McGill University Thèses et mémoires par auteur commençant par R

Legendre first, and then Gauss, proved that f = x^2 + y^2 + z^2 represents every positive integer not of the form 4^k(8n + 7) but represents no integer of that form. Later, Dirichlet simplified the proof of this theorem. Again, 3x^2 + 4y^2 + 12z^2 represents exclusively all [not equal to] 4n + 1, 4n + 2, 9^k(12n + 8), 9^k(12n + 1). We call these two forms regular. All the 1ntegers not represented by a regular form f coincide with all the positive integers given by certain arithmetical progressions. This is Dickson's definition of a regular form. Regular …  Read more

Previous studies of Franklin and Skoryna have indicated that gastric secretions from fasting human subjects contains viable microorganisms in 82% of cases. In the following experiments it was attempted to determine the effect of gastric mucin on the growth of bacterial strains under different pH conditions. The following strains were selected for these studies: Streptococcus salivarius, Staphylococcus aureus, Corynebacterium pseudodiphtheriticum, Lactobacillus casei, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Proteus vulgaris, Streptococcus pyogenes, Neisseria catarrhalis, Yeast-Candida albicans. These were grown separately in different mucin to broth concentrations in the following range (Mucin, 1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:8, 1:16, Broth). The studies were carried out on mucin …  Read more

This thesis presents an analysis of the phonological processes that affect contiguous nasal and obstruent segments. These phonological processes include voice, manner and place assimilation as well as deletion and coalescence. The goal of this thesis is to account for these seemingly disparate processes by introducing universal constraints on the representation of segments in non-linear phonology. Deriving these processes from the principles of a theory of representation is beneficial because such an analysis is not possible in a theory that appeals only to rules. The result is a theory of phonology with greater explanatory adequacy than a theory that relies …  Read more

The present work deals with the theoretical and experimental study of the optimum rate of cutting fluid discharge necessary for best machining accuracy. The parameters of the Linear Regression Line are calculated and the significance of variations is researched into with the aid of the analysis of variance technique. The achieved results show the importance of using an optimum level of cutting fluid discharge.  Read more

The growing recognition of obligation of Good Faith in contract law has only increased the debate surrounding this concept and its ramification on contract. The uneasiness about Good Faith should be attributed to the fact that Good Faith is an open norm or vague standard, which in practice means judicial law making. Furthermore, Good Faith suggests the teleological method of interpretation of contract and legislation in determining the rights and the duties of the parties to a contract. This, it is argued, would contradict the importance of certainty, private autonomy and commercial stability. The thesis presents the development and functions …  Read more

Environ la moitié des cancers du sein triple négatifs (CSTN) traités par chimiothérapie néoadjuvante (CNA) auront une tumeur résiduelle lors de l'intervention chirurgicale (sans réponse complète pathologique ou sans RCP), ce qui indique une chimiorésistance et un mauvais pronostic. Une chimiothérapie adjuvante supplémentaire (Capécitabine) permet d'améliorer la survie d'environ 15 % des patientes CSTN en sans RCP. L'identification des patients qui peuvent réellement bénéficier d'une chimiothérapie adjuvante supplémentaire est un besoin non satisfait. L'ADN tumoral circulant (ADNtc) est un biomarqueur plasmatique émis dans la circulation sanguine par apoptose, nécrose ou sécrétion. L’ADNtc révèle de l’information en temps réel sur la …  Read more

Les formes modulaires sont des fonctions d’une variable complexe qui satisfont de nombreuses symétries. Elles encodent plusieurs informations arithmétiques profondes, telle que les solutions d’équations algébriques modulo ell, les nombres de représentations de formes quadratiques, ou encore les cycles sur les variétés de Shimura, le tout encapsulé dans leur développement en série de Fourier ou dans leurs périodes. L’étude des symétries des formes modulaires permet de mieux comprendre les objets arithmétiques sous-jacents. Ce principe gagne en richesse lorsqu’on considère, non plus une seule forme modulaire, mais des familles de telles formes dont les coefficients de Fourier varient analytiquement.Cette thèse explore …  Read more

The history of education in the Province of Quebec begins with the convent schools of the French regime and the efforts of the Jesuite to teach the Indiana some rudiments of the white man's civilization. With the conquest of 1759, the influence of the English settlers who poured in from New England made itself felt, and each community as it sprang up established its own school and, when it could, hired one of the itinerant teachers who drifted from one settlement to another.  Read more

Radecka, Katarzyna (Supervisor2)  Read more

The main objective of this research was to study dynamic effects of ice shedding on overhead transmission lines using a reliable numerical model. Overhead transmission lines are subjected to various static and dynamic loads. Ice shedding from the conductors is one of the dynamic loads occurring in cold regions. This phenomenon happens when glaze ice formed on the cables suddenly falls under certain temperature and wind conditions. In extreme instances, clashing and breakage of insulator and conductors are potential consequences of these dynamic forces. Maximum vertical cable jumps and drops in unloaded and loaded spans, and axial cable stresses are …  Read more

The main objective of this research was to create a finite element model for detailed three-dimensional stress analysis of an overhead optical ground wire (OPGW) typical of those used in transmission lines. The detailed model considers all possible mechanical effects, such as contact, friction, elongation, torsion, and bending for different end conditions. The OPGW under study comprises four components: the external layer of fourteen aluminum alloy wires and ten inner aluminum clad steel wires, which are laid over an aluminum tube that houses a five-groove aluminum spacer. The optical fiber units are inserted in the aluminum spacer grooves. Three-dimensional solid …  Read more

La livraison du fer (Fe) à la plupart des cellules se produit après la liaison de la transferrine diferrique (Tf) à ses récepteurs correspondants sur la membrane cellulaire. Les complexes Tf-récepteurs sont ensuite internalisés par endocytose, et le fer est libéré du Tf par une procédure qui implique l'acidification des endosomes. Malheureusement, le chemin post-endosomale du fer dans les cellules reste insaisissable ou est, au mieux, un sujet controversé. Il a été communément admis qu'un intermédiaire à faible poids moléculaire accompagne (chaperones) le fer dans le transit des endosomes vers les mitochondries et vers d'autres sites d'utilisation; cependant, cette intermédiaire …  Read more

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease. Autoimmunity has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of AD. The recently described TH17 cells are reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of some autoimmune diseases. We examined the expression of the TH17-associated cytokines in AD patients and explored the presence of this T cell subset particularly in chronic lesions. AD patients (acute and chronic) were recruited together with a comparable group of normal subjects. Skin biopsy specimens were taken from each. The expression of IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-22 were studied using immunocytochemistry. Identification of IL-17A/F-producing T …  Read more

HELIX (High Energy Light Isotope eXperiment) is a balloon-borne experiment designed to measure the chemical and isotopic abundances of light cosmic ray nuclei, especially the 10Be/9Be ratio over the energy range from 0.2 GeV/n to beyond 3 GeV/n. This is a key measurement for constraining cosmic-ray propagation models. The detector includes a mass spectrometer based on a 1 Tesla superconducting magnet and a high-resolution tracking system to determine particle momenta. Time-of-flight counters and a ring-imaging Cherenkov detector (RICH) are used to measure velocities.The proximity-focused RICH consists of a radiator made of aerogel tiles (refractive index approximately 1.15) and a detector …  Read more

Le but de cette thèse est de permettre aux spécialistes de la Bible de mieux comprendre les circonstances historiques qui ont conduit à la conception et à l’élaboration du Code deutéronomique, ainsi que les conditions socio-économiques nécessaires à la création d’un tel texte. Les exégètes estiment généralement que les récits juridiques du Deutéronome répondent aux circonstances exiliques et postexiliques en Juda entre le sixième et le cinquième siècle AEC. La présente thèse réfute ce point de vue, soutenant plutôt que le contexte urbain de la fin du huitième siècle au début du septième siècle AEC, tant dans le royaume du …  Read more

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the role of human sacrifice within the narrative of Genesis 22:1--19. For several decades, biblical scholarship has interpreted the role of human sacrifice within this particular narrative as an established and accepted practice, which was, only later abolished and replaced by the Law of Redemption (Ex 22:29--30). This thesis will study the archaeological data surrounding the practice of ritual human sacrifice in the expectation that it will provide added insight into the meaning of the ritual act within the narrative of Genesis 22. The study will also investigate the use of ritual …  Read more

Mackenzie King and Canada lived together for many years and through many changes; the nature of the liberalism that kept them both reasonably content is the story of their marriage. In King's lifetime Canada erupted from a small, provincial rural country, practically and formally dependent on England, to a self-governing urban, industrialized country that was still provincial. But through it all Canada remained loyal to liberalism -or at least to that form of liberalism embodied by Mackenzie King and the Liberal Party. It may be true that all happy marriages are the same. The aim of this thesis, nevertheless, is …  Read more

Tran, Simon (Internal/Supervisor)  Read more

Au début d'Octobre 1760, Voltaire reçoit à Ferney une ode grandiloquente d'un nommé Lebrun, secrétaire du prince de Conti, oh est évoqué le pitoyable sort d'une jeune héritière du grand Corneille "qui voit couler dans l'oubli ses destins et ses pleurs". Vivement ému, Voltaire éprouve aussitôt de généreux sentiments envers l'illustre dramaturge et sa déplorable héritière : "Pierre est un grand homme, déclare-t-il, il le sera toujours et nous, à côté, nous sommes des polissons."  Read more

This study was designed to compare the behavioral pain responses of 2-month-old Canadian-born Chinese babies receiving a routine immunization to those of Caucasian infants in similar situations. Two groups of 26 infants were obtained through convenience from a pediatric clinic held by a Chinese pediatrician at the Chinese Hospital and a suburban pediatric practice of a large Canadian city. Facial expression using the Neonatal Facial Coding System (Grunau & Craig, 1987) and cry using the Fast Fourier Transform were measured during 30 seconds following the insertion of the needle. Acculturation in Chinese mothers, infant temperament, circadian rhythm, were assessed. Multivariate …  Read more

Despite their environmental benefits, wind farms, have attracted controversy with regard to their impacts on birds. These impacts include collision risks, direct and indirect habitat loss and barrier effects. The main objectives of this study were to determine whether the Baie-des-Sables wind farm, located on the south shore of the St-Lawrence River, is having an impact upon the spring migration of raptors. Emphasis was placed on comparing the differences between both behaviour and abundance of migrating raptors between the wind farm and a contr9l area. Three aspects of behaviour were recorded; altitude, change in direction and flight type. No significant …  Read more

A historical survey has been made of the density determinations of chlorine and the density of chlorine gas has been determined over the temperaturerange 15°C. to 75 C. and for pressures from 25 to 160 cm. The data are consistent to within 0.1$ with the values predicted by the Maass and Mennieequation of state. The accuracy is not sufficiently great to permit correlation with the Cooper and Maass equation. The deviations are to beascribed chiefly to the cumulative effect of small errors on the measurement of the pressure but the tabulated viscosities of chlorine aresomewhat uncertain and may be a …  Read more

The effect of neonatal hypoxemia on systemic arterial blood pressure at maturity was assessed in male (12 experimental, 11 control) and female (10 experimental, 9 control) adult Sprague Dawley rats. Experimental rats were exposed to hypoxia (FiO2 = 0.12) for the first ten days of life, then subsequently raised in normoxia along with age-matched controls. At 2 months of age arterial blood pressure was recorded intravascularly using telemetry. Systolic, mean, and pulse pressures were significantly greater in hypoxic pre-treated groups of both sexes compared to controls (p < 0.05). Neonatal hypoxia did not affect diastolic pressure or heart rate. Neonatally …  Read more

Contexte: La maladie pulmonaire obstructive chronique (MPOC) est une affection pulmonaire courante caractérisée par un essoufflement chronique. Ces patients peuvent développer des crises soudaines appelées exacerbations aiguës, la cause la plus fréquente d'admission à l'hôpital au Canada. Bien que les infections soient traditionnellement considérées comme la principale cause de ces épisodes, des causes non infectieuses telles que l'augmentation relative de la concentration de la pollution atmosphérique et les conditions météorologiques pourraient jouer un rôle cliniquement important.Objectifs: Estimer la relation entre les expositions à court terme à la pollution de l'air et les « événements de type exacerbation » en utilisant …  Read more

Exhumed fault rocks contain records of past earthquakes and provide insights into deformation processes associated with seismic slip. Static stress changes caused by fault displacement may be of significant magnitude around fault bends, ends, intersections, and have been shown to partially explain aftershock distributions (Poliakov et al., 2002; Savage et al., 2017). Post-seismic relaxation around the faults may change the recurrence interval of large events along certain fault strands in a fault system (Freed, 2005; Felzer and Brodsky, 2005; Richards-Dinger et al., 2010). In the brittle-ductile transition zone, these stress concentrations may be relaxed after earthquakes by ductile flow. I …  Read more

Canada is still a young country with a comparatively small population of about eleven millions scattered over a very large territory of 3,690,043 square miles. This is approximately three persons per square mile. Spread over this large area, natural resources of many different kinds are to be found and it is upon this abundant wealth that Canada's economy is based. For, the exploitation of these resources has led to the output of commodities of many kinds and far in excess of the consuming power of the existing population. This excess production has to be disposed of, and therefore, Canada has …  Read more

Can conservatives be persuaded to support carbon pricing? This thesis leverages a policy pivot by the Conservative Party of Canada and asks if elite framing moved public sentiment towards a climate policy backed by expert consensus. Using an original survey experiment deployed throughout the 2021 federal election campaign, I test if the Conservative Leader’s genuine endorsement of carbon pricing as cost-effective increased policy understanding and support levels. Results show limited ability for conservative partisans to be cued towards carbon pricing by their party leader and even a minor backfire among out-group respondents  Read more

This qualitative inquiry describes the linguistic perspectives of eighteen grade six students at Ecole Duncan, a multiethnic primary school (grades K-6) located in Park Extension, an inner-city neighbourhood of Montreal. Employing standard tools of ethnographic enquiry, such as interviews and participant observation, I examined the childrens' perception of the interplay of language and identity, and rooted the inquiry within the theoretical framework of social constructivist learning. The key element of the lived experiences of these children that surface in the data is that their perceptions and experiences are largely determined by a sense of belonging and opportunities to participate in …  Read more

Differing opinions among the disciplines involved in the diagnosis and treatment of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have left parents navigating in a maze of divergent languages, explanations, and treatment recommendations. This quantitative research study addressed the question of whether a parent training program was an effective treatment for families of children with ADHD residing in a rural community. Although this community-based study did not demonstrate statistically significant outcome measures, it did reveal some interesting side effects. The limitations and the clinical significance of the findings of the study are examined for future research purposes. In particular, the implications for …  Read more

How deaf children relate signs to written words was investigated. Thirty deaf children participated in a lexical decision task and a production task. On both tasks, the children recognized written words that form part of their sign lexicon more accurately and more quickly than words that do not. In the production task, the younger children made fewer errors on written words that share formational correspondences with their signed equivalents, whereas the older children did not. In the lexical decision task, the children recognized words that they signed correctly in the production task more accurately and more quickly than those words …  Read more

L'improvisation a été longtemps considérée un élément intégral de travail artistique, mais a suscité moins d'attention vis à vis les manières dont elle peut informer l'éducation et l'apprentissage. Cette dissertation explore la compréhension centrale à l'improvisation, interroge comment elle est incorporée dans la musique (musique classique, jazz occidentale et musique africaine au tambour) et dans les pratiques théâtrales, et emploie cette compréhension afin de problematiser des valeurs dans la conception du modèle curriculaire et dans les modes de l'instruction dans la salle de classe. L'improvisation est présentée afin de confronter l'indétermination et négocier du changement, ce sont des concepts qui …  Read more

Potvin, Catherine (Internal/Supervisor)  Read more

The influence of a primarily Public form of self-awareness and of Private and Public Self-Consciousness on drunken physical aggression and complex reaction-time were examined. Two forms of the balanced-placebo design were employed. Results indicated that each form of self-focus played a significant role in the determination of various aspects of drunken comportment. Consumption of alcohol did not eliminate self-aware behavior on the measures employed. Public Self-Consciousness acted to increase drunken impairment. A modified form of the balanced-placebo design proved superior to the standard version for use with moderately high doses (1.32 ml/kg) of alcohol on a measure of subjective intoxication. …  Read more

Social workers are increasingly being called upon to work with clients who wish to have a child but are unable to do so without medical intervention. This study, a cross-sectional survey design, examines the attitudes of couples towards donor insemination (DI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), contractual pregnancy, adoption and living child free. A random sample of 200 names was drawn from the membership of the Infertility Awareness Association of Canada, Toronto Chapter. Surveys were completed by 74 participants (37 couples). Participants were generally well educated, affluent and ranged in age from 26 to 63 years. Women were one third more …  Read more

Wisenthal, M. (Supervisor)  Read more

The student in Canada who attempts to do any intensive research on English history is necessarily hampered by his inability to use the original documents. He has therefore to rely solely on printed sources, and as he and the editor frequently differ as to what is important enough to be put in, and what is unimportant enough to be omitted, the results ara not always wholly satisfactory. For the study of English local history, the records of some ten of the forty counties are available -- the North and West Ridings of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Nottingham, Derby, Worcester, Northampton, Hertford, Middlesex, …  Read more

The research of the past thirty or forty years has revealed the true importance of the justices of the peace in the growth of the government of England. Historians have therefore devoted a good deal of attention to the development of the office of these county magistrates; Miss Putnam and Dr. Kimba11 have dealt with the early part of their history, Mr. Beard has traced their evolution up to the reign of James I., and the Webbs have described the ascendancy of the squires in the 18th and 19th centuries. This study is an attempt to fill in a part, …  Read more

It is frequent1y stated that on the eve of the Great War. England suddenly awoke to find herself bound by a virtual allianoe to support France in active warfare. In apite of the tact that no signed agreement to this eftect is to be found, it is maintained that the intimacy with which French and British Naval Staffs had discussed and arranged plans for possible co-operation during the previous nine year, had created such an atmosphere of expectancy and dependency on the part of Franoe, that were Great Britain to deny this support, now that the contingenoy against which they …  Read more

The question as to whether a sense of hearing is or is not present in fishes has been the subject of considerable discussion and numerous experiments. From time to time various workers have succeeded in proving to their own satisfaction that this or that species of fish can hear, only to be confronted subsequently with negative evidence to all appearances equally convincing. It was only by means of the most carefully controlled experiments that our present knowledge of the subject was acquired. [...]  Read more

This thesis covers several individual investigations. Section I. The responses of frogs, intact and operated, to turn-table rotation, have been graphically registered. Section II. Two equilibrial reactions, hitherto obtained only from frogs with labyrinthine operations, have been found to occur in normal frogs. [...]  Read more

Archibald, E. (Supervisors)  Read more

The thesis "Tuba: an African eschatology in Islam" adopts afrocentric hypotheses for the study of Islam. First, the thesis demonstrates how certain phenomena specific to Islam in Africa, those usually qualified as products of religious syncretism, are on the contrary indicative of the ongoing process of synthesis and enrichment within Islam, and, secondly, that African spiritual tradition continues today as in the past to participate along with others in this constructive process. In order to demonstrate this hypothesis the spiritual significance of the modern Islamic holy city of Touba in Senegal will be analyzed. Touba is named for the Tree …  Read more

Hills, T. (Supervisor)  Read more

The problem of the Jews in the schools of the Province of Quebec is a part of the general and educational history of the Province for the past century; an historical description is therefore needed for an adequate understanding of the present situation of the Jewish minority in the educational system of Quebec. The main problem throughout the compilation of this work has been the difficulty in obtaining and verifying data. The available bibliography and source material are restricted in quantity and extremely limited in character.  Read more

[...]Sinter bas proven itself to be an excellent material for smelting in the blast furnace. Recent operations have been reportedin which the sinter made up the entire charge and the results have been exceedingly favourable. Neverthelesssinter is not perfect and improvements can still be made. It bas been shown that all sinters contain iron silicates which re bard to reduce As yet no method hasbeen determined by Which the amount of iron silicate can be regulated. If metallurg1sts can work out such a method they w1l1have gone a long way in solving the problem of making better sinter. The application …  Read more