McGill University Thèses et mémoires par auteur commençant par T

Lang, Dan (Supervisor2)  Read more

Lizotte, Y. (Supervisor)  Read more

Cere, Daniel M. (Supervisor1)  Read more

Radar cells from the GATE experiment, from Spain and from the Montreal area were followed and measurements of their total rain flux and area were extracted. The values of the flux and area, for each one of the cells, for initial time increments T(,0) were used to evaluate various extrapolation schemes for forecasting purposes. The extrapolation procedure that gave the smallest error in forecasting the changes in flux and area, was found to be the linear one and the optimum increment T(,0) was about 30 min. However, even though these techniques have the advantage of establishing a trend in the …  Read more

De précédents travaux ont démontré que l'espérance face à la valeur de la récompense associée à une tâche d'atteinte, affecte l'activité des neurones du cortex intraparietal médial (MIP) et que ce signal de récompense peut-être décodé. Dans cette étude, nous nous attaquons à la fiabilité de l'encodage de la récompense dans la région MIP en examinant comment la quantification de la récompense est encodée quand elle est présentée dans différents contextes. Nous sommes intéressés à savoir si la connaissance acquise au cours des essais précédents est utilisée pour interpréter l'information a propos de la récompense de l'essai courant. Nous avons …  Read more

Five hundred years of Christian martyrdom are represented in the Ecclesiae militantis triumphi (1583). Engraved by Giovanni Battista Cavalieri, the series that was bound into a book reproduces a fresco cycle in the church of San Stefano Rotondo in Rome. While the church belonged to the Jesuit German-Hungarian College, the book accompanied priests in their proselytizing mission in Northern Europe. This thesis will look at the function of the book in relation to various audiences, in different viewing contexts. Analyzed primarily in relation to the intended Jesuit audience as an object of devotion, the book will also be inserted within …  Read more

Groen, Guy J.  Read more

La paralysie faciale (PF) est un état clinique résultant de dommages au nerf facial, entraînant la paralysie des muscles faciaux qui peuvent affecter la parole, la vision et les interactions sociales des patients. Nous émettons l'hypothèse que l'activité peut être restaurée dans la moitié du visage atteinte au moyen de la stimulation électrique de ses muscles, en utilisant l'activité des muscles de la moitié saine du visage comme une entrée de contrôle. Pour explorer cette hypothèse, nous utilisons un modèle de rat de PF, qui traite le clignotement des yeux et le mouvement des moustaches comme étant les caractéristiques de …  Read more

Le cortex préfrontal joue un rôle central dans la fonction exécutive quotidienne de haut niveau telles que la planification, la résolution de problème et la prise de décision. Ces aptitudes peuvent être perturbées lorsque les lobes frontaux sont endommagés, ou lorsque le patient est atteint de conditions comme la dépendance de drogue ou la maladie de Parkinson; la perturbation de ces aptitudes peut avoir d'importantes conséquences sur l'autonomie et la qualité de vie du patient. Bien que les dommages aux lobes frontaux aient des répercussions cliniques significatives, notre compréhension des processus sous-jacents et des substrats neuronaux de la fonction exécutive …  Read more

La vaccination entraine-t-elle à l'autisme? Les réponses à cette question ont causé des débats depuis Web 2.0, lorsque des contenus auto-publiés commencent à croître (Kata, 2012). Si les individus ne possèdent pas de technique pour juger la véracité de l'information, cela peut avoir des conséquences négatives sur la santé. Les sites web sur la vaccination qui causent des perturbations émotionnelles sont également dérangeants. Les études ont montré que les émotions peuvent faciliter ou limiter les processus et les résultats d'apprentissage (Pekrun et al., 2010). Il est donc nécessaire d'examiner comment les individus évaluent les affirmations faites sur ces sites web, …  Read more

When an observer views a moving object, the projection of the motion onto the retina is first converted into information about velocity in the primary visual cortex (V1). These motion signals are then sent to numerous visual cortical structures, known collectively as the extrastriate cortex. One such area is the middle temporal area (MT), which contains neurons that are highly selective for velocity. The outputs of MT are then sent to even higher cortical areas that are responsible for generating conscious motion perception. Many studies have devised sophisticated models to explain the process by which velocity selectivity arises in MT. …  Read more

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis regulates physiological development by promoting proliferation and survival signals. Aberrant IGF signaling has been reported in multiple malignancies including triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). TNBC patients are associated with poor prognosis due the lack of treatment options and aggressive nature of these tumors. Intrinsic and acquired resistance present a major challenge in TNBC treatment owing to the heterogeneity of the disease. No targeted therapy is currently approved for these patients and chemotherapy remains the mainstay treatment. The IGF-Trap is a novel anti-cancer drug candidate that limits IGF signaling by binding circulating and locally produced …  Read more

This thesis focusses on material and narrative tradition of the doll within the conceptual framework of the fetish. Tracing the doll’s development across colonial, intellectual, and aesthetic discourses, I analyze how its physical and symbolic transformations reflect racialized, gendered, and ideological conditions that shape subjectivity and ontology. By drawing on William Pietz’s genealogy of the fetish, Marx’s theory of commodity fetishism, and Freud’s psychoanalysis of fetishistic disavowal, I locate the epistemological instability of the fetish in colonial violence. At the same time, I examine how gendered and racialized connotations of the fetish, embodied in the doll, permeate literary and cultural …  Read more

Tully, James (Supervisor)  Read more

The future development of the natural resources of the Canadian North definitely includes agriculture and agriculture in that area is not a novelty but a reality, as stated by Nowosad (1959). The importance of agriculture and its possible development in the Yukon Territory was discussed in the debate of the House of Commons by Nielson (1960). The soil survey in the Yukon, conducted by Day in 1957-58 reveals that the soil in general is low in organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus. Marked advantages resulted from application of manure and commercial fertilizers on grain crops and favorable results were also obtained …  Read more

This thesis examines how humanitarian assistance and political aspects interact in complex humanitarian emergencies (CHEs) in both negative and positive ways, how to minimize negative outcomes, and how humanitarian assistance can contribute to conflict resolution. Although humanitarian assistance has long been considered to be separate from politics, the division between the two has posed serious difficulties for humanitarian aid agencies responding to disasters and even has resulted in negative impacts on political and humanitarian aspects. In order to confront CHEs today, humanitarians need to collaborate conceptually and practically with political actors, while political actors need to be sensitive to humanitarian …  Read more

Des recherches ont démontré que l'effet de retour (l'impact des examens déterminants sur la nature et le déroulement de l'activité pédagogique dans les classes) était souvent partiellement attribuable aux enseignants (Cheng, 1997, 2000; Turner, 2001, 2006, 2009). L'idée comme quoi, dans les lycées japonais, à cause de l'influence fondamentale des examens d'admission universitaires, les cours axés vers la conversation, dits de communication orale (CO), ne s'articulent pas autour d'activités d'apprentissage interactives, mais plutôt autour de l'acquisition de notions grammaticales, est prépondérante dans la littérature sur le sujet. Cette thèse fait appel à des méthodes mixtes pour décrire l'état actuel des …  Read more

Sarkar, Mekhala (Supervisor2)  Read more

Microbial identification and strain typing by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for clinical diagnostic applications have been demonstrated over the past decade using the transmission and attenuated total reflection modes of spectral acquisition. The transflection (Tr) mode has been less explored for such applications but may offer significant advantages in relation to routine implementation because spectra can be acquired from samples deposited on low-cost disposable slides made from infrared reflective materials such as low-emissivity glass. To evaluate the capabilities of Tr-FTIR spectroscopy for microbial discrimination and identification at the genus and species levels, a spectral database comprised of Tr-FTIR spectra …  Read more

In Canada, although multicultural/diversity education has been widely discussed over the past three decades, little research has been conducted in mathematics education regarding equity and diversity. As textbooks play a pivotal role in education and are important pedagogical tools, this study examines a nationally distributed Grade 3 mathematics textbook, and whether it responds to the needs of today's multicultural/diversity educational goals and is reflective of the various pluralities present in Canadian society. This study analyzes representations of ethnic, gender, and class diversities as well as historical and cultural references with respect to the concept of ethnomathematics in the textbook and …  Read more

The thrust of this research lies in Chapter II in which the study using, inter alia, travaux preparatoires attempts to give an analytical and critical review and interpretation of the provisions of the Convention on the Marking of Explosives for the purpose of Detection of 1991. Analysing the provisions of the Convention, the study tries to preserve and reflect the atmosphere that characterised the deliberations of the International Air Law Conference of 1991, an exercise that is thought to be helpful when one is coupling the theoretical analysis with the practical problems of implementation. For this reason, the study is …  Read more

Iron is essential for many biological processes, including but not limited to oxygen transport and erythropoiesis. However, iron is toxic in excess due to its ability to catalyze a propagation of free radicals associated with cellular damage. Circulating iron is bound by its carrier transferrin, maintaining a redox-inert state, and facilitating iron internalization into tissue cells via ubiquitously expressed transferrin receptor 1 (Tfr1, gene name: Tfrc). Transferrin receptor 2 (Tfr2), a Tfr1 homologue, is primarily expressed in hepatocytes and has a ~25-fold lower affinity for transferrin-bound iron. Its main function involves sensing of iron levels and signaling to the iron …  Read more

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is now widely considered as a favored technology for emerging and future generation wireless systems. MIMO-OFDM aims to achieve increased channel capacity limit by exploiting the use of multiple antennas in combination with multi-carrier orthogonal modulation. While the possibility of achieving this limit is bestowed on the invention of capacity-achieving coding and decoding techniques, in reality, this prospect relies heavily on the existence and use of advanced channel estimation techniques. To facilitate fast and reliable channel estimation in MIMO-OFDM systems, pilot symbol insertion is usually considered; however, the channel capacity is greatly …  Read more

Dion, S. B. (Supervisor)  Read more

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) responsiveness to stress is generally blunted in lactating rats, except during situations of pup endangerment, suggesting an important role of salience of stressor in stress response during lactation. Conversely, in women, breastfeeding is associated with reduced HPA responses to physical stress and perceived stress. Yet, HPA responses to a standardized speech and arithmetic task (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) are not blunted in breastfeeding mothers. Interestingly, greater number of children (parity) increases maternal experience which can enhance responsiveness to child-related stressors. To our knowledge, no study to date has investigated the impact of infant feeding type and parity …  Read more

Tungsten was linked to several leukemia clusters in the early 2000s, but there was insufficient evidence to establish causation and little was known about the metal. Today, data from in vitro and in vivo modeling show that tungsten accumulates in bone, promotes DNA damage, and induces aberrant B cell development, among other indicators of leukemia. To understand tungsten mechanistically, a whole genome CRISPR-based screen was conducted in the NALM6 precursor B lymphocytic leukemia cell line. Functional enrichment analysis suggests that some effects of tungsten may be mediated by the disruption of signaling pathways associated with mTORC1, the major nutrient-sensitive regulator …  Read more

The research investigated the combined effects of protein deficiency (PD) and a gastrointestinal nematode infection, Heligmosomoides bakeri , on immunopathology and nutritional status in BALB/c mice. The acute phase of a primary infection reduced resting metabolic rate, but PD did not. Early challenge infection led to temporary anorexia and cessation of weight gain in both protein-sufficient (PS) and PD mice. Among PS mice, a challenge dose of 200 L3 caused more active worm expulsion than infection with 100 L3. Both serum monocyte chemotactic protein-5 and gut fluid leakage were positively correlated with worm expulsion whereas numbers of mucosal mast cells, …  Read more

Grimard, Franque (Supervisor2)  Read more

Lobster waste (including the head and hard carapace, viscera, mandibles and gills) contains approximately 98 $ mu$g/g total astaxanthin, 23% protein, 20% chitin, 34% ash, and 2.2% crude fat on dry weight basis. Carotenoprotein, amounting to 16% of the dry matter was effectively recovered from lobster waste by a trypsin aided process. Air-dried carotenoproteins were enriched in protein by about 108-115%, in crude fat by 540-594% and in carotenoid pigment by about 147-329% as compared with the waste material. Furthermore, the ash and chitin levels in the products were considerably lower than those of the raw material. Drying characteristics of …  Read more

Myelin is an evolutionarily late acquisition of the vertebrate nervous system which speeds electrochemical signaling in mature nerve fibers by providing insulation in the form of a lipid-rich multilammelar sheath. Proteolipid Protein (PLP) is the most abundant protein in mature mammalian central nervous system myelin where it serves as a structural component in addition to other yet undefined roles. It is coordinately regulated at the transcriptional level with other myelin genes such as Myelin Basic Protein (MBP). The major components of MBP transcriptional regulation have been defined using a strategy of targeted transgenesis at the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) locus …  Read more

Amabili, Marco (Supervisor1)  Read more

La libération d'énergie induite par l'impact d'un projectile cylindrique réactif en aluminium supersonique frappant une cible inerte en oxyde d'aluminium est étudiée expérimentalement dans des environnements réactifs et inertes pour une plage de vitesses de 1,0 à 1,3 km/s. Les résultats sont comparés pour des projectiles en aluminium massif et deux projectiles compactés de même masse et diamètre, préparés par simple pressage à l'aide de deux poudres d'aluminium sphériques commerciales (Valimet Inc., Stockton, CA), désignées H-10 (∼12 µm) et H-30 (∼31 µm). La libération d'énergie relative au cours des 100 premières microsecondes est estimée à l'aide de la surpression normalisée …  Read more

Leading research teams are actively pursuing solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) for next-generation lithium (Li) batteries. A primary requirement a SSE must have is a high room-temperature ionic conductivity. Since super-ionic SSEs exhibit highly connected pathways that flatten the free-energy landscape, their ionic conductivity must be estimated from finite-temperature molecular dynamics (MD) rather than single-barrier kinetics. However, ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations are computationally expensive. This limits accessible simulation times and the number of atoms for conventional first-principles methods. To mitigate these limits, a pretrained state-of-the-art machine learning interatomic potential called MACE-MPA-0 was used. This work tests the pretrained MACE model …  Read more

Among the considerable manuscript production of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, the Bible moralisee stands out by the number of miniatures and by the conception of the manuscript itself. The composition and many iconographical themes recall stained glass windows of contemporary cathedrals, such as Chartres, Sens, Bourges, or Canterbury in England. The manuscript of the Bible moralisee to which this study is partly dedicated, is located in the Treasury of the Toledo cathedral chapter in Spain. This study deals also with the duplicate copy which was realized soon afterwards. The interpretation and illustrations of the verses vary in number according …  Read more

The large general hospital which has an obstetrical service plays an important role in the community in terms of maternal care. When, in addition, it maintains an outpatient clinic, it is in a position to encourage adequate pre-natal care as part of its programme. [...]  Read more

For the purpose of this report, adsorption may be defined as that process whereby the molecules of a gas or vapor, when that gas or vapor is placed in contact with a previously evacuated solid, become attached to the surface of the solid. An adsorption isotherm expresses the quantity adsorbed as a function of the pressure at constant temperature.[...] Information necessary to a full understanding of the phenomenon of adsorption cannot be obtained from the measurement of adsorption isotherms and heats of adsorption. For this reason, within recent years, work has been done on the determination of the structure of …  Read more

A detailed investigation of the nature of the pluralization rules of preschool children is reported in this thesis. This research tries to determine the extent of the child's acquisition of the standard rules of adult speakers of English and to uncover the existence of any rules peculiar to children. [...]  Read more