McGill University Thèses et mémoires publiés en 1996

Rea, John (Supervisor)  Read more

The present research project was designed to analyse some of the mechanisms implicated in the autoregulation of serotonin (5-HT) function in rats and mice. It focuses on (i) the study of 5-HT reuptake activity following the long-term administration of the selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) paroxetine and the tricyclic drug tianeptine, and (ii) autoreceptor-mediated control of 5-HT release at the cell body level and its modifications following long-term antidepressant treatments. The adaptative properties of the 5-HT transporter were assessed using a combined methodological approach of in vivo binding studies as well as $ rm lbrack sp3H rbrack$5-HT uptake assays. Such …  Read more

Peters, T. M. (Supervisor)  Read more

Leukocyte extravasation is a regulated mechanism involving the initial contact, adhesion, and transmigration of leukocytes through layers of endothelial cells into the surrounding tissue. L-selectin is the peripheral lymph node homing receptor mediating the initial interaction and weak adhesion between lymphocytes and endothelial cells. This thesis presents two non-traditional roles of L-selectin-involvement in cell division and signaling. Cytokinesis is the last phase of mitosis in which the plasma membrane invagination occurs between the newly formed daughter cells. L-selectin concentrates along the cleavage furrow of dividing Daudi cells. Arresting cells after completing mitosis results in detectable shed L-selectin in the culture …  Read more

Genetic predisposition to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) involves one or more loci within the class II region of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). The strongest MHC-linked determinants of disease susceptibility have been associated with polymorphisms in both the $ alpha$ and $ beta$ chain subunits of HLA-DQ (human) and I-A (mouse) class II molecules. Specifically, protection against IDDM development is associated with the presence of aspartic acid at position 57 of the $ beta$ chain while non-aspartic acid residues are found in diabetogenic $ beta$ chains. In humans, the greatest risk of disease development is observed in individuals with Arg …  Read more

This thesis deals with Montreal innkeepers and tavern-keepers in the first half of the 18th century. It begins with an analysis of the strict regulations imposed on such traders by colonial authorities and follows with a description of their social profile. This research then draws attention to the French, mainly military, origins of this group, as well as to the important role played by women in such occupations and their close relationship with the artisan class. Finally, the study of the estate and of the way of life of innkeepers and tavern-keepers suceeds in showing similarities in their domestic environment, …  Read more

The methods currently used to evaluate cultivator weed control are imprecise and often biased. A new method was tested. An experiment was carried out at two sites in 1993 and again in 1994, using a split-plot design with four repetitions. Cultivation was carried out on weed populations simulated with rye grass (Lolium spp L.) and mustard (Sinapis alba L.) in 1993 and on both simulated and natural weed population in 1994 with Rabe Werk, Hiniker and Kongskilde cultivators. Weed control was assessed by the effective weed kill and the percentage of the area of the simulated weed population which was …  Read more

Approximately 10% of women use cocaine and 20% smoke cigarettes during pregnancy. Animal studies indicate that both cocaine and nicotine are neuroteratogenic agents, although findings with humans are inconsistent. Studies with human infants have been plagued by unreliable subject identification procedures, poor control over confounding factors, and invalid measures of CNS integrity. The literature on prenatal cocaine and nicotine use is reviewed and two studies are presented along with an intriguing case report. The effects of maternal prenatal cocaine use (Study 1) and two levels of cigarette smoking (Study 2) on newborn information processing ability were examined using an auditory …  Read more

The commitment to community shared by Native American authors such as N. Scott Momaday, James Welch, and Louise Erdrich is partially evinced by each author's readiness to inscribe in novel form the values and traditions of the tribal community or communities with which he/she is closely associated. Many students of the novel will attest to its pliant, sometimes transmutable nature; nevertheless, as this study attempts to make clear, there are some reasons why Native American authors should reconsider using the novel as a means to express their tribal communities' values and traditions. Unambivalent prescriptions, however, seem more suited to the …  Read more

A novel approach whereby one can use genetically engineered cells for various applications is presented in this thesis. The concept of artificial cell has been used for the purpose. Artificial cells containing genetically engineered bacteria E. coli DH5 cells for the removal of urea and ammonia are taken as an example to establish the feasibility of this approach. Further, this example of removal of urea and ammonia is selected as presently we do not have an efficient and cost effective method to use during kidney failure, liver failure and other diseases when elevated levels of urea and ammonia are commonly …  Read more

This Master's Thesis studies the theme of the stroll (promenade) and the various metaphors it inspires in a selection of humanist works from the 16th and 17th centuries. Furthermore, it attempts to show that the image of the promenade acts as an emblem to various intellectual trends here united under the concept of openness. The diverses uses of the promenade are each considered to be emblematic of a level of ouverture which, in turn, forms the subject of a section of the thesis: I. Openness to the world, where the theme of the stroll is studied in relation to another …  Read more

The purpose of the study was to examine francophone high school teachers' motivation and to test the Job Characteristics Model, a model of factors that affect the satisfaction and motivation of workers, to determine its possible utility as a diagnostic tool in the field of education. The study is based on a sample of 136 high school teachers from a francophone high school. The data collection instrument used in this study was the Job Diagnostic Survey developed by Hackman and Oldham (1980). The findings revealed that the Job Characteristics Model and the JDS instrument have some utility in the field …  Read more

The postmodern is characterised by an incredulity towards the universal truths which mark modernity. Kuki Shuzo, like many intellectuals in Japan during the twenties and thirties, anticipates this discourse by attempting to confront the hegemonic claims and universal pretensions of modernity. Using the latest European methodologies, Kuki attempted to define a site of difference--a site that could escape the putative universality of Western modes of dealing with historical development and consciousness--through a particular reading of cultural artefacts, especially Edo poetry and painting. Yet Kuki would ultimately locate this special site within the temporal, spatial, and subjective boundaries of the modern …  Read more

The thermal conductivity $ kappa$ of the high-temperature superconductor $ rm YBa sb2Cu sb3O sb{7- delta}$ has been the subject of numerous investigations in recent years. Previous measurements show that $ kappa$: (1) exhibits a large peak in the superconducting state; (2) is anisotropic in the basal plane of the orthorhombic crystal structure. The main two subjects of this thesis are: (1) the origin of the peak and (2) a detailed investigation of the anisotropy. In order to investigate the relative contribution of electrons and phonons to the heat conduction in YBCO, we have measured the thermal and electrical conductivities …  Read more

The focus of this thesis is the study of relative definability of first-order boolean functions with respect to the language PCF, a paradigmatic typed, higher-order language based on the simply-typed $ lambda$-calculus. The basic core language is sequential. We study the effect of adding construct that embody various notions of parallel execution. The resulting set of equivalence classes with respect to relative definability forms a supsemilattice analoguous to the lattice of degrees in recursion theory. Recent results of Bucciarelli show that the lattice of degrees of parallelism has both infinite chains and infinite antichains. By considering a very simple subset …  Read more

Colloidal polypyrrole and polyaniline stabilized by anionic surfactants were prepared and characterized. A "pseudo-micelle" model has been proposed. The aggregation of pseudo-micelles on the forming polymer chains is believed to be the key step in the stabilization process. Only when the aggregation is possible and fast enough to follow the polymer formation, will the polymer be stabilized. Colloidal polypyrrole and polyaniline were prepared in the presence of the sodium salt of poly(styrene sulfonate). The polymerization is believed to follow a template-guided fashion in which poly(styrene sulfonate) functions as a molecular template for pyrrole and aniline polymerization. The stability and water …  Read more

The purpose of this study was to develop a method to differentiate muscle co-contraction from crosstalk in surface EMG recordings through muscle conduction velocity (CV) detection. A device was designed and constructed to measure surface EMG for detecting CV. This device was used to monitor the activity from the antagonist muscle when the subject tracked torque commands isometrically around the ankle. CV detected from the surface EMG was used as an indication of antagonist muscle co-activation; surface EMG recordings not showing CV were confirmed as crosstalk. As the result, CV was detected in the surface EMG from the antagonist muscle …  Read more

Experimental data have been measured at 23$ sp circ$C for reverse micelles formed by Aerosol-OT (AOT), and by dioctyldimethyl ammonium chloride (DODMAC), or bromide (DODMAB) in an organic phase in contact with an aqueous salt solution. The following studies in Winsor type II systems have been considered: (i) ion distribution in AOT and DODMAC reverse micellar systems, (ii) extraction of zwitterionic amino acids with AOT reverse micelles, (iii) extraction of proteins with DODMAC reverse micelles, (iv) water uptake of AOT, DODMAC and DODMAB reverse micelles. Depending on the study, the effects of the following variables were investigated: salt, amino acid …  Read more

Air transport is by its very nature one of the most international of economic activities. However, until fairly recently, its regulatory framework has been premised on an overriding nationalism developed and maintained on the basis of the following: substantial ownership and effective control provisions found in national legislation and most bilateral air transport agreements; restrictions on cabotage found in national legislation, most bilateral air transport agreements and Article 7 of the Chicago Convention; and the related national restrictions on the right of establishment applicable to national carriers. However, as the international component of the air transport industry has grown in …  Read more

Gyakum, John (Supervisor)  Read more

The Crying Wave is a twenty minute music composition for an amplified ensemble of fifteen instruments combined with a prerecorded electroacoustic audio component and live signal processing. The composition explores the use of fundamental electroacoustic music techniques such as additive, subtractive, and granular synthesis as models for the creation and manipulation of materials and structure in both the instrumental and electroacoustic aspects of the work. Two series of harmonies underlie the piece and serve as both harmonic and melodic resources. Procedures including additive/subtractive durations, palindrome and canon, the Fibonacci series, and antiphonal alternation of instrumental groups are used throughout the …  Read more

The injection molding process, due to its versatility, cost effectiveness, and ability to produce precise complex articles is widely used in plastics processing. Mold cavity pressure is a good indicator of the processes taking place in the cavity and plays an important role in determining the quality of the molded articles. The dynamic modeling and control of cavity pressure, based on a physically-based approach, is studied in this research project. The work deals with the filling and packing phases. A lumped physically-based model was developed in order to study the behavior of the system. The model is derived from conservation …  Read more

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the concepts of privacy and to propose design patterns for providing privacy for individuals and families in the context of Montreal row houses. The study examines and explores the notion of privacy through a multidisciplinary literature review and links this notion to the row houses. The morphogenesis of row houses, the role of occupants and the built environment in the evolution of privacy issues in this housing type is investigated through a broad historical review and site surveys. The research leads to a series of proposed design patterns which can be used …  Read more

A common problem in medical research is the estimation of the prevalence of a disease in a given population. This is usually accomplished by applying a diagnostic test to a sample of subjects from the target population. In this thesis, we investigate the sample size requirements for the accurate estimation of disease prevalence for such experiments. When a gold standard diagnostic test is available, estimating the prevalence of a disease can be viewed as a problem in estimating a binomial proportion. In this case, we discuss some anomalies in the classical sample size criteria for binomial parameter estimation. These are …  Read more

Several independent African states promote teaching of a national culture as one culture and learning about ethnic cultures as separate and distinct aspects of other cultures of the nation. This is often articulated in development philosophies and political discourses that complement both being modern and being ethnic with almost equal emphasis. This dissertation is about learning African culture in the school system in Kenya. The dissertation reviews the historical development of learning about culture in Kenya and particularly about material culture and the arts from pre-Christian and colonial times to post independence. This last period covers the presidencies of Jomo …  Read more

The potential of hot water dipping, vapour heating or ultraviolet irradiation to eliminate the use of chemicals for control of sprouting and post-harvest diseases of the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) was examined. The microorganisms on which these treatments were tested were the fungal dry rot (Fusarium solani) and the bacterial soft rot (Erwinia carotovora pv. carotovora), two major post-harvest pathogens of potatoes. The study focused on short-term storage (three months) at 8$ sp circ$C or 18$ sp circ$C, which are representative of storage temperatures used by producers in northern temperate and semi-arid tropical regions, respectively. Response surface methodology was used …  Read more

Antiarrhythmic drugs, designed to prevent or suppress cardiac arrhythmias, may cause the worsening of an arrhythmia already present in a patient or provoke new and qualitatively different arrhythmias. Cardiotoxic effects of antiarrhythmic drugs may be rate-related or due to intoxication, and may lead to serious and potentially lethal ventricular arrhythmias. The goals of my research were (1) to study the mechanisms by which class IC antiarrhythmic drugs cause ventricular arrhythmias and (2) to explain the mechanisms of action of sodium salts in the reversal of class IC cardiotoxicity. We used flecainide (F) as a prototype of its class to study …  Read more

Wall, A. E. (Supervisor)  Read more

Formation of Pb and Ca precipitates on a silica surface in the presence of sulphate and carbonate under neutral to alkaline condition is studied using zeta potential measurements, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The effect of carbonate on displacing sulphate is discussed. In the Pb/sulphate system, precipitates of predominantly Pb-oxide/hydroxide formed on the silica surface. In the Pb/carbonate system, the precipitates were predominantly Pb-carbonate/hydroxy carbonate. Precipitates in both the Pb/SO$ sb4$ and Pb/CO$ sb3$ systems were dispersed by addition of sufficient carbonate, the silica surface eventually becoming free of precipitates. This dispersion was considered to be …  Read more

Crude mannoproteins (MP) from several different industrial yeast sources were obtained by heating (3 h at 121$ sp circ$C) cells suspended in citrate buffer (pH 7.0) followed by ultrafiltration and washing. Crude mannoproteins and their ammonium sulfate fractions exhibited varying degrees of emulsifying activities, i.e., ease and extent of emulsification. Not all of the oil and water emulsions were stable for three weeks, whereas all of the oil and vinegar emulsions remained stable for up to three months. Addition of NaCl increased both emulsifying activity and emulsion stability. Emulsions with an acidic pH were the most stable. With pH emulsion …  Read more

This thesis contends that there has often been a critical tendency to understate the challenges to the genre of autobiography that occur in Audrey Thomas's three novels: Songs My Mother Taught Me, Mrs. Blood, and Blown Figures. Chapter one qualifies autobiography in terms of its reliance on the liberal humanist subject as both author and protagonist. In the context of poststructuralist criticism, the author cannot be the unified, unique, original locus of truth that the liberal humanist subject is posited to be. Thus, as the subject collapses the foundation of autobiography collapses. Chapter two is a detailed analysis illustrating that …  Read more

A number of concentrated high molecular weight narrow distribution polystyrene solutions were investigated using a sliding plate rheometer. An in-depth study of the wall slip of these solutions had to be conducted to determine the range of conditions where this phenomenon occurred. It was found that the critical stress for the onset of slip depends on the surface of the substrate. Step strain experiments allowed the determination of the ratio of the second to the first normal stress difference, which was found to have values of up to $-$2. Gradients in the normal stress differences are believed to be the …  Read more

The primary objective of this M. A. thesis is to correct some false assumptions found in both older and more recent secondary literature on North American Indian narratives. Many folklorists base their folktale criteria on terms of cultural differences instead of similarities which results in an ethnocentric point of view that holds the Grimms' Kinder- und Hausmarchen as a standard against which all other folktale collections falls short. If we want to strive for a world view that will embrace all types of literature, while respecting the individuality of each culture, then we must focus on the essential similarities among …  Read more

Commutation signaling is an anti-multipath modulation technique that employs bandwidth spreading to overcome multipath induced intersymbol interference. In this work, a wireless communication system using differential binary phase shift keyed commutation signaling has been considered for a two-wave Rayleigh fading channel. Commutation signaling code parameters that characterize the system performance (average and worst case) are revealed and codebooks have been constructed based on these parameters. For binary codebooks constructed based on average performance, the maximum probability of error may be very large at certain inter-wave delays. On the other hand, binary and four phase codebooks constructed based on the worst …  Read more

This thesis deals with issues of gender, power, and history in Koriak women's lives in northern Kamchatka. The Koriak represent one of the indigenous populations of Russia's north. They migrate with the reindeer over vast, rugged tundra territory, and live by the products the animals and the land yield. This cultural order has increasingly been threatened by encroachments of first the Soviet, and now the Russian, state. Today, the Koriak are marginalized within the powerful model of the nation state, and their lives are marked by dissolution and despair. I conducted my research in two villages, Tymlat and Ossora, situated …  Read more

Four new lepidosaurs from the Early Cretaceous deposits of the Tlayua Quarry, Central Mexico are described, establishing their phylogenetic relationships using cladistic methodology. These lepidosaurs have unique characters never present in related forms suggesting that they have evolved in isolated environments far from immediate ancestors, indicating the insular nature of the quarry. The sphenodontid Pamizinsaurus tlayuaensis is covered with unique rows of small rounded osteoderms that could have protected it against predation in open environments. Ankylosphenodon pachyostoseus has unusual teeth ankylosed deep into the dentary with probable continuous growth, which combined with propalinal action of a deep lower jaw suggest …  Read more

This research examined how an invasive macrofouling organism, the Eurasian zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha), alters benthic communities in a riverine ecosystem. Controlled field experiments using artificial substrates showed that macroinvertebrate abundance is significantly enhanced within Dreissena beds, and that the physical habitat provided by mussel shells has a greater impact on macroinvertebrate abundance than biological factors (e.g., food provided by mussel biodeposits). Data collected at field sites before and after the establishment of dense Dreissena colonies suggested that these colonies alter macroinvertebrate communities on hard substrates primarily by enhancing populations of deposit-feeding organisms (e.g., amphipod crustaceans) and predators (e.g., flatworms), …  Read more

The goldfish (Carassius auratus) is a hardy exotic species that have established sporadically distributed feral populations throughout North America. In one shallow seasonally anoxic pond goldfish formed a large stunted population of 15-17,000 ind ha$ sp{-1}$, with 53% being small young of the year. Goldfish were predominantly benthic herbivores with little diet overlap with resident red-spotted newts (Notapthalmus v. viredescens). Thus in relatively simple systems lacking fish predators goldfish can be very successful. However in systems with a complex native fish community, goldfish have had less success in colonizing. This could be related to an inability of goldfish to cope …  Read more

Most critical acclaim of William Faulkner has focused on his innovations of narrative technique, and while critics have frequently noted the correlation between form and meaning in his novels, the central focus of these novels--race--has largely been ignored in the criticism. The purpose of this paper is to examine Faulkner's narrative methodology and arrangement of material in order to demonstrate that the structures of his novels, particularly Light in August and Absalom, Absalom!, consistently enhance and dramatize the major subject and themes of the novels. Under careful scrutiny, these structures reveal an effective and dramatic parallel between Faulkner's rhetorical methodology …  Read more

Each of two detectors used in our Positron Emission Mammography (PEM) system consists of four 36mm x 36mm x 20mm bismuth germanate (BGO) detector blocks coupled to a crossed-wire anode photomultiplier tube (PMT). To achieve a high spatial resolution, the crystal blocks have been finely pixelated using a diamond saw. In each detector, 36 x 36 1.9mm x 1.9mm crystal elements are coupled directly to the PMT window and, on the opposite face of the blocks, 35 x 35 elements are offset by 0.9mm along both the x- and y-axes of the PMT. Techniques developed for the successful machining and …  Read more

Electron arc therapy is the treatment of choice for tumours involving large curved surfaces. At the Montreal General Hospital a unique approach to the electron arc therapy was developed in 1986 and has been used clinically ever since. The approach is based on the concept of the characteristic angle beta. We measured radial percentage depth doses in a polystyrene cylindrical phantom irradiated with electron arc beams having angles beta in the range from 5$ sp circ$ to 100$ sp circ,$ for 9 MeV, 12 MeV, 15 MeV, and 18 MeV electron beam energies. We showed that the characteristic angle-$ beta$ …  Read more

Human seminal plasma contains a protein factor that can inhibit the motility of both demembranated-reactivated and intact spermatozoa. This factor, named seminal plasma motility inhibitor (SPMI), was orignally isolated from seminal plasma and shown to orginate exclusively from the seminal vesicles, where its specific activity is 5- to 10-fold higher than it is in seminal plasma. The present study aimed at investigating the mechanism responsible for this difference in activity. Analysis of semen after ejaculation allowed to demonstrate that this difference in SPMI specific activity is due to the presence of a predominant 52 kDa SPMI precursor form in seminal …  Read more

Factors affecting catch, trap fishing power and reef fish trappability were investigated by experimental fishing with Antillean fish traps on west coast fringing reefs in Barbados. Commercial (small mesh) traps caught significantly more fish (by number and weight), caught significantly smaller fish, and caught a higher proportion of immature fish, than large mesh traps. Fishing power was significantly higher for commercial traps than for large mesh traps. These catch differences between trap types have serious implications for the management of the reef fish resource by the imposition of larger mesh sizes in the commercial fishery. The squeezability hypothesis and the …  Read more

This thesis presents a case study conducted in 1994 concerning the effects of fishery management regulations on the Native village of Old Harbor, Alaska. Access to the traditional livelihood of harvesting marine resources has profound implications for the sustainability of the economy of Alaska's rural Native villages. The institution of the limited entry system in 1975 caused the transfer of commercial salmon fishing rights away from some Native fishermen and a reduction in local fishing jobs. Although the alternatives may have had similar or worse effects on the village, limited entry is perceived as a major cause of economic and …  Read more

As the number of civilian users of the United States Air Force's Navstar Global Positioning System (GPS) continues to increase at such a staggering rate, the government's exposure to potential liability also increases. The purpose of this thesis is to establish a legal framework to apply to GPS-related claims against the United States, primarily against the Air Force as operator of the system. Part I consists of three chapters. Following an introductory chapter, Chapter II describes the system and the general characteristics of GPS. Chapter III outlines the military uses of the system and the increasing and evolving civilian uses. …  Read more

Quality of measurement is a fundamental issue in medical research and clinical practice, of relevance for any inference or decision-making process. Reliability, as an estimate of the variability in the domain of repeated measurements, is an important component of the quality of measurements. Reliability indices are frequently used and presented in the medical literature and a considerable amount of methodological research has been conducted on this topic in the last decades. However, the debate is still open on some theoretical and operational aspects. Available knowledge concerning reliability, particularly for categorical data, is not easily accessible since it is often confined …  Read more

A design analysis of a telecentric microchannel relay system developed for use with a smart pixel based photonic backplane is presented. The interconnect uses a clustered window geometry in which optoelectronic device windows are grouped together about the axis of each microchannel. A Gaussian beam propagation analysis is used to analyze the trade-off between window size, window density, transistor count per smart pixel, and lenslet f-number for three cases of window clustering. The results of this analysis shows that by using this approach, a window density of 4,000 windows/cm$ sp2$ is obtained for a window size of 30 microns and …  Read more

In the context of the contemporary rebirth of interest in contemplative prayer in the Christian tradition, many people, e.g., Laurence Freeman (1995), Eileen O'Hea (1990), Bede Griffiths (1991), have begun to examine the writings of John Main. This thesis presents John Main's understanding of Christian Meditation, in particular, his recovery from the Desert monks of the 4th century, of the practice of 'pure prayer' (silent meditation using a prayer word or mantra). Main recovered the use of a mantra as a way of meditation within the tradition of the Christian church. The thesis also discusses some aspects of the Christian …  Read more

This thesis attempts to answer the following question: Should it ever be legally permissible to buy a kidney from a living donor in Israel? Existing legislation and government policy prohibit payment out of fear that the poor, minorities, and other vulnerable people will be coerced to exchange organs for money, i.e. it focuses on the potential harm to the donor. This thesis will address the issue of whether this prohibition is justified and how much risk a paid donor should be allowed to assume. This essay will present a detailed investigation of an existing kidney trade in Israel, as well …  Read more