Contexte : L’allergie alimentaire est une réaction excessive du système immunitaire en présence d'un aliment ou d'un additif alimentaire. Chez les enfants d’âge scolaire, sa prévalence varie entre 1 et 10%. Sachant qu’il est impossible de garantir un milieu scolaire sans allergène et que des pratiques très diversifiées de gestion des allergies sont actuellement en place, un guide de bonnes pratiques pour la gestion des allergies alimentaires en milieu scolaire primaire à Montréal a été développé. Objectifs : L’objectif général était d’évaluer l’implantation du Guide à partir de l’expérience vécue par les intervenants impliqués dans la phase pilote. Le contexte d’implantation, les facilitateurs et les limites, les raisons de non-implantation, les adaptations apportées, le niveau d’implantation, la participation des intervenants et leur satisfaction ont également été documentés. Méthodologie : La collecte de données fut réalisée dans 10 écoles primaires de 3 commissions scolaires de Montréal selon une méthode de recherche mixte : des méthodes qualitatives ont été utilisées avec entrevues semi-dirigées et observations ainsi que des méthodes quantitatives avec questionnaires autoadministrés. Résultats : Bien que le Guide n’ait pas été implanté intégralement dans les milieux participants, des changements de pratique ont été notés. Une meilleure sensibilisation aux allergies alimentaires chez le personnel et l’ajout de nouvelles mesures préventives font partie des améliorations remarquées. De plus, grâce au projet-pilote, la gestion des allergies alimentaires n’est plus uniquement associée à l’interdiction des noix et des arachides, mais plutôt à l’importance de la prévention sur plusieurs plans. Conclusion : Les données récoltées permettront d’améliorer le Guide pour diffusion éventuelle des bonnes pratiques de gestion des allergies en milieu scolaire dans toutes les écoles primaires de Montréal. Il est aussi raisonnable d’espérer son adoption au niveau provincial. / Context: A food allergy is an excessive reaction of the immune system in the presence of a certain food or food additive. Among school-aged children, its prevalence varies between 1 and 10%. Knowing it is impossible to guaranty that a school is allergen-free and that very diversified allergy management practices are currently in place, a Best practice guide for the management of food allergy in Montreal primary schools has been developed. Objectives: The general objective was to evaluate the implementation of the Guide based on the providers’ experience involved in the pilot phase. The implementation context, facilitators and limits, reasons of non-implementation, adaptations, level of implementation, and providers’ participation and satisfaction were also documented. Methodology: The data was collected in 10 primary schools among 3 Montreal school boards following a mixed research method: qualitative methods were used with semi-directed interviews and observations, as well as quantitative methods with self-administered questionnaires. Results: Even though the Guide was not entirely implemented in participating schools, some improvement was noted. For example, a better awareness regarding food allergies among the school staff and the addition of new preventive measures were noticed. Also, because of the pilot-project, food allergy management is no longer associated with banning nuts and peanuts anymore, but with the importance of prevention in a more global way. Conclusion: The collected data will allow the improvement of the Guide in order to spread the best practice in food allergy management among all Montreal primary schools. We can also reasonably hope for its adoption at the provincial level.

This dissertation reports on research related to ultrafiltration (UF) membranes in drinking water applications. A pilot-scale investigation identified seasonal surface water quality impacts on UF performance and resulted in the development of a dynamic chemically enhanced backwash protocol for fouling management. Subsequent analysis of UF process data revealed limitations with the use of specific flux, transmembrane pressure (TMP), and other normalization techniques for assessing UF process fouling. A new TMP balance approach is presented that identifies the pressure contribution of membrane fouling and structural changes, enables direct process performance comparisons at different operating fluxes, and distinguishes between physically and chemically unresolved fouling. In addition to the TMP balance, a five component optimization approach is presented for the systematic improvement of UF processes on the basis of TMP variations. Terms are defined for assessing process event performance, a new process utilization term is presented to benchmark UF productivity, and new measures for evaluating maintenance procedures are discussed. Using these tools, a correlation between process utilization and operating pressures was established and a sustainable process utilization of 93.5% was achieved. UF process capabilities may be further enhanced by pre-coating media onto the membrane surface. Silicon dioxide (SiO2) and powdered activated carbon (PAC) are evaluated as precoating materials, and the applicability of the TMP balance for assessing pre-coated membrane performance is demonstrated. The first use of SiO2 as a support layer for PAC in a membrane pre-coating application is presented at the laboratory-scale. SiO2-PAC pre-coatings successfully reduced physically unresolved fouling and enhanced UF membrane organics removal capabilities.

In wireless communications, employing pilot symbols enables to estimate the state of the wireless channel at the expense of decreasing the number of symbols available for transmitting data. Addressing this trade-off is particularly challenging when the channel changes rapidly over time, since channel estimates become obsolete over short transmission periods. This master thesis proposes an analytical model to characterize this trade-off and develops an algorithm to find the near-optimal pilot spacing in terms of the achieved over spectral efficiency. This algorithm is simulated in a cellular system that serves uncrewed aerial vehicles. Numerical results indicate that the altitude of the uncrewed aerial vehicle, the Rician factor, the Doppler frequency, and the number of receive antennas influence the overall spectral efficiency and consequently, pilot spacing should take into account these system parameters. / I trådlös kommunikation möjliggör användning av pilotsymboler att uppskatta tillståndet för den trådlösa kanalen på bekostnad av att minska antalet tillgängliga symboler för att överföra data. Att ta itu med denna avvägning är särskilt utmanande när kanalen ändras snabbt över tiden, eftersom kanaluppskattningar blir föråldrade under korta överföringsperioder. Denna masteruppsats föreslår en analytisk modell för att karakterisera denna avvägning och utvecklar en algoritm för att hitta det närmast optimala pilotavståndet i termer av uppnådd över spektral effektivitet. Denna algoritm simuleras i ett cellulärt system som betjänar obemannade flygfarkoster. Numeriska resultat indikerar att höjden för det obemannade luftfartyget, Rician-faktorn, Dopplerfrekvensen, antalet mottagarantenner påverkar den totala spektrala effektiviteten och följaktligen bör pilotavståndet ta hänsyn till dessa systemparametrar.

No / PURPOSE: A computer-based interactive binocular treatment system (I-BiT) for amblyopia has been developed, which utilises commercially available 3D 'shutter glasses'. The purpose of this pilot study was to report the effect of treatment on visual acuity (VA) in children with amblyopia. METHODS: Thirty minutes of I-BiT treatment was given once weekly for 6 weeks. Treatment sessions consisted of playing a computer game and watching a DVD through the I-BiT system. VA was assessed at baseline, mid-treatment, at the end of treatment, and at 4 weeks post treatment. Standard summary statistics and an exploratory one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed. RESULTS: Ten patients were enrolled with strabismic, anisometropic, or mixed amblyopia. The mean age was 5.4 years. Nine patients (90%) completed the full course of I-BiT treatment with a mean improvement of 0.18 (SD=0.143). Six out of nine patients (67%) who completed the treatment showed a clinically significant improvement of 0.125 LogMAR units or more at follow-up. The exploratory one-way ANOVA showed an overall effect over time (F=7.95, P=0.01). No adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSION: This small, uncontrolled study has shown VA gains with 3 hours of I-BiT treatment. Although it is recognised that this pilot study had significant limitations-it was unblinded, uncontrolled, and too small to permit formal statistical analysis-these results suggest that further investigation of I-BiT treatment is worthwhile.

No description available.

Les banques de données recueillant systématiquement des données-cibles sur leur clientèle permettent de décrire celle-ci, ses besoins et de répondre à plusieurs questions de recherche clinique. Un projet pilote pour déterminer la faisabilité d’un tel système a lieu à la Clinique universitaire de psychologie de l’Université de Montréal (CUP). Sous un angle qualitatif inductif inspiré de la phénoménologie descriptive de Husserl, la présente étude vise à décrire les répercussions potentielles et les impressions des cliniciens quant à l’implantation de cette procédure. Des entretiens individuels semi-directifs ont été effectués en télépratique avec 14 cliniciens volontaires en utilisant un canevas d’entrevue. Des considérations concernant cinq thèmes centraux ont émergées des analyses : les obstacles à l’implantation, les impacts potentiels sur la thérapie, certaines recommandations pour améliorer la participation, l’utilité perçue et une attitude d’ouverture. La consultation des cliniciens s’avère une caractéristique essentielle dans l’élaboration de l’implantation. Les implications cliniques et des pistes d’amélioration sont discutées. / Databases that systematically collect key data on their clientele make it possible to describe who consults, their needs and allow to answer several clinical research questions. A pilot project to determine the feasibility of such a data-collecting procedure is taking place at the University of Montreal’s Psychology Clinic (CUP). Using a qualitative inductive approach inspired by Husserl's descriptive phenomenology, the study aims to describe the potential impact and clinicians’ impressions of the implementation of this procedure. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 14 volunteer clinicians using an interview outline. Five central themes emerged from the analyses: barriers to implementation, potential impacts on therapy, recommendations for improving participation, perceived usefulness, and an open attitude. Consultations with clinicians was an essential feature in the development of the implementation. Clinical implications and avenues for improvement are discussed.

<p> This report examines the dynamic response of a 0. 5 metre pilot scale rotating biological contactor when operated under transient influent conditions. Experimental data are presented for two modes of operation: carbon oxidation and carbon oxidation plus nitrification. During the carbon oxidation experimental runs, a 2.0 metre RBC was operated in parallel with the 0.5 metre RBC, thus allowing comparisons in the performance of the units. </p> <p> When the 0. 5 metre RBC was operated under nitrifying conditions, it was found that the effluent filterable TKN responded positively to influent variations in filterable TKN loading, TKN concentration and hydraulic loading. Transfer f unction noise models were developed which successfully predicted the time varying effluent TKN response. The response in effluent filterable TKN was predicted most precisely by influent TKN loading. Models based on influent TKN concentration and flow were not as precise in predicting effluent response. The effluent response of the 0.5 metre RBC was found to be greater than the response of activated sludge pilot units when operated at similar levels of removal. </p> <p> When the 0. 5 metre RBC was operated in the carbon oxidation 'mode, significant effluent responses were observed for carbon loading and concentration. Little correlation was found between influent flow and effluent carbon concentration. Operating under identical conditions, the 2.0 m RBC showed significant responses to carbon loading, carbon concentration and flow. </p> / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)

First part of this thesis presents the design, validation, and implementation of an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) transmitter and receiver on a Cyclone II FPGA chip using DSP builder and Quartus II high level design tools. The resources in terms of logical elements (LE) including combinational functions and logic registers allocated by the model have been investigated and addressed. The result shows that implementing the basic OFDM transceiver allocates about 14% (equivalent to 6% at transmitter and 8% at receiver) of the available LE resources on an Altera Cyclone II EP2C35F672C6 FPGA chip, largely taken up by the FFT, IFFT and soft decision encoder. Secondly, a new wavelet-based OFDM system based on FDPP-DA based channel estimation is proposed as a reliable ECG Patient Monitoring System, a Personal Wireless telemedicine application. The system performance for different wavelet mothers has been investigated. The effects of AWGN and multipath Rayleigh fading channels have also been studied in the analysis. The performances of FDPP-DA and HDPP-DA-based channel estimations are compared based on both DFT-based OFDM and wavelet-based OFDM systems. The system model was studied using MATLAB software in which the average BER was addressed for randomized data. The main error differences that reflect the quality of the received ECG signals between the reconstructed and original ECG signals are established. Finally a DA-based architecture for 1-D iDWT/DWT based on an OFDM model is implemented for an ECG-PMS wireless telemedicine application. In the portable wireless body transmitter unit at the patient site, a fully Serial-DA-based scheme for iDWT is realized to support higher hardware utilization and lower power consumption; whereas a fully Parallel-DA-based scheme for DWT is applied at the base unit of the hospital site to support a higher throughput. It should be noted that the behavioural level of HDL models of the proposed system was developed and implemented to confirm its correctness in simulation. Then, after the simulation process the design models were synthesised and implemented for the target FPGA to confirm their validation.

Family-centred service (FCS), which acknowledges the importance of family engagement in therapeutic processes and focuses on needs of all family members, is increasingly being recognized as an optimal care delivery model for families of children with developmental disabilities. However, services for families are oftentimes ‘child-centric’, wherein family members are seen as partners in therapy or care delivery only, while their own or family needs are not addressed. This arises from the lack of awareness of complex and highly individual family needs by professionals with whom they interact, but also from a significant lack of services oriented toward parent-specific needs in current delivery models. This thesis aims to address this knowledge gap and provides solutions for parental support in the context of pediatric developmental rehabilitation, which might also be applicable to other settings (e.g., community, education). The objectives of this thesis were: (a) to conduct a systematic review synthesizing randomized controlled trials aiming to address parents’ physical, psychological and socioeconomic well-being; (b) to perform cross-cultural and language adaptation and proof-of-concept pilot exploration of an innovative, strengths-based support program ‘ENabling VISions And Growing Expectation’ (ENVISAGE) for parents of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities in Croatia; (c) to refine the Croatian version of the program according to the pilot study results; (d) to run the first set of ENVISAGE workshops and evaluate their impact on Croatian parents’ perception of self, their child with a disability and their family; and (e) to learn about participants’ experience with the program. The findings show that interventions aiming to improve parents’ well-being have limited but promising effectiveness on parents’ health and well-being outcomes. ENVISAGE has proven to be a comprehensive, acceptable, usable, feasible and impactful program for parents of children with developmental disabilities in Croatia. / Dissertation / Doctor of Science (PhD) / Parents raising children with developmental disabilities have unique challenges in their parenting role, which might impact their health and well-being. However, there has been very little focus on parental and family needs in the context of pediatric developmental rehabilitation. Parents are often expected to focus on their child’s issues when their own support needs are usually also significant. This thesis aimed to address this research and practice gap through: a) evaluating best quality evidence on how to support parental well-being; and b) piloting a novel ‘early intervention’ support program for parents of children with disabilities, ‘ENabling VISions And Growing Expectation’ (ENVISAGE), in a new culture and language setting, Croatia. These findings have implications for spreading awareness of innovative programs to improve well-being of parents of children with developmental disabilities in various sectors (e.g., healthcare, community).

No description available.