McGill University Thèses et mémoires par auteur commençant par A

Despite the overwhelming number of studies on Information Technology (IT) use and adoption, there is a growing concern among researchers in psychology, health, and IS that problematic IT usage can create serious challenges for individuals, organizations, and even society. Hence, there is a need to devote additional research efforts to better understand the dark side of IT use and to identify undesired forms of IT use, especially in regard to excessive and compulsive use behaviors. From this perspective, this dissertation adopts a multi-method, multi-essay approach to investigate issues related to IT addiction. Accordingly, the first essay investigates users' liability to …  Lire la suite

Ce travail de recherche a démontré que le ciment peut être fabriqué écologiquement à partir de résidus municipaux d'incinération des déchets solides pour réduire l'émission de carbone, utiliser les déchets et minimiser la consommation de ressources naturelles. Deux types d'éco-ciments ont été produits; un avec des résidus de 100% de MSWI et un avec 94% de résidus de MSWI et 6% d'additifs, avec une température de clintage de 1100 °C. L'éco-ciment a montré un comportement non-hydraulique mais pourrait être consolidé lors de l'activation de la carbonatation, formant une matrice de liaison composée d'hydrocarbonate de silicate de calcium amorphe, de CaCO3 …  Lire la suite

Ivermectin (IVM) is a macrocyclic lactone (ML) endectocide. It acts on the glutamate gated chloride channels and causes paralysis and death of nematode parasites. It is used in veterinary and human health as well as in agriculture. Haemonchus contortus (H. contortus) is a very pathogenic nematode of livestock. Attempts to control it with anthelmintic pharmaceuticals, such as IVM, has rapidly led to the development of drug resistance against most of the known anthelmintics. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) is a free living nematode that can be easily grown and cultivated on culture plates. Both of these nematodes have proven excellent models …  Lire la suite

The American courts developed business law by devising principles for resolving the rift between shareholders and the management. An important principle in this respect is the Business Judgment Rule (BJR). The BJR has attained an important position in the American corporate law. However, it has failed to find such position in the laws of other jurisdictions. In the current era, when different economies are integrating into a global market, corporations are forming global alliances. This thesis will study the role of the BJR in global alliances by examining the case of the Star Alliance as an example. It will focus …  Lire la suite

The superior mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes would make them excellent candidates for the next generation of composite materials. Researchers have tried to demonstrate the potential of that novel material with various degree of success. In order to complement the experimental efforts in this new field, the modeling of these new material systems is required. One challenge when modeling nanotube composites is the large scale span between the nanotube itself and the final component. The present study focuses on the creation of a framework and methodology to span three orders of magnitude in scale with interconnected models that relate performance …  Lire la suite

Vengallatore, Srikar (Supervisor2)  Lire la suite

The aim of this work was to develop a viable solvent-extraction based system for the separation of rhodium (Rh) from aqueous chloride solutions. Ultimately, two different systems were developed. Kelex 100, a commercially available derivative of 8-hydroxyquinoline, was used as the extractant reagent in both of these systems. One of the systems involved the supported liquid membrane (SLM) extraction of Rh. In this system a very thin microporous "Gore-Tex" polymer sheet, impregnated with an organic solution of Kelex 100, served as the SLM. The other system involved the conversion of the chlorocomplexes of Rh to bromocomplexes prior to their solvent …  Lire la suite

Experimental and theoretical studies on the extraction of the cation K$ sp+$ and Mg$ sp{++}$ from a bulk aqueous phase to an organic phase using the water/dinonylnaphthalene sulfonic acid (HD)/heptane reverse-micellar system was conducted. The counter ion of the surfactant, H$ sp+$, was exchanged with the alkali metal cations in the aqueous phase. Two different types of experiments were conducted. The first set involved a constant total normality of ions while the second investigated the effect, of varying the normality of ions. Electrolyte solutions with molarities ranging from 0 to 1 were contacted with a reverse-micellar organic containing different concentrations …  Lire la suite

This thesis is concerned with problems of current interest in the computer-aided simulation of synchronous machines. It deals with the application of the finite element method in the computation of generator terminal parameters and the simulation of steady-state operation. A linear transformation is described which is shown to be very useful in the modeling of electric machines as well as post processing the data obtained from a finite element program. Using this transformation, the space and time harmonic content of the waveforms are considered in the computations. […]  Lire la suite

The results of partitioning the feed consumption of growing bacon-type swine into fractions used for body maintenance and for body weight increase are reported. The regression equation found to fit the data was: y = 0.524 + 0.102(W)^0.73 + 1.163(ΔW) in which y= calculated feed intake, (W)= body weight, and (ΔW)= change in body weight. The data indicate that approximately two-thirds of the feed eaten by full-fed growing pigs is used for body maintenance and one-third for body weight increase. Standard partial regressions show that of the variability in feed consumption accounted for by body size and by rate of …  Lire la suite

Social aspects of multiplayer games are well known as contributors to game success, with online friendships and socialization expected to expand and strengthen a player-base. Understanding the nature of social behavior and determining the impact of cooperation on gameplay is thus important to game design. In this work, we make use of data exposed through in-game and web-based API's of two contemporary multiplayer games, World of Warcraft and Halo: Reach. We use this data to investigate the extent of cooperation among players and the effect on individual player behavior. We moreover show how the quantitative assessment of cooperative behavior can …  Lire la suite

1. A brief history of histamine research has been outlined and the release of histamine in metabolic activity, anaphylactic shock, anaphylactoid shock and trauma has been reviewed. Evidence for the participation of enzyme factors in all of these events has been presented. 2. The so called "histamine liberators" which are believed to release histamine without tissue injury have been reviewed in detail. The many similarities between anaphylactic reactions and the manifest actions of "histamine liberators" suggest that these two conditions produce their effects in the same way: ie. by the activation of an enzyme system. The term "anaphylacto-mlmetic" agent has …  Lire la suite

High, intermediate and low virulent strains of Xanthomonas campestris pv. manihotis were isolated from cassava fields in Nigeria. Resistance to cassava bacterial blight (CBB) increased with age. CBB was established by as little as 10('4) CFU/mL inoculum, but general symptom severity and lesion length differences between resistant, intermediate and susceptible cultivars were greatest with 10('6) CFU/mL and leaf wilting with 10('8) CFU/mL. CBB increased shoot dry weight and foliar ion leakage; this increase was greater for potassium and magnesium than for sodium and calcium. Pathogen multiplication in leaves was least in the resistant cultivar and it spread to the stem …  Lire la suite

A commercial electron dose calculation software (Eclipse TM) implementation based on the Macro Monte Carlo algorithm has been introduced. Eclipse™ initial configurations were performed for all available electron beam energies 6, 9, 12, 16, and 20 MeV. We evaluated the electron Monte Carlo (eMC) module of the Eclipse™ using a verification data set comprised of depth dose curves, profiles, Relative Output Factors (ROF), and 2-0 dose distributions in the transverse plane in a homogeneous phantom. The verification data set was comprised of measurements performed for combinations of 6, 9, 12, 16, and 20 MeV beam energies with five standard field …  Lire la suite

The following study is an analysis of the initial steps of the process of characterization of Dorotea and Fortunata. This comparative study will illustrate the similarities in the techniques both Cervantes and Galdos employ to create two female characters who, although begin as irrelevant secondary characters, end as protagonists and heroines of their respective story. The first chapter is dedicated to the two male characters, Cardenio and Juanito. Both authors begin each story with a male character and lead the reader to believe falsely that they will be the protagonists. We conclude that these false protagonists only serve as contrasts …  Lire la suite

This thesis places P. D. James's detective novels within the historical and critical framework of the detective genre, and explores her particular contributions to it. James's awareness of the implications of a police investigation, coupled with her strikingly bleak and moralistic representation of our contemporary world are two of the main reasons she has achieved such widespread critical acclaim. Her novels also have a didactic dimension that ranges from an assertion of morally-correct modes of behaviour in an age without religion, to the constant reminder that, although they provide entertainment, murder mysteries must never be taken too lightly. These signature …  Lire la suite

Industrial and trade activity can be varied by changes in the supply of raw materials, labour, capital, demand for the final products and through the hampering or aiding of the production process. Where these changes are ultimately due to climatic and conventional seasons the consequent variations are called "seasonal variations".  Lire la suite

Ce travail se veut une étude dur les technologies de l'information numérique en Afghanistan. Elle analyse l'histoire et la politique des outils utilisés pour produire des données numériques en vue de la gouvernance. Basé sur les recherches archivistiques et le terrain ethnographique, ce projet évalue le rôle critique des nombres, ou de leur absence, dans les pratiques de l’États à travers l’histoire moderne de l’Afghanistan. Ancré à l'intersection des études sur les médias et de la science, de la technologie et de la société, le projet se penche principalement sur trois technologies utilisées pour le calcul et le contrôle : …  Lire la suite

20 à 70% des personnes qui vieillissent avec le VIH signalent des difficultés cognitives qui affectent la vie quotidienne, y compris l'adhérence à la médication, l'emploi, et la gestion du foyer. Reconnaître les déficiences cognitives chez les personnes atteintes du VIH n'est pas simple. Basé sur les critères de consensus de Frascati, une évaluation neuropsychologique complète est la norme de référence pour le diagnostic du HAND, mais ces tests nécessitent beaucoup de ressources. Des mesures de cognition existantes sont mieux adaptées pour les démences que les déficiences cognitives mineures qui sont communes au VIH. Questionner directement les personnes sur leurs …  Lire la suite

Cette thèse présente un cadre de contrôle pour les robots chirurgicaux redondants. La nouveauté de ce travail est qu'uneméthode géométrique est proposée pour répondre à la contrainte du centre de mouvementà distance (RCM) dans le cadre de la tâche principale tout enoptimisant différentes fonctions de coût comme objectifs secondaires.De plus, une approche analytique est proposée pour l'optimisation en tempsréel de la manipulabilité du robot. (meilleure que lesapproches basées sur l'apprentissage). La méthode est générique et testéesur plusieurs exemples en utilisant un bras robotique réel à sept degrés de liberté  Lire la suite

La biomusique est une technologie novatrice qui traduit, en temps réel, les changements physiologiques du corps en données musicales. Puisque ces signaux physiologiques sont fortement liés aux émotions, les variations musicales peuvent refléter des changements d’états émotionnels ou corporels. Des études antérieures démontrent que la biomusique constitue un moyen alternatif de communication pour les personnes non-verbales, et favorise des moments de connexion entre les personnes peu communicatives et leurs proches aidants. Une étude pilote au Phare, Enfants et Familles (Phare), une maison de soins palliatifs pédiatrique à Montréal a démontré que la biomusique est un outil intéressant pour cultiver la …  Lire la suite

Whiteway, Malcolm (Supervisor1)  Lire la suite

In this Master of Arts Thesis in Anthropology I examine the controversy in the Okanagan Valley over the introduction of GM seed technologies into local agricultural processes. I explore via a multi-sited ethnography how local fruit farmers in this region view GM seed technologies and their perception of how these technologies will impact their farming practices. I argue that (a) the use of GM seeds as currently regulated in Canada threatens to erode farmers' local knowledge of plant breeding and that (b) this erosion is of consequence not only to local farmers but to society generally because the environmental knowledge …  Lire la suite

It has been thought since the early days of medical practice that the liver and gastro-intestinal tract play a very important role in the pathogenesis of mental disorders. References to this belief may be found in the literature of the classical ages. Indeed, one of the principle symptoms of mental disorder, melancholia, derives its name from the Greek word ,”melagkholia”, which means “black” (melas) “bile” (khole). In the fourth century B.C. Hippocrates expressed the belief that bile was the cause of madness. A sudden flux of bile to the brain was thought to bring on unpleasant dreams and feelings of …  Lire la suite

In this thesis I discuss the technical linguistic aspects of `Aliya Mamduḥ's Ḥabbat al-naftalin using postcolonial language theory, showing how these techniques contribute to Mamduḥ's literary goals. This is in contrast to much of English scholarship on Arab women authors, which has instead focused mainly on the social and political questions that Arab women's writing raises. Mamduḥ uses circular language and a child's narrative voice in order to portray her narrator growing up in 1950's Baghdad. The Arabic in the novel is a hybrid, mixed language with elements of classical language, colloquial language and Iraqi/Baghdadi dialect, and it facilitates the …  Lire la suite

Parallelization and optimization of the MATLAB® programming language presents severalchallenges due to the dynamic nature of MATLAB. Since MATLAB does not have statictype declarations, neither the shape and size of arrays, nor the loop bounds are known atcompile-time. This means that many standard array dependence tests and associated transformationscannot be applied straight-forwardly. On the other hand, many MATLAB programsoperate on arrays using loops and thus are ideal candidates for loop transformationsand possibly loop vectorization/parallelization.This thesis presents a new framework, McFLAT, which uses profile-based training runs todetermine likely loop-bounds ranges for which specialized versions of the loops may begenerated. The main …  Lire la suite

Agus Sasmito (Supervisor1)  Lire la suite

Ooi, Boon-Teck (Internal/Cosupervisor2)  Lire la suite

A basic framework for sustainable community-based drinking water systems (CBDWS) is studied in this research program; it is based on the performance of existing water supply systems and on the responses to a survey by the various stakeholders. A model for overall sustainability was developed and validated through its application to about 70 CBDWS in rural settings of northern areas of ' Pakistan (as part of a developing country case study). In addition, analyses and scenario projections of environmental component of sustainability were made along with detailed analyses and syntheses of statistical surveys to gauge stakeholder perspectives and priorities and …  Lire la suite

Frigon, Dominic (Supervisor2)  Lire la suite

There has been relatively little work done in the compiler research community for incorporating aspect-oriented features in scientific and dynamic programming languages. MATLAB is a dynamic scientific programming language that is commonly used by scientists because of its convenient and high-level syntax for arrays, the fact that type declarations are not required, and the availability of a rich set of application libraries. This thesis introduces a new aspect-oriented scientific language, AspectMatlab. AspectMatlab introduces key aspect-oriented features in a way that is both accessible to scientists and where the aspect-oriented features concentrate on array accesses and loops, the core computation elements …  Lire la suite

The dissertation seeks to contribute to our understanding of the role played by parties in the consolidation of democracy in the context of military tutelage and anti-system challenges. It finds that the conceptualization of parties under internal and external pressures in competitive party systems can be a useful framework to understand the constraints faced by parties in new democracies contemplating legal and constitutional reforms as a way to deepen democracy. The dual party framework focuses on the significance of the institutional (identity and party unity) and rational concerns of parties (electoral success) during democratization, at the same time that it …  Lire la suite

Brain organoids represent a robust model system that offers various potential applications in drug screening and disease modeling. Experimental control over brain organoid cultures is in part limited by variability of the physical properties of the culture environment. Matrigel, a soluble basement membrane-rich extract is currently the gold standard material for organoid development. It supports organoid formation by providing both the structural scaffold and the source of signals influencing various biological functions, namely tissue polarity and cell migration. However, Matrigel suffers from considerable variability and poor mechanical properties prompting the search for more reproducible ECM-mimetics for brain organoid culture. To …  Lire la suite

Fagotto, Francesco (Supervisor2)  Lire la suite

Federspiel, Howard M. (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

Le trouble du spectre d’alcoolisation fœtale (TSAF), un diagnostic complexe et controversé qui toucherait au moins 1 Canadien sur 100, résulte d'une exposition prénatale à l'alcool. Les personnes avec du TSAF éprouvent des circonstances difficiles et de la stigmatisation, tout comme les mères biologiques et les femmes qui consomment de l'alcool pendant leurs grossesses. Étant donné les connaissances publiques limitées au sujet du TSAF au Canada, nous estimons que les médias sont une source publique possible d'information et de désinformation. Par conséquent, étant donné les défis posés par le TSAF et la stigmatisation qui y est associée, nous avons mené …  Lire la suite

Gray, Dr. D.G.  Lire la suite

Kienzle, Jorg Andreas (Internal/Cosupervisor2)  Lire la suite

Alcohol abuse/dependence frequently co-occurs with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and conduct disorder (CD). Furthermore, crime studies have generally found that alcohol is involved in over 50% of violent crimes, and experimental studies support the notion that acute alcohol consumption indirectly increases the likelihood of aggressive and disinhibited behaviors in the laboratory. However, the mechanisms underlying alcohol's association with such behaviors remain unclear. The goals of this thesis were therefore to further elucidate potential mechanisms underlying (a) alcohol-induced aggressive, disinhibited behaviors and (b) the high comorbidity between delinquent, aggressive behaviors (characterizing CD/ASPD) and alcohol misuse/abuse/dependence. Thus, four studies were conducted, focusing …  Lire la suite

During the summer season of 1953 the author was employed by Noranda Mines Limited and was assigned to make a geological map of a group of mining claims located in the footwall of the Sudbury norite at the north-west corner of the basin area. The purpose of the work was to realize the extent and nature of the various rock types and, specifically, to make an appraisal of the economic possibilities of the area.  Lire la suite

The East Sullivan copper-zinc deposit is one of a group of simil.ar ore deposits situated along an east-west belt in the Noranda - Val d’Or district of Northwestern Quebec. The Horne Mine at Noranda, the Waite-Amulet deposits and the Normetal Mine are three other important producers of this group. The purpose of this study of the East Sullivan Mine is to present a description of the geology and ore deposits and to discuss the general problem of origin of the ores. There is no published work on this mine and but little study, outside that required for mine development, has …  Lire la suite

Milner, Theodore (Internal/Supervisor)  Lire la suite

La découverte accélérée de nouvelles molécules thérapeutiques qui ciblent lesmécanismes de progression du cancer tels que l'invasion et l'angiogenèse, nécessite lamise au point et la validation de techniques efficaces qui permettent d'évaluer l'efficacitéthérapeutique de ces agents in vivo. Le développement récent des scanners detomographie à émission de positron (TEP) dédiés à l'imagerie de petits animaux(microPET, CT! Concorde R4), permet aujourd'hui d'obtenir une image fonctionnelle etmoléculaire de haute résolution des modèles rongeurs. Cette étude s'intéresse au potentieldu 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) en utilisant l'imagerie microPET dansl'évaluation de l'efficacité de nouveaux agents thérapeutiques dans un modèle de gliomechez le. rat. Cette technique pourrait éventuellement …  Lire la suite