McGill University Thèses et mémoires par auteur commençant par N

Cette thèse, intitulée Jeux et enjeux de la traduction du théâtre hétérolingue franco-canadien (1991-2013), porte sur le théâtre de l’Acadie, de l’Ontario français et de l’Ouest canadien francophone qui met en jeu le français et l’anglais. Par ce que j’appelle la traduction ludique, les dramaturges, traducteurs, metteurs en scène et comédiens collaborent à la construction de jeux complexes d’inclusion et d’exclusion des spectateurs selon leur profil linguistique, des jeux de la traduction sur le double terrain des langues et du théâtre. Ces praticiens du théâtre n’ignorent pas les asymétries linguistiques propres au Canada, mais jouent sur les rapports de force …  Lire la suite

Our objective was to study the effect of GLN supplementation on whole body protein turnover, somatic growth and gastrointestinal tolerance to enteral feeding in neonates following surgical stress. We hypothesized that GLN in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) would (1) favor retention of lean body mass by reducing protein breakdown (PB) during the acute phase after surgery, (2) promote somatic growth, (3) decrease length of time to achieve full feeds. Protein turnover was measured in a double-blind randomized trial involving neonates admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit after major surgery. L-GLN (n = 6) was added to TPN at a …  Lire la suite

The result of formal and thematic research undertaken by the author in the1880s, Maupassant's Le Horla (1887), owing to its originality, became a fantastic literature classic. Constituted from the recycling of several passages of independent texts among which La Lettre d'un fou (1885) and Le Horla published in 1886, the tale, built by recoveries and variations, offers a completely relevant exploratory way for genetic research. By studying the differences between the Horla manuscript (1887) and short stories which present themselves as genesis elements of the text, we will perform the genetic rise of the famous text in order to refine …  Lire la suite

Meiosis causes the reduction of diploid cells into haploid gametes playing a significant role in all sexually reproducing organisms. The progression of meiosis can be broken down into two stages: meiosis-I and meiosis-II. In meiosis-I, homologous chromosomal segregation results in the formation of a chiasma – a secure connection between homologs. Establishing a chiasma requires three major landmarks between homologous chromosomes: recognition and alignment, synapsis, and recombination. A defect in any one of these key events can cause chromosomal non-disjunction or cell aneuploidy. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has many attributes that make it a well-suited model for studying various aspects …  Lire la suite

MacKaay, E. Jan (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

The horizontal interaction between the walls and frames in wall-frame structures is investigated to determine its role in stiffening the structure against lateral, wind or earthquake loading. Discontinuous wall-frame structures are studied to assess the effects of the discontinuities on the horizontal interaction, and on the structures' lateral stiffness. The discontinuities include stepped walls or frames, curtailed walls, and different configurations of stiffened-storey frames. In each case, a continuum solution is developed and used to describe the behaviour of the structure, and to evaluate the effects of the discontinuities. Corresponding discrete finite elements analyses are also performed to verify the …  Lire la suite

The proper regulation of Hox gene expression during development is crucial for normal patterning to occur along the anterior-posterior axis of the embryo. Misexpression of Hox genes often results in homeotic transformations whereby structures located in anterior regions of the embryo resemble posterior-derived structures. In vertebrate embryos, treatment with retinoic acid (RA) during specific gestation times can anteriorize the borders of Hox gene expression resulting in homeotic transformations. RA exerts transcriptional control through nuclear receptors of the RXR and RAR families by binding DNA as a heterodimer at an RA response element (RARE). Previously, our laboratory characterized an RARE in …  Lire la suite

Récepteurs ionotropes pentamériques (pLGIC) sont des récepteurs de neurotransmetteurs qui assurent une transmission synaptique rapide et une contraction musculaire chez les animaux. A la jonction neuromusculaire, la liaison des ligands permet aux cations ou aux anions de passer à travers la membrane cellulaire post-synaptique et d'induire ou d'inhiber la contraction musculaire. D’un point de vu évolutif, la famille des sous-unités pLGIC est apparue avant que les eucaryotes ne divergent des procaryotes, puis s'est étendue à une famille qui lie un répertoire varié de ligands. Cette expansion s'est produite par la duplication de gènes suivie d'une divergence fonctionnelle, un processus contraint …  Lire la suite

Hydatid disease has been known since the early days of medicine and is widely distributed throughout the world. It is prevalent in South America, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand and is frequently encountered in regions along the Mediterranean Sea, in Central Europe, Russia and South Africa. Infection in the native-born population of North America has been considered to occur rarely.  Lire la suite

The diagnosis of infectious diseases is based upon the isolation and identification of the infecting organism. At times it is difficult or even impossible to isolate the causative organism and one has to rely upon serological methods for diagnosis. Infections by Mycobacterium tuberculosis present a special case. [...]  Lire la suite

This dissertation attempts to elucidate early Isma`ili thought on various aspects of prophecy during the 4th A.H./10th C.E. century in the light of Kitab al-Iṣlaḥ (Book of Correction) by Abu Ḥatim al-Razi (d. ca. 322/934--5), one of the leading da`is (missionaries) in the Iran of his day. Al-Iṣlaḥ is on one level an early example of Neoplatonist influence on Isma`ili thought, taking the form of a polemic aimed at his coreligionist, Muḥammad al-Nasafi. However, al-Iṣlaḥ also shows a new doctrinal formulation of early Isma`ili discourse on prophetology, especially concerning the messianic figure of the Qa'im. In al-Iṣlaḥ al-Razi discusses the …  Lire la suite

Lajoie, Susanne P. (Supervisor1)  Lire la suite

Avec la progression et la diffusion des technologies de l’information, les informations personnelles sont utilisées de manière innovante pour accroître les avantages individuels, sociaux et économiques. En même temps, le risque d’atteinte à la vie privée a également augmenté. Actuellement, lors de réunions gouvernementales internationales, de nombreux pays insistent sur l’importance de comparer les systèmes juridiques de protection de la vie privée pour le développement de la société économique internationale. Cette thèse vise à identifier les similitudes et les différences dans les lois canadiennes et japonaises concernant la protection de la vie privée et des renseignements personnels dans le secteur …  Lire la suite

Teachers' knowledge and skills is one of the most important factors affecting student learning. This thesis describes the early process of a teacher professional development project during which a technology-rich professional learning community was developed and validated to support ongoing teacher development. The aim of this project was to improve teachers' disciplinary understanding and digital literacy in the mathematics classroom, with a focus on student learning in the transition from elementary to secondary schools. In particular, the author highlights the use of design-based research in the design and the validation of this learning community. The results indicate that this learning …  Lire la suite

L'objectif de cette thèse est le développement d'un cadre théorethique qui intègre la minimisation de taille, la quantification de maniabilité et le placement optimal des actuateurs pour la conception de petits ballon dirigeables. Dans la première partie de la thèse une méthode pour la minimisation de la taille est proposé. Dedans on peut trouver l'organigramme pour le dimensionnement accompagné d'une description complet de quatre sous-systèmes principaux d'un ballon dirigeable utilisé pour le dimensionnement. Les relations entre les sous-systèmes sont illustré aussi. En outre nouvel technologies applicables pour le dimensionnement de ballons dirigeables sont discutés et inclus dans la méthode proposé …  Lire la suite

Barralet, Jake (Internal/Cosupervisor2)  Lire la suite

The gene Titin (TTN) encodes the largest sarcomeric protein residing within the striated muscle cells. The protein is considered to include many domains: the N-terminal that incorporates the Z- line, the I-band, and the A-band as well as the M-line at the C-terminal. TTN mutations are known to cause a wide spectrum of disorders including tibial muscular dystrophy (TMD), limb–girdle muscular dystrophy type 2J (LGMD2J), and autosomal recessive early onset myopathy with fatal cardiomyopathy (EOMFC). Next-generation sequencing allows a large number of gene exons to be sequenced at once providing the opportunity to easily analyze giant genes such as TTN. …  Lire la suite

La thérapie de remplacement mitochondrial (TRM) est un nouveau type de fécondation in vitro (FIV) qui vise à prévenir la transmission de maladies mitochondriales, transférées par la lignée maternelle, en remplaçant l'ADN mitochondrial muté par des mitochondries normales d'une donneuse d'ovule en santé. Des changements permanents sont apportés à la lignée germinale par la TRM, qui peuvent être transférées aux générations futures. Ainsi, cette soi-disant “FIV à trois parents” est considérée comme une forme de modification génétique de la lignée germinale. Hormis le Royaume-Uni, premier pays à avoir approuvé le TRM en 2015, seulement quelques autres pays ont réglementé cette …  Lire la suite

Human voice is produced by self-oscillations of the vocal folds that consist two lips of soft tissue located within the larynx. According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), around 7.5 million people in the United States have difficulties for using their voices. Smoking, abuse of alcohol and caffeine, chemical exposure, laryngeal cancer, upper respiratory infection, and voice misuse are among patterns of risks that might lead to voice disorders. One common type of voice loss is vocal fold lamina propria (VFLP) scarring disorder. Injectable hydrogels (a gel composed of one or multiple polymers suspended in …  Lire la suite

The representations of Lie algebras have been considered extensively, in the bibliography are listed references most pertinent to this paper. In its treatment of the representation of Lie algebras, this paper differs from previous investigations in the particular stress it places upon the interrelation of the representation of the Lie algebra and the corresponding representation it induces on an ideal. This point of view leads to quite explicit forms for certain representations of Lie algebras which the author believes to be original.  Lire la suite

Les canaux ioniques pentamériques dépendant d’un ligand (pLGICs) représentent une ancienne famille de récepteurs de signalisation. Grâce à une série d’événements de duplication de gènes de sous-unités suivis d’une divergence fonctionnelle, les animaux ont étendu leur famille de gènes de récepteurs et, par extension, leur fonction. La fonction précise d’un canal dépend de la composition et de l’organisation de ses sous-unités. Par conséquent, la connaissance des mécanismes qui la déterminent permettrait de mieux comprendre la fonction des récepteurs et les changements évolutifs. Malgré cela, on connaît mal ce qui détermine les sous-unités qui se regroupent pour former un canal fonctionnel, …  Lire la suite

The first part of this thesis addresses the following questions: where in the syntactic tree, and at what representational level is an NP Case-checked. To this end, it presents converging data from French, Welsh and Irish, which suggest (i) that Case-checking may be accomplished under a variety of functional projections (subject to parametric variation); and (ii) that Case positions are--at least partially--independent of the A/A$ sp prime$-distinction. It furthermore presents evidence from Irish and Welsh--VSO languages in which NPs typically raise to their Case position only at LF--that NPs are, under certain conditions, Case-checked at S-structure. Chapter 2 investigates word …  Lire la suite

Les neurones du système nerveux central (SNC) des mammifères adultes perdent leur capacité à régénérer leurs axones après une lésion. Cette capacité régénérative limitée est le résultat du microenvironnement inhibiteur du SNC lésé et d’un déclin du potentiel de croissance intrinsèque au cours du développement. Pour étudier ce déclin régénératif, divers modèles expérimentaux ont été développés. L’un de ces modèles, largement étudié, est l’inflammation intraoculaire pro-régénérative, qui induit un état pro-régénératif chez les cellules ganglionnaires de la rétine (CGR).Dans cette thèse, nous avons examiné les changements transcriptionnels des CGR après injection intraoculaire de PAM3Cys, un agoniste du récepteur Toll-like 2 …  Lire la suite

In this work, a number of advances are described which we feel lead to better understanding and solution of the eigenvalue and inverse eigenvalue problems for Hermitian Toeplitz matrices. First, a unitary matrix is derived which transforms a Hermitian Toeplitz matrix into a real Toeplitz plus Hankel matrix. Some properties of this transformation are also presented. Second, we solve the inverse eigenvalue problem for Hermitian Toeplitz matrices. Specifically, we present a method for the construction of a Hermitian Toeplitz matrix from an arbitrary set of real eigenvalues. The procedure utilizes the discrete Fourier transform to first construct a real symmetric …  Lire la suite

Much work has been done to model and understand alcohol oxidation individually. Comparative studies of ignition delay times of alcohols, however, are limited. The thesis presents a comparative study of their ignition delay times. Mixtures of methanol, ethanol, n-propanol and n-butanol and synthetic air are ignited behind reflected shock waves at high temperatures (1070K-1760K). The ignition delay times are measured in a shock tube as equivalence ratio, argon to oxygen ratio (dilution) and pressure are changed to highlight trends and similarities between the fuels. Experimental results have indicated that these fuels have comparable ignition delay times, which may indicate similarities …  Lire la suite

Action planning ability is essential for autonomous behavior of an intelligent machine. In the robotics domain, planning occurs at different levels of a robotic system; this research targets the problem of planning at the highest level of the hierarchy which is planning a course of actions to accomplish a task. Planning at this level is extremely complex due to the many combinatorial problems that must be solved before a real world plan can be formulated. Two major approaches have been adopted by the researchers: domain independent approaches and application dependent approaches. We believe that a completely domain independent planner is …  Lire la suite

Antoniou, John (Internal/Cosupervisor2)  Lire la suite

In the face of tremendous forward strides in general physiology and particularly in those branches of it which are closely related to the medical sciences, the study of the blood supply of the brain, which one might suppose was the most important and should have attracted the greatest interest, has fallen woefully behind. Now that the physiologist is more prone than formerly to fall back on the aids that have issued from the findings of physical science, a method taken directly from that field has been found to promise a means of accurately determining the changes in blood flow in …  Lire la suite

In this dissertation it is contended that central to Reinhold Niebuhr's theology and ethics is his understanding of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as a revelation of the suffering of God. Keeping in mind the theologia crucis of Martin Luther, Part I examines the significance of the Christian symbol of the cross during Niebuhr's formative years and as he later sought to relate the moral and ethical insights of the Christian faith to the more tragic social and political events of his age. Part II begins with a systematic appraisal of Niebuhr's theology of the cross in reference to his …  Lire la suite

Current technology and the planning of ambitious programs for the next decade tend to transform the stakes inherent in space activities. In effect, the launching of space stations and platforms pave the way towards new industrial prospects previously unheard of to date. Thus, the objective of this thesis is to present an outline of these new prospects and to undertake a legal analysis motivating the transition from basic research to commercial applications. Consequently, the preliminary chapter will describe the general characteristics of those future trends towards commercial and industrial space activities. Legal provisions of Public International Space law are examined …  Lire la suite

The bacterium that causes Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) resides in tick vectors (Ixodes scapularis) that feed on and are carried by vertebrate hosts. For my thesis, I designed an integrative modeling framework to predict the distributions of these North American tick-hosts and assess Lyme disease risk from these projected community assemblages. I used species distribution modeling (SDM) to predict the current distributions of 11 small mammal reservoir species across North America using abiotic predictors. Species distributions were modelled at the single-species and community-level. However, models over-predicted the distributions of certain species. Traditionally, SDMs fail to incorporate interspecific interactions that influence …  Lire la suite

An examination of historical and textual evidence supporting the thesis that the tenth-century Old English Exeter Book (Exeter Dean and Chapter MS. 3501) may have been compiled for, or even in, an Anglo-Saxon female monastic foundation or mixed-sex double house. The Exeter Book poems, many with female subjects, have been studied extensively, but rarely treated as components that unite to form a deliberately compiled, cohesive anthology. This study examines four main subjects: women's participation in both Latin and vernacular textual culture in the early Middle Ages in past and present scholarship; the history and structure of the codex; a summary …  Lire la suite

Social movement literature suggests that organizations espousing radical ideologies must develop bureaucratic structures in order to survive, changes which inevitably create an organization more concerned with self-maintenance than social transformation. In the Battered Women's Movement, some radical feminists argue that trends toward increased formalization and centralization in feminist collectives provide evidence that the movement has been coopted, and thus radical organizations seeking to challenge inequitable social structures have been transformed into more traditional social service agencies. This thesis examines one shelter for battered women which, due mainly to severe internal conflict, found it necessary to modify its structure from a …  Lire la suite

One city in Bosnia-Herzegovina can be seen as a microcosm of a greater ethnic and religious conflict. The city of Mostar has drawn much attention from the international community not only because of its position in Bosnia but because of a small bridge over the Neretva River. This bridge has evolved into an international symbol of hope and reconciliation while at the same time embodying segregation and destruction. This thesis aims to analyse this old bridge in Mostar as a symbol of cultural intervention by the international community. The successes and failures that the bridge encompasses speak to the tumultuous …  Lire la suite

Most new cases of spinal-cord-injured (SCI) persons in Canada have incomplete loss of sensory and/or motor function, but only a minority are able to walk. The study of animal models of spinal cord injury, especially the chronic spinal cat, has shown that monoaminergic drugs can modulate locomotion and spinal reflexes. Clonidine, a noradrenergic agonist, and cyproheptadine, a serotonergic antagonist, have each been associated with improved walking in SCI subjects. Baclofen, a GABA agonist, is frequently prescribed for spasticity in SCI patients, but its effects on walking have not been quantified. The objective of this doctoral project was to compare the …  Lire la suite

Amphiphilic copolymers of hydrophobic Disperse Red 1 acrylate (DR1A) and hydrophilic acrylic acid (AA) were dissolved in THF and a H2O/THF co-solvent series. The thermal cis-trans isomerization behavior of the azo groups was measured by means of flash photolysis to investigate self-assembled structure in solution. The rate constants observed for the azo-containing polymers permit an estimation of how the thermal isomerization is influenced by both polymer and solution properties. In pure THF the relaxation can be analyzed by a monoexponential decay. In aqueous-organic solutions all poly(DRlA-co-AA) samples show a slow isomerization process due to inhibited mobility of the azo groups, …  Lire la suite

The investigative work presented in this thesis is a contribution to the great amount of knowledge that already exists in the field of sodium and potassium metabolism. The study has been done on rats, but differs from earlier work in the method used. The experimental approach combines previously described techniques, modified for the purpose, and new procedures created for special needs. [...]  Lire la suite

The chemical evolution of peridotites and felsic rocks included in or adjacent to them, and fluids during the hydrothermal alteration of these rocks is the subject of this study. Experiments using a flow-through hydrothermal apparatus, and studies of natural samples from the JM Asbestos chrysotile deposit in the Asbestos ophiolite, Quebec, were the means by which the various topics of this thesis were investigated. Open-system fluid-rock interaction was studied by flowing deionized water or a 0.1 m CaCl2 solution through olivine (Fo91) and lherzolite at a temperature of 300°C and a pressure of 300 bars. During these experiments, the original …  Lire la suite

In this thesis, we assume a fixed space has been chosen once and for all and "set" will mean subset of that fixed space. Similarly "system" will refer to collection of subsets of that fixed space. Measure theoretic formulae acquire greater symmetry if we adopt Picone e Viola's notation [6] for union and intersection. The + and E signs are used for unions with + and Ec when these are over disjoint sets; while simple juxtaposition and TT are used for intersection.  Lire la suite

In ultra-relativistic heavy ion collisions, the centrality of a collision is measured by the total charged particle multiplicity while the distribution of these particles in rapidity space is a reflection of the thermodynamical conditions and the hadronization processes in the collision volume. As one of the R & D projects for the PHENIX experiment at RHIC, a double-sided Si $p sp+nn sp+$ junction pad detector is developed. One side of the detector measures the particle distribution and the other side the total multiplicity. A prototype detector made of 7.6 cm diameter, 300 $ mu$m thick Si wafer with 512 pads …  Lire la suite

Chavez, E. R. (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

L'industrie des télécommunications est en changement: ce secteur autrefois à caractère essentiellement monopolistique subit les transformations reliées à l'introduction de la libre concurrence. La venue de nouvelles technologies et le mariage entre les télécommunications et l'informatique a définitivement mis de côté les théories économiques voulant que ce secteur soit un "monopole naturel" justifiant l'absence de concurrence. De plus, le fait que ce secteur ait une importance stratégique pour le développement d'un pays et le bien-être collectif n'est plus suffisant pour justifier une évacuation des forces du marché. Les télécommunications ne sont plus vues comme un "service d'utilité public" justinant la …  Lire la suite

La grande stratégie romaine a été un sujet controversé. Certains académiciens pensent qu'elle n'existait pas alors que d'autres sont en désaccord sur sa portée et sa forme. Un aspect étonnamment absent de cette discussion est la perspective romaine. Les académiciens ont été prompts à rejeter les sources anciennes comme ayant peu de valeur pour contribuer au débat. Cependant, ces sources disposent d'informations importantes concernant la stratégie romaine. Le but de cette thèse est d'examiner l'influence que les préoccupations et les valeurs romaines peuvent avoir eu sur la stratégie. Une étude des comptes rendus des guerres romaines pendant le début de …  Lire la suite

Antibody microarrays enable multiplexed protein detection with minimal reagent consumption, and although quality appears adequate when characterized using local replicates, they continue to be plagued by lack of reproducibility. Chemically-functionalized glass slides are the foundation of antibody microarrays, yet spatial inhomogeneity and its effect on assay variability has not been analyzed. Here, we (i) characterize spatial bias in antibody microarrays by measuring signal variation across the surface of 5 commercial slide models, and (ii) develop an experimental approach to minimize bias and optimize assay reproducibility. We used PBS and the 2 optimal buffers (among 28) for each slide to print …  Lire la suite