McGill University Thèses et mémoires publiés en 2005

Biomass is a term for all organic materials that stem from plants. It has wide applications as a source of fuel and as a raw material for different chemical stocks. A method in which hydrogen fuel is produced from renewable biomass is proposed. Hydrogen can subsequently be used as a feed for fuel cells to generate electricity. It can also be applied in other energy producing processes. The developed method makes advantage of the reactivity of water under hot, compressed environment. Dissolution of willow as a model compound representing biomass was studied in 200-350°C temperature range. A 95% dissolution of …  Lire la suite

This thesis presents high-level strategies for controlling existing audio morphing algorithms. Prominent methods for spectrally representing audio data in the context of audio morphing are surveyed, and techniques involving manipulating and interpolating additive models are explored. Additionally, a combination of past audio-morphing approaches (sinusoidal morphing techniques as well as techniques taken from an MFCC approach) are employed in order to facilitate any type of sonic input. The system presented herein is meant to accommodate a wide range of inputs, and will adjust the impact of a high-level feature depending on the type and quality of the input.* *This dissertation is …  Lire la suite

Introduction. Despite increased metabolic demands, infantry soldiers are known to not eat enough during military manoeuvres. We undertook this study to examine food provided and consumed by male soldiers in the Canadian Forces in operational environments to examine and potentially improve their nutrition. Methods. Subjects recorded their food intakes using dietary questionnaires during two exercises. The adequacy of dietary intake and the nutrient value of foods offered were assessed against Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI). Results. Soldiers did not consume enough energy, carbohydrate, fibre, folate, vitamin C, potassium and calcium compared to operational requirements. The combat rations provided less than the …  Lire la suite

There is an ongoing debate as to the role of women in Israel's army and to the degree of integration of women into male-dominated military positions. Using qualitative methods (in-depth interviews and participant observation), this dissertation examines the participation of women in the Israeli Defence Forces with a focus on organizational belonging and military status. Women soldiers find distinct ways of experiencing organizational belonging and gaining status in the army. Much of women's variation in organizational belonging is linked, not to positions held, but, rather, to the kind of base at which a woman served during her service. Those serving …  Lire la suite

The insulin-like growth factor-II/mannose-6-phosphate (IGF-II/M6P) receptor is a multifunctional single transmembrane glycoprotein which mediates the trafficking of M6P-containing lysosomal enzymes from the trans-Golgi network to endosomes-lysosomes (EL). IGF-II/M6P receptors located at the cell surface also function in the internalization and subsequent degradation or activation of extracellular IGF-II and other M6P-bearing ligands. However, very little is currently known about the significance of the receptor in the function of the central nervous system. Results from this thesis project indicate that IGF-II/M6P receptors are widely, but selectively distributed throughout the adult rat brain and spinal cord, and that a subset of receptors is …  Lire la suite

This thesis examines the educational inequalities facing Black high school students, particularly working-class youths in Ottawa's educational system. In consultation with several community organizations, educators, parents and students, several concerns were identified as barriers that impacted the educational achievement of Black youths in Ottawa's schools. They identified issues such as the continued negative stereotyping of Black students, particularly Black males as being aggressive, violent, low achievers, and lacking respect for authority, which often results in their suspensions and/or expulsion. Most importantly, they argue that in addition to the high rate of suspensions and expulsions, there also appears to be a …  Lire la suite

The misorientations between FCC and BCC crystals are characterized according to the common lattice correspondence relationships in terms of their parallelism conditions. Individual variants of the six models, namely the Bain, Kurdjumov-Sachs, Nishiyama-Wassermann, Pitsch, Greninger-Troiano and inverse Greninger-Troiano relations, are identified and represented in both pole figure form and in Rodrigues-Frank space with respect to various coordinate frames. In this way, the relations between the variants of these models are clarified. The orientations of the kamacite (BCC) lamellae transformed from a single prior-taenite (FCC) grain in the Gibeon meteorite were measured by analyzing the electron backscatter diffraction patterns. The local …  Lire la suite

The worldclass Hemlo deposit is one of Canada's largest gold producers, containing 95 million tons of ore grading ~8 g/t Au; the mineralization is hosted mainly by two sub-parallel shear zones. However, unlike most Archean lode gold deposits, the ore occurs as finely disseminated Hg- and Ag-bearing native gold in potassically altered rocks, and is associated with molybdenite, stibnite and realgar. Mineralization occurred at greenschist conditions (400 to 500°C), and was subsequently overprinted by a single metamorphic event that peaked at ~630°C and 5 to 7 kb, which recrystallized the ore and alteration assemblages. Retrograde cooling lasted for ~80 m.y., …  Lire la suite

Both the differentiation of cortical neurons during development and the regeneration of neurons following peripheral nerve injury are characterized by an increasing expression of axonal proteins such as Talpha1 alpha-tubulin. The mechanisms that regulate the expression of Talpha1 alpha-tubulin and other neuronal genes during differentiation and regeneration are poorly understood. The proximal promoter region of the Talpha1 alpha-tubulin gene contains putative binding sites for the C/EBP family of transcription factors, which is implicated in the regulation of genes in many differentiating cell types or in cells responding to stress. This thesis consists in defining the role of C/EBP family members …  Lire la suite

This thesis will examine the relationship between art, nationalism and identity as it appears in the context of the 1967 Montreal Universal Exposition. "Expo 67" saw a confrontation between Canadian and Quebecois expressions of nationalism, and we will concentrate on this aspect as it appears through the artistic representations in the different national pavilions. We will also look into the artworks presented by young Quebecois artists in the more marginal "Youth Pavilion" situated on Ile Sainte-Helene, and will explain how this new generation of artists was able to take advantage of the particular context of the Universal Exhibition in order …  Lire la suite

Previous studies have shown that: (1) plant defensive compounds may have medicinal properties; and (2) defensive compounds present in aposematic insects are often sequestered from their host-plant(s). This study addresses whether aposematic insects can be used as guides to detect plants containing medicinally-active compounds. First, ten tropical medicinally-active plants and ten non-active plants, selected using previous ICBG bioassay results, were observed regularly to determine their insect populations. Aposematic insects were found more frequently on active than non-active plants ( X2=8.167, P=0.01). Second, three aposematic insects feeding on Tithonia diversifolia were examined chemically to determine the fate of the plant's pharmaceutically-active …  Lire la suite

In this study the apparent conflicts between the concept of nature and the concept of God, and the relationship between the concept of God and the concept of world provide the basis for analysing how Gordon D. Kaufman reformulates the concept of God. For Kaufman the concepts of world and nature are religiously relevant insofar as they call for a theology for our contemporary life centred in this world rather than in some metaphysical beyond. This study examines how Kaufman articulates a concept of God that is not necessarily bound by the traditions of a particular religion, but also whether …  Lire la suite

The epididymis functions in the transport, maturation, storage and protection of spermatozoa. The structure and functions of the epididymis are dependent on androgens, primarily dihydrotestosterone (DHT). 5a-Reductases (types 1 and 2) are thus key enzymes in this tissue because of their role in converting testosterone to DHT. The goal of this thesis was to examine the consequences on the rat epididymis and epididymal sperm of inhibiting DHT formation using novel dual 5alpha-reductase inhibitors (i.e. inhibitors specific to both isoforms of 5alpha-reductase). The first objective was to analyze the effects of 5alpha-reductase inhibitor treatment on gene expression in the four epididymal …  Lire la suite

The first decades of the twentieth-century featured a full-scale assault on prostitution and Red Light Districts in cities across North America. The Committee of Sixteen's efforts to erase 'commercialized vice' from Montreal reflect moral regulation projects as they have been recently theorized. The Committee's members represented a range of commercial, feminist, social and religious institutions with various agendas. This thesis considers how prostitution is constructed to mobilize a diverse range of social actors at specific times. Examining the press of the time, as well as reports and speeches produced by the Committee over its seven-year history reveals how members constructed …  Lire la suite

In this thesis, the statistical nature of surround or context and the relationship between a scene feature and its interaction with its environment are studied. In particular we look at the conditional distribution of surround pixel values given the center pixel value. We then examine the physical mechanisms (ecological effects) by which the surround pixel values are generated to explain the form of the conditional distributions observed in the natural images. A new statistical model is proposed for the spatial structure of the surround using principal component analysis (PCA). To this end, a linear model is described for pixel surrounds …  Lire la suite

The neurotrophin family of proteins regulates a wide variety of functions in neurons, including regulation of neuronal survival, axonal and dendritic growth and synaptic plasticity. The regulation of neurotrophin trafficking is believed to be important in many aspects of their function, as exemplified by the role of BDNF, which is released in response to activity, in long-term potentiation in the hippocampus and the ability of neurotrophins to initiate a retrograde pro-survival signal along peripheral axons. In this thesis I describe three mechanisms by which neurotrophin trafficking occurs differently for different members, or forms, of the neurotrophin family. Firstly, I show …  Lire la suite

The idea that Canada was transformed into a "constitutional democracy" in 1982 is widely believed by the public, yet rarely examined in academic literature. This article identifies what it calls a "theory of Constitutional democracy" and then applies it to a test case, the Supreme Court of Canada's decisions on the equality claims of lesbians and gay men. It concludes that if the public expected such a transition, it has yet to be made.  Lire la suite

Camera-projector systems are increasingly being used to create large displays for data visualization, immersive environments and augmented reality. Front projection displays, however, suffer from occlusions, resulting in shadows and light being cast, respectively, onto the display and the user. Researchers have begun addressing the issue of occlusion detection to enable dynamic shadow removal and to facilitate automatic user sensing in interactive display applications. A camera-projector system for occlusion detection in front projection environments is presented. The approach is based on offline, camera projector geometric and color calibration, which then enable online, dynamic camera view synthesis of arbitrary projected scenes. Occluded …  Lire la suite

Thermal processing is the primary mode of preservation of mango products, which can be considerably damaging to the delicate quality of mango. HP processing could thus be a potential alternative for extending the shelf-life of mango products. Establishing HP processing technology need data on microbial inactivation kinetics and shelf-life study of the product. The objective of this research was therefore to evaluate the application of HP treatment for inactivation of microorganisms (pathogenic and spoilage type) and to evaluate the shelf-life of HP treated mango juice. HP destruction kinetics of three common spoilage microorganisms, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Zygosaccharomyces bailii and Pichia membranaefaciens …  Lire la suite

This thesis is a preliminary investigation into graphic design in 1920s and 1930s Shanghai. I will look at creations of designs on the covers of books and periodicals most closely linked to new literary groups, for that was where a distinctive new idiom of design emerged. I will concentrate on a few figures, including Lu Xun, Tao Yuanqing, Chen Zhifo, and Qian Juntao. Biographical information for each is given, followed by preliminary analysis on some cover designs. Topics covered include artistic characters, the principles of tu'an (a particular understanding of design), and influences from Japan and the West.  Lire la suite

Electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) structures are known for their frequency selective characteristics. They are easily implemented in printed circuit board (PCB) technology and can be designed to induce wide stopbands. Due to this feature, the EBG structures are utilized in power distribution networks (PDNs) in order to provide global power/ground noise suppression. Signal integrity in transmission lines routed within such a modified PDN is investigated in this thesis. For this purpose, a lumped element circuit model is introduced that is portable to commercial circuit simulators. This model, which includes losses and frequency dependent parameters, is validated with full-wave simulations, time domain …  Lire la suite

Prolactin (PRL) is a highly versatile hormone in terms of its biological functions. In Galliformes, high levels of PRL are associated with incubation behaviour and hatching. It has been shown that these high levels of PRL were associated with an increased ratio of glycosylated PRL (G-PRL) versus non-glycosylated PRL (NG-PRL) in turkey (Bedecarrats et al., 1999a). This suggests that glycosylation of PRL is related to its proper function during those stages of life. However, the mechanism(s) controlling post-translational modification of PRL are unknown. In order to investigate genes associated with the glycosylation of PRL, an in vitro study was undertaken. …  Lire la suite

Today's telecommunications infrastructures and consumer electronics rely largely on serial communications. Serial communications is a major form of transmitting information; therefore, faster and more cost effective methods of designing receivers are becom ing interesting research topics ([1]-[8]). This work focuses on the full design flow of an integrated clock and data recovery (CDR) system in CMOS technology, responding to this need of high-speed and cost effective circuit solutions. This thesis reports a full bottom-up design flow of a CDR system. The main challenge is to use an affordable and mainstream technology, such as the CMOS 0.18-micron technology, to implement a …  Lire la suite

A wide variety of engineering applications involve the flow of particulate multiphase systems, featuring discrete liquid droplets dispersed in a continuous gas phase. Specific industrial examples range from fuel injection technologies over the optimization of multiphase segregation processes commonly encountered in petrochemical applications to aircraft in-flight icing control. A detailed understanding of dispersed phase characteristics such as local droplet velocity and volumetric fraction is required for design purposes and may be obtained from a numerical solution of the equations governing droplet motion. A fundamental choice between Lagrangian and Eulerian reference frames presents itself in the formulation of the governing equations. …  Lire la suite

Although such prominent writers as Saul Bellow, Isaac Bashevis Singer, and Gwendolyn MacEwen have praised her work, Shulamis Yelin remains largely unknown to critics and the common reader. In three sections, this thesis attempts to rectify this situation by offering a more complete portrait of the poet and her poetry. First, it presents newly edited versions of eighty-five previously uncollected and unpublished poems spanning the length of her career. Second, in order to supply the necessary context for her work, it provides both a biographical sketch and a critical analysis of her complete poetic oeuvre. Ultimately, this thesis argues that …  Lire la suite

This study examines the importance of the artistic process for young children and how this process can aid in their visual, verbal, mental, and emotional development at a critical time of growth. Videotaped interviews were conducted with four preschool children in order to determine the ways in which they represent their worlds through simple crayon drawings and the possible accompanying verbal narratives. This study shows that preschool children's drawings and narratives depict significant visual facets of their lives and argues that this process should be developed, encouraged, and valued both within the educational system and at home. Visual representation is …  Lire la suite

This thesis addresses the relevance of craft disciplines in our present-day world, one that is driven largely by information technology. It is an examination of the contemporary value, benefits and importance of making objects 'by hand' from the perspective of both the craftsperson and the people who take pleasure in craft objects. In the thesis, craft is interlinked with an issue of time, more precisely, with the need for slowing down in order to live and work at a variety of speeds or rhythms. The impact of this on our understanding of learning, in the formal education system and beyond, …  Lire la suite

Nramp1 is a membrane transporter that is essential for mouse resistance to infection with intracellular pathogens Mycobacterium, Salmonella and Leishmania. It is expressed in the lysosomal compartment of macrophages and is recruited to the phagosomal membrane after phagocytosis with kinetics similar to the lysosomal protein Lamp1. The Nramp1 effect on resistance/susceptibility to Leishmania infection is observed by counting the number of parasites in livers from infected mice. The mechanism by which Nramp1 limits liver replication of Leishmania is still unknown. The goal of the work presented was to explore the effect of Nramp1 on maturation of Leishmania parasitophorous vacuoles in …  Lire la suite

This thesis deals with the problem of finding necessary and sufficient conditions for a smooth differential one-form o defined in a neighborhood of the origin in Rn to decompose into the sum o = a1du 1 + ··· + akduk where the functions al are positive and the functions al are convex near the origin. This problem has been solved by Ekeland and Nirenberg using exterior differential calculus. We study the motivation of this problem which comes from economics, the exterior differential calculus tools needed to attack this problem and finally the Ekeland-Nirenberg theorem which is the solution of this …  Lire la suite

Apoptosis is a programmed cell death process essential for development and homeostasis and its deregulation is involved in many diseases. The caspases are a family of cysteine proteases present as inactive pro-enzymes in all cell types and activated following apoptotic stimulation. These proteases cleave a particular subset of protein substrates which results in the organized break down of the cells which shrink and are cleared through phagocytosis. In this thesis, many apoptotic processes are discussed. First, the CEACAM1-L cell-cell adhesion molecule is identified as a caspase-3 substrate during apoptosis. This cleavage event alters CEACAM1-L adhesion properties which might affect apoptotic …  Lire la suite

Through an in-depth case study of the bicycle industry, this dissertation examines the claims of the developmental state thesis insofar as they pertain to the facilitating of industrial transformation in Taiwan and Korea. The bicycle industry has been chosen because it has the capacity to generate forward and backward linkages to the domestic societies, a capacity that development theorists consider to be an indicator of successful industrial development. I examine the developmental state thesis by investigating how firms compete internationally in the context of state-led export development as well as the conditions that permit upgrading, that is, those that make …  Lire la suite

This thesis proposes a new fully automatic model-based segmentation algorithm, which combines level set shape modeling and active appearance modeling and incorporates multi-modality images, to improve the performance in terms of accuracy and robustness in segmenting the ventricular structure of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients. Level set shape modeling provides a method to handle topological changes during the curve evolution, while appearance modeling can make use of a prior shape and statistical gray intensity information from a training data set to guide the segmentation flow. For the segmentation, a set of model parameters are used to control the modes of shape …  Lire la suite

The objective of this thesis is to design numerical algorithms for estimation of linear discrete-time dynamic system models, which can be written in the block-angular form. These models arise in some applications, such as navigation or communication. The estimation problem for the standard linear discrete-time dynamic systems usually can be solved by using the Kalman filter. However, we realize that for our specific models applying the conventional Kalman filter algorithms is not efficient or may cause numerical instability. In this thesis, we present an approach of using the recursive least squares technique to compute the estimates of the system states. …  Lire la suite

One of the most recognised values of tidal salt marshes is the ecosystem service they provide as natural sinks for contaminants such as metals. This study examines net accumulation of metals (As, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Zn and V) over a 5-yr period, from 1997 to 2002, in surface sediments of salt marshes in the Bay of Fundy, Canada. Metal accumulation has been measured in seven sites that extend from outer to inner Bay and in low and high marsh areas within each site. Overall, sediment metal concentrations are at or near their natural levels. Concentrations of metals show …  Lire la suite

Canadian health professionals are involved in humanitarian assistance and development work in many regions of the world. They participate in primary health care, immunization campaigns, feeding programs, rehabilitation and hospital-based care. In the course of their work clinicians are frequently exposed to complex ethical issues. This thesis examines how health workers experience ethics in the course of humanitarian assistance and development work. A qualitative study was conducted to consider this question. Five core themes emerged from the data including experiencing a tension between respecting local customs and imposing values, knowing how to respond when basic care is impossible, addressing differing …  Lire la suite

Throughout history, two conceptions of happiness have been advocated. The hedonic ideal, which often predominates in modern Western societies, advocates enjoyment and avoidance of pain. The eudaimonic view argues that fulfillment comes from personal growth and excellence. This research was among the first empirical comparisons of eudaimonic and hedonic pursuits in terms of their actual relationships with happiness. One study was conducted with a single questionnaire (117 participants) and a second used detailed experience-sampling (100 participants). In the majority of analyses, hedonic activity was linked with greater positive affect and lower negative affect than eudaimonic activity was, while eudaimonic activity …  Lire la suite

The primary objective of my research was to test the hypothesis that the sperm release mechanism in the garden snail, Cantareus aspersus , is under nervous control. It was discovered that separate branches of the intestinal nerve innervate the seminal vesicle and the distal ovotestis duct, and sperm release from the seminal vesicle was achieved by electrical stimulation of this nerve. Stimulation of the penis nerve, right cerebropedal connective nerve, right mesocerebrum, visceral ganglion, and the everted reproductive organs elicited similar responses. Neurobiotin fills of the penis nerve (towards the penis) revealed putative sensory receptors at the base of the …  Lire la suite

In this study of narration, feminist theory, and grotesque Canadian fiction, my aim is to provide a narrative model with which to read characters portrayed as both female and monstrous in a way that criticism on the grotesque does not. I provide two systems for the methodology of this study: via negativa, a well-established philosophical system of definition by negation, which shows the strength of the grotesque to represent a subject that is inherently paradoxical; and a narrative model called the "middle voice," which I developed to examine narratives that confuse or render ambiguous the identity of subjects. Through these …  Lire la suite

Aminoglycosides comprise a class of small molecules that have found their way to being one of the most used antibiotics for fighting bacterial infections. Their effectiveness has, however, been compromised in recent years due to the rise in the number of aminoglycoside-resistant strains of bacteria. Their resistance is conferred by enzymes that modify aminoglycosides that are now ubiquitous in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. This has prompted a renewed look towards seeking novel drugs via structure-activity relationships. Aminoglycoside phosphotransferases (APH) phosphorylate hydroxyl moieties present on aminoglycosides that render them ineffective. The majority of APR's exhibits broad substrate specificity. Interestingly, APH(9)-Ia, …  Lire la suite

A result of high-throughput experimentation is the demand to summarize and profile results in a meaningful and comparative form. Such experimentation often includes the production of a set of distinguished genes. For example, this distinguished set may correspond to a cluster of co-expressed genes over many conditions or a set of genes from a large scale yeast two-hybrid study. Understanding the biological relevance of this set will encompass annotation of the genes followed by investigation of shared properties found among these annotations. While the set of distinguished genes might have hundreds of annotations associated with them, only a portion of …  Lire la suite

The thesis examines the origins and function of legal theory ( usul al-fiqh) within the context of the development of early Islamic law. I argue against the depiction of the development of law as a series of compromises between traditionalism and rationalism. Rather, by evading the demands of traditionalism, law evolved into a complex doctrinal entity rooted in the social structures of third-century Abbasid society. This revision of the development of law provides a context to evaluate early works of legal theory. Moreover, in context of my analysis of the development of law, I attempt to explain the emergence of …  Lire la suite

'Honour', an undefined notion in a patriarchal society like Pakistan, is used as a tool to justify the crime of murder. Violence in the name of honour is not a new phenomenon. Historically, it has been justified in the name of culture but the scope of this tradition has broadened with time and there is an enormous increase in the number of its victims. This cultural notion is interpreted in a way to control women's sexuality and to keep women subordinate to men. Honour killing is not legally sanctioned but the judiciary, the administration and the society often condone it …  Lire la suite

A particle filter (PF) is a simulation-based algorithm used to solve estimation problems, such as object tracking. The PF works by maintaining a set of "particles" as candidate state descriptions of an object's position. The filter determines how well the set of particles describe the observations and fit the dynamic model, in order to form an object state estimate. The drawback of the basic PF is that the algorithm functions by collecting all data at a fusion centre. This leads to high communication and energy costs in a resource-limited network such as the sensor network. In this thesis, we analyze …  Lire la suite

This thesis presents an exploratory approach using detailed zooarchaeological analysis to evaluate the nature of ringed seal ( Phoca hispida) remains from three seasonally different Thule sites in the Hazard Inlet area of Somerset Island, Nunavut. Most Thule research focuses on winter occupation and presents Thule as a whaling society. Little attention has been given on the nature of sealing during Thule occupation and research on seasonal differences of seal remains from Thule sites remains scarce. This thesis is thus one of the first to focus on ringed seal remains from seasonally different Thule sites through an analysis of over …  Lire la suite

As women who experience Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) are at considerably greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes in life, prevention of GDM is particularly important. The objectives of this research were to identify lifestyle predictors associated with GDM in a developing country and to validate a physical activity questionnaire for assessing total energy expenditure in a Pakistani population. A prospective cohort study of 750 South Asian women recruited early in gestation was conducted in Karachi, Pakistan. Eligibility criteria included South Asian origin and ≤ 18 weeks gestation. Data on physical activity, diet, socio-demographic covariates, weight, height and body composition …  Lire la suite

This qualitative study aims to describe and understand the cultural identities of people of "mixed" backgrounds whose mother comes from one racial, ethnic or national background and whose father comes from another background. In-depth, individual interviews were conducted with nine people of "mixed" backgrounds in order to understand the meanings that particular racial, ethnic or national labels have for them and how those meanings are constructed. My analysis is shaped by the works of Hall (1996, 2003), Taylor (1989, 1992) and Bourdieu (1986, 1990) among others. The participants claimed multiple labels in ambivalent ways. They spoke about what they know …  Lire la suite

With increasing bandwidth requirements of individual users, fibre-to-the-home systems are promising candidates for last mile communication. In case of local area networks, optical CDMA with nonorthogonal spreading sequences has emerged as an attractive technology that can manage quickly varying user requirements, while enabling total bandwidth utilization, avoiding network congestion and preventing denial of service. However, powerful error-control codes have to be utilized within optical CDMA systems to prevent errors caused by multiuser interference. Due to data rates common in optical communication, dedicated hardware is required to run such error-control codes at very high speeds, e.g., 155 Mbps or 652 Mbps. …  Lire la suite

This exploratory, mixed-design study investigates whether intelligibility is "enough," that is, a suitable goal and an adequate assessment criterion, for evaluating proficiency in the pronunciation of non-native English speaking graduate students in the academic domain. The study also seeks to identify those pronunciation features which are most crucial for intelligible speech. Speech samples of 19 non-native English speaking graduate students in the Faculty of Education at McGill University were elicited using the Test of Spoken English (TSE), a standardized test of spoken proficiency which is often used by institutions of higher learning to screen international teaching assistants (ITAs). Results of …  Lire la suite

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause a chronic lung infection in individuals with cystic fibrosis. The O antigen of lipopolysaccharide is a major virulence factor for Gram-negative bacteria and plays a critical role in bacterium-host interactions. The inhibition of O antigen biosynthesis is known to significantly reduce the virulence of P. aeruginosa. The O antigen biosynthetic enzymes are considered as promising novel targets to develop new antimicrobials to treat a P. aeruginosa infection. WbpP and WbpM are two UDP-GlcNAc-modifying enzymes that are involved in the initial steps of the O-antigen biosynthesis in P. aeruginosa serotype 06. WbpP …  Lire la suite

Experiments were carried out to examine the value of CCS (copper chaperone for CuZn superoxide dismutase) as a novel biomarker of zinc-induced mild copper deficiency and to evaluate the changes in expression of zinc transporters in response to graded levels of moderately high dietary zinc. Weanling male Wistar rats were fed graded levels of zinc (30, 60, 120 and 240 mg zinc/kg diet) for 5 weeks. Results showed a dose-dependent decrease in copper content and an increase in CCS expression in tissues of rats fed the Zn-60 and Zn-120 diets. Surprisingly, rats fed the Zn-240 diet showed better copper status …  Lire la suite