McGill University Thèses et mémoires publiés en 1981

Contogouris, A. P.  Lire la suite

A detailed review and revision of the theories required to simulate the electron paramagnetic resonance (epr) spectra of S' = 1/2 transition metal monomers and dimers is undertaken. The simulation of the epr spectrum of bis(biuretato)cuprate(II), doped in its isomorphous nickel(II) complex, enables the determination of its effective spin Hamiltonian parameters, independent of PH and solvent effects. An axial bis(biuretato)cuprate(II) dimer is also detected at 110 K and its simulated spectra indicate that it is formed by the axial interaction of two monomers. The nature of copper(II)-biuret complexes in acidic and neutral media is then investigated. Their epr spectra are …  Lire la suite

Alkaline phosphatase from Escherichia coli has been immobilized on Sepharose CL-4B using low levels of cyanogen bromide activation in order to favour the attachment of the dimer to the support through a single covalent linkage. The level of phosphatase activity in the matrix-bound monomer, obtained after dissociation of the immobilized dimer, was dependent on the extent of cyanogen bromide activation of the support, indicating that this activity is due to contaminating dimers. The quaternary structure of the subunit, reversibly immobilized through a disulfide linkage, was determined by crosslinking the matrix-bound protein, then releasing the protein from the support and analysing …  Lire la suite

This dissertation explores the social and political thought of Francis Bacon. While Bacon's contribution to the philosophy of science is recognized, his work is seen as having been focused primarily on the reform of the human estate. Bacon's Great Instauration, his programme for the advancement of learning and the restoration of mankind to pre-lapsarian dominion over nature, is examined for the influence of four main Renaissance perspectives: humanism, Christianity, millenarianism and historical optimism. Bacon wedded Renaissance humanism to millenarian-eschatology to provide an alternative to the classically-oriented interpretation of universal history. Despite the frequent use of millenarian-eschatological metaphors, Bacon's proposed reforms …  Lire la suite

I. The function of aldehyde in the bacterial luminescent reaction was investigated using {1-('14)C} decanol in a coupled enzyme system. The substrates for the bioluminescent reaction, {1-('14)C} decanal and FMNH(,2), were generated in the reaction mixture by horse liver dehydrogenase and bacterial FMN reductase. Analysis of the reaction products indicated that aldehyde is exclusively convertted to the corresponding acid by bacterial luciferase. A linear relationship between light emission and acid production was obtained with a resulting quantum yield of 0.10 quanta per molecule of acid produced. II. In order to determine if the lag period in luminescence observed during early …  Lire la suite

Boyle, J. T.  Lire la suite

Barry, I (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

Embryonic Xenopus muscle cells grown in culture develop patches of high acetylcholine receptor (AChR) density which can be visualized using fluorescent -bungarotoxin. In the present study it was found that these AChR patches often occur at sites of strong adhesion with the culture dish and remain in a fixed position, relatively unchanged for several days. Discrete patches of cholinesterase (ChE) also develop, often at the same sites as the AChR patches, even if the muscle cells have never been innervated in vivo. ChE, like AChRs, also becomes localized at sites of nerve-muscle contact in cultures grown with spinal cord cells …  Lire la suite

A major issue in William Gaddis' novels, The Recognitions and JR, is the problematic role of art and the artist. The thesis traces this theme to certain classic and romantic ideas about art in the nineteenth-century American romance, as well as to the literary theories of such modernists as T. S. Eliot and Virginia Woolf, and to the theories of such disparate writers as, among others, the New Critics and Alain Robbe-Grillet. The ideas and structure of Gaddis' novels are located and discussed in relation to this context. Like many contemporary novelists, Gaddis transposes his themes into the reflexive structures …  Lire la suite

The behavior of biphenyl and naphthyl sulfinate and sulfoxylate esters under flash vacuum thermolytic and photolytic conditions was studied and a new tetrasubstituted dihydrophenanthrene was isolated. Several, 2,2'-biphenyl diols were synthesized including some with specifically deuterated alkyl chains. These diols were cyclized to give symmetrically substituted as well as cis-/trans- unsymmetrically substituted dibenzoxepins. The dynamic NMR properties of these dibenzoxepins were studied and the free energy barriers of conformational inversion were measured and related to the steric interactions of the alkyl substituents. The preferred conformations of the trans-dibenzoxepins were related to the relative stabilities of the alkyl substituents in the …  Lire la suite

This intellectual biography of 'Umar comprises detailed description and discussion of some aspects of his religious thought. These aspects, especially the spiritual-moral vision of 'Umar, which forms the very core of his thought--as has emerged particularly in the middle chapter--, are central and fundamental to any fresh, meaningful study not only of 'Umar's political thought--which seems to be firmly grounded in his religious thought--but also of his policies and activities as caliph and, more directly, of his political objectives and motives. Being a deeply religious man 'Umar sought primarily to ensure the safety of his soul. He strove to approximate …  Lire la suite

Galiana, F. D.  Lire la suite

The synthesis of 5’-monomethoxytrityl-2'-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-3'-levulinylribonucleosides of the four common bases as well as their 2',3' isomeric derivatives was accomplished. These units are suitable for block condensations via the phosphite procedure as demonstrated in the preparation,in good yield, of a hexadecauridylic acid. A novel solid phase synthesis of ribonucleotides featuring the use of the phosphite procedure, along with a derivatized silica gel polymer, was fully investigated. The efficiency of the method is exemplified in the stepwise assembly of a nonadecamer corresponding to the dihydrouridine loop of t-RNAfMet. Several mild reagents capable of hydrolyzing nucleotides from the polymer were introduced. In addition, a …  Lire la suite

The structure of 8,11,15-trihydroxy-9,12-oxyeicosa-5,13-dienoic acid A, isolated by Pace-Asciak and Wolfe from enzymatic incubation of arachidonic acid, was proven by the synthesis of 8R,9S,11R,12S,15(R and S) isomers 1a and 1b. Both epimers were more polar than the natural product A. Reductive ozonolysis of 1a, followed by reaction of the resulting 2-acetoxyheptanal with l-ephedrine, gave oxazolidines whose R(,f) values on tlc were found to be characteristic of the chirality of the acetoxy group, thus permitting the determination of the absolute stereochemsitry at C-15 of 1a. Model studies towards the synthesis of 9,11,15-trihydroxy-8,12-oxyeicosa-5,13-dienoic acid B were carried out.  Lire la suite