McGill University Thèses et mémoires publiés en 1995

Leclerc, Monique (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

Vocalization behavior of captive loggerhead shrikes was studied at the Avian Science and Conservation Centre of McGill University. In the first stage, calls of two pairs kept in indoor cages were individually recorded not only to catalogue these calls spectrographically and quantitatively but also to use them in identifying the birds sexually. Males vocalized 21 call figures for 16.50% of the observation time and females, 8 call figures for 2.64% of the observation time. Males contiguously delivered 1 to 11 bouts with a mean of 7.25 min for a rate of 6.06 bouts/h; females delivered 1 to 9 bouts with …  Lire la suite

The purpose of this study was to explore perceived physical competence and participation in physical activity of children with physical awkwardness. Children with physical awkwardness are those without known neuromuscular problems but who have difficulty in learning and performing motor skills. Participants were 135 children, 31 with physical awkwardness and 104 without any motor deficiency. The age ranged from 5 to 11 years. It was hypothesized that children with physical awkwardness would have lower levels of perceived physical competence and would participate less in physical activity than their nonawkward peers. Finally, a positive relationship between motor performance and perceived physical …  Lire la suite

Following the extensive use of ballistic missiles in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, there has been a renewed emphasis within the United States to develop and deploy anti-ballistic missile defenses. This thesis examines whether the current ballistic missile defense programs of the United States comply with the limitations imposed by the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty between the Soviet Union and the United States. The thesis begins with a review of the development of ballistic missiles and the systems designed to defend against them. Next an analysis of the ABM Treaty is offered, including its differing interpretations. The Treaty's legal restrictions …  Lire la suite

The following Master's thesis is proposing the analysis of five novels, written between 1988 and 1993, by five young Quebec writers. The object of this research is to study the representation of "generation X" in these five texts. The introduction of the thesis establishes the parameters of the "generation X", which comprises people born between 1959 and 1974. This definition constitutes the basis of our comparison between the concept of "generation X" and the main characters of the novels, who are "fictive" members of this generation. The rest of the thesis includes three chapters, devoted to the following themes: the …  Lire la suite

This thesis is a complete edition of the journals and letters of Fanny Burney (1752-1840) for January 1789. Burney was a successful and well-known writer in the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries. In addition to a number of plays and essays, which were not published during her lifetime, Burney published four novels in her career: Evelina (1778), Cecilia (1782), Camilla (1796), and The Wanderer (1814). It is, however, her journal writing that has captured the attention of the literary world in recent years because of its biographical, socio-historical, and literary value. Her journal for the month of January 1789, written at …  Lire la suite

Neurogenic impotence is a clinical situation commonly resulting from major pelvic surgery. A detailed description of the neural pathways mediating erection has been lacking and this has been implicated as a major cause for the high incidence of post-operative impotence. Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous molecule believed to be an important mediator of erection. The synthesis of nitric oxide is regulated by the enzyme nitric oxide synthase. In the first part of this work, we studied the neuroanatomical pathways responsible for erection in the male lower urogenital tract. Using a histochemical staining technique able to localize a co-factor of …  Lire la suite

Program analysis is a process of estimating properties of a program statically. Program analyses have many applications, including compiler optimizations, software maintenance and testing, and program verification. In this dissertation we present a new framework for efficient program analysis. At the heart of our approach is a new program representation called the DJ Graph. Using DJ graphs we present several new algorithms for solving problems encountered in program analysis. The problems that we have solved range from a simple loop identification problem to sophisticated exhaustive and incremental data flow analysis, including the construction of Sparse Evaluation Graphs. The algorithms presented …  Lire la suite

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is a Gram-negative bacterium that causes meningitis in infants. A protein called porin of 341 amino acids, M$ rm sb{r}$ 37,782 daltons, is located in the outer membrane of Hib and allows for the diffusion into the periplasmic space of small solutes up to a molecular mass of 1400 daltons. Based on parameters of hydrophilicity and amphiphilicity a model for Hib porin was generated. The model proposed an organization of sixteen anti-parallel $ beta$-strands that traverse the outer membrane, eight long loops that connect the $ beta$-strands on one side and short turns on the …  Lire la suite

The granulite-facies Hart-Jaune Terrane is the structurally lowermost tectonic assemblage in the Allochthonous Belt of the Grenville province exposed along the Manicouagan Reservoir transect in eastern Quebec. The Hart-Jaune Terrane is composed of interbanded two-pyroxene/plagioclase mafic granulites and quartzofeldspathic gneisses, which are probably supracrustal, and of granulitic gabbros. Gneissic banding generally trends NNE with moderately steep southerly dips, and contains a SSW-plunging pyroxene mineral lineation that is parallel to the axes of intrafolial folds. These structures are rotated into the bounding Hart-Jaune and Gabriel shear zones about an axis parallel to the inferred direction of motion along the shear zones. …  Lire la suite

This thesis examines the use of the pastoral form in recent Canadian literature. As the pastoral constitutes a literary site where a concern for landscape converges with a search for community, it has been employed as a myth in nationalist discourses whose functioning depend heavily on symbolized landscapes and idealized social types. The philosophical basis of the pastoral is the classical opposition between nature and culture. For this reason, its representations are often coded as 'natural'. To this extent, the pastoral participates in a hegemonic myth-making system, constituting a limited semiotic field in which certain representations are privileged while others …  Lire la suite

The ubiquitous settlement pattern of the American suburb is in fact a carefully constructed reality. Because the vision of the home in the suburbs is very deeply rooted, any development which is considered threatening to this image is met with a defensive reaction. Too often, however, when these NIMBY ("Not In My Back Yard") sentiments are permitted to dictate what is acceptable in a community, housing affordable to low- and moderate-income households is purposely excluded. This thesis explores the processes by which discriminatory NIMBY sentiments are realized as legal development regulations in contemporary suburbs. The historic evolution of the suburbs …  Lire la suite

McKendry, Ian (Advisor)  Lire la suite

The effects of microwave treatments on barley seed quality and eradication of Ustilago nuda (Jens.) Rostr. were investigated using two separate experiments. The objective of the first investigation was to find out which microwave treatment factors or combinations were significantly affecting germination and vigour and to establish a threshold for the safe use of microwaves on barley seeds. For this purpose, the effects of various combinations of microwave treatment factors: Absorbed microwave power (AMP), pulsing (PUL) or the time in seconds the microwave is on/off per min of duty cycle, initial seed moisture content (SMC) and the duration of the …  Lire la suite

This thesis details the design, construction and validation of an experimental apparatus suitable for the investigation of human knee dynamics in vivo. Current research has centred on fixed-axis joints such as the thumb, elbow and ankle, however, due to its size and varying axis of rotation, the dynamic characteristics of the experimental system include a 20 ms rise time to a 1 mm step input, and a frequency bandwidth extending to 35 Hz. Validation of the experimental system was done using inertial systems with properties similar to those expected of the leg. Preliminary human results are presented with an analytical …  Lire la suite

The thesis concerns the origins, creation and progress of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). Most scholars believe that development assistance is largely motivated by self-interest. At first glance, the Centre appears to be an anomaly in Canadian foreign aid. The IDRC's disbursements are not formally tied, has an international board of governors, and its structure was specifically designed with autonomy in mind. This Canadian federal organisation has spent one and a half billion dollars are funded over 5,500 projects since its founding in 1970. During this time, the Centre has disbursed between 70-95% of its programme funds overseas, mostly …  Lire la suite

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary has long been regarded as an epoch-making book, as great a scholarly achievement as the dictionaries of the Italian, French and Spanish academies, yet more enlightened in its pretensions and its politics. For Johnson does not claim to have fixed the language; his authority is not backed by the state; his decisions as to currency, propriety, meaning, and spelling are based on a jumble of general custom, literary precedent, and reason. I argue that the intellectual origins of Johnsonian standard English lie in Sir Edward Coke's early seventeenth-century restatement of common law doctrine and terms. Salient issues …  Lire la suite

Gougeon, R. (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

Considerable amounts of N can be lost from manure through NH$ sb3$ volatilization. Four laboratory studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of organic amendments on reducing NH$ sb3$ loss from liquid hog manure (LHM). The organic amendments used in these studies were sugar, sawdust and paper products including filter paper (FP), paper bag (PB), newsprint (NP) and pulp sludge (PS). Generally, organic amendments had significant effects on reducing NH$ sb3$ loss from LHM and their effectiveness increased with increasing addition rates. Sugar addition of 3% or higher could eliminate the NH$ sb3$ loss, depending on LHM properties and incubation …  Lire la suite

The Jameson cell is a relatively new flotation device that has been successfully used in several applications, ranging from mineral recovery to de-oiling dairy effluents. The cell comprises a plunging jet bubble column (downcomer) which discharges in a separation tank. The effect of operating variables on Jameson cell performance, e.g., gas holdup in the downcomer and interaction between the downcomer and separation tank, was investigated in this thesis. Gas holdup in the downcomer of the Jameson cell was determined using conductivity measurements with ring-shaped electrodes installed in the interior wall of the downcomer. The Maxwell model was used to calculate …  Lire la suite

Transcending the boundaries of literature, the works of Edgar Allan Poe and Stanislaw Lem contribute to a dialogue between literary, philosophical, and scientific cultures. A critical approach to these writers that ignores the epistemic dimension in their works opens itself to the charge of misunderstanding their artistic goals and aspirations. In my dissertation I thus define, justify, and conduct an interdisciplinary study of Poe and Lem's works. My project is underwritten by the epistemological assumption that literary works, and notably works of fiction, can make a contribution to knowledge that can be assessed in terms of interdisciplinary criteria. In the …  Lire la suite

This study aims to discuss the question of foreign influences on early Islamic law. This issue has been dealt with from various perspectives. Some scholars claim that Roman law was the predominant influence in formulating Islamic law, both in its legal concepts and its application. Certain scholars, however, maintain that the provincial law influenced Islamic law more, arguing that Roman law was not really practiced in former Greek provinces where Islamic law was formulated. Still others argue that Jewish influences are also believed to have shaped the development of early Islamic law, considering that Babylonian schools were situated close to …  Lire la suite

This research develops an analytical method for predicting the hydrodynamic force experienced by a long slender solid body of arbitrary cross-sectional shape and body centreline configuration, subjected to an unbounded uniform fluid flow. It is assumed the slenderness parameter, K (the ratio of the body cross-sectional length scale the body length) is small ($ ll 1$), the body centreline radius of curvature is everywhere large (of order body length), the cross-sectional shape varies slowly alone the body length, and the Reynolds number $R sb{e}$, based on the body length is of order unity. The inner flow solution for an arbitrary …  Lire la suite

Pascal, Gabrielle (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

We investigate and compare two field theoretical formalisms, namely, the former state-of-the-art but noncovariant Ruckl formula-based formalism developed by K. Haglin and C. Gale, and a more recent covariant formalism developed by P. Lichard, for lepton pair production via soft virtual bremsstrahlung in hadronic reactions. A quantitative study of the discrepancy between both formalisms with regard to rates and total yields of $e sp{+}e sp{-}$ and $ mu sp{+} mu sp{-}$ pair production from radiative pion and quark (antiquark) scattering in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions is made. Dilepton production rates are calculated using the independent particle approximation from kinetic theory, and …  Lire la suite

The effects of buffer additives in capillary electrophoresis (CE) separations of various biologically important molecules were studied. Buffers containing $ beta$-cyclodextrin ($ beta$-CD) and borate were used to separate mixtures of monophosphorylated nucleotide isomers. The electrophoretic mobility of nucleotide isomers was altered as a result of selective complex-forming reactions with $ beta$-CD. In addition, complexation of 5$ sp prime$-nucleotides with borate increased the migration time window and led to better separation. Mono- and di-phosphorylated isomers of the insulin receptor peptide (IRP), were resolved in buffers containing sodium dodecyl sulfate, (SDS). The effects of SDS concentration and pH on electrophoretic velocity …  Lire la suite

This thesis examines representations of nation, race and gender in three postcolonial texts: Salman Rushdie's Midnight's Children; Meena Alexander's autobiographical memoirs Fault Lines; and Bengali writer Mahasweta Devi's collection of short stories entitled Imaginary Maps. All three texts reconfigure conventional accounts of nationhood by positing fictions based on what I am calling the poetics of displacement. The diasporic perspective provides Salman Rushdie's novel with the ability to suggest hybrid identities arising from the experience of cultural migration. In Meena Alexander's autobiography, displacement is figured in terms of both a diasporic and feminist vision that allows for the deconstruction of masculinist …  Lire la suite

Ramaswamy, Hosahalli S. (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

Dry Romano beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) were soaked and cooked at temperatures ranging from 70 to 100$ sp circ$C for different time intervals. The rate of texture softening associated with each temperature was found to be consistent with two simultaneous pseudo first-order kinetic mechanisms 1 and 2. Approximately 40% of the firmness of Romano beans was lost by the rapid softening mechanism 1. The remaining firmness loss was characterized by mechanism 2 which was found to be much slower ($ sim$1/50th of the former). The temperature dependence indicator (z value) of reaction rate constants were 30 and 24 C$ sp circ$, …  Lire la suite

The precarious relationship between Islam and art remains a moot question. The banning of a short story, a novel, a theatrical play, a film, a poem or any other kind of artistic enterprise is an attestation of such a crucial reference. Exploring the relation of Islam and literature, with Indonesian Islam as a background, this thesis will examine the short story Langit Makin Mendung written by Kipankjikusmin. Langit Makin Mendung, which was published in August 1968 in the magazine Sastra, was condemned by the majority of Indonesian Muslims, for it was considered to be blasphemous, insulting God, the Prophet, the …  Lire la suite

Many of the problems faced in magnetic resonance imaging and angiography are due to hardware limitations of the scanners used. The use of multidimensional excitation pulses, and new, fast acquisition sequences such as echo-planar and spiral imaging, put demands on the gradient systems and although technology is progressing in these areas, performance must be carefully monitored to ensure artefact-free images. This thesis deals with four distinct aspects of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A simple hardware modification to decrease the minimum achievable echo-time of our MRI scanner was designed, built, programmed and tested and was found to improve the quality of …  Lire la suite

A knowledge of the allometry of algal growth and respiration can be applied to biomass-size distribution models which are in turn used in the prediction of fish yield and ecosystem studies. However, the scaling exponents reported in the literature are variable. This variation may be attributed to differences in the expression of cell size and phylogeny, but could also reflect small sample size which underlie most published regressions. This thesis establishes the allometry of algal growth and respiration based on a larger sample taken from the literature, and evaluates the effects of differences in gross taxonomy and in the expression …  Lire la suite

In order to accommodate the needs and abilities of all students, many high schools have designed programs for those students who are unable to cope within regular high school streams. These alternative programs have included vocational education, work experience education, various forms of tracking, and within Quebec, the Individualized Paths for Learning Program (IPL). Individualized Paths for Learning was developed to allow "at risk" students to work towards their high school diploma at a more individualised pace, and to ease their transition into the work force through job skills training and work site experience. As this case study of an …  Lire la suite

The purpose of this study was to obtain a picture of the features of the Liberal Arts Honours Program at Vanier College, St. Laurent, Montreal, which contributed to students' preparation for university. The chief sources of information were drawn from students, teachers, and administrators. A questionnaire was administered to fifty-three students. An interview-protocol was also used to collect in-depth data from six first-year and six second-year students, and six teachers, and three administrators. Analysis of data suggested that 70% of students and also 80% of the majority of the participants in this study were satisfied with Vanier College's pre-university program. …  Lire la suite

The effect of temperature and duration of leaf wetness (DLW) on sporulation of Bremia lactucae was determined for lettuce cv. Ithaca. A single spore isolate of B. lactucae was produced and was identified using lettuce differential lines each of which had known gene for resistance. Potted lettuce plants were inoculated with the isolate and incubated at 15 C, at 100% relative humidity for 24 h and then at a relative humidity lower than 70%. Seven days later, the plants were submitted to five different temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 C) and six durations of leaf wetness (4, 6, …  Lire la suite

Using previously developed theory for the hydrodynamic normal, F$ rm sb{n},$ and shear, F$ rm sb{s},$ forces acting on suspended doublets of sphered, swollen red blood cells (SSRC) and blood group antigen-linked latex microspheres agglutinated by an antibody to the blood group B antigen, the effect of force on the time dependence of break-up was studied. Forces were applied using either a traveling microtube in which doublets were exposed to accelerating Poiseuille flow in 150 $ mu$m diameter tubes, or in a cone and plate Rheoscope which allowed virtually instantaneous application of Couette flow. Break-up was observed while tracking individual …  Lire la suite

The Laborde Chansonnier (Wash.L.C. 2.1 L25 Case) is one of the most important but least studied of the Franco-Burgundian chansonniers of the fifteenth century. It contains 106 chansons, 22 of which are unica. Fallows, Brown, Montagna, Kenney, Perkins and others have discussed the transformation of the style of the chanson over the course of the 15th century. Little has been written specifically on the period of the Laborde chansonnier. With reference to musical features such as melodic style, imitation, cadences, metrical structure, role of the contratenor, and range of note values, I discuss the style of the chansons, first in …  Lire la suite

Barbeau, Hugues (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

Astrocytes respond to injury of the central nervous system (CNS) in a process termed reactive astrogliosis. While classically considered detrimental to CNS function, the purpose of reactive astrogliosis is now considered by some to promote CNS recovery. The functional role of reactive astrocytes may be clarified if the molecular mediators of astrogliosis can be identified. This thesis explores the role of cytokines in modulating parameters of astrogliosis both in vitro and in vivo. Studies with astrocytes isolated from uninjured adult mouse brains suggest that these cells have different biological characteristics as compared to neonatal murine astrocytes. On the other hand, …  Lire la suite

The proliferation of the Internet and the convergence of telecommunication, computing, compact disc, and media technologies have paved the infrastructure for new interactive music environments. It is essential for those in the field of new media to be aware of the ramifications of these developments. Furthermore, there has been a growing interest among new media developers to provide the tools necessary to allow an end-user to take an active role in the outcome of an interactive multimedia presentation. This concept introduces the notion of end-user as artist and collaborator. This concept introduces the notion of end-user as artist and collaborator. …  Lire la suite

High energy ball milling of the Fe-Ti system is carried out over a wide range of compositions. Milling Fe$ rm sb{50}Ti sb{50}$ and Fe$ rm sb{40}Ti sb{60}$ produces a composite material with amorphous regions and nanometer-sized crystals. Milling Fe$ rm sb{67}Ti sb{33}$ leads to a single-phase amorphous alloy which absorbs hydrogen, in sharp contrast to the intermetallic compound of the same composition. The nanocrystalline samples on their part exhibit a narrowing of the miscibility gap and a reduction of the pressure of the absorption plateau. The change in absorption properties, which is due to the interaction between the nanocystals and …  Lire la suite

The neuropathogenicity of two retroviruses was investigated. The human immunodeficiency virus, in addition to its profound effect on the immune system, also causes degenerative changes in the brain, the spinal cord and peripheral nerves. In order to elucidate how it affects the nervous system, transgenic mice were generated that express the entire HIV genome in neurons in the anterior thalamus and in the anterior horn of the spinal cord, and examined clinically, neuropsychologically, electrophysiologically and histologically. Animals developed a neurological syndrome characterized by hypoactivity and weakness, and by axonal degeneration in peripheral nerves. These results provide evidence for a role …  Lire la suite

The behaviour of captive mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and black ducks (Anas rubripes) was studied from the end of March to mid-June in 1991 and 1992 to determine the extent of interspecific aggression exhibited and the effect of sympatry and allopatry on interactions between the two species. Mallards were more aggressive than black ducks regardless of sex and origin, though both species were equally attacked in both years, male ducks were more aggressive and more attacked than female ducks regardless of species and origin in both years, and ducks of sympatric origin were more aggressive than ducks of allopatric origin in …  Lire la suite

The need for the development of rigorous analytical models of the knee joint to clarify the role of mechanical factors in joint disorders such as that caused by meniscal tears, long been recognized. In response to this need, a general three dimensional nonlinear finite element model has been developed as part of this work and has been applied to the investigation of the meniscal responses when the joint itself is subjected to 3D complex loading. The geometry of the model has been obtained from the results of in vitro measurements performed on three adult human knee specimens. The method of …  Lire la suite

Network management is concerned with monitoring, controlling and coordinating network elements for reliable end-to-end customer services. This thesis presents an object-oriented approach to distributed network management of heterogeneous network elements across multiple telecommunication network service provider domains. Specifically, we present a prototype network management approach using distributed object database management systems as a repository and manager of a standard network information model, and we present the results of object interaction across distributed object-oriented databases. In particular, we provide data which illustrates the advantages of an active and dynamic network management environment over static management information bases for fast and efficient …  Lire la suite

Even if they rely on apparently quite different investigation domains and ideologies, both Freud and Bakhtin participate to that current which in the XXth century would upset the foundation of the positivist thought and would modify profoundly the traditional conception of science, language and the cartesian vision of the conscience and of the human subject. The thought of one as of the other, therefore, surpasses largely the principal reason of their research: If Freud applies the principles of the interpretation of dreams to the study of literary works, Bakhtin expands on the novel theory and questions polyphony and dialogism of …  Lire la suite

The prognosis of breast cancer is characterized by a high degree of variability, which is partially accounted for, by a set of clinical, pathological and biological parameters. The aim of my study was to test whether met, a proto-oncogene encoding a protein related to normal histological differentiation, undergoes structural changes in breast cancer. I have extracted tumor DNA from 83 breast cancer patients and performed Southern blot hybridization with the MetH probe. This study demonstrates that somatic alterations of met occur in 22% of informative women with breast cancer. No correlation was found between loss of heterozygosity (LOH) for met …  Lire la suite

The topic of this thesis revolves around the organization of geographical information in permanent memory. Our premise is that a recognized and fully documented direct access storage technique called Multidimensional Paging or Multipaging would provide a well balanced storing structure for this category of data. Since multipaging uses a multidimensional perspective on the information to allocate it to pages in secondary storage then spatial data, which is fundamentally multidimensional by nature, would surely offer a suitable profile. First, we attempt to evaluate the efficiency of multipaging on static files and to suggest possible modifications to the standard algorithm to better …  Lire la suite

A three-year (1991-1993) investigation was done in the field and laboratory to study the bionomics of Smicronyx guineanus Voss and Sm. umbrinus Hustache and the spatial distribution of Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth. Studies on the life history of the weevils were undertaken. Seasonal activity and habits were established by monitoring life stages in the field. A behavioral Time Budget of Smicronyx adults was established in semi-field conditions. Dispersion patterns and the optimum sample size for Smicronyx and Striga were determined. Smicronyx adults as well as Striga plants were aggregated in the field. Smicronyx larvae were located in the upper stratum …  Lire la suite

Methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenases are expressed in mammalian cells and are required for the interconversian of one-carbon substituted folates. The trifunctional NADP-dependent dehydrogenase-cyclohydrolase-synthetase is localized in the cytoplasm whereas the bifunctional NAD-dependent dehydrogenase-cyclohydrolase is expressed in mitochondria suggesting they play different metabolic roles. Insect tissues also express both proteins but when immortalized into cell lines, the trifunctional enzyme is not detectable and the bifunctional enzyme is localized predominantly in the cytoplasm. The change in localization coupled with the observation that insect cell lines are not purine auxotrophs, indicate the NAD-dependent dehydrogenase now fulfills the role of interconverting one-carbon units when the NADP-dependent …  Lire la suite