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

This thesis contains both Parts A and B. / <p> Xenon induced flux oscillations are possible in large thermal reactors operating at high powers because of the inter-play between the xenon concentration, reactivity, and thermal flux, and the fact that xenon is produced mainly by radioactive decay of I-135, which has a half-life of 6.7 hours. Due to these nuclear characteristics along with size and operating conditions of the Pickering and Bruce cores, these oscillations in flux are inherently unstable with respect to xenon. That is, a local perturbation in reactivity will result in a divergent and cyclic time and space variation in the thermal flux distribution in the core.</p> <p> One group diffusion theory and a simple perturbation analysis yield for a bare thermal reactor, a threshold in the average flux level ∅ which satisfies (1) M^2λij^2 / αxe - αT/αxe ∅ = 1/1+λxe/σxe∅ - μxe / 1+(λxe + λ1)/σxe∅ for oscillations in ijth mode of the flux distribution (see Figure 1) M^2 is the migration area in cm^2, αxe is the reactivity load of Xe-135 at high flux levels; αT is the fuel temperature coefficient expressed in terms of reactivity change per unit flux. The function f(∅) depends only upon the decay constants λxe of Xe-135 and λ1 of I-135; μxe is the fraction of Xe-135 produced directly from the fission of the fuel rather than through iodine decay (which fraction is denoted by μ1). The dimensionless parameter λij^2 depends only upon the shape of the flux distribution and is equal to the difference between the bulking of the ijth mode and the fundamental model.</p> <p> The Bruce and Pickering reactors are used as models in this study to determine the threshold power level at which xenon instability is possible and in which mode this instability occurs.</p> <p> Bruce is found to be unstable in the fundamental and first azimuthal mode for fresh and equilibrium fuel conditions, and stable for the radial, axial and higher azimuthal modes.</p> <p> Pickering, on the other hand, is unstable for the equilibrium fuel condition in the fundamental and first azimuthal modes only and is stable in every mode except the fundamental in the fresh fuel condition.</p> (Part A of Thesis)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(Part B of Thesis) </p> Trimming of thin-film resistor components by an electrical arc is investigated in this report as an inexpensive and simple alternative to the laser trim and mechanical scribe methods. A multitude of tests were effected on Garrett Manufacturing Limited production circuits containing nichrome thin film resistors. These tests included Temperature Coefficient of Resistivity, resistance stability, substrate damage, noise performance, dynamic trim with active devices operating, width of cut as compared to mechanical scribe and laser trim techniques, and optimum parameters for trimming. In all cases the trimmed circuits were within the design specifications of the resistor properties under test. It is the conclusion of the author that the obvious attributes of the arc-trim method as well as its outstanding performance in the above tests, warrants its serious consideration as a viable alternative to the laser trim and mechanical scribe methods of altering resistance levels.</p> / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)

No description available.

<p>Adhesion of the blastocyst to the uterine wall is a highly sensitive phenomenon referred to as implantation. Novel-males are capable of disrupting the success of this process (the Bruce effect). A leading hypothesis invokes the transfer of estradiol from the male to the female via urine. This estradiol has direct effect on the uterus which may include morphology and molecular dynamics. Estradiol has been related to closure of the uterus around the blastocyst during implantation, which may assist in bringing the blastocyst close to the uterine wall for strong adhesion. E-cadherin, a cellular adhesion molecule, is found on both blastocyst and uterine surfaces and has been suggested to be involved in their interaction during implantation. Estradiol has been observed to reduce e-cadherin expression in hormonally sensitive tissues like the mammary glands, ovaries and uteri. Here, male-induced disruption of implantation was examined across days 2-8 of gestation. Luminal area was quantified in isolated and male-exposed females as a measure of extent of luminal closure. This area was larger in male-exposed animals. E-cadherin was found to have reduced expression on luminal epithelial cells. I suggest that the reduction in e-cadherin may lead to weaker attachment of the blastocyst to the uterine wall as well as reduced adhesion between opposing uterine walls leading to the “opening” of the uterus observed in male exposed animals. Together, these data may in part explain the blastocyst implantation failure observed in male-exposed animals during the Bruce effect.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

This submission is officially titled as a project. The author has also produced a second project relating to the same topic, titled "Part B: Power Transient in a CANDU Reactor" / This report consists of two separate studies. The first part deals with the calculation of the tube thickness of the Bruce B adjuster rods. The incremental cross-section for four tube thicknesses were obtained using the SUPERCELL Method. The tube thicknesses were then calculated so that the flux distributions at steady state full power and the corresponding total reactivity worth of the adjuster rods were in agreement with the reference design valves. The second part deals with the modifications made to the three-dimensionalSORGHUM code to permit calculations of steady-state flux distributions in asubcritical assembly in the presence of a constant non-fission meutron source. / Thesis / Master of Engineering (ME)

Female mammals are known to exhibit pregnancy failure when exposed to various stimuli during the implantation phase of pregnancy. When newly inseminated female mice are exposed to novel males in the absence of the sire, implantation is disrupted. This phenomenon is known as the Bruce effect. When females are exposed to novel males in the presence of the sire, pregnancy failure does not occur. This latter effect has been referred to as the sire protection effect. In these studies we examine the nature of female and sire behaviour in the context of novel males. Female interactions with novel males significantly decrease in the presence of the sire. This reduction in female-novel male interaction in seen irrespective of whether sires are free or confined within the female's cage. Novel-male exposed females exhibit pregnancy failure and this pregnancy block is removed when either free of corral-confined sires remain present in the cage. Finally, sires are highly motivated to engage in aggressive conflicts with novel males both in the presence and absence of the pregnant female. Sires were observed to behave aggressively towards novel males through a wire-mesh grid and in this context were able to inflict severe wounding upon novel males through the wire-mesh partition. In a direct exposure paradigm, sires were also witnessed to exhibit this aggression and were found to initiate and win all conflicts with novel males. The sire protection affect is likely to involve a complex of both pheromonal and behavioural cues. Sire aggression towards novel males, pheromonal communication and limited behavioural interaction between the sire and the female, and reduced femalenovel male interaction are all likely components of the effect. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:35:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Karina Bonetti Badawi.pdf: 800033 bytes, checksum: 7c3ff84ba02fd0bd99cf4281153b6989 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-06-06 / This study proposes a new structure of separation of powers in Brazil. The structure that develops finds support in the work "The New Separation of Powers" Bruce Ackerman, which develops a framework of separation of powers called 'limited parliamentarism'. The model presented in this work is the breakdown of the classical structure of the tripartite powers, inspired by Montesquieu, and opening for numerous other instances of control, beyond redistribution of existing functions. The work presents a proposal to amend the Federal Constitution to insert the new model of separation of powers. Finally, we analyze the validation of this new model in Brazil, through a constitutional amendment. The goal that we seek with this new model is the democratic legitimacy as an exercise in democracy, the efficiency of state action and the protection and expansion of Fundamental Rights. / Este presente estudo propõe uma nova estrutura da separação dos poderes no Brasil. A estrutura que se desenvolve encontra apoio na obra A Nova Separação dos Poderes de Bruce Ackerman, o qual desenvolve uma estrutura de separação dos poderes denominada de parlamentarismo limitado . O modelo apresentado neste trabalho faz a quebra da estrutura clássica da tripartição dos poderes, inspirada em Montesquieu, e a abertura para inúmeras outras instâncias de controle, além da redistribuição das funções já existentes. O trabalho apresenta uma proposta de alteração da Constituição Federal para inserção do novo modelo de separação dos poderes. E, por fim, analisa-se a validação deste novo modelo no Brasil, por meio de emenda constitucional. O objetivo que se busca com esse novo modelo é a legitimidade democrática como exercício de democracia, a eficiência da atuação do Estado e a proteção e a ampliação dos Direitos Fundamentais.

This essay studies the implicit and explicit perspectives of Bruce Lincoln, Jürgen Habermas, Talal Asad, Saba Mahmood, Charles Taylor, José Casanova and their approach to secularism as a phenomenon. This is done by categorizing them into three categories. The categories,enlightenment-centered theorists, critical theorists and implicit-theological theorists, all have explicit accounts and implicit forms of reasoning that shape and contextualize their respective approach. The Enlightenment-centered theorists tend to regard secularism as a neutral and peace-keeping statecraft. This approach implicitly contains the idea of a clear division between secular and religious. This implicit form of reasoning I argue is problematically non-reflexive to the theorist’s own standpoint and risks becoming a form of secular ideology. The theorists categorized as critical theorists view secularism more as a type of discourse where what is seen as religious and the secular is inherently fluid. This is then analyzed by them as a special strategy for Western sovereignty. The perspective of the implicit-theological theorists is similar both to the Enlightenment-centered and the criticaltheorists' perspective in that secularism is primarily peace-keeping and that the categories are often fluid. I show that their approach contains theological assumptions that religion responds to a realm which challenges the immanent world. In the last chapter of the essay, I give a normative evaluation of the three approaches to secularism where I argue that while the enlightenment-centered theorists have useful explanatory models, the critical and to a lesser extent implicit-theological approach to secularism are more fruitful for religious studies. They allow for more flexibility in studying the relationship between secular and religious groups as they do not determine the categories in advance. The essay also contains a concluding discussion on the type of problems for philosophy of science and religious studies that arise when secularism and what is seen as the secular is deconstructed.

The purpose of the thesis is to examine how the gender identity of individuals who did not identify within the cisgender norm were experienced by the individuals themselves as well as perceived by their surroundings during the nineteenth century in Sweden. This is done by analysing the autobiographies of two gender nonconforming people, Therese Andreas Bruce and Lars “Lasse-Maja'' Molin. The books are considered unique since it is “first hand” material, written by the subjects themselves rather than being described by others in criminal or medical records, which is where the majority of these individuals made an appearance during this time period. By examining the autobiographies, it is possible to conclude how the individuals saw themselves and experienced their gender identity. The theoretical perspective of the thesis is provided by Arnold I. Davidson, Jens Rydström, Sam Holmqvist and Dror Wahrman to cover both a LGBTQ+ historical perspective as well as literature on identity formation from a wider perspective. Through this inquiry it can be concluded that the experiences of gender nonconforming individuals were unique and dependent on the individual's personality rather than just their gender identity. While Bruce was deeply dependent on his surroundings and other people to confirm his male identity, Lasse-Maja valued objects such as clothes, jewellery and other symbols to establish their gender identity.  Further, the conclusion could also be drawn that these individuals were perceived differently by their surroundings and that they also handled the response in different ways. Lasse-Maja did not seem to care about the negative responses and reactions while Bruce was deeply wounded by similar behaviours. Gender identity, both then and now, appears as individually experienced and in constant fluctuation.

[pt] O circuito que esta dissertação desenha começa pelas mulheres presas e encarceradas por crimes considerados políticos, entre 1968 e 1979, em duas construções específicas, o Instituto Penal Talavera Bruce, no estado do Rio de Janeiro, e o Presídio Tiradentes, no estado de São Paulo, terminando nestas instituições carcerárias onde foram enclausuradas. Uma grande gama de elementos, contudo, entremeia tal percurso: o projeto político dessas mulheres e das organizações de esquerda revolucionária às quais se filiaram, a sociedade em que elas viviam e que gestava papéis de gênero extremamente específicos, e até a forma como o campo da História das Mulheres fornece lentes pelas quais a história delas é desenvolvida. Logo, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar o encarceramento de presas políticas, abordando o momento de sua entrada no mundo das organizações revolucionárias de esquerda, e a sua passagem pelos órgãos da repressão como capítulos de sua vida. Dentro dos presídios, identifico as questões que envolvem gênero e aprisionamento num regime de exceção, de forma que possam ser compreendidas as diferenças de tratamento das mulheres encarceradas por crimes políticos em relação a um universo masculino que engloba, numa configuração mais imediata, o próprio espaço prisional e, depois, as relações simbólicas estabelecidas dentro da prisão. Insere-se aqui a adaptação da mulher a tais espaços elaborados para o gênero masculino, que não possuíam estrutura física para lidar com questões como a gravidez. Ao mesmo tempo, são perpassadas as diferenças de experiências - físicas e psicológicas - específicas ao aprisionamento feminino, traçando também paralelos com as presas comuns enclausuradas nos dois presídios. / [en] This master s thesis examines women who were arrested and imprisoned for crimes regarded as political between 1968 and 1979. These events took place in two specific venues: Talavera Bruce Penal Institute, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and Tiradentes Penitentiary, in the state of São Paulo. A wide range of elements intertwine between their detention and their imprisonment in those two institutions. These events include their political projects and the different revolutionary left-wing organizations they joined, the society in which they lived that created extremely specific gender roles, and even the way in which the Women s History field provides the lenses through which this history is developed. Therefore, this dissertation aims to analyze the incarceration of these female political prisoners in these two prisons. I consider the moment they entered the world of revolutionary left-wing organizations and their passage through the organs of repression as chapters of their lives. Inside these prisons, I identify issues that relate gender and imprisonment in an exception regime, analyzing differences in the treatment of imprisoned women in relation to their male counterparts. Such differentiation includes the prison space itself and then the symbolic relations established in it. Here we can insert women s adaptation to an architectonic space projected for the male gender, which did not have a physical structure capable of encompassing typically female issues, such as pregnancy. Thereby, this work investigates the differences of experience – physical and psychological – related to female imprisonment. I also draw parallels between political and common female prisoners that were locked up in these two prisons.