McGill University Thèses et mémoires publiés en 1995

Standards of Amadori rearrangement products (ARP) were synthesized for the purpose of developing analytical techniques and performing mechanistic studies related to their thermal decomposition. Several synthetic strategies were explored. An HPLC analytical system with a diode array detector was coupled to a fluorometer and an electrochemical detector, in order to detect simultaneously and on-line, a wide variety of degradation products of ARPs and to follow their kinetics. The potential of such a system to analyze complex Maillard mixtures was demonstrated. The kinetics of the reaction of glucose with morpholine (a Strecker inactive analogue of proline was used in order to …  Read more

Five studies examined the possible influence of the sexual double standard on women's contraceptive behavior via sexual attitudes and social norms. In Study 1, longitudinal diary data from a community sample of 62 women showed that women's contraceptive behavior in ongoing sexual relationships was quadratically associated with sexual attitude. Study 2 showed that contraceptive behavior in initial and ongoing sexual encounters differed significantly in a sample of 52 university women. In initial encounters there was a greater reliance on condoms and a greater risk of unprotected intercourse. Studies 3, 4 and 5 used a person perception paradigm to examine women's …  Read more

Cette these propose une interpretation de l'histoire du centre culturel montrealais, la Place des Arts, depuis les origines du projet en 1954 jusqu'a la nationalisation de l'institution en 1964. L'analyse qui en est offerte privilegie l'etude des fonctions politiques attribuees au centre culturel pendant cette periode. Elle montre comment cette institution culturelle a servi de catalyseur et de symbole pour nombre d'acteurs sociaux implique dans les changements radicaux qui caracterisent la Revolution Tranquille. Elle dresse ainsi un tableau des grandes forces ideologiques, sociales et politiques presentes au debut des annees Soixante en s'appuyant sur l'etude de cas de la Place …  Read more

The main objective of this study is to analyze three major Indonesian Muslim responses to the Pancasila, the state ideology of Indonesia. The first Muslim response occurred when the Secular Nationalists proposed, shortly before Indonesia's independence in 1945 and again later in the Constituent Assembly debates (1956-1959), that the Pancasila be the basis of state. The second Muslim response to the Pancasila took place in 1978 when the New Order government proposed that the P4 (Guidelines for Understanding and Practicing the Pancasila) be legalized. The Muslims at first objected to both the proposal of the Pancasila as the foundation of …  Read more

The conversion of soybeans to tempe is achieved through fermentation by Rhizopus. This fermentation process leads to hydrolysis of both proteins and lipids. The present work investigated certain biochemical changes which accompany the conversion of soybeans to tempe. The contents of non-protein nitrogen and free $ alpha$-amino nitrogen increased from 2.34 to 15.14%, and 2.03 to 5.22%, respectively after 48 h fermentation. SDS electrophoresis showed that a substantial quantity of the proteins in raw soybeans were hydrolysed by the Rhizopus to low molecular species (molecular weight $<$13,000 Daltons). Trypsin inhibitor activity found in tempe was lower than that of soybean …  Read more

This study examines the application of the Project Research in Nursing (PRN) patient classification/workload measurement system in a teaching hospital in Quebec. It also compares the workload estimates of direct and indirect care activities determined from patients' total PRN point scores and from corresponding PRN levels of care (classes 1-15). This study examines the allocation and the rankings of patients' needs for nursing care in relation to the categories of the classification instrument. Two documentary sources, audit records of 1988-1989 to 1992-1993 and audit data collection forms of 1992-1993 were used to conduct the study and to provide a comparison …  Read more

This thesis studied empirically the air-handling etiology of the nonspecific symptoms of the eyes, respiratory tract, skin, and central nervous system in office workers, often termed the sick building syndrome. The results of a four-period crossover trial in 75 office workers suggest that 70% air recirculation when accompanied by an adequate intake of outdoor air can be used without causing adverse effects. A cross-sectional study of 2678 workers in 41 randomly selected office buildings from Helsinki metropolitan area provides evidence that mechanical ventilation, air conditioning, steam and evaporative humidification and air recirculation are risk indicators of studied symptoms in the …  Read more

The kinetics of production and role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-$ alpha$) and nitric oxide (NO) during the early phase of blood-stage infection with Plasmodium chabaudi AS were investigated using two inbred strains of mice which differ in the level of resistance to this parasite. Analysis of the in vivo expression of TNF-$ alpha$ and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) revealed that, early during infection, resistant C57BL/6 mice, which clear the infection by 4 weeks, have higher levels of TNF-$ alpha$ and iNOS mRNA in the spleen and TNF-$ alpha$ mRNA in the liver than susceptible A/J mice which succumb …  Read more

The purpose of this dissertation is to propose a conceptual framework that can guide assessing and reporting on sustainability. The framework is rooted in a particular value set, is consistent with systems theory, and serves to focus indicator choice. Its development is influenced by a literature review that includes 220 state of- environment reports, several key aspects of economic thought, and thirtytheoretical models that address the human-ecosystem relationship. Four strategic elements that serve as areas of diagnosis or indicator domains are identified including (I) ECOSYSTEM; (11) INTERACI'ION; (Ill) PEOPLE; and (IV) SYNTHESIS. Each domain is linked to a set of …  Read more

Latent inhibition (LI) is the attenuation in the acquisition of Pavlovian conditioning to a conditioned stimulus (CS) due to prior extensive exposure to that CS. It is assumed that LI is an animal model of attention in that animals learn to ignore the preexposed CS. The present series of experiments investigated the effects of selective serotonergic (5-HT) ligands known to increase 5-HT neurotransmission on LI using a conditioned emotional response (CER) procedure. In experiment 1, rats preexposed (PE) to 40 presentations of a tone CS acquired CER suppression more slowly than vehicle-treated nonpreexposed (NPE) animals, suggesting LI was obtained. Administration …  Read more

DNA markers tightly-linked to nuclear fertility restorer genes for cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) are valuable tools for breeders and researchers working with these genes. Two different targeting approaches were used to identify markers linked to the Rfp1 restorer gene for the pol CMS of canola (Brassica napus L.): nearly isogenic line (NIL) comparison and bulked segregant analysis. These methods were equally efficient in identifying markers linked to Rfp1; combining them allowed a targeting efficiency of 100% to be achieved. The efficiency of bulked segregant analysis was found to be limited by the inadvertent occurrence of shared homozygosity at specific chromosomal …  Read more

Guthrie, R. I. L. (Supervisor)  Read more

Airway hyperresponsiveness to bronchoconstrictors has been found in asthma and related to the severity of the disease. The factors which result in hyperresponsiveness are not completely understood. A possible mechanism is an imbalance between endogenous bronchoconstrictors and dilators. NO is known to relax tracheal smooth muscle by activating soluble guanylate cyclase and increasing the level of intracellular cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP). The first hypothesis tested was that the NO-cyclic GMP-relaxant pathway is involved in the regulation of airway responsiveness. Inhibition of endogenous nitric oxide by N$ sp{ omega}$-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) significantly increased airway responsiveness to inhaled methacholine in normoresponsive Lewis rats …  Read more

Analyses of genes involved in yeast cell wall $ beta$1,6-glucan assembly have identified CWH41, PTC1/CWH47, EXG1, PBS2 and a family of genes related to the human oxysterol binding protein, OSBP. CWH41 encodes a novel membrane N-glycoprotein located in the ER. Disruption of CWH41 leads to a K1 killer toxin resistant phenotype, and a 50% reduction in the $ beta$1,6-glucan level The $cwh{ it 41 /} Delta$ mutant displayed strong synergistic defects with $kre{ it 1 /} Delta$ or $kre{ it 1 /} Delta$ null mutations: the $cwh{ it 41 /} Delta kre{ it 6 /} Delta$ double mutant showed a …  Read more

Ahi-1 was initially identified as a common helper provirus integration site on mouse chromosome 10 in 16% of Abelson pre-B-cell lymphomas and shown to be closely linked to Myb proto-oncogene. By using long-range restriction mapping, we have mapped the Ahi-1 locus approximately 35 kbp downstream of the Myb gene. To test whether provirus integration in the Ahi-1 region enhances the expression of Myb by cis-acting mechanism, we have also examined Myb gene expression in A-MuLV-induced pre-B-lymphomas. Our data have revealed that there is no clear evidence for such activation in the tumors we have tested, indicating that provirus insertion in …  Read more

Peterson, Alan (Supervisor)  Read more

In the 1790s, the English Jacobin novelists became vital participants in the fiery debates over natural and civil rights. Energized by the success of the American Revolution and inspired by the calls for l'egalite, la liberte, la surete, and la propriete in France, the Jacobin authors contributed their narratives to the British campaigns for reform of parliament and extension of the franchise. In this dissertation, I argue that the Jacobin novel furnishes crucial insights into the development of a theory of juridical rights in the late eighteenth century. Working in the early modern traditions of contract theory, writers such as …  Read more

Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of exocrine glands and a 43-fold greater risk for lymphoma development. This condition may occur as an isolated disorder, or in association with other rheumatic diseases. This study investigates the role of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) lytic protein p17, an inhibitor of apoptosis, in the pathology of SS. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a small subset (18-40%) of rheumatic patients, regardless of SS status, was found to have an elevated immune response to p17, compared to healthy individuals. Using immunofluorescence analysis, rheumatic patients were found to have an increased …  Read more

Despite the recognition that culturally diverse groups of children in low income areas are at elevated risk for future health problems, no dietary/nutritional studies have been reported on this population. Children aged 9-12 were sampled from schools selected on the basis of a poverty index and ethnicity. Nutritional information (24-hour recall, heights and weights) indicated children were growing well but a high proportion were overweight. A comparison of reported energy intake to calculated BMR indicated that overweight children under-estimated their intakes. Mean intakes met the Canadian RNIs except for calcium in 10-12 year old girls. Nutrient intake was related to …  Read more

This thesis presents the theory required to estimate the available test time in the expansion tube with a reactive gas assuming perfect conditions. The superiority of the expansion tube over the non-reflected and reflected shock tubes will be shown. Further, a method of increasing testing times of combustible flows in the expansion tube through use of a chemical inhibitor is proposed and validated theoretically. The compound selected to illustrate the concept is CF$ sb3$Br. In order to carry out the theoretical analysis of the expansion tube with reactive gas in the presence of trace amounts of inhibitor, the following empirical …  Read more

This work challenges common arguments as to the division of the political from other fictional genres and, in treatments of nineteenth-century fiction and culture, the private from the public sphere. Through an examination of works by Mary Wollstonecraft, Amelia Opie, Maria Edgeworth, and Elizabeth Gaskell, I uncover a common concern with the preconditions of liberal selfhood which posits the household as the space in which the political rights-bearer, defined by interiority and mental qualities, comes to be. This rights-bearer is not, as has been argued, defined by purely formal and abstract procedural reason, but in terms of a capacity for …  Read more

Instruction at a distance is rapidly becoming one of the most widely used modes for teaching post-secondary learners. One of the distinctive characteristics of distance education is the emphasis on course development and the models of course development which have evolved. To date, however, the literature offers little understanding of the knowledge bases upon which current practice in distance education course development is based. Expertise in course development has not been characterized in any systematic way, and it is not known how novice and expert DE course developers differ in the way they conceptualize and go about course development. Even …  Read more

A novel rotating jet spouted bed (RJSB) is developed and tested. It consists of a rotating air distributor with two radially located spouting air nozzles. The effects of bed height, distributor rotational speed, nozzle diameter and particle properties on the flow characteristics were examined. Various flow regimes were mapped as functions of distributor rotational speed and superficial air velocity for different materials and column dimensions. Empirical correlations were developed for the minimum spouting velocity, peak pressure drop and steady spouting pressure drop. Drying kinetics of corn as a test material was investigated using both continuous and intermittent (on/off) spouting/heating schemes. …  Read more

Accurate and efficient array dependence analysis is a crucial phase of optimizing/parallelizing compilers. The results of array dependence analysis are required for many automatic parallelism detection analyses and transformations. This thesis is concerned with the development of a dependence analysis for a certain class of loopnests in the imperative programming language C. In particular, this thesis addresses the problems of incorporating such a framework in a language that supports pointers. We propose a practical and efficient dependence testing framework built upon previously existing methods. To perform any dependence testing, a support analysis is required in order to establish a suitable …  Read more

Granule-laden astroglia accumulate with normal aging in several brain regions. Chronic treatment with cysteamine (CSH), a drug which depletes somatostatin (SS), produces accelerated astorcytic granule accumulation in rat hippocampus homologous to that observed in the aging brain. Behavioral tests performed following CSH administration have always been done with CSH present in the animals' systems and have shown cognitive deficits and decreases in locomotor activity, both of which have been attributed to the depletion of SS by CSH. Since chronic CSH exposure will also produce neuropathological changes in hippocampal astrocytes, we tested animals' spatial learning/memory and motor functioning at two time …  Read more

The behavior and subsequent affect of people low in prejudice were examined in four experiments. In Study 1, 52 people evaluated two targets differing primarily in sexual orientation and then completed mood and prejudice measures. Although people high in prejudice discriminated against a homosexual target, people low and moderate in prejudice favored this target. In Study 2, 57 people were given target intellectual ability information designed to either challenge or not challenge any propensity towards the outgroup favoritism observed in Study 1. Specifically, study participants evaluated either a more qualified homosexual and a less qualified heterosexual (not challenging outgroup favoritism) …  Read more

This thesis explores the form, meaning and development of the escapist theme in Euripides' tragedies. The dramatist's corpus reveals an intense preoccupation with escapism and exhibits it in a wide range of escape wishes and escape choral odes. Most of these, because they fail of their objective, point to the inability of the tragic hero to escape his or her fate as determined by the dark forces of tragedy. Escapism intensifies the well-known Euripidean element of pathos, but in some of the plays its use becomes quite sophisticated evoking irony, ambiguity and paradox. In this way, it sheds light upon …  Read more

QCD higher order corrections (HOC) to three processes are considered: (i) Direct photon production in longitudinally polarized hadron-hadron collisions with numerical applications to proton-proton collisions; (ii) lepton-pair production in transversely polarized hadron-hadron collisions with numerical applications to proton-proton collisions; (iii) heavy quark pair production by polarized and unpolarized photons. The HOC to all three processes are found to be significant. Processes (i) and (ii) are shown to be sensitive probes of the proton's polarized gluon distribution and the transversity distributions, respectively. The asymmetries are found to exhibit perturbative stability. Process (iii) is considered as a background to $ gamma gamma …  Read more

This study explores the notion of partnership as an approach to long-term sustainable development in Africa, by examining relationships Canadian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) forge with their donors and with counterpart NGOs in developing countries. A case study methodology was used to examine how Canadian NGOs in general, and CARE Canada in particular, work in partnership with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and Kenyan local NGOs. The findings indicate that the development themes and agendas of the past three development decades are reflected in the activities and programs of Canadian NGOs. However, very little was learned about the contribution of …  Read more

The notion of "the subject" is central methodologically to the heuristics of Bernard Lonergan, Insight: A Study of Human Understanding (1957; 5th ed., 1992) is Lonergan's most significant work in which he attempts to unveil the ever-elusive dynamics of conscious being as it functions in diverse realms of human thought. Essential to this endeavor is the identification of conscious operations (acts) and their objectifications (contents). This constitutes the "semantic" burden of Insight which, consequently, ought not to be separated from Lonergan's pragmatical mode of investigation. Failure to note this dipolar structure of Insight results in misinformed analyses which are quick …  Read more

This thesis describes the design and construction of an integrated optics (IO) spectrometer for the purpose of characterizing optically transparent polymer thin films (1-10 $ mu$m). IO spectroscopy exploits the properties of electromagnetic fields that exist in a polymer film when it is used as a planar dielectric waveguide. The spectrometer measures waveguide propagation constants and Raman spectra excited by guided modes. These data are used to characterize the structures of solution cast cellulose acetate (CA) films and glassy cellulose films regenerated from them, and laser induced anisotropy in organically modified silicate (ORMOSIL) sol-gel films. Waveguide Raman spectra indicate partial …  Read more

This thesis considers the development of an accurate dynamic model for two industrial manipulators. The accuracy of available instrumentation for recording sensor-motion data required the application of practical methods for improving the estimation bounds. This thesis presents some methods for improving the estimation accuracy of the reduced order dynamic model, particularly with regard to the importance of a correct formulation for the base parametric set and the dependance of parameter estimation accuracy on the torque sensitivity. The thesis also experimentally implement an algorithm for trajectory optimization for estimation by the LMS adaptive law. Practical methods are suggested for carrying out …  Read more

The present study examined the influence personological variables have on therapists' style of conceptualising a hypothetical client's presenting problem. More specifically, the effects of clinical experience (novice vs. expert) and clinical affiliation (counseling psychologist vs. clinical psychologist) on therapists' style of conceptualizing a client's presenting problem was assessed. The emotional content of the therapists' verbal behaviour during a think-aloud diagnostic task, was analyzed. The Feeling Lexicon indexing procedure was used to assess the emotional content of therapists' discourse during the diagnostic task. Eighteen clinical psychologists and eighteen counselling psychologists were selected to fulfill the criteria for having either novice or …  Read more

During the present studies we attempted to answer the following questions: (i) Does low temperature alter the phosphorylation level of proteins in isolated nuclei? (ii) Does the nuclear phosphoprotein population change during a prolonged exposure of seedlings to cold? (iii) Do heat-stable proteins accumulate in the nucleus during a prolonged exposure of seedlings to cold? (iv) Are the answers to the above three questions related to freezing tolerance? A possible relationship between the observed cold-induced changes in phosphoproteins and the level of freezing tolerance was explored by comparing the results of experiments conducted on two cultivars (Apica and Trek) of …  Read more

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of non-invasive, low-intensity, pulsed ultrasound on bone growth into tantalum porous implants. Three transcortical cylindrical implants were inserted into both femora of 12 dogs. One leg underwent daily ultrasound stimulation for 40 consecutive minutes with the transducer positioned over the central, or "target" implant, while the contralateral leg served as the control. Six dogs were each treated for periods of two and three weeks. A quantitative analysis was performed to determine the volume fraction of bone ingrowth. At two weeks, there was 12.4 $ pm$ 5.4% bone ingrowth in the …  Read more

For the past twenty years, the theoretical advance of the matrix converters has been impeded by the complexity arising from the time-varying trigonometric functions in their transformation matrix. In addition, the switching difficulties associated with the bidirectional switches have complicated the practical implementation of this class of converters. In this thesis, the dyadic matrix structure and the a-b-c to d-q-0 transformation have been melded together to develop the dyadic matrix converter theory which is a generalized theory for the three-phase to three-phase matrix converters. The thesis addresses the zero-sequence interaction in the matrix converters and the role of the zero-sequence …  Read more

Let $0<n sb1<n sb2< cdots<n sb{N}$ be integers for $N in{ rm I !N},$ and let $ lambda sb1, lambda sb2, ..., lambda sb{N}$ be complex numbers of modulus 1. If $f( theta)= lambda sb1e sp{in sb1 theta}+ lambda sb2 e sp{in sb2 theta}+ cdots+ lambda sb{N}e sp{in sb{N} theta},$ and $g( theta)=e sp{i theta}+e sp{2 theta}+ cdots+e sp{iN theta},$ then a conjecture originally proposed by Hardy and Littlewood states that $ int sbsp{0}{2 pi} vert g( theta) vert sp{p}{d theta over2 pi} leq int sbsp{0}{2 pi} vert f( theta) vert sp{p}{d theta over2 pi}$ for $0<p leq2,$ and that …  Read more

Primeau, Francois (Supervisor)  Read more

In this thesis, dynamics and control of multi-body tethered satellite systems are investigated. First a dynamical model is developed that takes into account the three dimensional librational motion of the system as well as the nonlinear vibrations of the tethers, both in longitudinal and transverse directions. The assumed modes method is used to discretize the continuous tethers. Using Lagrange's equations, splitting the vector of generalized coordinates to a set of subvectors, where each subvector corresponds to a specific tether, a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations governing the motion of the system is obtained in the explicit analytical form. A …  Read more

This research program presents an experimental study on the mechanical and thermal properties of different types of concretes at very early ages, (i.e., during hydration). These properties are investigated for temperature-matched curing, sealed curing and air-dried curing. Three types of concretes are studied including normal-strength (30 MPa), medium-strength (70 MPa) and high-strength (100 MPa) concretes. About 300 cylinders and 175 flexural beams were tested to determine the early-age mechanical properties including compressive stress-strain responses, gain of compressive strength, change in elastic modulus and variation of tensile strength. Creep frames and measuring devices were built to enable the experimental determination of …  Read more

Cette thèse vise à une explication du concept de Jihad-i-Akbar (lutte contre le soi ou son âme) en analysant la pensée mystique ainsi que la vie du grand érudit religieux Âyatullàh Rühullàh Khomeini (1902-1990). En plus d'avoir une connaissance profonde des sciences religieuses islamiques, il était aussi un figure politique et un mystique bien connu. L'étude tente aussi à analyser, à travers l'étude de l'oeuvre d'Âyatullâh Khomeini Chihil Hadith (quarante traditions), la relation entre 'irfan (mysticisme) et les activités dans la société, et démontre comment il a su combiner les différentes dimensions de l'Islam dans sa vie publique et privée.  Read more

Turgay, A. Uner (Supervisor)  Read more

This work investigates testability of asynchronous circuits and its relation with signal transition graphs (STGs), using a state based approach on non-scan asynchronous circuits. In addition to the testability characteristics studied, this work suggests some test generation techniques for asynchronous circuits designed from STGS. An event fault, interpreted as either a stimulating fault or an inhibiting fault of a transition, is used to cover the stuck-at-fault (SAF) behavior of an asynchronous circuit. An advantage of such analysis is that test vectors for an inhibiting fault can be obtained from operations on a signal transition graph (STG) or a state graph …  Read more

The micellization of polystyrene based block copolymers was investigated in aqueous and in organic media. Micelles formed from polystyrene-b-poly(sodium acrylate) (PS-b-PANa) in sodium chloride solutions were investigated by static light scattering (SLS). The aggregation numbers (N$ rm sb{agg})$ were influenced by low salt concentrations ($<$0.10 M) and they were essentially independent of the soluble block lengths. The core radii ($ rm sb{e}$ agreed well with previous solid state results on similar samples studied by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). It was thus concluded that no supermicellar aggregates were present and that the cores were solvent free. A method to evaluate the …  Read more

This thesis examines selected prose fiction works of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley in an effort to establish a clearer understanding of the creative principles informing her writing, based on more evidence than her well-known novel Frankenstein provides. Overturning the hitherto dismissive and/or reductive critiques of her lesser-known works, this thesis challenges negative assessments by reinterpreting the structure of Shelley's fiction. Concentrating particularly on the early Frankenstein(1818), Mathilda (written in 1819), and The Last Man (1826), with a focus on the use of insistent embedded quotations, this thesis begins by exploring Shelley's belief in textuality as a form of "grafting." As scholars …  Read more

The onset of acute graft-versus host disease (aGVHD) is accompanied by macrophage priming and the presence of bacteria derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the sera and organs of transplanted animals. Priming of macrophages occurs despite suppression of T cell function. We have investigated whether interleukin 12 (IL-12) mediates the continued production of interferon gamma (IFN-$ gamma$) during the state of T cell immunosuppression accompanying aGVHD. AGVHD was induced in non-irradiated AxC57BL/6 mice by an injection of C57BL/6 lymphoid cells. Despite T cell immunosuppression, macrophages remained primed as shown by their expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA and production of …  Read more

The purpose of this study is to examine the Jewish Immigrant Aid Services (JIAS) as an example of an ethnic lobby in the Canadian political system. The research explores how in-group and external political factors influence the techniques and effectiveness of JIAS within the immigration policy arena. Specifically, this paper examines how JIAS' lobbying efforts are influenced as a result of issues emerging from within the organization (e.g. structure, hierarchy, leadership, etc), and those arising from within the organization's constituency: Canadian Jews as a whole, and other organizations within the Jewish polity. Further, the broader context of public opinion and …  Read more