Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal. / Une épreuve ELISA indirecte a été développée pour la détection d'anticorps antileptospires dans des sérums d'origine canine. Une préparation antigénique spécifique de genre, stable à la chaleur et produite à partir de Leptospira interrogans sérovar Pomona a été utilisée dans cette technique immuno-enzymatique. D'autre part, une détermination de la prévalence des séroréacteurs envers différents sérovars de leptospires a été effectuée chez l'espèce canine au Québec, à raide du test ELISA et du test d'agglutination microscopique (MAT). La préparation antigénique, élaborée à partir du sérovar Pomona, a réagi avec les sérums de lapin contre les sérovars Bratislava, Pomona, Autumnalis, Grippotyphosa et Icterohaemorrhagiae. Cette technique ELISA a démontré une spécificité relative de 95.6% avec 158 sérums d'origine canine, lesquels étaient négatifs à une dilution de 1:100, par le MAT, envers les sérovars Pomona, Bratislava, Icterohaemorrhagiae, Autumnalis, Grippotyphosa et Hardjo. La sensibilité relative de l'épreuve a été de 100% avec 21 sérums d'origine canine, lesquels démontraient des titres supérieurs ou égaux à 1:100 envers un ou plusieurs sérovars. Parmi les chiens qui présentaient des titres d'anticorps anti-leptospires, le titre prédominant était dirigé contre le sérovar Pomona dans 66.7% des cas (14/21). Des titres prédominants contre le sérovar Bratislava ont été trouvés chez deux chiens, alors qu'un titre prédominant contre Grippotyphosa a été trouvé chez un seul animal. Quatre chiens ont uniquement présenté une réaction 1:100 contre le sérovar Icterohaemorrhagiae. Cette épreuve ELISA s'est avérée facile à standardiser et techniquement plus avantageuse que le MAT, par le fait qu'elle utilise une préparation antigénique qui peut être préparée de routine et en grandes quantités. En conclusion, il apparaît que cette épreuve est sensible et elle serait utilisable comme épreuve de tamisage pour la recherche d'anticorps anti-leptospires chez l'espèce canine, avec une confirmation subséquente des résultats positifs par le MAT.

Statistics paint a picture of a wheat industry under severe pressure, with the number of hectares dedicated to wheat production that have decreased while imports notably increased since 1997. This has had a negative impact on the industry‘s global competitiveness. The direct and indirect linkages between wheat and wheat products, together with the benefits that the industry can bring to the economy in the form of heightened food security and employment opportunities, highlight the need for a competitive wheat industry in South Africa. Clearly, the underlying causes of the declining wheat production in South Africa need to be investigated and understood. The presence of strict wheat quality standards and the fact that one of the general characteristics of wheat is the defect of conversion (that is, yield declines as quality improves) help to explain why wheat production in South Africa has declined in recent years. This can also negatively affect prices received for produce because South African wheat prices are determined by the lowest import parity price and not by the specific quality of the wheat. The fact that market concentration has been observed in certain parts of the wheat industry in South Africa has raised concerns that this phenomenon could potentially have had a negative impact on the performance of the country‘s wheat production sector. Consequently, this study revolves around the following main questions: ―could the evident market concentration in the South African wheat industry influence the performance of the wheat production sector by prescribing certain quality standards which attract relatively low prices?‖, and if so, ―can the wheat quality standards and prices be held responsible for the decline in the industry‘s performance, and to what extent?‖ Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used in pursuit to answer these questions. The qualitative approach was used to describe the theoretical basis of performance, competitiveness and concentration. Three different quantitative approaches were employed to determine the current state of competitiveness (Relative Trade Advantage (RTA) method), the factors influencing it (hedonic price model) and the extent of such influence (dynamic linear model). From the RTA, it was clear that South Africa is the only country, compared to its trading partners, that has an uncompetitive unprocessed (production) wheat sector alongside a competitive semi-processed (flour) wheat sector. The hedonic price model supported the finding that the institutional environment of the wheat industry uses quality-related mechanisms such as the cultivar release criteria to influence the competitiveness of the wheat production sector. Four comparisons were developed to determine whether the strict qualities required for the release of new cultivars are justified. It was found that with all four of these comparisons, the strict prescribed wheat quality was not justified in terms of the quality and demand considerations. It was found that when prescribed wheat quality could be relaxed to accommodate market supply and demand, an estimated 12.8 percent increase in yields could have been realised equating to a loss of approximately R606 million in Net Farm Income (NFI) per annum. When increasing this percentage to 20 percent, it was seen that the effect on NFI per annum would be R920 million. This study therefore provides evidence as to why the performance of the wheat industry has been declining over the last two decades and also contributes to the development of a framework for policy and decision makers which will encourage more competition and a freer market in terms of quality standards. Further contributions of this study lies in the body of literature on competitive behaviour by showing how concentrated industries can use statutory bodies to manipulate markets for rent-seeking purposes. It further shows how these decisions impact on important aspects like the profits of role players in an industry. / PhD (Agriculture, Economics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Statistics paint a picture of a wheat industry under severe pressure, with the number of hectares dedicated to wheat production that have decreased while imports notably increased since 1997. This has had a negative impact on the industry‘s global competitiveness. The direct and indirect linkages between wheat and wheat products, together with the benefits that the industry can bring to the economy in the form of heightened food security and employment opportunities, highlight the need for a competitive wheat industry in South Africa. Clearly, the underlying causes of the declining wheat production in South Africa need to be investigated and understood. The presence of strict wheat quality standards and the fact that one of the general characteristics of wheat is the defect of conversion (that is, yield declines as quality improves) help to explain why wheat production in South Africa has declined in recent years. This can also negatively affect prices received for produce because South African wheat prices are determined by the lowest import parity price and not by the specific quality of the wheat. The fact that market concentration has been observed in certain parts of the wheat industry in South Africa has raised concerns that this phenomenon could potentially have had a negative impact on the performance of the country‘s wheat production sector. Consequently, this study revolves around the following main questions: ―could the evident market concentration in the South African wheat industry influence the performance of the wheat production sector by prescribing certain quality standards which attract relatively low prices?‖, and if so, ―can the wheat quality standards and prices be held responsible for the decline in the industry‘s performance, and to what extent?‖ Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used in pursuit to answer these questions. The qualitative approach was used to describe the theoretical basis of performance, competitiveness and concentration. Three different quantitative approaches were employed to determine the current state of competitiveness (Relative Trade Advantage (RTA) method), the factors influencing it (hedonic price model) and the extent of such influence (dynamic linear model). From the RTA, it was clear that South Africa is the only country, compared to its trading partners, that has an uncompetitive unprocessed (production) wheat sector alongside a competitive semi-processed (flour) wheat sector. The hedonic price model supported the finding that the institutional environment of the wheat industry uses quality-related mechanisms such as the cultivar release criteria to influence the competitiveness of the wheat production sector. Four comparisons were developed to determine whether the strict qualities required for the release of new cultivars are justified. It was found that with all four of these comparisons, the strict prescribed wheat quality was not justified in terms of the quality and demand considerations. It was found that when prescribed wheat quality could be relaxed to accommodate market supply and demand, an estimated 12.8 percent increase in yields could have been realised equating to a loss of approximately R606 million in Net Farm Income (NFI) per annum. When increasing this percentage to 20 percent, it was seen that the effect on NFI per annum would be R920 million. This study therefore provides evidence as to why the performance of the wheat industry has been declining over the last two decades and also contributes to the development of a framework for policy and decision makers which will encourage more competition and a freer market in terms of quality standards. Further contributions of this study lies in the body of literature on competitive behaviour by showing how concentrated industries can use statutory bodies to manipulate markets for rent-seeking purposes. It further shows how these decisions impact on important aspects like the profits of role players in an industry. / PhD (Agriculture, Economics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Bakgrund: Närstående har en viktig roll i den palliativa vården då många svårt sjuka personer i livets slutskede har en önskan om att vårdas och dö i hemmet. I och med att de närstående får ett stort ansvar kan deras hälsa påverkas och det är därför viktigt att de får stöd i den situation som de befinner sig i. Den palliativa vården består av fyra hörnstenar där närståendestöd är en av dem. Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva vad närstående upplever som stöd när de vårdar en person i livets slutskede. Metod: Metoden var en litteraturöversikt. 14 artiklar hämtades i databaserna Cinahl Complete, MEDLINE with Full Text och Nursing and Allied Health Source. Artiklarna analyserades och likheter och skillnader identifierades för att få fram olika teman. Resultat: Fyra huvudteman identifierades utifrån analysen: Upplevelse av stöd från den palliativa hemsjukvårdens organisation, Upplevelse av stöd från vårdpersonal, Upplevelse av stöd i grupp och Upplevelse av stöd från familj och vänner. I huvudtemat Upplevelse av stöd från vårdpersonal identifierades fem underteman: Att skapa relationer, Delat ansvar och avlastning, Att bli sedd och bekräftad, Behov av information för upplevelsen av stöd och Vikten av kontinuitet. Resultatet redovisar vad de närstående upplever som stöd. Diskussion: Med Meleis transitionsteori som teoretisk referensram har resultatet diskuterats mot litteraturöversiktens bakgrund och annan relevant litteratur. Det är viktigt att sjuksköterskan uppmärksammar de närståendes individuella behov och därefter utformar ett lämpligt stöd. Sjuksköterskan har en viktig roll i att skapa förtroendefulla relationer. Hon ska också vägleda och stötta de närstående så att de kan hantera situationen som de befinner sig i. / Background: Relatives play an important role in the palliative care when many people with severe illness have a desire to be cared for and die at home. The relatives’ health may be affected and it is important that they receive support in this situation. Palliative care consists of four cornerstones and support for relatives is one of them. Aim: The aim was to describe what relatives experience as support when they care for a person in end of life. Method: The method was a literature review. 14 articles were retrieved in the databases Cinahl Complete, MEDLINE with Full Text and Nursing and Allied Health Source. The articles were analyzed and similarities and differences were identified in order to form different themes. Results: Four main themes were identified from the analysis: Experience of support from the palliative home care organisation, Experience of support from care staff, Experience of support in a group and Experience of support from family and friends. In the main theme Experience of support from care staff five sub-themes were identified: To create relationships, Shared responsibility and relief of burden, To be seen and affirmed, The need of information for the experience of support and The importance of continuity. The result reports what the relatives experience as support. Discussion: With Meleis transition theory as a theoretical framework the result has been discussed towards the background of the literature review and other relevant literature. It is important that the nurse observes the relatives’ individual needs and creates the appropriate support. The nurse has an important role in creating trusting relationships. She should also guide and support the relatives to handle their situation.

Dans le cadre de cette recherche, nous avons tracé un portrait de la citoyenneté environnementale d'une vingtaine d'élèves du primaire et du secondaire. Nous avons également dégagé l'impact de deux programmes d'ERE (j'Adopte un cours d'eau et Rivière du Nord) sur l'évolution de cette citoyenneté. Nous avons identifié un impact significatif sur deux des cinq composantes de la citoyenneté environnementale. On peut affirmer que les deux programmes étudiés contribuent à amplifier un lien affectif (sensibilité environnementale) qu'entretient l'enfant avec la nature en facilitant l'acquisition de connaissances du milieu naturel qui est, dans notre cas, la rivière. Par contre, nous ne pouvons conclure qu'il y a eu un impact sur le sentiment de pouvoir agir, les habiletés de participation démocratique ou le jugement critique des élèves. Nos constatations ne sont pas généralisables, dans la mesure où notre recherche de type descriptive possède un petit échantillon, mais nous permet tout de même de conclure qu'il y a un intérêt certain à poursuivre les recherches en ce sens.Dans le contexte québécois de la réforme en éducation et de la préoccupation grandissante pour les problèmes environnementaux, il est nécessaire de se pencher sur les effets de tels programmes d'ERE sur les apprentissages des élèves ainsi que l'évolution de leur citoyenneté.

Ce projet de recherche a été mené dans le cadre du groupe de recherche NECOTIS (Neurosciences Computationnelles et Traitement Intelligent du Signal). Ce groupe de recherche agit principalement dans le domaine du traitement de l’image et de l’audio grâce à des méthodes de traitement de signal bio-inspirées. Différentes applications ont été développées en reconnaissance de la parole, dans la séparation de sources sonores ou encore en reconnaissance d’images. Bien qu’ils existent depuis plus de quarante ans, les systèmes d’aide aux personnes atteintes de déficiences visuelles, que cela soit des prothèses visuelles (invasif) ou des système de substitution sensorielle (non invasif), n’ont pas percé dans le milieu du handicap. Il serait difficile d’imputer cet état de fait à des limitations technologiques : depuis les premières approches, les prothèses visuelles ou les systèmes de substitution sensorielle n’ont cessé de se perfectionner et de se diversifier. Toutefois, si la question de savoir comment transmettre le signal est bien documentée, la question de savoir quel signal transmettre a été plus rarement abordée. Différents systèmes ont été développés mais le plus impressionnant est le récit des utilisateurs de tels systèmes. Ainsi, il fait plaisir de lire que l’artiste Neil Harbisson, qui ne voit aucune couleur, explique comment une caméra attachée à se tête lui permet d’entendre des couleurs et ainsi de pouvoir peindre [Montandon, 2004]. Un autre exemple tout aussi impressionnant, la scientifique Wanda Díaz-Merced, qui travaille pour xSonify, explique comment elle analyse différentes données en les encodant de façon sonore [Feder, 2012]. C’est dans ce cadre que ce projet de substitution sensorielle de la vision vers l’audition a été développé. En effet, nous avons utilisé le traitement de signal bio-inspiré afin d’extraire différentes caractéristiques représentatives de la vision. De plus, nous avons essayé de générer un son agréable à l’oreille et représentatif de l’environnement dans lequel évolue la personne. Ce projet a donc davantage été axé sur la nature du signal transmis à la personne ayant des déficiences visuelles.

ABSTRACT Title: Relative Energy Deficiency in Female Collegiate Track & Field Athletes. Background: Energy deficiency and its consequences have long been studied in female athletes because of it’s potential for increasing risks of illness and injury. Sustaining an energy deficient diet while training and during competition may result in muscle loss and reduction in performance. Studies suggest that athletes competing in sports focusing on appearance or a lean physique are at high risk for energy deficiency. In 2014, the IOC developed the concept of ‘Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport’ (RED-S) to include new components not previously included in the Female Athlete Triad. A study has not yet been completed applying the RED-S paradigm in collegiate track and field athletes. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of RED-S in female collegiate track and field athletes. It was hypothesized that the majority of collegiate track and field athletes experience RED-S. It was also hypothesized that a greater percentage of distance runners experience RED-S than other track and field athletes, including throwers, jumpers, and sprinters. The components of RED-S assessed were menstrual function, bone health, and energy expenditure. Methods: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study, obtaining data through the use of a questionnaire and a relative energy expenditure index on a population of 12 female collegiate track and field athletes. Data were obtained through the use of a LEAF-Q questionnaire, a three-day food and exercise recall, and body composition analysis. Results: The 12 athletes were a combination of distance runners (n=5), throwers (n=2), and sprinters (n=5). Average subject characteristics were: age (20.6 ±1. 44 years), height (165.6 ±7.5cm), weight (63.58 ± 16.97kg), and body fat percentage (20.9± 7.2). Average energy intake over three days was 2146 kcal (±627), and the average predicted energy expenditure was 2380 kcal (±458). Average hours spent in a catabolic (52.8 ± 24.0), highly catabolic (37.5 ± 25.0), anabolic (19.2 ± 24.0), and highly anabolic state (12.4 ± 21.0). Subjects were in a negative energy balance state the majority of the days analyzed, and 75% of the population had at least one day of dietary recall below 45 kcal/kg FFM/day. Spearman’s rho analysis found a significant inverse correlation between Day 1 hours spent in optimal energy balance (± 400 kcal) and body fat percent (p=0.024, rs= -0.643), and significant positive correlation between Day 1 hours spent in optimal energy balance (± 400 kcal) and fat free mass percentage (p=0.03, rs=0.625). Spearman’s rho analysis also found an inverse correlation between Day 1 hours spent in an energy deficit (s= -0.626), and a positive correlation between Day 1 hours spent in an energy deficit and body fat percentage (p=0.026, rs=0.636). Seven out of twelve participants scored ≥ 8 on the LEAF-Q putting them at risk for RED-S. Conclusion: The study highlights the misleading effect of averaging multiple days of dietary recall on energy balance. When participant’s dietary recalls were assessed day by day the majority of hours were spent in a catabolic state, however when the three days of the recall were averaged the severity of the hours spent in a catabolic state lessened. The associations in this study are consistent with previous studies evaluating the relationships between energy balance deficits and body composition, indicating that longer duration spent in an energy deficit is associated with lower lean and higher fat mass. The findings from the LEAF-Q show that 58% of participants were at risk for RED-S, and half of all participants had or were experiencing menstrual dysfunction.

The goal of this thesis is to develop a grammar model of Japanese within the framework of Dynamic Syntax (Cann et al. 2005, Kempson et al. 2001), with special reference to constructions that involve the nominaliser no: clefts and certain kinds of relatives. The more general theoretical position which it aims to defend is that an account of these constructions in terms of ‘language dynamics’ is preferable to other ‘static’ approaches currently available. What is here meant by ‘language dynamics,’ in a nutshell, is the time-linear processing of a string and attendant growth of an interpretation. First, I shall motivate, and articulate, an integrated account of the two types of no- nominalisation. These two classes are uniformly modelled as an outcome of incremental semantic-tree growth. The analysis is corroborated by naturally-occurring data extracted from the Corpus of Spontaneous Japanese (CSJ). Moreover, novel data with regard to coordination are accounted for without losing uniformity. Second, the composite entry of no and the topic marker wa handles the two types of clefts uniformly. This account fits well with the CSJ findings. New data concerning case-marking of foci are explained in terms of whether an unfixed relation in a semantic tree is resolvable in incremental processing. The account also solves the island-puzzle without abandoning uniformity. As a further confirmation, the analysis is extendable to stripping/sluicing, making some novel predictions on case-marking patterns. Third, the entry of no characterises free relatives and change relatives in a unitary manner. Furthermore, the composite entry of no and a case particle predicts a vast range of properties of head-internal relatives, including new data (e.g., negation in the relative clause, locality restriction on the Relevancy Condition). In sum, the thesis presents a realistic, integrated, and empirically preferable model of Japanese. Some consequences stand out. The various new data reported are beneficial theory-neutrally. Formal aspects of Dynamic Syntax are advanced. The insights brought by a language dynamics account challenge the standard, static conception of grammar.

The aim of this thesis was to investigate the difference between containerboard materials strength and stiffness properties in tension and compression, how the mechanisms behind compressive and tensile properties are affected by the relative humidity of the ambient air and how the relative humidity affects the compressive response of the fibre network. These properties are used to predict the lifetime performance of corrugated boxes and to prevent early collapses of the boxes and thereby waste or harm of the transported goods inside. The work also discusses the methods used to evaluate the different properties and how reliable the results are. The experimental part includes testing of linerboard and fluting materials from both virgin and recycled fibres, which have been conditioned at 50% and 90% relative humidity. The compression tests were filmed to evaluate if different compression failure modes can be related to the strength and stiffness of the material. The results indicated that the compressive strength and stiffness differ from the strength and stiffness values in tension at 90% relative humidity. Compressive strength is lower in both 50% and 90% relative humidity compared with the tensile strength. However, the compression stiffness shows a higher value than the tensile stiffness at 90% relative humidity. The study of the method for evaluating the compressive behaviour of the paper does not present a complete picture on what type of failure the paper actually experience.

Patienter med demenssjukdom får allt eftersom sjukdomen progredierar allt svårare att äta. I demenssjukdomens senare skede kan patienten sluta äta helt. Dels på grund av sväljningssvårigheter, dels på grund av att patienten inte längre känner någon hunger eller törst. På grund av patientens avancerade demens kan komplexa beslutssituationer kring enteral nutrition uppstå där anhöriga och sjuksköterskor deltar. Syftet med studien var att beskriva anhörigas och sjuksköterskors upplevelser av beslutsprocessen kring enteral nutrition till patienter med avancerad demens. En litteraturstudie gjordes och resultatet baseras på tio vetenskapliga artiklar. Analyserna utmynnade i följande teman. För anhöriga: att behöva kunskap, att vara delaktig vid beslut och att leva med beslutet. För sjuksköterskor: att vara en del av teamet, att vägleda de anhöriga och att bli emotionellt påverkad. Resultatet visar att anhöriga behöver mer kunskap om för- och nackdelar med enteral nutrition vid avancerad demens samt vägledning av sjuksköterskan för att lättare känna delaktighet vid beslut om enteral nutrition till patienten. Sjuksköterskor som har tillräcklig kunskap om enteral nutrition vid avancerad demens samt känner sig som en del av teamet vid beslut har lättare att vägleda och stötta de anhöriga i beslutsprocessen. Vidare forskning kring anhörigas och sjuksköterskors delaktighet vid beslut om enteral nutrition till patienter med avancerad demens behövs för att kunna ge en god personcentrerad omvårdnad och minska patientens lidande.