McGill University Thèses et mémoires par auteur commençant par N

Throughout history, objects of art have been damaged and sometimes destroyed in earthquakes. Even though the importance of providing seismically adequate design for nonstructural components has received attention over the past decade, art objects in museums, either on display or in storage, require further research. The research reported in this study was undertaken to investigate the seismic vulnerability of art objects. Data for this research was gathered from three museums in Montreal. The seismic behaviour of three unrestrained display cases, storage shelves, and a 6m long dinosaur skeleton model structure was investigated according to the seismic hazard for Montreal and …  Lire la suite

In 1891, 7 years before Camillo Golgi discovered his famous apparatus, Ramon y Cajal experienced one of his "most deplorable disappointments". While manipulating heavy metal impregnation techniques, he happened to immerse pieces of rat cerebrum in a potassium bichromate-gold chloride solution, and saw a selective reduction of gold salt in an intracellular apparatus, then unknown. [...]  Lire la suite

Traditionally, public international law and private international law were perceived as two different categories of law; the former governing the international relations between states and the latter those between private individuals. Their relation is based upon an evolutionary development from private to public, and from municipal to international, law. In the modern world, this evolution has culminated in a dynamism reflected in numerous interactions between a wide range of different actors. As a result, the former boundaries between the public and private law, as well as the international and municipal law dichotomy, have become blurred. In an emerging global society, …  Lire la suite

Les processus d'apprentissage et de mémoire requièrent un contrôle précis de la traduction des ARNm présents dans les neurones. Ce contrôle peut être exercé au niveau de la machinerie traductionnelle et des facteurs en amont de celle-ci, mais aussi au niveau des ARNm, en reconnaissant et en traduisant les molécules messagères de façon sélective. Dans cet ouvrage nous étudions deux mécanismes de régulation traductionnelle dans les cellules nerveuses. En premier lieu, nous explorons les rôles des hélicases eIF4A1 et DHX29 dans la régulation de la traduction des ARNm localisés aux synapses. Nous confirmons que la traduction des ARNm contenant une …  Lire la suite

Two studies were conducted to determine the effects of feeding extruded flaxseed with different sources of grain (corn, barley) or different forage: concentrate ratios (60:40 vs. 40:60) on the performance of dairy cows and milk fatty acid profile. The first study showed that DM, CP and NDF intakes were greater for flaxseed-supplemented diets than for no flaxseed diets. Intake of NDF was greater for barley diets than corn diets. Cows fed a flaxseed supplement had greater 4% fat corrected milk and solid corrected milk those fed diets without supplement. Feeding diets supplemented with flaxseed increased the concentrations polyunsaturated fatty acids. …  Lire la suite

Original contribution. A discussion of Carlo Lodoli's bi-fold understanding of indole (inherent nature); with respect to both meaning in architecture and the education of architects. Carlo Lodoli (1690--1761) exists as a footnote in most major history books of modern architecture. He is typically noted for either his influence on the Venetian Neoclassical tradition or as an early prophet to some sort of functionalism. Though I would not argue his influence, I doubt his role in the development of a structurally determined functionalism. The issue of influence is always present as very little of his writings have survived and his built …  Lire la suite

Carlo Lodoli (1690--1761), architect, storyteller, and generally caustic individual, was a friar at San Francesco della Vigna in Venice, where he offered non-professional lessons in architecture. In his garden, he had collected a series of architectural fragments for use in his dialogues with students. He would use the fragments as examples of good and bad architecture to allow for his peripatetic teachings. These lessons, described by his faithful student Andrea Memmo as talking in images were sweeping, often ethical. As the Socratic Lodoli did not commit to text any formal treatise, we must look to his student's interpretations and various …  Lire la suite

This study uses analysis, comparison, analogy, and inductive reasoning, to defend the thesis that a theological interpretation of the musical imagination can be arrived at through a correlation of myth and musical form. The first part of the study develops the approach to musical symbolism called presentational idealism, from Plato and Aristotle, through Kant, to Susanne Langer. This approach is then developed alongside evidence from various sources for a relationship between myth and music, to reach the conclusion that a mythical analysis of music is productive and practical. The second part of the study uses selected compositions of Stravinsky to …  Lire la suite

Barkun, Jeffrey S T (Internal/Cosupervisor2)  Lire la suite

The teaching of spelling is an important task because spelling is more than a school subject -- it is one of the most essential media of written communication. If students are to write successfully in school or in later life, they must learn to spell correctly the necessary words of their language. It is through the mastery of spelling skills and principles encountered in childhood that children learn to spell for adulthood. Thus the schools are faced with the problem of having a satisfactory spelling programme to meet the needs of the students in school and in later life.  Lire la suite

RHex is a cockroach-inspired hexapod robot capable of walking, running, and climbing. This thesis presents the development of a novel, three dimensional, bipedal running gait for RHex using only two actuated degrees of freedom (DOF), one per compliant leg. To the author's knowledge, there are no previous, two DOF bipeds capable of running. In this thesis it is experimentally demonstrated that only body pitch and leg angle sensing are required. The controller includes three levels of proportional derivative controls for balancing, forward speed and leg tracking, as well a leg trajectory generator and a means of forward speed estimation. With …  Lire la suite

The thesis first examines, briefly, work previously done by othersin producing electrical waves of preassigned shape. Then afterdiscussing the relation between square waves and those of differentsimple forms, the distinction between individual pulses and trainsof pulses is pointed out. The transient and steady state responsesof linear passive networks are next considered, and the connectionbetween input and response analyzed. Finding such a network toproduce the desired wave shape from a given input is reduced to twogeneral methods.The first method is a deductive one, reducing the required networkcharacteristics to design parameters, for a graphical synthesisprocedure. This is described in a general way …  Lire la suite

We study holomorphic bundles over P1 x U with structure group G, where G is a complex reductive Lie group, P1 denotes the Riemann sphere, and U is an open set in C m. We show that such a bundle may be given locally by a (non-unique) normal form transition function which takes values in a Borel subgroup of G. In the case in which G = GL( n, C), we use the normal form transition function to construct matrices S(x) whose kernels may be identified with the spaces of global holomorphic sections of various associated vector bundles. We use …  Lire la suite

We study relationships between completely integrable Hamiltonian flows $L sb{t}( lambda$) of matricial polynomials on finite dimensional coadjoint orbits in the dual of a loop algebra and differential operators arising from points in an infinite dimensional Grassmannian Gr. Adams, Harnad, Hurtubise, and Previato have described how moment maps lead one to consider these flows, and how the systems can be integrated by constructing a linear flow $E sb{t}$ of line bundles over a curve $ tilde S$. Segal and Wilson have explained how a differential operator L and an eigenfunction called the Baker function $ psi sb{W}$ can be associated …  Lire la suite

Pamidi, Sushmita (Supervisor1)  Lire la suite

This thesis examines Derek Parfit's theory of personal identity. Parfit argues that what matters in the continued existence of persons through time is psychological connectedness and continuity (relation R), and that the identity relation does not matter. He makes this claim through a series of arguments which, he says, inevitably lead to the conclusions that relation R is the only relation that matters, in all cases. I argue that Parfit does not convincingly demonstrate that relation R is in fact all that matters. In examining each of Parfit's arguments, I show that it is possible to draw conclusions that are …  Lire la suite

Military jet over-flight activities pose a potential threat to staging waterfowl and pilots. The migration period is important for nutrient acquisition and courtship as these waterfowl enter the breeding season. Using a focal animal (continuous) technique for five-minute intervals, diurnal Time/Activity (TA) budgets for Canada Geese (Branta canadensis canadensis) (n=751), American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) (n=474) and Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) (n=1274) were compiled during 216 hours of behavioural observation. The study was conducted from 26 April to 27 May, 2002 at the outlet of Lac Fourmont, Labrador (52° 03' 30"N, 60° 31' 01" W), in an ashkui or area …  Lire la suite

Chiasma studies in Trillium were made, (a) so that more might be learned of the nature and behavior of chiasmata, and possibly of their origin, and (b) because it seemed probable that at least most chiasmata represented genetic cross-overs, and it was hoped that such a study would yield evidence on crossing-over which either could not be obtained from genetic studies or which might be of interest when compared with the results of such studies. [...]  Lire la suite

Ruths, Derek (Supervisor1)  Lire la suite

La lombalgie est un trouble musculo-squelettique courant dont le pathomécanisme reste inconnu. Actuellement, il existe peu de biomarqueurs permettant de diagnostiquer et de suivre l'évolution de la lombalgie. Des recherches antérieures portant sur les tissus mous de l'appareil locomoteur affectés par la lombalgie ont mis en évidence de nombreuses modifications des propriétés mécaniques des tissus mous. De tels changements au sein du système musculo-squelettique peuvent indiquer un biais de répartition des contraintes et, par conséquent, une protection physiologique contre les contraintes. La présente recherche étudie les changements dans les propriétés mécaniques des tissus mous affectés par la lombalgie afin d'explorer …  Lire la suite

Cette thèse présente des données qui montrent que les phases (Chomsky 1995) provoquent des cycles d'interprétation morphologique et phonologique internes au mot. Les phases proposées dans la littérature syntaxique ont des effets internes aux mots, représentant ainsi une théorie morpho-phonologique (c.à.d. une morphologie distribuée (Halle & Marantz 1994)). On propose que les syntagmes existent aux niveaux syntaxiques nP, aP, vP, DP, et CP. Il est démontré que ces syntagmes se comportent différemment selon le domaine envoyé à PF au cours de la fusion du syntagme de tête. On montre que DP, CP, et vP sont des syntagmes compléments spellout d'après …  Lire la suite

Over the past few years, the amount of electronic information available from the Internet has increased dramatically. Unfortunately, the search tools currently available for retrieving and filtering such information remain inadequate in balancing relevance and comprehensiveness. This work proposes a new Internet search paradigm. Simple user models are first combined with search specifications (the "user needs"), to form an Enhanced User Need (EUN). Uniform Resource Agents are then constructed to filter information, based on the EUN parameters. Finally, a knowledge-based system is developed to suggest those agents that are best for a researcher with a given background and search requirements. …  Lire la suite

Cette thèse est le premier examen systématique des sources textuelles et matérielles concernant la maladie et la faim en Europe carolingienne et ottonienne, entre le milieu du VIIIe et le milieu du Xe siècle. Elle s'appuie sur des sources textuelles, comprenant des annales, capitulaires, chroniques, actes de conciles, la littérature épistolaire, les oeuvres historiques, les gesta, la poésie, les polyptyques, biographies laïques et vies de saints, ainsi que de nombreux rapports archéologiques, paléobotaniques, paléoclimatiques, paléomicrobiologiques et paléopathologiques récents afin d'expliquer les épidémies, épizooties et pénuries alimentaires, de même que le problème fondamental de la faim, qu'elle soit la conséquence de …  Lire la suite

Samples of bornite and chalcopyrite between the compositions Cu5FeS4 (Bo) and CuFeS (subscript 1.76) were heated in sealed1 evacuated1 silica glass capsules, then chilled in water and studied under a reflecting microseope. The solvus curves delimiting the two phase region,join Bo80 at 500 °C to Bo65 at 800 °C and Bo (subscript 10) at 500 °C to Bo(subscript 25) at 800 °C. Lines extending from Bo (subscript)35 at 800 °C through Bo(subscript)28 and & 45 at 500 °C bound a field of double exsolution. Chalcopyrite exsol ves in borni te as lamellae up to 0.004 mm wide, boundary segregations and …  Lire la suite

Smoking and low fruit and vegetable intake (LFVI) are correlated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer, two leading causes of death in Canada and the U.S. The prevalence of smoking in Canadian and U.S. female adolescents has risen in the past ten years. Recent surveillance data also show that Canadian and U.S. female adolescents consume levels of fruit and vegetables far below national recommendations. The correlates of current smoking and LFVI among adolescent girls were investigated in a secondary data analysis of a multi-stage, stratified, cluster sample school survey of 13 and 16 year-old girls in Quebec, called the Quebec …  Lire la suite

Since Liljestrand's classic work on the O2 cost of ventilation (10) there has been ample confirmation of his finding that voluntary hyperventilation requires more oxygen per litre ventilated than if hyperventilation is CO2 driven at the same frequency and tidal volume (1,6,7,10,13,17,18). Figure 1 illustrates this point graphical1y and shows two families of curves. One (solid lines), representing the oxygen cost of carbon dioxide driven hyperventilation while the other (dotted lines) represents the considerably greater oxygen cost of voluntary hyperventilation at any chosen minute ventilation. Liljestrand's explanation that the greater O2 cost of voluntary hyperventilation was due to the less …  Lire la suite

The purpose of this study was to identify and explain youth ice hockey coaches' perceptions of the effectiveness of a team building intervention program. Specifically, eight Peewee hockey coaches followed the same procedures and implemented the same physical team building activities with their teams throughout the regular season. Data was gathered in a variety of ways. Coaches' answered questions on a pre and post-intervention form for each activity and their behaviors were observed by members of the research team. As well, a semi-structured exit interview was conducted with each coach following the completion of the regular season. Cote, Salmela, and …  Lire la suite

Cette étude examine les arguments de Paul Ricœur concernant les universaux moraux dans Soi-même comme un autre et met son travail en conversation avec Les sources du moi de Charles Taylor. Dans ma discussion de ces deux textes, je me concentre sur deux concepts centraux qui façonnent l'approche de Ricœur et de Taylor par rapport à la question des universels en morale: (1) la notion de Ricœur d' « universels inchoatifs » qu'il développe à travers sa médiation entre la déontologie kantienne et la téléologie aristotélicienne discutée dans les septième, huitième et neuvième études de Soi-même comme un autre et …  Lire la suite

Fraser, Shannon (Supervisor2)  Lire la suite

Population aging in Canada is expected to result in a sharp increase in the use of health services by the aged. The purpose of this thesis, is to enhance the knowledge of the utilization of the health system by the elderly. For this, an analysis of the utilization of three health services was pursued, using data from two health surveys, and two general social surveys in a statistical examination; to describe age-use; identify the major determinants of utilization; and to discover the sources of change in use. The results show that the aged were the highest users of health services …  Lire la suite

Il y a eu un consensus croissant entre les érudits de la Bible Hébraïque que la royauté Judaïte Antique était une institution dynamique. L’idéologie qui a légitimé la monarchie s'est adaptée aux circonstances politiques changeantes et a pris des formes distinctes dans la période préexilienne. Cette thèse analyse le texte biblique et la littérature universitaire pertinente pour décrire et résumer deux idéologies royales distinctes de l'Ancien Juda: L’ Idéologie Royale de Sion, et L’ Idéologie Royale Deutéronomiste. La pertinence des débats archéologiques sur la véracité de la Monarchie Unifiée pour l'existence et le rôle de ces idéologies royales sera aussi …  Lire la suite

Ce mémoire analyse l'échec du gouvernement américain pour résoudre de façon significative la crise de Darfour, à Soudan. Notamment, il constate que la réponse américaine est extrêmement disproportionnée par rapport à l'engagement rhétorique quant à l'intervention humanitaire. Faisant usage des arguments constructivistes, ce mémoire suggère que cet engagement reflète une norme émergente de l'intervention humanitaire. En revanche, étant donné les limitations du constructivisme, la seule présence de cette norme ne peut pas prédire son impact sur la création des politiques. C'est pourquoi ce mémoire considère les mécanismes de causalité exigés par le réalisme et le libéralisme. Du point de vue …  Lire la suite

Paste backfill has recently emerged in the Canadian mining industry as a potential solution to some of the problems regarding the waste disposal of mine tailings. Surface disposal is costly and its potential harm to the environment is incalculable. Besides waste disposal paste backfill also produces a stronger fill resulting in less dilution, less cement consumption and less clean up costs. These savings can only be realized with an accurate implementation of the new technology. Presented is an overview of the current state of this emerging technology and the available equipment required for the preparation and transportation of paste backfill. …  Lire la suite

James Denney was born at Paisely, Scotland on February 5th, 1856. We know very little of his childhood except for the fact that he attended the Highlanders' Academy at Greenock for his early education.  Lire la suite

Cette etude exploratoire a examine le developpement de l'ecriture des eleves identifies avec divers niveaux de deux characteristiques diagnostiques de ADIID: la difficulte de l'attention et l'hyperactivite/impulsivite. Vingt-six fichiers contenant de l'information sur le fonctionnement scolaire des eleves et deux recits, produits au debut et a la fin de la premiere annee scolaire, ont ete etudies. Ces recits ont ete ecrits en repondant a des questions sp6cifiques. Huit de ces fichiers contenaient egalement un recit produit a la fin de la deuxieme annee scolaire. De plus, chaque fichier contenait une evaluation de comportement complete par l'instituteur sur les niveaux de …  Lire la suite

This exploratory study examined the development of writing in students identified with varying levels of the two ADHD diagnostic characteristics of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. Twenty-six academic screening files containing two prompted stories written at the beginning and end of grade 1, were studied. Eight of the files also contained a prompted story from the end of grade 2. In addition, each file contained a teacher completed behaviour rating scale assessing the student's levels of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. The development of writing was examined through the use of four methodologies, a developmental writing content progression, a semantic analysis, a cohesion analysis, …  Lire la suite

The effectiveness of the Touch Math method of instruction was examined in count-all addition procedures with Down Syndrome children. Four children with Down Syndrome were selected for a multiple probe design study. The participants, two male and two female, are students at a school for intellectually handicapped children and adolescents. They were ascertained to have the minimum required skills in rote counting, one-to-one correspondence, and recognition and identification of numbers. In a multiple pretest procedure with 15 simple addition problems, they demonstrated ineffective addition strategies such as guessing and averaged less than 35% correct. The Touch Math program was then …  Lire la suite

An efficient judicial system is a key driver of economic growth, by enforcing contracts and securing property rights. Many judiciaries face problems with delays caused by excessive adjournments which can be costly for citizens involved in litigation. In 2016, the Kenyan judiciary launched an innovative pilot in 11 courts called Active Case Management (ACM), whereby judges must take active control of their cases by organizing pre-trial conferences and setting up deadlines with the overall objective of reducing adjournments. While 18 percent of all hearings ended with an adjournment before the pilot, this figure essentially dropped to zero after the pilot. …  Lire la suite

Cet article examine la défense de l'équité menstruelle au niveau local au Canada et les mobilisations en faveur de la gestion de l'hygiène menstruelle dans les secteurs du développement international et de l'aide humanitaire en utilisant l'écoféminisme comme cadre théorique. Elle compare les approches des défenseurs canadiens avec les récits des agences de l'ONU, telles que l'UNICEF, ONU Femmes, le FNUAP, l'OMS et le HCDH, en se concentrant sur le cadrage et le discours. La recherche examine comment les défenseurs de l'équité menstruelle conceptualisent leur travail par rapport aux idéaux écoféministes et explore les similitudes et les différences de cadrage …  Lire la suite

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a high intensity strengthening program on both muscle function and mobility in an elderly, institutionalized population. Thirty male subjects were randomly assigned to a training group three times per week or to a control "attention" group. Dynamic and isometric strength of the quadriceps, shoulder extensors and elbow flexors were measured by the one repetition maximum (1RM) and a hand-held dynamometer (Nicholas Manual Muscle Tester), respectively. Mobility skills were evaluated with the timed "Up & Go" (TUG) test and by an average walking speed over 30 m. Following the 12 …  Lire la suite

Walter, H. (Supervisors)  Lire la suite

Thulium, in the form of Tm203, has been made radioactive by neutron irradiation In a pile. The radiations have been investigated by a magnetic beta-spectrometer and by absorption methods. A conversion line is found at an energy of 0.0682 +/- .0011 Mev. and indicates a gamma ray of 0.129 +/- .003 Mev. The beta spectrum is found to be complex as the result of a Kurie plot with apparently three components whose end points are 0.953 +/- .020 Mev., O.526 +/- .020 Mev., and 0.30U +/- .020 Mev. The intensities are, respectively, 74%, 18%, and 8% as Judged by the …  Lire la suite