McGill University Thèses et mémoires par auteur commençant par A

Raghavan, V. G. (Supervisor)  Read more

This thesis is an attempt to question the established thesis of Joseph Schacht that Islamic law, as we know now, did not exist during the greater part of the first century of the Hijra. His argument rests on the notion that the Qur'an was only utilized as a secondary source in legal matters, and the Prophet's works were out of legal context. Thus, Muslims at that time mostly relied on customary law which was practiced in pre-Islamic Arabia. Consequently, he claims that Islamic law began to develop at the end of the first century of the Hijra, as a result …  Read more

A thermodynamic-dynamic sea ice model based on the granular material rheology of Tremblay and Mysak is used to study the interannual variability of the Arctic sea ice cover during the 41-year period 1958--1998. The sea ice model is coupled to both a mixed layer ocean model and a one-layer thermodynamic atmospheric model. The model is first run with monthly climatology for most of the thermodynamic and dynamic forcing components to obtain a stable periodic seasonal cycle. For the 41-year run, the monthly wind stress forcing is derived from analyzed sea level pressures from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP …  Read more

Cette thèse explore les facteurs politiques derrière l'application de la shari'ah visant à mettre fin au long conflit dans la région de l'Aceh, en Indonésie. Nous soutenons que le gouvernement indonésien n'a pas souhaité diviser le mouvement laïque Gerakan Aceh Merdeka (« mouvement pour un Aceh libre » ou GAM) et les civils acehnais, ce dernier composé en majorité de Musulmans et associé d'emblée tant à l'enseignement islamique depuis le 12e siècle de notre ère qu'à l'introduction de la shari'ah dans la région d'Aceh. fr Cette thèse propose une nouvelle explication à l'adoption graduelle de la shari'ah comme cadre de …  Read more

Atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), a 28 amino acid peptide hormone, is the major secretory product of the heart. Because of its diuretic, natriuretic and vasodilating activities, this peptide may be involved in the maintenance of proper fluid and electrolyte balance and blood pressure control. In order to study the transcriptional regulation of ANF, we have isolated the rat ANF gene and we have established a system of cardiocytes in primary cell culture for studies on the hormonal, tissue-specific and developmental regulation of the ANF gene. Using this in vitro system, as have demonstrated that thyroid hormone increases ANF mRNA levels …  Read more

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is defined as the deliberate and intentional destruction of one’s own bodily tissue without suicidal intent and for reasons that are not socially sanctioned. Current theoretical frameworks posit that engagement in NSSI is due to an inability to regulate one’s emotions. In turn, mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to enhance emotion regulatory processes in those who engage in NSSI. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether a brief mindfulness task was differentially effective at increasing state mindfulness and decreasing stress following a stress induction task in university students with versus without a history of …  Read more

Laboratory research in rodents suggests that early exposure to methylphenidate (MPH) leads to altered sensitivity to the rewarding effects of stimulant drugs of abuse later in life and may have implications for drug-taking vulnerability. Netrin-1 is a family of guidance cue proteins that participates in the organization of neural circuits. During embryonic development through adulthood, both netrin-1 and its receptor DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) are expressed in mesocorticolimbic dopamine (DA) brain regions. Studies conducted on dcc heterozygous rodents show a critical role for DCC expression in the development and function of the adult mesocorticolimbic DA system. Recently, variations in …  Read more

The purpose of this research project has been to evaluate the feasibility of improving the impact properties of polypropylene (PP)/ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) laminar blends by the incorporation of a rubber phase. The impact modifier was poly (ethylene-propylene) rubber (EPR). The study was conducted initially with a batch mixer, and then continued with an extruder. Furthermore, it was decided to evaluate the improvement in impact toughness of the blends upon addition of a polyethylene (PE) phase. The batch mixing studies showed that it is possible to bring the impact properties of maleated PP (MAPP)-based blends to the range of …  Read more

Cette thèse propose d'apprécier le phénomène de falsification des prix de transaction depuis un point de vue juridique. Plus particulièrement, ce projet de recherche envisage l'étude de la falsification comme étant une pratique commerciale effectuée dans le cadre des échanges internationaux de biens et services. L'apport principal de la recherche porte sur la question de savoir si la falsification des prix de transaction est admissible dans la sphère commerciale. Pour cela, la question est posée de savoir si cette notion n'est pas légalement mal interprétée, c'est-à-dire, qu'elle semblerait impliquer un comportement criminel, et qu'ainsi, il faille approcher la notion d'une …  Read more

In modern democratic societies the right of the individual to develop his capacities to the fullest for his own happiness and for the benefit of society is of fundamental importance. One of society's major tools in furthering this ideal has been free and ''universal11 elementary education. Formal education has traditionally concerned itself with the intellectual aspects of a child’s development. “Emotional education” has remained the function of the family. A modern child has the opportunity to learn ideas foreign to his parents, but his emotional life is often restricted by his parents' limited emotional capacities. Society now has a valuable …  Read more

The nature of water adsorption on cellulose has been the subject of considerable controversy. It was hoped that further information regarding the system cellulose - water would be obtained by measuring the heats of wetting and the dielectric constants of cellulose containing varying amounts of adsorbed water. An experimental technic not previously applied to heat of wetting measurements was used. [...]  Read more

Primary Effusion Lymphoma (PEL) is a lymphoproliferative disease of B cell origin associated with HHV-8 infection and characterized by migration of tumor cells to serous body cavities. PEL cells originate from post-germinal center B cells yet harbor a non-B, non-T phenotype, a characteristic that has not been fully explained. In the present study we demonstrate that PEL cells have an impaired expression of B cell-specific transcription factors and this results in a decreased activity of promoters regulating essential B cell genes. PEL cells lack PU.1 expression, although its transcription partner IRF-4 is highly upregulated, leading to decreased activity of the …  Read more

Turgay, A. Uner (Supervisor1)  Read more

MCLK1 (a.k.a. COQ7) is an evolutionarily conserved mitochondrial hydroxylase necessary ubiquinone biosynthesis. Mclk1+/- mice display a 50% reduction in this protein, as well as an array of phenotypes including increased longevity, decreased ubiquinone in the inner mitochondrial membrane, decreased mitochondrial respiration, and increased mitochondrial oxidative stress. We report here by various measures that Mclk1+/- mutants also exhibit an enhanced immune response in vivo. That is, Mclk1+/- mice mount a more extreme inflammatory response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide stimulation and bacterial infection, evidenced by increased measures of plasma cytokine levels. These mice also demonstrate resilience to tumour development, evidenced by a prolonged, …  Read more

Zellweger spectrum disorder (ZSD) usually results from biallelic mutations in PEX genes required for peroxisome biogenesis. PEX1-G843D is a common hypomorphic allele associated with milder disease. We previously showed that fibroblasts from patients with a PEX1-G843D allele recovered peroxisome functions when cultured with the nonspecific chaperone betaine and flavonoid acacetin diacetate. To identify more effective flavonoids for preclinical trials, we compared 54 flavonoids using our cell-based peroxisomal assays. Diosmetin showed the most promising combination of potency and efficacy; co-treatments of diosmetin and betaine showed the most robust additive effects. This was confirmed by 5 independent assays in primary PEX1-G843D patient …  Read more

Theoretical expressions essentially based on the Flory-Stockmayer statistics of gelation were experimentally examined for their applicability beyond the gel point. By studying the crosslinking process of a polyester network formed from 1,3,5-benzenetriacetic acid and 1,10-decamethylene glycol beyond the gel point, the validity of the expressions was quantitatively confirmed, and their limitations were delineated. On stepwise degradation of a similar network, increasingly large soluble fractions were obtained at each step, and their weight-average molecular weights increased as the degelation point was approached. The molecular weights and distributions of these fractions were in close quantitative agreement with theory, i.e., they represented a …  Read more

The kinetics of dissolution of titanium and vanadium in liquid steel has been studied. Two periods were distinguished: the steel shell period and the free dissolution period. In the case of titanium, it is shown that the customary frozen shell of steel encases the cylinder following its initial immersion. Premature internal dissolution then begins as a result of liquid eutectic of Fe(,0.3) Ti(,0.7) composition forming at the inner steel shell boundary. This phenomenon triggers an exothermic dissolution and erosion of the inner steel shell. The net result is considerable shortened shell melting times. During the free dissolution period, the temperature …  Read more

Lessard, Larry (Supervisor2)  Read more

Montaigne qui a le don d'être toujours nouveau et inattendu a, on serait tenté de dire, le don de l'ubiquité morale et philosophique aussi, de sorte que des esprits de tendances opposées ont pu se réclamer de lui avec la même facilité, et peut-être avec la même justification. La littérature sur Montaigne est volumineuse, et les commentaires en sont nombreux, de sorte qu'il faut beaucoup d'invention pour pouvoir trouver quelque chose de nouveau à dire sur notre auteur.  Read more

Schoen, Daniel J. (Supervisor2)  Read more

Cette thèse décrit la collecte de données dans la littérature publiée au cours des dix dernières années pour mettre à jour la base de Données sur l'Adsorption Biomoléculaire (BAD), ainsi que le traitement et autres calculs sur ces données. Ceci afin de mettre à jour la BAD et lui permettre de fournir une prédiction plus précise de l'adsorption de protéines pour la conception d'applications d'ingénierie. L'adsorption de protéines aux interfaces solide-liquide est cruciale dans de nombreuses applications biomédicales et industrielles. Ces applications comprennent des biomatériaux, des micro-réseaux de protéines, des dispositifs de laboratoire sur puce et des bioréacteurs. (Vasina et …  Read more

Ce projet répond aux préoccupations du public canadien au sujet de la qualité de l'eau dans les régions où de nombreuses exploitations agricoles sont présentes. Les coliformes fécaux sont endémiques chez les volailles et sont difficiles à éradiquer des sites de production. Le biochar, un charbon produit par pyrolyse de la biomasse, gagne de plus en plus de reconnaissance à l'échelle mondiale en raison de ses propriétés uniques lorsqu'il est utilisé comme amendement de sol. Sa demi-vie est estimée à des centaines d'années. Par conséquent, son rôle dans la réduction de la pollution agricole pourrait s'étendre sur une longue période.Dans …  Read more

Background:Assessing bone and muscle health is essential in aging populations to identify individuals at risk of frailty and adverse outcomes. Among cardiovascular patients, reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and muscle mass have been linked to increased surgical complications and mortality. Opportunistic screening using routine computed tomography (CT) scans presents a valuable, underutilized avenue for early detection. While traditional Hounsfield Unit (HU)-based methods have laid the foundation, advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and radiomics now allow for more refined analysis of bone and muscle quality. This thesis investigates the use of AI-driven opportunistic screening in high-risk cardiovascular populations, with a particular …  Read more

The dynamics in Fagus-Acer forest have been frequently investigated, a particular interest being the replacement patterns and coexistence of the two dominant species, Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. and Acer saccharum Marsh. This thesis examines whether the community pattern and dynamics in a Fagus-Acer forest at Mont. St. Hilaire, Quebec, are consistent with predictions made by the disturbance hypothesis. This conceptual model explains the mechanisms underlying the coexistence and replacement patterns of the two dominant species. While the hypothesis suggests disturbance frequency and interspecific differences in growth under variable light conditions to be the key factors that determine the dynamics in Fagus-Acer …  Read more

Berk, Dimitrios (Supervisor)  Read more

Heat and mass transfer phenomena in nanofluids are studied using numerical experiments. The main focus of this study is to determine the contribution of nanoparticle Brownian motion-induced micro-convection currents on the effective thermal conductivity and effective mass diffusivity.The mathematical model developed is based on the fluctuating lattice Boltzmann method (fLBM) to simulate nanoparticle Brownian motion, the multiple relaxation time lattice Boltzmann method (MRT-LBM) to provide a description of micro-convection currents, and the finite volume method (FVM) to calculate the evolution of a scalar field (mass or temperature) subject to the effect micro-convection currents. Finally, two averaging methods to calculate effective …  Read more

Water temperature is a key component in freshwater aquatic environments, acting as a driver of habitat processes and a trigger of life cycle events for riverine invertebrate and vertebrate species. Habitat suitability for fish species can be defined by maximum and minimum temperature tolerances and both habitat-forming processes and migratory behaviors are a function of localized thermal regimes. The salience of thermal regimes on river ecology is of particular importance given the increased alteration of riverscapes through the construction of impoundments, as well as the abstraction and deposition of large volumes of water in industrial and agricultural practices that alter …  Read more

Previous research has shown that Japanese-speaking 20-month-old children associate novel words with objects over actions when the words are presented as a single word. This study investigated young Japanese children's ability to use verb morphosyntactic cues in input to form associations between novel words and actions using a habituation paradigm with a switch design. Sixteen 20-month-old Japanese children were habituated to novel words in a verb syntactic frame paired with movies that show novel objects engaging in unfamiliar actions. The children were then tested with three trials in which one of the original word, object, or action was switched. The …  Read more

A three year field study was undertaken to assess the influence of water table management, namely subsurface irrigation and controlled drainage, on the movement of pesticides through the soil profile into ground water. The herbicides under investigation were prometryn on an organic soil, and metolachlor on a sandy soil. Both soil and groundwater were collected and analyzed. The results presented are those obtained in the first two years of the project. In the organic soil, herbicide leaching was greatly reduced due to the management of the water table. The pesticide remained higher in the soil profile, preventing leaching to the …  Read more

Viktor Freiman (Supervisor2)  Read more

La fragmentation des rivières par des barrières construites telles que des barrages et des ponceaux laisse très peu de rivières à écoulement libre sur Terre. L'augmentation de la population humaine et la pression qu'elle exerce sur les rivières en matière d'énergie, d'eau et de contrôle des inondations devrait aggraver cette fragmentation. Les poissons, qui passent au moins une partie ou tout leur vie dans les eaux courantes, dépendent du régime d'écoulement naturel et la connectivité de ces rivières. La fragmentation des systèmes des cours d'eau réduit la connectivité parce qu’elle restreint les poissons des régions importantes nécessaires à l'accomplissement de …  Read more

The building we are about to design will be approximately 15'-0" x 105'-0" inside dimensions of three stories, and will have a reinforced concrete roof with a slope of 3/4" to the foot, the conctrete roof will be covered with slag 5 ply. [...]  Read more

Marvelous Realism is a continuous source of debate in the world of research. Restricted to latino-american literature for ones, open to all literatures for others, this style suffers from a lack of unanimity. This is the reason why I have chosen to begin my thesis with a panoramic view of this style and identify its founders. Subsequently, I will try to establish the distinctions between Magic and Marvelous Realism through the thesis of Charles Scheel and Ook Chung. Those precisions made, I shall analyse the presence of Marvelous Realism in Ferron's Contes with the stylistic and/or structural traits of Mary-Ellen …  Read more

It seems that henceforth the development and renewal of terminology will be linked to contemporary scientific theories. Each discipline, with the aid of its specialized vocabulary, will possess a set of up-to-date conceptual tools adapted to its purpose. Unfortunately, there is no lexicon of literary terminology in French, and this at a time when the literature on analytical matalanguage is in major competition with the literature on ordinary language. Presently, various epistemological mutations such as those of the structuralists are having a strong effect on the contemporary terminological movement. It is hoped that this dictionary will, in a modest way, …  Read more

This study explores the role of exercise and nutrition in burnout rates of social workers. Through convenience and snowball sampling 100 workers were asked to complete a questionnaire, with 82 returned. Burnout was assessed on three subscales, Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Depersonalization (DP) and Personal Accomplishment (PA), using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The exercise questions were adapted from Canada's Physical Activity Guide of Healthy Living. The nutrition questions were adapted from Healthy Eating Worksheet from the Canadian Cancer Society. Those employed in child welfare had significantly higher levels of EE and DP and significantly lower levels of PA. Results of …  Read more

The topic of this thesis is Valerius Maximus' value as a Roman historian. Therefore, the contents of the thesis are concerned only with the passages in Valerius Maximus' book On Memorable Deeds and Sayings, which deal directly with Roman history. Also, because of the nature of this thesis, I have used only those passages which relate events from 300 B.C. to 14 A.D. I have endeavoured, throughout this thesis, to present a purely objective study of Valerius Maximus. In order to do this, all facets involving the information of the said period of Roman history, which is included in his …  Read more

Avant même que sa poésie soit publiée, Bob Kaufman est connu outre-mer pour ses proférations sur les tables des bars et des cafés de North Beach, à San Francisco, ainsi que pour la forte esthétique jazz émanant de sa poésie. De ce fait, il a intégré la tradition de la jazz poetry, en plus de perpétuer l’ambition de Hart Crane, l’une de ses influences majeures : mettre le jazz en mots. Le recueil The Ancient Rain: Poems 1956-1979 – qui demeure non traduit – est pour certains critiques, comme Aldon Lynn Nielsen, la clef de voûte de l’apport de Bob …  Read more

The purpose of this study was to examine what a national public science educator does when attempting to educate the general public. This investigation was conducted with the goal of expanding the literature on the treatment of science in multimedia to include descriptive work on whom the general public goes to learn science. The science educator's work in radio, television, and print were explored through interview and content analyses with themes and patterns emerging. The educator appeared to apply a loose formula of keeping a finger on the public's pulse, exhibiting scientific rigor, using variables and techniques such as props …  Read more

Menstruation is all at once a cultural, social, historical, and biological process. Intertwined, these forces create menstrual experiences which are neither fixed nor universal, but rather adaptable and transformable not only between cultures, but from within cultures as well. How these factors interrelate, what menstrual discourse they create, and how that translates into women's everyday lives, becomes the focus of this research. Structured around the relationship between prescription and reality, this study examines the interplay of those who defined the menstrual discourse: doctors, mothers, and the sanitary napkin industry, and those who experienced it. Listening to the lives of twenty-four …  Read more

The purpose of this study was to enrich our understanding of gender equity issues in coeducational and single-sex physical education classes. Student and teacher perceptions were examined through interviews, written descriptions of critical incidents, field observations and document analysis. The participants included 65 students in coeducational grade eight classes, 84 students in single-sex grade nine classes, and the physical education teacher from a suburban high school. Through inductive analysis and constant comparison, themes emerged regarding the teacher's equity strategies, advantages and disadvantages of coeducational and single-sex classes, and students' roles in perpetuating and rejecting gender stereotypes. Aware of gender issues, …  Read more

In this thesis, the problem of estimating the autoregressive (AR) parameters of a wide sense stationary process is studied for the application of spectrum estimation of short data records. The approach taken is to first estimate a structured covariance matrix satisfying an optimality criterion and then map the estimate into the AR parameter estimates. Most covariance estimators are based on a least squares prediction error criterion. The new approach taken in this thesis is the use of a maximum likelihood (ML) criterion to obtain better covariance estimates. Both approximate and exact ML algorithms are developed based on an iterative Newton-Raphson …  Read more

A two year study was conducted to investigate the effect of intercropping corn with alfalfa or red clover with or without an initial application of the herbicide EPTC$ sp+$ (S-ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate + R-25788 antidote) on the weed yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L.). EPTC$ sp+$ applied prior to crop seeding in 1984 significantly reduced yellow nutsedge shoot growth in the first year but did not significantly reduce tuber populations. EPTC$ sp+$ significantly improved corn silage and grain yield and alfalfa establishment in the first year but did not significantly improve red clover establishment. In the second year, a trend of superior …  Read more