http://hdl.handle.net/1974/290 Fri, 24 May 2013 20:12:00 GMT 2013-05-24T20:12:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1974/8039 Title: Establishing Total Airflow Requirements for Underground Metal/Non-metal Mines based on the Diesel Equipment Fleet Authors: Stinnette, Joseph Abstract: Traditionally, ventilation requirements for modern, mechanized underground mines have been based upon the power of the diesel equipment fleet, with a multiplier (determined from empirical data collected and compiled over a long period of time or required by regulations) being applied in order to determine the total airflow volume requirements of entire mines and/or individual sections or working areas. Often, in the absence of unusual geographic, climatic or geologic conditions that warranted special consideration, the airflow required for the dilution of diesel exhaust products would provide sufficient ventilation for the entire mine. However, recent studies regarding the health-effects of diesel exhaust, particularly the relationship between exposure to diesel emissions and cancer in humans, coupled with additional scrutiny on so called greenhouse gas emissions, have resulted changes to the regulations for engine and equipment manufacturers to provide cleaner burning and less polluting equipment; and are currently causing profound uncertainty in the mining industry. This influence is particularly felt in the case of ventilation engineers and those involved in long-term mine planning who have responsibility for designing the ventilation systems of both existing and future mining projects around the world. This thesis identifies the major parameters affecting airflow requirements for diesel-powered mining equipment and examines how each of them will change in scale and scope in the aftermath of regulatory changes mandating drastic reductions in the type and amount of diesel engine emissions. Culminating from this research, a new procedure for making total airflow determinations based on the underground diesel equipment fleet is proposed and tested with a practical case-study. Ultimately, the determination of the amount of airflow required for an underground mining operation or other sub-surface facility can depend on several factors, including the equipment fleet, ambient temperature, rock type, mining method and airway type (or use). Obtaining a universal, repeatable protocol for determining airflow quantities required for underground diesel equipment fleets is in the best interest of the industry as a whole, including ventilation practitioners, mine-planning engineers, mining financiers, executives, equipment manufacturers, and of course, the mine workers themselves, who perhaps have the most at stake of anyone involved in the equation. Description: Thesis (Master, Mining Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2013-05-23 22:33:11.36 Fri, 24 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1974/8039 2013-05-24T04:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1974/8037 Title: Ontario’s Home First Approach, Care Transitions, and the Provision of Care: The Perspectives of Home First Clients and Their Family Caregivers Authors: English, Christine Abstract: Home First is an Ontario transition management approach that attempts to reduce the pressure on hospital and Long Term Care (LTC) beds through early discharge planning, the provision of timely and appropriate home care, and the delay of LTC placement. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to obtain descriptions from South Eastern Ontario Home First clients and their family caregivers of their experiences with and thoughts about care transitions, the provision of care, and the Home First approach. The goal was to enable insight into the Home First approach, care transitions, and the provision of care through access to the perspectives of study participants. Nine semi structured interviews (and one or more follow-up calls for each interview) with Home First clients discharged from hospitals in South East Ontario and their family caregivers were conducted and their content analyzed. All participating Home First clients were pleased to be home from hospital and did not consider LTC placement a positive option. All had family involved with their care and used a mix of formal and informal services to meet their care needs. Four general themes were identified: (a) maintaining independence while responding (or not) to risks, (b) constraints on care provision, (c) communication is key, and (d) relationship matters. Although all Home First clients participating in the study were discharged home successfully, a sense of partnership between health care providers, families, and clients was often lacking. The Home First approach may be successfully addressing hospital alternative level of care issues and getting people home where they want to be, but it is also putting increasing demands on formal and informal community caregivers. There is room for improvement in how well their needs and those of care recipients are being met. Health professionals and policy makers must ask caregivers and recipients about their concerns and provide them with appropriate resources and information if they want them to become true partners on the care team. Description: Thesis (Master, Rehabilitation Science) -- Queen's University, 2013-05-23 16:10:53.323 Thu, 23 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1974/8037 2013-05-23T04:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1974/8036 Title: ORGANOHALOGENATED PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS IN AMERICAN EEL (ANGUILLA ROSTRATA) CAPTURED IN EASTERN CANADA Authors: Byer, Jonathan D Abstract: Recruitment of American eels (Anguilla rostrata) to Lake Ontario has declined rapidly over the past few decades. The commercial yellow eel fishery in Lake Ontario was closed in 2004 due to a lack of eel abundance. Researchers have been attempting to ascertain the reasons for the decline, although thus far, without definitive answers. In this thesis, the question of chemical contamination is addressed as it relates to female eel spawner quality. Spatial concentration trends of halogenated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are described in eels collected from across eastern Canada, as well as temporal concentration trends in eels collected from a historically important area of northeastern Lake Ontario, Canada. Chlorinated POPs in eels, namely, organochlorinated pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans are all significantly less than historic values which peaked in the 1960-70s. Measured concentrations of chlorinated POPs in eels from Lake Ontario have decreased by up to 3-fold over the past three decades, and exceeded toxicity thresholds historically for surrogate species (European eel and lake trout). Thus, chlorinated POPs may have had an effect on spawner quality. Concentrations of legacy POPs in eels were dependent on their origin, with eels from highly urbanized and industrialized areas having significantly higher concentrations than eels captured in less developed regions. Similar trends were observed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers and chlorinated norbornene flame retardants. A number of emerging brominated compounds were also measured in these eels by non-target analysis including bromophenols, bromobenzenes, and bromoanisoles. This thesis demonstrates that eels are an ideal species to investigate local sources of pollution, and provide chemical data that may be used in the future, when more toxicity information is available for eels, to assess the health risks posed by accumulated chemical contaminants. Description: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2013-05-23 09:27:59.593 Thu, 23 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1974/8036 2013-05-23T04:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/1974/8034 Title: THROMBOSPONDIN-1 ANALOG, ABT-898, INHIBITS ENDOMETRIOTIC LESION VASCULARIZATION WITHOUT AFFECTING FERTILITY OR PREGNANCY OUTCOMES IN A MURINE MODEL OF ENDOMETRIOSIS Authors: Nakamura, DIANE Abstract: Endometriosis is a gynecological disease defined as the growth of endometrium outside of the uterus. Although linked to 50% of female infertility cases, current medical treatments fail to maintain fecundity. Since the survival of endometriotic lesions is dependent on their early neovascularization, antiangiogenic therapies specifically targeting blood vessel growth could be a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of endometriosis. Angiogenesis, the branching of new blood vessels from existing vasculature, promotes robust vascularization of lesions. ABT-898 (Abbott Laboratories), a thrombospondin-1 analog, induces endothelial cell apoptosis while sequestering pro-angiogenic growth factors. We postulated that ABT-898 would reduce endometriotic lesion vascularization while physiological angiogenesis and pregnancy remained unaffected in a murine model of endometriosis. The antiangiogenic effect of ABT-898 was tested in a human umbilical vein endothelial cell line revealing disruption of endothelial tube branching. Two in vivo experiments were conducted in which endometriosis was induced in female alymphoid BALB/c-Rag2-/-Il2rg-/- mice by adhering sections of human endometrium to the abdominal wall. Lesions from ABT-898 treated mice contained a reduced number of CD31+ endothelial cells and a decrease in blood flow supplying the lesion compared to 5% dextrose controls. Reproductive status was evaluated through maintenance of pregnancies up to gestation day 12 revealing unaffected implantation site structure and physiological angiogenesis. In a trans-generational study, pregnant F0 generation mice received ABT-898 or 5% dextrose injections on gestation days 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19. F1 generation mice were raised to reproductive age and bred resulting in litters (F2 generation) comparable in size to the F0 generation litters. Chronic exposure to ABT-898 did not affect angiogenic plasma cytokine levels in F0 generation mice. In addition, physiological angiogenesis was unaffected within the uteri of ABT-898 treated mice. Histological examination of the kidney, liver, ovary, and uterus revealed no structural abnormalities in F0 and F1 generations exposed to ABT-898. These results suggest that ABT-898 inhibits pathological angiogenesis within endometriotic lesions without affecting physiological angiogenesis involved in pregnancy and organ function across three generations of mice. Further research will establish the effects of ABT-898 on embryonic development, organ toxicity, and physiological angiogenesis in all organs. Description: Thesis (Master, Anatomy & Cell Biology) -- Queen's University, 2013-05-07 15:19:10.967 Wed, 22 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/1974/8034 2013-05-22T04:00:00Z