor:
Peppley, Brant A.
Chemical Engineering

subject:
Hotspots
Pinholes
Two-Phase Flow
Heat Transport
Thermal Conductivity
Non-Isothermal
Anisotropy
Sensitivity Study

abstract: Thesis (Master, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-03 14:02:20.407

abstract: To study the dissipation of heat generated due to the formation of pinholes that cause local hotspots in the catalyst layer of the Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell, a two-phase non-isothermal model has been developed by coupling Darcy’s law with heat transport. The domain under consideration is a section of the membrane electrode assembly with a half-channel and a half-rib. Five potential locations where a pinhole might form were analyzed: at the midplane of the channel, midway between the channel midplane and the channel wall, at the channel or rib wall, midway between the rib midplane and the channel wall, at the midplane of the rib.   In the first part of this work, a preliminary thermal model was developed. The model was then refined to account for the two-phase effects. A sensitivity study was done to evaluate the effect of the following properties on the maximum temperature in the domain: Catalyst layer thermal conductivity, the Microporous layer thermal conductivity, the anisotropy factor of the Catalyst layer thermal conductivity, the Porous transport layer porosity, the liquid water distribution and the thickness of the membrane and porous layers. Accounting for the two-phase effects, a slight cooling effect was observed across all hotspot locations. The thermal properties of the catalyst layer were shown to have a limited impact on the maximum temperature in the catalyst layer of new fuel cells without pinhole. However, as hotspots start to appear, thermal properties play a more significant role in mitigating the thermal runaway.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: The Epidemiology and Health Economics of Ankle Injuries

contributor:
Pickett, William
Johnson, Ana
Community Health and Epidemiology

subject:
Ankle Sprains
Health Economics
Epidemiology

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Community Health & Epidemiology) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-03 22:59:05.858

abstract:
The thesis focuses on a central theme of the epidemiology and health economics of ankle sprains to inform health policy and the provision of health services. It describes the burden, prognosis, resource utilization, and costs attributed to these injuries.
The first manuscript systematically reviewed 34 studies on the direct and indirect costs of treating ankle and foot injuries. The overall costs per patient ranged from $2,075- $3,799 (2014 USD) for ankle sprains; $290-$20,132 for ankle fractures; and $6,345-$45,731 for foot fractures, reflecting differences in injury severity, treatment methods, and study characteristics.
The second manuscript provided an epidemiological and economic profile of non-fracture ankle and foot injuries in Ontario using linked databases from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. The incidence rate of ankle sprains was 16.9/1,000 person-years. Annually, ankle and foot injuries cost $21,685,876 (2015 CAD). The mean expenses per case were $99.98 (95% CI, $99.70-100.26) for any injury. Costs ranged from $133.78-$210.75 for ankle sprains and $1,497.12-$1,755.69 for dislocations.
The third manuscript explored the impact of body mass index on recovery from medically attended grade 1 and 2 ankle sprains using the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score. Data came from a randomized controlled trial of a physiotherapy intervention in Kingston, Ontario. At six months, the odds ratio of recovery for participants with obesity was 0.60 (0.37-0.97) before adjustment and 0.74 (0.43-1.29) after adjustment compared to non-overweight participants.
The fourth manuscript used trial data to examine the health-related quality of life among ankle sprain patients using the Health Utilities Index version 3 (HUI-3). The greatest improvements in scores were seen at one month post-injury (HUI-3: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.86-0.90). Individuals with grade 2 sprains had significantly lower ambulation scores than those with grade 1 sprains (0.70 vs. 0.84; p<0.05).
The final manuscript used trial data to describe the financial burden (direct and indirect costs) of ankle sprains. The overall mean costs were $1,508 (SD: $1,452) at one month and increased to $2,206 (SD: $3,419) at six months. Individuals with more severe injuries at baseline had significantly higher (p<0.001) costs compared to individuals with less severe injuries, after controlling for confounders.

abstract: Please restrict the thesis for a period of five years as not all of the manuscripts within it have been published yet.

abstract: PhD


title: Changes in the Ecology and Abundance of Smallmouth Bass in Lake Ontario: 1958-2014

contributor:
Tufts, Bruce L.
Biology

subject:
Bay of Quinte
Long-term ecological change
Lake Ontario
Relative Abundance
Smallmouth Bass

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-04 08:39:25.778

abstract: Understanding the reasons for long-term population change in a species requires an evaluation of ecological variables that may account for the observed dynamics. In this study, long-term changes in indices of Smallmouth Bass condition and population levels were examined for eastern Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte. Smallmouth Bass are an extremely important recreational fish species native to Lake Ontario. They have experienced numerous changes in their environment through direct human impacts, climate change, predation, and habitat sharing with non-native species. Smallmouth Bass have experienced an increase in body length and weight likely due to a diet shift from crayfish to predominantly Round Gobies which has allowed them to increase their growth rate. According to existing assessment data however, this increase in body size has not been associated with an increase in abundance. Long-term data from gill net sampling shows that Smallmouth Bass populations have been declining since the late 1980s with no indication of recovery. This could be due to a variety of factors, but it is most likely due to a change in the selectivity of gill nets because of the change in body size as well as a habitat shift away from gill net sampling sites. Adjusting for gill net selectivity has revealed that sub-adult bass abundance is currently greater than it was historically, and that very large bass are likely not being retained within the gill nets that are currently used. The use of a long-term data set in this study has led to a much better understanding of Smallmouth Bass abundance and ecology.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Enivronmental Influences and Epigenetic Mechanisms in Risk for Depression

contributor:
Booij, Linda
Psychology

subject:
Epigenetics
Depression
DNA Methylation
Neurodevelopmetal Model

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-04 17:37:07.888

abstract:
Genetic and environmental factors interact to influence vulnerability for internalizing psychopathology, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The mechanisms that account for how environmental stress can alter biological systems are not yet well understood yet are critical to develop more accurate models of vulnerability and targeted interventions. Epigenetic influences, and more specifically, DNA methylation, may provide a mechanism by which stress could program gene expression, thereby altering key systems implicated in depression, such as frontal-limbic circuitry and its critical role in emotion regulation. This thesis investigated the role of environmental factors from infancy and throughout the lifespan affecting the serotonergic (5-HT) system in the vulnerability to and treatment of depression and anxiety and potential underlying DNA methylation processes.
First, we investigated the contributions of additive genetic vs. environmental factors on an early trait phenotype for depression (negative emotionality) in infants and their stability over time in the first 2 years of life. We provided evidence of the substantial contributions of both genetic and shared environmental factors to this trait, as well as genetically- and environmentally- mediated stability and innovation. Second, we studied how childhood environmental stress is associated with peripheral DNA methylation of the serotonin transporter gene, SLC6A4, as well as long-term trajectories of internalizing behaviours. There was a relationship between childhood psychosocial adversity and SLC6A4 methylation in males, as well as between SLC6A4 methylation and internalizing trajectory in both sexes. Third, we investigated changes in emotion processing and epigenetic modification of the SLC6A4 gene in depressed adolescents before and after Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). The alterations from pre- to post-treatment in connectivity between the ACC and other network regions and SLC6A4 methylation suggested that MBCT may work to optimize the connectivity of brain networks involved in cognitive control of emotion as well as also normalize the relationship between SLC6A4 methylation and activation patterns in frontal-limbic circuitry. Our results from these three studies strengthen the theory that environmental influences are critical in establishing early vulnerability factors for MDD, driving epigenetic processes, and altering brain processes as an individual undergoes treatment, or experiences relapse.

abstract: My supervisor Dr. Booij and I have agreed to restrict this thesis from publication for 1 year since we want to attempt to submit to academic journals

abstract: PhD


title: Towards Mapping of Rock Walls Using a UAV-Mounted 2D Laser Scanner in GPS Denied Environments

contributor:
Marshall, Joshua A.
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Geotechnical Mapping
UAV
Quadcopter
Asctec Pelican
Stereonet
GPS denied environments
3D Mapping
Least Squares Optimization
LiDAR
LSO
SLAM
Laser Scanner
Survey

abstract: Thesis (Master, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-05 14:19:29.715

abstract: In geotechnical engineering, the stability of rock excavations and walls is estimated by using tools that include a map of the orientations of exposed rock faces. However, measuring these orientations by using conventional methods can be time consuming, sometimes dangerous, and is limited to regions of the exposed rock that are reachable by a human. This thesis introduces a 2D, simulated, quadcopter-based rock wall mapping algorithm for GPS denied environments such as underground mines or near high walls on surface. The proposed algorithm employs techniques from the field of robotics known as simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) and is a step towards 3D rock wall mapping. Not only are quadcopters agile, but they can hover. This is very useful for confined spaces such as underground or near rock walls. The quadcopter requires sensors to enable self localization and mapping in dark, confined and GPS denied environments. However, these sensors are limited by the quadcopter payload and power restrictions. Because of these restrictions, a light weight 2D laser scanner is proposed. As a first step towards a 3D mapping algorithm, this thesis proposes a simplified scenario in which a simulated 1D laser range finder and 2D IMU are mounted on a quadcopter that is moving on a plane. Because the 1D laser does not provide enough information to map the 2D world from a single measurement, many measurements are combined over the trajectory of the quadcopter. Least Squares Optimization (LSO) is used to optimize the estimated trajectory and rock face for all data collected over the length of a light. Simulation results show that the mapping algorithm developed is a good first step. It shows that by combining measurements over a trajectory, the scanned rock face can be estimated using a lower-dimensional range sensor. A swathing manoeuvre is introduced as a way to promote loop closures within a short time period, thus reducing accumulated error. Some suggestions on how to improve the algorithm are also provided.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: The application of PCA as a movement pattern recognition technique: A proof of principle

contributor:
Fischer, Steven L.
Graham, Ryan
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Movement Screens
PCA
Sport Biomechanics

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-04 18:29:52.444

abstract:
Quantitative methods can help us understand how underlying attributes contribute to movement patterns. Applying principal components analysis (PCA) to whole-body motion data may provide an objective data-driven method to identify unique and statistically important movement patterns. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to determine if athletes’ movement patterns can be differentiated based on skill level or sport played using PCA.
Motion capture data from 542 athletes performing three sport-screening movements (i.e. bird-dog, drop jump, T-balance) were analyzed. A PCA-based pattern recognition technique was used to analyze the data. Prior to analyzing the effects of skill level or sport on movement patterns, methodological considerations related to motion analysis reference coordinate system were assessed. All analyses were addressed as case-studies.
For the first case study, referencing motion data to a global (lab-based) coordinate system compared to a local (segment-based) coordinate system affected the ability to interpret important movement features. Furthermore, for the second case study, where the interpretability of PCs was assessed when data were referenced to a stationary versus a moving segment-based coordinate system, PCs were more interpretable when data were referenced to a stationary coordinate system for both the bird-dog and T-balance task.
 As a result of the findings from case study 1 and 2, only stationary segment-based coordinate systems were used in cases 3 and 4. During the bird-dog task, elite athletes had significantly lower scores compared to recreational athletes for principal component (PC) 1. For the T-balance movement, elite athletes had significantly lower scores compared to recreational athletes for PC 2. In both analyses the lower scores in elite athletes represented a greater range of motion. Finally, case study 4 reported differences in athletes’ movement patterns who competed in different sports, and significant differences in technique were detected during the bird-dog task.
Through these case studies, this thesis highlights the feasibility of applying PCA as a movement pattern recognition technique in athletes. Future research can build on this proof-of-principle work to develop robust quantitative methods to help us better understand how underlying attributes (e.g. height, sex, ability, injury history, training type) contribute to performance.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Provenance of Holocene Calcareous Aeolianites, Eastern South Australia

subject:
Cool-water Carbonates
South Australia
Aeolianites
Modern
Bryozoans
Holocene
Molluscs
Coralline Algae
Carbonates
Echinoids
Benthic Foraminifera
Sedimentology
Provenance
Taphonomy
Geology

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-05 13:36:21.589

abstract: The southeastern coast of South Australia contains a spectacular and world-renown suite of Quaternary calcareous aeolianites.  This study is focused on the provenance of components in the Holocene sector of this carbonate breach-dune succession.   Research was carried out along seven transects from ~30 meters water depth offshore across the beach and into the dunes.  Offshore sediments were acquired via grab sampling and SCUBA.  Results indicate that dunes of the southern Lacepede and Otway coasts in particular are mostly composed of modern invertebrate and calcareous algal allochems.  The most numerous grains are from molluscs, benthic foraminifera, coralline algae, echinoids, and bryozoans.  These particles originate in carbonate factories such as macroalgal forests, rocky reefs, seagrass meadows, and low-relief seafloor rockgrounds.  The incorporation of carbonate skeletons into coastal dunes, however, depends on a combination of; 1) the infauna within intertidal and nearshore environments, 2) the physical characteristics of different allochems and their ability to withstand fragmentation and abrasion, 3) the wave and swell climate, and 4) the nature of aeolian transport.  Most aeolian dune sediment is derived from nearshore and intertidal carbonate factories.  This is particularly well illustrated by the abundance of robust infaunal bivalves that inhabit the nearshore sands and virtual absence of bryozoans that are common as sediment particles in water depths > 10mwd.  Thus, the calcareous aeolianites in this cool-water carbonate region are not a reflection of the offshore marine shelf factories, but more a product of shallow nearshore-intertidal biomes.

abstract: Requesting restriction for 1 year only. For the purposes of writing a paper and producing a publication.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: ‘Black Settlers’: Hybridity, Neoliberalism and Ecosystemic Change  Among Tonga Farmers of Southern Zambia, 1964-2008

contributor:
Epprecht, Marc
Shenton, Robert W.
History

subject:
Africa
Zambia
Agriculture
Political Economy
Tonga
Agrarian Change
Neoliberalism
Economics
Southern Province
Environment
Environmental History
Kafue Flats
Migration

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, History) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-05 21:11:28.543

abstract: This dissertation examines a process of indigenous accumulation among Tonga farmers in Zambia’s Southern Province. In the 1970s multiple authors concluded that capitalist farmers had emerged among Tonga agro-pastoralists, predominantly within private titled holdings. Relying on archival research, newspapers, secondary sources and extensive oral testimony this thesis fills a 35-year gap on the topic, providing insights into the social and environmental impacts of neoliberal policy among African peasants and capitalist farmers. In contrast to dominant narratives of the post-independence period, this study argues that Zambia did experience a developmental process post-independence, which saw significant achievements made in the agricultural sector, including the doubling of national cattle stocks. The data reveals a painful process of disarticulation beginning in the late 1980s. Following neoliberal adjustment, we observe significant heterogeneity in production systems, some regional specialization, and processes of migration. Most importantly, the thesis uncovers processes of overwhelming ecosystemic change that contributed to livestock epidemics of severe scale and scope. Amazingly, this went largely undocumented because of the simultaneous crisis of the state, which left the national statistics office and other state bodies incapable of functioning from the late 1980s into the 2000s. In response, the Zambian state has introduced a number of neodevelopmental initiatives in the sector, yet the lack of animal traction remained up to 2008 and agricultural production declined, while more capitalized farmers (largely white, and/or with foreign direct investment) have become more significant players in the country. This thesis provides compelling evidence to challenge dominant economic thinking of the Washington institutions as well as many of the common Marxian formulations.

abstract: PhD


title: Examining How Same-Gender and Mixed-Gender Couples Navigate Sexual Issues in Their Relationships

contributor:
Pukall, Caroline F.
Psychology

subject: Sexual Well-Being

subject: Sexual Communication

subject: Partner Reponses to Sexual Issues

subject: Sexual Issues

subject: Same-Gender and Mixed-Gender Relationships

subject: Sexual Scripts

abstract: Thesis (Master, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-13 10:31:27.906

abstract: Sexual scripts—the definitions and expectations that individuals hold for sexual interactions—are thought to play an important role in the maintenance of sexual well-being. Sexual scripts can be rigid or flexible, and they can be concordant or discordant between members of a couple. Sex therapists support sexual script flexibility for maintaining sexual and relationship satisfaction when couples are navigating sexual issues. However, empirical research examining the role of sexual script flexibility and the degree of script concordance/discordance in couples’ sexual well-being has been limited, due in part to the limited measures available. Furthermore, within the existing research, there has been an unfortunate tendency to exclude individuals in same-gender relationships – perpetuating the long-standing knowledge gap in the literature on positive sexuality in diverse relationships. To address these gaps in the literature, we conducted a series of online studies that recruited individuals in diverse relationships. A measure of individual sexual script flexibility in response to sexual issues was developed (Chapter 2); in addition, the structure of an existing measure assessing couple sexual scripts in response to a sexual issue was evaluated (Chapter 3). Chapter 4 examined how individuals in diverse relationships compared on measures of individual sexual script flexibility and on couple sexual scripts. Findings suggest that there are more similarities than differences across diverse couples. Chapter 5 explored how flexibility in an individual’s approach to sexual issues relates to sexual well-being, specifically by assessing sexual communication and partner responses as mediators. Results suggest that individual sexual script flexibility relates to sexual well-being through reciprocal partner processes. Collectively, this research program suggests that more similarities than differences exist between individuals in same- and mixed-gender relationships, and that partners are important to consider in the relationship between individual sexual script flexibility and sexual well-being. These findings have implications for sex and couple therapy; these results emphasize the importance of interventions that target both members of the couple, and further our understanding of sexuality in same- and mixed-gender relationships.

abstract: Restriction of thesis requested to allow publication of manuscripts within the thesis.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Investigating the Role of PDE4D1/2 in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Desensitization

contributor:
Maurice, Donald H.
Biochemistry

subject:
Biochemistry
Smooth Muscle
Phosphodiesterase

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biochemistry) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-14 02:44:01.604

abstract: Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) behaviour and phenotypic modulation is critical to vessel repair following damage, and the progression of various cardiovascular diseases. The second messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphosphate (cAMP) plays a key role in VSMC function under the synthetic/activated phenotype, which is typically associated with unhealthy cell behaviour. Consequently, cAMP signaling is often targeted in attempts to impact several pathological diseases, including atherosclerosis, restenosis, and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) catalyze hydrolysis of cAMP to an inactive form, and therefore directly regulate cAMP signaling. The PDE4D family dominates in synthetic VSMCs, and there is considerable interest in determining how distinct PDE4D isoforms affect cell function. Specifically, we are interested in the potential link between short isoforms of PDE4D and VSMC desensitization to pharmacological agents that impact cardiovascular disease via cAMP signaling. This study extends on previous work that assessed the expression of PDE4D splice variants in rat aortic VSMCs following prolonged challenge with cAMP-elevating agents. It was determined that PDE4D1 and PDE4D2 were uniquely expressed in synthetic VSMCs incubated with these agents, and that this upregulation impacted PDE activity and cAMP accumulation in these cells. Here, we report that PDE4D1 and PDE4D2 are markedly upregulated in synthetic human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) following prolonged challenge with cAMP-elevating agents. Using a combination of RNAi-based and pharmacological approaches, we establish that this upregulation is reflected in levels of cAMP PDE activity, and restricted to the cytosolic sub-cellular compartment. Our results suggest a role for localized PDE4D1 and PDE4D2 activity in regulating cAMP-mediated desensitization in HASMCs, and highlight their therapeutic potential in treating various cardiovascular diseases.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: If People Were Kaleidoscopes:  Sharpening the Resolution on Patient Engagement in Safety

contributor:
Medves, Jennifer M.
Nursing

subject:
scoping review
patient safety
patient engagement
qualitative study

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Nursing) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-12 12:01:37.585

abstract:
Healthcare is unacceptably error prone.  The question remains why, with 20 years of evidence, is error and harm reduction not being effective?  While precise numbers may be debated, all stakeholders recognize the frequency of healthcare errors is unacceptable, and greater efforts to ensure safety must occur.  In recent years, one of these strategies has been the inclusion of the patient and their family as partners in safety, and has been a required organizational practice of Accreditation Canada in many of their standard sets.   Existing patient advisories created to encourage engagement, have typically not included patient perspectives in their development or been comprehensively evaluated.  There are no existing tools to determine if and how a patient wants to be involved in safety engagement.  As such, a multi-phased study was undertaken to advance our knowledge about the client’s and family’s role in promoting safety.
Phase 1 of the study was a scoping review to methodically review the existing literature about patients’ and families’ attitudes, beliefs and behaviours about their involvement in healthcare safety.  Phase 2 was designed to inductively explore how a group of patients in an Ontario, Canada, community hospital, describe healthcare safety and see their role in preventing error.
The study findings, which include the narratives of 30 patients and 4 family members, indicate that although there are shared themes that influence a patient’s engagement in patient safety, every individual has unique, changing beliefs, experiences and reasons for involvement.  Five conceptual themes emerged from their narratives: Personal Capacity, Experiential Knowledge, Personal Character, Relationships, and Meaning of Safety.  These study results will be used to develop and test a pragmatic, accessible tool to enable providers a way to collaborate with patients for determining their personal level and type of safety involvement.
The most ethical and responsible approach to healthcare safety is to consider every facet and potential way for improvement.  This exploratory study provides fundamental insights into the complexity of patient engagement in safety, and evidence for future steps.

abstract: Thesis restricted in order for publications to be completed.

abstract: PhD


title: A Restorative Theory of Criminal Justice

contributor:
Sypnowich, Christine
Philosophy

subject: Justice Criminal Ethics Punishment

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Philosophy) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-12 16:26:16.758

abstract: In this project, I defend a restorative theory of criminal justice. I argue that the response to criminal wrongdoing in a just society should take the form of an attempt to heal the damage done to the community resulting from crime. I argue that the moral responsibilities of wrongdoers as wrongdoers ought to provide the framework for how a just society should respond to crime. Following the work of R.A. Duff, I argue that wrongdoers incur second-order duties of moral recognition. Wrongdoers owe it to others to recognize their wrongdoing for what it is, i.e. wrongdoing, and to shoulder certain burdens in order to express their repentant recognition to others via a meaningful apology. In short, wrongdoers owe it to their victims and others in the community to make amends. What I will deny, however, is the now familiar claim in the restorative justice literature that restoring the normative relationships in the community damaged by criminal forms of wrongdoing requires retributive punishment. In my view, how we choose to express the judgement that wrongdoers are blameworthy should flow from an all things considered judgment that is neither reducible to the judgement that the wrongdoer is culpably responsible for wronging others, nor the judgement that the wrongdoer in some basic sense “deserves to suffer” (or “deserves punishment,” etc.).

abstract: PhD


title: Paternalism and Competent Patient Choice in the Standards of Care for the Health of Transsexual, Transgender, and Gender-Nonconforming People

contributor:
Schüklenk, Udo
Philosophy

subject:
Bioethics
Gender role experience
Transgender

abstract: Thesis (Master, Philosophy) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-13 16:26:00.011

abstract: In 2016 physicians in Ontario will be granted the authority to refer patients with gender dysphoria for sex reassignment surgery. In order to be granted this authority physicians must be trained in the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s Standards of Care, which outlines healthcare procedures for the treatment of gender dysphoria and provides background information concerning transgender health. The Standards of Care require that patients undergo a process of 12 months of continuous living in a gender role that is congruent with their gender identity prior to being given access to sex reassignment surgery. While this requirement can sometimes be helpful it can also cause more harm than benefit. This paper argues that the requirement is strongly paternalistic in its current form and should no longer be mandatory in most cases.

abstract: M.A.


title: Communication-efficient decentralized sequential detection

contributor:
Blostein, Steven D.
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Change detection
Decentralized detection
Hypothesis testing
Sequential detection

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-14 07:44:07.106

abstract:
The problem of decentralized sequential detection is studied in this thesis, where local sensors are memoryless, receive independent observations, and no feedback from the fusion center. In addition to traditional criteria of detection delay and error probability, we introduce a new constraint: the number of communications between local sensors and the fusion center. This metric is able to reflect both the cost of establishing communication links as well as overall energy consumption over time. A new formulation for communication-efficient decentralized sequential detection is proposed where the overall detection delay is minimized with constraints on both error probabilities and the communication cost.

Two types of problems are investigated based on the communication-efficient formulation: decentralized hypothesis testing and decentralized change detection. In the former case, an asymptotically person-by-person optimum detection framework is developed, where the fusion center performs a sequential probability ratio test based on dependent observations. The proposed algorithm utilizes not only reported statistics from local sensors, but also the reporting times. The asymptotically relative efficiency of proposed algorithm with respect to the centralized strategy is expressed in closed form. When the probabilities of false alarm and missed detection are close to one another, a reduced-complexity algorithm is proposed based on a Poisson arrival approximation.

In addition, decentralized change detection with a communication cost constraint is also investigated. A person-by-person optimum change detection algorithm is proposed, where transmissions of sensing reports are modeled as a Poisson process. The optimum threshold value is obtained through dynamic programming. An alternative method with a simpler fusion rule is also proposed, where the threshold values in the algorithm are determined by a combination of sequential detection analysis and constrained optimization. In both decentralized hypothesis testing and change detection problems, tradeoffs in parameter choices are investigated through Monte Carlo simulations.

abstract: PhD


title: The Effects of the Non-Native Invertebrate Predator Bythotrephes Longimanus and Declining Aqueous Calcium on Crustacean Zooplankton Communities in Canadian Shield lakes

contributor:
Arnott, Shelley E.
Biology

subject:
Bythotrephes
Calcium Decline
Zooplankton
Boreal/Shield Lakes
Multiple Stressors

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-14 11:45:44.634

abstract:
Over the last several decades, human activities have resulted in environmental changes that have increased the number of stressors that can act on a single environment. In Canadian Shield lakes, two recent stressors, the invasion of Bythotrephes longimanus and calcium decline, have been documented. Widespread acidification of hundreds of North American lakes has resulted in the precipitous decline of lake water calcium concentration. Crustacean zooplankton with high calcium demands are likely to be vulnerable to calcium decline, especially <1.5 mg Ca/L, where survival and reproduction rates are reduced. These taxa are also vulnerable to predation by Bythotrephes that has been implicated in the loss of pelagic biodiversity in soft water lakes. Despite laboratory and field studies aimed at understanding the independent impact of these stressors, it is unclear how their co-occurrence will influence community response. Using a combination of data from a large regional lake survey and field experiments, I examined the individual and joint effects of Bythotrephes and calcium decline on native zooplankton community structure.
	Results demonstrated that much is known about Bythotrephes and our findings of reduced total zooplankton and species richness, due to the loss of Cladocera, are consistent with field surveys and other experimental studies. While we did not detect strong evidence for an effect of calcium on zooplankton using the lowest calcium concentration among invaded lakes (1.2 mg Ca/L), there is evidence that, as lake water calcium concentrations fall <1 mg Ca/L, per capita growth rates of a broad variety of taxa are expected to decline. At the regional scale, negative effects of Bythotrephes and calcium on abundances of small cladocerans and Daphnia pulicaria, respectively, were in agreement with my experimental observations. We also observed significant interactions between Bythotrephes and calcium for a broad variety of taxa. As Bythotrephes continues to spread and invade lakes that are also declining in aqueous calcium, both stressors are likely to amplify negative effects on Cladocera that appear the most vulnerable. Loss of these important zooplankton in response to both Bythotrephes and calcium decline, is likely to lower zooplankton productivity, with potential effects on phytoplankton and higher trophic levels.

abstract: PhD


title: Polymer Light-Emitting Electrochemical Cells with Embedded Bipolar Electrodes: Visualizing Bipolar Electrochemistry in Solid State

rights: Creative Commons - Attribution-Share Alike - CC BY-SA

subject: MEHPPV ITO PLED KTf Imaging LEC

abstract: Thesis (Master, Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-17 11:13:55.247

abstract:
The work presented in this thesis examines the properties of BPEs of various configurations and under different operating conditions in a large planar LEC system. Detailed analysis of time-lapsed fluorescence images allows us to calculate the doping propagation speed from the BPEs. By introducing a linear array of BPEs or dispersed ITO particles, multiple light-emitting junctions or a bulk homojunction have been demonstrated.

In conclusion, it has been observed that both applied bias voltages and sizes of BPEs affected the electrochemical doping from the BPE. If the applied bias voltage was initially not sufficiently high enough, a delay in appearance of doping from the BPE would take place. Experiments of parallel BPEs with different sizes (large, medium, small) demonstrate that the potential difference across the BPEs has played a vital role in doping initiation. Also, the p-doping propagation distance from medium-sized BPE has displayed an exponential growth over the time-span of 70 seconds. Experiments with a linear array of BPEs with the same size demonstrate that the doping propagation speed of each floating BPE was the same regardless of its position between the driving electrodes. Probing experiments under high driving voltages further demonstrated the potential of having a much more efficient light emission from an LEC with multiple BPEs.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Alteration mineralogy and pathfinder element inventory of the McArthur River unconformity-related uranium deposit, Canada

contributor: Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering

subject:
LA-ICP-MS
Geochemistry
Mineral Exploration
McArthur River
Economic Geology
Athabasca Basin
Pathfinder Elements
Uranium

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-19 00:00:45.442

abstract: The chemical compositions, modal mineralogy, and textural variability of interstitial minerals in sandstones of the Athabasca Group strata in the vicinity of the McArthur River unconformity-related uranium deposit were characterized using a combination of short wave infrared spectroscopy (SWIR), lithogeochemistry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and laser ablation mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to determine the residence sites of pathfinder trace elements. The importance of integrating in-situ mineral chemistry with whole-rock analyses resides in the possibility to establish the mineralogical and paragenetic context of geochemical signatures in defining the footprint of the deposit. Located in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada, the deposit is situated below ~550 m of quartz arenitic sandstones that are strongly silicified between depths of approximately 200-400 m. The silicified layer exhibits significant control on the distribution of alteration minerals, and appears to have restricted both the primary and secondary dispersion of pathfinder trace elements, which include U, radiogenic Pb isotopes, V, Ni, Co, Cu, Mo, As, Zn, and REEs. Diagenetic background sandstones contain assemblages of illite, dickite, aluminum-phosphate-sulfate (APS) minerals, apatite, and Fe-Ti oxide minerals. Altered sandstones contain assemblages of Al-Mg chlorite (sudoite), alkali-deficient dravite, APS minerals, kaolinite, illite, and oxide minerals. Throughout the sandstones, APS minerals account for the majority of the Sr and LREE concentrations, whereas late pre-ore chlorite, containing up to 0.1 wt.% Ni, accounts for the majority of Ni concentrations. Cobalt, Cu, Mo, and Zn occur predominantly in cryptic sub-micron sulfide and sulfarsenide inclusions in clay mineral aggregates and in association with paragenetically-late Fe-Ti oxides. Uranium occurs predominantly in cryptic micro-inclusions associated with pyrite in late-stage quartz overgrowths, and with paragenetically late Fe-Ti oxide micro-inclusions in kaolinite. Additionally, up to 0.2 wt.% U is cryptically distributed in post-ore Fe-oxide veins. Early diagenetic apatite, monazite and apatite inclusions in detrital quartz, and detrital zircon also contribute significant U and HREE to samples analyzed with an aggressive leach such as Aqua Regia. Detailed LA-ICP-MS chemical mapping of interstitial assemblages, detrital grains, and cements provides new insights into the distribution and inventory of pathfinder elements in the footprint of the McArthur River uranium deposit.

abstract: Under CA as required by CMIC-NSERC project. For more information, please contact Dr. Dan Layton-Matthews, GEOL.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Performance and Assessment of Rehabilitated Steel Culverts

contributor:
Moore, Ian D.
Hoult, Neil A.
Civil Engineering

subject:
trenchless rehabilitation
buried infrastructure
culvert rehabilitation
steel culverts

abstract: Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-21 11:04:50.537

abstract: This thesis explores the effects of rehabilitation on the structural performance of corrugated steel culverts. A full-scale laboratory experiment investigated the effects of grouted slip-liners on the performance of two buried circular corrugated steel culverts. One culvert was slip-lined and grouted using low strength grout, while the other was slip-lined and grouted using high strength grout. The performances of the culverts were measured before and after rehabilitation under service loads using single wheel pair loading at 0.45m of cover. Then, the rehabilitated culverts were loaded to their ultimate limit states. Results showed that the low and high strength grouted slip-liners provided strength well beyond requirements, with the low strength specimen failing at a load 2.4 times the fully factored service load, while the high strength specimen did not reach an ultimate limit state before bearing failure of the soil stopped testing. Results also showed that the low strength specimen behaved rigidly under service loads and flexibly under higher loads, while the high strength specimen behaved rigidly under all loads. A second full-scale experiment investigated the effect of a paved invert rehabilitation procedure on the performance of a deteriorated horizontal ellipse culvert. The performance of the culvert before and after rehabilitation was examined under service loads using tandem axle loading at 0.45m of cover. The rehabilitated culvert was then loaded up to its ultimate limit state. The culvert failed due to the formation of a plastic hinge at the West shoulder, while the paved invert cracked at the invert. Results showed that the rehabilitation increased the structural performance of the culvert, increasing the system stiffness and reducing average strains and local bending at critical locations in the culvert under service loads. A sustainability rating tool specifically for the evaluation of deteriorated culvert replacement or rehabilitation projects was also developed. A module for an existing tool, called GoldSET, was created and tested using two case studies, each comparing the replacement of a culvert using a traditional open-cut method with two trenchless rehabilitation techniques. In each case, the analyses showed that the trenchless techniques were the better alternatives in terms of sustainability.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Experience, Education and Subjectivity: A Comparison of John Dewey's and Maurice Merleau-Ponty's Conceptions of Experience and Their Implications for Education

contributor:
Fairfield, Paul
Philosophy

subject:
Pragmatism
Experience
John Dewey
Education
Maurice Merleau-Ponty
Subjectivity
Phenomenology

abstract: Thesis (Master, Philosophy) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-26 12:24:04.275

abstract: This thesis compares John Dewey’s philosophy of experience and Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology, and illustrates how Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology can strengthen and further Dewey’s philosophy of education.  I begin by drawing the connection between Dewey’s philosophy of experience and his philosophy of education, and illustrate how Dewey’s understanding of growth, and thinking in education, is rooted in and informed by his detailed philosophy of experience.  From there, I give an interpretation of Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology with a focus on his descriptions of subjectivity that he presents in the Phenomenology of Perception.  Following this, I outline some of the implications Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology has on our understanding of rationality, expression and existence.  In the final chapter, I make the comparison between Dewey’s philosophy of experience and Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology.  After demonstrating how these two philosophies are not only similar but also complementary, I then look to Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology to provide insight into and to advance Dewey’s philosophy of education. I will illustrate how Merleau-Ponty’s understanding of subjectivity helps to support, and reinforce the rationale behind Dewey’s inquiry-based approach to education.  Furthermore, I will show how Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology and its implications for rationality, expression and existence support Dewey’s democratic ideal and add a hermeneutical element to Dewey’s philosophy of education.

abstract: M.A.


title: Heavy Minerals in Soils from the Athabasca Basin and the Implications for Exploration Geochemistry of Uranium Deposits at Depth

subject:
Surface Geochemical Exploration
Radiogenic Pb
Zircon
Unconformity Type Uranium

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-22 13:59:07.911

abstract:
The Centennial deposit is a high grade (~8% U3O8), deeply buried (~950m), unconformity-related U deposit located in the south-central region of the Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan, Canada.  The mineral chemistry of fine fractions (<63 μm) of soils from grids above the Centennial deposit were examined to understand possible controls on the geochemistry and radiogenic 207Pb/206Pb ratios measured in the clay-size (<2 μm) fractions used for exploration. Soil samples distal and proximal to the deposit projection to the surface and geophysically defined structures were selected. Mineral abundances were determined using the scanning electron microscope and Mineral Liberation Analysis.
	Zircon was the only U-rich mineral identified with modal abundances >0.02% by weight. Monazite, which can be U-rich, was identified, but not in significant abundances. The source of the zircon and other heavy minerals is interpreted to be from sub-cropping sources that are >100 km up-ice from Centennial. Trace element analysis using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry of hydroseparated zircon grains indicate that zircon abundances and zircon Pb concentrations in surficial samples have minimal effect on the radiogenic 207Pb/206Pb ratios in the clay-fraction of the samples, with the dominant source of radiogenic Pb being clay mineral surfaces that trapped Pb during secondary dispersion from the Centennial uranium deposit through faults and fractures to the surface. The REE patterns indicate HREE enrichment in the clay-fractions of samples that have higher abundances of zircon in the <20 μm fraction. Immobile elements such as HREE that are concentrated in zircon can be used as indicators of radiogenic Pb being sourced from minerals at the surface rather than being sourced from secondary dispersion from deeply buried U deposits.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: An Examination of Current Approaches to Integrative Indigenous and Western Knowledge System Implementation in Water Research and Management: A Case Study Encompassing the Colonized Geographies of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States

contributor:
Castleden, Heather
Geography

subject:
Two-Eyed Seeing
Knowledge Implementation
Western Knowledge
Integrative Water Research
Indigenous Knowledge
Water

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-26 12:40:46.753

abstract: The commodification of natural resources and the pursuit of continuous growth has resulted in environmental degradation, depletion, and disparity in access to these life-sustaining resources, including water. Utility-based objectification and exploitation of water in some societies has brought us to the brink of crisis through an apathetic disregard for present and future generations. The ongoing depletion and degradation of the world’s water sources, coupled with a reliance on Western knowledge and the continued omission of Indigenous knowledge to manage our relationship with water has unduly burdened many, but particularly so for Indigenous communities. The goal of my thesis research is to call attention to and advance the value and validity of using both Indigenous and Western knowledge systems (also known as Two-Eyed Seeing) in water research and management to better care for water. To achieve this goal, I used a combined systematic and realist review method to identify and synthesize the peer-reviewed, integrative water literature, followed by semi-structured interviews with first authors of the exemplars from the included literature to identify the challenges and insights that researchers have experienced in conducting integrative water research. Findings suggest that these authors recognize that many previous attempts to integrate Indigenous knowledges have been tokenistic rather than meaningful, and that new methods for knowledge implementation are needed. Community-based participatory research methods, and the associated tenets of balancing power, fostering trust, and community ownership over the research process, emerged as a pathway towards the meaningful implementation of Indigenous and Western knowledge systems. Data also indicate that engagement and collaborative governance structures developed from a position of mutual respect are integral to the realization of a given project. The recommendations generated from these findings offer support for future Indigenous-led research and partnerships through the identification and examination of approaches that facilitate the meaningful implementation of Indigenous and Western knowledge systems in water research and management. Asking Western science questions and seeking Indigenous science solutions does not appear to be working; instead, the co-design of research projects and asking questions directed at the problem rather than the solution better lends itself to the strengths of Indigenous science.

abstract: This thesis is restricted at the recommendation of my graduate supervisor as the manuscripts included in my thesis document have not yet been sent to journal editors for publication

abstract: M.A.


title: Structural and Functional Characterization of the Human Tribbles Homologue 2 Pseudokinase

contributor:
Jia, Zongchao
Biochemistry

subject:
pseudokinase
protein kinases
nucleotide binding
biochemistry
kinase activity
protein expression
tribbles homologue
protein purification
Trb2

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biochemistry) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-26 16:12:40.655

abstract: The Tribbles Homologues are a family of three eukaryotic pseudokinases (Trb1, Trb2, Trb3) that act as allosteric inhibitors and regulatory scaffold sites in pathways governing adipogenesis, cell proliferation and insulin signaling. The Tribbles Homologues have the same overall tertiary structure of the eukaryotic protein kinase domain, but lack multiple residues necessary to catalysis in the nucleotide-binding P-loop and the Mg2+-coordinating DFG motif. Trb1 has been shown conclusively to be incapable of binding ATP, whereas a recent study presents evidence that Trb2 autophosphorylates independently of Mg2+ in vitro. This finding is surprising given the high degree of sequence similarity between the two proteins (71%), and suggests unique nucleotide binding and phosphotransfer mechanisms. The goal of this project was to investigate whether Trb2 possesses kinase activity or not and determine its structural basis. A method for the high-yield recombinant expression and purification of stable Trb2 was developed. Trb2 nucleotide binding and autophosphorylation could not be detected across multiple experimental approaches, including thermal shift assays, MANT-ATP fluorescence, radiolabeled phosphate incorporation, and nonspecific ATPase activity assays. Further characterization also revealed that Trb2 forms homomultimers with possible functional consequences, and extensive crystallization screening has yielded multiple promising conditions that could produce diffraction-quality crystals with further optimization. This project explores the difficulties in functionally characterizing putatively active pseudokinases, and proposes a structural basis for the conserved pseudokinase features of the Tribbles homologues.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Understanding the Impact of Surveillance and Security Measures on Canadian Muslim Men: A Mixed Methods Approach

contributor:
Lyon, David
Cultural Studies

subject:
Immigration
Surveillance
Chilling Effect
National Security Policy
Muslim Men

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Cultural Studies) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-28 12:21:02.382

abstract: This study explores the ‘chilling effect’ of national security measures, in particular security certificates, on the Canadian Muslim male population. While the constitutionality and use of certificates have been widely debated, few studies have explored the impact of security certificates and other national security measures on the Muslim/Arab population in particular.  Using explanatory mixed methods I explore the perceptions of surveillance experienced by this group and note significant quantitative and qualitative differences on Muslim men compared to non-Muslim men. Survey data (50n) illustrate a “chilling effect” among Muslim men in my study, who are significantly less likely to exercise their civil liberties. Through open ended interviews, Muslim male respondents (20n) describe the consequences of the “chill” in their daily lives, on their religious identity, practices, and perceptions of belonging. These consequences, according to participants, lead to feelings of insecurity, vulnerability, disenchantment, and possibly even to radical views. This research offers suggestions in understanding Muslim subjectivity and the role of dialogue to contribute meaningfully to the state’s efforts in understanding and countering terror.   Findings and implications from this research offer practical and timely insight to an issue that is confronting Western liberal democracies.

abstract: Due to the sensitivity of the research topic, I would like to publish findings before they are made public.

abstract: PhD


title: Looking at Execution Logs Beyond Execution Events: Enriching Execution Events to Compare the Behaviour of Large-Scale Software Systems Against Their Historical Behaviour

contributor:
Hassan, Ahmed E.
Computing

subject:
Performance Testing
Performance Test Analysis
Software Performance Engineering

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-27 17:50:32.247

abstract: Failures in large-scale software systems are often associated with performance issues. Therefore, performance testing has become essential to ensure the problem-free operation of these systems. Performance analysts must understand how their system behaves during performance testing and how such behaviour differs from its historical behaviour (i.e., the system's behaviour during a previous performance test or in the field). However, documentation describing the historical behaviour of a system is rarely up-to-date. Fortunately, execution logs, which record notable events at runtime, are readily available in most large-scale software systems to support remote monitoring, issue resolution and legal compliance. However, execution logs are typically treated as a sequence of events without fully leveraging additional sources of valuable information associated with such events (e.g., the dynamic information within the execution logs and performance counters that are collected during the system's execution). Therefore, in this thesis, we propose approaches for enriching execution events with additional sources of valuable information to compare a system's current behaviour against its historical behaviour. Through case studies on large-scale software systems, including open-source and enterprise systems, we show that our approaches are scalable and can help performance analysts to 1) detect and diagnose performance regressions and 2) improve their performance tests to be more representative of the field.

abstract: PhD


title: The Constitutional Status of Aboriginal Languages in Canada

contributor:
Walters, Mark D.
Law

subject:
Aboriginal languages
Aboriginal rights
Indigenous languages
Indigenous rights
language rights
constitutional law

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Law) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-30 16:36:51.741

abstract: The languages of Indigenous peoples are threatened with disappearance worldwide, and Canada is no exception. Of the fifty or so Aboriginal languages still spoken in Canada today, only three can be considered relatively safe. In Canada, as in many other countries, this situation directly results from colonial policies intended to eradicate these languages and assimilate their speakers into the dominant society; policies which have been termed “cultural genocide”. To redress this imbalance and avert the loss of these languages, their proper place in our constitutional order must be recognized. The author argues that Aboriginal languages in Canada already possess constitutional status, a status which has three main aspects. First, these languages are protected as Aboriginal rights under section 35(1) of the Constitution Act, 1982. Second, that this protection, when examined in the light of important constitutional principles and Canada’s colonial past, imposes a corresponding duty on Canadian governments to support the revitalization, protection, and promotion of Aboriginal languages. And third, that the constitutional status of Aboriginal languages, as the languages of founding peoples of Canada, mandates their recognition as official languages, and that failure to do so would violate the equality rights of Aboriginal peoples, as well as amount to interference with their protected Aboriginal rights. The author concludes that the constitutional status of Aboriginal languages must be recognized and enhanced in order to enable the possibility of meaningful reconciliation between Aboriginal peoples and the Canadian state.

abstract: PhD


title: Individual differences in the mechanisms governing oxygen delivery - Implications for exercise performance and tolerance

contributor:
Tschakovsky, Michael E.
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Exercise Tolerance
Individual Differences
Vasodilation
Cardiac Output
Oxygen Delivery
Exercise Performance

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2016-11-02 15:12:41.739

abstract:
Oxygen delivery (O2D) is an important factor for maintaining intracellular homeostasis during exercise.  Disruptions in intracellular homeostasis increase fatigue progression and the perception of exercise.  The presence of inter-individual differences in the mechanisms governing O2D : demand matching during small and large muscle exercise remains unknown.  Preliminary evidence from our laboratory, as well as investigations from decades ago that received surprisingly little attention, suggest these differences are of particular importance.
Purpose: 1) To identify and characterize cardiovascular response phenotypes during perfusion pressure induced compromises to exercising forearm skeletal muscle perfusion and establish an intervention to mitigate the adverse effects associated with non-compensation.  2) To determine the effects of differences in cardiac output (CO) on submaximal exercise tolerance and explore the efficacy of sprint interval training in augmenting the submaximal cardiac response.
Methods:  Cardiovascular response phenotypes were assessed in healthy, young, recreationally active male participants during moderate intensity forearm exercise with a sudden perfusion pressure induced compromise to skeletal muscle perfusion. Those who responded without compensatory vasodilation completed the same experimental protocol after nitrate rich and nitrate depleted beetroot juice in an effort to restore compensation.  In a similar group of individuals, CO, perceived exertion and skeletal muscle properties were assessed during progressive cycling.  The same test was completed after 4 weeks of training to determine if submaximal cardiac responses are augmented following exercise training.
Results: 1) Individuals presented either with (n = 13) or without (n = 8) compensatory vasodilation.  2) Non-compensation compromised O2D and exercise performance.  3) Nitrate rich beetroot juice restored compensatory vasodilation in previously identified non-compensators (n=6), which abolished perfusion pressure induced reductions in O2D and exercise performance. 5). Cardiac responses differed by up to five liters per minute and were not explained by arterial oxygen content or skeletal muscle properties. 6) Submaximal CO did not predict exercise tolerance, but was increased following training in low, but not high cardiac responders.
Conclusion: Differences in the mechanisms governing O2D : demand matching are present within a healthy, young, otherwise similar group of individuals.  These differences have real and functional impacts on O2D and exercise performance.

abstract: PhD


title: Using LTTng for runtime monitoring of models of real-time embedded systems

contributor:
Dingel, Juergen
Computing

subject:
Papyrus-RT
MDD
LTTng
UML-RT
Runtime Monitoring

abstract: Thesis (Master, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2016-10-31 15:49:30.47

abstract: Model-Driven Development (MDD) is used for reducing the complexity of a software development process. One of the principal features of MDD which can make it very effective is the support for automatically generating code from the modeling artifacts. An example of MDD is the development of complex real time embedded software systems using the real time profile of UML (UML-RT). Development of this software is difficult mainly due to the requirement to satisfy timing constraints in a resource-constrained environment. Determining the correctness of this requirement is very important for ensuring the integrity and reliability of a real time software system. This research focuses on examining the correctness of timing information related to UML-RT models. The Linux Trace Toolkit: next generation (LTTng) is used for monitoring an executable real-time application, where the code is generated from UML-RT models using the open-source Papyrus-RT tool. Some of the key research outcomes include the ability to trace a user application, to read a trace file, display the trace results on the model level and display associated timestamps in textual form through the implementation of an Eclipse plugin. In addition, support is also provided to verify the actual timing information of a trace file against the desired user input. This feature enables users to find out the occurrence of any timing delay. Finally, three case studies are conducted using the prototype Eclipse plugin.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Science Education and Environmental Responsibility in Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Qatar

subject:
Pedagogy
Climate Change
Science Education
Kyrgyzstan
Turkey
Qatar
High School
Climate-Change Mitigating Behaviour

abstract:
Climate change is undeniably one of humanity’s utmost concerns. Human actions, such as deforestation, exhaustive use of fossil fuels, and intensive farming, are changing weather patterns, threatening polar bears, and causing other detrimental environmental changes. Most people are aware of these effects, yet many are not engaging in behaviour to alleviate the impacts of climate change. This project examined through a literature review and data analysis to determine the extent to which instructional strategies could change these types of behaviours.
This quantitative study analyzed 2006 PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) data to determine if the pedagogy utilized by climate change teachers in Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Qatar impacted students’ willingness to engage in climate-change mitigating behaviour. These countries were selected because they are Muslim cultures of varied histories with different political and social situations. Thus, this study was additionally interested in discovering how the pedagogical approaches of teachers differed in their impact on students’ willingness to engage in climate-change mitigating behaviour among these three Muslim countries.
Factor and reliability analyses were conducted in addition to a regression analysis, which indicated a small but significant relationship between instructional approaches and behaviour to lessen climate change. Instructional approach accounted for 4.0 percent of the climate change mitigating variable for Kyrgyzstan, 2.1 percent for Turkey, and 2.3 percent for Qatar. Future research could focus on the development of a questionnaire to better establish the range of factors that could lead to students more often engaging in behaviour to alleviate the effects of climate change.