The author has granted a non exclusive license allowing Library and Archives Canada to reproduce, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, communicate to the public by telecommunication or on the Internet, loan, distribute and sell theses worldwide, for commercial or non commercial purposes, in microform, paper, electronic and/or any other formats. AVIS: L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public par telecommunication ou par I'lnternet, preter, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans le monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, sur support microforme, papier, electronique et/ou autres formats. i * i Canada Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. First, I would like to thank my supervisor Professor Ioannis Lambadaris for his guidance and inspiration throughout this thesis. Without his valuable help, I would not be able to complete this work. Second, I would like to thank my parents for their moral support. Finally, I would like to thank my living wife Grace Zhuojun Tian for her continued support, patience and understanding during this work.