McGill University Thèses et mémoires publiés en 2007

Recently, there has been a growing demand for electrode materials to serve as electrochemical capacitors (EC). It has been an important issue to come up with environment friendly electric power sources to reduce pollution caused by combustion engines of automotive systems. Even though conventional battery systems and fuel cells supply high energy, they lack the high specific power that would be required for hybrid power sources. The ECs can fill the gap between conventional capacitors and batteries. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), discovered by Iijima in 1991, attracted great attention in recent years for their unique properties, such as mesoporous character, excellent …  Lire la suite

By extending the diagrams of materials science, the field is broadened in a natural way. For example, binary phase diagrams are like black boxes, used in the design and simulation of microstructures. They explore a balance of two chemical species, but real alloys have several chemical species, and merit a higher dimensional space. The n-dimensional extension is simplified by dividing the problem into discrete and continuous components. "Discrete" is the identification of behavioural regimes, and their interactions, in a network graph. "Continuous" includes the curvature of boundaries, and the motion through the space. In thermochemical phase spaces, a homogenous alloy …  Lire la suite

For centuries, scholars have mined the pages of Augustine of Hippo's magnum opus, the City of God, for all manner of theoretical concepts and doctrines ranging from political and just war theories to salvation history and sin. To date, this well-excavated text has not been quarried with a feminist eschatological lens. Despite the sexist legacy attributed to Augustine, this study asks: Do women have a stake in the City of God? If so, to what extent? The recurring theme that runs through Augustine's text speaks to two orders of human society: civitas dei and civitas terrena, the city of God …  Lire la suite

Despite implant-supported overdentures' advantages over conventional dentures, edentulous patients often refuse dental implants for reasons that may be related to fear. Objective. The purpose of this study was to uncover and explain the various forms and sources of dental implant-related fear among edentulous patients. Methods. A convenient sample of 8 edentulous/semi-edentulous participants was used. Participants were recruited from a current study at McGill University's Faculty of Dentistry, posting of recruitment flyers, and local homes and community centers for seniors. One-on-one interviews were conducted in Montreal from March 2005 to February 2006, transcribed verbatim, and coded into multiple theme-based sections. Results. …  Lire la suite

This dissertation explores the discursive voices present in a late Qing inner alchemy (neidan) compilation, the Nudan hebian. Inner alchemy is a meditation/visualization practice centered on purification of the physical body as the essential element in gaining physical immortality; therefore the physical body is of utmost importance. Yin-yang theory associates male with heaven and yang, and female with earth and yin. (Kunjue 1a) In neidan, both men and women must purge the earthly elements from their mind-body matrix to create a 'golden yang immortal's body' (Hutian xingli nudan shize 463a). This process can be accomplished by men through self-cultivation, but …  Lire la suite

Rhodium, platinum, copper, palladium, and rhodium-ceria catalysts were investigated in the catalytic partial oxidation of methyl acetate, the simplest methyl ester, to better understand the conversion of biodiesel to hydrogen. Only rhodium and rhodium-ceria catalysts allowed for an autothermal reactor operation. Both catalysts were active in producing hydrogen, carbon monoxide, water, and carbon dioxide, although the rhodium-ceria catalyst showed the greater methyl acetate conversion and the greater hydrogen and carbon monoxide selectivities. A low C/O feed ratio favored the methyl acetate conversion, the hydrogen selectivity, and the carbon monoxide selectivity. Furthermore, a high gas hourly space velocity also improved the …  Lire la suite

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a cell surface protein attached to the membrane by a glycophosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor, a common modification of cell surface proteins. CEA is overexpressed in many human cancers, and plays a role in tumor progression through its ability to activate certain integrins, thereby blocking cellular differentiation, inhibiting anoikis, and disrupting normal tissue architecture. Previous work established that the CEA GPI anchor contains important and specific information directing these functions, which served as the basis for an investigation of the underlying mechanisms involved. The ability of the GPI anchor to determine protein function was examined using a chimera …  Lire la suite

Neutron stars in mass-transferring binaries accrete hydrogen and helium rich matter from their companions. Unstable nuclear burning of this matter results in Type I X-ray bursts every few hours to days. Theoretical models propose three regimes of unstable burning on neutron star surfaces and also define the critical accretion rate above which the neutron star burns fuel stably without bursting. Currently, the theoretical value for this stability boundary is comparable to the Eddington limit whereas the observational limit is estimated to 0.3 m˙Edd. In this dissertation, we examine the boundary between stable and unstable thermonuclear burning at the surface of …  Lire la suite

Hasan, Mainul (Internal/Supervisor)  Lire la suite

Glycosomes are subcellular organelles that are evolutionarily related to the peroxisomes of higher eukaryotes. The Leishmania glycosome performs various metabolic processes that are essential for the survival of these parasites, such as the glycolytic process. Proteins that are destined for import into the glycosome interact selectively with specific cytosolic receptors peroxin 5(PEX5) or PEX7. The PEX5-protein complex migrates toward the glycosomal membrane where it interacts with PEX14, a vital step for protein important into the glycosome. This project investigated the interaction mechanism of Leishmania donovani PEX14 with the glycosomal membrane. The regions responsible for PEX14 interaction with the glycosomal membrane …  Lire la suite

The development of healthy gametes is paramount to the health of progeny and to the survival of a species. Epigenetic information contained within gametic DNA in the form of DNA methylation is essential for germ cell and embryo development. DNA methylation is a genome-wide phenomenon involved in the control of gene expression and chromosome structure and stability. During germ line development, patterns of DNA methylation are established in a sex- and sequence-specific manner. The primary goal of the work presented in this thesis is to gain an understanding of the nature of the genome-wide pattern of DNA methylation in germ …  Lire la suite

Plusieurs composés pharmaceutiques tel que le 17a-ethinylestradiol (EE2), l'ingrédient actif des contraceptifs oraux, ne sont pas efficacement éliminés lors du traitement des eaux usées et se biodégradent peu dans l'environnement. Au cours de ce projet de maîtrise, des techniques analytiques ont été développées afin de mesurer de faibles concentrations d'EE2 et la biodégradabilité d'EE2 a été étudiée en utilisant cinq types de bactéries. Une identification préliminaire des produits de dégradation a également été effectuée. Une méthode d'extraction en phase solide a été développée afin de préconcentrer les échantillons avant l'analyse par HPLC. L'optimisation de la méthode a permis d'obtenir une …  Lire la suite

Pain and depression are universally linked: people with depression often complain of pain, and those suffering from persistent pain are at an increased risk for depression. The present investigation explores the potential role of progesterone metabolism in both pain and depression. The first manuscript describes the effect of olfactory bulbectomy (a model of depression in the rat linked to changes in progesterone metabolism) on formalin-induced pain. Pain was increased in bulbectomized rats in the second phase of the formalin test. Two-week treatment with amitriptyline did not affect pain responses, while fluoxetine was antinociceptive in both olfactory bulbectomized and control rats. …  Lire la suite

This study explores the impact of racism on the identity construction of Black Nigerian youth in Montreal. Several themes, related to socialization, family, education, integration, employment, racism, marginalization and social exclusion emerged from phenomenological interviews of 10 Nigerian youth, 5 parents and 3 community leaders. These expressions of their lived experiences exposed the negative impact of racism and racist discourses of the Canadian society on minority groups. It simultaneously showed, through the acquisition of pro-social skills, the extent that marginalized groups, as depicted by Nigerian youth, formulate resiliency and strategies to resist and deconstruct their "othering," in order to construct …  Lire la suite

This thesis discusses 3D seismic exploration for hydrothermal dolomite (HTD) reservoirs. During this project, I utilized some of the existing algorithms as well as developed my own methods. I mentioned that HTD reservoirs constitute an important hydrocarbon play-type the world over, and are particularly important within the Ordovician aged Trenton-Black River Group in eastern North America. I noted that 3D seismic is the best tool to explore for HTD but it is adversely affected by random noise and acquisition footprint which must be attenuated. I designed a post-stack processing flow that can be applied to attenuate noise, highlight fault terminations, …  Lire la suite

This dissertation examined the influence of room acoustic variations on listener loudspeaker preferences in multichannel audio reproduction, and the extent to which listeners adapt to the room acoustics. Listener preferences among 4 different 5-channel loudspeaker systems were observed in 4 different virtual listening rooms via a binaural room scanning (BRS) measurement and playback system. To study room acoustic adaptation, 2 groups of listeners evaluated identical stimuli according to 2 different trial blocking schemes, termed either the successive or the intermixed treatment. In the successive treatment condition, the loudspeakers were evaluated under a given room acoustic condition before moving to the …  Lire la suite

The adhesion of wet fibers is usually explained by the presence of capillary forces, which keep the swollen fibers together. These bonds are due to the free water present outside the wall of the swollen fibers. However, what happens when the free water is being removed and the tensile strength of the wet web continues to increase is not well understood. Tensile strength's measurements of refined fibers in presence of polyelectrolytes and mineral particles suggest that no enhancement of bonding occurs between the fibers when the free water is gone. The addition of microfibrils tends to enhance the wet web …  Lire la suite

Dans le but de renverser le déclin de l’agriculture à petite échelle en Amérique Latine, plusieurs mouvements de gauche font la promotion de « l’agroécologie » et de la « souveraineté alimentaire. » L’agroécologie est une approche axée sur la diversité biologique et culturelle comme fondation des systèmes agricoles. Le concept de la souveraineté alimentaire est, quant à lui axé sur le commerce international. Ceux qui proposent la souveraineté alimentaire estiment que les systèmes alimentaires devraient prioriser avant tout les producteurs et les citoyens locaux, et que ceux-ci devraient décider du fonctionnement du système. En Uruguay, la création d’une proposition …  Lire la suite

Rabbi Naftali Zevi Yehuda Berlin's commentary to the Pentateuch, Ha'amek Davar, was first published in Vilna in 1879-1880. The work grew out of a daily class that Berlin taught at the famed yeshiva Etz Hayyim of Volozhin, where he was dean from 1853-1893. This study of Ha'amek Davar focuses on Berlin's exegesis of Noah's three sons. Because Berlin often conceals his sources and their previous discussions, one of the great challenges of working with Ha'amek Davar is trying to recognize which interpretations were original to Berlin and which were adapted from elsewhere. Because my discussion was limited to a few …  Lire la suite

Perfluorinated carboxylates (PFCAs), sulfonates (PFSs) and perfluoroalkylsulfonamides (PFOSAs) have been detected in whole blood and serum of non-occupationally exposed humans, yet sources of exposure have not been fully elucidated. The objectives of this study were to estimate dietary exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), PFCAs (C7--C 11) and fluorotelomer unsaturated carboxylates (FTUCAs) for the general Canadian and Inuit populations prior to the phase-out of perfluorooctyl-sulfonyl production by 3M and voluntary reductions in PFOA emissions under the PFOA stewardship program. PFCs were measured in 65 archived composite food samples prepared for the 1998 Canadian Total Diet Study (TDS) and 68 archived traditional …  Lire la suite

This paper is a case study of Soviet political influences on Lithuanian archaeology. The work explores the application of central political rules of the Soviet Union to Lithuanian archaeology and analyses the consequences of these applications in the Post-Soviet period. The result of the study reveals that under Soviet policy, Lithuanian archaeologists developed a highly descriptive tradition. In Post-Soviet Lithuania, archaeologists continue to practice the descriptive tradition and rarely engage in theoretical debates. The work suggests possible explanations and solutions to the current problems in Lithuanian archaeology.  Lire la suite

Anthropologists have long recognized the central role of social systems in enhancing environmental sustainability, but few have attempted to accurately assess the conditions under which traditional social institutions can equitably and effectively manage access to natural resources for the purposes of their use and conservation. By failing to look closely at how resource management practices are shaped both by local-level cultural institutions and the political and economic forces of government policies and markets, anthropologists have compounded the confusion surrounding the functions and capacities of traditional resource management institutions. This dissertation examines the connections between institutional and economic incentives and resource …  Lire la suite

The automotive industry is increasingly using resin transfer moulding (RTM) to produce composite body panels at high volumes and low costs. However, one of the recurring issues is the control of the parts surface finish, which is closely linked to the resin volumetric changes during cure. These volumetric changes are caused by the resin cure shrinkage and thermal expansion which depend on material and processing parameters. Low profile additives (LPA) are thermoplastic particles incorporated to unsaturated polyester (UP) resin to compensate for cure shrinkage. The effect of LPA content and degree of cure on the volumetric cure shrinkage and the …  Lire la suite

The theory of Ronis and Vertenstein [J. Chem. Phys. vol. 85, 1628, (1986)] is used to calculate the permeability of Xenon in Theta-1 and of Argon in alpha-quartz, both crystalline sodalites containing large, one-dimensional channels in the first case and narrow interconnected channels in the second. The simulated dynamics of a small part of the crystal atoms exactly reproduce those of the full crystal by the means of a generalized Langevin classical equation of motion. An approximate expression for the potential of mean force inside the crystal is derived. The Theta-1 energy landscape is smooth with small energy barriers while …  Lire la suite

The finding that more than 152 tissue-restricted antigens are expressed by thymic medullary epithelial cells is redefining the importance of thymic central tolerance induction in the prevention of autoimmune diseases. One of the tissue-restricted antigens in the thymus is proinsulin, and in both mice and humans, reduced thymic proinsulin levels have been shown to predispose to Type 1 diabetes. Using transgenic mice expressing a functional beta-Galactosidase gene under the regulation of the Ins2 promoter we have determined that between 1-3% of all medullary thymic epithelial cells express proinsulin and that these cells are frequently part of the Hassall's Corpuscles like …  Lire la suite

Au Musée Redpath de l’Université McGill, de nombreux objets de l’antiquité égyptienne sont exposés, y compris plusieurs momies. Aux côtés de celles-ci, une borne donne accès au public à un programme interactif qui présente le résultat de l’examen radiographique d’une momie mâle du Nouvel Empire. Cet element interactif de l’exposition date d’il y a dix ans; de ce fait, le matériel est vétuste et a besoin d’être remplacé. De plus, le musée souhaite améliorer le logiciel et en augmenter le contenu. Notre mémoire de maîtrise présente donc la conception et la mise en œuvre d’un nouveau logiciel interactif sur les …  Lire la suite

The De miseria humane conditionis (1191--1195) by Lotario di Segni (Pope Innocent III) was a greatly influential text in medieval culture, and was translated and reworked in many European languages. Early translations of the work, however, have been usually overlooked by scholars. This is true in particular of Della miseria dell'uomo, composed in the second half of the 13th century by the Florentine judge Bono Giamboni. My thesis consists in an extensive comparison of Bono's Della miseria dell'uomo with Lotario's De miseria humane conditionis. My purpose is twofold: to detect the differences between the two texts; and to understand how …  Lire la suite

Despite many efforts to promote the importance of considering consumer experience, few studies have provided empirical evidence of their impact on immediate consumption outcomes and on their relationship with existing product/service design attributes, while considering the subjective nature of consumer experiences. In the present dissertation, we propose that important insights could be gained in building such evidence by considering research on emotions and rigorous empirical approaches that account for the subjectivity of the experience. Specifically, we propose a framework that builds on the consumption emotion literature and on functional theories of emotions and that is based on a Bayesian approach …  Lire la suite

The dissertation examines four historical definitions of Western architecture: architecture as a techne in ancient Greece, as a mechanical art in the Middle Ages, as an art of disegno in Renaissance Italy, and as a fine art in the eighteenth century. These definitions situated architecture within larger classifications of knowledge. They established alliances between architecture and other disciplines. They also influenced elements of architectural practice: what we would associate conventionally with the designer, builder, dweller, material, drawing, and building. The dissertation reviews writings in each historical period and focuses on the practical implications of several texts: Hugh of St. Victor, …  Lire la suite

Endotoxins are a constituent of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) complexes present in the outer layer of the cell wall of most Gram-negative bacteria and some cyanobacteria. The ingestion by a typical adult of amounts exceeding 1,000 endotoxin units (EUs) can cause fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, acute respiratory illnesses, and lung inflammation. In contrast, much smaller doses may lead to protective immunity against allergic diseases. Endotoxins can be released in the air as well as in the water; previous studies have mainly focused on airborne endotoxins. Although many studies on endotoxins in raw and treated drinking waters have been performed, few have assessed …  Lire la suite

The goal of this Master's project was to characterize the postural control patterns of individuals with chronic whiplash-associated disorders and to compare these patterns with those of healthy individuals. The postural reactions in response to low-intensity translations of the sitting position were assessed by way of kinematic and electromyographic analyses. We found that whiplash individuals display an earlier onset of their head displacement and a pattern of trunk displacement characterized by greater flexion at the upper levels of the spine, compared to the lower levels. Moreover, whiplash individuals present a tendency for a late recruitment of their neck flexors and …  Lire la suite

The Quebec City - Windsor corridor is the busiest and most important trade and transportation corridor in Canada. The transportation sector is the second largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emission category in the country. Governments around the world, including Canada, are considering increased mode share by rail as a way to reduce transportation emissions. To understand whether freight mode shift is a realistic means to reduce transportation emissions, an analytical model is needed that can predict the effect of government policy on mode split. This thesis provides background on the freight transportation-GHG nexus in Canada and describes the development, implementation, reasoning …  Lire la suite

Objectif: Il y a des taux de suicide élévés parmi les jeunes Inuits au Nunavik (Nord du Québec) dans les années récentes. Le suicide peut être une manifestation de plusieurs autres problèmes mentaux coexistants. Cette étude a examiné les corrélats de la détresse psychologique pour identifier les facteurs qui pourront être ciblés dans les interventions préventives. Méthode: Les corrélats potentiels de la détresse psychologique ont été identifié par une analyse secondaire du « Santé Québec Health Survey of Inuit» (1992), dans laquelle les données ont été rassemblés dans 284 maisons de quatorze villages (N=584). L'analyse bivariée a été suivie par …  Lire la suite

The current dissertation focusses on two studies testing the integration of the hopelessness theory of depression and buffer theory of social support. Two literature reviews are provided which outline the theories and research to date in both child and adult samples. Among the conclusions discussed in these reviews, it is argued that the integration of these theories is likely to provide a superior model for explaining depressive onset. In line with the integrative theory, it was proposed that low social support, depressogenic inferential styles, and negative events would interact to predict increases in depressive symptoms. Results from a 6 week …  Lire la suite

This thesis begins with a review on the topic of molecular electronics. The purpose of this review is to motivate the need for good theory to understand and predict molecular electronics behaviour. At present the most promising theoretical formalism for dealing with this problem is a combination of density functional theory and nonequilibrium Green's functions (NEGF-DFT). This formalism is especially attractive because it is an ab-initio technique, meaning that it is completely from first principles and does not require any empirical parameters. An implementation of this formalism has been developed by the research group of Hong Guo and is presented …  Lire la suite

Glial-derived lipoparticles facilitate the transport of cholesterol and lipids between cells within the CNS and have been shown to support neuronal growth and synaptogenesis. Partial deafferentation of the hippocampus by unilateral entorhinal cortex lesioning (uECL) induces well-described cytoarchitectural reorganisation and reactive sprouting in the dentate gyrus (DG). Previous studies have demonstrated a dynamic regulation of cholesterol homeostasis in the hippocampus following deafferentation, and suggest that mechanisms facilitating cholesterol transport are important during reinnervation. Furthermore, there is growing evidence that statins, a family of cholesterol-lowering drugs which inhibit the rate-limiting enzyme of cholesterol biosynthesis, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCoA-R), may confer …  Lire la suite

Mobile telephony has now become a commodity in most industrialized countries. While voice communications still dominate, data services are expected to be prevalent in the future. Efficient use of the radio spectrum is essential to offer voice and data wireless mobile communications services at a competitive price. Third Generation cellular systems are based on code-division multiple access technology and suffer from multiple-access interference, which limits system capacity. Several approaches exist to mitigate this interference, including multiuser detection and beamforming. To reduce the complexity of the space-time multiuser detection, it has been proposed recently to exploit the spatial dimension offered by …  Lire la suite

Les protéines de la membrane externe (OMPs) sont les plus en demande pour les études structurales et pharmacologiques, mais sont en même temps les plus difficiles à travailler. Ces protéines, qui sont caractérisées par des surfaces amphiphiles et stabilisées par les lipides in vivo, requièrent des combinaisons uniques de détergents et d'additifs pour les solubiliser et les stabiliser in vitro. Pour des études structurales, nous avons voulu étudier la protéine HgbA (hemoglobin binding protein), une OMP de 105 kDa de la bactérie Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, comportant 22 feuillets ß antiparallèles organisés en un tonneau transmembranaire. Comme ces études demandent une grande …  Lire la suite

Colloid filtration experiments were performed using latex particles (50 nm, 110 nm and 1500 nm) in both the presence and absence of 5.0 mg/L humic acid (HAs). At low ionic strengths (1 -- 10 mM KCl), an increase in attachment efficiency (alpha) with increasing particle size was observed, which contrasts with predictions based on DLVO theory. The presence of HAs generally resulted in a decrease in alpha. Characterization experiments to better understand this behaviour included particle sizing using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential using laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV). The particles' hydrodynamic diameters were unchanged in the presence of …  Lire la suite

During the past two decades, oligonucleotide analogues have drawn considerable attention as potential therapeutic and diagnostic agents. Gene silencing through "RNA interference" (siRNA) or the more mature "antisense" technology (AONs) have proven to be powerful tools for studying gene functions. Chemical modifications of these compounds are generally required to improve their "drug-like" properties such as potency, selectivity and delivery, particularly in the development of oligonucleotide-based therapeutics. Aptamers are another emerging class of oligonucleotide therapeutics and diagnostics. This thesis focuses on oligonucleotides containing 1-(2-deoxy-2-alpha-C-hydroxymethyl-beta- D-ribofuranosyl)thymine (2'-alpha-hm-dT, abbreviated as "H") and 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoroarabinonucleotides (2'F-araN), and their applications. A major component of this work …  Lire la suite

Throughout history, human populations have continuously been challenged by new and emerging infectious diseases. For the past 26 years, sub-Saharan Africa and other countries around the world have been dealing with a pandemic caused by a relatively new pathogen called the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Although antiretroviral (ARV) therapies effectively reduce morbidity and mortality rates, the long term use in those who have access to treatment inevitably leads to drug-related toxicity and resistance. Even with a strong commitment from governments to expand and finance prevention and treatment programs, transmission rates continue to outpace the benefits of these efforts. Therefore to …  Lire la suite

Angiostatin is one of the most widely studied inhibitors of angiogenesis and encompasses the first 3 or 4 kringle domains of human plasminogen (Plg). Of particular interest, is the fifth kringle of human Plg (KS), which displays higher anti-angiogenic potency than angiostatin. In fact, kringles 1 to 5 exhibit greater inhibitory activity against endothelial cells than angiostatin, and this finding suggests that K5 domain acts synergistically to enhance the anti-angiogenic effect of angiostatin. Therefore, we proposed that the K5 domain---on its own---could act as a potent anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor protein within the context of a cancer gene therapy strategy. In …  Lire la suite

La tomate (Lycopersicon esculentum L. var) est une importante source nutritive de notre alimentation et les tomates séchées gagnent en popularité dans de nombreuses préparations alimentaires. Le séchage naturel est la méthode traditionnelle utilisée pour la production de tomates séchées, cependant c’est un processus lent et la qualité du produit séché est variable et sujette à la contamination. Un séchoir solaire et un séchoir solaire sous-vide furent donc développés afin d’étudier le séchage solaire de tranches de tomates (4, 6 et 8 mm d’épaisseur) en comparaison au séchage naturel sous les conditions météorologiques de Montréal, Canada. La cinétique du séchage …  Lire la suite

The Met receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) is expressed in the mammary gland under both normal and neoplastic conditions. Overexpression of the Met receptor is found in 15--20% of human breast cancers and is correlated with shortened disease-free interval and overall survival. In order to explore the role of dysregulated Met receptor signaling on the development of mammary tumors I have characterized a transgenic mouse model that expresses either wild type or a dysregulated Met receptor in the mammary epithelium under the control of the mouse mammary tumor virus promoter/enhancer (MMTV-Met). The Met receptor variants contained a mutation that results in …  Lire la suite

Gasification of areca husk was studied in this research. The husk is an agricultural by-product of Arecanut (Areca catechu) that could be a potential energy source for the processing of the nut. The problem of slagging during arecanut gasification was investigated using a throat-less, lab-scale downdraft gasifier. The effect of air flow rates from 0.001 to 0.006 m3/s on slag formation was studied. With increase of air flow rate, the clinker formation was found to increase (r2 = 0.7191). Subsequent studies consisted of washing the husk to remove external contaminants picked up during sun drying of the husk on ground. …  Lire la suite

To understand maintenance of the within-habitat diversity of closely related species, I investigated 11 Carex species growing along rivers in the south-western St. Lawrence Valley of Quebec. Microenvironments within a half meter of focal plants characterized for Carex comosa, C. crinita, C. grayi, C. intumescens, C. lacustris, C. lupulina, C. pseudocyperus, C. retrorsa, C. tuckermanii, C. typhina, and C. vesicaria revealed significant differences among the species in their environmental affinities. Species appear to fall into groups based on their tolerance of flooding and are secondarily differentiated on other environmental gradients such as insolation, soil pH and soil organic matter. Several …  Lire la suite

Supplementation of selenium (Se) has been shown to have important hypocholesterolemic properties in animal experiments and in some human trials; however, underlying mechanisms remain unclear. One possible mechanism may be via the liver X receptor (LXR) pathway that lowers intestinal cholesterol absorption and enhances cholesterol conversion into bile acids. The present thesis studied the effect of Se on LXR ligands (oxysterols) and mRNA abundance of LXR responsive genes, ATP-binding cassette proteins G5 and G8 (abcg5, abcg8), and Nieman-Pick C1-Like 1 protein (npc1/1) in hepatic and jejunal tissues in the Syrian hamster. The first study demonstrated that: (a) hepatic oxysterol concentrations …  Lire la suite

This thesis examines Jaina strategies for justifying violence (himsa) in societal self-defense in contradistinction to the religion's overwhelming emphasis on nonviolence (ahimsa). The thesis' main focus is an ethnographic study of the views on societal self-defense of some contemporary lay Jainas in Delhi and Jaipur, India. I compare these views with the textual-historical Jaina position on ksatriya-dharma (the duty of kings) and "Just War," as advanced through ancient and medieval Jaina texts. Recent ethnographies omit the issue of Jaina attitudes to self-defense almost entirely. However, since India's nuclear tests in 1998, India has become a major Asian political, social and …  Lire la suite

Listeria monocytogenes is a common post-processing contaminant in ready-to-eat vacuum packaged (VP) cold smoked salmon. Since this psychrotrophic pathogen can grow at refrigerated temperatures (~4°C), other safety barriers in addition to temperature are needed to ensure the continued safety of VP cold smoked salmon. One such novel barrier could be the pulsed light (PL) treatment of the product prior to packaging or treating the product through a transparent package. Pulsed light destruction kinetics of L. monocytogenes were evaluated while dispensed into a liquid media, on the surface of a general purpose agar and on the surface of cold smoked salmon. …  Lire la suite

This thesis presents quantitative tools for the metabolomic analysis of amniotic fluid (AF) using vibrational spectroscopy. A total of 300 AF samples were collected for this retrospective cohort study and both Raman and near infrared (NIR) spectra were measured. Spectral data was compressed using a Haar wavelet transform and stage-wise multilinear regression (MLR). Calibration models were calculated for glucose, lactate and uric acid concentrations in AF. Birth weight, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and gestational age were classified with the resulting compressed Raman and NIR spectra, using a genetic algorithm (GA) and a cross-validation approach. Results show that both Raman and …  Lire la suite