McGill University Thèses et mémoires par auteur commençant par B

Spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is an important cereal crop in Quebec, where it is used as a crop for swine and poultry. Since barley is a better source of energy than protein, a protein supplement must be added to the feed. Consequently, the production of barley with high protein concentration in the grain (GPC) is desirable. Studies on intensive cereal management (ICM) practices in other countries have shown that high yields can be combined with a high GPC. From 1987 to 1990 three field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of ICM on the yields and GPC of …  Lire la suite

Drug-eluting coronary stents have been identified as a promising means of treating in-stent restenosis. Animal models used to investigate these devices can deliver results for restenosis rates, but cannot provide accurate dose delivery information which would be very useful for refining stent geometries and apposition techniques to optimize dose delivery. In this study, a two-dimensional numerical model is constructed to explore geometrical situations of interest following stent implantation. Metallic stents with a polymer coating and biodegradable solid polymeric stents represent two different vehicles for local delivery. A comparison between these stent types is carried out through the variation of geometric …  Lire la suite

Currently, one in six couples suffers from infertility, and half of the cases are caused by male infertility. Oxidative stress due to high reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and/or low levels of antioxidant enzymes promotes infertility by inducing lipid peroxidation, DNA damage, impaired sperm motility and capacitation, and disrupted mitochondrial activity. 4-hydroxynonenal (4HNE), a lipid peroxidation product, increases levels of superoxide anion and nitric oxide responsible for tyrosine nitration of proteins, thus impairing sperm motility and capacitation. Peroxiredoxin 6 (PRDX6) protects spermatozoa from oxidative stress through its peroxidase and Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 (iPLA2) activities that scavenge ROS and repair oxidized …  Lire la suite

Background: Current evidence suggests that certain subpopulations, such as ethnic or sexual minorities, bear a disproportional burden of population illicit drug use and related comorbidities. With drug use being a major risk factor for many chronic and acute diseases, addressing such an important health determinant could reduce health disparities prior to their clinical manifestation. This is especially relevant in the context of the stress and uncertainty associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, which, according to emerging research, may have led to increased drug use as a coping mechanism, potentially exacerbating sociodemographic disparities in drug use and associated comorbidities further. Given this …  Lire la suite

Climate change impacts will be mediated by gender. This thesis examines climate change and gender at both a global and local scale. Globally, as recognition of the role gender plays in one's climate change experience grows, so too does concern that engagement with concepts of gender has been tokenistic. In response, this thesis begins by examining to what extent climate change adaptation, vulnerability and resilience literature engages with concepts of gender, by developing an assessment framework. This systematic literature review finds that while high, medium, and low levels of engagement are relatively equal, there is great disparity in the literature …  Lire la suite

Ce projet de thèse explore les intersections entre l'évolution du Web 2.0, les courts métrages ibéro-américains en ligne et les pratiques de métadonnées de l'étiquetage national à l'ère numérique.En utilisant les cadres critiques des études sur le cinéma mondial, le transnationalisme et les études critiques sur les métadonnées, cette thèse explore comment les cadres de l'identité nationale sont transposés sur les courts métrages qui résident dans les bases de données institutionnelles qui favorisent la visibilité et la légitimité mondiales par le biais du financement, de l'accès, du visionnage et de la distribution. Trois courts métrages d'Amérique latine et d'Espagne servent …  Lire la suite

Les tissus adipeux bruns et beiges qui constituent la graisse thermogénique peuvent contribuer au processus métabolique intense appelé la thermogenèse sans frissons (NST), activé en réponse à une stimulation par le froid. L'activation de la NST des adipocytes a été envisagée comme une stratégie pour la lutte contre l'obésité et ses comorbidités. Cependant, les mécanismes régulant la NST dans la graisse thermogénique sont encore mal compris et nécessitent des éclaircissements supplémentaires. Le tissu adipeux brun classique (BAT) facilite la thermogenèse sans frissons, en s'appuyant exclusivement sur l'activité de la protéine de découplage 1 (UCP1). Ce dogme a été principalement étayé …  Lire la suite

Access to adequate financing for the development of Canada's aerospace industry, which is a significant contributor to the country's gross national product, is controlled by the financial community generally. In order for one to successfully transact with the community, their fears and expectations must be clearly understood and respected. This study begins in Chapter I with an examination of the types of financing available, and Chapter II discusses how these financings may be funded. Chapter III contains a detailed consideration of the types of security required to secure such obligations, while Chapter IV sets out the types of insurance required. …  Lire la suite

Les marécages tropicaux de zone inondable sont importants de diverses perspectives, incluant l'hydrologie, la biogéochimie et la conservation, tout en faisant face à des menaces imminentes aggravées par l'information insuffisante de ligne de base. Les avances récentes dans la télédétection et l'analyse d'image peuvent aborder ce problème. L'intégration des mosaïques de radar (L-HH) avec des ensembles de données topographiques (altitude, pente et cours d'eau) dans une analyse "object-oriented" a été examinée comme méthode de cartographie rapide pour les marécages dans la province d'Equateur, République Démocratique du Congo. Trois arrangements de classification à différents niveaux d'agrégation ont été produits pour examiner …  Lire la suite

The synthesis, characterization and an evaluation of the physical properties including infrared, UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence spectra, quantum yields and thermal stability of a variety of 2,5- and 2,6-diethynylypyridine based organic and Pt(II)-$ sigma$-acetylide monomers, oligomers and polymers, are reported. Quaternization of the pyridine-nitrogen in these compounds via solution nucleophilic substitution reactions with methyl iodide and methyl triflate yield stable pyridinium analogs. The introduction of positive charge into the backbone by this simple solution chemistry has a significant effect on the $ pi$-electron delocalization. For example, quaternization of the pyridine-nitrogen is accompanied by strong red-shifts in the UV-Vis absorption spectra. …  Lire la suite

The main purpose of this paper is to describe in detail a new vertebral perfusion method: 1) in which the spinal cord is maintained without its natural blood supply, on gaseous oxygen perfused through the heart; 2) that can serve as a pharmacological test object for the demonstration of the effects of drugs on spinal (excitatory and inhibitory) reflexes, and 3) in which the perfusate through the active spinal cord can be conveniently collected and reperfused to test for the possibility of active substance(s) therein.  Lire la suite

Le separateur Falcon est un nouvel appareil centrifuge qui a ere concu pourrecuperer de l'or fin « 53ILm). Cette etude visait a mieux comprendre sonfonctionnement.Un concentre de flottation de la mine Agnico-Eagle, Division LaRonde (75%de pyrite, 200 g/t d'or) a ere traite avec un separateur Falcon afin de produire unconcentre fusionable (200000 a 300000 g/t). Pour une masse traitee de 20 kg, lemeilleur rendement (recuperation d'or: 22 ± 3%; teneur du concentre: 900 g/t) a eteatteint aune densite de 20 a30 l/min, et un debit de 20 a 30 l/min al'alimentation.On a note qu'en augmentant la masse de 20 a80 …  Lire la suite

Les systèmes cyber-physiques (CPS) modernes intelligents et sûrs ont une interaction complexe avec leur environnement incertain et rarement connu à l'avance tout en fonctionnant de manière fiable. Ils dépendent fortement d'un traitement intelligent des données effectué sur une plate-forme informatique hétérogène et distribuée avec des dispositifs de calculs aux ressources informatiques limitées pour surveiller et contrôler le comportement autonome. En raison de ces caractéristiques, la vérification et les essais effectués lors de la conception traditionnelle des systèmes sûrs et critiques sont la plupart du temps irréalisables en pratique. Étant donné ces contraintes, des approches de vérification d'exécution sont utilisées pour …  Lire la suite

Organic and medicinal chemistry research contribute extensively to the discovery, optimization, and ton-scale production of numerous small molecules, such as novel drugs that treat life-threatening diseases. This research can be put in the context of the COVID-19 global pandemic, which has claimed many lives, shut down the entire planet, and made humanity reliant on chemistry (amongst which organic and medicinal chemistry play a key role) and biochemistry research to come up with innovative solutions in a short amount of time. A major hurdle in organic and medicinal chemistry research is the production of these complex life-saving small molecules and the …  Lire la suite

This dissertation investigates human dimensions that affect and are affected by biodiversity conservation efforts in the Galapagos Archipelago by linking aspects of biodiversity conservation, marine conservation and management, public participation, tourism, and sustainable livelihoods. The research explores two overarching areas of concern: livelihood dynamics in response to changing conditions, and the decision-making processes used in marine conservation management and in local governance—particularly as perceived by local stakeholders. Specifically, this dissertation investigates: 1) livelihood changes in two resource-based sectors that have followed the imposition of stricter conservation regulations and the growth of tourism; 2) stakeholder engagement in environmental decision-making processes for …  Lire la suite

Changes in the physical properties of the atmosphere are caused by geographic influences and dynamic effects. The nature of the surface of the earth over which the air passes is usually the main factor in modifying the air in the lower levels of the troposphere. The ocean area of Hudson Bay in northeastern Canada presents an extensive surface for modification of air. Continental polar air crossing Hudson Bay and continuing into eastern Canada is modified not only by the underlying surface but also by the dynamic effects occurring in the atmosphere during its trajectory over these regions. The amount of …  Lire la suite

The work reported in this thesis was part of the general wartime plan to investigate unexploited sources of vegetable oil in Canada. In spite of a potential supply of 2000 tons annually, according to an estimate for Canada in 1943, very little effort has been devoted to Canadian tall oil. This oil is a by-product of sulfate pulp mills and of the seven such mills in Canada only one or two are making an attempt to market tall oil. Its use is discouraged by its complex nature and in the unrefined grades the color and odour are additional handicaps. [...] …  Lire la suite

This study was designed to determine the potential biological effects of electric and magnetic fields (EMF), generated by 735 kV alternating current (AC) high tension lines upon the hormonal profile, some health-related parameters, stress response and productivity in dairy cattle. An EMF exposure chamber to house eight animals at one time was constructed. Forty-nine cows were divided according to their production stage; 8 pregnant non-lactating cows, 16 pregnant lactating cows, 16 non-pregnant lactating cows and 9 non-lactating non-pregnant heifers. They were exposed to an EMF of 10 kilovolts per meter (kV/m) and 30 micro-Tesla $( mu T)$ in two different …  Lire la suite

Les prostaglandines (PG) sont considérées comme les médiatrices finales des évènements qui mènent à la mise basse. Quinze truies ont été divisées au hasard en 3 groupes de 5 chacun selon le stage gestationel (GA; j 109, j 114 et pendant le travail). Du sang de l'artère ombilicale (FA), de la veine ombilicale (FV), de l'artère utérine (MA) et de la veine utérine (MV), et du liquide amniotique (AMF), de l'urine fétale (U), l'amnios (AM), l'allantochorion (ALC) et l'amniochorion (AMC) ont été prélevées sur deux fetus par truie pour chaque GA. Les concentrations des prostaglandines dans le plasma sanguin (PL), …  Lire la suite

Le virus du papillome humain (VPH) est l'infection transmissible sexuellement (ITS) la plus répandue. Une grande majorité des infections à VPH se résorbent spontanément. Cependant, la petite proportion d’infections à VPH persistantes peut avoir des coûts substantiels de traitement et de morbidité comme conséquence. Des génotypes de VPH à haut risque oncologique (HR-HPV), y compris HPV-16 et 18, sont identifiés sans équivoque comme facteur causal principal pour le cancer cervical, et peuvent également causer d'autres cancers anogénitaux, de la tête et du cou. Les infections avec des génotypes de VPH à bas risque oncologique (LR-HPV), comme HPV-6 et -11, sont …  Lire la suite

Ce travail consiste en une incursion dans le futur monde des automobiles volantes. Il traite de l'impact qu'auront ces futures voitures volantes, plus communément appelés Voitures Personnelles Terre-Air, sur le droit moderne de l'aviation. Ce travail abordera dans un premier temps la théorie générale sur l'impact qu'ont les développements technologiques sur les systèmes juridiques. Une attention particulière sera accordée aux principes d'analogie et d'innovation juridiques en tant qu'approches aux inventions nouvelles. Ensuite nous procéderons à une étude des influences probables qu'auront les Voitures Personnelles Terre-Air sur le droit moderne. Une approche comparative pluri-juridique des régimes d'aviation ultralégère sera au cœur …  Lire la suite

In the nineteenth century, no one denied the value of education as a means: “to develop the mind, to give discipline and to impart the power to think," but for many years the education given to girls was somewhat lacking in these very particulars. It was then considered the duty of every young girl to marry. A working-class girl through economic necessity had her living to earn, and therefore, followed a trade, or entered a factory until she married. A middle-class girl had, however, no “work" as such to do, and spent her early years learning to appear in the …  Lire la suite

Thaler, Lea (Supervisor2)  Lire la suite

This study analyzes the history of radical Islamist ideology through a critical reading of the movement’s evolving discourse and its attempts to position itself as the orthodox interpretation within the broader Islamic discursive tradition. This study argues that the intellectual genealogy of radical Islamism begins with an activist reading of the Islamic tradition by the Egyptian ideologue Sayyid Qutb (1906-1966) and the popularization of his dichotomous theory of politics within the Islamist movement. Yet, as a result of Qutb’s doctrinal ambiguity and his disregard for Islamic scholarship, his intellectual legacy has allowed various interpretations to develop with some that have …  Lire la suite

Stubley, Eleanor (Advisor)  Lire la suite

The thesis submitted undertakes an analysis of legal discourse in Quebec filiation Law. In particular, the author seeks to understand why this field---in marked contrast to other sectors of the civil law---continues to be influenced by natural law theories. The principle focus of the study is the period from 1980 to the present. The discourse analysis approach helps to shed light on the considerable number of reforms which took place in a relatively short period of time and gives context to contemporary interrogations of the foundations of the Law of filiation. Given that many scholars are now questioning the incoherence …  Lire la suite

Consumers today are offered a diversified meat section at their local retail outlets. As the number of meat sources grows, consumers favour meat of higher quality. Competition is coming not only from other meat products but also from meats being imported internationally. There are growing concerns that pork quality is in fact struggling. After decades of research, issues such as pale soft exudative (PSE) pork and dark firm dry (DFD) pork remain prevalent. If such products reach the consumer, the industry risks the consumer no longer choosing pork in the future. To prevent economic losses to the industry, these products …  Lire la suite

This thesis explores limitations of heuristic search planning, and presents techniques to overcome those limitations. The two halves of the thesis discuss problems in standard propositional planning (STRIPS) and in planning with numeric state variables respectively. In the context of STRIPS, the primary focus is on the widely used relaxed plan heuristic (h+). A variety of cases are shown in which h+ provides systematically bad estimates of goal distance. To address this breakdown, a planning system called RRT-Plan is presented. This system is inspired by the concept of Rapidly-exploring Random Trees, which was originally developed for use in mobile robot …  Lire la suite

Controversy exists among clinicians and caregivers as to whether reduced fluid intake contributes to the suffering of those dying of advanced cancer. This study explored the distribution of proposed "dehydration state" symptoms among inpatient palliative care cancer patients. Fifty-two subjects responded to a seven item self-report questionnaire using visual analogue scales. Associations were determined between the symptom self-reports and the possible predictor variables fluid intake, serum sodium, urea and osmolality. Confounding variables considered were age, oral disease and mouth care regime. Mean symptom ratings (range 0-100 mm) were: thirst 53.8, dry mouth 60.0, bad taste 46.6, nausea 24.0, pleasure to …  Lire la suite

The wandering river pattern represents one of the last remaining river patterns that are not well understood. Many aspects of these rivers are not well known, particularly the processes of their creation and maintenance. The term wandering describes gravel or cobble bedded rivers, transitional between braided and meandering, with multiple channel sections around semi-permanent islands connected by single channel sections. This dissertation investigates the controls on the characteristics of wandering rivers within the Miramichi region of New Brunswick through time and at three nested spatial scales. At the scale of rivers, three factors appear to be needed for wandering to …  Lire la suite

One of the most important issues that arise under the statutory oppression remedy is the manner in which a court will use its wide powers to order relief once oppression has been found. Guidelines according to which courts will exercise their discretion become even more desirable where a remedy may impact on the governance structures of the corporation. There is an extensive body of case law under the oppression remedy, most of which tends to relegate the exercise of the remedy to the facts of a case. However, from a study of the case law, two principles appear with varying …  Lire la suite

Gleason, James L. (Internal/Supervisor)  Lire la suite

The Cloud of Unknowing is in a very real sense a treatise on epistemology, and on the practical aspect of the communication which we call rhetoric. The Cloud draws upon the Platonic rhetorical tradition, which asserts that grasp of abstract truth gives value to human understanding and communication. Reality is above all transcendent, as mirrored in the kataphatic mystical tradition to which the Cloud belongs. The problem is that, if this "vertical" mode of knowing be set against the "horizontal" mode of knowing which in literary theory is generally labelled "metaphor", the existence of metaphoric approaches to reality in the …  Lire la suite

Quite apart from World War II, the years following 1934 may well be the most important in the history of the British West Indies in general, and of Jamaica in particular A series of labour disturbances over the British Caribbean area led to the West India Royal Commission of 1938-39, and this Commission made an exhaustive examination of the whole range of conditions, social and economic, prevailing in the (1) British colonies. Subsequently, under provision of the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, 1940, His Majestyfs Government appointed a Comptroller to work out, in collaboration with the local governments, long term …  Lire la suite

Time has not been kind to Great Britain's intervention in the Spanish civil war of 1834 to 1840. An examination of histories, biographies and memoirs published since about 1840 yields surprisingly little in the way of information or comment. Although there are a few important works which deal with this problem, they do so incompletely. [...]  Lire la suite

During the months of July, August and early September of 1950 and 1951, a survey was conducted in southern Saskatchewan to determine the presence or absence of sylvatic plague (Pasteurella pestis (Lehmann and Neumann)) in native rodents, with special reference to Richardson’s ground squirrel (Oitellus richardsonii richardsonii (Sabine)) and its flea ectoparasites. The investigation was carried out in conjunction with field work done in May and June of the same years in a search for Rocky Mountain spotted fever (Dermacentroxenus rickettsi (Walbach)) and tularaeoeia (Pasteurella tularensis (McCoy and Chapin)), in the two species of ticks, Dermacentor variabilis (Say) and Dermacentor …  Lire la suite

Mutations in the Caenorhabditis elegans maternal-effect gene clk-1 result in a highly pleiotropic phenotype, characterized by a general slow down in embryonic and larval development, as well as a slowing down of adult behaviors including defecation, pharyngeal pumping and swimming. First generation homozygous clk-1 mutants descended from a heterozygous mother are fully rescued for these mutant phenotypes. It has been shown that CLK-1 protein is a hydroxylase that acts in the conversion of demethoxyubiquinone (DMQ) to 5-hydroxyubiquinone, in the ubiquinone (Q) biosynthesis pathway. Consequently, clk-1 mutants accumulate the Q9 precursor, DMQ9 (the subscript refers to the length of the isoprenoid …  Lire la suite

In her three major works, Ryder (1928), The Antiphon (1958), and Nightwood (1936), Djuna Barnes explores incest as a mode of being and relating. She focuses on the relationships among the Ryders of Ryder, the Hobbses of The Antiphon, and between Nora Flood and Robin Vote of Nightwood as her three primary instantiations of the incestuous family apparatus. Taken together, Barnes's works present a scale of viability for the incestuous relationship. Through engagement with Barnes's work and her implicit theory of incest, this project seeks to investigate and challenge normative categories of viable relationships that currently do not (nor did …  Lire la suite

Ma thèse examine l'interaction entre l'écriture, l'alphabétisation et l'autorité qui a caractérisé la Révolte des Paysans en Angleterre en 1381. Je soutiens que la présence croissante de l'écriture dans le système juridique de l'Angleterre au Moyen Âge a contribué aux sentiments d'anxiété et d'aliénation parmi certaines classes de la société anglaise, inspirant finalement ces communautés à s'engager dans une rébellion ouverte contre la classe bureaucratique croissante et son usage excluant de l'écriture et des documents. J'analyse un certain nombre de cas enregistrés de rebelles interagissant avec des manuscrits, des chartes et des archives afin de démontrer comment ils ont tenté …  Lire la suite

Nitrate leaching was studied on a 2.4-ha subsurface-drained corn (Zea mays L.) field in southwestern Quebec. The soil was a sandy loam to loamy sand (mean depth 46 cm) overlying clay. Treatments, begun in fall 1991, consisted of no-till, reduced tillage, and conventional tillage with crop residues either removed or retained at harvest. Drain flow volume and NO$ sb3 sp-$-N concentrations in flow were monitored year-round, and soil NO$ sb3 sp-$-N levels measured in spring and fall. A total of 34 kg NO$ sb3 sp-$-N ha$ sp{-1}$ was recorded in drain flow in 1992 from the site as a whole, …  Lire la suite

Decomposition and N dynamics of grain-corn residues were investigated in a field study in southwestern Quebec, with particular reference to the roles of different plant parts (stems, leaves etc.) in determining overall residue mass loss and N content. A litterbag study was conducted, with surface and buried placements in plots under three tillage systems (no-till, reduced tillage, and conventional tillage, established five years before litterbag placement). Residue mass loss and N content were monitored over a two-year period. Separate data were obtained for leaves, stems, husks, and cobs. Net values for all residues combined were calculated taking into account initial …  Lire la suite

Vitamin A has been studied intensely in its application to the fields of animal and poultry nutrition. Over forty years of investigation have provided extensive data on the chemistry, analysis, deficiency symptoms and nutritional requirements of vitamin A. However, there is still a scarcity of information concerning its mode of action in the body, particularly regarding carotenoid conversion to vitamin A and its absorption, transport, storage and association with disease. As recently as twenty years ago, fish liver oils and alfalfa meals were the major sources for vitamin A supplementation. These natural concentrated sources varied in potency and activity from …  Lire la suite

The nutrient allowances presently recommended for growing chicks have been established using dietary protein levels of eighteen percent and a growth period of zero to eight weeks. This tends to mask the higher growth rate and possibly higher nutrient requirements of the initial four week period. Current research indicates that growth rate and efficiency of feed utilization can be improved by increasing the protein content and otherwise providing better nutritional balance of the ration. This raises the question of the adequacy of presently recommended vitamin allowances under the conditions of higher growth rate and feed efficiency now possible. The influence …  Lire la suite