McGill University Thèses et mémoires par auteur commençant par É

In order to understand and document the patterns of smoking among youth, the use of reliable and valid measures is essential. The current analysis uses data on 63 ever smokers (mean age 14.1 years) from the first three years of follow-up of the McGill University Study on the Natural History of Nicotine Dependence In Teens. To examine reliability, we compared responses to one-month recall to three-month recall of the subjects' smoking history. The questionnaire demonstrated very good reliability for smoking intensity (kappa = 0.75) and smoking frequency (kappa = 0.78). Number of cigarettes smoked per month showed good reliability (ICC …  Read more

Le cancer du sein est le cancer le plus répandu chez les femmes au Canada. Une dérégulation de la voie de signalisation ERBB est liée à un développement agressif des tumeurs et à un pronostic plus défavorable chez les patients atteints de cancer. La famille des protéines ERBB contient les récepteurs à tyrosine kinase ERBB1 à 4. Les tumeurs mammaires exprimant le récepteur HER2 (ERBB2), appelées cancers du sein HER2 positifs, représentent 20 à 30 % de l’ensemble des cancers du sein. Actuellement, les cancers du sein HER2 positifs sont traités par le trastuzumab, un anticorps monoclonal spécifique de ERBB2, …  Read more

Trasler, D. (Supervisor)  Read more

Hemmeon, J. (Supervisors)  Read more

Henderson, Ian (Supervisor)  Read more

This dissertation investigates a "universal" question--what the exact nature of the relationship between music and theology is--by examining two particulars: (1) the music and thought of the French Roman Catholic composer Olivier Messiaen, and (2) the theology of music of Protestant theologian/musicologist Oskar Sohngen. It should be emphasized, however, that the main focus of the paper is upon the "particulars," since the primary objective of this study is to demonstrate the remarkable similarity of thought which exists between the theory of Sohngen and the musical practice of Messiaen. After an exposition of Sohngen's three categories of relationship between music and …  Read more

A formula portending to predict the pressure drop due to flow of gases accompanied by a large temperature change, derived from the differential form of the Bernoulli equation by J. H. Holden and W. Gauvin of McGill University, is presented for verification. Heating runs are made for air flowing through a horizontal steam-jacketed commercial pipe, throughout a Reynolds number range of 6000- 15,000. The observed pressure drops are found to agree very closely with those calculated by means of the given equation. The method of evaluating pressure drop for turbulent non-isothermal runs by assuming that these runs occur isothermally at …  Read more

A kinetic study of the alkaline hydrolysis of RDX and RMX permitted the establishment of a method for routine analysis of HMX in RDX(B), the accuracy of the method being +/- O.2 percent HMX. The yields of RDX, in a Bachmann reaction, are decreased by dilution, by decrease of temperature, by use of deficiencies of any of the reagents and by excesses of nitric acid. The optimal conditions in RDX production are different for each temperature and concentration. The rates of RDX formation are increased with increase of temperature, decrease of dilution, and increase of concentrations of aoetio anhydride and …  Read more

This study evaluates the economic impacts of future climate change (2015-2044) on representative vineyards in the Niagara Peninsula, Ontario. An integrated Bio-Economic Approach was used to evaluate the Net Present Value (NPV) of grape growers. First, three future climate scenarios (Median, Warm/Dry, Cold/Humid) and two conditions (with and without atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) enhancement) were selected. Climate scenario data were obtained from the Regional Climate Model system RegCM v.4. Second, yield data were obtained through simulation with the Cropping Systems Simulation Model (CropSyst). Finally, the Net Present Value (NPV) was estimated. Land allocation was determined exogenously. Six wine-grape varieties (Chardonnay, …  Read more

L'enzyme Activation-Induced Deaminase (AID), qui se trouve uniquement dans des lymphocytes B, est responsable pour la diversification des gènes d'anticorps réarrangés dans les cellules B actives au cours de la réponse immunitaire humorale. AID est responsible pour la déamination des dC à dU dans les gènes d'immunoglobulines (Ig). L'uracile ainsi introduit est traitée d'une manière erreurs par des enzymes de réparation conduisant l'hypermutation somatique (SH), promouvant la maturation de l'affinité de la réponse immunitaire, et des l'ADN brisées nécessaire pour la commutation isotypique (CS), qui change la classe isotype de l'anticorps d'IgM à IgG, IgA ou IgE. Analyse structure-fonction de …  Read more

The geology of Ceylon, as it applies to this study, is basic in concept. The most important factors being the resistance of the rocks to weathering and erosion, and the tectonic activity, both local and regional, to which they have been subjected. These are the factors which, under the tropical conditions obtaining, control to a large extent the development of the various landforms characteristic of the area. In general, the views outlined are those at present accepted by the geologists working in the area. No radically new ideas with respect to rock type, lithologies, or stratigraphic sequences are presented. Much …  Read more

Gas phase axial dispersion for gas-liquid countercurrent contacting in mobile bed contacting (MBC) and in a spray column were measured for 240 combinations of five variables, gas and liquid flow rate, packing size and density and static bed height, for MBC; for 114 combinations of three variables, gas and liquid flow rate and static bed height, for the spray contactor. The experimental technique was dynamic response to a tracer, coupled with moment equations for the system in axially dispersed plug flow (ADPF). The ADPF model was found to represent well the residence time distribution curves for all experiments with both …  Read more

Polar codes are a class of error-correcting codes that can provably achieve the channel capacity and have simple encoding and decoding mechanisms. Due to their attractive properties, the interest in polar codes has been increasing rapidly in recent years and they have been adopted for use in the $5^{\text{th}}$ generation (5G) wireless systems standard. Specifically, they have been chosen as the coding scheme for the control channel of enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) use case, and they are being considered for other use cases within 5G. Successive cancellation (SC) decoding is the primary decoding algorithm of polar codes and has low …  Read more

Bien que les pratiques étatiques d'émancipation politique des non-citoyens diffèrent, peu d'étude se sont penchées sur ces divergences et les raisons de celles-ci demeurent donc encore mal comprises. Les rares recherches sur le sujet ont pointé deux principaux éléments pour expliciter les différences constatées: le rôle des processus politiques nationaux et celui des processus de convergence transnationaux. Si certaines de ces explications se sont révélées pertinentes dans le contexte des pays occidentaux, elles n'éclairent cependant que peu la particularité de l'exercice du suffrage, et plus généralement les pratiques étatiques d'émancipation, des étrangers, au sein des pays non-occidentaux. Cette étude permet …  Read more

Le harcèlement scolaire est un phénomène répandu et omniprésent qui est fortement associé à plusieurs conséquences psychologiques, émotionnelles, sociales et scolaires négatives chez les personnes impliquées dans ce comportement. Étant donné les différents types d'implication dans les harcèlements (par exemple, en tant que harceleur, victime, défenseur, spectateur proharcèlement), les harcèlements doivent être compris comme un processus de groupe impliquant une dynamique de groupe (par exemple, le statut social). L'étude actuelle visait à évaluer l'ampleur globale de l'association entre les rôles d'intimidation et la popularité en effectuant une méta-analyse. Pour ce faire, les questions de recherche suivantes ont été posées : …  Read more

Many children around the world are educated in a second language, be they speakers of the majority language of the community in which they are educated or speakers of a minority language. Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of second language immersion for typically-developing students and students who are disadvantaged in the academic environment of schooling due to low levels of academic ability, disadvantaged socio-economic background, or minority ethnic group status (for a review see Genesee, 2006). In contrast, although it is generally thought that the level and kind of first language (L1) ability that children acquire prior to coming to …  Read more

Pyrrhotite and sphalerite deposition temperatures were determined in the ores of New Calumet Mine, Quebec. Forty-five pyrrhotite and fifty-two sphalerite determinations were made taken from various samples. Out of these, both geothermometers were used in 18 specimens. In most cases both values were reasonably close. Only four specimens showed greater difference for the two geothermometers than 56°C, the mean difference being 17°C. The temperature values for pyrrhotite range from 350° to 484°C, of that of sphalerite from 370° to 538°C. Using these values, isotherms were drawn throughout the orebodies based on the sphalerite data. The pyrrhotite values did not show …  Read more

L'objectif de ce travail est d'améliorer l'estimation du taux de récurrence et la distribution de la sévérité des tempêtes de verglas dans la région de Montréal ; deux quantités requises pour déterminer les critères de conception de certaines structures, telles que les lignes de transmission, pour ce type d'événement. Certaines des faiblesses des méthodes actuelles pour étudier les événements de pluies verglaçantes sont liées à la disponibilité limitée de données. Cela se traduit par des observations variables et un faible nombre d'événements importants. Les méthodes développées dans ce travail adressent ces problèmes. En premier lieu, une analyse désagrégée est employée …  Read more

The historical marginalization of females in sport and physical activity has led to the creation of physical education programs that maintain these gender ideologies. Research has shown a steep decline in physical activity participation during adolescence, especially amongst girls. Single-sex physical education programs have been documented as spaces that provide females with better learning opportunities. Currently, there is a gap in the literature concerning how females’ relationship with physical activity is shaped in a female single-sex and female-taught physical education environment. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of how three female high school students experience …  Read more

This thesis focuses on investigating product availability and sales dynamics under the fast-fashion retailing setting with three research projects. In the first study, we focus on analyzing the impact of neighboring outlets’ product shortages on a focal store’s sales in the setting of a multi-store fast fashion retailing chain. Our analysis reveals that sales for a particular item at a focal store increases when that same item experiences stock-outs in neighboring stores, especially so for neighboring stores that are physically closer to the focal store. These findings suggest that there is substitutability across stores and that this substitutability dissipates with …  Read more

Cette thèse décrit des découvertes dans deux domaines de recherche généraux : la conception de nouvelles classes d’hétérocycles mésoioniques et leur application dans la réaction de cyclisation 1,3-dipolaire et le développement d’une approche alternative pour la formation dynamique de liens amides. Chacune de ces études est dirigée vers la création de nouvelles plateformes plus efficaces et/ou applicables de manière générale pour aborder ces deux défis, et de faire cela avec des réactifs générés facilement.Dans le chapitre 2, nous décrivons le développement d’une nouvelle classe de 1,3-dipôle mésoionique obtenue à partir de chlorure de 2-pyridylacyle et d’imines. Ce projet fut inspiré …  Read more

IntroductionThe mesolimbic dopamine (DA) system is thought to be important for reward-based decision-making. Dysfunction of this system is implicated in impulsivity. Many neuropsychiatric disorders, such as drug addiction, obesity and pathological gambling, are characterized by a relative oversensitivity to reward and insensitivity to negative outcomes, as well as impulsivity. The administration of DA agonists in some patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) can trigger unusually risky behavior, such as pathological gambling and compulsive sexual behavior, which are impulse control disorders (ICD). Interestingly the risk factors predisposing PD patients to ICDs closely resemble those associated with drug addiction in the general population. …  Read more

Neurogenic hyperthermia is a definite syndrome not infrequently seen in neurosurgical practice. It has been only casually mentioned in the literature and no opinion has been previously ventured as to its etiology. In its most typical form this condition occurs immediately after cranial operations or head injuries as a marked elevation of body temperature with a very rapid cardiac and respiratory rate and a constant unremitting cutaneous vasoconstriction and anhidrosis. [...]  Read more

The purpose of this thesis is to report original experiments concerning the spread of the epileptic discharge and from these as well as from physiological studies of the cerebral cicatrices to discuss the nature of the epileptic discharge. By epileptic discharge is implied the excessive, violent discharge of certain portions of the central nervous system which is responsible for many if not all of the manifestations of epileptiform fits and epilepsy. [...] Since there are now at least four reliable indices of the epileptic discharge, as will be pointed out later, the spread of the discharge can be followed with …  Read more

This study combines qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches in a microanalytic examination of discourse features found in the instructional interactions of six Inuit first language, two Inuit second language, and six non-Inuit second language teachers of Inuit children in northern Quebec. In particular, the study analyzes the discourse features that contribute to the formulation of differing forms of communicative competence required for successful performance in the classrooms of Inuit versus non-Inuit teachers as well as the potential effects of these differences on the classroom participation of Inuit students. The quantitative results are integrated with findings taken from participant observation and …  Read more

The basic purpose of the school as an educational institution is the transmission of knowledge. Unlike most other institutions, this purpose is achieved in the classroom primarily through talk. Until recently, however, it has typically been ignored that implicit t in the transmission of knowledge is the transmission of cultural beliefs and values. The organization of classroom discourse, like the acquisition of language in the home, follows certain linguistic patterns which are culturally determined. Successful participation in classroom interactions and routines requires the knowledge of a set of classroom rules of discourse that are based on cultural beliefs regarding appropriate …  Read more

Earthworms have an important role in the decomposition of organic matter, mineralization of nutrients and physical mixing of soils. Despite a large number of laboratory and greenhouse-level studies investigating how earthworms modify soil properties and promote soil fertility, we lack reliable methods to scale-up and quantify earthworm contributions to nutrient cycling at the agroecosystem level. The objective of this thesis is to determine the influence of earthworm communities on nitrogen (N) transformations in soils and to quantify their contribution to nitrogen flux through soils for soybean and maize cropping systems of Quebec. Laboratory growth rates were used to predict how …  Read more

This study investigated the possibility of three approaches in determination of soil moisture in the root zone. The aim of the study was to contribute to the development of soil moisture monitoring methods to better help crop best management practices. Two fields were examined, one at the Macdonald Campus of McGill University and the other near St. Jean-sur-Richelieau. Three approaches were used; (1) a hand-held hyper-spectral sensor (350-2500 nm), (2) a Geonics RTM EM-38 conductivity meter and, (3) gravimetric soil moisture sampling. The first experiment (at St. Jean-sur-Richelieu) investigated the possibility of monitoring soil moisture with the EM_38, in the …  Read more

Brawley, Mark R. (Supervisor)  Read more

La vision conventionnelle du gouvernement local canadien est que les municipalités sont dominées par un esprit non partisan et où « il n'y a pas de façon libérale ou conservatrice de paver une rue » (Slayton, 2015). Alors que l'impartialité fait depuis longtemps partie intégrante des gouvernements municipaux dans la plupart des provinces canadiennes, d'autres municipalités ont des partis politiques actifs qui fonctionnent dans des cadres juridiques établis par les gouvernements provinciaux. Pour compliquer davantage les choses, certains candidats dans des juridictions non partisanes sont soutenus par des « partis politiques clandestins », que j'identifie comme des organisations clandestines d'acteurs …  Read more

Flotation on the other hand, developed almost entirely without the previsionery aid afforded by science, rests on principles failing within that branch of science of physical chemistry called colloidal chemistry, which itself affords unlimited possibilities for research. In fact the clearing up of the theoretical side of flotation will lie directly in the path of the work done to throw more light on the subject of colloidal chemistry. [...]  Read more

The term 'international organization' embraces two quite different kinds of institutions, the 'inter-governmental organization' and the 'non-governmental organization'. [...]  Read more

Cheung, Jackie (Supervisor1)  Read more

Bien que la thérapie aux hormones de croissance (GH) puisse réduire l'adiposité efficacement dans certaines formes d'obésité, les traitements aux GH de l'obésité idiopathique n'ont peu voire pas d'effet. Nous pensons que cela pouurait être dû à une modification dans l'expression du récepteur aux hormones de croissance (GHR) dans les tissus adipeux. En premier lieu, nous avons évalué les niveaux de GHR dans les tissus adipeux provenant d'une cohorte de femmes allant de maigres à obèses et trouvé une réduction significative du récepteur.Afin de comprendre les mécanismes impliqués, nous avons analysé les effets de trois facteurs associés à l'obesité (TNFα, …  Read more

Durant son développement, le système nerveux est extrêmement malléable et nécessite un apport constant d'information, afin d'assurer l'assemblage et fonctionnement adéquats des circuits neuronaux. La dégénérescence axonale est l'un des mécanismes utilisés par les systèmes nerveux des vertébrés pour maintenir l'homéostasie, cependant le dérèglement de ce processus entraine de nombreuses maladies neurodégénératives dévastatrices. Bien que l'on en sache peu au sujet des signaux qui la contrôlent, la dégénérescence axonale nécessite l'activation des caspases, qui sont à leur tour régulées par XIAP. Récemment, on attribua un rôle aux kinases de la famille non-canoniques de NF-kB, IKKε et TBK1, dans la régulation …  Read more

Cette thèse examine comment des acteurs non étatiques ont éduqué la jeunesse britannique et ouest africaine sur les enjeux reliés au développement international au cours des années 1950 et 1960, alors que le domaine commençait à émerger sous sa forme moderne. Plus précisément, cette thèse présente des études de cas détaillées sur les programmes éducatifs de la Croix-Rouge britannique (CRB) et d'Oxfam, tout en soulignant certaines initiatives pertinentes des Nations Unies (ONU) au cours de la même période. Autant la CRB qu'Oxfam sont des acteurs qui sont bien établis aujourd'hui dans le domaine de l'assistance humanitaire, ayant eu, au cours …  Read more

Les cellules en plus grand nombre dans le système nerveux sont les astrocytes, mais leur rôle dans le fonctionnement du cerveau demeure nébuleux. Longtemps considérées comme des cellules de support permettant à plusieurs types cellulaires d'interagir entre eux, les astrocytes sont désormais mieux reconnues comme faisant partie intégrale de la cytoarchitecture du cerveau et de la plasticité neuronale. Cette thèse décrira le rôle que jouent les gènes astrocytaires sur le suicide. Par une analyse de l'expression génétique globale, des gènes astrocytaires ont été identifiés dans le cerveau de personnes décédées par suicide qui présentaient un niveau d’expression beaucoup plus faible …  Read more

RésuméL'objectif principal de cette thèse est de décrire les patrons de biodiversité des arthropodes terrestres, la structure de leurs communautés dans le Nord du Canada, et d'explorer les forces et les mécanismes responsables de ces patrons. Le terme «biodiversité» est utilisé ici dans un sens large qui comprend à la fois la diversité taxonomique (DT) et fonctionnelle (DF).Les arthropodes vagabonds, en particulier les coléoptères (Coleoptera), utilisés comme taxon modèle, ont été recueillies à l'aide de méthodes normalisées dans douze sites répartis dans les trois zones écoclimatiques les plus septentrionales du Canada.La biodiversité de coléoptères varie dans l’espace et le temps. …  Read more

In this work the nature of contemporary Canadian evangelicalism will be evaluated in light of Luther's theology of the cross. To commence, a I shall recount a brief history of "evangelicals," tracing the movement from its origins in early sixteenth century Europe at the time of the Protestant Reformation to the present. A four point theological characterization of the contemporary evangelical movement will be outlined. Drawing upon a spectrum of evangelical commentators, leaders and events, I consider the impulses that most typically comprise the evangelical ethos in Canada. Martin Luther's theology of the cross will then be presented and shown …  Read more

Vachon, Brigitte (Supervisor)  Read more

In designing optimizing and parallelizing compilers, it is often simpler and more efficient to deal with programs that have structured control flow. Although most programmers naturally program in a structured fashion, there remain many important programs and benchmarks that include some number of goto statements, thus rendering the entire program unstructured. Such unstructured programs cannot be handled with compilers built with analyses and transformations for structured programs. In this thesis we present a straight-forward algorithm to structure C programs by eliminating all goto statements. The method works directly on a high-level abstract syntax tree (AST) representation of the program and …  Read more