McGill University Theses and dissertations published in 1989

Carbonetto, Turner and coworkers have isolated a monoclonal antibody (Mab 3A3; Turner et al., 1989) which selectively inhibits neurite outgrowth by PC-12 cells, a rat pheochromocytoma cell line, on laminin and collagen. I have shown that Mab 3A3 detaches PC-12 cells from laminin and collagen but not from fibronectin or polylysine. Mab 3A3 immunoprecipitates from rat brian homogenates two cell-surface proteins of 185 and 115 kDa. Three lines of evidence presented in this thesis suggest that these two proteins are a heterodimer that belongs to the integrin family of receptors. First, an antiserum that recognizes a $ beta sb1$ subunit …  Read more

"The Book and the Veil" is an experimental ethnographic study that presents a feminist critique of Orientalist discourse as it relates to Istanbul at the turn of the twentieth century. The Preface reviews relevant anthropological literature in order to construct the theoretical context of the thesis. The Introduction then elaborates on the various voices embodied in the text, each of which expresses different types of cultural and critical information. Part 1 (Chapters 1-4), comments on Grace Ellison's stay in Istanbul harems in 1914, as described in An Englishwoman in a Turkish Harem. Part 2 (Chapters 5-7), engages in a dialogue …  Read more

This dissertation advances a model which assumes extreme openness characterised by the absence of nontradables. The pivotal relative price is the real wage which is of central importance in the analysis of devaluation. The model incorporates a simple supply function on the basis that the supply response to a devaluation cannot be taken for granted because of structural factors and unstable expectations characteristic of the transitional period following a devaluation. The effects of devaluation depend on a combination of factors among which are highlighted capitalists' expectations of future stability and the constraints on disabsorption. Our analysis underlines the need for …  Read more

Both the counterculture and its music will be examined using the concepts of heteronomy, autonomy, and theonomy and their dialectical relationship according to Paul Tillich's theory of religion and culture. The main themes beneath the emergence of the counterculture will be outlined, and the ways in which the dominant culture of the time may be considered what Tillich describes as a heteronomous phenomenon will be presented. The historical significance of the counterculture will then be demonstrated in terms of Tillich's concept of kairos. Through examination of the lyrics of some of the most popular songs between 1965 and 1970, the …  Read more

This dissertation is intended to demonstrate the presence of a contemporary gnostic spirit in the novels of Robertson Davies. The dominance of Protestant puritanism in English Canadian culture is a frequent theme in the literature of the nation. In his writing, Robertson Davies counters the repressive dynamics of a society shaped by puritanism with an appeal to an alternate vision. This vision, which places greater value on self-knowledge, bears a strong affinity to the precepts of the ancient gnostics. Davies' critique of an English Canadian context which appears to place higher value on morality than on spiritual adventures can be …  Read more

This work is a study on software tools for the diagnosis of electrical equipment. It covers conventional and expert system methods, of which the latter are found to be more appropriate for the task. The interest in expert systems is directed towards those based on deep knowledge, meaning the structural and functional description of devices. A well-known approach for reasoning on complex structural knowledge consists of using qualitative models. The thesis explores the principal works in this domain and applies them to the diagnosis of electrical equipment in order to evaluate their limitations. Another approach is also considered, based on …  Read more

This master's thesis in creative work is divided in two parts: a compilation of novels and a critical study. The creative work is entitled "Les lits clos". It is a compilation of nine novels imprint with black humor. This creative work tends to demonstrate that daily routine is a source of black humor and that reality is nothing but the perception that everyone makes of it. "Les lits clos" will be preceded by a critical study which intends to explain what is black humor by following Andre Breton, founder of that term. First of all we will discuss of Jacques …  Read more

The potential relationship between the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) in lines of EBV-carrying B cells that had been super-infected by HIV-1 was investigated. We found that such cells can produce high levels of viral particles, over long periods, with a minimal cytopathic effect and were less susceptible to HIV-1 infection than primary cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). We also investigated whether an alternative receptor, other than the well-known CD4 receptor, could permit HIV-1 infection of B cells immortalized by EBV. We detected a mechanism of complement-mediated antibody-dependent enhancement of HIV-1 …  Read more

A sample of 410 single neurons were studied in the primary somatosensory cortex of halothane anesthetized cats. Basal forebrain stimulation affected the responsiveness of 63% of 80 somatosensory cortical neurons. Fifty-three percent were facilitated, 10% were inhibited leaving 37% not affected. All the effects observed had a long-term duration ranging from five minutes to more than one hour. These long-term effects were antagonized by atropine in 86% of the 22 neurons tested. An unusually broad distribution of sampled somatosensory neurons skewed toward lower layers was attributed to the stimulation of the basal forebrain. Basal forebrain stimulation also increased the proportion …  Read more

The documentary credit or letter of credit is and has been for many centuries a fundamental instrument of international commerce. The characteristics of simplicity of use and of legendary reliability found in this mechanism of payment have induced the parties involved in world trade to use it as a guarantee to the execution of all kinds of legal obligations such as the full completion of construction work, financing, payment of customs duties or taxes, judicial bonds and even promises of marriage. This master's thesis specifically concerns letters of credit used as a guarantee which are called in the trade "stand-by …  Read more

Ogilvie, Kelvin (Supervisor)  Read more

This thesis describes a study of the effect of microstructure on the thermal stability of poly(vinyl chloride), PVC, vinyl chloride-ethylene, VC-E, and vinyl chloride-propylene, VC-P, copolymers obtained by chemical modification of PVC. The VC-E copolymers, with an ethylene content between 1.1 and 21 mole %, are random copolymers with approximately the same degree of polymerization as the original PVC. A decrease in the number of defect sites is observed with extent of reaction. Concomitantly, the syndiotacticity increases. The VC-P copolymers, with propylene content of ca. 0.1%, also have less labile chlorines than the homopolymer since these react preferentially. The thermal …  Read more

The role of nerve growth factor (NGF), a neurotrophic molecule, and its high-affinity receptor in intact and injured adult rat lumbar sensory neurons was examined at a cellular level using quantitative receptor radioautography to localize the NGF high-affinity receptor-positive subpopulation, in conjunction with histochemistry on adjacent sections. The 40-50% of sensory neurons displaying NGF receptors were characterized. Virtually all neurons containing substance P or CGRP were NGF receptor-positive, but not those with somatostatin or thiamine monophosphatase activity. The ability of a neuron to bind NGF with high-affinity correlates positively with growth-associated protein (GAP43) expression but not with neurofilament (NFM) expression. …  Read more

Two distinct proofs of Godel's first incompleteness theorem are presented and compared. A presentation of Godel's second incompleteness theorem is also given. There follows a detailed analysis of Gentzen's consistency proof of elementary number theory; in particular, the success of the reduction procedure is rigorously demonstrated. Finally, the epistemic value of any such consistency proof is considered.  Read more

This thesis examines the theoretical foundations of Brecht's and Sartre's "dialectical" theatre. Proceeding first from their most significant theoretical writings, it then studies representative plays--Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder and Les Mains sales--in an attempt to make explicit the relationship between theory and artistic practice. The textual analysis proper develops certain aspects of theme, structure and reception which in turn reveal meaningful differences and contradictions. Sartre's "dramatic" theatre in fact evidences a sort of ideological creativity whereas Brecht's "epic" theatre presents a more primordial artistic creativity. Therefore, though the concept of dialectical theatre (essentially political and/or historic) is a common …  Read more

This study investigated the effects of providing body weight support (BWS) on the gait pattern of 15 incomplete spinal cord lesioned subjects. Electromyographic (EMG), joint angular displacement and temporal distance parameters were simultaneously recorded as subjects walked on a treadmill while 0% and 40% of their body weight was mechanically supported by an overhead harness. The effects of 0% and 40% BWS while walking with and without parallel bars and at different treadmill speeds was further investigated in a subgroup of 8 subjects. In general, 40% BWS led to a decrease in prolonged EMG activity of proximal muscles, a decrease …  Read more

This thesis investigates the phenomenon of for-to complements in several dialects, focusing primarily on Appalachian English, though Belfast English and Ottawa Valley English are also examined. Following Chomsky's Government and Binding theory, we develop an analysis of for-to that predicts the distribution of for-to complements based on the requirements of Case, and the varieties of licit movement of features allowed by each dialect. To do this, we propose a Revised Case Filter which requires functional categories bearing Case features to discharge Case. We also show that the features of functional categories can move either by head movement (allowing movement of …  Read more

A normed space of input-output mappings equipped with two products, one global and the other local, called a normed double algebra (NDA), is introduced for the frozen-time analysis of stabilization and optimization of a class of slowly time-varying systems. Local-global relations within a normed double algebra are established, in the time and frequency domains, in systems which vary slowly. The local-global relations, applied to system properties such as stability, coprime factorization and optimization, enable global properties to be deduced from the local ones, especially in the frequency domain, by methods which are computationally tractable, at least in principle. Classical frozen-time …  Read more

Heterogeneity is a ubiquitous finding in human tissues. Indeed, the cellular heterogeneity of a tumor may be viewed as a caricature of normal tissue that defines the tissue of tumor origin and prognosis. The heterogeneity of a simple tissue, bladder epithelium, has been studied with quantitative flow cytometry to measure light scattering properties and lectin binding to cells in normal and malignant tissue. It was confirmed that such quantitative assessments could be used to reveal relationships of normal tissue heterogeneity to malignant tissue heterogeneity which were relevant to both normal tissue development and tumor status. In addition, an indicator of …  Read more

Based primarily on notarized farm leases, this thesis examines approaches to agriculture on the island of Montreal from 1780 to 1820. This source permits us to establish the crucial relationship between people and farms and to then link them to differences in capital investment, production and farming techniques. By understanding the common, day-to-day farming operations, we can address ourselves to the larger questions of what contributed to the state of Lower Canadian agriculture, a subject of contentious debate in Quebec historiography. The island of Montreal, already favoured by the geographic circumstances of climate, soil and location, was also a crucible …  Read more

The larvae of Tenebrio molitor Linne and Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) both aggregated upon substrates treated with aqueous extracts of conspecific larval frass. Lactic acid is a pheromone in the frass of both species. Alphitobius larvae were attracted to lactic acid, while lactic acid caused Tenebrio larvae to arrest. Propionic acid is a repellent pheromone present in Tenebrio frass, but the lactic acid-induced response is dominant. The role of these chemical factors in population orientation of the larvae of these mealworm species is discussed. The cuticular lipids of the larvae of both species contained close-range attractants that had a role in …  Read more

Early hypertrophy has justified the clinical use of vascularized bone grafts. This hypertrophy has not been established in experimental models, possibly because stress-shielded grafts were used. Our model allowed the grafts to bear weight. In 14 dogs we replaced the diaphysis of the radius with a vascularized fibula, and the diaphysis of the ulna with a conventional fibula (Group I). In 10 dogs we reversed the positions of the grafts (Group II). External fixation was used. The grafts were evaluated radiographically, mechanically and histologically. The vascularized grafts hypertrophied early, and were stronger than conventional grafts, particularly in Group I, where …  Read more

In the area of mass communications and media sociology, connections between theoretical claims and empirical evidence have often been tenuous. Using American national Election Study data gathered by the Center for Political Studies, this dissertation tests a series of hypotheses about the political impact of the mass media. The work profiles the news audience, and examines the public's reliance upon television and newspapers as sources of political information. Next, evidence is brought to bear upon the set of pessimistic assumptions that television news personnel hold about the tastes and capacities of the news audience. Finally, a crucial test is developed …  Read more

The effects of plasticisation on the phase behaviour in random and ABA triblock styrene-N-alkyl-4-vinylpyridinium iodide ionomers were studied using small angle X-ray scattering and dynamic mechanical techniques. It was found that the internal plasticisation of a random ionomer by quaternisation with n-iodoalkanes does not result in phase separation. The glass transition temperatures of such materials can be predicted on the basis of the vinylpyridine content and the iodoalkane chain length. Plasticisation of the random ionomers with nonpolar additives, either internally, via alkylation of the phenyl ring with 1-decene, or externally, by the addition of diethylbenzene, results in the phase separation …  Read more

The phenoxyacetyl group was investigated as a base protecting group in oligoribonucleotide synthesis using the phosphoramidite coupling procedure. The N-phenoxyacetyl protected ribonucleoside methylphosphoramidites were prepared and they were evaluated in the synthesis of a number of oligoribonucleotides, including a 75-unit-long molecule whose base sequence is related to the yeast formylmethionine initiator tRNA. A side reaction leading to some cleavage of the assembled oligoribonucleotide chain was observed in oligoribonucleotide synthesis, following the standard procedure. The nature of this side reaction was identified and a procedure to eliminate it was developed. An extensive study has been carried out to prove the fidelity …  Read more

This thesis argues that desire is a major theme in Samuel Beckett's dramatic works. Central to our analysis is Jacques Lacan's concept of the Desire for the Other, as the outcome of the human subject's division. We will investigate how desire is expressed at the level of Beckett's characters' utterance. The characters' attempts at and inability to achieve a reconciliation with their speech correlate with the impossibility of reunifying Lacan's split subject. The first part of our discussion focuses upon desire-as-paradox--the lack of will to desire and the continuation of desire--in Not I, Footfalls and Krapp's Last Tape, whereas Rockaby …  Read more