McGill University Thèses et mémoires publiés en 2005

The primary focus of this work is Article 57 of the Draft European Constitution, concerning the constitutionalisation of a new aspect in EU external relations law, 'the European Neighbourhood Policy'. No comprehensive study of this constitutional article has yet been undertaken in EU legal research. Through the medium of the title of my thesis I wish to examine whether it amounts to an emergent jus gentium for the EU or its antithesis, the consolidation of jus civile. In parallel with the nature of the subject, this study is necessarily a legal-political one. Key points identified are the strategic use of …  Read more

L'utilisation d'une antenne membrane sur les satellites de télédétection est désormais possible par la fabrication de nouveaux matériaux et le développement de nouvelles techniques manufacturières. Une telle antenne permettrait aux organisations possédant de tels satellites d'en réduire le poids et du fait même le coût de lancement par un facteur important. Toutes les causes d'échec, de panne ou d'insuccès reliées à l'utilisation d'une antenne membrane doivent être pleinement étudiées avant qu'elle ne soit lancée. Avec l'émergence de cette nouvelle technologie, une nouvelle problématique s'ajoute: le plissement. Le plissement de la membrane émettrice pourrait affecter l'efficacité del'antenne et réduire ses performances …  Read more

The integration of new technologies in higher education has provoked a strong response over the last decade, not only from administrators and the public but also from academics. It has re-opened basic theoretical questions about the role of universities and that of academic culture. This thesis begins with a critical review of the literature dealing with conceptualizations of academic culture and technology in higher education. Most theorists have come to the conclusion that academic culture is a set of values and norms that serve as guides for action. At root, this conclusion is derived from an organizational perspective prevalent in …  Read more

The perioperative use of cardiac medical therapy (aspirin, angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, lipid lowering agents (including statins), and beta-blockers) holds the potential to improve clinical outcomes among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). These medications have been shown to be efficacious in reducing adverse events in a small number of trials involving non-cardiac surgery patients. However, their use has not been closely examined among CABG patients. We performed a systematic review of the literature in which we identified all studies that examined the perioperative use of cardiac medical therapy among CABG patients. We also examined the use and effectiveness …  Read more

Increasing the combustor exit temperature in gas turbines is an effective means to increase engine power. While occasional metallurgical advances allow gradual temperature increases, improving the internal/external cooling of the blades is the only way to permit significant temperature gains. In this work, a methodology for aerodynamic and conjugate heat transfer computational analysis of cooled turbine blades is developed. Flow solutions are obtained using an implicit, three-dimensional, finite-element Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes flow solver. Efficient non-reflecting boundary conditions are derived and implemented to reduce the size of the solution domain and accelerate convergence. These are shown to be essential for the accurate …  Read more

Visualization and quantitative oxidation kinetic experiments on 100 g samples of Pb-As at 600°C; thermal analysis and phase-equilibrium measurements of Pb-PbO-As2O3 samples under argon over the temperature range of 420°C to 875°C; computational thermodynamic solution modeling; and phase diagram and equilibrium calculations using FACTSage(TM) were performed to elaborate the poorly documented thermodynamics of the slags in the lead softening stage in the pyrometallurgical refining of lead. In the softening stage, the minor element impurities: arsenic, antimony and tin are removed from lead bullion by oxidation and are transferred to a skimmable oxide slag phase. It was found that optimizing an …  Read more

Photographic, film and video representations of dying and dead subjects bring to light delicate balancing acts of agency involving representational perspective. In this thesis, I examine contemporary, lens-based artworks by Sarah Charlesworth, Eric Fischl (whose sculptural medium is an exception), Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, Gillian Wearing, Andres Serrano, Nan Goldin, AA Bronson and Jorge Zontal, as well as works by photojournalists Richard Drew and Theresa Frare, to show how they effectively convey facets of identity to dying and dead subjects. The voice, visuality, touch and embodiment (in particular, the body's weight and its materiality) are considered dimensions of intersubjectivity in order …  Read more

The principle 'best interests of the child' has been expanded by the legal community in recent years to apply to any matter involving children in family law proceedings. The weight ascribed to this principle, however, has been diluted. In custody, access and child protection cases, evidence of which custodial arrangements are in a child's interests are often presented by adult parties in prolonged and costly proceedings. The judge makes an order which is intended to meet the child's "best interests", in the child's absence. This paper first examines the historical and theoretical justifications for children's rights in Canadian and international …  Read more

Despite the tremendous success of total hip arthroplasty (THA) in terms of cost and clinical results, this procedure has been restrained by long term outcomes. One of the major clinical concerns is the generation of UHMWPE particles leading to periprosthetic osteolysis. Because of their low volumetric wear rate, metal-on-metal bearings have emerged as an alternative. However, metal particles and ions released from metal hip prostheses due to wear and corrosion have been essential concerns for the orthopaedic community. In fact, several clinical studies have demonstrated elevated concentrations of metal ions in the systemic circulation and in the surrounding tissues in …  Read more

In North America, hysterectomy is the most common major surgery for benign non-obstetric reasons (e.g., uterine fibroids, endometriosis, abnormal bleeding) in premenopausal women. Many of these conditions may result in pelvic pain, sexual and psychological difficulties. However, the capacity of hysterectomy to relieve these problems has not been adequately evaluated. Recently, there has been controversy as to whether less invasive surgeries such as subtotal hysterectomy, in which the uterus is removed and the cervix is left intact, are less detrimental than total hysterectomy, in which both the uterus and the cervix are excised. The first part of this thesis consists …  Read more

Performance evaluation is a critical stage in the design of every communications system. This task often presents difficulties related especially to computational requirements. This thesis presents a general method that can be used to provide closed form expressions of low complexity for the average Bit Error Rate (BER) of different communication technologies. The method is based on numerical optimization of the parameters of finite series whose mean values can be calculated easily. To that end, a new error measure that addresses specific needs of the approximations needed for communications problems is proposed as the cost function of the optimization procedure. …  Read more

The Solar Tower Atmospheric Cherenkov Effect Experiment (STACEE) is an atmospheric Cherenkov telescope that detects cosmic gamma-rays using the wavefront-sampling technique. STACEE uses the large mirror area of the National Solar Thermal Test Facility (NSTTF) to achieve an energy threshold below 200 GeV. This telescope was used to search for high-energy gamma-ray emission from the Crab Nebula and pulsar. A statistical excess of 4.07sigma in the number of on-source events compared to off-source events was detected in 15 hours of on-source observing time, corresponding to an integral flux above the energy threshold (Ethr = 185 +/- 35 GeV) of I(E …  Read more

A system for the deposition of metallic electrodes on KBr under ultra-high vacuum conditions has been designed and fabricated. Stencil masks and membranes 4-5 mum thick are fabricated on silicon chips have been created using wet etching in tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) with a boron etch stop. A holding system for UHV has been designed and built with a modified sample holder for performing electrical measurements on samples. The UHV system contains an AFM, STM, and SEM for surface examination and characterization. The growth of metals on KBr was examined using a separately constructed sample holder under high vacuum. Examination …  Read more

The need to prepare and support clinical teaching faculty is identified as a priority by nurse educators. However, there is no framework for understanding the practice of clinical teaching (Benner, Tanner & Chelsa, 1996; Davis, Dearman, Schwab & Kitchens, 1992; Scanlan, 2001; Siler & Kleiner, 2001; Vollman, 1989). There is little nursing research directed to understanding the practice of clinical teaching. It is widely assumed that nurses who are experts in practice are able to make an easy transition to the role of clinical teacher (Scanlan, 2001; Silar & Kleiner, 2001). The clinical practicum is the time when students are …  Read more

The continuing importance of literacy and the emergence of electronic text forms have incited interest in the use of technology in a number of domains, among them writing and multimedia authoring. The expectation is that technology will facilitate the writing process by supporting cognitive processes and align school instruction with real-world tasks by providing more meaningful learning environments. This study tracked middle school students' task representation as they participated in protracted multimedia design and writing tasks. Students were engaged in the creation of a literary magazine over several weeks, with both written and media products linked to a particular theme. …  Read more

In order to close the gap that exists between the research areas of mathematics anxiety and mathematics learning, this study examined cognitive, metacognitive, and affective aspects of mathematics anxiety as well as students' mathematics performance and competence. One hundred and five grade 9 students, 51 males and 54 females, from two high schools in the same school board provided data on current and past final grades and anxiety measures, both general and specific to mathematics anxiety. A subset of 40 students was selected based on either high or low mathematics anxiety, and verbal protocols were collected while they solved six …  Read more

Objective. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether high frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (HFS STN), for the treatment of motor signs and symptoms characteristic of Parkinson disease (PD), has detrimental consequences for cognitive processing. Methods . An extensive battery of neuropsychological tests was administered to 15 PD patients with bilateral implantation of high frequency stimulators of the subthalamic nucleus for the treatment of PD. Patients were tested in two sessions: during one session the stimulator was set to a satisfactory therapeutic level and in the other the stimulator was set to OFF. Results. Statistically significant …  Read more

It is standard practice in radiation therapy to have two independent calculations for the number of monitor units used in patient treatment plans. The relationship between monitor units and absorbed dose to water is sophisticated for MLC-based IMRT. Verification measurements of absorbed dose to water with ionization chambers in MLC-based IMRT fields remains uncertain and the accuracy of computer modeling is limited by the physics assumptions used. In this thesis, point dose measurements from three cylindrical ionization chambers of different collecting volumes are evaluated against the CORVUS (NOMOS Corporation, Cranberry, PA) finite-size pencil beam algorithm and the PEREGRINE (NOMOS Corporation, …  Read more

This thesis's objective is to demonstrate and discuss a literary character type. The thesis has been prepared, in the case of the creative work, after a course of reading that has included works of fiction and non-fiction, and a period of reflection. As regards the analytical essay, the research methods were much the same, but in place of the period of reflection a process of intuitive argumentative leaps was substituted.  Read more

The idea of an "Islamic threat" to national security in Uzbekistan is widespread in the media and amongst several academics. The regime of Uzbek President Islam Karimov has repeatedly emphasized the seriousness of this threat and acted to contain it. In this thesis, I examine both the present ability of different Muslim political actors to challenge the Uzbek state's defense position and recent historical elements of the Uzbek security strategy related to Islam. I argue that the relationship between Muslims and national security in Uzbekistan is characterized by the two following observations: (1) it is unlikely that Muslims are able …  Read more

This study explores issues related to native and non-native English speaking teachers in the context of Japanese English education, specifically in public junior high school settings in relatively rural areas of Japan. The study mainly asks Japanese teachers of English, assistant language teachers employed in the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme, and students about their perceptions of the roles of native and non-native teachers in their English classrooms. These stakeholders seem to have preconceived assumptions about the roles of native and non-native teachers. These include native teachers as opportunity providers and motivators and non-native teachers as facilitators. These fixed roles …  Read more

Caregiving for two parents affected by chronic dementia was the original impetus for this study. My negative experiences led to a quest for insight and solutions through volunteer, professional and academic pursuits. It culminated in this exploration of caregivers' experiences and their decision-making to expose the educational support they need. Caregivers tend to be family members, and overwhelmingly women. Studies from various disciplines confirm that caregivers need educational support to make decisions. Yet, little is known about what type of educational support they need and how it is to be provided. Caregivers' voices are seldom included in research and they …  Read more

This thesis investigated the apparent effectiveness of environmental education essential elements in school field trip programming. First, the elements essential to environmental education field trips were identified from the literature. Second, these elements were incorporated into a questionnaire that was administered as a pre/post test to elementary school students visiting an extensive indoor environmental education facility located in Montreal. Finally, 24 environmental education programs at eight institutions in Montreal were observed to investigate the extent and methodology of implementation of the essential elements. With regard to the chief institution, it was concluded that (1) the educational programming appeared to significantly …  Read more

Specialized laboratory information management systems (LIMS) are widely used by scientific research groups to store and manage experimental data. Smaller research laboratories' LIMS often lack support for automatic task execution, an omission that becomes more critical as experiments become increasingly automated. This thesis describes Exp-WF, a workflow management module specifically designed to be easily incorporated into a typical small-scale LIMS. Scientists describe the execution order of experiments as a workflow model. Exp-WF then automatically selects experiments for execution and dispatches them to the people or machines responsible for performing them. Exp-WF can be incorporated into an existing web-based LIMS in …  Read more

Although the study of Thule harpoon heads has produced important seriations, datings and technological reflections during the last century, a lack of fundamental knowledge about these weapons is still occurring. An attempt is made to document the different contexts surrounding the use of these artifacts. Technological, social and symbolic investigations are made on the occupants of the Skraeling Island site (High Arctic, Canada) and the Clachan site (Coronation Gulf, Canada) in order to build a complete understanding of the harpoon head morphological attributes. Using the hierarchical cluster analysis (SPSS), groupings have been statistically formed, underlying the meaningful dimensions of variation …  Read more

In Canada, prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in man and the third leading cause of cancer related death. In order to identify genes implicated in prostate cancer progression, we used microcell-mediated chromosome transfer to introduce chromosomes 10, 12, 17 and 18 into human PC-3-derived cells lines called PC-3M-Pro4GP1 and PC-3M-LN4GP2. The properties of the hybrids were determined by invasion assay, growth in soft agar and injection into nude mice (either subcutaneously or orthotopically). After the transfer of chromosome 18 in our cell lines, we have identified two sets of hybrids that show opposite phenotypes. Genotyping studies indicated …  Read more

The role of the FEF/FPA and SEF in oculomotor prediction was investigated using psychophysics, functional MRI (fMRI) and TMS. The separate contribution of advance knowledge of target direction and target timing to predictive saccades, and neural activity in frontal oculomotor structures was first investigated. The greatest proportion of predictive saccades were elicited when subjects had advance knowledge of both target direction and target timing; advance knowledge of target direction increased the proportion of predictive saccades, while advance knowledge of target timing decreased saccade latencies without increasing predictive saccades. Activity was greater in the FEF for all saccade tasks with a …  Read more

The Solar Tower Atmospheric Cherenkov Effect Experiment (STACEE) is a ground based gamma-ray telescope. An array of mirrors allow the detection of an astronomical Cherenkov light signal in an large background light flux. This background flux need to be carefully characterized in order to eliminate its contribution and recover the precious Cherenkov signal. This thesis describes an instrument to study the photon flux from the night sky in the wavelength region relevant for the atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. The integral photon flux as well as its wavelength dependence can be measured by a baffled tube defining a solid angle viewed by …  Read more

We put strong constraints on Lorentz violation by studying the inner structure of highly energetic protons. Our work is in direct continuation of previous analysis based on dimensions 4, 5 and 6 Lorentz violating operators. Our original contribution is due to the study of the inner structure of hadrons and their relation with Lorentz violating operators. The strength of the constraints arising from this new analysis should discourage us to propose new general theories that are Lorentz violating.  Read more

This thesis will examine the political and social significance of the new artistic language that emerged in Poland in the 1980s. The new artistic language pertains to symbols, imagery and themes that originated in the discourse of the opposition and can be defined as the amalgam of the traditional religious vocabulary and time-specific symbols of oppression under Communism. The most prominent in this category are the symbols of the cross, the flowers, the national red and white flag, exclusively contemporary symbols such as the "television-people" as well as an array of traditional religious vocabulary. This unusual relationship between symbolic language …  Read more

Neurotransmitters play important roles in the early development of the mammalian central nervous system. Specifically, glutamate has been shown to mediate striatal neurogenesis via the ionotropic NMDA receptor. Here, it was investigated whether glutamate could exert an action on striatal neurogenesis by a metabotropic receptor mechanism in the developing rat. In vivo and in vitro methods were used to identify a role for the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) in striatal neurogenesis. mGluR5 glutamate receptor activation promotes neuroblast proliferation both in vivo and in vitro. The results of these experiments suggest that glutamate acting via the mGluR5 receptor plays an …  Read more

This Thesis explores the properties and potential applications of 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine-capped gold (DMAP-Au) nanoparticles. The binding mode of the DMAP ligand to the gold surface was investigated in detail and the factors that make this substituted pyridine an effective protective ligand for gold nanoparticles were determined. DMAP-Au nanoparticle samples have a mean diameter between 5 and 6 nm and narrow size dispersity. DMAP is noncovalently bound to the nanoparticle surface via the endocyclic nitrogen. The positively charged nanoparticles are stable in aqueous solution over a wide pH range (5 to 12). The interactions of DMAP-Au nanoparticles with the anionic polyelectrolytes poly(acrylate) …  Read more

In this thesis the Semantic Web and its core technology---Web Ontology Language (OWL)---were studied. Considering the features of the different units involved in the dairy industry, OWL, in its capacity as an ontology description language, can be used to encode and thus exchange ontology among the units in the dairy industry. After creation of OWL file using Protege, an OWL parser was programmed to decode the ontology and data contained in the OWL file. Based on these investigations, it was determined that OWL can be used to encode, exchange, and decode data between farms and the units that interact with …  Read more

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF), a proinflammatory cytokine produced primarily by macrophages and crucial in immune responses, is regulated both transcriptionally and posttranscriptionally upon exposure to various pathogens. Posttranscriptional regulation of TNF expression depends on interaction of RNA-binding proteins with an AU-rich element (ARE) within the 3' untranslated region of TNF mRNA that modulates translational efficacy and mRNA stability. We screened a macrophage protein expression library with a TNF-ARE cRNA probe and identified the RNA-binding protein FXR1P, closely related to fragile X mental retardation syndrome protein FMRP. Macrophage cell lines were generated from FXR1 knockout mice and their littermate controls. …  Read more

Animators working with 3D models and data typically are still bound to 2D interaction simply because input devices, such as mice, and display devices, such as graphic screens, are 2D. We present a new multi-modal interface for editing 3D motion data. We explore the use of a haptic device for intuitive input and feedback in 3D. Animators are allowed to create 3D animations in a uniform environment that permits interactive editing of the space curves. In the basic mode, the haptic device guides the hand of the user along a trajectory that was previously specified as an animation. Editing can …  Read more

Regulators of G-protein Signaling (RGSs) are proteins which attenuate G-Protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling by acting as GAPs (GTPase activating proteins) for the Galpha subunit of the heterotrimeric G protein. Although RGSs have been clearly shown to bind the Galpha subunit of heterotrimeric G-proteins, recent studies have shown that RGS specificity occurs via receptor association. To examine possible RGS/GPCR interactions, we constructed a somatostatin 5 (SST5) receptor deletion mutant lacking most of its intracellular C-tail. Here we show that the activation of a GPCR-responsive FUS1 -LacZ reporter gene in yeast strains expressing full length WT SST5 receptor as well as …  Read more

Pervasive developmental disorders are a group of neurodevelopmental-neuropsychiatric disorders that are characterized by variable and severe pervasive impairments in several areas of child development, notably social interaction, communication and imagination. They all share clinical features but differ in the severity and age of onset of the impairments. Except for Rett Syndrome (RTT), the etiology of these disorders is unknown, but there is strong evidence that genetic factors contribute to their pathogenesis. While no major genes have been linked to theses disorders linkages, association and chromosomal studies suggest that many loci may be involved. One aim of the present study was …  Read more

The literature has indicated that frequently examined patient variables at intake have shown mixed results in the prediction of dropout from outpatient substance abuse treatment. In this research sociodemographic characteristics, substance use and psychological problem severity at intake were examined as predictors of early dropout in 411 patients enrolled in a 6-month outpatient substance abuse treatment program. Early dropout was defined as participation of less than 6 weeks, the first phase of treatment. Another focus of the research was to determine how patients who dropped out of treatment early fared in terms of substance use at 6 months compared to …  Read more

The dissertation offers a critical analysis of the Epitome de Caesaribus, a fourth-century Latin series on the lives of the emperors from Augustus to Theodosius (c. AD 395), and consists of seven chapters defining the text, the genre, its sources, its religious milieu, and its political and social ideas. The political ideas in the Epitome were deeply marked by the influence of the ascetic ideal honouring moderation in drink, food, sleep, sex, and emotions such as anger. Within the fourth-century Roman Empire, the epitomator offers moderate pagan views which show interest about dreams, asceticism, and the providential nature of the …  Read more

AQUA is an underwater hexapod robot which uses its paddles to propel itself and to control its orientation. The use of oscillating paddles for propulsion and control represented a novel and challenging problem, which motivated the need for a simulation of the motion of the robot based on its paddle oscillations. The most difficult aspect of this simulation was the characterization of the forces generated by the paddles oscillating in the water. In this work, a model predicting the forces produced by an oscillating rigid paddle was developed and validated experimentally. Also, the forces produced by a flexible fin were …  Read more

Type I IFNs modulate the onset of immune responses against viruses through the activation of numerous rapid signaling pathways. Although beneficial on specific infected cells, administered IFNs were shown to decrease thymic cellularity. Herein, we developed a murine model treated with polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (Poly IC) to dissect the mechanisms and the role of in vivo produced IFNs on the thymus. Treatment induced thymic atrophy, while having no effect on the lymph nodes. However, under chronic conditions, we observed a complete thymic replenishment. These findings should be the result of a LPS contamination, since the use of a new certified LPS-free …  Read more

Debrouille, Bruno (Supervisor)  Read more

Purpose. This study quantified fit of ice hockey skate boots by measuring the pressure (MP) at the foot/ankle-to-boot interface using three skate sizes. The relationship between perceived pressure (PP), perceived comfort (PC) and measured pressures (MP) also were documented. Methods . 18 male subjects participated. Thirty piezo-resistive sensors recorded MPs from seven areas with the foot/ankle in various positions. A Visual Analogue Scale was used for subjective assessment of PP and PC. Results. Overall fit MP was estimated at 34.2 KPa though significant mixed interactions (p<0.05) occurred between areas, foot/ankle positions and sizes. MP correlations with PP, PC, and foot/ankle …  Read more

A new linear high electric field radiofrequency quadrupole (RFQ) ion trap, dubbed HVTrap, was developed and tested to study the phase space properties of confined particles and determine the suitability of such a device as an ion source/delivery system for high-resolution time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry and to test the possibility of high field RFQ beam cooling in an ion guide. A segmented quadrupole rod structure was built and shown to easily withstand over 4kV between adjacent electrodes placed 1mm apart in 1x10 -4 Torr of helium buffer gas. An innovative resonating circuit design using hollow air-cored induction coils was used …  Read more

Winter storms affect all Canadians and many of their impacts are associated with precipitation. This precipitation can occur as rain, snow, freezing rain or ice pellets. Some research has been conducted on all of these types of precipitation but the least attention has been paid to ice pellets. The atmospheric environment conducive to ice pellets is known in general but the detailed nature of the actual particles is not. To begin to address this issue, a high resolution digital camera was used to photograph ice pellets for 4 hours during a winter storm at Mirabel, Quebec in November 2003. A …  Read more

Sutural distraction osteogenesis (SDO) has been proposed as a novel approach for cleft palate closure in an effort to avoid the shortcomings of traditional surgical repair. In this thesis, we present data that confirms that attempted distraction of the palatomaxillary suture (PMS) achieves cleft closure preferentially by alveolar arch collapse, and not by intended SDO. To that end, we have designed a novel custom-fit intraoral splint that successfully prevents maxillary collapse while facilitating cleft defect approximation via sutural distraction. Preservation of maxillary dimensions was confirmed via intraoral measurements and craniometrics. New bone deposition secondary to SDO was quantified with histomorphometry …  Read more

Positive and negative outcome expectancies have been found to play a significant role in adolescents' decisions to engage in drug and alcohol use. In light of the parallel risk and protective factors among high-risk behaviors, youth gambling outcome expectancies were explored through the development of the 23-item Gambling Expectancy Questionnaire (GEQ) using a sample of 1,013 students aged 12-18. The final GEQ consists of three positive expectancy scales (i.e., Enjoyment/Arousal, Self-Enhancement, Money) and two negative expectancy scales (i.e., Over-Involvement, Emotional Impact). Significant gender, age and DSM-IV-MR-J gambling group differences were identified on the scales of the GEQ. Stepwise logistic regression …  Read more

Argentine literature at the close of the twentieth century is characterized by a marked interest in the themes of dictatorship, marginality, and exile. Given the shifting of public and private spaces in the country's recent history, a "sinister" space has appeared in the collective subconscious, where all that was negated, prohibited and repressed is now (re)surfacing with tremendous energy in a constant probing into the collective memory effectuated from still present traumas without closure. The purpose of this dissertation is to analyse the "social tics" which flourish in various art forms, as well as in the underpinnings of Argentine society, …  Read more

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection can cause life-threatening disease in immunodeficient hosts. Experimental infection in mice has revealed that natural resistance to murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) is genetically determined and mediated by binding of the natural killer (NK) cell activating receptor Ly49H to the pathogen-encoded glycoprotein m157. The study of genetically diverse wild-derived strains revealed natural resistance in the PWK/Pas mouse. However, intracellular staining of NK cells indicated that PWK/Pas mice do not express Ly49H. Moreover, PWK/Pas were also found to be resistant to mutant virus lacking m157. Analysis of backcrosses to a susceptible strain demonstrated that MCMV-resistance is controlled by a …  Read more

As the advantages of space based systems to support global communications, data transfer, navigation and military activities have been identified and exploited through the decades, the economic and security well being of many nations has become increasingly dependent upon space. In a world of evolving threats, dependence has highlighted the vulnerability of space assets. This thesis considers the current legal framework governing outer space and whether or not the framework supports space weaponization and the use of force in space. Chapter One provides an overview of the journey into space and how the military has taken advantage of space. In …  Read more