McGill University Thèses et mémoires par auteur commençant par B

One hears a great deal of talk nowadays about the English Romantic Movement of the nineteenth century. It is called a "Revival", but many who do not know of what it is a revival still continue to regard the nineteenth century as the only preserve for tracking down romanticism. But there are other happy hunting-grounds in English literature for the romanticist-hunter. Romanticism is not an exotic on English soil, but a truly native growth. The poets of every century, except the eighteenth, have been eminently romantic, and whenever an attempt has been made to "guide the stream of poetry through …  Read more

La définition de la mort a depuis longtemps constitué un terrain fertile pour les débats philosophiques et éthiques. Les tentatives d’ontologisation de la mort ont été compliquées par des ambiguïtés conceptuelles, des tensions normatives et des intuitions divergentes quant aux caractéristiques physiques ou métaphysiques pertinentes pour diagnostiquer la mort. Par exemple, les avancées technologiques du milieu du XXe siècle en matière de ventilation et de réanimation ont facilité la transition d’un critère de mort cardiopulmonaire vers un critère fondé sur l’activité cérébrale. Cependant, loin de résoudre le débat, ce changement a soulevé de nouvelles questions sur les états intermédiaires comme …  Read more

Venoms are complex mixtures of pharmacologically very active components, many of which have been shown to be proteins having enzymic activities. They are powerful toxins to man and animals and as such have aroused the interest of investigators in various fields from early times. [...]  Read more

Enamel proteins are extracellular matrix proteins expressed throughout enamel formation. However, questions concerning their numbers and origins are still somewhat ambiguous. To characterize the nascent enamel proteins, cell free translation and immunoprecipitation procedures were performed using poly(A)$ sp{+}$RNA isolated from freeze-dried segments of rat incisor enamel organs at the secretory, early maturation, and mid maturation stages of amelogenesis. Phosphoimaging revealed that the enamel organ produces enamel proteins continuously throughout enamel development albeit in decreasing number and intensity. Ten enamel proteins were translated at the secretory stage and ranged in molecular weight from 80 to 18 kDa, resembling the number (Simmer …  Read more

Following selective 3H-thymidine labelling of guinea pig and rat femoral and tibial marrow cells in vivo, one group of animals were sacrificed at intervals from l hour to 7 days thereafter, while the others received antigens subcutaneously into the left hind foot pads 2 - 3 days later and were sacrificed at intervals from 6 hours to 5 days thereafter. The popliteal lymph nodes and other issues were prepared for DNA-radioassay or for radioautography. The DNA-radioassay studies demonstrated a definite export of labelled cells from the marrow into the normal and antigen-stimulated popliteal lymph nodes. Radioauto-graphs revealed that the majority …  Read more

The migration of newly-formed marrow small lymphocytes in guinea pigs was investigated using H3-thymidine as a tracer isotope. H3-thymidine (25 µc; 0.9 µg) was injected directly into the femoral and tibial marrow during circulatory arrest of the hind limbs. One hr. to 12 days thereafter, radioautographs were prepared of injected and control marrows, blood leucocyte concentrates, and lymphoid tissues. H3-thymidine was initially incorporated only by DNA synthesizing cells of the injected marrow, but by 5 hr. labelled lymphocytes appeared. These lymphocytes appeared in the blood at 25 hr., and rapidly migrated into lymphoid tissues, namely the spleen, mesenteric lymph node, …  Read more

Incremental step load testing was used in accordance with ASTM F1940 to rank a number coating processes used in the fastener industry for their propensity to cause internal hydrogen embrittlement. The results showed that coating permeability has a first order effect, while the quantity of hydrogen introduced by the process has a second order effect. Pure zinc electroplating processes, alkaline and acid, were found to be the most embrittling, owing to the low permeability of zinc. The least embrittling processes were zinc-nickel, alkaline and acid, owing to the high permeability of Zn-Ni coatings. Non-electrolytic processes, namely phosphating, mechanical galvanising, DacrometRTM …  Read more

High strength steel fasteners characterised by tensile strengths above 1100 MPa are often used in critical applications, where a failure can have catastrophic consequences. Preventing Hydrogen Embrittlement (HE) failure is a fundamental concern implicating the entire fastener supply chain. Hydrogen embrittlement results in loss of ductility and, consequently, a loss of strength, caused by atomic hydrogen in combination with tensile stress that can lead to sudden and unexpected brittle fracture after certain time. This research aims to better define the relationship between chemical composition, microstructural characteristics and HE susceptibility of high-strength steel used for manufacturing mechanical fasteners. HE susceptibility is …  Read more

A general procedure for the solid-phase synthesis of branched oligonucleotide analogs, including some with similar base sequence to the yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae) rp51 mRNA, is described using the automated solid-phase phosphite triester approach. Using readily available phosphoramidite reagents, branch-points were introduced by sequential removal of the phosphate (beta-cyanoethyl or methyl) and silyl protecting groups without detaching the nascent oligonucleotide from the solid-support. This then allowed the extension from the branch-point in the conventional 3',5 ', or the unconventional 5',3' directions, thus affording complete control over the base composition and direction of strand around the branch point. The protocol was …  Read more

Ce document étudie le paysage culturel de Montréal (Canada), aux 19e et 20e siècles, via l’interprétation d’éléments culturels, visuels et matériels, reliés à la construction de ponts. Sont ici étudiés les ponts Victoria (construit de 1854 à 1860), Saint-Laurent (1886 à 1887) et Jacques-Cartier (1926 à 1930) qui enjambent le fleuve Saint-Laurent à Montréal. Du temps de leur construction, ils étaient considérés comme essentiels au développement de la ville et du pays. Chacun d’eux était un chef-d’œuvre technologique de son époque, apportant ainsi de tout nouveaux matériaux et techniques de construction à Montréal et au Canada. Pour témoigner de la …  Read more

This dissertation analyzes international law, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and indigenous territorial claims from the perspective of legal geography, a field of study that investigates the mutually constitutive relationship between law, space and power in society. I use the term “international law-spacetime-justice nexus” to signify that the analysis is concerned with the spatiotemporal foundations of international law and their relationship with concepts of international political justice. The dissertation analyzes matters pertaining to the spatial and structural (in)justices associated with the international legal principle of uti possidetis, a doctrine that holds that decolonizing or seceding states are entitled to …  Read more

Ice adhesion to the surface of aircraft wings and fuselage is a crucial engineering issue in relation to the safety and efficiency of aviation. Ice accumulation on these structures can create losses in aerodynamics and flight stability, causing major accidents. The ice adhesion problem is not limited to aviation: all external structures can be affected. In winter, solar panels and wind turbines see their productivity decrease due to ice accretion, a major problem whose consequences will only be amplified with the ongoing energy transition. Current de-icing solutions are focused on surface treatment, with propylene glycol at the forefront. These large …  Read more

Much has been written about the history of Scotland in the sixteenth century, or rather, much has been written about that romantic, intriguing, mysterious, "tragic", and perhaps, slightly foolish, figure, Mary, Queen of Scots. Despite this large outpouring of literature, much of it polemical, and intended mainly to denigrate, or to exalt, Mary, important aspects and persons of the period have been neglected. The sixteenth century was an important turning point in European history. [...]  Read more

"Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a disease arising from a reciprocal translocation between chromosome 9 and 22. Chromosome 22 encodes the Bcr gene, while chromosome 9 gives rise to the proto-oncogene, c-abl. In CML, these two genes form a fusion protein known as Bcr/Abl, which contains a constitutively activated protein tyrosine kinase. The focus of my research has been to address genomic instability as it relates to CML. Initially, I addressed genomic instability by utilizing Inter Simple Sequence Repeat Polymerase Chain Reaction (Inter-SSR PCR), in combination with primers which consist of a set of eight CA repeats. Using Inter-SSR PCR, …  Read more

Autosomal dominant oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) is an adult-onset disease which is particularly frequent in the French Canadian population. It usually presents in the sixth decade with progressive swallowing difficulties (dysphagia), eye lid drooping (ptosis) and proximal limb weakness. Unique nuclear filament inclusions in skeletal muscle fibers are its pathological hallmark. This thesis charts the successful positional cloning of the gene responsible for OPMD, from its chromosomal localization by linkage to the identification of its causal mutations. A genome search using 166 polymorphic markers on a large French Canadian family established linkage to chromosome 14q11.2 - q13. Linkage analysis on …  Read more

Dans un contexte de crise du logement et de consommation croissante de drogues toxiques, les consommateurs de drogues et d'alcool sont surreprésentés dans les recensements d'itinérance, avec des options de programmation limitées pour les aider à sortir de l'itinérance. À Montréal, Québec, Canada la plupart des ressources en itinérance fonctionnent sur des modèles basés sur l'abstinence en limitant les usagers de consommer sur place ou d'accéder aux services en état d'ébriété. L'expérience de consommation est souvent un mécanisme d'adaptation pour les personnes vivant avec des traumatismes, tandis que l'expérience de l'itinérance est traumatogène. Une approche compte des traumatismes est nécessaire …  Read more

Part I: Ammonia can react with phosphorus trifluoride only at low temperature, (-78°c.), to produce ammonium fluoride and phosphotriamide, P (NH2)3. This last compound is unstable and decomposes at about -25°C. into imidophosphoamide, P NH NH2. This compound is also unstable and decomposes around 0°c. into phosphotriimide, P2 (NH)3, which is much more stable. No compound, which could be easily decomposed into the initial reacting gases, was obtained. This reaction is similar to the reactions obtained with ammonia and any of the other three phosphorus trihalides; the same phosphorus compounds are formed with the corresponding ammonium halide (7, 8, 12). …  Read more

Triple Threats: Young Female Detectives and the Crimes of Postfeminism examines the increasingly visible character of the amateur female sleuth in popular culture. I argue that, while a postfeminist media and political environment conditions this "chick dick's" existence, the chick dick also "talks back" to postfeminism, specifically to the postfeminist insistence that feminism has been successful and is no longer relevant or necessary. The chick dick thus "speaks feminism" in an environment that makes such a voice difficult to hear. I focus primarily on the aspects of these popular narratives that engage with the postfeminist notion that women and men …  Read more

Les États-Unis représentent 5% de la population mondiale, mais détiennent 25% de la population carcérale internationale. Bien que l'incarcération de masse ait touché des millions de personnes ainsi que leurs familles à travers les années, c'est seulement récemment que nous avons commencé à conceptualiser l'emprisonnement comme un déterminant social. À l'heure actuelle, les chercheurs s'intéressent de plus en plus aux conséquences de l'incarcération de masse sur la société. L'objectif général de ma thèse était d'explorer de quelle manière l'augmentation rapide des taux d'incarcération et les reformes du système pénal ont influé sur les familles et les communautés. Dans mon premier …  Read more

Laferrière, Professor M.  Read more

My dissertation is focused on a cycle of Saraha's Adamantine Songs and their relationship to the Great Seal. Belonging to a genre known as 'Adamantine Songs'---Vajra Giti in Sanskrit, or rDo rje 'i gLu in Tibetan---their titles are: "A Body Treasury called the Immortal Adamantine Song"; "A Speech Treasury called the Manjughosa Adamantine Song" and "A Mind Treasury called the Unborn Adamantine Song". The dissertation is divided into two parts: the first is the contextualization of a Great Seal (Sanskrit: mahamudra; Tibetan: phyag rgya chenpo) root text by the adept Saraha; and the second is a critical edition of the …  Read more

This paper is an exploration of the theme of pilgrimage in the following three works: Gaṇḍvyuha, Journey to the West and The Life of Marpa the Translator. Through an examination of the narrative structure of the texts, I derive a pattern which is consistent throughout these three Mahayana works. This pattern is then compared to the Mahayana doctrine of Two Truths, which is shown to be expressed by the literary pilgrimage. Finally, by exploring the ways in which these texts 'work' on the reader---both by seeing the protagonist go through the stages of Buddhist practice and through the reader's interaction …  Read more

Advances in Parkinson's disease research are uncovering a complex pathology that extends well beyond basal ganglia and dopamine-related structures, one that impacts sensory processing and sensorimotor integration as much as it does motor planning and execution, with implications for the functional consequences of the disorder. The current research project is motivated by evidence that perceptual, alongside classical motor deficits, may be ascribed to the clinical presentation of the hypokinetic dysarthria of Parkinson's disease. Three studies were conducted to assess the roles of auditory, somatosensory and sensorimotor integration processes involved in speakers' perception of the volume of their own speech. The …  Read more

Les mesures électrophysiologiques des tissus neuronaux nous permettent d'observer les changements de l'activité neuronale à la milliseconde, sur une large gamme d'échelles spatiales allant du micromètre au centimètre. À ces échelles spatiales plus grandes, les mesures électrophysiologiques peuvent être effectuées de manière entièrement non invasive grâce à l'enregistrement de potentiels électriques au niveau du cuir chevelu, connu sous le nom d'électroencéphalographie (EEG). Les oscillations périodiques de l'EEG sont observées et caractérisées depuis longtemps, tandis que la nature des fluctuations à large bande de ces signaux reste relativement mal comprise. Les fluctuations à large bande sont évidentes en raison de la …  Read more

Stress stimulates dopamine (DA) transmission in nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) and it is thought that NAcc and PFC play an role in behavioural responses to stress. Behavioural responses to stress can increase with each subsequent exposure and this sensitization process involves enhanced DA transmission in NAcc. However, individual differences in the rate of sensitization suggest that predisposing variables contribute to this process. We examined whether early life events, particularly perinatal anoxia, influence adult NAcc and PFC DA function and alter predisposition to the sensitizing effects of repeated stress. We subjected rats to a period of intra-uterine anoxia …  Read more

This thesis explores Roman Catholic and secular responses to sexual imagery in popular culture. The Catholic and socio-philosophical responses may be subdivided according to specific ideal types to elucidate the major ideological and ethical movements operative within these two hermeneutical traditions. I use the media luminary Madonna as a case study to illustrate the inadequacy of much that Catholic and secular cultural critics have written about religiously ambiguous and sexually provocative popular culture phenomena. Typically, secular critics neglect the religious implications of such phenomena, while Catholic critics overlook their ideological implications. I shall demonstrate both that hermeneutical exclusivity weakens the …  Read more

Le cancer de la prostate (CaP), le cancer le plus fréquemment diagnostiqué chez l’homme en Amérique du Nord, est une maladie hétérogène dont les enjeux principaux liés à la gestion de son évolution clinique sont : i) de distinguer les tumeurs agressives des tumeurs peu évolutives dans le but d’offrir les traitements aux patients dont la vie est en danger et d’éviter les traitements inutiles et les effets secondaires indésirables aux patients qui n’en nécessitent pas; et ii) d’identifier de nouvelles molécules qui contribuent à la progression vers le stade métastatique et la résistance aux traitements. Les modalités actuelles d’évaluation …  Read more

The changes in the blood of pregnant women have fascinated many obstetricians and hematologists. A high incidence ot anemia has been observed in pregnancy throughout history. Moreover it has been acknowledged that the study of the blood may contribute to the establishment of a proper diagnosis and satisfactory treatment in many disorders of pregnancy.  Read more

Multi-decade environmental monitoring is necessary to understand many of the effects of anthropogenic activities, yet the success of many long term monitoring programs has been limited and sporadic. In this thesis, I demonstrated the strengths of participatory approaches and locally-relevant environmental indicators as a solution for long term monitoring. In Chapter 1, I described the limited success of many long term monitoring programs, and outlined the current understanding of best practices in monitoring. In Chapter 2, I analyzed the impact of participatory approaches, together with innovative portable digital technologies, in a sample of publications and case studies describing environmental monitoring …  Read more

Previous studies of nitrogen mustard drug resistance in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) indicated that resistance was a result of enhanced DNA repair associated with increased expression of two DNA repair genes, ERCC-1 and alkyl-N-purine DNA glycosylase. The aim of this thesis was to expand upon these observations and solidify the link between DNA repair and nitrogen mustard drug resistance. Contrary to our expectations, overexpression of ERCC-1 in CHO cells produced increased sensitivity to melphalan and cisplatin. No correlation was found between ERCC-1 expression and nitrogen mustard resistance in B-CLL, when analyzed in a larger cohort by both Northern and …  Read more

The design and implementation of a framework for the automated analysis of samples by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) is presented. Various components of this framework have been explored and validated. After initial work was undertaken to determine a suitable pattern recognition technique for sample classification, approaches for detecting the presence of a problematic matrix, and for selecting analysis conditions and calibration methodologies were developed. For the small universe of 14 elements used, the system performed well when matrix effects were due to concomitants in the examined universe. The application of generalized regression neural networks (GRNN) to compensate …  Read more

The need for continued investigation into the mechanism of motor function has been emphasized recently by Bucy (1957) in a critical review entitled, "ls there a pyramidal tract?" and by Lassek, Woolsey, Walker, and Boshes (1957) in a symposium of inquiry into the state of our knowledge of the pyramidal tract presented before the eighth annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology. [...]  Read more

Public-key cryptography is fast becoming the foundation for online commerce and other applications that require security and authentication in an open network. The widespread use of public-key cryptography requires a public-key infrastructure to publish and manage public-key values. Without a functioning infrastructure, public-key cryptography is only marginally more useful than traditional, secret-key cryptography. This thesis presents a set of characteristics that are common to all public-key infrastructures. These criteria are intended to encapsulate the fundamental issues that arise when dealing with such systems. They can be used both as a "shopping list" for those who need to choose an infrastructure …  Read more

Nous assistons depuis quelques annees en France a un renouvellement d'inter~t a la vie religieuse qui se manifeste par la conversion de nombre d'ecrivains et par des oeuvres dont 1 1 atmosphere est essentiellement religieuse. Un Jammes, un Claudel, un Gheon, et un Le Cardonnel, pour n'en mentionner que quelques-uns, ne sent pas les premiers venus, et temoignent de la diversite de talents qui travaillent a construire la cite mystique des lettres.[...]  Read more

One of the most striking characteristics of postwar economic thinking is the concern with economic growth. The reconstruction of Western Europe was but one example of the generalized interest in economic growth, although the one with which the world leadership was more directly concerned. In the far larger proportion of the world community generally known as "underdeveloped," the need to grow assumed undreamed-of strength. Many factors contributed to the upsurge of this "growth consciousness" in the underdeveloped areas: (1) Population "explosion." The spread of modern techniques of health and sanitation in the backward regions of the world brought about astounding …  Read more

Un outil important dans la biologie moléculaire est la microscopie par fluorescence, qui permet de sonder des interactions biomoléculaires dans les cellules vivantes. La microscopie par fluorescence enregistre des vidéos contenant la dynamique et la cinétique des molécules marqueés pendant qu'elles s'interagissent dans une cellule. k-Space image correlation spectroscopy (kICS) est une technique qui utilise les fluctuations d'intensité de pixels de ces films afin de fournir une description quantitative des mouvements moléculaires. Cependant, la puissance quantitative de cette technique est limitée par des facteurs expérimentaux tels que l'étendue spatiale de l'image, et le temps d'acquisition d'image; ces facteurs vont systématiquement …  Read more

The purpose of this study is to advance existing Media Education theory by looking at similarities in English Language Arts (ELA) theory and Media Education theory. The study explores similarities and differences between the two areas of study creating a broader understanding of literacy, English Language Arts, Media Education and pedagogy. In order to clarify the co-relation between English Language Arts theory and Media Education theory, I interviewed experts in both fields to shed light on how these two areas of study complement one another and where the points of difference lie. The information points to the development in theory …  Read more

Un vocabulaire important s'impose pour maîtriser les apprentissages scolaires, mais les recherches démontrent que, en termes de performance lexicale, les enfants bilingues ont de moins bons résultats que ceux monolingues, et ce, dans leurs deux langues. Ceci a été largement démontré pour l'étendue du vocabulaire mais rares sont les études de profondeur du vocabulaire. L'étendue évalue le nombre de mots connus, tandis que la profondeur prend en compte le degré de connaissance lexicale. Plusieurs études montrent que les étudiants bilingues ont des difficultés à se lier à leurs camarades monolingues à l'école. L'étude de la performance des jeunes bilingues en …  Read more

Des nombreuses populations d'oiseaux sont en déclin, à travers le monde. L'un des multiples défis auxquelles doivent faire face ces oiseaux est l'exposition aux contaminants environnementaux, tels les hydrocarbures aromatiques polycycliques (HAPs). L'exposition des oiseaux aux HAPs résulte en une toxicité aigue, mais également en des effets négatifs à long-terme (e.g. dérèglement du système immunitaire). Par conséquence, comprendre les liens moléculaires entre l'exposition aux contaminants environnementaux et les effets négatifs à long terme pourrait aider à clarifier les défis auxquels font face les oiseaux et, éventuellement, mieux protéger les populations d'oiseaux sauvages. La méthylation de l'ADN est une modification de …  Read more

The thermal oxidation of fine aluminum (Al) powders in carbon dioxide (CO2) gas was investigated for the purpose of metal-based propulsion fuel development. The thermal behavior and reaction energy was studied using simultaneous thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The reactivities of Al powders with nanometer and micrometer-scale average particle sizes were compared. The particle morphology was examined at different stages of the process using field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The corresponding chemical changes were analyzed by X-ray diffraction spectrometry (XRD) and energy dispersion X-ray spectrometry (EDS). Nano- and micrometer-scale Al …  Read more