Pea populations derived from ten crosses were scored by coupling phase linked sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers A001 and A002, and repulsion phase linked SCAR marker A004 for lodging resistance during the F2 generation. The objective of this project was to test the efficiency of implementation of these three SCAR markers in marker-assisted selection (MAS) for lodging resistance in pea breeding. Chi-square tests showed that A001 and A004 followed a two independent gene segregation model in all of the eight populations that segregated for these two markers. In the F3 field trial, the differences between mean lodging score of A001 (DNA band present) and a001 (DNA band absent) classes varied from -0.5 to -0.9 with an average of -0.6, based on a 1 to 9 lodging scale, across the eight populations surveyed. The differences between mean lodging score of a004 (DNA band absent) and A004 (DNA band present) classes varied from -0.4 to -1.1 with an average of -0.7, across the eight populations surveyed. In comparison, when the combination of two markers (A001; a004 vs. a001; A004) was used, lodging score differences varied from -0.7 to -1.5, with an average of -1.0 across the eight populations. T-test results showed that significant differences (P<0.05) in lodging score were observed between A001 and a001 classes in seven out of eight populations, and between A004 and a004 classes in six out of eight populations. Further T-tests showed that significant lodging differences were observed among the four classes of the A001 and A004 marker combination in seven out of eight populations assessed, including differences at P<0.01 level in six populations. The greater differences among marker combination classes than between individual marker classes showed that combining two markers was more effective than use of each marker alone in MAS. The marker combination explained (R2) 19-57% of lodging and 4-43% of plant height variation in the eight populations surveyed. The high temperature and potential nitrogen leaching in the summer of 2003, reduced plant growth and lodging. Under optimal growth conditions, differences in lodging between resistant and susceptible cultivars could have been greater. Five new markers generated by simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers SAD134, SAB81 and SAD141 were identified in the recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from MP1401 × Carneval. The markers generated from primers SAD134 and SAB81 explained 12% and 13% of lodging variation in the RILs, respectively. Primer SAD141 produced three markers which explained 19%, 11% and 25% of lodging variation in the RILs, respectively. Linkage analysis showed that none of the three markers derived from primer SAD141 were allelic. The combination of the three markers from primer SAD141 explained 28% of lodging variation. However, utilization of any of these new markers with A001 and A004 did not substantially increase the proportion of lodging variation being explained. Thus, the new markers have limited potential to improve the efficiency of MAS for lodging resistance in pea breeding.

Fall among the elderly is an important health issue. Fall detection and movement tracking techniques are therefore instrumental in dealing with this issue. This thesis responds to the challenge of classifying different movement types as a part of a system designed to fulfill the need for a wearable device to collect data for fall and near-fall analysis. Four different fall activities (forward, backward, left and right), three normal activities (standing, walking and lying down) and near-fall situations are identified and detected. Different machine learning algorithms are compared and the best one is used for the real time classification. The comparison is made using Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis or in short WEKA. The system also has the ability to adapt to different gaits of different people. A feature selection algorithm is also introduced to reduce the number of features required for the classification problem.

The evolution of mate choice remains one of the most controversial topics within evolutionary biology. In particular, the coevolutionary dynamics between ornaments and mating preferences has been extensively studied, but few generalizations have emerged. From a theoretical standpoint, the nature of the genetic covariance built up by the process of mate choice has received considerable attention, though the models still make biologically unrealistic assumptions. Empirically, the difficulty of estimating parameters in the models has hindered our ability to understand what processes are occurring in nature. Thus, it is the goal of this dissertation to contribute to the field both theoretically and empirically. I begin with a review of the evolution of mate choice and demonstrate how the lack of cross-talk between theoretical and empirical pursuits into studying mate choice has constrained our ability to extract basic principles. The review is followed by a new model of intersexual selection that relaxes some of the critical assumptions inherent in sexual selection theory. There are two empirical studies whose goal is to measure mating preference functions and genetic correlations in a way that can be related back to theory. Finally, I conclude by setting the stage for future endeavors into exploring the evolution of mate choice. The results presented herein demonstrate four things: (i) a lack of communication between theoretical and empirical studies of mate choice; (ii) genetic drift plays a much larger role in preference evolution than previously demonstrated; (iii) genetic correlations other than those explicitly modeled are likely to be important in preference evolution; and (iv) variation in mating preferences can eliminate intersexual selection altogether. From these four findings it can be concluded that a tighter link between theory and empiricism is needed, with a particular emphasis on the importance of measuring individual-level preference functions. Models will benefit from integrating the specific phenotypes measured by empiricists. Experimentation will be more useful to theory if particular attention is paid to the exact phenotypes that are measured. Overall, this dissertation is a stepping stone for a more cohesive and accurate understanding of mate choice evolution.

Pea populations derived from ten crosses were scored by coupling phase linked sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) markers A001 and A002, and repulsion phase linked SCAR marker A004 for lodging resistance during the F2 generation. The objective of this project was to test the efficiency of implementation of these three SCAR markers in marker-assisted selection (MAS) for lodging resistance in pea breeding. Chi-square tests showed that A001 and A004 followed a two independent gene segregation model in all of the eight populations that segregated for these two markers. In the F3 field trial, the differences between mean lodging score of A001 (DNA band present) and a001 (DNA band absent) classes varied from -0.5 to -0.9 with an average of -0.6, based on a 1 to 9 lodging scale, across the eight populations surveyed. The differences between mean lodging score of a004 (DNA band absent) and A004 (DNA band present) classes varied from -0.4 to -1.1 with an average of -0.7, across the eight populations surveyed. In comparison, when the combination of two markers (A001; a004 vs. a001; A004) was used, lodging score differences varied from -0.7 to -1.5, with an average of -1.0 across the eight populations. T-test results showed that significant differences (P<0.05) in lodging score were observed between A001 and a001 classes in seven out of eight populations, and between A004 and a004 classes in six out of eight populations. Further T-tests showed that significant lodging differences were observed among the four classes of the A001 and A004 marker combination in seven out of eight populations assessed, including differences at P<0.01 level in six populations. The greater differences among marker combination classes than between individual marker classes showed that combining two markers was more effective than use of each marker alone in MAS. The marker combination explained (R2) 19-57% of lodging and 4-43% of plant height variation in the eight populations surveyed. The high temperature and potential nitrogen leaching in the summer of 2003, reduced plant growth and lodging. Under optimal growth conditions, differences in lodging between resistant and susceptible cultivars could have been greater. Five new markers generated by simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers SAD134, SAB81 and SAD141 were identified in the recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from MP1401 × Carneval. The markers generated from primers SAD134 and SAB81 explained 12% and 13% of lodging variation in the RILs, respectively. Primer SAD141 produced three markers which explained 19%, 11% and 25% of lodging variation in the RILs, respectively. Linkage analysis showed that none of the three markers derived from primer SAD141 were allelic. The combination of the three markers from primer SAD141 explained 28% of lodging variation. However, utilization of any of these new markers with A001 and A004 did not substantially increase the proportion of lodging variation being explained. Thus, the new markers have limited potential to improve the efficiency of MAS for lodging resistance in pea breeding.

My Ph.D. research has examined the evolution of mating preferences and their role in speciation. I have addressed these topics empirically, using sympatric species pairs of limnetic and benthic threespine sticklebacks, and theoretically, with multilocus population genetics. Sticklebacks are small fish that occur in lakes, streams and estuaries throughout British Columbia. Most lakes contain one type of stickleback, however, several lakes support two differentially adapted sympatric species: a large benthic form (benthic), and a smaller zooplanktivorous form (limnetic). Chapter 2 examines the role of species interactions in shaping male mating preferences. I determined that the mate preferences of the small species have shifted from preferring large females (the ancestral state) to preferring small females due either to selection against hybrids (reinforcement), or to egg predation by the larger benthic species. Chapter 3 explores the idea that sexual imprinting may facilitate assortative mating between benthic and limnetic sticklebacks. Sexual imprinting occurs when individuals imprint on the phenotype of their parents, and subsequently prefer mates that resemble their parents. The results suggested that sexual imprinting does not contribute to assortative mating between the sympatric species pairs, implying that genetics are more important than early learning for the formation of mate preferences. Chapter 4 focuses on differences in male breeding colour between benthics and limnetics. The results reveal that limnetic males have more intense red and blue coloration than benthic and solitary males. These differences in colour could be due to reinforcement, to differences in visual sensitivity of females, or to territorial interactions between males. Chapter 5 examines the evolution of female mating preferences under different scenarios of sex-linkage, when the male display trait is sexually antagonistic. Theoretical analysis suggests that sexually antagonistic traits on the X chromosome (males XY, females XX), females will evolve to prefer mates carrying alleles beneficial to their daughters. In contrast, with a Z-linked trait (males ZZ, females ZW), females more often evolve preferences for mates carrying alleles beneficial to their sons (e.g., flashy displays). This provides an explanation for why males in ZW species have more elaborate sexual displays than males in XY species.

My Ph.D. research has examined the evolution of mating preferences and their role in speciation. I have addressed these topics empirically, using sympatric species pairs of limnetic and benthic threespine sticklebacks, and theoretically, with multilocus population genetics. Sticklebacks are small fish that occur in lakes, streams and estuaries throughout British Columbia. Most lakes contain one type of stickleback, however, several lakes support two differentially adapted sympatric species: a large benthic form (benthic), and a smaller zooplanktivorous form (limnetic). Chapter 2 examines the role of species interactions in shaping male mating preferences. I determined that the mate preferences of the small species have shifted from preferring large females (the ancestral state) to preferring small females due either to selection against hybrids (reinforcement), or to egg predation by the larger benthic species. Chapter 3 explores the idea that sexual imprinting may facilitate assortative mating between benthic and limnetic sticklebacks. Sexual imprinting occurs when individuals imprint on the phenotype of their parents, and subsequently prefer mates that resemble their parents. The results suggested that sexual imprinting does not contribute to assortative mating between the sympatric species pairs, implying that genetics are more important than early learning for the formation of mate preferences. Chapter 4 focuses on differences in male breeding colour between benthics and limnetics. The results reveal that limnetic males have more intense red and blue coloration than benthic and solitary males. These differences in colour could be due to reinforcement, to differences in visual sensitivity of females, or to territorial interactions between males. Chapter 5 examines the evolution of female mating preferences under different scenarios of sex-linkage, when the male display trait is sexually antagonistic. Theoretical analysis suggests that sexually antagonistic traits on the X chromosome (males XY, females XX), females will evolve to prefer mates carrying alleles beneficial to their daughters. In contrast, with a Z-linked trait (males ZZ, females ZW), females more often evolve preferences for mates carrying alleles beneficial to their sons (e.g., flashy displays). This provides an explanation for why males in ZW species have more elaborate sexual displays than males in XY species.

More than 80 years ago, researchers and practitioners first recognized that applicants may be motivated to fake their responses to pre-employment personality tests to improve their chances of securing employment (Zickar & Gibby, 2006). Although we have learned much about faking over the ensuing decades, we still know very little about the situational or individual factors that influence applicants’ motivation to fake. In this dissertation, I evaluated several situational and individual variables to determine the degree to which they work independently and jointly to influence responses to a personality test. Study 1 examined the impact of 12 situational variables on faking intentions. The desirability of the job, warning applicants that their responses would be verified, warning applicants that faking will result in their removal from the applicant pool, and the number of other available job opportunities were found to have strong effects on faking intentions. In Studies 2 and 3, these variables were examined in experiments with a sample of undergraduate students and a sample of job seekers to determine if, and how, these variables interact to influence faking. In both studies, significant higher-order interactions were found among the variables in predicting intentions to fake. It appeared that test takers did take into account the desirability of the job, warnings against faking and the number of other job opportunities in deciding whether faking would be a prudent test-taking strategy, although the results were not entirely consistent across the two studies. Study 3 also utilized expectancy theory to attempt to explain the effects of the situational and individual difference variables on intentions to fake. Expectancy, instrumentality and valence perceptions were significant predictors of intentions to fake, however, job desirability, the perception of negative consequences for faking and the number of job opportunities were not strongly related to expectancy, instrumentality and valence. Studies 2 and 3 also demonstrated that the trait of honesty-humility was negatively related to test takers’ intentions to fake. These three studies provide some empirical support for existing models of faking and enhance the understanding of the antecedents of the motivation to fake on pre-employment personality assessments.

This research intends to introduce a model in order to choose the best Maintenance Strategy based on the condition of the relevant company. Basically, it is divided into three main parts. First part is the theoretical part and deals with the Maintenance approaches, conceptions, cost, software, and management. Second part explains the structure of selecting maintenance strategy by using improved Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) method and describes some definitions and equations in this scientific method. In the third part, a hypothetical example shows the accuracy of the method and the way it works.

Although the Multi-Input and Multi-Output (MIMO) communication systems provide very high data rates with low error probabilities, these advantages are obtained at the expense of having high signal processing tasks and the hardware cost, e.g. expensive Analog-to-Digital (A/D) converters. The increased hardware cost is mainly due to having multiple Radio Frequency (RF) chains (one for each antenna element). Antenna selection techniques have been proposed to lower the number of RF chains and provide a low cost MIMO system. Among them, due to a beamforming capability Soft Antenna Selection (SAS) schemes have shown a great performance improvement against the traditional antenna sub-set selection methods for the MIMO communication systems with the same number of RF chains. A SAS method is basically realized by a pre-processing module which is located in RF domain of a MIMO system. In this thesis, we investigate on the receive SAS-MIMO, i.e. a MIMO system equipped with a SAS module at the receiver side, in noise-limited/interference channels. For a noise-limited channel, we study the SAS-MIMO system for when the SAS module is implemented before Low Noise Amplifier (LNA), so-called pre-LNA, under both spatial multiplexing and diversity transmission strategies. The pre-LNA SAS module only consists of passive elements. The optimality of the pre-LNA SAS method is investigated under two di erent practical cases of either the external or internal noise dominates. For the interference channel case, the post-LNA SAS scheme is optimized based on Power Angular Spectrum (PAS) of the received interference signals. The analytical derivations for both noise-limited and interference channels are verified via the computer simulations based on a general Rician statistical MIMO channel model. The simulation results reveal a superiority of the post-LNA SAS to the post-LNA SAS at any condition. Moreover, using the simulations performed for the interference channels we show that the post-LNA SAS is upper bounded by the full-complexity MIMO. Since in both above-mentioned channels, noise-limited and interference, the channel knowledge is needed for the SAS optimization, in this thesis we also propose a two-step channel estimation method for the SAS-MIMO. This channel estimation is based on an Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) MIMO system. Two di erent estimators of Least-Square (LS) and Minimum-Mean-Square- Error (MMSE) are applied. Simulation results show a superiority of the MMSE method to the LS estimator for a MIMO system simulated under the 802.16 framing strategy. Moreover, a 802.11a framing based SAS-MIMO is simulated using MATLAB SIMULINK to verify the two-step estimation procedure. Furthermore, we also employ a ray-tracing channel simulation to assess di erent SAS configurations, i.e. realized by active (post-LNA) and/or passive (pre-LNA) phased array, in terms of signal coverage. In this regard, a rigorous Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) analysis is performed for each of these SAS realizations. The results show that although the SAS method performance is generally said to be upperbounded by a full-complexity MIMO, it shows a better signal coverage than the full-complexity MIMO.

The choice of appropriate collaborative partners has consistently been reported as a key issue for contemporary managers. This study reports findings from a study which explored the process and criteria of partner selection - how and why partners are chosen. The results show multiple cycles of deal-making, partnership roles and organizational approval. Partner choice criteria focused on partnership requirements, but was influenced by additional factors. These results suggest that partner selection may be much more complex than previously recognized and could be better described as partner negotiation. <br /><br /> The researcher reviewed recent literature on partnerships, decision-making, and partner selection. Concepts from this previous work were updated with data from three initial interviewees experienced in university-industry partnerships. A conceptual Partner Negotiation Model was developed including three cycles of Deal-Making, Organizational Approval, and Partner Role/Selection. Our hypothesized Partner Choice Criteria centred on requirements, but were influenced by resource availability, social network, reputation, politics, and ambiguity. Two Canada-wide distance education consortia were identified as large-scale case studies for investigation of the research theory. A total of 34 informants were contacted. Written business plans, contracts, documents, partner network diagrams and 231 archival e-mails from 36 correspondents were collected and analysed for the two consortia. <br /><br /> The results showed strong support for partner selection included in negotiation cycles of deal-making and organizational approval. Partner choice criteria supported the need to meet documented requirements, but was also strongly influenced by resource availability, social network, and reputation. Additional issues of interest to the interviewees were motivation, operations, unit of partner, self-sustaining income, and integration to one consortium. As well, the Case Study Narratives offered deep, interesting insight into two specific cases of Canadian consortia. <br /><br /> The findings suggest that the formation of partnerships and the process of partner selection are both very complex. This research has provided new insights linking business negotiation concepts with partner selection. A model has been developed for viewing partner selection as negotiation. Three negotiation cycles of deal-making, organizational approval, and partner role/selection have been proposed. The research has identified four criteria that influence why specific partners are chosen ? requirements, resource availability, social network, and reputation. Finally, based on the complexities and issues from this work, a number of ideas for future research have been summarized.