Regulatory and academic studies use large numbers of fish annually. The use of fish primary cells offers an in vitro alternative for the assessment of chemical toxicity and the evaluation of environmental samples in ecotoxicology. Their uses however are not without limitations which includes short culture periods (i.e. longevity and loss of organ-specific functionality over time). Three-dimensional (3-D spheroid) technology is now established for in vitro mammalian toxicity studies and offers significant advantages for environmental applications in a model fish species. This thesis reports development of a reproducible six-well plate, gyratory-mediated method for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) hepatocyte spheroid culture and compares morphological, functional and biochemical status with two-dimensional (2-D) monolayer hepatocytes. The work further assesses the bio-transformation potential of developed 3-D spheroids to a range of environmentally relevant pharmaceuticals. The study suggests that mature spheroids retain some organotypic responses over-time in culture including morphological (viz., smooth outer surface, tight cell–cell contacts); functional (viz., histo-architecture; cell adhesion molecule expression) and biochemical properties (viz., protein, glucose, albumin- and enzyme levels) that is superior to conventional 2-D monolayer cells. These 3-D spheroids also demonstrate a capacity for the metabolism of environmentally-relevant pharmaceuticals that could be utilised to better understand their bio-accumulation potential in fish. This is an important step forward for developing alternative in vitro tools in future fish ecotoxicological studies as well as for fundamental understanding of the interaction of chemicals with biomolecules which could potentially lead to detrimental responses at different levels of biological organisation.

Cette recherche s’inscrit dans le domaine du sentencing. Sa question de départ porte sur la persistance, dans les jugements correctionnels, du modèle rétributif et des peines privatives de liberté, sur le manque d’essor des peines alternatives à l’emprisonnement et sur l’allongement des peines. La littérature portant sur le sentencing souligne l’importance, dans la décision de la peine, du pouvoir discrétionnaire du juge, qui fait partie intégrante du processus d’interprétation de la loi pénale. La décision est un processus humain (Hogarth), une pratique sociale complexe dans un environnement structuré et structurant (Beyens), le produit de collaborations et de contraintes institutionnelles (Gibson). Adoptant la perspective de la construction de la peine comme processus humain et interactionnel en contexte, la question empirique est : « Comment le juge pénal décide-t-il de la peine dans son contexte d’action ? ». Son cadre conceptuel est l’ethnométhodologie. Dans ce courant, la sociologie cognitive examine la chaîne processuelle du traitement de l’information, c’est-à-dire comment les membres d’un groupe social donnent une signification à une situation en sélectionnant et interprétant les informations, puis la catégorisent et décident, par induction, de la norme à appliquer et de la conduite à tenir. Pour répondre à la question empirique, le dispositif méthodologique comprend des observations durant huit mois en tant que stagiaire dans deux tribunaux ; des échanges informels avec les différents acteurs judiciaires et para-judiciaires ; et des entretiens formalisés avec les juges. Quatre procédures principales se dégagent du matériau empirique : évaluer le dossier répressif ; évaluer la personne du prévenu ; évaluer la réprobation adéquate ; évaluer une peine acceptable. Ces procédures permettent de mettre en lumière les savoirs, raisons, motivations, valeurs et mécanismes qui entrent dans le processus décisionnel de la peine. Cette analyse permet de construire progressivement un modèle de la prise de décision en contexte et, partant, de répondre aux questionnements de départ.

Appropriate solubilization of membrane proteins can be achieved by incorporating detergents such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Unfortunately, SDS interferes with liquid chromatography (LC) and mass spectrometry (MS). This thesis presents “MS-friendly’ alternatives to solubilize membrane proteins and provides an evaluation of current protocols for SDS removal. Considering the limitation of SDS in a proteome analysis workflow, fluorinated surfactants have previously been proposed. Our results showed that APFO similar proteome solubilization to that of SDS. Unfortunately, APFO was only marginally more tolerable to LC and MS than SDS. Nonetheless, an important advantage of using APFO is that it can be easily removed from the sample by evaporation. The efficiency of precipitation protocols was explored. Our results demonstrate that high recovery is possible. Quantitative re-solubilization of membrane proteins following precipitation was made possible through addition of 80% formic acid. This solvent system may present a promising pathway for top-down MS analysis.

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

La « critique sociale » doit être comprise comme étant la capacité d’exprimer, d’afficher et d’exercer sa différence. Par ailleurs, la capacité d’exprimer sa différence est étroitement liée à l’état d’égalité. En revanche, ce sont les inégalités sociales qui poussent à l’homogénéisation. Alors, comment les personnes qui subissent les inégalités sociales peuvent-elle échapper à l’homogénéisation et devenir agents de critique sociale et moteurs de changement ? Autrement dit, faut-il donner raison à Marcuse sur le fait qu’une véritable remise en question du modèle dominant ne peut qu’émerger à la marge ? On peut penser que c’est là le rôle des organismes communautaires, même s’il arrive que le modèle dominant les récupère pour en faire un organe d’intégration des forces en opposition. Notre premier objectif de recherche est donc de voir s’il existe une critique concernent le travail chez les personnes interviewées. En outre, notre second objectif est de voir si le fait d’être à la marge permet de développer un rapport contestataire au modèle dominant de travail. / "Social critique" can be understood as the capacity to express, to show and to “live out” one’s difference. Moreover, the capacity to express difference is closely linked to the condition of equality. Social inequalities, however, stimulate homogenization. How can people who are subject to social inequalities escape homogenization and becomes vectors of social criticism and change ? Should we agree with Marcuse that a real questioning of dominant ways of being can only arise from the margin? We could come to the conclusion that this is the role of the community or voluntary sector even if community organizations can be recuperated and transformed in the light of the dominant model into devices for integrating the forces of opposition. Among the people interviewed for this project, there is clearly a critique of work and the development of alternative practices. This is where the margin needs to be considered in relation to the dominant model. The dominant model’s logic is the logic of progress. It promotes consumerism and work while promising freedom from necessity. Thus, the construction of new social relationships, based on greater equality, has to be created in the sphere of everyday social relationships. Refusing to submit to the logic of the dominant model creates the opportunity to conceive a different approach to wealth and poverty.

In northern hardwood-conifer forests, alternatives to conventional forest management practices are being developed in order to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem functioning while providing for timber revenue generation. The understory layer of vegetation encompasses the majority of plant species diversity in forested ecosystems and may be sensitive to timber harvest disturbance. Thus, monitoring the response of forest understories to new silvicultural techniques may provide a means for evaluating their intensity. In this study, we hypothesize that i) uneven-aged, low-intensity silvicultural systems can maintain understory plant diversity and support latesuccessional species through harvest disturbance; ii) retaining and enhancing stand structural complexity can increase understory plant diversity in northern hardwoodconifer forests; and iii) plant responses are influenced by interactions between canopy structure, soils, and exogenous climate processes. Experimental treatments include two conventional uneven-aged prescriptions (single-tree selection and group selection) modified to increase structural retention, and a third technique designed to promote late-successional forest structure and function, termed structural complexity enhancement (SCE). Four replications of each treatment were applied to 2 ha management units at three sites in Vermont and New York, U.S.A. Understory vegetation was monitored over 2 years pre- and 4 years post-treatment. We used a linear mixed effects model to evaluate the effects of treatment, soil properties, and drought stress on understory diversity and abundance. Compositional changes among treatments were assessed with non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS), an ordination technique. Model results show that over time, understory responses were strongly affected by overstory treatment and less influenced by soil chemistry and drought stress. All treatments were successful in maintaining overall composition and diversity. However, late-successional diversity increased significantly in SCE units compared to group selection units. These results indicate that while conventional uneven-aged systems are capable of maintaining understory plant diversity, variations that retain or enhance structural complexity may be more efficient at retaining latesuccessional species. Increased microsite heterogeneity as a result of these techniques may also increase understory plant diversity, at least during the initial post-harvest recovery period.

Des études fondées sur l’expérimentation et le retour d’expérience ont montré que les techniques alternatives en assainissement pluvial pouvaient constituer de bons systèmes de dépollution selon leur fonction et leurs caractéristiques.La capacité de dépollution de ces techniques peut entraîner cependant des conséquences susceptibles de menacer la durabilité de la structure. Afin de garantir leur durée de vie et de maintenir leur capacité de stockage et de dépollution, un dispositif de prétraitement par filtration des eaux pluviales a été développé. Il repose sur des principes de simplicité de mise en œuvre et d’entretien, et consiste en une bouche d’injection dérivée d’un modèle commercial de bouche d’égout à décantation équipée d’un filtre amovible.L’objectif de cette thèse est d’étudier en détail le fonctionnement du dispositif et de quantifier son efficacité en termes de dépollution des eaux pluviales ainsi que sa capacité hydraulique. Elle consiste en des expérimentations en laboratoire sur maquette, des expérimentations in situ, et de la modélisation numérique. En expérimentation sur maquette, nous avons testé premièrement le dispositif placé en amont d’une chaussée réservoir en simulant des séries d’événements pluviaux et des pollutions en MES. Les résultats ont montré une efficacité de coupure du filtre de l'ordre de 15 à 20 % pour la granulométrie étudiée (inférieure à 200 µm). Nous avons ensuite étudié le dispositif avec différents types de filtres vis à vis des MES et de l’huile de Colza en simulation d’un hydrocarbure.En expérimentation in situ, nous avons étudié le rendement de la bouche d’injection munie d’un filtre ADOPTA en conditions réelles sur trois sites expérimentaux, qui différent selon leur trafic, en établissant des bilans de pollution  « DCO, MES, HCT, Plomb, Zinc, Cuivre et Cadmium » en amont et en aval du dispositif. Les résultats ont montré un bon fonctionnement hydraulique du dispositif et un abaissement de la charge polluante en matières en suspension lors des pluies de faible intensité. Pour la modélisation numérique, nous avons utilisé un code de calcul commercial pour simuler l’écoulement et le transport solide dans la bouche d’injection sans filtre. / Studies based on experimentation have shown that Best Management Practices (BMP) (alternative techniques) in urban storm drainage represent an efficient way to retain pollution according to their functions and characteristics. But the pollution retention capacity of these techniques (BMP) could cause harmful consequences for the structure. To ensure the durability of these techniques and keep their storage capacity and pollution retention capacity, a device for filtration of storm water was developed called “injection inlet”. This device is simple for implementation and maintenance; it is a commercial developed model of a catch pit equipped with a removable filterThe aims of this work are to study the pollution retention capacity of this device with its hydraulic capacity. The work is based on experimental study in laboratory and in site, in addition with numerical modelling.For the first experimental study, we work on a model in laboratory where the device is placed in the upstream of the reservoir structure. We simulate the storms and the Total Suspended Solids (TSS) injection. The results shown that the filter has a capacity to remove pollution between 15 and 20% for the particles whose size is smaller than 200 µm, and then we tested retention capacity of several types of filters towards TSS and hydrocarbons, and their hydraulic capacity.In three different sites presenting different traffic conditions, we studied the performance of the device (injection inlet or catch pit) with the filter ADOPTA in real conditions, by measurement of « COD, TSS, THC, Pb, Zn, Cd and Cu» in upstream and downstream of the device, The results have shown a good hydraulic capacity and a decrease of the pollution load of suspended solids with small rains. For numerical modeling, we used commercial software to simulate the flows and the sediment transport in device without filter.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Agricultural Economics / John A. (Sean) Fox / The objective of this thesis is to investigate three design issues in experimental auctions: 1) the effects of allowing negative bids for a privately valued good, 2) the effects of introducing additional alternatives (substitutes) for the auctioned good in an endowment auction, and 3) respondent behavior in acquiring information. The thesis consists of three papers examining those issues. The first paper examines participants’ bidding behavior when negative bids are allowed for privately valued goods in an experimental auction. We focus on two questions: i) whether subjects with negative values tend to bid strategically – either overbidding or underbidding in an effort to enhancing earnings, and ii) the performance of random nth and 5th price auctions. We find that: a) WTP bids are demand revealing, b) subjects tend to underbid WTA values, c) controlling for risk attitude partially explains the bias in WTA bids, and d) negative values from random nth auctions tend to be below those from 5th price auctions. In the second paper we 1) investigate the effect of the availability of varying numbers of alternatives (substitutes) for a privately valued good on participants’ bidding behavior, and 2) identify whether the availability of additional alternatives: a) impacts the value of product information, and b) impacts the effect of new information on product valuations. We find that: a) allowing additional alternatives in a private value auction does not significantly decrease subjects’ bids, and b) the presence of additional alternatives in the auction decreases both the value and effect of product information. The third paper examines the effect of acquired information on auction participants’ bidding behavior. We focus on three questions: i) how subjects choose/value different types of information, ii) whether the value of acquired information about a product influences the subsequent valuation of the product itself, and iii) whether the effects of acquired information differ from those of exogenously provided information. We find that: a) subjects’ behaviors of acquiring different types of information about the product are influenced by their heterogeneous characteristics (i.e. prior beliefs, risk attitudes, prior knowledge, etc.), b) subjects place more weight on acquired information than on provided information in their decision-making process, and c) individual subjects have different values of information which caused different impacts on product valuation.

No description available.

Growing numbers of suspensions and expulsions of students with disabilities (SWDs) have prompted school districts to explore nonpunitive alternatives to traditional suspension practices. The study school district implemented nonpunitive alternatives to suspension for SWDs, specifically students classified as emotionally disturbed (ED). SWDs are being suspended at a higher rate than their general education peers for the same violation. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to examine differences in academic performance between students with emotional disabilities who received out of school suspensions and those who received nonpunitive consequences other than suspension for the same violation. To understand disruptive behavior, social learning theory provided the framework for this study. The sample included 20 high school students, grades 9-12, who were SWD eligible under the criteria of ED. Archival data included academic records, attendance records, and suspension records. To compare the means of the data, independent-samples t tests were used to analyze differences in grade point average between the groups. The results found that with nonpunitive alternatives, student attendance was improved; however, there was no significant difference found in academic performance between students who received nonpunitive consequences and those who received out of school suspension. Statistical power was limited due to the study sample size. Positive social change implications include providing initial research findings to the study school district and initiating the dialogue on reducing suspensions of SWDs to improve attendance, which may increase the potential for future academic success.