McGill University Thèses et mémoires publiés en 2007

Self-renewal is central to the expansion of normal and cancerous stem cells. Its understanding is therefore critical for future advances in transplantation-based therapies and cancer treatment. Although the molecular machinery controlling stem cell self-renewal remains poorly defined, a number of genes important to this process have recently been identified. Two prominent genes in this group are Hoxb4 and Bmi1. Members of our group led the way to demonstrate important regulatory functions of these genes in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) self-renewal and expansion. The major goal of my thesis project is to dissect mechanisms that regulate self-renewal of HSCs. Our starting …  Lire la suite

Interleukin-(IL)-9 is a pleiotropic cytokine secreted by activated Th2 cells. Interleukin-9 and the α-chain of the IL-9 receptor (IL-9Rα) have been shown to affect the differentiation pathway of various cell types including human T cells, eosinophils, and mast cells, all key players in allergic inflammation. However, there is little information regarding the differentiation effect of IL-9 on B cells. Specifically, there are no reports describing the expression of the IL-9Rα on human B lymphocytes. To gain a better understanding of the effect of IL-9 on human B lymphocytes and its role in the B-Th immune synapse in the germinal center, …  Lire la suite

The purpose of this thesis is to report a theoretical investigation on the current-current correlation and noise in the tmnsient quantum transport regime. In particular, we calculate current correlations when the bias voltage of a LDL quantum device is suddenly turned off. Namely, we consider the situation that when time t < 0 the device is in a steady-state under bias Vb, when t > 0 the bias is turned off to zero. Under such a bias, the transport current l goes from a finite steady-state value 10 at t < 0 to zero at large times. When electronic structure …  Lire la suite

In recent years, various metrics have been developed for measuring the similarity of states in probabilistic transition systems (Desharnais et al., 1999; van Breugel & Worrell, 2001a). In the context of Markov decision processes, we have devised metrics providing a robust quantitative analogue of bisimulation. Most importantly, the metric distances can be used to bound the differences in the optimal value function that is integral to reinforcement learning (Ferns et al. 2004; 2005). More recently, we have discovered an efficient algorithm to calculate distances in the case of finite systems (Ferns et al., 2006). In this thesis, we seek to …  Lire la suite

This thesis is an analysis of convergence results on Fourier series. Convergence of Fourier series is studied in two ways in this thesis. The first way is in the context of Banach spaces, where the set of functions is restricted to a certain Banach space. Then the problem is in determining whether the Fourier series of a function can be represented as an element of that Banach space. The second way is in the context of pointwise convergence. Here, the problem is in determining what conditions need to be placed on an arbitrary function for its Fourier series to converge …  Lire la suite

Sepsis is associated with a high rate of mortality due primarily to increased susceptibility to secondary infections as well as immune-mediated vascular injury, a key initiating event in organ injury leading to Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS). The activated neutrophil is central to both of these complications. Neutrophil induced endothelial cell damage is well recognized as a cause of microvascular leakage, and neutrophil delivery to infected sites is diminished in sepsis. To investigate the mechanisms and vascular consequences of neutrophil migratory failure in systemic inflammation, a physiologically relevant murine two-hit model of sepsis was employed (systemic infection - cecal ligation …  Lire la suite

Our study pertains to the contractual overridability of copyright by the use of end user licence agreements. Our analysis is divided into three parts: first, we try to solve which legislator is responsible of the contractual overridability of copyright according to Canadian federalism. In the second part, we examine the contractual overridability issue under copyright law and we consider multiple doctrines that can be used to protect the copyright balance and its exceptions. The third part, is devoted to the study of the contractual overridability under provincial private law. Under copyright law, the most important remedies are definitely the copyright …  Lire la suite

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is the material found surrounding the cells in a tissue. One component of the ECM is the elastic fiber, which confers the property of elasticity to its environment. Organs such as the lung, skin and major blood vessels have an abundance of elastic fibers so that they are able to expand and recoil. Elastic fibers are composed of two main components; elastin and microfibrils. Microfibrils are composed primarily of fibrillin-1 and provide a scaffold unto which tropoelastin monomers assemble. Elastic fibers interact with many other proteins in the ECM, one of which is fibulin-5. Based on …  Lire la suite

Since vitamin D deficiency is common at birth, the objective of this study was to test if postnatal vitamin D supplementation would normalize bone mineralization. Forty guinea pigs were randomized to receive a diet with or without vitamin D3 during pregnancy. Newborn pups were randomized to receive 10 IU of vitamin D3 or a placebo daily until d28. Measurements at birth and d28 included whole body and regional bone mass, osteocalcin and deoxypyridinoline, plus biomechanical testing of excised tibias and femurs. Offspring from deficient sows had lower body weight, whole body and tibia bone mineral content (BMC) and lower osteocalcin …  Lire la suite

With an increase in the aging population, research has attempted to elucidate factors that determine the heterogeneity observed in cognitive function within the older adult population. Studies have shown that elevated levels of glucocorticoids (GC) in serum and saliva are related to poorer cognitive performance in old age. However, individual differences are also noted in GC secretion, which gives rise to the question of what determines individual differences not only in cognitive function, but also in GC secretion in old age. While many researchers have turned to personality as an individual difference factor, the present thesis wanted to assess an …  Lire la suite

A Posner-like visual orienting task was used to compare social and nonsocial endogenous orienting among children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and typically developing children matched on nonverbal mental age of approximately 8.5 years. This comparison was accomplished in the visual modality to avoid cross-modality task demands and with a particular focus on equating the stimuli with regard to complexity as these factors may have influenced earlier findings of a social orienting impairment among persons with ASDs. Participants were asked to detect social (face) and nonsocial (mixed face) targets on the basis of social (hand point) and nonsocial (arrow) cues, …  Lire la suite

The place of estrogen in women's health remains controversial. Premenopausal women have a lower prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than men and in observational studies hormone replacement therapy (HRT) decreases CVD in postmenopausal women. However, prospective randomized trials of secondary and primary prevention have failed to substantiate an overall protective effect from HRT and have even shown some harm. To explain this paradox it is necessary to better understand the effects of estrogen on the vascular wall. Estrogen rapidly mediates the activation of eNOS and increases the production of nitric oxide (NO), an important factor for endothelial health. In ovariectomized …  Lire la suite

Avocado Fruit (Persea americana Mill. Var. Hass) is one of the most perishable commodities available in the market. It has a very high rate of postharvest respiration, limited shelf life and has special unique characteristics of ripening. In the first part of this study, a silicon membrane system was used for the storage of ‘Hass’ avocado fruits. The silicone membrane system is an efficient method for attaining and maintaining modified atmosphere (MA) in experimental storage chambers. The storage was performed in small sealed experimental chambers fitted with silicon membrane windows. The areas of the windows were calculated in order to …  Lire la suite

Cette thèse examine les concepts de l’histoire et de la culture en six textes publiés entre 1986 et 2006, en relation avec la perte du futur Russe, selon Mikhail Epstein, suite à l’écroulement de l’Union Soviétique. En trois chapitres, les écrits sont classés par décennies comme suit : Moscow 2042 de Vladimir Voinnovich (1987) et Pushkin’s Photograph d’Andrei Bitov (1989); Look into the Eyes of Monsters d’Andrei Lazarchuck et Mikhail Uspenskii (1998)et Slynx par Tat’iana Tolstaia (2000); Girl with the Chinese Lighters par Sergei Luk’ianenko (2002) et Time Backwards! d’Aleksei Kalugin (2005). Malgré le fait que les auteurs sont habituellement …  Lire la suite

The following study develops a structured focused comparison of two South American territorial crises: the Beagle Channel Crisis between Argentina and Chile (1977--1978) and the Cenepa Crisis between Ecuador and Peru (1994--1995). From a conventional perspective, the Beagle Channel Crisis should have escalated to war because it was a fully militarized inter-state crisis carried out by a military dyad. In contrast, the Cenepa Crisis should not have ended in war because it was a democratic dyad and the dissatisfied state was the weaker power. Yet the opposite happened in both cases: in the Beagle Channel Crisis the escalation process was …  Lire la suite

Although important advances have been achieved in the treatment of individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1), the development of resistance to current antiretroviral drugs is a topic of major concern. The K65R, L74V and M184V mutations within HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) share numerous characteristics, such as similar discriminatory mechanisms in regard to incorporation of relevant nucleoside RT inhibitors (NRTIs), decreased viral replication capacity and hypersusceptibility to zidovudine (ZDV-HS). Despite our increased understanding of NRTI resistance, the biochemical basis for the observed resistance/hypersusceptibility to certain NRTIs as well as diminished viral replication associated with the aforementioned mutations …  Lire la suite

The eastern race of the Loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus ssp. migrans) is a grassland bird federally listed as endangered. There are approximately 30 pairs remaining in the Canadian wild today. Captive breeding and release programs have been developed in Canada to help alleviate the decline. However, little is known about the fate of the released birds and the factors influencing their reproductive success. To help in the understanding of the movement, behaviour and survival of the shrikes post-release, we tested whether radio telemetry was an effective technique to follow these birds. Despite limited behavioural effects in captivity, a tail-mount was …  Lire la suite

The long-held notion that gifted students prefer to work alone is reported in several general textbooks on gifted children. However, studies addressing this issue are mixed and certainly not conclusive. Earlier studies disagree on whether those gifted children who claim a preference for working alone do so as a function of grade and maturational stage, sex, or personality characteristics commensurate with increasingly higher IQs. The current study re-examines this notion through the lens of motivation through social-constructivist theory. Two hundred and forty-seven American school-identified gifted, high achieving, and non-identified (i.e., non-gifted, regular education) students in grades 4 through 12 participated. …  Lire la suite

Cette thèse décrit la préparation et la caractérisation de nano-cellules artificielles biodégradables contenant l'enzyme tyrosinase. La raison de cette étude est la possibilité d'application au traitement du mélanome, un cancer de la peau mortel. Un copolymère de polyethylène glycol et d'acide polylactique a été préparé et caractérisé. Une méthode pour la préparation des nanocapsules de tyrosinase a été mise au point. Les propriétés physiques des nanocapsules ainsi que les propriétés de leur membrane ont été étudiées. Les images prises à l'aide de microscopes à électrons montrent des nanocapsules rondes et qui ne s'agrègent pas. La taille moyenne des nanocapsules peut …  Lire la suite

Electronics involve an elaborate process of waste-making, from the mining of raw materials to the production of microchips through toxic solvents, to the eventual recycling or disposal of obsolete equipment. These processes of pollution, remainder and decay reveal other orders of materiality that have yet to enter the sense of the digital. This thesis investigates electronics through this waste and remainder. The thesis is guided by Walter Benjamin's notion of "natural history," and focuses on the dynamic, transient and poetic qualities of outmoded or "fossilized" commodities. Described here are electronic versions of such fossils, as well as the more formless …  Lire la suite

L'écoulement des eaux vers l'ouvrage de dérivation et l'évacuateur de crues de la centrale Keeyask, qui sont projetés sur la rivière Nelson, à 730 km au nord de Winnipeg (Canada), est étudié par la comparaison d'un modèle numérique et d'un modèle réduit à l'échelle 1:50, qui a été construit dans le laboratoire du Groupe-Conseil LaSalle. Le logiciel Flow3D a été utilisé pour simuler les conditions étudiées au modèle réduit, en utilisant les équations de Reynolds en combinaison avec la méthode de fermeture K-e. Pour s'assurer que le maillage du modèle était adéquat pour modéliser l'écoulement, des essais ont été effectués …  Lire la suite

This program of research was designed to examine motivational factors associated with students' academic engagement. Self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 2000) posits that healthy adaptation requires satisfaction of three fundamental psychological needs: competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Environments that satisfy the three fundamental needs have been associated with optimal goal engagement and well being. The present thesis explores how need satisfaction and possible conflicts among the three fundamental needs may affect students' academic engagement. Article 1 examines need conflict resulting from peer norms regarding the pursuit of academic competence. Article 2 examines possible interference between the quality of students' part-time …  Lire la suite

We compute the electrical conductivity and shear viscosity at leading order in hot Quantum Electrodynamics. Starting from the Kubo relation for electrical conductivity and shear viscosity, we use diagrammatic methods to write down the appropriate integral equations for bosonic and fermionic effective vertices. We also show how Ward identities can be used to put constraints on these integral equations. One of our main results is an equation relating the kernels of the integral equations with functional derivatives of the full self-energy; it is similar to what is obtained with two-particle-irreducible effective action methods. However, since we use Ward identities as …  Lire la suite

The role of prion protein (PrPC) as a crucial factor in the pathogenesis of the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE's) is well known. However, the physiologic role of this highly conserved protein in vivo is thus far, largely unknown. In vitro evidence shows that PrPC may have a neuroprotective role, inhibiting Bax-mediated apoptosis, by preventing the conformational change of Bax, which is one of the early steps leading to Bax activation and subsequently, apoptosis. In vivo evidence indicates that in some transgenic mouse models overexpressing a mutant prion protein that result in neuronal death, the simultaneous expression of PrP protects against …  Lire la suite

Daughters of gestational diabetes (GDM) affected pregnancies are at greater risk for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) later in life. Adiponectin is an early marker of DM risk. Dietary fat quality has been proposed to be involved in the development of insulin resistance. Plasma fatty acids are a marker of recent dietary exposure. The objectives of this research were to determine whether differences in adiponectin exist in daughters of GDM pregnancies, and to describe how dietary fatty acids impact adiponectin concentrations. Fasting adiponectin and plasma fatty acids were examined for 180 adolescent daughters born to mothers with …  Lire la suite

Aminoglycosides are broad spectrum antibiotics that act by binding to 16S rRNA of bacteria. The wide spread of aminoglycoside resistance threatens the use of these important medicines. Two general approaches can be used to address the aminoglycoside resistance problem. One is to derive the existing aminoglycoside antibiotics; the other is to develop inhibitors blocking resistance pathways.We developed a novel methodology to regio- and chemo-selectively derivatize unprotected aminoglycosides at the N-6' position, and used this method to prepare a series of amide-linked aminoglycoside-CoA bisubstrate analogs. These analogs are the first reported nanomolar inhibitors of AAC(6')-Ii, an aminoglycoside resistance-causing enzyme. They have …  Lire la suite

Gas hydrates are a topic of intense investigation primarily due to the vast amount of methane trapped in the form of gas hydrate on Earth and to the possibility of reducing greenhouse gas emissions via the sequestration of carbon dioxide in the form of gas hydrate. In the present study, phase equilibrium relationships of pressure, temperature, and composition in the liquid, vapour, and hydrate phases for the pure propane-water and CO2-CH4 mixed hydrate-water systems have been investigated. In the first part of the study, the concentration of propane dissolved in water in the presence of propane gas hydrates has been …  Lire la suite

We study the collapse transition of a lattice based protein model including an explicit coarse-grained model of a solvent. This model accounts for explicit hydrophobic interactions, and it is studied by Monte Carlo simulation. The protein is modelled as self-avoiding random walk with nearest neighbor interactions on a two dimensional lattice. Without the solvent, universal quantities of the chain around the collapse transition temperature are well known. Hydrophobicity is then modelled through a lattice of solvent molecules in which each molecule can have Q states depending of an orientation variable. Only one state is energetically favored, when two neighboring solvent …  Lire la suite

The potential of grain amaranth production in southwestern Quebec was studied. Twenty-nine cultivars were evaluated in single row plots, and seven in mechanically managed plots. Yields averaged 27 g plant-1 in single row plots, and 649 kg ha-1 in mechanically managed plots. Another set of experiments evaluated different seeding dates, row spacings, seeding rates and nitrogen fertilization rates. Seeding date and nitrogen fertilization affected grain yield in one environment, and seeding rate and row spacing did not affect yield. Grains in all experiments required drying. These experiments suggest that grain amaranth could be cultivated in southwestern Quebec. Oxalate concentration and …  Lire la suite

The precipitation and crystallization of aluminum (oxy)hydroxides from chloride solutions by neutralization appears to be quite complex and depends on several parameters, namely, temperature, the OH/Al molar ratio, aging and solution composition. The precipitation of aluminum from AlC13 solutions was found to be complete at substoichiometric OH/Al ratios (typically ~ 2.7), and resulted in the production of an amorphous material that transformed to crystalline phases upon aging at OH/Al ≥3. The predominant phases precipitated from 0.5M AlCl3 solutions at 22, 60 and 95° C at an OH/Al ratio of 3 after 24 hours of aging were pseudoboehmite, bayerite and boehmite, …  Lire la suite

Markov models have been a keystone in Artificial Intelligence for many decades. However, they remain unsatisfactory when the environment modeled is partially observable. There are pathological examples where no history of fixed length is sufficient for accurate deci- sion making. On the other hand, working with a hidden state (such as in POMDPs) has a high computational cost. In order to circumvent this problem, I suggest the use of a context- based model. My approach replaces strict transition probabilities by a linear approximation of probability distributions. The method proposed provides a trade-off between a fully and partially observable model. I …  Lire la suite

Establishing national parks is not an innocent “conservation” practice; it is, fundamentally, a culturally defined, political one, and one that reflects the distribution of power within human societies. The present thesis proposes to approach the study of national park establishment in multinational Canada from the perspective of political geography. I look at national park establishment in northern Canada with special attention to the interactions between politics and territory, and how both interact with culture in the creation of a collective identity. I base my observations on a case study from the Torngat Mountains, in Nunavik and Nunatsiavut, and I show …  Lire la suite

This thesis is dedicated to the study of gain transients of discrete fiber Raman amplifiers and to the all-optical gain-clamping technique which is used to mitigate those transients. First, we study the standing-wave and the traveling-wave gain-clamping techniques when applied to a single discrete fiber Raman amplifier in the context of WDM channel add and drop. We take into account the operational regime of the amplifier and the location of the surviving channel in the amplification band. We demonstrate that the gain-clamped amplifier has to be operated in a regime below the critical regime to ensure that gain-clamping will be …  Lire la suite

Cette thèse explore de nouvelles méthodes d'amélioration de la performance du détecteur MVDR dans des systèmes DS-CDMA BPSK lorsque le nombre de vecteurs reçus utilisés pour estimer la matrice de corrélation est peu élevé. Une analyse des détecteurs conventionnel et optimal ainsi que les méthodes principal component (PC), cross-spectral (CS) et auxiliary vector(AV) sont présentés. Le concept de filtrage widely linear (WL) est introduit. L'équivalence de deux versions différentes du filtre WL MVDR est démontrée. La réalisation du détecteur WL MVDR utilisant une structure AV est proposée et le gain de performance significatif accompli par ce détecteur est prouvé. Nous …  Lire la suite

This research investigated the effects of waterborne zinc (Zn) on the interactions between guppies, Poecilia reticulata (Peters), and Gyrodactylus turnbulli Harris, 1986, a monogenean parasite of its skin and fins. The first objective was to determine if sublethal concentrations of waterborne Zn (up to 240 mug/L added to artificial freshwater) exerted a concentration-dependent effect on the population dynamics of Gyrodactylus on isolated guppies. Whereas survival of uninfected fish was unaffected, mortality of infected fish increased linearly with increasing Zn concentration. In addition, the improved parasite population growth at concentrations up to 120 mug Zn/I suggested either that the elevated Zn …  Lire la suite

My dissertation examines the knowledge culture of ordinary Scots in late-18 th Scotland and early-19th century Canada from a microhistorical perspective. In 1803 a branch of the Brodie family from Lochwinnoch parish, Renfrewshire in western Scotland emigrated to Montreal in Lower Canada. In so doing they created a direct link between the knowledge cultures of late-18 th century Scotland in which they had grown up and that of colonial Montreal. The Brodies' intellectual and cultural formation is explored through the prism, first, of the family's consumption and production of knowledge in Scotland and second, their reproduction and embodiment of that …  Lire la suite

Dynamic joint stiffness is an important property of the neuromuscular system used to control movement and stability of the body. Joint stiffness may be thought of as a combination of two physiological components: an intrinsic component encompassing the mechanical properties of the joint, muscle, and tissues, and a reflex component arising from muscle activation in response to stretch. The functional role of joint stiffness and reflex stiffness, in particular, during movement remains relatively unknown. Current stationary methods for system identification are not applicable, since the system properties are time-varying. This thesis examined time-varying, intrinsic and reflex dynamics of the human …  Lire la suite

This thesis consists in a comparison between the novels of Julien Gracq and the magical realism. More precisely, our research's main concern is about the forms of strangeness developed throughout the works of the author. We wish to demonstrate how elements of the texts---space, time, metafiction and intertextuality---generate the appropriate atmosphere for the emergence of magic. We think that, whether or not the representation includes magic, it maintains itself on the edge of the fantastic, partly because the images constantly suggest its imminence. Our intention is thus to prove that the feeling of strangeness that emerges from Gracq's fiction is …  Lire la suite

Commentaries on the medieval notion of the "conjugal debt" have often emphasized its reciprocal nature, but its inequality becomes apparent when re-embedded into its theological, medical, and legal contexts. By tracing the theology that accompanied 1 Cor 7:3-4 through selected theologians, I will demonstrate that Paul's words did not function in equivalent ways for both spouses. By examining medieval medical understandings of human physiology, I will ask what it means to 'have authority over a body' when the bodies themselves are not equal. Finally, by demonstrating ways in which consent and coercion blurred together in twelfth-century legal debates, I will …  Lire la suite

A comprehensive Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) study of the distal portion of the male phallus (acrophallus), in 42 species of the flesh-fly subfamily Sarcophaginae, was undertaken to clarify its morphology, to homologize its parts and to define male genital characters. In addition, to better understand the phylogenetic implications of the male genitalia, the generic relationships of 19 sarcophagine genera were tested using a parsimony analysis of 72 examplar species, based on 41 male genitalic characters and 33 other morphological characters of larvae, males and females. The monophyly of Ravinia Robineau-Desvoidy, Oxysarcodexia Townsend, Titanogrypa Townsend, Helicobia Coquillett, Lepidodexia Brauer & Bergenstamm …  Lire la suite

Chaque modification appliquée à un système logiciel peut y introduire de nouvelles failles telles que des dépendances structurelles entre ses éléments unitaires. Il peut être difficile de percevoir ce processus de dégradation de la qualité puisque qu’il n’implique pas nécessairement une dégradation fonctionnelle. Nous présentons ici une nouvelle technique permettant à l’ingénieur logiciel de comprendre l’impact de ses modifications sur les dépendances structurelles dans le contexte des fonctionnalités du système. Notre approche automatisée identifie les éléments logiciels ainsi potentiellement dégradés dès que le logiciel est soumis à sa procédure de vérification habituelle. L’ingénieur peut alors inspecter les résultats de notre …  Lire la suite

This thesis explores visual representations of British West Indian sugar in relation to the African slave trade practiced during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. During this time, sugar played a vital role to the lives of both European and non-Europeans as it was a source of great wealth for many and became transformed into one of the most demanded and widely consumed commodity. From the earliest days of British colonization, the cultivation and production of sugar in the Caribbean has been inextricably linked with the trade in African slaves to provide free labor for plantation owners and planters. This thesis …  Lire la suite

Wind energy is a relatively young but rapidly expanding industry. In order for wind generation to be cost effective, it must produce energy at a minimum cost per dollar of investment. Performance characteristics such as power output versus wind speed must be optimized in order to compete with other energy sources. Also, if the utility uses wind power for a part of its generation, the output power of these turbines must have the same high quality and reliability when it enters the utility grid. The ability to vary operating speed is important in wind generation because it allows for an …  Lire la suite

HOX proteins are evolutionarily conserved homeodomain-containing transcription factors involved in hematopoiesis and patterning during embryogenesis. Their tasks as master regulators of embryonic development are achieved in large part through their ability to interact with co-factors of the PBX and MEIS/PREP families, which constitute the broader three amino-acid loop extension (TALE) class of homeodomain proteins. HOX, MEIS, and PBX have been implicated in leukemic hematopoiesis due to their association with hematological malignancies. The oncogenic function of MEIS1 in accelerating the onset of acute myeloid leukemia induced by HOX was mapped to its C-terminal transactivation domain, which is responsive to PKA signaling. …  Lire la suite

De nos jours, la façon de voir les Alpes et les montagnes en général, en tant qu'objet ou lieu qui a une valeur scientifique et esthétique, est tout à fait accepté par la Culture occidentale, Cependant, avant le XVIII ième siècle, l'Europe possédait une mentalité totalement différente à l'égard de son coeur montagnard, elle considérait ce désert alpin dangereux avec peur et mépris. Le XVIII ième siècle a vu un revirement de ce préjudice qui datait de centaines d'années. La culture de la méthodologie empirique à laquelle s'ajoutera l'institutionnalisation des Sciences et la naissance de la culture bourgeoise, ont ouvert …  Lire la suite

Falconbridge Dominicana C. Por A. operating in the Dominican Republic produces nickel as an iron-nickel alloy from laterite ore. Material that is rejected from their mining operations due to its incompatible chemistry is currently being stockpiled against mine depletion. Recent interest in recuperating nickel from this reject material led to the examination of the suitability of carbothermic reduction followed by magnetic separation for nickel recovery from this reject ore. Five parameters were considered in a Design of Experiment framework, namely: heating time; temperature; material type, coke addition and oxygen partial pressure. Magnetic separation was conducted with a Davis Tube and …  Lire la suite

Cette dissertation analyse la représentation biaisée des femmes dans les nouvelles télévisées des élections au Canada. J'emploie le cadre théorique de la « gendered mediation thesis », selon lequel les nouvelles constituent un narratif essentiellement masculin qui privilégie les hommes et la masculinité dans la politique. Cette théorie s'appuie sur deux facteurs causaux pour expliquer ce phénomène. Premièrement, les nouvelles reflètent les préjugés contre les femmes dans notre société. Ainsi, les cadres employés pour reporter les événements politiques regorgent de symboles et de métaphores masculins et accordent la primauté aux traits masculins. Deuxièmement, la structure et l'opération du système de …  Lire la suite

Methylmalonic aciduria results from defects in the enzyme methylmalonyl-CoA mutase and from defects in the synthesis of the enzyme's cofactor adenosylcobalamin. Two patients who excrete methylmalonic acid have been shown to have a homozygous nonsense mutation in the methylmalonyl-CoA epimerase gene (MCEE). To further understand the causes of methylmalonic acid excretion, the MCEE gene was sequenced in 229 patients who excreted methylmalonic acid for which no cause was known. Mutations were detected in five patients. Fusion of fibroblast lines from two patients with a homozygous nonsense mutation in MCEE did not result in correction of [14C]propionate incorporation toward control values …  Lire la suite

À fin de développer une stratègie qui contreint à l’augmentation marqué du diabète du type 2 (DM2), l’épidemie affectant les peuples Indigènes du Canada, certaines analyses qualitatives et quantitatives ont été realisées. L’étude à demontré les habitudes de consommation des aliments traditionnels et médicinales ainsi que le potentiel antioxydants et cardioprotecteurs in vitro de huit plantes médicinales utliser pour le traitement des symptômes du DM2. Des entrevues avec 173 adultes venant de Mistissini a révélé une diminution de la consommation d’aliments et de médecines traditionnelles pour la génération plus jeune contrairement aux aînés (p<0.05). Quatre plantes ont révélé une activité …  Lire la suite

Steven Patrick Morrissey was the lead singer of the 1980s British band The Smiths. Since the band's demise in 1987, Morrissey has had a successful career as a solo performer. Morrissey is a rich case study for the analysis of mediated celebrities. This dissertation examines the ways in which Morrissey's public persona has shifted throughout his career. These changes have to do with the nature of popular cultural mediation, the status of celebrity, and Morrissey's engagement with issues of gender and desire. Morrissey's celebrity persona, or star image, takes shape within the ongoing production of what Roland Barthes refers to …  Lire la suite