McGill University Thèses et mémoires publiés en 1982

This thesis, L'Echec de la litterature quebecoise au XIXe siecle, is focused on the idea that literature was impossible as such in the 19th Century French Quebec. Les Anciens Canadiens serves as a revealer for this issue. The thesis first describes the socio-historical, ideological and literary backgrounds around this novel written by a seignorial class member. So we will see this seignorial class has solidly constituted itself only after the New France transfer to Great Britain. The thesis explains the ideological readjustment after 1837-38 in the French Canadian Society and has an interest in the antagonistic characters of the 19th …  Lire la suite

The nearby excited states of Fe('2+) in MgO have been observed by Raman spectroscopy for the first time. We observed an A(,1g) impurity mode (185 cm('-1)) and an electronic transition at 110.5 (+OR-) .8 cm('-1) which we associate with the first excited states of the ferrous ion, (GAMMA)(,3g) and (GAMMA)(,4g), previously observed by far infra-red optical absorption. Crystal field theory and group theory are used to characterize the energy levels and the wavefunctions of the ferrous ion. The observed reduction in the spin-orbit splitting of the energy levels is accounted for by solving the Jahn-Teller Hamiltonian in the approximation of …  Lire la suite

The research sets out to investigate if the Anglo- Canadian and the Quebec nurses are considered as professionals from a legal standpoint in common law Canada and in Quebec civil law. Four indications are analysed: self discipline, statutes of limitation, vicarious liability and the application of the law of torts. The research indicates that Quebec civil law puts the nurses in the same category as other health professionals, whereas Canadian common law provinces make a distinction between nurses and other health professionals. Quebec doctrine and jurisprudence, however, have a tendency to consider nurses as employees who are dependant on doctors …  Lire la suite

This thesis describes an investigation of the structure and viscoelastic properties of telechelic polymers as well as the dynamic and dielectric properties of ethyl acrylate-based ionomers, a material of medium dielectric constant. Stress relaxation studies of low molecular weight sodium carboxylate-terminated polystyrene and polybutadiene will show that time-temperature superposition does not hold for samples with greater than 6 mole % ion content. It is shown that two mechanisms are operative, the first proceeding with an activation energy of circa 600 kJ/mole and the second proceeding with an activation energy of circa 142 kJ/mole at T(,g) and at a rate of …  Lire la suite

Ring A of Ambruticin, in derivatized form (88), and a ring B derivative (93) were synthesized and used to determine the absolute stereochemistry of Ambruticin. The critical step that served to fix the stereochemistry in ring A could not be repeated on another system. Phosphonate 46 allowed the three-carbon homologation of aldehydes to conjugated ketene dithioacetals, but these could not be hydrolyzed. The resolution of 2-acetoxyaldehydes by 1-ephedrine was generalized, and an attempt was made to rationalize the behaviour of the intermediate oxazolidines, and to settle the controversy over their C(,2)-configurations.  Lire la suite

This dissertation seeks to examine the religious ideas in Mill's writings. Recipient of a unique education, Mill was trained to uphold a reformist ideology, Benthamite Utilitarianism. The secular biases thus instilled were greatly reinforced by his own inductivist outlook in epistemology. But Mill's sensitive mind succumbed to other influences too, especially after his "crisis". Based on a review of these key contextual factors, the ensuing study highlights (1) the persistence of a religious interest throughout Mill's career, (2) the sceptical (yet undogmatic) character of his religious thinking, and (3) the later Mill's drift towards a more sympathetic interpretation of religion. …  Lire la suite

The possible role of endogenous opioids in the central adrenergic control of blood pressure and heart rate was studied in different strains of hypertensive and normotensive rats. In spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) the hypotension and bradycardia resulting from stimulation of central (alpha)-adrenoceptors by clonidine or (alpha)-methyldopa are inhibited by the opiate antagonists naloxone and naltrexone and by centrally administered (beta)-endorphin antibody. Clonidine and 1-(alpha)-methylnoradrenaline increase the release of immunoreactive (beta)-endorphin from brain stem slices of SHR, superfused in vitro. The antihypertensive effects of clonidine and (alpha)-methyldopa are similarly inhibited by opiate antagonists in steroid/salt and renal hypertensive, Sprague-Dawley rats, but …  Lire la suite

Asimakopulos, A. (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

Paul Ramsey's medical ethics is built from a philosophical antinomy: Premise, the human being is a creature of will; Proposition, the human will is a free will; Contrary Proposition, the human will is a not-free will. General, exceptionless rules of conduct function in Ramsey's thought as moral restraint to human freedom. The moral agent ought always to act in accord with the demands of agape; and not only once but as often as the same features of a decision/action arise. General rules guide and restrain human free will in a necessary way to assure an ordered and moral society. This …  Lire la suite

Corporation characterized by members' freedom from liability for corporate debts, and partnership, characterized by inter se relations of mutual confidence and good faith, are polar types. Over the ages a host of hybrid types has evolved between those polar types. In the incorporated partnership--the final stage of that evolution--partnership and corporation coalesce. American and German law recognize the personal fiduciary character of corporate partners' inter se relations for the purpose of enforcing fiduciary duties. Anomalously, English company law recognizes that character under the statutory just and equitable winding-up provision but not for the purpose of enforcing fiduciary duties. A case …  Lire la suite

The effects of dibutyryl 3'; 5' cyclic monophosphate (dbcAMP) on several parameters of transformation were studied using a Kirsten sarcoma virus (Ki-MSV)-transformed mouse cell line (K-A31). Treated cells showed changes in morphology, decreased motility, saturation density and growth rate, and lost the capacity for anchorage-independent growth. In contrast to many other transformed cell lines, fibronectin and an elaborate cytoskeleton were present in K-A31 cells. The transcription of the proviral genome was examined using both reverse-transcribed and nick-translated ('3)H-DNA probes, and certain viral-specific RNAs were found restricted to the nucleus of dbcAMP-treated cells. Additive hybridization experiments suggested these RNAs were transcribed …  Lire la suite

The Single Factor market Model is an important tool in contemporary research in finance. The assumption of parametric stability is usually invoked to facilitate statistical estimation of the model. Much of the importance of the model follows from its "beta" parameter which, ideally, measures the sensitivity of returns on a security to changes in a market factor. While stability of this parameter is desirable, this property is neither required nor expected from financial theory. Instances of nonstationarity are commonly observed. The objective of this thesis is to address, theoretically and empirically, the nature and causes of potential instability. To this …  Lire la suite

The biosynthesis of long chain aliphatic aldehydes required for light emission by bacterial luciferase has been studied in Photobacterium phosphoreum. A fatty acid reductase has been identified and shown to catalyze the conversion of fatty acids to their corresponding aldehydes in a reaction that requires NADPH and cleavage of ATP to AMP. The fatty acid reductase activity was measured using a sensitive luminescence coupled assay with luciferase or from the reduction of {('3)H}tetradecanoic acid to {('3)H}aldehyde using thin layer chromatography to resolve the product of the reaction. The measurement of the enzyme activity in extracts during bacterial growth indicated that …  Lire la suite

The behavior of Rossby waves on a shear flow in the presence of a nonlinear critical layer is studied, with particular emphasis on the role played by the critical layer in a Rossby wave resonance mechanism. Previous steady analyses are extended to the resonant case and it is found that the forced wave dominates the solution, provided the flow configuration is not resonant for the higher harmonics induced by the critical layer. Numerical simulations for the forced initial value problem show that the solution evolves towards the analysed steady state when conditions are resonant for the forced wave, and demonstrate …  Lire la suite

A previously proposed kinetics equation describing the delignification of wood in soda-anthraquinone (AQ) liquors was shown to be valid under isothermal conditions, and was extended to describe variation in initial alkali charge. Kinetics expressions were derived for soda-amine, kraft (soda-hydrosulfide ion) and soda-ethanol delignification under isothermal conditions over various ranges of additive charge. In each case, the total delignification observed after a given time of pulping could be described as the sum or two contributions: (i) that due to the sodium hydroxide alone, and (ii) that due to the additive (AQ, amine, hydrosulfide ion or ethanol). Rate constants were determined …  Lire la suite

A genuine and conscious Italian nationalism began to manifest itself during the Napoleonic era, and Vincenzo Cuoco was the apostle of this first revival of national consciousness. All of his writings, focussed on the urgent need for a free and independent Italy, aim at the renewal of "public spirit," an indispensable step towards the achievement of the country's unification and freedom through its own energies. The purpose of our thesis is thus twofold. On the one hand, we wish to emphasize Cuoco's constant preoccupation with the shaping of the future Italian nation, through a large-scale re-education of the public, in …  Lire la suite

The regulation of the rat epididymal steroid metabolizing enzymes, (DELTA)('4)-5(alpha)-reductase and 3(alpha)-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3(alpha)-HSD), was investigated during sexual maturation. Nuclear (DELTA)('4)-5(alpha)-reductase activity was first detected at day 21 and reached maximal values by day 77. Subsequently, enzymatic activity declined by more than 60% to reach adult plateau levels by day 105. Cytoplasmic 3(alpha)-HSD was already evident in the youngest age group tested (day 7) and reached the characteristic adult plateau levels by day 63. While 3(alpha)-HSD activity correlated closely with androgen-dependent parameters during development, nuclear (DELTA)('4)-5(alpha)-reductase activity correlated neither with the presence of spermatozoa nor with parameters of androgen levels. …  Lire la suite

The pathologic effects of sex steroids on the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus of adult rats were examined using numbers of reactive microglia and astrocytic granules as quantitative indices of neuropathology. Microglial and astrocytic reactions were observed in adult female rats entering a state of "persistent estrus" following a single injection of 2 mg estradiol valerate (EV) or exposure to continuous illumination. Lower doses of EV failed to elicit both the persistent estrus state and significant glial responses. In EV-treated animals, a hypothalamic lesion could be prevented by prior ovariectomy or by pituitary-ovarian suppression with medroxyprogesterone acetate indicating that an ovarian factor …  Lire la suite

In acute C1 spinal cats, electrical stimulaton of myelinated femoral (L5-L6) or pelvic (S1-S3) nerve afferents or natural stimulation of receptors of pelvic nerve bladder afferents increased or decreased the activity of thoracic (T1-T7) sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPNs) projecting to the cervical sympathetic trunk. A similar proportion of these SPNs responded to electrical stimulaton of myelinated radial (C7-T1) nerve afferents. The responses of SPNs to electrical or natural activation of pelvic nerve afferents in acute spinal animals were compared with those of SPNs in CNS intact or midcollicular decerebrate animals. Myelinated somatic and visceral afferents can activate propriospinal systems which …  Lire la suite