Efficient function of the left ventricle (LV) is achieved by coherent behaviour of its circumferential and longitudinal myocardial components. Little was known about the direct association between the long and minor axis velocities and the overall haemodynamics generated by ventricular systolic function such as aortic waves. The forward running expansion wave (FEW) during late systole contains important information about the condition of the LV and its interaction with the arterial system. The aim of this thesis was to underpin the mechanics and timing of the LV wall velocities, which are associated with the deceleration of flow. Both invasive and noninvasive data have been analysed in canines and humans and the following conclusions can be drawn. LV long axis peak shortening velocity lags consistently behind the minor axis, representing a degree of normal asynchrony. The FEW is seen to have a slow onset before a rapid increase in energy. The slow onset corresponds with the time that the long axis reaches its peak velocity of shortening. After both axes reach their respective maximum shortening velocity they continue to contract, although at a slow steady velocity until late ejection when there is a sudden simultaneous change of shortening velocity of both axes. This time corresponds with peak aortic pressure and the rapid increase in energy of the FEW. The time that the minor axis reaches its maximum velocity of shortening interestingly coincides with the arrival of the reflected wave at the LV during mid-systole. During canine aortic manipulation through the introduction of total occlusions along the aorta, the sequence of events observed in control conditions remains unchanged. In humans both LV wall movement and carotid wave intensity can be measured successfully using non-invasive methods. The FEW is generated when the last long axis segment begins to slow. The minor axis begins to slow before this time and corresponds to the time of peak aortic flow.

The skeletal and dental changes associated with rapid maxillary expansion (RME) are well documented. Effects on the soft tissues and the potential impact on facial esthetics have not been well researched. The purpose of this study was to evaluate immediate changes in facial soft tissues as a result of RME by comparing threedimensional digital photogrammetric images before and after RME treatment. The 3dMDface System was used to obtain photographic images of 21 patients (mean age = 11.8 years) before and after RME treatment for transverse maxillary deficiency. A control group of 13 patients (mean age = 12.7 years) also had two images taken at a similar time interval. Mean expansion was 6.5 mm in the RME patients. Intercanthal distance, nose width, and intercommissural width changed significantly in the RME patients from T0 to T1 (P = 0.011, P = 0.050, and P = 0.003, respectively). Intercommissural width, however, was the only measure that significantly changed as compared with the control group (P = 0.041). Changes in intercanthal distance and nose width were significantly related to the amount of expansion achieved (R2 = 0.428, P = 0.0013 and R2 = 0.501, P = 0.0003, respectively).

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Allen M. Featherstone / The landscape of the United States seed industry has changed substantially over the last 100 years. In the mid-1930s, there were 115 active seed corn companies marketing seed in the United States. By the 1980s, there were 303 hybrid seed corn companies and in 2016 there were 140 active hybrid seed corn companies in the United States. As the seed industry continues to evolve, so will the logistics and methods of which seed is sold to farm customers. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze and determine if a seed business expansion provides a positive net present value and rate of return for the management based on the capital costs of the investment and estimated income opportunities. Based on historical information of the existing business and the new market territory opportunities, a ten year projected cash flow was estimated to provide a basis for the net present value and internal rate of return analysis. Sensitivity analysis was applied to different variables in the cash flow model to identify variables of risk and the impact on the projected cash flow and net present value analysis. The projected cash flow model and net present value analysis provides management a basis for the decision to expand their existing business. The conclusion of the net present value and internal rate of return analysis was that the expansion of the seed business was profitable under most sensitivity scenarios. Recommendations were made for additional research that could be performed to maximize and diversify the business’s product offerings and net income.

We study the existence of expander graphs with a focus on odd and unique expanders. The main goal is to describe configurations of arguments for which there is no infinite family of expanders. The most imporant result is that for every graph there is a nonempty subset of at most half of its vertices, such that every other vertex is connected at least twice to the subset or not connected to the subset at all. It follows that certain classes of unique expanders cannot exist. On the other hand we present some configurations for which there are families of expanders. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

A resilient power grid system is important to ensure the delivery of power to consumers while minimizing the cost of new technologies. Due to the increase of electricity consumption and CO2 emission, renewable energies and energy storage system are a compelling alternative. We started to identify decisions that need to be made, and parameters associated to model a power grid system expansion plan. Then, we investigated a utility company demand for the next 15 years. Also, we identified their current resources, and used that as a starting point. Then, we formulated an optimization model for a power grid expansion with different types of renewable energies, such as solar and wind, to meet the demand and minimize the cost of installation; as well as, a battery storage system (Lithium-ion) that is considered to come up with an optimal solution of a resilient power grid. Moreover, uncertainties of renewables are considered in the model, and robust optimization formulation is used to model them. Existing coal facilities are considered as a part of the model as well, and this part is designed on the optimization model in a way that would help decrease the use of such facilities and still manage them to meet demand. Numerical experiments are performed on several scenarios, and compared to what the utility company has forecasted in terms of cost, and renewable energies integration.A resilient power grid system is important to ensure the delivery of power to consumers while minimizing the cost of new technologies. Due to the increase of electricity consumption and CO2 emission, renewable energies and energy storage system are a compelling alternative. We started to identify decisions that need to be made, and parameters associated to model a power grid system expansion plan. Then, we investigated a utility company demand for the next 15 years. Also, we identified their current resources, and used that as a starting point. Then, we formulated an optimization model for a power grid expansion with different types of renewable energies, such as solar and wind, to meet the demand and minimize the cost of installation; as well as, a battery storage system (Lithium-ion) that is considered to come up with an optimal solution of a resilient power grid. Moreover, uncertainties of renewables are considered in the model, and robust optimization formulation is used to model them. Existing coal facilities are considered as a part of the model as well, and this part is designed on the optimization model in a way that would help decrease the use of such facilities and still manage them to meet demand. Numerical experiments are performed on several scenarios, and compared to what the utility company has forecasted in terms of cost, and renewable energies integration.

Background: Large-scale expansion of myogenic progenitors is necessary to support the development of high-throughput cellular assays in vitro and to advance genetic engineering approaches necessary to develop cellular therapies for rare muscle diseases. However, optimization has not been performed in order to maintain the differentiation capacity of myogenic cells undergoing long-term cell culture. Multiple extracellular matrices have been utilized for myogenic cell studies, but it remains unclear how different matrices influence long-term myogenic activity in culture. To address this challenge, we have evaluated multiple extracellular matrices in myogenic studies over long-term expansion. Methods: We evaluated the consequence of propagating mouse and human myogenic stem cell progenitors on various extracellular matrices to determine if they could enhance long-term myogenic potential. For the first time reported, we comprehensively examine the effect of physiologically relevant laminins, laminin 211 and laminin 521, compared to traditionally utilized ECMs (e.g., laminin 111, gelatin, and Matrigel) to assess their capacity to preserve myogenic differentiation potential. Results: Laminin 521 supported increased proliferation in early phases of expansion and was the only substrate facilitating high-level fusion following eight passages in mouse myoblast cell cultures. In human myoblast cell cultures, laminin 521 supported increased proliferation during expansion and superior differentiation with myotube hypertrophy. Counterintuitively however, laminin 211, the native laminin isoform in resting skeletal muscle, resulted in low proliferation and poor differentiation in mouse and human cultures. Matrigel performed excellent in short-term mouse studies but showed high amounts of variability following long-term expansion. Conclusions: These results demonstrate laminin 521 is a superior substrate for both short-term and long-term myogenic cell culture applications compared to other commonly utilized substrates. Since Matrigel cannot be used for clinical applications, we propose that laminin 521 could possibly be employed in the future to provide myoblasts for cellular therapy directed clinical studies.

The dissertation considers the situation of Iceland in the global economic system in context of worldwide financial crisis that affected their economy in 2008. The beginning of the thesis describes the theory of financial crises "by emphasis on the systemic model". The second part of the diploma concerns the Icelandic financial crisis and its cause and behaviour. The third section is about the effect and impact to Icelandic economy and describes stabilization measures of the government, financial help from International Monetary Fund, potential entry into the European Union and Icesave affair between Iceland, Great Britain and the Netherlands. In conclusion the Icelandic economy is compared with Irish economy during financial crisis.

Ce travail s'inscrit dans le cadre d'un partenariat scientifique entre le Laboratoire Navier et la société STRAINS. Convaincue du besoin de renouveler les méthodes actuelles de calcul de structures, STRAINS développe un nouveau logiciel dédié à l'analyse des ouvrages d'art. Dans ce contexte, cette thèse propose de nouveaux outils pour l'analyse des structures élancées. Le modèle élastique de poutre d'ordre supérieur développé par cite{Ferradi2016} est d'abord adapté au cas des déformations imposées, permettant ainsi au modèle de représenter un grand nombre de phénomènes physiques tels que le fluage, la précontrainte ou les chargements thermiques. Différents exemples viennent souligner la précision numérique du modèle ainsi que ses performances en temps de calcul. Le modèle est également étendu au cadre de la théorie de la plasticité. Considérant les déformations plastiques comme des déformations imposées, les résultats précédemment obtenus sont utilisés pour développer une nouvelle cinématique d'ordre supérieur. Enfin, un nouvel élément de poutre élastoplastique pour le béton armé est proposé. Le béton est décrit grâce au modèle élastoplastique et les ferraillages sont modélisés par des éléments barres à une dimension. Cette méthode permet une description précise du comportement du béton et une représentation fidèle des renforcements. La validité des calculs est évaluée par des considérations de dissipation énergétique / This thesis work is presented in the framework of a scientific partnership between Laboratoire Navier and the french start-up STRAINS. Believing in the need for new methodologies in structural analysis, STRAINS is developing a new software dedicated to the structural analysis of bridges. In this context, this work suggests new tools for the analysis of slender structures.The higher-order elastic beam element developed by cite{Ferradi2016} is first extended to the case of eigenstrains, enabling the model to deal with various physical phenomena such as creep, prestress or thermal loads. An enriched kinematics is used to capture the local response of the structure. Different examples highlight the local accuracy of the model and its fast computational performances. The model is also extended to plasticity in small perturbations. Considering the plastic strains developing in the structure as eigenstrains, the previous works are used to derive a higher-order elastoplastic kinematics.Finally, a new elastoplastic beam element for reinforced concrete is suggested. The concrete material is described by using the elastoplastic beam model developed previously while steel rebars are modeled by one dimensional bar elements. This method enables a fine local description of the concrete behavior and an accurate representation of the reinforcement. The validity of computations is assessed thanks to energy considerations