McGill University Thèses et mémoires par auteur commençant par A

Beach, E. (Supervisor)  Read more

The year 1958 should mark the beginning of man's travel into another dimension. This year and next, the United States in connection with the International Geophysical Year, is to place satellites into the outer reaches of the earth's atmosphere. These experiments with the consent of most nations of the world shall allow further exploration of new regions and open heretofore unknown vistas for man's ever questioning mind.  Read more

Stewart, R. K. (Supervisor)  Read more

The goal of this study was to further understanding of the ecology and propagation of an important wild food resource (Vatovaea pseudolablab (Harms.) Gillett of the community of Loodokilani, Kajiado District Kenya and by extension, contribute to its sustainable use. Vatovaea pseudolablab is found in occasional, yet distinct patches in Lookidalani and these patches may be associated with a particular soil-water regime. The associated soils are moderately developed, dark brown (7.5YR 3/2, Munsell) clayloams, with small (5.61 mm), angular blocky aggregates. The patches were moderately covered (30%) with medium-sized stones (9.5 cm). Woody and leafy cuttings from wild stock were …  Read more

Les taux de surpoids et d'obésité (OW/OB) sont en augmentation au Ghana. Notre objectif était d'identifier les facteurs prédictifs du surpoids et de l'obésité chez les femmes, les hommes et au niveau du ménage (avoir au moins une personne souffrant de surpoids et d'obésité dans le ménage) dans les zones rurales du Ghana et d'examiner les perceptions locales des conséquences de la présence d'une personne souffrant de surpoids et d'obésité dans le ménage. Les données quantitatives ont été incluses dans une analyse secondaire des données de base du projet LinkINg Up (LU), une intervention agricole sensible à la nutrition dans …  Read more

This thesis describes a study of novice problem solving in the domain of medicine. The study attempts to answer questions pertaining to the diagnostic accuracy, the generation and change of diagnostic hypotheses, and the use of clinical findings in the course of solving clinical cases with similar presenting complaints. Two specific issues are addressed: (1) how does the initial case presentation suggesting a common disease schema affect the diagnostic problem solving process of novices and intermediate subjects? (2) what are the processes the subjects used in coordinating hypothesis and evidence during diagnostic problem solving? Medical trainees (students and a resident) …  Read more

Ground hot red pepper mash. With 8% salt was stored ln wooden and plastic container at 22°C for 52°C days and several microbiological and physico-chemical tests were performed on samples taken regularly throughout storage. A fermentation is believed to occur during the first months of storage. The organisms responsible for that were Candida spp and Pediococcus spp. During that period, pH decreased from 5.5 to 4.4 and titratable acidity Increased from 0.47 to 0.90%. […]  Read more

Les systèmes de traitement du langage naturel tels que les agents de dialogue et les systèmes de réponse aux questions, s'intègrent de plus en plus à la société humaine. Il est donc de plus en plus nécessaire qu'ils fassent preuve d'intelligence sociale. En effet, ces systèmes doivent souvent être capables de raisonner sur les croyances, les intentions et les désirs d'autres personnes. Cette capacité, appelée théorie de l'esprit (communément abrévié ToM, de l’anglais, Theory of Mind), est cruciale, car elle permet à un modèle de prédire et d'interpréter les besoins des humains avec lesquels ils interagissent en fonction de leurs …  Read more

The fact that a star can only be studied through its light may seem, at first, to impose severe limitations on the knowledge to be acquired concerning the nature of these bright pinpoints on the night sky. When Mother Goose said "Twinkle, twinkle little star, How l wonder what you are"she expressed not only the astronomer's interest in his subject, but also his continuaI battle with the atmosphere that introduces such uncertainty into his observations.  Read more

Actually, the architect has been a climatologist much longer than being an expert or the other disciplines above. Very rarely does one see mention made of this role of the architect. Little training in this line is given the university student. This, therefore, is the object of this thesis: To acquaint architects and architectural students, particularly those in the Montreal area, with the demands and phenomena of the large and small scale climate, known respectively as the macroclimate and microclimate; and to inform them how to apply this knowledge to the design and orientation of buildings and towns. It is …  Read more

The anchoring effect influences clinicians to give undue diagnostic importance to client data gathered during the initial appraisal period. Moreover, client data consistent with the earlier diagnostic hypotheses may be given disproportionate credence. Extending research on the anchoring effect, 40 counsellors were presented with a written casefile in which the order of specific client information (that is, client material characterized as healthy and ailing) was systematically sequenced. A questionnaire was administered to evaluate the impact that the order of presentation of client information had on participant ratings of client functioning, and a "think-aloud" methodology was employed to examine the actual …  Read more

This study attempted to compare the functioning of female-headed single-parent families with that of male-headed single-parent families. The family functioning of the two groups was examined in terms of four structural areas, i.e., the task structure, the communication structure, the power structure and the affectional structure. The purpose of the study was to identify any possible similarities and differ­ences in the functioning of male-headed single-parent families.  Read more

This thesis examines the determinants of ethical leadership and the manner in which they are associated with the directive, transactional, and transformational leadership styles, as well as their effects on organizational followers. A review is first conducted of the major theories of leadership and ethics, and current perspectives on ethical leadership are discussed. The determinants of ethical leadership are postulated to be altruism, manifested through some combination of teleological and deontological values, intellectual integrity, and moral integrity. A framework is then presented which integrates ethics and leadership by illustrating the proposed linkages among the ethics variables, leadership styles and effects …  Read more

"This study approached fatness from a sociological perspective, focussing on the social dimensions of being overweight. While this approach was pursued single-mindedly in this study, the complexity of factors involved in the overweight phenomenon cannot be overstated. Obesity was considered in the context of a transact­ional theory of deviance. Some theoretical perspectives on social deviance and stigma provided a rich framework in which to consider the social implications of being fat. The hypothesis on which the study was based was that overweight people who seek help for their fatness approx­imately conform to theoretical descriptions of secondary deviants, while overweight people …  Read more

Rodriguez, Rosario (Supervisor1)  Read more

Background: Migrants living with HIV (MLWH) are a rapidly growing population in countries affiliated with the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). Across OECD countries, MLWH have poorer health outcomes compared to their non-migrant counterparts. Research on the barriers and facilitators to care for MLWH in OECD countries has centered on HIV testing. Concurrently, to champion an equity-focused response to eliminating HIV and AIDS as public health threats, HIV scholars and organizations have called for developing, evaluating, and scaling targeted clinical interventions specifically for MLWH. To respond to these calls, a new approach to caring for MLWH in Montreal, …  Read more

Carter, A. L.  Read more

Preliminary experiments by API ZYM enzyme system showed that Lactobacillus casei (Lb. casei) subspecies contained low proteinase and high aminopeptidase and esterase-lipase activities, which are the desirable traits of microorganisms to be used as starter adjuncts in Cheddar cheese-making. Six strains of Lb. casei (ssp. casei, ssp. rhamnosus, and ssp. pseudoplantarum), selected from superior peptidase and esterase-lipase profiles, were further studied for their amino-, di-, and carboxy-peptidase activities using thirty synthetic substrates. This study revealed useful information towards improving our understanding of the peptidase profiles and probable role of Lb. casei in Cheddar cheese ripening. Although individual strains varied in …  Read more

Nicolau, Belinda Farias (Supervisor1)  Read more

Les émulsions de boissons huile/eau (o/w) sont préparées en distribuant les huiles végétales dans une base aqueuse contenant des hydrocolloïdes, des agents des agents de conservation, l'acide et des couleurs. La stabilité de telles émulsions, sous les formes concentrées et diluées, est exigent et la séparation physique (écrémage) est un problème critique se posant aux industries des boissons. L'objectif principal de cette recherche était d'étudier les effets de concentration de différents hydrocolloïdes, individuellement et en conjugaisons, à deux niveaux de pH (neutre et 3.4) sur les propriétés rhéologiques, la distribution de dimension particulaire, et la stabilité associées des émulsions huile/eau …  Read more

Austin, John (Internal/Cosupervisor2)  Read more

The gut microbiota – the trillions of bacteria that reside within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract – has generated significant attention for its impacts not only on GI health, but also on pivotal pathways of the enteric and central nervous system via the microbiome gut - brain axis 1. In light of this, microbiota-based interventions may represent an effective therapeutic strategy for alleviating symptoms of both somatic and neurological pathologies. Although microbial agents have made scarce progress as standalone prophylactics, their documented impact on a myriad of diseases holds promise. Specifically, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producing lactic acid bacteria could serve as a …  Read more

Precup, Doina (Supervisor1)  Read more

Cette thèse examine la légalité de la sécession proposée de l'État indien du Punjab pour former une nation sikhe souveraine appelée « Khalistan » à travers le prisme du droit international, et considère ses implications pour les obligations internationales du Canada. Née dans la turbulence du Punjab des années 1980, marquée par l'insurrection, la répression étatique et le militantisme de la diaspora, la revendication du Khalistan a persisté principalement grâce à un plaidoyer transnational, en particulier au Canada, qui abrite la plus grande diaspora sikhe en dehors de l'Inde. La question abordée ici est double : savoir si le droit …  Read more

Kaartinen, Mari Tuulia (Supervisor)  Read more

Miriam, Velly, Ana (Supervisor2)  Read more

This qualitative study explored the educational and occupational decisions of emerging adults from a small Caribbean island (referred to as "SCI") during a time of robust socioeconomic and infrastructure development, followed by a sudden change in the labor market resulting from political uncertainty and an economic downturn. What drives this research is the question of how does living in a labour market during a boom and/or bust period of socioeconomic and infrastructure development in a small Caribbean island (herein referred to as the "SCI") contribute (or not) to the educational and occupational (career) decisions of local emerging adults? Using an …  Read more

Despite significant progress in the field of organic chemistry, the asymmetric formation of all-carbon quaternary centers still represents a considerable challenge. Our group previously reported the stereocontrolled generation and alkylation of alpha,alpha-disubstituted amide enolates to form quaternary centers. This reaction takes place via the reduction of bicyclic alpha,alpha-dialkylated alpha-thioglycolate lactams using one-electron transfer reagents. This method suffered from several limitations to practicality, thus this research project has focused on the development of a second-generation chiral auxiliary system which would overcome the first generation auxiliary shortcomings. The design and synthesis of a new chiral auxiliary system is described. The design is …  Read more

Lors des dernières années, le public s’est montré de plus en plus préoccupé par le traitement éthique des animaux d’élevage, en particulier des vaches laitières, attirant donc plus d’attention sur leur bien-être. L’un des moyens pour améliorer leur bien-être consiste de permettre aux animaux d’exprimer leurs besoins comportementaux, souvent en apportant des changements à leur environnement physique. Cependant, les besoins comportementaux demeurent mal définis et appliqués de manière incohérente dans la littérature. Puisque l’environnement influence directement les comportements qui peuvent être exprimés par les vaches laitières, cette thèse examine la relation entre les systèmes de logement et l’expression des besoins …  Read more

Metastasis is the leading cause of death in cancer patients, emphasizing the urgency to uncover molecular drivers of cell migration and invasion-key features acquired by disseminating tumor cells during metastasis. Triple Negative Breast Cancers (TNBCs) stand out as the deadliest subtype, characterized by their high invasiveness and lack of targeted therapies due to the absence of conventional surface receptors on cancer cells, leading to poor long-term outcomes. PEAK1, an atypical pseudo-kinase, plays a pivotal role in TNBC tumor growth and metastasis, partly through its involvement in epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). To elucidate the mechanisms driving PEAK1-induced tumor progression in TNBC, a …  Read more

Une grande quantité de dispersoïdes thermiquement stables formés par l'ajout d'éléments péritectiques pour développer des alliages moulés Al-Si-Mg-Cu résistants au fluage, destinés aux applications de moteurs Diesel (camions, construction, militaire, agriculture, exploitation minière et chemin de fer), offre un large éventail d'avantages par rapport aux moteurs électriques (performance, fiabilité et durabilité) et aux moteurs à essence (durabilité, performance, efficacité énergétique et avantages environnementaux). Ces alliages, classés comme la troisième génération d'alliages en aluminium pour moteurs Diesel, ont démontré de meilleures propriétés de fluage (300 °C et une plage de contrainte de 20-30 MPa) par rapport à leurs prédécesseurs. Cependant, leur …  Read more

The biocatalysis of a crude chlorophyllase extract, obtained from the biomass culture of Phaeodactylum tricornutum, in neat organic solvent media was investigated. The addition of selected excipients, including crown ether (enzyme:crown ether, 135:1--2.7:1, w/w), dextran (enzyme:dextran, 1:2--1:0.25, w/w), Span 40 and Span 60 (enzyme:Span, 1:2, w/w) and sodium bis (2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (enzyme:AOT, 1:12.6, w/w), to the crude solid enzyme preparation decreased the chlorophyllase activity. The effects of selected parameters, including solvent hydrophobicity (Log P, 2.40--4.45), initial water activity (aw, 0.44--0.97), agitation speed (0--200 rpm), reaction temperature (25--45°C) and enzyme concentration (1.67--5.3 mg solid enzyme/mL) on chlorophyllase activity, were investigated using …  Read more

Lobjectif principal de ma recherche de maîtrise a été la conception, le développement et linstallation de nouveléquipement dinstrumentation pour le laboratoire de bio-physique Leslie Lab. Les premiers instruments présentés dans cette thèse sont des variantes de dispositifs utilisés pour limagerie par confinement induit par lentille convexe (Convex Lens-induced Confinement ou CLiC). Ces dispositifs CLiC améliorent l’élimination du bruit de fond et prolongent le temps dobservation limité par la diffusion. Une caractéristique puissante de limagerie par CLiC est sa capacité à observer individuellement des molécules sous un continuum de confinement, du nanomètre au micromètre. Je démontre les fonctions de base du …  Read more

Nandi, Arijit (Supervisor1)  Read more

Notre expérience perceptuelle du monde visuel se base sur la bonne segmentation de régions distinctes dans une image pour en délimiter les bords. Cette thèse présente une série d'études qui tendent à combler le fossé entre les modèles d'énergie standards de segmentation de texture et les propriétés des textures naturelles qui affectent la segmentation de textures par l'homme en conditions écologiques. Des méthodes psychophysiques et computationnelles sont appliquées à une combinaison de textures naturelles et naturalistes afin d'identifier parmi les statistiques des textures naturelles, celles qui sont utiles aux mécanismes de segmentation de textures et comment elles sont traitées par …  Read more

Cette thèse étudie le filter de Kalman invariant (IEKF), une méthode récemment introduite pour l'estimation d'état non linéaire sur des groupes de Lie matriciels. L'IEKF est bien adapté à une classe particulière de systèmes, plus précisément ceux dotés de fonctions affines et de fonctions d'observation invariantes. En fait, lorsque ces conditions sont satisfaites, l'IEKF est un observateur localement asymptotiquement convergent. Cependant, en situation pratique, ces conditions ne sont souvent pas satisfaites. Des scénarios ou ces conditions ne sont pas satisfaites sont étudié ici. En particulier, un exemple 3D est considéré, avec et sans estimation de biais dans le gyroscope. L'estimation …  Read more

L'objectif de cette thèse est de développer des méthodes pour l'analyse quantitative du hockey sur glace en utilisant des données spatiotemporelles. Dans le domaine du sport, les données sont de plus en plus utilisées pour éclairer la prise de décision et obtenir un avantage compétitif sur un adversaire. Ces analyses basées sur les données se sont historiquement appuyées sur des données collectées manuellement, mais la collecte automatisée de données est devenue plus répandue ces dernières années, permettant la collecte de grandes quantités de données. Une source de données de ce type est les données spatiotemporelles, qui, dans le hockey sur …  Read more

This study examines impediments to dynamic moral awareness. Following the understanding of knowledge developed by Michael Polanyi and Bernard Lonergan, ethics is presented not as a science of abstract norms and principles, but as a transformative science of reflection on moral activity. Drawing from the social sciences, negative structural patterns which corrupt transformative awareness are examined under the rubrics of self-deception, social ignorance, ideology, dependency and social conformity. These investigations identify and analyze sociological and psychological features of dynamic relationships preventing or corrupting processes of personal transformation and the building up of moral human community. At each stage of the …  Read more

Les récepteurs glutamatergiques ionotropes (iGluRs) sont les principaux médiateurs de la neurotransmission excitatrice rapide du système nerveux central (SNC) des mammifères. Au sein de synapses glutamatergiques, il a été démontré que ces récepteurs forment des associations complexes avec une variété de familles protéiques transmembranaires. Jusqu’à ce jour, la plupart des études de structure-fonction portant sur les iGluRs de type AMPA se sont concentrées sur la caractérisation des récepteurs en tant qu’unités protéiques indépendantes. Cependant, de récentes études démontrent que certains membres des familles de protéines auxiliaires transmembranaires des récepteurs AMPA (TARPs) et des protéines homologues de types cornichon (CNIHs) modifient …  Read more

Bone homeostasis results from the delicate balance between bone formation, by osteoblasts, and bone resorption, by osteoclasts in a process termed remodeling which occurs throughout adult life. The tumor suppressor PTEN, which antagonizes the activity of PI3Kinase by dephosphorylating the D3 position of phosphatidyl inositol (3,4,5)P3, has been shown to be implicated in many of the same signaling pathways that are important in the differentiation and activation of both osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Very few studies have attempted to elucidate the role that PTEN may play in bone biology. Here we use a murine conditional knockout approach to specifically target PTEN …  Read more

This exploratory study identified 18 factors influencing the choice of an educational-travel program and refined a typology of the older adult educational-travel participant. A mail questionnaire queried 963 Canadian and American participants, aged 45 to 92 years, who had enrolled in a fall 1997 Elderhostel Canada program, but not yet attended. The number of useable surveys was 811, representing an 84.2% rate of return. The analysis employed descriptive statistics, correlation, factor analysis, step-wise regression analysis, analysis of variance, and content analysis. Five participant types were identified in this study: the Explorer, Activity-Oriented, Content-Committed, Convenience-Oriented, and Opportunist. Sixty-three percent of the …  Read more

This qualitative study explores how older adults, who are retired or contemplating retirement, make choices regarding their non-formal educational experiences. This national study collected data from 154 Elderhostel participants, aged 42 to 85 and, consistent with Moustaka's five phases of phenomenological analysis, triangulated the data from 17 focus groups, 10 in-depth interviews, and a demographic questionnaire. The choice of Elderhostel as an educational venue for learning, and the specific course selection, were found to be influenced by 14 factors: location, travel, program, course content, accommodations, cost, dates, negotiation with travel partner, social, sites, personal requirements, escape, information, and the policies, …  Read more