McGill University Thèses et mémoires par auteur commençant par B

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has become a worldwide problem. Roughly 3% of world population are estimated to be infected with the virus, producing high rates of progressive liver disease, leading to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The present therapy, a combined administration of pegylated interferon-alpha (IFN) and ribavirin is costly and only successful in 50% of patients infected with HCV. It is also associated with serious side effects. Thus, there is an urgent need for better tolerated and more effective treatment modalities. A therapeutic vaccine may be the solution. Recent efforts to produce efficient vaccines require not only the identification of …  Read more

Rheological behavior of two commercial brands of stirred yogurt were investigated using a Haake RV 20 rotational viscometer. For samples from both brands, the upward shear-rate flow behavior generally followed the Herschel-Bulkley model and the downward flow curves were linear. They demonstrated progressive structural degradation with repeated shearing. In the steady shear runs, all samples exhibited apparent thixotropic behavior and did not attain the equilibrium condition even after 60 min of continuous shearing. The time-dependent stress decay behavior of all samples were accurately described by Weltman's logarithmic time model. The rheological properties of both yogurt brands were qualitatively similar. Both …  Read more

High pressure (HP) processing has been emerging rapidly as a novel technique for non-thermal preservation of foods. Application of HP processing for shelf life extension of orange juice was the principal objective of the current research. To accomplish this objective, and to establish a scientific basis for HP processing of orange juice, a systemic approach was used which included the evaluation of: (a) HP inactivation kinetics of pectin methyl esterase (PME, the key enzyme in orange juice implicated with respect to quality changes), (b) destruction of spoilage microorganisms and changes in product quality, (c) HP process verification and finally, (d) …  Read more

"There has been continued observation of an excess in the τ final states compared to the e, µ states in B → Dlν and B → D∗ lν charged decays that is larger than expected from Standard Model computations. This thesis explores the viability of resolving the anomaly through a mediating light charged Higgs boson, H+ from a general type III two-Higgs doublet model (2HDM) with a large coupling between the τ and the charged Higgs. In previous work [1], it was shown that this could be realised by a charged Higgs of mass ∼ 100 [GeV]. This motivated a …  Read more

The notion of mobile agent, a software component that can move autonomously between the different nodes of a network is gaining wide popularity in business and in academia. The term mobile agent was first introduced in 1994. Since then, lots of research has been carried out in various aspects of the newly introduced paradigm. It might even be surprising to know that a recent census reports the existence of more than 70 mobile agent systems. Therefore, there is a need to gather and analyze what has been done so far in this new area. This survey reviews the field of …  Read more

La métaphore paulinienne du temple employée en 1 Corinthiens décrit une nouvelle réalité cultuelle pour les païens-en-Christ, liée au culte d’Israël, bien que détachée de son expression concrète à Jérusalem. Contrairement à l’approche cognitive des métaphores qui affirme que celles- ci n’opèrent que dans une seule direction, une théorie de « l’interaction » explique mieuxivl’action bilatérale de la métaphore lorsque des obstacles cultuels doivent être pris en compte, tels que ceux rencontrés par les non-circoncis adorant le Dieu d’Israël en Christ. Suivant la théorie de l’interaction énoncée par Max Black, je soutiens que Paul et les Corinthiens partagent un « …  Read more

In today's competitive environment, it is necessary to deliver products on time and within budget. Unfortunately, design projects have been plagued by severe cost and schedule overruns. This problem persists in spite of the significant advances that have been made in design technology over the last two decades. In most of the cases, the problem of overruns is due to poor estimation. The search for a solution has become even more pressing in the present era of shrinking product cycle times. Driven primarily by this need, this thesis presents new effort estimation models. Unlike existing estimation techniques that are based …  Read more

Le procédé d'injection sur renfort (RTM) est de plus en plus utilisé en industrie automobile pour produire de grands volumes de carrosseries à faible coût. Cependant, les paramètres du procédé peuvent avoir un effet négatif sur les propriétés mécaniques et le fini de surface de la pièce produite. Une résine polyester insaturé (UP) mixée à des nano-charges organiques confère de meilleurs paramètres de production, ce qui est une préoccupation majeure pour le fini de surface des pièces RTM. Les nano-charges sont des particules faites de couches de silicate traitées pour assurer leur compatibilité avec différentes résines. Plusieurs techniques pour synthétiser …  Read more

L'implantation d’endoprothèses est couramment utilisée pour traiter les maladies coronariennes en rétablissant le flux sanguin dans des vaisseaux obstrués. Les principales complications de cette intervention sont la resténose et la thrombose, pouvant entraîner une défaillance de l’endoprothèse. L’un des premiers facteurs menant à ces complications est le dommage subi par les cellules endothéliales (CEs) qui tapissent la paroi sanguine, ce qui entraîne entre autres la prolifération de cellules muscles lisses et la formation de cellules spumeuses. La fréquence des complications pourrait être réduite en accélérant l’endothélialisation de l’endoprothèse en captant des cellules progénitrices (CPEs) circulant dans le sang. Des études …  Read more

Since life-threatening natural phenomena, such as, snow avalanches and lava flows, and many industrial and agricultural material handling processes may be classified as granular flows, establishing constitutive relationships which model granular flow behaviour is of prime importance. While laboratory experiments attempting to support granular flow theory have been plagued by poor instrumentation, numerical simulations are becoming increasingly helpful in understanding the nature of these flows. The present investigation describes such a simulation developed within the framework of the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo model for rarefied gases presented in Bird (1976) and granular flow kinetic theory according to Lun, et al. …  Read more

The purpose of this work is to measure the influence of the Dialogues of Lahontan (1702--3) on contemporary thought relative to the myth of the Noble Savage. The text is divided into two parts: (1) Lahontan and the idea of the "noble savage" at the beginning of the 18th century in which we deal with the life of Lahontan, the historical and cultural background in New-France and in Europe at the turn of the 18th century, the Indian tribes of Northeastern America, and finally the Dialogues of Mr le Baron de Lahontan et d'un Sauvage, which consist in a comparison …  Read more

Northern peatlands are an important long-term sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and a contemporary source of methane (CH4). Under contemporary climate and environmental change, including enhanced nutrient deposition through industrialization and commercial peat harvesting, the microbial environment in peat is altered. Microorganisms are responsible for the net production of greenhouse gases in these sites, although controls on microbial activity and microbial communities are poorly understood, limiting our ability to predict greenhouse gas emissions. The objective of this thesis was to determine the microbial role in peat decomposition and greenhouse gas fluxes in northern peatlands. Nutrient, carbon (C) substrate, and …  Read more

Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that undergo morphological changes through a system of fission and fusion. Throughout interphase mitochondria primarily exist as large fused complexes. This state can rapidly change as we now know that during telophase mitochondria can undergo fission and actively traffic to the equator through the microtubule dependent Miro1/TRAK1/KIF5B complex. Why they are trafficked to the equator, however, has yet to be investigated. In order for a cell to properly undergo division, the formation of an actomyosin contractile ring (AMR), is imperative. Assembly of the AMR occurs through the action of small GTPases, namely RhoA whose downstream …  Read more

This thesis is an investigation on the generation and reactivity of carbocations adjacent to a trisubstituted nitrogen atom (iminium). In the first part of this thesis, a copper-catalyzed oxidative alkylation of sp3 C-H bond adjacent to a nitrogen atom is described. This environmentally respectful process used molecular oxygen as oxidant and water as solvent. In the second part of the thesis, an aerobic sp3 C-H bond phosphonation reaction is presented. This process catalyzed by copper(I) bromide using dialkylphosphites as nucleophiles offered direct C-P bond formation via direct oxidative coupling of C-H and P-H bonds. In the third part of the …  Read more

This monograph was designed to acquaint teachers and students and students with the concept of teaching history with cartoons and to its pedagogical advantages and limitations.  Read more

Bertone, Armando (Supervisor1)  Read more

The relationship between the meso-climate and tobacco leaf fleck is investigated by correlating wind, temperature and relative humidity records of six stations within the flecking area with the fleck index. Criteria for the recognition of the lake breeze are established and the correlations that exist between the lake breeze and flecking are shown. It is concluded that the lake breeze correlates effectively with flecking when the lake breeze is accompanied by a southerly gradient wind. The lake breeze and meteorological processes connected with it may provide a mechanism for fumigation in the manner suggested by Mukammal (1959) and (1960).  Read more

Ghoshal, Subhasis (Supervisor2)  Read more

Theatre has a special place in religious education for it is an ideal medium to experience transcendent moral truths. Relying on Gabriel Moran's theory of transcendence, as well as Daniel Maguire's understanding of the moral, this thesis will demonstrate that the aesthetic experience of a play is a transcendent experience. Through such an experience, adolescent students may intuit insights about what befits persons as moral persons in all their complexity and wonder. The plays chosen for concentration in this thesis are not to be considered exhaustive but only as sound examples of the treatment of the evolution of transcendent values …  Read more

Le prix Nobel de chimie 2022 a été attribué à Barry Sharpless, Morten Meldal et Carolyn Bertozzi pour leurs contributions à la chimie click, un outil puissant pour l'étude des systèmes biologiques. Deux réactions click ont révolutionné notre compréhension de la biologie : la cycloaddition azide- alcyne catalysée par le cuivre (CuAAC) et la cycloaddition azide-alcyne activé par contrainte (SPAAC). Des stratégies alternatives de conjugaison click ont suscité un intérêt croissant, et l’ajout à la boîte à outils chimique promet de redéfinir l’imagerie, les diagnostics et les stratégies thérapeutiques.Notre laboratoire a rapporté une réaction click sur l’ADN double brin (ADNdb) …  Read more

Oral and dental health illness among children is prevalent, and associated impairments are common. However, the impact of these conditions on the lives of children has yet to be determined. The objective of this study was to carry out the initial development phase for an oral health-related quality of life instrument to assess the impact of oral and dental conditions on children aged 3--5 years. Items were generated through literature review, the use of a conceptual model, and by interviewing parents and health professionals. The most frequent and important items were retained to comprise the Pediatric Oral Health Questionnaire, evaluating …  Read more

The use of radio-active 133xenon as a tracer gas for assessing regional ventilation was first reported by Knipping in 1955 (37). Because of its low solubility, xenon is ideal for respiratory studies. In pulmonary p:qysiology solubility is usually-defined by the Bunsen solubility coefficient, α, which is the amount of gas ( in milliliters STPD ) which will dissolve in one ml of a liquid at a specified temperature and a gas pressure of 760 mm Hg (34). Its solubility properties govern the movement of xenon between the gas phase in the lung and solution in the tissues, and has been …  Read more

Despite extensive laboratory and clinical investigations, the exact role of electrolyte changes in the cardiac action of digitalis is still obscure. While it is well established that potassium and calcium are essential ions for the maintenance of normal heart function, the relationship and possible significance of these ions in the pharmacological and toxicological actions of digitalis have been rather controversial. The primary objective of this investigation was to elucidate, if possible, these potassium-calcium-digitalis interrelationships. [...]  Read more

This paper examines the relationship between multiculturalism and feminism and opposes the view that multiculturalism is "bad" for women. I make a feminist case for multiculturalism and argue for a relationship between the two which is positive- rather than zero-sum. The grounds for this case are those of women's agency in context. My concern is first and foremost with women as agents, situated in particular contexts, acting within multiple roles and thus enabled and constrained in multiple ways. I illustrate this concern by focusing on the agency of Muslim women in France and the "Affaire du Foulard". Consequently, my discussion …  Read more

Recent studies have led to new insights regarding the molecular mechanisms of viral pathogenesis. Although the infectious process is quite complex, it is clear that one critical event, the interaction of viral attachment proteins with cell surface receptors, plays a major role in determining the pattern of infection. The mammalian reoviruses have served as useful models for understanding the molecular basis of viral pathogenesis. The mammalian reovirus hemagglutinin ((sigma)1 protein), which is an outer capsid protein, has been shown to be a major factor in determining virus host-cell interactions. To further our understanding of the structure and function of the …  Read more

Antibiotic resistance is currently the largest global threat to modern medicine. Drug-resistant infections are presently the cause of over 700,000 deaths worldwide and, if left unchecked, will lead to a 90% increase in antimicrobial resistance-related deaths, and a major financial impact on the world’s GDP. The use and misuse of antibiotics have led to a universal resistance epidemic, where resistance is observed for every antibiotic currently used in the clinic. Aminoglycosides are a major class of antibiotics used for the treatment of serious bacterial infections; however, their clinical use has waned as resistance has increased. The primary mechanism of aminoglycoside …  Read more

Lock, Margaret (Supervisor)  Read more

Although the study of biominerals may be traced back many centuries, it is only recently that biological principles have been applied to synthetic systems in processes termed "biomimetic" and "bioinspired" to yield materials syntheses that are otherwise not possible and may also reduce the expenditure of energy and/or eliminate toxic byproducts. Many investigators have taken inspiration from interesting and unusual minerals formed by organisms, in a process termed biomineralisation, to tailor the nanostructure of inorganic materials not necessarily found biogenically. However, the fields of nanoparticle synthesis and biomineralisation remain largely separate, and this thesis is an attempt to apply new …  Read more

During the latter part of the 1949 field season, the author served as geologist on a California Standard Company field party which was sent to the Northwest Territories to make an examination of the Upper Devonian limestone strata exposed along the Hay river. The objects of this survey were: (1) to further the completion of the California Standard Company's geological map of possible "petroleum bearing formations in northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories, and, (2) to attempt a correlation of the Hay River limestone formation with the petroliferous limestones underlying Leduc, Alberta. The thesis of this paper is a detailed …  Read more

In this thesis, I examine the use of medical technology as the product of, among other things, value systems and individual and collective needs; technological use therefore is shown to be culturally influenced and subject to change according to historical and social context. I describe and discuss the use of the Electronic Fetal Heart Rate Monitor (EFM)--a state of the art form of electronic information technology--in obstetrical care in a rural Canadian hospital and community. The central issue I examine is why this technology was obtained and repeatedly used despite local medical opinion and scientific evidence that it was ineffective …  Read more

Cette thèse examine la manière dont la transplantation et domestication des épices asiatiques ayant une valeur commerciale dans l'empire espagnol a contribué à la production, circulation et institutionnalisation de connaissances empiriques à travers les colonies impériales de l'Espagne Couronne-parrainée. Bien qu'éventuellement échoués, les projets de transplantation d'épices étaient perçus par les Espagnols comme étant une composante importante de l'expansion impériale au cours des XVIe et XVIIe siècles. Les entreprises d'introduction ou de domestication des épices ont souvent été initiées et gérées par des réseaux de colons, entrepreneurs, fonctionnaires, moines et historiens naturels, qui, par l'observation empirique et l'expérimentation acquéraient une …  Read more

This study was designed to develop an in-situ flushing system for remediating metal-contaminated soils. Specifically, the capabilities of citric acid, an organic acid, to extract metal ions from a metal-contaminated sandy soil, containing 0.42, 0.04, 0.01, and 41.52 mg g-1 of Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb, respectively, were tested at bench-scale and large-scale levels. Citric acid, at pH 5.5, was used at different levels of concentration and retention time in batch experiments to establish optimum conditions for the maximum removal of heavy metals from the soil. Citric acid exhibited a tremendous potential to extract metal ions from the metal-contaminated soil. …  Read more

The Noble Outlaw or Krafkerl is the main hero of many of the masterpieces belonging to the Sturm und Drang and the early romantic period, but whereas this character is easily recognisable within German literature, he is not so in Italian literature, or at least, many pages thereof have never been studied with this character in mind. An excellent example is given by Vittorio Alfieri's Saul. This tragedy bases itself on the biblical story of the Hebrew king (I Samuel , 8--31), but focuses on the last hours of the protagonist, which makes it very difficult to identify Saul as …  Read more

Dans le diabète de type 2 (DT2) mal contrôlé, le flux global des protéines est élèvé et la synthèse nette diminuée comparés à des sujets témoins en santé. Ces altérations sont, en partie, attribuées à l'insulino-résistance des protéines, démontrée surtout chez les hommes hyperglycémiques, par l'usage de traceurs durant un test de verrouillage (clamp) hyperinsulinémique, euglycémique et isoaminoacidémique. Néanmoins, l'effet d'un contrôle intensif de la glycémie sur cette résistance n'est pas connu. De même, l'effet de l'hyperaminoacidémie postprandiale en présence d'hyperglycémie durant le clamp hyperinsulinémique sur le métabolisme du glucose et des protéines dans le DT2 n'est pas bien établi. …  Read more

Neurotrophins, NGF, NT-3, BDNF and NT4-5, are growth factor proteins key to the regulation of neuronal survival, death of differentiation. Neurotrophins bind two types of receptors, Trk tyrosine kinase receptors and the common p75 receptor. Disturbances in Trk expression or signaling can lead to certain cancers such as neuroblastomas and melanomas (TrkA responsive) and medulloblastomas (TrkC responsive). Less is known about the role of p75 in cancer as it plays such varying roles and regulatory functions. We characterized the in vitro and in vivo growth kinetics, tumorigenic potential and response to chemotherapeutics of PC 12-wt rat pheochromocytoma cells and variants …  Read more

Any drama may contain elements of both the realistic and romantic. In one respect it may deal with life as it is inactuality; in another, it may turn its back upon life altogether. The characters an author creates, for example, may bethe normal men and women of everyday life: they are realistic; he may, however, put these characters through a series of eventsof adventure and passion that commonplace people rarely encounter the adventures of a D'Artagnan or a Count of Monte Cristo: that is romantic.An author may choose to point out an idea or teach a lesson derived from or …  Read more

"This report has addressed itself to the patterns of a family's reactions and responses to mental illness in one of its members. A survey of the literature was undertaken to bring together a number of relevant studies and readings in this area in order to reveal a picture of the processes involved. The developing pattern of responses to mental illness is a process which encompasses the notion of deviance versus normality. Families tend to view unusual behavior in a framework of normality until behavioral changes in the member can no longer be ignored. This report has suggested that families influence …  Read more

Nicholas Maroun Makhoul (Internal/Cosupervisor2)  Read more

In order to proliferate, bacteria must coordinate chromosome replication and chromosome segregation with cell wall remodeling and other growth-related events. Selective inhibition of these incompletely understood control processes can enable antibiotic and therapeutic strategies. In my thesis, I examine molecularly similar mechanisms for regulating chromosome replication in alpha-proteobacterium Caulobacter crescentus and in the Actinobacterial human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It was presumed that the response regulator CtrA, a global phospho-relay transcription factor, coordinates asymmetric timing of chromosome replication in C. crescentus. CtrA is absent from replicating stalked cells and abundant in non-replicating 'swarmer' cells, and the presence of five high affinity …  Read more

Fusarium oxysporum M12-4A fungus is being evaluated for the biocontrol of Striga hermonthica, a parasitic weed of African cereal crops. The production of M12-4A inoculum was assessed in four Malian villages using local technology and substrates. A delivery system using arabic gum to temporarily glue inoculum powder onto the crop seed was tested. In controlled conditions, coating of sorghum seeds with arabic gum and inoculum powder did not affect seed germination or inoculum viability. However, one week at 40°C significantly decreased the viability of the inoculum by 31%. Fungus growth and chlamydospore germination were also reduced by temperatures of 34 …  Read more

Le mercure (Hg) est un polluant mondial qui constitue une menace pour la santé humaine. Le mercure inorganique est un ingrédient commun trouvé dans les produits éclaircissants pour la peau qui inhibe la production de mélanine et éclaircit le teint de la peau. L'utilisation de produits éclaircissants pour la peau est pratiquée dans le monde entier, en grande majorité dans les pays d'Afrique, d'Asie et dans les Caraïbes. Le nombre d’utilisateurs de produits éclaircissants pour la peau continue de croître rapidement. La Convention de Minamata sur le mercure a établi une limite de 1 μg/g de mercure dans les produits …  Read more

A study was conducted to measure pesticide concentrations from two tile-drained potato fields in Saint-Leonard d'Aston, Quebec. Soil and water samples were analysed for the pesticides metribuzin, fenvalerate and aldicarb in 1989, and for metribuzin and phorate in 1990. Metribuzin concentrations up to 3.47 $ mu$g/l were detected in the tile drain water. Surface runoff samples had metribuzin concentrations up to 47.086 $ mu$g/l. Aldicarb was not detected in any of the water samples. Fenvalerate was detected in surface runoff at a level of 0.05 $ mu$g/l during the 1989 growing season. Phorate was not detected in subsurface drain water …  Read more