McGill University Thèses et mémoires par auteur commençant par B

Mature neurons are among the most long-lived cell types in mammals. Yet large numbers of neurons die during the early stages of development and later in life when neurodegenerative diseases set in or whenever the neurons are subjected to trauma. The processes that control neuronal survival and death are not fully understood. However, key regulators of these events include a family of proteins called the neurotrophins. The neurotrophins are growth factors that control neuronal development and maintenance in addition to survival. Neurotrophins interact with two types of cell surface receptors, the Trk family of tyrosine kinases, and the p75 neurotrophin …  Lire la suite

Cardiac diseases are one of the leading causes of mortality in the western world. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for these malformations or dysfunction remain poorly characterized. We have used the B type natriuretic peptide (BNP) as a marker to identify novel transcriptional pathways that regulate cardiac gene expression. Functional analysis of the BNP promoter had previously led to the identification of positive cis-regulatory elements and the isolation of the GATA-4 protein, which is an important trans-activator of several cardiac genes. The present study demonstrates that cell specific transcription from the BNP promoter is dependent on a dominant silencer activity …  Lire la suite

The power of aspect-oriented modelling is that a model designer can encapsulate the structural and behavioural properties of a specific concern within an aspect model. Theoretically, if the functionality provided by such a modularized concern is needed repeatedly within a system, a model user can instantiate the aspect model multiple times within the same target model. Practically, though, it is often not clear which model elements from the aspect model the model user is allowed to instantiate multiple times, and how the model weaver is supposed to compose the structural and behavioural elements of the aspect model instances with the …  Lire la suite

Senior, Hereward (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

Thombs, Brett D. (Supervisor2)  Lire la suite

Granulins (epithelins) are cysteine rich polypeptides with pleiotropic effects on epithelial cell growth in vitro. The human granulin cDNA predicts a 593 amino acid glycoprotein precursor containing seven and one-half granulin-like repeats arranged in tandem. The rat granulin precursor cDNA predicts a 589 residue glycoprotein with an overall identity of 75% with human progranulin. The single copy human granulin gene is located on chromosome 17. The protein coding region of the granulin gene spans 4 kilobases and contains 12 exons with each repeat encoded by two exons. The 5$ sp prime$ flanking region of the human granulin gene lacks a …  Lire la suite

Les pré-protéines nucléaires, avec une séquence de ciblage interne destinées à la mitochondrie, sont importées via le récepteur Tom70, situé sur la membrane externe de la mitochondrie. Cependant, avant d’être amenées vers la mitochondrie, les pré-protéines sont maintenues dans un état permettant l’importation par un complexe de chaperons dans le cytosol. Le Transporteur du Nucléotide Adénine (ANT), une protéine porteuse de la membrane interne de la mitochondrie suit le cheminement via Tom70 et sa forme mature purifiée est semblable à celle de la pré-protéine. L’ANT purifiée reconstituée dans du lysat de réticulocyte a permit d’identifier par spectroscopie de masse les …  Lire la suite

"Chronic pain affects one in every five Canadians, impacting physical and mental health, as well as functional capabilities. In addition to the burden on the person living with pain, the management of chronic pain is costly, and thus poses a societal burden. In response to these burdens, the Canadian Pain Task Force developed an Action Plan for Pain, which included recommendations for improved pain education in prelicensure health professional programs in Canada. The idea that better pain education will improve care for patients living with pain hinges on an underlying assumption that improved or increased amounts of pain education will …  Lire la suite

La douleur chronique touche un Canadien sur cinq et a un impact sur la santé physique et mentale, ainsi que sur les capacités fonctionnelles. Outre le fardeau qui pèse sur la personne souffrant de douleur, la gestion de la douleur chronique est coûteuse et constitue donc un fardeau pour la société. En réponse au fardeau de la douleur chronique, le groupe de travail canadien sur la douleur a élaboré un plan d'action qui comprend des recommandations visant à améliorer la formation en gestion de la douleur dans les programmes de formation des professionnels de la santé avant l'obtention de l'autorisation …  Lire la suite

This thesis describes an algorithm for detecting moving objects in images taken from a moving robot. The algorithm distinguishes itself from other similar, existing solutions in that it lends itself to a fast implementation, yet provides results which are reliable and accurate enough for use on a real mobile robot system without any a priori knowledge of the robot's egomotion. The algorithm builds on previous work by Frazier and Nevatia but adds two key enhancements in order to realize a working system. First is the ability to efficiently and continuously update the robot's egomotion parameters by way of the focus …  Lire la suite

The extracellular matrix is a vital component of the cardiovascular system, in that, it not only provides structural support but also plays a critical role in the maintenance of cellular stability. One of the major components of the vascular matrix is elastin, which confers vessels with the specialized property of stretch and recoil. Elastin deficiency has been implicated in many vascular diseases and determined experimentally to be a negative regulator of smooth muscle cell proliferation. In zebrafish, two elastin genes have been identified, which are actively expressed during development. Based on this finding, protein production and spatial localization for the …  Lire la suite

Les assistants numériques (AN) interactifs basés sur la voix, comme Alexa d’Amazon, Siri chez Apple et Google Assistant, sont de plus en plus courants dans le monde. Dans les foyers occidentaux en particulier, non seulement les assistants numériques sont un élément commun de la sphère domestique, mais les entreprises commerciales de DA conçoivent ces DA avec des caractéristiques et des conceptions plutôt axées sur les enfants. Cela soulève donc la question de l'impact de l'utilisation des DA sur les jeunes enfants en développement. Pour étudier cette question, un projet de recherche interdisciplinaire a été entrepris. Pour théoriser l'utilisation des DA …  Lire la suite

Le transport hydraulique est le système privilégié pour le remblai minier. Une série depompes, assistées par la gravité, achemine le remblai à travers des tuyaux de différentestailles vers les chantiers souterrains. Le matériel transporté est une combinaison derésidus miniers, de sable et d'eau en quantités prédéterminées. Du ciment peut êtreajouté lorsque le remblai sert pour le soutènement, ce qui ajoute au coût au système. Lepassage du remblai à travers des longueurs importantes de tuyaux cause des problèmesimportants pour le système. Cette thèse en examine deux en particulier: l'érosion desparois crée par la haute teneur solide du remblai, ainsi que l'augmentation …  Lire la suite

Daily net ecosystem CO$ sb2$ exchange (NEE) was monitored at several peatland communities in a mid-boreal headwater bog at the Experimental Lakes Area (Kenora, ON., Canada) throughout the 1995-96 growing seasons. Transparent and opaque chamber systems were used to measure NEE and dark respiration at replicate plots in which the vascular vegetation was either clipped or unclipped. CO$ sb2$ fixation and emission fluxes were estimated from NEE measurements and were compared within and among the peatland communities. Communities that supported shrubby, xerophytic vegetation fixed CO$ sb2$ at rates that ranged from, on average, 0.194 to 0.365 mg CO$ sb2$ m$ …  Lire la suite

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are one of astronomy’s greatest mysteries. These millisecond-duration radio pulses are powerful enough to be observed from distant galaxies. Althoughover a thousand FRBs have been discovered to date, their origin remains a hotly debatedtopic primarily due to the dearth of FRBs with known hosts. A promising method to narrowdown FRB origins is by identifying their hosts and/or multi-wavelength counterparts. Moreimportantly, with milliarcsecond localization precision, it is possible to study the FRBs’ lo-cal environment in the host, which is crucial to test if the FRB progenitors constitute an oldor young stellar population. However, due to the limited …  Lire la suite

Seiler, Gale (Internal/Cosupervisor2)  Lire la suite

Environmental civic engagement (ECE) has been recognized as a way to mitigate the effects of climate change. Environmental values (EVs), including those of socializers (e.g., parents, peers, etc), have been identified among the underlying factors for civic action. However, an indirect route of connection between EVs and engagement involving the potential role of emotions has recently been indicated. Additionally, a link between civic engagement and well-being has also been suggested. This study examined the relationship between emerging adults’ perception of teachers, parents, and peers' EVs and the ECE of emerging adults along with the role of emotional relatedness with nature …  Lire la suite

Menzies, Richard Ian (Internal/Supervisor)  Lire la suite

Rose, Richard (Internal/Supervisor)  Lire la suite

In this thesis we study the differential equation [...equation...] which includes the Riccati equation, Abel's equation, Bernoulli's equation, and the linear equation as special cases. [...]  Lire la suite

For this thesis, an all-welded plate girder, having a ratio of web depth to web thickness of 372, was used. Two panels of this girder had stiffener spacings to web depth of 1 to 1 and 1 to 2. The girder was subjected to loadings considerably in excess of theoretically calculated buckling loads for the two panels. Web stresses were measured at three sections of the girder and these were compared to theoretically calculated values. Bending stresses were measured at the extreme fibres of one section. The variations in stress along one pair of stiffeners was also recorded. [...]  Lire la suite

Malgré les succès récents des grands modèles de langage (LLM, de l'anglais Large Language Models) dans diverses tâches, leur efficacité pour la rédaction de documents techniques -- une tâche qui requiert de l'exactitude et de la spécificité en plus d'autres objectifs de style, tels que la cohérence et la concision -- demeure inexplorée. De plus, nous manquons une compréhension globale de l'expérience et des processus humains lorsqu'ils interagissent avec les LLM. Pour combler ces lacunes, nous avons exploré des opportunités d'utiliser les LLM pour la rédaction de tutoriels, d'un point de vue centré sur l'humain. Notre exploration inclut une étude …  Lire la suite

Metrakos, Peter (Supervisor1)  Lire la suite

Les méthodes de modélisation basées sur la structure tridimensionnelle des protéines sont d'une grande utilité dans le développement de médicaments. Cette thèse résume cinq projets de recherche proposant des avancées dans la méthodologie et les protocoles liés à la découverte et à l'optimisation de petites molécules actives. Le premier projet démontre que le paradigme voulant que la surface moléculaire exposée au solvant soit décrite par le contact d'une sonde sphérique de rayon constant de 1.4Å avec la protéine fait apparaître des poches et des cavités hydrophobes irréalistes sur la surface. Une méthode novatrice est présentée où le rayon de la …  Lire la suite

Contexte: Le diagnostic du trouble déficitaire de l'attention avec hyperactivité (TDAH) nécessite une synthèse de l'information obtenue à partir de diverses sources, y compris les parents et les enseignants. Ce projet vise à répondre à deux questions clés relatives à réponse thérapeutique (TR) observées avec méthylphénidate (MPH) et Placebo:1.Quel est le rôle de l'observateur et le milieu de l'observation (parent, enseignant, situation simulée en classe - RASS, l'indexe CPT neuropsychologique, personnel clinique)?2.Quel est le rôle du genre de l'enfant et de l'observateur (parent, enseignant)?Méthodes:L'étude Pharmaco-comportementale et génétique du TDAH est une étude en cours à l'Hôpital Douglas à Montréal. Après …  Lire la suite

This thesis uses music as a means of investigating both typical and atypical perception of emotion and attribution of social intent. The primary aim of this thesis is to investigate this perception and attribution in indviduals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and compare this with typical adults and children. Chapter 1 comprises a literature review of music and emotion, and of music cognition in individuals with ASD. The first manuscript (Chapter 2) describes the development of a new method for investigating perception of emotion from musical performance. Using this method, we found that typical adults can reliably rate the emotional …  Lire la suite

Archibald, Frederick S. (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

La stéatose non alcoolique (NAFLD) est souvent trouvée chez les patients atteintes de l'obésité, du diabète ou de la dyslipidémie. Actuellement, il n'y a aucune intervention thérapeutique pour traité ce désordre potentiellement sérieux. Le premier défi est de diminuer la graisse dans le foie et alors la progression vers le steatohepatitis et la fibrose, et le risque suivant de cirrhose. Cette thèse a pour but d'étudier et développer une modalité de traitement pour l'usage dans NAFLD. Spécifiquement, cette thèse vise à développer une formulation orale qui contient de cellules bactériennes probiotique micro-encapsulée. Ces bactéries possèdent une estérase de feruloyl active …  Lire la suite

In psychodynamic theory, defense interpretations are considered a fundamental component of effective psychodynamic therapy (Summers & Barber, 2010; Shedler, 2010; Weiner & Bornstein, 2009). Despite their significance, the research to date examining the interpretations of defenses in-session has been limited. Studies have been scarce or conducted with small samples and methodological limitations (e.g., Despland et al., 2001; Junod, et al., 2005; Petraglia, Janzen, Perry & Olson, 2009). This dissertation aimed to provide a clearer understanding of how psychotherapists interpret defenses in-session and the impact this process has on patient defensive functioning, therapeutic alliance and patient outcome. The manuscripts in this …  Lire la suite

Brugia malayi is one of the causative agents of the disabling and disfiguring disease known as Lymphatic Filariasis (LF). This infection is a well-established ailment in tropical and subtropical countries and recently the drug ivermectin has been introduced for the LF control programs. Ivermectin (IVM) is an excellent microfilaricide, but is not markedly macrofilaricidal. However, it causes a long-lasting reduction in the production of new larvae by female worms, suggesting that adult stages are affected. However, the mechanism by which IVM produces such effect in the adult worm is not well understood. One major reason is our incomplete understanding about …  Lire la suite

Cette thèse retrace l'engagement littéraire durant la pandémie de COVID-19 en analysant l'intérêt accru, autant chez les lecteurs que chez les universitaires, pour certaines œuvres d'Albert Camus (La Peste et L'Étranger) et de Franz Kafka (La Métamorphose, « Un Médecin de campagne » et « Le Terrier »). Je définis ici l'« engagement littéraire » comme double: les actes de lecture et d'écriture. En m'appuyant sur un éventail de matériaux divers – données de ventes, tribunes libres, essais critiques et textes socio-littéraires – j'explique comment la pandémie a agi comme un catalyseur, remodelant non seulement nos habitudes de consommation et …  Lire la suite

Firms in several discrete parts manufacturing industries, e.g., electronics equipment, computers, telecommunications equipment etc. operate in a multi-plant environment where products are processed successively at several plants. Prior studies have ignored the interaction between different plants in a multi-plant scenario. The objective of this dissertation is to study the impact of coordination on the cost performance of a two-plant firm. We propose a model that jointly determines production and inventory decisions so that the total cost of holding inventory and overtime, at the two plants is minimized. Our model captures the interaction between the two plants and is preferable to …  Lire la suite

Greenwood, Celia M T (Supervisor1)  Lire la suite

Couplers that can couple light vertically between stacked waveguides are finding importance in the push towards higher density and lower cost optoelectronics. A compact grating coupler (12.8mum) designed by a former student is implemented in this project. The device is patterned by reactive-ion-etch into silicon-on-insulator with a 250 nm thick device layer, ensuring single mode operation. Alignment marks are patterned into the backside so that aligned bonding can be carried out. A die bonding recipe is developed using an intermediate adhesive film of SU-8-2. A novel approach to creating optically smooth input facets is included in the final steps of …  Lire la suite

The neonatal handling paradigm has been used to examine hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activity under acute stress. Neonatally handled (H) animals exhibit decreased plasma levels of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and corticosterone (B) in response to some acute stressors relative to non-handled (NH) animals. However, relatively little is known about how animals that differ in HPA responsiveness to acute stress will respond to repeated exposure to the same stressor. We examined various aspects of HPA activity in adult, control H and NH animals (H CTL and NH CTL), and H and NH animals exposed to chronic, intermittent cold stress (4 h of 4$ sp …  Lire la suite

This research is an assessment of the machinability of a nickel-based alloy Inconel 718 using a finish turning operation with carbide coated and uncoated tools having fine and medium grain size substrates, and the same tool geometry (a round tool shape geometry with a 0° rake angle and 7° clearance angle). In addition, orthogonal machining tests were carried out to generate experimental data for future identification of the constitutive laws of Inconel 718 (its behavior under high stress, strains, strain rates, and temperatures). The finish turning of this alloy was evaluated in terms of tool life, tool wear mechanisms, cutting …  Lire la suite

Objective: Clinical scoring systems attempt to improve the diagnostic accuracy of pediatric appendicitis. The Pediatric Appendicitis Score (PAS) was the first score created specifically for children and showed excellent performance in the derivation study when administered by pediatric surgeons. Our objective was to validate the score in a non-referred population by medical physicians. Methods: A convenience sample of children, 4 -18 years old with suspected appendicitis, presenting to the Montreal Children's Hospital emergency department was prospectively evaluated. Score components were collected on standardized forms by emergency physicians who were blind to final diagnosis. Outcomes were ascertained by review of pathologic …  Lire la suite

Kaartinen, Mari Tuulia (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

This thesis describes the development of four synthetic routes towards the syntheses of N, N' ethylene-bridged dipeptides and their application towards the synthesis of such 2-oxopiperazine derivatives on solid support. The first route proceeds by the generation of an N-allyl substituted amino ester, its coupling to a second amino acid and subsequent oxidative cleavage of the carbon-carbon double bond to provide the cyclized product. The second route proceeds by the generation of 4-nitrobenzenesulfonamide dipeptides and their alkylation by 1,2-dibromoethane. The third route proceeds by a Mitsunobu reaction between sulfonamide dipeptides and bromoethanol followed by treatment with DBU to generate the …  Lire la suite

Dans cette thèse, je présente un aperçu de la communauté hindoue bangladaise de Montréal, au Québec, et surtout sa relation avec l'espace religieux communautaire. La thèse s'appuie sur le rôle du temple Sanatan Dharma de Montréal (MSDT), inauguré officiellement en 2014, en tant que point focal communautaire pour les Bangladeshis hindous de Montréal. J'avance que le fait que la communauté soit propriétaire de l'espace du temple est profondément lié à sa mission de préserver ce que ses dirigeants qualifient d'«authenticité culturelle», tout en permettant à cette communauté émergente de s'intégrer de manière novatrice au Canada. Je documente comment l'acquisition de …  Lire la suite

Increasing renewable energy development has rekindled interest in hydrokinetic or in-stream river potential for power production using zero-head turbines. This study estimates the hydrokinetic power potential for current-based systems in the rivers of the Canadian Arctic region, primarily Nunavut and adjoining regions, for the current 2001–2020 and near-future 2021–2040 periods, based on streamflow estimated using a routing scheme applied to runoff generated by ultra-high-resolution simulations of the Global Environmental Multiscale (GEM) model, for the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 high emission scenario. Comparison of simulated hydrographs with available observations from HYDAT for the current climate suggests good agreement with respect to …  Lire la suite

This thesis examines and addresses the global health concern of inequitable distribution of vaccines created by intellectual property laws through a bioethical lens. The existing legal framework of Intellectual Property Rights and their protection under the TRIPS agreement produce barriers to access to vaccines in a pandemic, especially in lower- and middle-income countries. For the first time, India and South Africa have proposed a temporary waiver of TRIPS obligations to address the inequities in the supply of vaccines in the Covid-19 pandemic. Some developed countries and proponents of intellectual property rights oppose the waiver claiming that intellectual property rights are …  Lire la suite

The existence of a water-insoluble precursor or pectin has been known since 1848 when Fremy reported the occurrence or a "pectose” (1). This material was insoluble in water and even in cold concentrated hydrochloric acid but was transformed by heating in dilute acid solutions into a water-soluble pectin similar in properties to the pectin which bad been discovered in plant juices. Pectin has now been isolated from many sources, although its chemistry is not yet completely known. In addition to the well-know use of pectin as food and tor various industrial purposes, pectin is now rapidly finding more use in …  Lire la suite

Cette thèse étudie l'applicabilité des techniques de fonctionnalisation de surface pour des particules de fer à l'échelle nanométrique à valence zéro (NZVI) afin d'améliorer la dégradation d'un contaminant toxique commun dans des eaux souterraines, le trichloréthylène (TCE). Bien que le NZVI a émergé comme un agent d'assainissement environnemental prometteur dans la dernière décennie et a le potentiel de transformer un certain nombre de polluants organiques chlorés en produits finis non toxiques, des facteurs tels que la perte d'électrons suite à des réactions avec l'eau, la formation de couches d'oxyde de passivation sur la surface des NZVI et l'agrégation des NZVI …  Lire la suite

Smeared crack analysis models, based on nonlinear fracture mechanics concepts, have been developed to investigate the fracture behaviour of concrete gravity dams. The proposed constitutive models have been implemented in a finite element analysis computer program for nonlinear static and seismic analyses of plain concrete structures. Extensive verifications of the computational models have been carried out by studying the nonlinear static response of notched concrete beams, a model concrete dam, and a full scale concrete gravity dam, all experimentally or numerically investigated in the past. Seismic fracture and energy response of Koyna Dam, a classic example of seismic induced cracking …  Lire la suite