The aim of this thesis is to explore differences between consumer expectations of web site functionality in the context of online banking in terms of whether the task under consideration is information seeking or account access and whether the expectation is predictive or normative. The Internet has emerged as a new and distinct information source. Statistics show that the Internet is used extensively by companies for information provision and in general by consumers for information acquisition. The context of this study is the financial services sector where online service provision is increasing to meet consumer demand. Numerous studies into online banking seek to identify the attributes of successful financial services web sites but the focus of these studies has been on account management rather than information search activity. Yet, there is limited research into whether consumer evaluative criteria differ when deciding to adopt a bank’s web site as a source of information as compared to use as a channel for account access. Regardless of task focus, the rationale behind theory of adoption models is that, if after trial, web site performance does not match expectations then the consumer will decide that the web site does not contain features of value and will not continue to use it. Expectations are conceptually close to, but not the same as, beliefs and have been defined as both the anticipation of future outcomes (predictive expectation) and the desire for the occurrence of future outcomes (normative expectation). Since the only type of evaluation a consumer may hold about an untried technology is expectation, several technology adoption models use expectations as referent states however the focus of research to date has been on contrasting expectation with postadoption perception. This thesis follows an approach developed by Sirgy (1984) that utilises different levels of expectation. Normative and predictive expectations are used not only as a referent state but also as a perceived state thus providing an understanding of the expectation “gaps” of users and non-users. A two-phase methodology was used. First a preliminary study based on a convenience sample of 253 students was used to generate a range of expectation statements relating to online information search. Second a web-survey was administered to 10,000 Internet users to explore differences in normative (should) expectations and predictive (will) expectations across a set of system quality and information quality attributes in two task scenarios: information search and online bank account access. This thesis identifies differences and points of similarity across task scenario. It shows that across task scenario there are statistically significant and practically substantive differences in terms of attributes that reduce risk, enable two-way communication and the provision of product information.

Aromatic hydrocarbons are a prevalent constituent of crude oil. The refined products of crude oil such as petroleum and diesel can find their way into groundwater though oil-spillages and are also present in the oil and gas industry’s produced water. These aromatics are biorecalcitrant, however upon ingestion with water, may be metabolised to toxic intermediates that are carcinogenic or mutagenic in nature. Although some treatment technologies are available most of these are under development and are yet to be proven in the field. This illustrates the need for novel, economical and environmentally friendly technologies to be developed with a view to remediating aqueous systems that have been polluted with aromatics hydrocarbons. The supramolecular cyclodextrin molecule, with its hydrophobic interior and hydrophobic exterior seems to be an excellent molecule for the trapping of the pollutant molecules, however the inclusion complexes with this cyclic sugar are water-soluble therefore there is a need for the cyclodextrin to be rendered waterinsoluble. A study of the aqueous solubilities of some aromatic hydrocarbons that may be present in crude oil has been carried out and shows that the majority of these molecules have a degree of water solubility that may increase upon environmental weathering. The successful reaction between a solid-phase resin and the β-cyclodextrin molecule has been achieved, with the total dryness of the system being required including Soxhlet extraction of the resin with anhydrous acetone before the reaction. The reaction between β-cyclodextrin and a range of isocyanates proved unsuccessful, but a range of symmetrical aryl ureas were synthesised from their isocyanates with the influence that different activating or deactivating groups on the ring have on the propensity to form the ureas being shown. The successful alkylation between β-cyclodextrin and a series of haloalkanes has shown the effect of increasing chain length on the degree of alkylation. This reaction involved the deprotonation of the cyclodextrin by sodium hydride in anhydrous dimethyl sulphoxide followed by reaction with the alkyl iodide. Increasing the equivalents of hydride or iodide, or the reaction time did not have a noticeable effect on the degree of reaction indicating that steric constraints were limiting the degree of reaction. Testing several of these alkyl iodides gave an indication as to their tendency to uptake and remove several model pollutants that had been dissolved in water with the propylated β-cyclodextrin displaying potential for the remediation of aqueous systems that had been polluted. Several of these results were very promising leading to the conclusion that further derivatives of these alkylated sugars may be even more suitable for future research into the remediation of organically polluted aqueous systems.

Les protéines hnRNP A1 sont impliquées dans l'épissage alternatif. Un mode d'action proposé implique la formation d'homodimères entre molécules hnRNP A1 causant un réarrangement dans la structure de l'ARN pré-messager. Cette modulation de l'ARN permettrait le rapprochement de sites d'épissage 5' et 3' d'exons situés de par et d'autres d'un exon alternatif. Le domaine riche en résidus glycines est responsable, en grande partie, de l'interaction entre les deux protéines hnRNP A1. Comme la protéine hnRNP H contient aussi un domaine riche en résidus glycines, nous avons postulé que cette dernière pouvait moduler l'épissage alternatif de la même manière que hnRNP A1. Afin de vérifier cette hypothèse, nous avons utilisé un ARN pré-messager constitué de deux sites d'épissage 5' (distal et proximal) en compétition pour un seul site d'épissage 3'. En présence de sites de liaison pour hnRNP H, nous observons que le choix du site d'épissage 5' est déplacé vers le site distal. Nous avons confirmé le rôle des protéines hnRNP H dans la sélection des sites d'épissage 5' in vitro et avons déterminé que le domaine riche en résidus glycines (GRD) est important pour l'activité d'épissage de ce régulateur. Nous avons ensuite exploré la possibilité que des combinaisons de sites de liaison pour hnRNP H et hnRNP A1 puissent activer l'utilisation du site d'épissage 5' distal. Nous avons observé que des combinaisons hétérotypiques peuvent reproduire cette activité d'épissage. Finalement, nous avons utilisé la technologie BRET ("bioluminescence resonance energy transfer") pour démontrer que des interactions homotypiques entre protéines hnRNP H et hétérotypiques entre molécules hnRNP A1 et hnRNP H peuvent se former dans les cellules vivantes. Notre étude suggère que les protéines hnRNP H et hnRNP A1 peuvent changer la conformation de l'ARN pré-messager et affecter le choix du site d'épissage.

The Telescopio San Pedro Martir project intends to construct a 6.5m telescope to be installed at the Observatorio Astronomico Nacional in the Sierra San Pedro Martir in northern Baja California, Mexico. The project is an association of Mexican institutions, lead by the Instituto Nacional de Astrofisica, Optica y Electronica and the Instituto de Astronomia at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, in partnership with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and the University of Arizona's Department of Astronomy and Steward Observatory. The project is currently in the planning and design stage. Once completed, the partners plan to operate the MMT and TSPM as a binational astrophysical observatory.

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

No description available.

We propose a new formula for the mineral nickelskutterudite, based on our observation that either (or both) Co or Fe3+ are essential structure constituents. The crystal structure of nickelskutterudite, (Ni,Co,Fe) As-3, cubic, Im (3) over bar, Z = 8: a = 8.2653(6) angstrom, V = 564.65(7) angstrom, has been refined to R-1 = 1.4% for 225 unique reflections I > 2 sigma(1) collected on a Bruker X8 four-circle diffractometer equipped with fine-focus, sealed tube MoKa radiation and an APEX-II CCD detector. This is the first report of the crystal structure of nickelskutterudite. Nickelskutterudite, a member of the skutterudite group of isostructural minerals, adopts a distorted perovskite structure with notably tilted octahedra and an unoccupied to partially occupied icosahedral metal site. In the structure of nickelskutterudite, there is one metal (B) site occupied by Ni, Co, or Fe in octahedral coordination with six As atoms. Procrystal electron density analysis shows each As anion is bonded to two cations and two As anions, resulting in a four-membered ring of bonded As with edges 2.547 and 2.475 angstrom. The extreme tilting of BAs6 octahedra is likely a consequence of the As-As bonding. The nickelskutterudite structure differs from the ideal perovskite structure (A(4)B(4)X(12)) in that As4 anion rings occupy three of the four icosahedral cages centered on the A sites. There are reported synthetic phases isomorphous with skutterudite with the other A site completely occupied by a cation (AB(4)X(12)). Electron microprobe analyses of nickelskutterudite gave an empirical chemical formula of (Ni0.62Co0.28Fe0.12)(Sigma 1.02)(AS(2.95)S(0.05))(Sigma 3.00) normalized to three anions. Pure NiAs3 nickelskutterudite, natural or synthesized, has not been reported. In nature, nickelskutterudite is always observed with significant Co and Fe, reportedly because all non-bonded valence electrons must be spin-paired. This suggests that nickelskutterudite must contain Co3+ and Fe2+, consistent with previous models since Ni4+ cannot spin-pair its seven non-bonded electrons, Co3+ and Fe2+, which can spin-pair all non-bonded electrons, are required to stabilize the structure. No anion deficiencies were found in the course of this study so, including the structurally necessary Co and Fe, the chemical formula of nickelskutterudite (currently given as NiAs3-x, by the IMA) should be considered (Ni,Co,Fe)As-3.

This thesis presents the results of geoarchaeological investigations conducted at two new test pits, M11 and M12, at the paleoanthropological site of Dmanisi during the 2012 field season. This research is important for understanding the site formation processes occurring along the north-south axis of the Dmanisi site and how that affects the chronostratigraphic sequence and interpretation of archaeological materials here. With these excavations we can build a stronger interpretation for how broader areas of this site formed and changed both geologically and archaeologically. The geologic results of this study indicate that changes in sediment deposition and development episodes can affect interpretations of how long these sediments accumulated, how likely bones are to preserve, as well as how secondary gravel deposition can influence several archaeological interpretations. The archaeological results suggest that there could have been changes in occupation intensity between the stratum A and B phases although different rates of sediment deposition and surface stability could affect such artifact accumulations. In addition, during the stratum B phase there appears to be little change in artifact procurement behaviors and reduction characteristics by these hominins. The overall results of this research indicate that geologic factors should be addressed and cautions should be taken prior to making interpretations about archaeological assemblages.

Several biomarkers (cell viability and phagocytosis) based on earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris) immune cells (coelomocytes), together with whole-worm mortality (LC/LD50's), were used to assess a bioremediation attempt to reduce pentachlorophenol (PCP) toxicity in a former wood processing hazardous waste site (HWS).

The focus of this thesis was to gather and analyze micromorphological and petrographic data on soils at the archaeological site of Dmanisi in order to better understand the extent to which the deposition and alteration of the sediments has affected the preservation of artifacts and faunal remains. A major goal of this research was to test hypothesis related to why bone material is discovered in some strata and not in others. This research focuses on the application of micromorphology (supplemented with other methods) to the soils through the use of petrographic analysis of thin sections and scanning electron microscopy. These techniques complement previous field analyses by providing a quantitative assessment of individual strata through point counting and chemical mapping. The results of this research support the hypothesis that the sediments are predominantly mafic ashes, while showing that there is very little soil development in the strata. This suggests quick episodic burial in a relatively dry climate, confirming the hypothesis for a short time sequence in the strata. Additionally, differential weathering probably did not play a significant role in the differential abundance of bone remains among the strata at Dmanisi.