About MacSphere

MacSphere is McMaster University's Institutional Repository (IR). The purpose of an IR is to bring together all of a University's research under one umbrella, with an aim to preserve and provide access to that research. The research and scholarly output included in MacSphere has been selected and deposited by the individual university departments and centres on campus.

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Recent Submissions

Behaviour Characteristics of Concrete Blocks
(1992-07) Donald Sandys-Wunsch,
Masonry construction has a reputation for long-term durability and relative freedom from maintenance. This is largely due to the level of quality control possible in a plant manufacturing environment. Current provisions in the material standard for concrete blocks were not felt to be comprehensive enough in describing properties which might be important for the performance of the material. Blocks from participating manufacturers were tested for: compressive strength, tensile strength, absorption, suction, permeability and shrinkage. In addition to specified standard procedures, alternate test methods for obtaining these properties were investigated. It was found that current provisions in the standard do not adequately account for permability and suction behaviour. A revision of the shrinkage requirements was recommended. Alternate procedures were recommended for some tests
WEIGHTLIFTING TRAINING IN CHRONIC AIRFLOW OBSTRUCTION
(1990-06) Karen Simpson
The exercise capacity of patients with chronic airflow obstruction is often limited by leg fatigue. The disability associated with the continuous rate of degeneration of lung function is aggravated by the natural aging process and a reduction in physical activity. A decline in strength and endurance capacity increases the stress of performing day to day activities and may reduce the time the patient can remain self sufficient. This study examined the effectiveness of progressive resistance muscle strength training as a mode of exercise in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD). Exercise endurance, quality of life and strength assessment were used as the measurements of outcome. The effects of 8 weeks (24 sessions) of progressive resistance exercises involving upper and lower body extremities of 17 COLD patients (WTTR) were compared with 17 matched COLD, control patients. In the WTTR group the maximum weightlifting strength (1 RM) in single-arm curl, single-knee extension and single-leg press exercises increased by 31 per cent (12.1 + 1.2 to 15.9 + 1.5 kg; p < 0.01), 45 per cent (17.8 + 3.0 to 25.8 + 3.9 kg; p < 0.01), and 16 per cent (106.2 + 7.8 to 123.4 + 8.7 kg; p < 0.01); respectively. There was a 9 per cent increase in the distance walked in 6 minutes in the WTTR group and only a 2 per cent increase in the control group (390.9 + 22.5 to 426.9 + 27.2 m,; N.S. and 368.9 + 32.0 to 376.0 + 32.0 m; N.S.). A significant 73 per cent increase in cycling time at 80 per cent of maximum power output to symptom limitation was observed in the WTTR group (518 + 69 to 898 + 95 sec; p < 0.01). Improvements in the WTTR group subjective evaluations in the domains of dyspnea, fatigue and mastery were recorded from the responses to a chronic respiratory index questionnaire. In these patients with COLD, progressive resistance weightlifting exercise was associated with an increase in submaximal exercise time with attendant reductions in feelings of breathlessness and fatigue. The results of this study indicate that weightlifting training may be , useful as part of a comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation programme.
MODELING OF MODE-TRANSITION OF NATURAL CONVECTION IN CAVITIES
(2004-09) Hongdo Wang
Steady two-dimensional natural convection in air-filled, regular and irregular inclined enclosures has been investigated numerically. The effect ofvarious configurations ofbidirectional temperature gradients on mode transition of thermal convection inside the cavity has been investigated. Numerical treatment oftemperature discontinuity at the comer points ofthe cavity and its effect on the calculated Nusselt number has been discussed. Rayleigh numbers range between 103 and 104, aspectratio (width/height) =1,2,4, and angle ofinclination in the range between 0 and 90°. While the cavity bottom and top walls were kept at constant temperatures at Th (heated) and at Tc (cooled), respectively, thermal conditions of end walls were varied. In addition to the base case of insulated end walls, seven different configurations of thermal conditions ofthe two side walls have been studied. Results show that numerically predicted heat transfer rates strongly depend on the numerical treatment of temperature discontinuities at cavity comer points. Results also indicate that thermal conditions of cavity end walls have a significant effect on mode-transition of thermal convection flows; and hence, on heat transfer effectiveness inside the cavity, and on the Hysteresis phenomenon occurred as the cavity angle of inclination varied from zero (horizontal position) to 90 ° (vertical position) and back to zero. The effect of curved bottom is carried out by replacing flat bottom of the cavity with a curved one. Only insulated end walls were discussed in curved case. Results indicated that heat transfer rate and mode transition are strongly dependent on the height of curvature of the bottom wall, which offers more flexibility in controlling flow mode-transition, and hence, effectiveness of heat transfer inside the cavity.
Putting Software Testing Terminology to the Test
(2026) Crawford, Samuel
Despite the prevalence and importance of software testing, it lacks a standardized and consistent taxonomy, instead relying on a large body of literature with many flaws—even within individual documents! This hinders precise communication, contributing to misunderstandings when researching, planning, and performing testing. In this thesis, we explore the current state of software testing terminology by: 1. identifying established standards and prominent testing resources, 2. capturing relevant testing terms from these sources, along with their definitions and relationships (both explicit and implicit), and 3. constructing visualizations to analyze these data. This process uncovered 567 test approaches and four in-scope methods for deriving test approaches, such as those related to 75 software qualities. We also manually record flaws as they arise and build tools to detect more flaws automatically, analyze all of our recorded flaw data, and visualize the relations between test approaches. This revealed 344 flaws, including 13 terms used as synonyms to two (or more) disjoint test approaches and 17 pairs of test approaches that may either be synonyms or have a parent-child relationship. We also found notable confusion surrounding functional testing, operational acceptance testing, recovery testing, and scalability testing. Our findings make clear the urgent need for improved testing terminology so that the discussion, analysis, and implementation of various test approaches can be more coherent.
Innovations in the assessment and diagnosis of alcohol use disorder: From clinical symptoms to process mechanisms
(2025) Garber, Molly; MacKillop, James; Psychology
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a significant health concern with significant practical and conceptual limitations to its assessment and diagnosis. Existing semi-structured interviews have limited psychometric support, may not be sufficiently flexible for use in multiple contexts, and access may be restricted due to copyright status. Conceptually, AUD symptoms may represent downstream consequences of prolonged heavy alcohol consumption, are largely atheoretical, overlooking processes relevant to addiction. This dissertation examines several novel diagnostic strategies for AUD which seek to address these limitations. Study one presents a narrative review which critically examines key developments in the nosology and assessment of addictive disorders. Study two evaluates several psychometric properties of a freely accessible, flexible semi-structured interviewing tool in a sample of individuals making a significant AUD recovery attempt. Study three examines the diagnostic validity of several individual indicators of alcohol consumption in an epidemiological and clinical sample. Study four examines the diagnostic validity of an array of psychological and cognitive variables which map onto theorized process mechanisms in addiction, using a case-control design. The results of this dissertation provide initial validation and investigation of three novel tools for AUD diagnosis: First, a semi-structured interviewing tool which indicates strong psychometric properties. Second, specific alcohol consumption indicators which were associated with excellent diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity across both community and clinical samples. Third, specific process-based indicators, including specific subscales of drinking motivation and alcohol cue reactivity, which were also associated with excellent diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. Collectively, this dissertation advances the clinical assessment of AUD from multiple perspectives, advancing assessment grounded in the existing diagnostic framework, and laying foundation for the continued advancement of frontier assessment and diagnostic strategies.

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