McGill University Thèses et mémoires publiés en 1998

This dissertation is devoted to an exploration of Baudelaire's correspondence from the sociopoetic perspective. Elements of form or style in the poet's letters, their unique pragmatics and social dimensions, are primary targets of inquiry. For Baudelaire, as for any epistolier, the writing of letters rests on the author's specific education, the traditions of his time, his philosophy, imagination and economic situation. As it is only through these different "filters" that Baudelaire's particular letter writing can be understood, the first part of this dissertation summarizes the main aspects of the socio-cultural history of epistolary practice in the nineteenth century. The second …  Read more

Anomalously high concentrations of arsenic and phosphate are found in the sediments of the Saguenay Fjord in comparison to those of the Gulf and St. Lawrence Estuary. The source of arsenic is unclear. It could be supplied to the Fjord by the marine waters which enter from the St. Lawrence Estuary or may have accumulated as a result of historically high levels of effluent input. The waters of the Saguenay Fjord are also characterized by anomalously high particulate aluminum concentrations (i.e., [Al]tot/[Al] diss > 1), introduced as a result of the aluminum refining activity along the shores of its tributaries. …  Read more

The industrial history of the Great Lakes basin has left its mark on the landscape with more than 4,500 known hazardous waste sites on both sides of the Canada-United States border. The vast majority are closed and no longer accept wastes, but they still pose potential risks to the environment and nearby communities. For the past several years, state and provincial governments have proposed new "state-of-the-art" facilities as a way to allow industries continued access to waste disposal capacity, but with far stricter controls than most older sites have provided. Publicity of contamination incidents at existing waste sites, and also …  Read more

Hox genes encode homeodomain-containing transcription factors involved in the specification of structures along the anterior-posterior and secondary axes of the vertebrate embryo. Many pieces of evidence suggest that retinoic acid (RA) regulates Hox gene function. The present work involved the characterization of the transcription unit of a murine Hox gene, Hoxd4, its response to RA and its genetic interactions with Retinoic Acid Receptors (RARs) beta and gamma. We have identified two Hoxd4 transcription start sites, P1 and P2. Multiple transcripts were identified by Northern blot, originating from both promoters and multiple polyadenylations signals. Expression of P1 transcripts in the neural …  Read more

The research examines the development of women's prison writing through the journal of the Kingston Prison for Women, Tightwire. The journal enabled the prisoners to articulate their experience of prison for themselves as a specific subject-group, as women and as legal subjects. The research connects the prison writing to alterations in legal discourse which reflect the emergence of women as a specific group. The prison writings suggest that extra-legal discourse transforms legal discourse and practice. The appendix includes a selection of poems and comments from Tightwire .  Read more

The above-ground part of a plant has an important contribution to plant development and yield production. Physiological activities of a plant canopy highly correlate to morphology of plant vegetation. Obviously, leaf area index is a good indicator for leaf area, but does not provide any information about the spatial architecture of plant canopy. With the development of fractal theory, a quantitative toot is now available for the investigation of complex objects and shapes such as plant structure. Vegetation structure of corn ( Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max. (L.) Merr.] plants might be affected by the plant population density …  Read more

Following injury in the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS), there is no spontaneous regeneration. This differs from the adult peripheral nervous system (PNS) where axons are capable of long distance regeneration. It is known that the cytoskeletal response to injury in the CNS and PNS differs dramatically, and that the CNS response can be altered by modifying the environment of the injured axon. We have examined changes in cytoskeletal gene expression in the CNS following injury, during regeneration, and following the application of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the adult rat visual system where replacement of the injured optic …  Read more

This thesis proposes a morphological complexity index for use in classifying orebodies. Formulated and tailored for application on underground steep clipping narrow base metal orebodies from Inco Limited's Manitoba Division, the complexity index was proved transferable to the base metal deposits of Inco Limited's Ontario Division. Thus it appears that the index could be applied to various styles of mineralization and orebody morphology. The complexity classification was designed to aid in geologic control and subsequently improve mining method performance. Motivated by an industry wide move from selective mining to bulk mining, to increase productivity and improve safety. It is intended …  Read more

This thesis offers a detailed socio-historical exploration of the practice of molecular modelling in chemistry and allied disciplines. This exploration leads to observations and conclusions that are of relevance to the sociology of science in general and to the issue of representation in scientific practice, in particular. After a general introduction in chapter one, chapter two offers a review of the science studies' literature relevant to the topic, namely the literature on representation and on experimental practices in the sciences. The lack of sources dealing with the issue of physical modelling is highlighted. Chapter three, through specific cases studies, presents …  Read more

The excessive deposition of redox-active iron has been amply documented in the basal ganglia of subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD). Yet, much remains to be learned regarding the cellular and subcellular distribution of this metal and the precise role(s) it plays in the pathogenesis of PD. Cysteamine (CSH) induces the appearance of peroxidase-positive cytoplasmic granules in cultured neonatal rat astroglia which are identical to glial inclusions that progressively accumulate in the aging subcortical brain. These inclusions are derived from degenerate mitochondria which sequester iron and other transition metals before undergoing fusion with lysosomes in an autophagic process. Dr. Schipper has …  Read more

Voltage-gated potassium currents make important contributions to neuronal function. Postsynaptically, potassium currents regulate excitability to depolarizing inputs and determine action potential firing frequency. Furthermore, voltage-gated potassium channels are known to affect the shape of the presynaptic action potential, so as to influence calcium influx and neurotransmitter release. I have focused on the expression of voltage-gated potassium channel genes by peripheral neurons. Among my objectives were to determine which voltage-gated potassium channel genes are expressed by sympathetic neurons of the superior cervical ganglia (SCG) and measure mRNA levels for these genes during normal neonatal development and during development in culture. I …  Read more

We used a mailed questionnaire to investigate over-the-counter (OTC) analgesic medication use. The response rate was 77% (n= 1.339). 79% of women and 64% of men had consumed OTC analgesics in the past month, mostly on only 1-3 days, but 6% of users took them every day or almost every day. The most common reason for use was headache, followed by back and joint pain. 5% used larger doses than recommended. Women took more analgesics, but reported suffering more problems: gender differences disappeared when the number of problems was controlled. Remembered mood before and after medication indicated a substantial improvement …  Read more

This thesis reviews the statutes of repose in force today in the United States and their influence on general aviation litigation. Chapter One will first consider the historical development of statutes of repose and the arguments for and against their use in products liability actions. Chapter One will then review the legislative history of the "General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994" ("GARA") and identify the factors proffered for enacting a national statute of repose for the benefit of general aviation manufacturers. The remainder of this paper is intended to serve as a practitioner's guide by compiling and analyzing the various …  Read more

Charles, Trevor C. (Supervisor)  Read more

Lounis, Hakim (Advisor)  Read more

Arnold, Douglas L. (Supervisor)  Read more

This thesis is a study of the development of the Babi movement and the political implications embodied in its religious teachings. The thesis basically assumes that in its early development (1844--1848), the movement may be seen merely as religiously dissenting from the mainstream of Shi'i tradition. In the course of history, however, and especially after the Bab, its founder, claimed in 1848 to be the return of the Hidden Imam and proclaimed the abrogation of Qur'anic shari'a, the Babi movement showed radical tendencies, thus threatening the established religious and political authorities. This later development (1848--1853) was characterized by armed revolts …  Read more

Prosaposin is a glycoprotein that exists in two forms: a 65-kDa isoform which is found in lysosomes and a 70-kDa form which is secreted to the extracellular space. In the lysosome, prosaposin is proteolytically cleaved into four polypeptides named saposin A, B, C and D. Each of these subunits mediates the breakdown of glycosphingolipids in conjunction with specific hydrolases present in the lysosome. The absence of either a saposin or the specific hydrolase is the cause of a number of lysosomal storage diseases, such as a variant form of Gaucher's disease and metachromatic leukodystrophy. Although the 65-kDa isomer is found …  Read more

This paper will look back on the work of Equipo Cronica, who worked between 1964--1980, to reveal a production of art that centered on issues of originality and value that were grounded in attempts at social activism and a redefinition of the role of art vis-a-vis society. To achieve their goals, I will argue and describe how the two man team of artists used serialism, objectivity, hybridity, appropriation of mass media iconography and techniques, and parody to produce something that was neither an art object nor an ordinary object, but an object of criticism. The historical relevancy of such an …  Read more

The studies in this dissertation asses age differences in the experience of pain in humans and animals and the appropriateness of pain assessment tools across the adult life-span. Chapter I reviews age differences in experimental, acute and chronic pain in humans. Chapter 2 reviews age differences in the outcome of psychological treatments for chronic pain. It is concluded do there are age differences in each type of pain and that the elderly appear to benefit from psychological treatments as much as younger groups. Several experiments were conducted to examine the concepts that the elderly believe that pain is an inevitable …  Read more

This study investigated Gollwitzer's mindset theory in the context of romantic relationships. One-hundred and sixty-eight students involved in a dating relationship were asked either to deliberate about or to think of implementing a goal not related to their relationship (e.g., finding a summer job) or a goal related to their relationship (e.g., moving in with their romantic partner). All participants subsequently completed assessments of current affect, perceptions of partner and of optimism for the future of the relationship. In line with Taylor and Gollwitzer (1995), thinking about implementing a decided goal not related to the relationship was found to increase …  Read more

The mental well-being of individuals has been studied for centuries. Yet a full understanding of the causal mechanism of mental distress has not been achieved. The prevalence of depression in women has spurred much of the research in this area. The goal of this dissertation is to contribute to the understanding of the determinants of women's mental and physical functioning. The means to this end is to incorporate a concept from each of the following disciplines, sociology and psychology. The sociological discipline lends the stress model to this research, while psychology contributes the concept of worry. To date, sociologists have …  Read more

In this thesis, we introduce SableCC, an object-oriented framework that generates compilers (and interpreters) in the Java programming language. This framework is based on two fundamental design decisions. Firstly, the framework uses object-oriented techniques to automatically build a strictly-typed abstract syntax tree that matches the grammar of the compiled language and simplifies debugging. Secondly, the framework generates tree-walker classes using an extended version of the visitor design pattern which enables the implementation of actions on the nodes of the abstract syntax tree using inheritance. These two design decisions lead to a tool that supports a shorter development cycle for constructing …  Read more

Persistent sodium conductances are important both in normal and pathological brain states. In the first part of the present study we characterized a Type of persistent sodium conductance (INap) present in stellate cell neurons of the layer II medial entorhinal cortex area of the rat brain. To accomplish this task, we used the whole-cell configuration of the patch clamp technique to record sodium currents in dissociated entorhinal neurons. It was found that INap represents 5 to 10% of the amplitude of the fast inactiuvating sodium conductance (INaF). In addition, I Nap activates at potentials 10mV more negative than INaF, and …  Read more

Schottky junctions were fabricated by evaporating Al on Bridgman-grown monocrystalline p-type CuInSe2 substrates. The effect of single crystal surface preparation on the electrical behavior of the devices was studied. Crystals were mechanically polished and then etched in a bromine/methanol solution. In addition, a group of crystals received a 350°C heat treatment in argon. Devices that received the substrate anneal showed a substantial reduction of junction current. Capacitance-voltage measurements performed at different frequencies indicated the presence of a large density of defect states. The frequency dependence of the capacitance was much more pronounced in non-heat treated devices. The substrate anneal can …  Read more

Finch, J. A. (Advisor)  Read more

In Quebec 11 840 kg of insecticides are used against the cabbage maggot, Delia radicum L. (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) each year. It is possible to decrease this quantity of insecticide by using natural enemies such as fungi, nematodes, predators and parasitoids. Aleochara bilineata Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) is a natural enemy of the cabbage maggot. Adults of this species are predators of eggs and larvae of cabbage maggot and the first instar larvae are ectoparasitoids of cabbage maggot pupae. A. bilineata oviposits its eggs in the soil, near plants infested with cabbage maggots. Differences in size have been noted in the eggs …  Read more

This classroom-based interpretive inquiry investigates how two academic writing instructors with disciplinary backgrounds in English Literature and English Education teach writing to graduate students with other disciplinary backgrounds. The instructors' teaching practices are conceptualized within a Vygotskian socio-cultural framework. Relevant educational issues are situated within two fields of education, Second Language Education and L1 writing instruction. This inquiry challenges the polarized views of writing instruction reflected in the second language literature. The research participants were two writing instructors and two focal students in one class. Data collected and analyzed include 70 hours of classroom-based observations in two classes over a …  Read more

Airway eosinophilia is a prominent feature of asthma that may be mediated in part through the expression of eotaxin, a potent eosinophil-active chemokine that is highly expressed by epithelial cells and inflammatory cells in asthmatic airways. The major aim of this study was to determine whether human airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells may be a source of eotaxin in asthma. The evidence presented in this thesis shows constitutive eotaxin gene expression in ASM in vitro that is markedly increased following stimulation with the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-1beta. Release of eotaxin was confirmed in ASM culture supernatants which contained significant …  Read more

The behaviour of interior slab-column connections in flat plates is investigated. The first part of this thesis discusses six two-way slab-column specimens which were designed such that they would fail in punching shear. The parameters investigated were the use of high-strength concrete and the concentration of the slab flexural reinforcement in the immediate column region. The effects of these parameters on the punching shear capacity, negative moment cracking, and stiffness of the two-way slab specimens are investigated. The second part of this thesis is a comparison of the test results obtained from this experimental program with the punching shear predictions …  Read more

Given the great discord concerning the mechanisms that govern shear failure, the shear behaviour of concrete beam elements with no transverse reinforcement is investigated. The variables introduced in the experimental program are member depth, amount of longitudinal steel reinforcement and concrete strength. The effects of these variables on the shear stress at failure of the concrete are investigated. Two geometrically similar series of beams of different concrete strengths are compared. Beam heights in each of the series range from 90 mm to 960 mm and all the beams have a constant a/d ratio of 2.5. Results show a strong "size-effect" …  Read more

Pointer analysis has recently been a subject of active research. The focus of most techniques is on: (1) estimating the targets for stack-directed pointers, (2) computing relationships between heap-directed pointers, or (3) developing faster or more space-efficient algorithms. However, little attention has been paid to actually using the results of pointer analysis for compiler optimizations. This thesis addresses the problem of how to apply pointer analysis information to a wide variety of compiler applications. That is, once the pointer relationships are computed, what can we do with this information? How do we put pointer analysis to work? We have used …  Read more

One of the primary objectives of adaptive finite element analysis research is to determine how to effectively discretize a problem in order to obtain a sufficiently accurate solution efficiently. Consequently, a major research issue in adaptive finite element analysis is the feedback control system used to guide the adaption; essentially, one needs to resolve which error data to feed back after each iteration, and how to use it to initialize the next adaptive step. Currently, there exists substantial evidence suggesting that the optimality of a finite element discretization plays a significant role in the accuracy of computed solutions at given …  Read more

The absorption and albedo of low, thin, marine stratus clouds are investigated using data collected by two aircraft during the Radiation, Aerosol and Cloud Experiment, conducted off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. Measured values of absorption and albedo are compared to calculations using a plane parallel radiative transfer model and drop size distributions determined from cloud profiles conducted close in time to the radiation measurements. The calculated values of albedo and absorption were consistent with the measurements. Uncertainties in absorption measurements due to instrument error were high. The model is used to determine cloud susceptibility, the sensitivity of cloud …  Read more

A combination of technical innovations, system cost reductions, and post-1970's tourism industry restructuring has led to the development and diffusion of a variety of sophisticated computer reservation systems, or CRSs. Questions remain as to the extent to which tourism suppliers and destinations have achieved CRS links. In this case study of two urban destinations, Montreal and Toronto, tourism supplier relationships with CRS technology are examined. Drawing on results from the accommodation and attraction sectors of each city, the varying degrees of CRS adoption and impact are illustrated. CRS adoption by firms is shown to be constrained by a variety of …  Read more

In this thesis, an indirect effect of sulfuric acid particles on Arctic climate during the cold season, from November to May, is investigated. Specifically, the research is focused on the alteration of the air mass dehydration rate due to sulfuric acid aerosols. These anthropogenic aerosols differ from natural aerosols by their poor ability to nucleate ice, their strong solubility and their reduced homogeneous freezing temperature when internally mixed with other compounds. Simulations performed with three column models and analysis of observed data at Alert (1991--94) are used to investigate an indirect effect of these aerosols on climate: the dehydration - …  Read more

A model is proposed for calculating the probabilities of atomic substitutions (atom X for atom A) in different A-sites in an A-containing compound. The model consists of three terms. The first term describes the chemical affinity between the X or A atom and its nearest neighbours. The second term accounts for the elastic energy due to the volume mismatch between the X atom and the x A-site. The third term is a structural energy term and is present only for d-electron atoms and accounts for the preference of these metals to crystallize in the bcc, fcc or hcp structures depending …  Read more

This thesis examines the role of imagination in "The Prelude," within the context of recent criticism. In accordance with the impact of new historicism on contemporary Wordsworth studies, considerable attention is given to new historicist readings. It is argued that new history's methodological approach generally undervalues the complex texture of subjectivity in "The Prelude." New historical critiques tend to interpret the Wordsworthian imagination merely as a narrative strategy that enables the poet to displace or elide socio-historical realities. However, "The Prelude" does not entirely support such a reading. On the basis of Wordsworth's autobiography and related prose works, it is …  Read more

Techniques are presented for use in FFT network analyzers to improve estimates of long lags in the impulse response. A key step involves short-term correlation of time-shifted copies of the input-output data. We introduce new Banach signal spaces for the analysis of such data. As a preliminary result, new transfer function estimation algorithms are given with bounds on the effect of undermodelling, noise and lack of empirical data in the Hinfinity norm. Comparisons with optimality are given using metric-complexity concepts. The algorithms and error calculations are implemented in MATLAB and C to realize a software network analyzer which includes error …  Read more

Equipment and techniques have been developed for the microstructural characterization of Zirconium Oxide films grown on Zr-2.5%Nb pressure tubes. A thin film texture apparatus was constructed and used to measure the texture and stress present in thin zirconium oxide films. The general techniques developed employ a grazing incidence geometry which allows the texture and stress present in thin films (<1mum) of any type to be examined. In addition, a technique for the quantitative phase analysis of textured ZrO2 films grown on zirconium alloys using pole figure data has also been developed. Moreover, equipment was constructed to determine the relative porosity …  Read more

Two populations of Barbados Zenaida dove (Zenaida aurita) have in previous work been found to use two radically different modes of feeding competition. The St. James (StJ) population is territorial; it competes aggressively with conspecifics but scramble competes with heterospecifics. The Deep Water Harbour (DWH) population forages nonaggressively in large homospecfic flocks. Earlier studies linking these social differences with differences in individual and social learning suggest that Z. aurita is ideal for testing predictions from Brown's (1964) theory of economic defendability. Firstly, the hypothesis that resource defence will increase as the spatial clumping and temporal predictability of a resource increases …  Read more

This thesis examines the subject of aviation insurance from the broad international market perspective, mainly covered by London, and the structure, content and interpretation of typical aviation insurance policies An historical background is provided to give an overview on the matter. Precedents from various jurisdictions have been noted. Because policies written for several types of insurance frequently contain provisions similar or analogous to those found in common aviation insurance policies, those provisions, and references to the few authors who have written on the matter, are quoted frequently.  Read more

Air transportation is, by its very nature, one of the most international economic activities. However, the regulatory framework of international air transport services has for decades been dominated by narrow, nationalistic views. The increasing globalisation and trans-nationalisation of international trade in general and airline activities in particular question this status quo and puts pressure on the regulators to create a liberal framework, in which airlines can co-operate without impediments. This thesis looks at the current trends in the liberalisation of international air transport services. In a first step, the world-wide developments are discussed, in particular "open skies" and regionalism. Then, …  Read more

The present study was designed to examine whether social organization influences children's desire to compete and to achieve valued outcomes in important areas of life. One hundred and fifty-eight participants (71 males and 87 females) from three classes of grade 4 and four classes of grade 6 children participated in this study. Children completed a two-part questionnaire. The first part assessed their desire to play competitive and cooperative versions of an actual game in two types of social organizations, with their one closest friend and with their group of three closest friends. The second part measured children's beliefs about the …  Read more

This thesis covers the study of a particular class of binary search trees, the Weyl trees formed by consecutive insertion of numbers {theta}, {2theta}, {3theta}, ..., where theta is an irrational number from (0,1), and {x} denotes the fractional part of x. Various properties of the structure of these trees are explored and a relationship with the continued fraction expansion of theta is shown. Among these properties, an approximation of the height Hn of a Weyl tree with n nodes is given when theta is chosen at random and uniformly on (0, 1). The main result of this work is …  Read more

Recent studies demonstrate that the dissolved iron in seawater is bound to strong organic complexes that have stability constants comparable to those of microbial iron chelates (siderophores). We investigated iron acquisition by 7 strains of heterotrophic marine bacteria using siderophores as a model for the natural iron-binding ligands. Siderophores were detected in the supernatants of 4 strains. All strains utilized iron bound to siderophores regardless of whether they produced their own. The majority took up iron bound to the fungal siderophore desferrioxamine B (dfoB). Over half also utilized iron bound to strain Neptune's siderophore, nep-L, while iron bound to pwf-L …  Read more

Szyf, M. (Supervisor)  Read more

Hayward, Vincent (Advisor)  Read more

A bolometer for infrared detection and imaging, operating at room temperature, is presented. The detector consists of a metal thin film deposited over a suspended SiO2 membrane using thermal evaporation. The suspended membrane increases responsitivity by minimizing thermal conductance and is fabricated by employing an isotropic etch to remove the underlying Si substrate from the front-side of the wafer. The membrane size is 100 mum x 12 mum x 0.8 mum. Extensive characterization was performed including measurements of film resistivity and temperature coefficient of resistance as a function of thickness. As well, various metals were explored including Ni, Bi, Au …  Read more

Our ongoing hypothesis is that skeletal muscle satellite cells can be injected into injured myocardium with the intent of myocardial repair. In early experiments tritiated thymidine was used to label the satellite cells prior to injection into the injured myocardium. Tritiated thymidine however was not seen in the retrieved heart specimens. This gave rise to the criticism that there was no definitive proof that cardiac tissue fibres originating in the injured myocardium were a result of the satellite cell implantation. It was felt that tritiated thymidine was an inadequate label possibly due to a dilutional effect. It was also thought …  Read more