McGill University Thèses et mémoires publiés en 2002

This dissertation offers an analysis of the exegetical treatment of the Qur'anic evidence for the prophecy of women. Specifically, it tries to answer contentious questions whether or not there were women prophets according to the Qur'an, and whether or not women were regarded as eligible for this office. Scholars are sharply divided in their opinions on these issues, and the majority rejects both possibilities. This study will show that even though their conclusions happen to coincide with that of the Qur'an, their arguments lack genuine Qur'anic support. For they failed to consider the fact that, one has to identify, first …  Read more

Polka, Linda (Supervisor)  Read more

This thesis investigates how the outcomes of the acquisition of second language (L2) argument structure will vary depending on the nature of the learner's first language (L1). The focus is on motion verbs appearing with a prepositional/postpositional phrase that expresses the final endpoint of the motion (goal PP). In English, manner-of-motion verbs (e.g., walk ) and directed motion verbs (e.g., go) can appear with a goal PP as in John walked (went ) to school. In contrast, Japanese allows only directed motion verbs to occur with a goal PP. Thus, Japanese motion verbs with goal PPs form a subset of …  Read more

An exploratory study was conducted to examine the effects of parental child protection employment on the children of the employees. Semi-structured interviews were conducted of eight children, who had one parent employed in a child protection agency in Eastern Ontario. The analysis of the interviews demonstrated perceived impacts on identified areas of the participants' lives: family transactions within the community; internal family functioning; and the impact on the individual participant. The interview results were also examined along four variables: gender of the child protection worker parent; gender of the participant; age of the participant; and position held by the child …  Read more

This study focuses on the relationship between Hooker's doctrine of law and his concept of "participation," which is an important feature of his sacramental doctrine. In The Lawes of Ecclesiasticall Politie (V.50--67), Richard Hooker discusses the saving work of Christ and man's participation in him through faith and the sacraments. How does Hooker understand participation in God? Hooker speaks of the Atonement, Justification and sacraments in the vocabulary of the magisterial Reform, but (perhaps uniquely) understands the same doctrines within the framework of law, the instrument by which God orders his creation. Hooker defines law in terms of Aristotelian causes …  Read more

Introduction. The Carotid Endarterectomy (CEA) is used for stroke prophylaxis in asymptomatic carotid stenosis and in patients with previous strokes or transient ischemic attacks. Objective. To audit the operative results of the CEA in the province of Quebec between 1996 and 1999. Methods. The Quebec Medical Discharge Summary Database provided demographics and surgical complications following all CEAs performed between 1996--1999. Results. The CEA was performed at a rate of 42 procedures/100 000 persons aged greater than 40 however this rate appears to be declining over the study span. Being operated on by a neurosurgeon was an independent risk factor for …  Read more

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) constitutes an ohmic chloride channel, the gating of which is dependent on cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of a regulatory (R) domain and ATP binding and hydrolysis by two nucleotide binding domains (NBDs). Previous studies have suggested that CFTR activation results from PKA phosphorylation of the R-domain, which either relieves its inhibition of the channel, or induces a positive catalytic effect of this domain on ATP dependent gating. In this study, the function of the R-domain was examined using a CFTR variant lacking the entire R-domain. These split channels assemble from separate polypeptides corresponding to the …  Read more

In this thesis, I investigate the nature of geometric knowledge and its relationship to spatial intuition. My goal is to rehabilitate the Kantian view that Euclid's geometry is a mathematical practice, which is grounded in spatial intuition, yet, nevertheless, yields a type of a priori knowledge about the structure of visual space. I argue for this by showing that Euclid's geometry allows us to derive knowledge from idealized visual objects, i.e., idealized diagrams by means of non-formal logical inferences. By developing such an account of Euclid's geometry, I complete the "standard view" that geometry is either a formal system (pure …  Read more

Piat, Myra (Supervisor)  Read more

This study is a comparative analysis of the marginalizarion of the Baha'is in Iran and the Ahmadis in Pakistan over the last forty years. It explores the relationship between Islam, the ulama and the state as explanatory variables. In particular, the increasing political influence of fundamentalist ulama and their closer association with state mechanisms, accompanied by the creation of a "purist," "Islamic" state ideology in Iran and Pakistan, leads to greater discrimination against these two heterodox Muslim minorities. The outcome is continuing institutionalized, state-sponsored discrimination that denies substantial legal, political and social rights to the Baha'is and the Ahmadis.  Read more

Objectives. To determine whether the emergency psychiatric treatment of patients with psychosis varies with immigrant status and ethnicity. Methods. Data on immigrant and ethnic status of psychotic patients admitted in 1999 were extracted from records of a general hospital in Montreal. Of the 217 subjects, 97 (44.7%) were immigrants, 125 were Euro-Canadian (57.6%),39 were Asian (18.0%), and 27 were Black (12.4%). All Asians and most Blacks (87%) were immigrants. Measures of emergency psychiatric treatment included use of seclusion, restraints, and medication in the emergency department. Multiple regression models examined the relationship of immigrant status and ethnicity to emergency psychiatric treatment …  Read more

Caseins are present in milk in the form of large spherical complexes called micelles that are stabilized by kappa-casein found on the surface. This stabilizing effect is lost when milk clotting enzymes hydrolyze kappa-casein thereby initiating the coagulation process. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of kappa-casein polymorphism upon hydrolysis by proteases. The A and B forms are the most common genetic variants of kappa-casein in Canadian Holstein dairy herds, representing three phenotypes AA, AB and BB. Whole casein from Holstein milk samples was fractionated into its four major components by ion-exchange chromatography using Express Ion …  Read more

Inuit infants throughout the Arctic experience higher mortality and poorer health than their non-Inuit counterparts, and suffer disproportionately from bacterial and viral infections. This research initially reviews the health status of these infants, with a focus on Canadian Inuit communities and reference to other circumpolar regions, as appropriate. It also discusses the wide range of inter-related factors that affect their health and their susceptibility to infection: their demographic, social, economic and physical environment, as well as personal health practices and the availability of high quality, culturally-appropriate health services within their communities. Data were then analyzed from a cohort study of …  Read more

This thesis proposes that the United Kingdom's constitution is changing so as to incorporate written principles that restrain Parliament through judicial review. This model originates in the common law as well as the orthodox theories of Blackstone and Dicey. It is supported by the ultra vires doctrine and provides a basis for judicial review of Parliament itself. As constitutions may accommodate written and unwritten elements, along with various means of enforcement and change, they are defined by how strongly they reflect underlying norms. This expressive function, with a shift in the rule of recognition endorsing judicial review, democratically legitimizes constitutional …  Read more

Iron is an essential metal for living organisms. It is, however, a redox active metal and hence its levels in cells need to be tightly regulated. The ferroxidase ceruloplasmin (Cp), converts highly toxic ferrous iron to the nontoxic ferric form. Ceruloplasmin exists as secreted and glycosylphosphatidylinositiol (GPI)-anchored forms. GPI-Cp is the major form in rat brain. Humans with mutations in the Cp gene (aceruloplasminemia) show marked accumulations of iron in the liver as well as the CNS. The iron accumulation in the CNS is accompanied by neurodegeneration. Mice with null mutations of the Cp gene (Cp-/- ) also show iron …  Read more

A numerical modelling of the 4--5 July 1999 derecho was performed. The storm caused over 40 million dollars of damages, several deaths and injuries across the United States and Canada. The unseasonal synoptic settings resulted in the formation of low-level moisture pooling and the buildup of convective available potential energy. The upper-level jet streak eventually furnished the trigger for the outbreak of precursor deep convection leading to the development of this derecho. The results illustrated the feasibility of simulating the derecho using a mesoscale model with the NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Prediction) reanalysis. Convection was not initiated properly using …  Read more

Reduced levels of health-related quality of life (HRQL) post-stroke are an important issue to address in rehabilitation. Despite improvement in function over time, HRQL remains poor for many stroke survivors. This longitudinal study is aimed at estimating the extent to which physical performance, social, and psychological functioning influence HRQL. Forty-three community-living persons with stroke were recruited to participate in a six-week intervention preceded and followed by a performance- and interview-based evaluation assessing different levels of disability and functioning. HRQL was measured by the VAS of the EQ-5D. Regression models generated cross-sectionally demonstrated that physical performance, social, and psychological functioning explained …  Read more

Fung, Joyce (Supervisor)  Read more

The objectives of this research were to determine the impact of 4 different bedtime snack compositions on prevention of nocturnal hypoglycemia and to determine whether optimized titration and delivery of bedtime insulin using multiple daily injections of insulin (MDI) or continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) could prevent nocturnal hypoglycemia in the absence of bedtime snacks. We also sought to determine whether 3 months of CSII therapy would improve catecholamine response and symptom awareness to experimentally-induced hypoglycemia. The need for and the most appropriate composition of bedtime snacks were dependent on the glycemic level at bedtime. No bedtime snacks were necessary …  Read more

PhospholipaseA2 (PLA2) hydrolyzes phosphatidylcholine to lysophosphatidylcholine and arachidonic acid. These two molecules are known to cause myelin breakdown and mediate inflammation, respectively. There are two classes of PLA2: cytoplasmic (cPLA2) and secreted (sPLA2). We studied the role of cPLA2 in the pathogenesis of EAE, an animal model of multiple sclerosis. MOG-induced EAE was generated in C57BL/6 mice, which have a naturally occurring mutation for sPLA2. The expression of cPLA2 in the inflammatory EAE lesions was assessed by immunohistochemistry in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal cord of mice at various clinical grades of EAE. Clinical grading ranged from 0 to …  Read more

The Days of Victory is a piece of music for a chamber orchestra of sixteen players, approximately thirteen minutes in duration. The accompanying analytical essay provides an extensive general description of its systems of pitch organization, and a more specific account of their operation in this piece. These systems function by linking dyads together to create a harmonic language that favours asymmetrical chord formations. Also included is an outline of its form, which uses four contrasting types of sections in recurrence. The essay comments on the stylistic tendencies of the piece in terms of rhythm, texture, and orchestration. This is …  Read more

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) has been a tough topic to discuss in both local and global spheres. In the past twenty years however, a space has been created for it in the public consciousness. The object of this study is to trace the shifts that have occurred in how FGM has been talked about and make the ongoing dialogue visible. This is achieved by examining feminist debates, human rights discourse and the media as not only primary definers of the issue but also as sites of discourse production. In moving from the local to global agenda, more actors have become …  Read more

Kingdom, F. A. A. (Supervisor)  Read more

This study empirically examined physiological, social, and emotional variables in order to extend the understanding of the vulnerability-stress interaction in relation to adolescent problem gambling behaviour. Specifically, the relationship between coping styles, life stress, depressive symptomatology, dissociative states, drug and alcohol use, and youth gambling problems were investigated from the framework of Jacobs' General Theory of Addictions . The current study also examined several potential protective factors (socioeconomic status, social support, and adaptive coping styles) that are believed to buffer against possible negative outcomes associated with youth gambling behaviour. Students consisted of 2,156 students in grades 7 to 12 (ages …  Read more

In mammals, Nck, represented by two genes, is a 47kDa protein lacking intrinsic enzymatic function. It is composed solely of three N-terminal Src-homology 3 (SH3) domains and a single C-terminal Src-homology 2 (SH2) domain. Nck is classified as an adapter molecule that links cell surface receptors, via its SH2 domain, to downstream effectors, through its SH3 domains. Two cDNAs coding for the carboxy-terminal region of the beta subunit of the eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2beta) were isolated from a two-hybrid screen to identify new effector molecules interacting with the SH3 domains of Nck. eIF2beta is a component of the molecular …  Read more

Atrioventricular (AV) nodal conduction and the pathways of propagation through the AV node have remained enigmatic. Histological and immunohistochemical studies have revealed distinct cellular regions within the AV node with varying distribution of specific ion channels. However, to date, there is little information concerning the pattern of localization of the gap junction proteins that mediate intercellular communication. The current immunohistochemical/confocal studies show a non-uniform distribution of three connexin isoforms (Cx 40, Cx 43 and Cx 45) within these cellular regions of the rat AV node with a marked transition from Cx 43 to Cx 40 at the compact node region. …  Read more

In early 1505, at twenty-nine years of age, Michelangelo began work on a massive tomb for Pope Julius II. The formal, temporal, and constructional intertwinings of this project are plumbed to create the foundation of this text. Finding its only full manifestation in the narratives of Vasari and Condivi, this tomb was the site of Michelangelo's first engagement with the making of architecture. The execution of this project would go on to intermittently occupy nearly half of Michelangelo's lifetime, making it a pivotal and paradigmatic work in the understanding of his opera. Explored as an embodied architectural treatise, the tomb …  Read more

This thesis examines the countercultural community in the Parisian neighbourhood of Montmartre during the 1880s and 1890s. This period stands out for its unique cultural atmosphere, heavily influenced by the turbulent advent of modernity. Traditionally accepted norms that dictated individuals' sense of identity were being questioned as new understandings of class, gender, sexuality and nationality gained acceptance. Aspiring artists and writers who sought to express these new identities were excluded from the world of official culture. Many congregated in the traditionally bohemian Montmartre where a sense of belonging to a youthful and energetic community afforded the opportunity to struggle and …  Read more

Background. Several epidemiological studies have established an association between chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) and coronary artery disease. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that seropositivity to CP, cytomegalovirus (CMV), or Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with decreased endothelial function in healthy young men. Methodology. A convenience sample of 65 male volunteers, ages 20 to 45, with no known coronary atherosclerosis or risk factors for coronary artery disease were enrolled in a seroepidemiological cross-sectional study. Conclusion. A lack of association between chronic infection to CP, CMV, and EBV with endothelial function was observed. This finding suggests that these …  Read more

The simulation of mathematical models of mechanical systems with closed kinematic chains involves the solution to a system of highly coupled differential-algebraic equations. The numerical stiffness of these systems calls for small time steps in order to insure accuracy. Real-time and interactive forward simulations tend to be difficult to achieve for such systems, especially for large multi-body systems with multiple links and many kinematic loops. One way to overcome the time constraint is to distribute the load onto several processors. The modular formulation of mathematical models is attractive because existing models may be assembled to create different topologies, e.g. cooperative …  Read more

In recent decades the ongoing rise of refugee populations around the world has provided a unique opportunity to study the impact of forced migrations on the identities of individuals and collectivities. The simultaneous emergence of the novel social phenomenon of 'refugee societies' has captured anthropological interest in the way in which 'refugee identity' is currently imagined and represented. A useful entry point for exploring representations of 'refugee' identity within a new culture of refugees is found in the recurrent notion of suffering. 'Suffering' is conceptualized here as an ideological grammar that characterizes a variety of language games contained in a …  Read more

Henri Gregoire poses a problem to all scholars who see the French Revolution as an anti-religious event. Most of his fellow 'red priests', those not-so-few who in 1789 asked for some kind of democracy and more rights for the 'damned of the earth', gradually abandoned either their faith or their patriotism. Gregoire, until his death in 1831, always proclaimed the compatibility of Christianity and republic. Not only is his position representative of that of many Catholics at the beginning of the Revolution, it also asks anew the important question of the link between religion and revolution, and gives it an …  Read more

The primary purpose of this thesis is to offer an approach to building a culture of leadership based on the Prophet Muhammad's teaching of love in Islamic schools. Since people are strongly motivated by values they deeply adhere to, the paradigms used as rationale for this study embody views of leaders as motivators and values transformation as their main task. The thesis holds the view that the Prophet Muhammad's teaching of love needs to be cultivated in an Islamic school community. The thesis presents discussion on transrational values as the contributing factor to this view, and the main argument centres …  Read more

The ultimate goal of retroviral infection is to transfer the RNA genome from one cell to another. This requires that the viral genome be assembled within the structure of an infectious particle. The Gag precursor in HIV-1 is alone sufficient to produce viral particles. In order to obtain interactions required for assembly, the Gag molecules must first be concentrated at a cellular site. Membrane and RNA have been proposed to act as intracellular scaffolds for aligning Gag molecules and facilitating their interaction with each other. In vitro studies using truncated Gag molecules have indicated that RNA is important in facilitating …  Read more

The aim of the studies underlying this thesis was to characterize the effect of catecholamines on developing rat brain oligodendrocytes by characterizing the alpha1-adrenoceptor (alpha1-AR) expressed in oligodendrocytes, determining the signaling pathway downstream from the second messenger molecules, and demonstrating a cytotoxic response to catecholamines. Norepinephrine (NE) caused a time- and concentration-dependent increase in total inositol phosphate formation (IPt). Using various selective antagonists, we identified that, similar to progenitors, the alpha 1A-AR subtype in mature oligodendrocytes is mediating NE-induced IP t formation. In examining the signaling transduction pathway, we found that in oligodendrocyte progenitors NE only in the presence of …  Read more

Buehler, Martin (Supervisor)  Read more

This investigation of the studioli, small contemplation chambers in the ducal palaces of Urbino and Gubbio, considers their position in the western tradition of the memory arts. Drawing upon select images in the studioli, as well as text sources readily available to Duke Federico da Montefeltro (1422--82) and the members of his court, this inquiry examines how the discipline of architecture equipped the late quattrocento mind with a bridge between the mathematical arts, which lend themselves to mechanical practices, and the art of rhetoric, a discipline central to the cultivation of memory and eloquence. As ramifications of material and mental …  Read more

In the expanding computer science field of Graph Drawing, methods are developed to draw graphs in order to fulfill certain criteria, including minimizing the number of edges that need to be removed to make a drawing planar. The Two-Layer Planarization problem attempts to minimize this criterion for graphs drawn on two layers. Although the problem is NP-Complete, we prove that it is fixed parameter tractable by providing an algorithm that will solves the problem in O(k 6k + |G|), for a fixed parameter k. In addition, the thesis proves a complexity result for the following question: is it possible, given …  Read more

This thesis examines factors that determine household reliance on interlinked informal credit contracts for fish in the Peruvian Amazon, and the degree to which implicit interest rates in these contracts are explained by transaction costs, administrative costs and lender risk. A probit model was used to determine household likelihood to borrow, using survey data collected in the region. This likelihood is found to depend on access to alternative activities to generate income, household resilience to income volatility, and demographics: age, education and mobility. High implicit interest rates (112%) are not explained by the average costs (67%) incurred by local lenders. …  Read more

Speech enhancement blocks form a critical part of voice communications systems. Unfortunately, most enhancement schemes have difficulty eliminating noise from speech without introducing distortion or artefacts. Many of the disturbances originate from poor parameter estimation and interframe fluctuations. This thesis introduces the Enhanced Signal Subspace (ESS) system to mitigate the above problems. Based on a signal subspace framework, ESS has been designed to attenuate disturbances while minimizing audible distortion. Artefacts are reduced by employing an auditory post-filter to smooth the enhanced speech spectra. This filter performs averaging in a manner that exploits the properties of the human auditory system. As …  Read more

North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) feeding scars on trees were used as an index of past porcupine abundance in the Bas St. Laurent region of eastern Quebec, Canada. The frequency distribution of scars revealed that porcupine populations have fluctuated regularly over the past 130 years in the Bas St. Laurent region, with superimposed periodicities of 11 and 22 years. This porcupine population cycle has closely followed the 11 and 22-year solar activity cycles. An analysis of local temperature and precipitation data revealed a close relationship between fluctuations in annual precipitation and both the solar cycle and the porcupine cycle. These …  Read more

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. The objectives of this study were to determine the mechanisms and significance of ionic transients in mathematical action potential models, determine the relative contributions of tachycardia-related myocyte remodeling processes to the pathologic features of the remodeled action potential, and to investigate mechanisms of AF maintenance and antiarrhythmic drugs in atrial tissue. We began by formulating expressions for myocyte Cl- transport processes which allowed us to evaluate model stability and the influence of model equation singularity, and to characterize pacing-induced ionic transients. We found that tissue and model …  Read more

This study contends that postmodern American fiction dramatizes an important shift of philosophical perspective on the fetish in keeping with recent theories of fetishism as a cultural practice. This shift is defined by the refusal to accept the traditional Western condemnation of the fetishist as primitive or perverse, and by the effort to affirm more productive uses for fetishism as a theoretical concept spanning the disciplines of psychoanalysis, Marxian social theory, and anthropology. Analyzing the depiction of fetishistic practices in selected contemporary American novels, the dissertation utilizes fetish theory in order to clarify the unique textual and historiographic features of …  Read more

This thesis attempts to develop our understanding of the ultimate interprovincial rupture at the signing of the Social Union Framework Agreement (the SUFA) on February 4, 1999. Questioning the widely accepted "money talk" explanation, which argues that increased federal transfers motivated the ROC provinces to go along with the federal government at the expense of an interprovincial common front with Quebec, this thesis suggests analyzing the dynamics of the SUFA negotiation process with special attention to the visions of Canadian federalism to which the ROC provinces, Quebec, and the federal government had subscribed respectively. This analysis demonstrates that the final …  Read more

In primary rat hepatocytes, we found that activation of the Pl3-kinase pathway is both necessary and sufficient to account for EGF-induced DNA synthesis. To identify the mechanism of EGF-induced Pl3-kinase activation, we demonstrated that three distinct p85-associated complexes were formed following EGF: ErbB3-p85, Shc-p85 and a large complex Gab2-Grb2-SHP2-p85. The latter accounted for >80% of total Pl3-kinase activity. Further experiments showed that these complexes are differentially localized in rat liver following EGF treatment. ErbB3-p85 and Shc-p85 complexes were localized to PM and Endosomes; whereas the multimeric Gab2-Grb2-SHP2-p85 complex was formed rapidly and exclusively in cytosol. A central role for Gab2 …  Read more

The lysosomal protective protein/cathepsin A (PPCA) forms a multi-enzyme complex with beta-galactosidase and alpha-neuraminidase. Histological examination of the testis and epididymis of PPCA-/- mice from 2--10 months of age revealed cell- and region-specific abnormalities compared to their wild type counterparts. The testis showed a significant decrease in the diameter of seminiferous tubules, a significant increase in the size and number of interstitial space macrophages that became filled with pale lysosomes, and Leydig cells that showed an accumulation of pale lysosomes. The epithelial cells of the caput and corpus regions of the epididymis were highly vacuolated, containing numerous pale lysosomes, with …  Read more

To understand the molecular basis of developmental control of cell division during C. elegans organogenesis, two different approaches were taken. First, a screen was performed to identify mutants with altered numbers of intestinal nuclei using a reporter transgene specific to the intestinal nuclei. The intestine displays three different cell division patterns; mitosis, karyokinesis and endoreplication, therefore, in this screen we could potentially isolate mutants in genes affecting any of these different cell cycles. An F2 semi-clonal screen was performed and mutants with fewer or supernumerary numbers of intestinal nuclei were isolated. One mutant, rr31, with twice the wild type complement …  Read more

Richter, Horst (Supervisor)  Read more

This thesis examines the process of approximating EC law that the Czech Republic has undertaken both under the Europe Agreement and in order to fulfill one of the conditions for membership in the European Union. The thesis aims to determine whether the transposition of EC legislation has been undertaken with a view to effective implementation of the acquis communautaire and to assess what implications this process will have for the Czech Republic. To this end, three areas of law which are subject to approximation are examined, namely competition law, environmental law and company law. Accordingly, Chapter I provides a general …  Read more

Bacillus cereus has been responsible for several food poisoning outbreaks involving high moisture-high pH (aw ~ 0.98, pH ~ 8.8) English-style crumpets. Two novel methods, involving sorbohydroxamic acid (SHA) and mastic essential oil (MO), were evaluated for their potential to inhibit the growth of this pathogen and other selected spoilage and foodborne pathogens in high moisture, high pH English-style crumpets. While sorbic acid only controlled the growth of B. cereus at pH 5 and 5.5, SHA proved effective at all pHs and concentrations under investigation. MO also failed to inhibit the growth of B. cereus when added directly to agar …  Read more