People with developmental disabilities are particularly susceptible to health challenges. If they are not capable of making treatment decisions, they rely on substitute decision makers to make decisions for them. In this research, I examined the experiences of families who have made decisions for their relatives with developmental disabilities when the individual’s wishes were unknown. Using a naturalistic, qualitative research design and an interpretive description approach, eleven family members, representing eight families who had made decisions for their relatives with developmental disabilities, were recruited in order to obtain data about their experiences. The data were analyzed in order to reconstruct current knowledge and interpret findings through a nursing theoretical lens. In my findings, I demonstrate that families of people with developmental disabilities are marginalized by the experience. They actively engage in lifelong processes and seek out community resources to support their relatives. The findings suggest that professionals should consider the processes, experiences and consequences of marginalization when supporting families of people with developmental disabilities.

The mechanism of the rhodium(I) catalyzed dehydrocoupling of di-n-hexylsilane was investigated by isolating and characterizing products of stoichiometric reactions, by preparing a series of rhodium(I) phosphine precatalysts and silane substrates and measuring catalytic activity, and by observing catalytic reaction mixtures directly using 31P{ 1H} NMR spectroscopy. Catalyst initiation was found to occur via oxidative addition of silane to a rhodium centre, followed by reductive elimination of a chlorosilane generating an unsaturated rhodium hydride complex, the putative active catalyst fragment. The series of precatalysts screened for catalytic activity include [Rh(PPh3)3Cl] (1), [Rh(PPh3)2(µ-Cl)]2 (2). [Rh(dppe)(µ-Cl)]2 (3) [Rh(dppb)(µ-Cl)]2, (4) [Rh(COD)(µ- Cl)]2 (5), [Rh(PPh3)3H] (6), [Rh(PPh3)4H] (7), [Rh(xantphos)(COD)(Cl)]. (8). Of these eight precatalysts the two hydride complexes (6 and 7) displayed the highest catalytic activity. The flexibility of chelating bis(phosphine) ligands was found to be important for catalyst activity. Of the chelating bis(phosphine) rhodium complexes (3, 4, and 8), 4 displayed the highest catalytic activity. The catalyst resting state for all precatalysts containing the monodentate PPh3 ligand was found to be trans-[Rh(PPh3)2LX] when catalytic reactions were observed in situ by 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopy. The substitution and steric bulk of the silane substrate was found to influence reactivity as well. Of the substrates studied, the least bulky primary n-hexylsilane was most reactive. By monitoring the reaction over by 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopy, decomposition of the catalyst was found to involve phosphine dissociation. Decomposition was found to occur more slowly for precatalysts containing chelating bis(phosphine) ligands than for precatalysts containing monodentate phosphine ligands.

Eph receptors and their ephrin ligands play important roles in guiding mouse and Xenopus cranial neural crest (CNC) cells to their destinations. My objective was to determine if Ephs and ephrins also regulate avian CNC pathfinding. By double labeling for Eph or ephrin RNA and a neural crest marker protein, I was able to clearly distinguish neural crest from ectoderm and head mesenchyme and show that avian CNC cells express EphA3, 4, and 7 and EphB 1 and 3 and migrate along pathways bordered by non-neural crest cells expressing ephrin-B 1. Surprisingly, avian CNC cells also express ephrin-B2 and migrate along pathways bordered by non-neural crest cells expressing EphB2. Consistent with these findings, explanted avian CNC cells are labeled by both ephrin-B I and EphB2 Fc fusion proteins. Given the choice between growing out onto substrate-bound fibronectin (FN) or FN plus clustered Fc protein in the stripe assay, these cells show no preference for either condition. Conversely, given the choice between FN or FN plus clustered ephrin-B1 or EphB2 Fc fusion protein, the cells strongly localize to stripes containing only FN. This response is mitigated in the presence of soluble ephrin-B1/Fc or EphB2/Fc, but not in the presence of soluble Fc alone. These findings show that avian CNC cells have a mutually exclusive distribution with non-neural crest cells expressing ephrin-B 1 and EphB2 RNA in situ and are repelled from ephrin-B1 and EphB2 protein in vitro, suggesting that their migration is guided by both forward signaling through a variety of Eph receptors as stimulated by ephrin-B1 and reverse signaling through ephrin-B2 as stimulated by EphB2. I further explore the phylogeny of Ephs and ephrins and show that these genes diversified at different times in evolutionary history, such that the ancestral chordate likely had a single receptor for two different ligands.

The use of hybrid processes med-arb and arb-med continues to grow in both commercial and labour relations contexts. With this growth, there remains a lack of research looking at why a particular hybrid process is chosen or what variables influence individuals to choose one process over another. This exploratory study uses both an online survey of full-time workforce members and semi-structured interviews of experienced hybrid process practitioners to identify and evaluate the variables that influence conflicting parties to choose either med-arb or arb-med. The research findings suggest that two variables, importance of the relationship between the parties and the perceived strength of legal case, are the two greatest indicators of hybrid process selection. Strong support for med-arb is found when disputants place a high value on the importance of their relationship. Arb-med is preferred when relationship is of low importance and strength of legal case is perceived to be high.

Distributed systems are becoming increasingly common. However, the testing of these systems is difficult due to their non-linear, stochastic and dynamic behaviours, and limited application-level testing support. In this thesis, a prototype cluster computing-based test harness has been developed that can be used for performance testing on a variety of distributed systems. Its usefulness is demonstrated through tests conducted on an example distributed system, including using the test harness to perform a parameter search on the system in an iterative fashion.

Coastal archaeological sites dating to the late Pleistocene and early Holocene are rare on the northwest coast of North America, as they are in many regions of the world, due to changing environmental factors, in particular glacial isostasy and eustasy, resulting in low visibility and survival of archaeological deposits. This dissertation outlines methods and results used to locate late Pleistocene and early Holocene archaeological sites on the Dundas Island Archipelago on the Northwest Coast culture area of British Columbia, Coast Tsimshian Territory, where archaeological sites older than 5,000 years BP are not known. Part of the reason for this is that masses of glacial ice accumulated on the Cordilleran Mountains of North America during the last glacial maximum, which depressed mainland coastal regions isostatically in relation to sea levels. As a result of lateral displacement of subcrustal material, areas to the west of the Cordillera bulged and landforms were raised relative to the sea. With deglaciation, the depressed crust began to rebound and the forebulge subsided resulting in rapidly dropping sea levels along the mainland to the east and rapidly rising sea levels along outer coastal islands to the west. These processes occurred in concert with sea levels that began rising eustatically following the last glacial maximum. Between the inner and outer coasts lies the Dundas Island Archipelago. This research project hypothesized that the study area was close to a sea level hinge lying between these two regions with very different sea level histories. With less significant shoreline movement, it was further anticipated that shoreline situated archaeological sites dating to the late Pleistocene and early Holocene might be found in close proximity, although slightly higher than the present day shoreline. This dissertation addresses the following question: Where are late Pleistocene and early Holocene archaeological sites situated on the Dundas Island Archipelago? To address this question, this dissertation details the methods and results used to determine a sea-level and vegetation history for the Dundas Island Archipelago and the archaeological prospection that was undertaken along relict shorelines. Pollen analysis of sediments from a lake core identified a sequence of six vegetation zones beginning before 12,385 BP. Based on diatom identification of cores from four lake basins, combined with supporting indicators, a sea level curve for the Dundas Islands was constructed showing a slow regression of shorelines from 13 m above the barnacle line to present day elevations over the last 12,000 years BP. Drawing upon these palaeo-environmental data, areas were selected for archaeological survey and prospection. Field testing of these selected areas resulted in the identification of five archaeological sites dating to the early Holocene. These are the first archaeological sites dating older than 5,000 years BP that have been found and dated in Coast Tsimshian Territory. The elevations and radiocarbon dates on all archaeological deposits are consistent with the sea level curve based on palaeo-environmental data points. Overall, this dissertation draws upon palaeo-environmental methods and results for the purpose of identifying and interpreting archaeological sites situated on raised marine landforms.

This thesis questions whether it is possible to locate a boundary between gift and bribe that can survive comparison across cultures and history. This question is addressed in a multidisciplinary way, engaging the literature on the current use and the history of the language of bribery, studies of gifting and reciprocity, and the anthropological and philosophical literature on relativism. The approach is non-linear—like a hound on a chase, stopping in medieval England, ancient Athens and various societies in the modern world. It is concluded that if there is a universal gift/bribe boundary, it is likely based on a norm of reciprocity rather than on a foundation of assumptions that incorporate modern capitalism and Weberian bureaucracy. This implies that global anti-bribery initiatives, as presently conceived, are ill founded. An alternative account, founded on reciprocity and conventionalism, is postulated as a more secure foundation for locating a gift/bribe boundary.

ICT (Information Communication Technology) has enormous potential to positively impact educational institutions in developing countries. This thesis presents the results of a five month participatory study conducted in Bushenyi, Uganda on the impact ICT and ICT training had on a local primary school. This research specifically investigated the benefits and the problems associated with ICT in education, as well as, the impact of culture, training methods and research methodology.

The vitality of most Indigenous languages in North America, like minority languages in many parts of the world, is at risk due to the pressures of majority (in most cases colonial) languages and cultures. The transmission of Indigenous languages through school-based programs is a wide-spread approach to maintaining and revitalizing threatened languages in Canada and the U.S., where a large majority of Indigenous children attend public schools. Policy for Indigenous language education (ILE) in public schools is controlled primarily on the regional (province/ state/ territory) level, and there is a lack of shared knowledge about policy approaches in different regions, as well as a lack of knowledge about effective ILE policy in general. While no ideal policy model is possible due to the diversity of different language and community contexts, there are several factors that have been identified through language acquisition research and years of practice in ILE as being closely linked to the success of ILE; immersion approaches to education and community control of education. One framework within which to analyze ILE policy is thus the degree of support present for immersion methods and community control. This study analyzes regional, national, and international policies impacting ILE in Canadian and U.S. public schools, and shows that although there are many regions lacking ILE policy, there are a growing number of supportive ILE policies currently in place. The varying levels of support that different policies provide, and a discussion of different ways in which immersion and community control may be supported in ILE policy are illustrated through examples of existing policies. Several recommendations for the development of future ILE policy are offered, including the importance of diverse policy approaches, support for bilingual education in general, and further development of Indigenous language teacher training and Indigenous control of ILE. Through this specific area of research, the study aims to contribute to knowledge about approaches to the transmission, and ultimate revitalization, of threatened Indigenous languages.

Five lake and one soil sediment record from six mountainous sites on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, were examined for changes in pollen, macrofossils, charcoal, and mineral clasts to reconstruct late Quaternary history of vegetation, fire and climate. The results provide insights into the history and dynamics of the Mountain Hemlock biogeoclimatic zone and highlight the role of several species and species groups not previously recognized. During the early Holocene, Alnus crispa expanded throughout the region following deglaciation, playing a more important role in these ecosystems than today. Abies lasiocarpa was the dominant Abies species at these sites during the late glacial and early Holocene until it was replaced by A. amabilis between about 10,500 and 7300 calBP, perhaps due to changes in regional atmospheric circulation and greater seasonal variability in insolation than we experience today. A. amabilis increased during the mid Holocene and was later replaced at the sites by increased abundance of T. mertensiana while T. heterophylla became much more abundant at nearby low elevations. Ericaceous-heath communities were established soon after deglaciation at the moister sites but not until about 7000 calBP at drier sites. These drier sites show more variation in vegetation throughout their records than the wetter sites. High charcoal and clast concentrations coincident with rapid vegetation shifts during the early Holocene suggest that these changes were probably the result of large stand-clearing fires that exposed mineral soils. A peak in charcoal at several of the sites occurs at ca. 4000 calBP suggesting more frequent fire at that time. During the late glacial and very early Holocene, P. contorta was an important seral species until A. crispa became well established. In the mid to late Holocene when Ericaceous-heath became established, A. crispa was unable to predominate, possibly because of reduced fire activity or because the heath communities hindered the exposure of fresh mineral soil surfaces. As a consequence, conifer-dominated stands were favoured. Basal sediments from these sites are not as old as they are at lower elevations, suggesting that deglaciation may have happened later at higher elevations.