Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that affects approximately 1% of the population worldwide, and which typically has a devastating effect on the lives of its sufferers. The characteristic symptoms of the disease include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thought and reduced emotional expression. While many of the early theories of schizophrenia focused on its psychosocial foundations, more recent theories have focused on the neurobiological underpinnings of the disease. This thesis has four primary aims: 1) to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify the structural brain abnormalities present in patients suffering from their first episode of schizophrenia (FES), 2) to elucidate whether these abnormalities were static or progressive over the first 2-3 years of patients’ illness, 3) to identify the relationship between these neuroanatomical abnormalities and patients’ clinical profile, and 4) to identify the normative relationship between longitudinal changes in neuroanatomy and electrophysiology in healthy participants, and to compare this to the relationship observed between these two indices in patients with FES. The aim of Chapter 2 was to use MRI to identify the neuroanatomical changes that occur over adolescence in healthy participants, and to identify the normative relationship between the neuroanatomical changes and electrophysiological changes associated with healthy periadolescent brain maturation. MRI and electroencephalographic (EEG) scans were acquired from 138 healthy participants between the ages of 10 and 30 years. The MRI scans were segmented into grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) images, before being parcellated into the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobes. Absolute EEG power was calculated for the slow-wave, alpha and beta frequency bands, for the corresponding cortical regions. The age-related changes in regional tissue volumes and regional EEG power were inferred with a regression model. The results indicated that the healthy participants experienced accelerated GM loss, EEG power loss and WM gain in the frontal and parietal lobes between the ages of 10 and 20 years, which decelerated between the ages of 20 and 30 years. A linear relationship was also observed between the maturational changes in regional GM volumes and EEG power in the frontal and parietal lobes. These results indicate that the periadolescent period is a time of great structural and electrophysiological change in the healthy human brain. The aim of Chapter 3 was to identify the GM abnormalities present in patients with FES, both at the time of their first presentation to mental health services (baseline), and over the first 2-3 years of their illness (follow-up). MRI scans were acquired from 41 patients with FES at baseline, and 47 matched healthy control subjects. Of these participants, 25 FES patients and 26 controls returned 2-3 years later for a follow-up scan. The analysis technique of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used in conjunction with the Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) software package in order to identify the regions of GM difference between the groups at baseline. The related analysis technique of tensor-based morphometry (TBM) was used to identify subjects’ longitudinal GM change over the follow-up interval. Relative to the healthy controls, the FES patients were observed to exhibit widespread GM reductions in the frontal, parietal and temporal cortices and cerebellum at baseline, as well as more circumscribed regions of GM increase, particularly in the occipital lobe. Furthermore, the FES patients lost considerably more GM over the follow-up interval than the controls, particularly in the parietal and temporal cortices. These results indicate that patients with FES exhibit significant structural brain abnormalities very early in the course of their illness, and that these abnormalities progress over the first few years of their illness. Chapter 4 employed the same methodology to investigate the white matter abnormalities exhibited by the FES subjects relative to the controls, both at baseline and over the follow-up interval. Compared to controls, the FES patients exhibited volumetric WM deficits in the frontal and temporal lobes at baseline, as well as volumetric increases at the fronto-parietal junction bilaterally. Furthermore, the FES patients lost considerably more WM over the follow-up interval than did the controls in the middle and inferior temporal cortex bilaterally. While there is substantial evidence indicating that abnormalities in the maturational processes of myelination play a significant role in the development of WM abnormalities in FES, the observed longitudinal reductions in WM were consistent with the death of a select population of temporal lobe neurons over the follow-up interval. The aim of Chapter 5 was to investigate the clinical correlates of the GM abnormalities exhibited by the FES patients at baseline. The volumes of four distinct cerebral regions where 31 patients with FES exhibited reduced GM volumes relative to 30 matched controls were calculated and correlated with patients’ scores on three primary symptom dimensions: Disorganization, Reality Distortion and Psychomotor Poverty. The results indicated that the greater the degree of atrophy exhibited by the FES patients in three of these four ‘regions-of-reduction’, the less severe their degree of Reality Distortion. These results suggest that an excessive amount of GM atrophy may in fact preclude the formation of hallucinations or highly systematized delusions in patients with FES. The aim of Chapter 6 was to identify the relationship between the longitudinal changes in brain structure and brain electrophysiology exhibited by 19 FES patients over the first 2-3 years of their illness, and to compare it to the normative relationship between the two indices reported in Chapter 2. The methodology employed for the parcellation of the MRI and EEG data was identical to Chapter 2. The results indicated that, in contrast to the healthy controls, the longitudinal reduction in GM volume exhibited by the FES patients was not associated with a corresponding reduction in EEG power in any brain lobe. In contrast, EEG power was observed to be maintained or even to increase over the follow-up interval in these patients. These results were consistent with the FES patients experiencing an abnormal elevation of neural synchrony. Such an abnormality in neural synchrony could potentially form the basis of the dysfunctional neural connectivity that has been widely proposed to underlie the functional deficits present in patients with schizophrenia. The primary aim of Chapter 7 was to assimilate the findings from the preceding empirical chapters with the theoretical framework provided in the literature, into an integrated and testable model of schizophrenia. The model emphasized dysfunctions in brain maturation, specifically in the normative processes of synaptic ‘pruning’ and axonal myelination, as playing a key role in the development of disintegrated neural activity and the subsequent onset of schizophrenic symptoms. The model concluded with the novel proposal that disintegrated neural activity arises from abnormal elevations in the synchrony of synaptic activity in patients with first-episode schizophrenia.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that affects approximately 1% of the population worldwide, and which typically has a devastating effect on the lives of its sufferers. The characteristic symptoms of the disease include hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thought and reduced emotional expression. While many of the early theories of schizophrenia focused on its psychosocial foundations, more recent theories have focused on the neurobiological underpinnings of the disease. This thesis has four primary aims: 1) to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify the structural brain abnormalities present in patients suffering from their first episode of schizophrenia (FES), 2) to elucidate whether these abnormalities were static or progressive over the first 2-3 years of patients’ illness, 3) to identify the relationship between these neuroanatomical abnormalities and patients’ clinical profile, and 4) to identify the normative relationship between longitudinal changes in neuroanatomy and electrophysiology in healthy participants, and to compare this to the relationship observed between these two indices in patients with FES. The aim of Chapter 2 was to use MRI to identify the neuroanatomical changes that occur over adolescence in healthy participants, and to identify the normative relationship between the neuroanatomical changes and electrophysiological changes associated with healthy periadolescent brain maturation. MRI and electroencephalographic (EEG) scans were acquired from 138 healthy participants between the ages of 10 and 30 years. The MRI scans were segmented into grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) images, before being parcellated into the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobes. Absolute EEG power was calculated for the slow-wave, alpha and beta frequency bands, for the corresponding cortical regions. The age-related changes in regional tissue volumes and regional EEG power were inferred with a regression model. The results indicated that the healthy participants experienced accelerated GM loss, EEG power loss and WM gain in the frontal and parietal lobes between the ages of 10 and 20 years, which decelerated between the ages of 20 and 30 years. A linear relationship was also observed between the maturational changes in regional GM volumes and EEG power in the frontal and parietal lobes. These results indicate that the periadolescent period is a time of great structural and electrophysiological change in the healthy human brain. The aim of Chapter 3 was to identify the GM abnormalities present in patients with FES, both at the time of their first presentation to mental health services (baseline), and over the first 2-3 years of their illness (follow-up). MRI scans were acquired from 41 patients with FES at baseline, and 47 matched healthy control subjects. Of these participants, 25 FES patients and 26 controls returned 2-3 years later for a follow-up scan. The analysis technique of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used in conjunction with the Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) software package in order to identify the regions of GM difference between the groups at baseline. The related analysis technique of tensor-based morphometry (TBM) was used to identify subjects’ longitudinal GM change over the follow-up interval. Relative to the healthy controls, the FES patients were observed to exhibit widespread GM reductions in the frontal, parietal and temporal cortices and cerebellum at baseline, as well as more circumscribed regions of GM increase, particularly in the occipital lobe. Furthermore, the FES patients lost considerably more GM over the follow-up interval than the controls, particularly in the parietal and temporal cortices. These results indicate that patients with FES exhibit significant structural brain abnormalities very early in the course of their illness, and that these abnormalities progress over the first few years of their illness. Chapter 4 employed the same methodology to investigate the white matter abnormalities exhibited by the FES subjects relative to the controls, both at baseline and over the follow-up interval. Compared to controls, the FES patients exhibited volumetric WM deficits in the frontal and temporal lobes at baseline, as well as volumetric increases at the fronto-parietal junction bilaterally. Furthermore, the FES patients lost considerably more WM over the follow-up interval than did the controls in the middle and inferior temporal cortex bilaterally. While there is substantial evidence indicating that abnormalities in the maturational processes of myelination play a significant role in the development of WM abnormalities in FES, the observed longitudinal reductions in WM were consistent with the death of a select population of temporal lobe neurons over the follow-up interval. The aim of Chapter 5 was to investigate the clinical correlates of the GM abnormalities exhibited by the FES patients at baseline. The volumes of four distinct cerebral regions where 31 patients with FES exhibited reduced GM volumes relative to 30 matched controls were calculated and correlated with patients’ scores on three primary symptom dimensions: Disorganization, Reality Distortion and Psychomotor Poverty. The results indicated that the greater the degree of atrophy exhibited by the FES patients in three of these four ‘regions-of-reduction’, the less severe their degree of Reality Distortion. These results suggest that an excessive amount of GM atrophy may in fact preclude the formation of hallucinations or highly systematized delusions in patients with FES. The aim of Chapter 6 was to identify the relationship between the longitudinal changes in brain structure and brain electrophysiology exhibited by 19 FES patients over the first 2-3 years of their illness, and to compare it to the normative relationship between the two indices reported in Chapter 2. The methodology employed for the parcellation of the MRI and EEG data was identical to Chapter 2. The results indicated that, in contrast to the healthy controls, the longitudinal reduction in GM volume exhibited by the FES patients was not associated with a corresponding reduction in EEG power in any brain lobe. In contrast, EEG power was observed to be maintained or even to increase over the follow-up interval in these patients. These results were consistent with the FES patients experiencing an abnormal elevation of neural synchrony. Such an abnormality in neural synchrony could potentially form the basis of the dysfunctional neural connectivity that has been widely proposed to underlie the functional deficits present in patients with schizophrenia. The primary aim of Chapter 7 was to assimilate the findings from the preceding empirical chapters with the theoretical framework provided in the literature, into an integrated and testable model of schizophrenia. The model emphasized dysfunctions in brain maturation, specifically in the normative processes of synaptic ‘pruning’ and axonal myelination, as playing a key role in the development of disintegrated neural activity and the subsequent onset of schizophrenic symptoms. The model concluded with the novel proposal that disintegrated neural activity arises from abnormal elevations in the synchrony of synaptic activity in patients with first-episode schizophrenia.

This thesis is based on longitudinal monitoring of developmental changes of the oronasal region in a group of children from 7 to 17 years. Growth and shape changes, variability and sex dimorphism were monitored using 492 3D facial models of 40 boys and 47 girls. These models were obtained by yearly scanning children aged 7 to 12 years and 12 to 17 years. The Vectra 3D optical scanner was used to obtain the models and data were evaluated using classical and geometric morphometry methods (T-test, DCA, Per vertex T-test and Principal component analysis). The results of the analyses were visualized using superprojection color maps of average faces and significance maps that show statistically significant regions of oronasal region changes. During the period under review, the growth of the oronasal region is evident in both girls and boys. The most intense growth occurred in the area of the nasal spine in both sexes, so there was a lengthening of the nose. Overall, the oronasal region extended and expanded to acquire a more convex shape. Growth intensity increased in girls from 10 years and in boys from 11 years. Sexual dimorphism was pronounced up to 11 years, between 12 and 13 the differences were not as pronounced as in the previous age categories, and these changes began to increase again from 14...

Orientador: João Aristeu da Rosa / Banca: Cleber Galvão Ferreira / Banca: Maria Tercília Vilela de Azeredo Oliveira / Resumo: Triatoma garciabesi, Triatoma guasayana, Triatoma patagonica e Triatoma sordida constituem o subcomplexo T. sordida, triatomíneos que podem veicular Trypanosoma cruzi e determinar doença de Chagas em humanos. Assim devido a importância epidemiológica foi conduzido este estudo que pode contribuir para o controle vetorial. A filogênese do subcomplexo T. sordida foi conduzido por meio de estudos do processo mediano do pigóforo, genitália externa feminina, histologia de ovos, morfometria de ovos e morfometria geométrica de asas. Também se utilizou dos marcadores moleculares CO1, Cyt b, 16S e 28S. Os resultados obtidos corroboram as descrições da literatura e fornecem novos parâmetros para a caracterização das quatro espécies do subcomplexo T. sordida, bem como das relações filogenéticas da subfamília Triatominae. O estudo do processo mediano do pigóforo de T. garciabesi, T. guasayana e T. sordida por meio de MEV não mostrou diferenças entre as três espécies. A genitália externa feminina de T. garciabesi, T. guasayana, T. patagonica e T. sordida observadas por MEV, apresentaram diferenças que possibilitam distinguir essas espécies. O estudo morfológico dos ovos por meio de MEV possibilitou descrever as características do exocório das quatro espécies, mas apresentou pouca eficácia para discriminação. O estudo histológico revelou diferenças na constituição tissular dos exocórios das quatro espécies. O estudo morfométrico de ovos mostrou que as variáveis de comprimento e abertura... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Triatoma garciabesi, Triatoma guasayana Triatoma patagonica and Triatoma sordida are the subcomplex T. sordida, triatomine bugs that can serve Trypanosoma cruzi and determine Chagas disease in humans. So because of the epidemiological importance was conducted this study may contribute to the control of these vectors. . So because of the epidemiological importance was conducted this study can contribute to the vector control. The phylogeny of the subcomplex T. sordida was conducted by the morphology of the median process pygophore, external female genitalia, histology eggs, morphometry eggs and geometric morphometric wings. Molecular markers were also used CO1, Cyt b, 16S, 28S, ITS1 and ITS2. The results corroborate the descriptions of literature and provide new parameters for the characterization of the four species of T. sordida subcomplex and the phylogenetic relationships of Triatominae. The study of median process of pygophore of T. garciabesi, T. guasayana and T. sordida by means of SEM showed no differences between the three species. The female external genitalia of T. garciabesi, T. guasayana, T. patagonica and T. sordida observed by SEM showed differences that make it possible to distinguish these species. The morphological study of eggs by SEM The morphological study of eggs by SEM enabled possible to describe the characteristics of the exochorion of the four species, but was not very effective for discrimination. The Histological study reveals differences in tissue constitution of the four species exochorion. The morphometric study of eggs show that the variables of length and opercular opening eggs feature significant differences between species, the variable width was not significant. By morphometry of the wings was possible to differentiate the species... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Projected air and ground temperatures are expected to be higher in Arctic and sub-Arcticlatitudes and with temperatures already close to the limit where permafrost can exist,resistance against degradation is low. With thawing permafrost, the landscape is modifiedwith depression in which thermokarst lakes emerge. In permafrost soils a considerableamount of soil organic carbon is stored, with the potential of altering climate even furtherif expansion and formation of new thermokarst lakes emerge, as decay releasesgreenhouse gases (C02 and CH4) to the atmosphere. Analyzing the spatial distribution andmorphometry over time of thermokarst lakes and other water bodies, is of importance inaccurately predict carbon budget and feedback mechanisms, as well as to assess futurelandscape layout and these features interaction. Different types of high-spatial resolutionaerial and satellite imageries from 1963, 1975, 2003, 2010 and 2015, were used in bothpre- and post-classification change detection analyses. Using object oriented segmentationin eCognition combined with manual adjustments, resulted in digitalized water bodies>28m2 from which direction of change and morphometric values were extracted. Thequantity of thermokarst lakes and other water bodies was in 1963 n=92, with succeedingyears as a trend decreased in numbers, until 2010-2015 when eleven water bodies wereadded in 2015 (n=74 to n=85). In 1963-2003, area of these water bodies decreased with50 651m2 (189 446-138 795m2) and continued to decrease in 2003-2015 ending at 129337m2. Limnicity decreased from 19.9% in 1963 to 14.6% in 2003 (-5.3%). In 2010 and2015 13.7-13.6%. The late increase in water bodies differs from an earlier hypothesis thatsporadic permafrost regions experience decrease in both area and quantity of thermokarstlakes and water bodies. During 1963-2015, land gain has been in dominance of the ratiobetween the two competing processes of expansion and drainage. In 1963-1975, 55/45%,followed by 90/10% in 1975-2003. After major drainage events, land loss increased to62/38% in 2010-2015. Drainage and infilling rates, calculated for 15 shorelines werevaried across both landscape and parts of shorelines, with in average 0.17/0.15/0.14m/yr.Except for 1963-1975 when rate of change in average was in opposite direction (-0.09m/yr.), likely due to evident expansion of a large thermokarst lake. Using a squaregrid, distribution of water bodies was determined, with an indistinct cluster located in NEand central parts. Especially for water bodies <250m2, which is the dominant area classthroughout 1963-2015 ranging from n=39-51. With a heterogeneous composition of bothsmall and large thermokarst lakes, and with both expansion and drainage altering thelandscape in Tavvavuoma, both positive and negative climate feedback mechanisms are inplay - given that sporadic permafrost still exist.

No description available.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Une nécessaire révision des coraux plocoïdes jurassiques en morphologie, morphométrie, systématique et en nomenclature a été réalisée grâce à des spécimens-types, du matériel de collection, ou issu de la littérature. Des structures dont une nouvelle muraille, l'étallonothèque et des types d'auricules ont été identifiés. Un stade initial ontogénique tétraméral a été observé pour la première fois chez Heliocoenia et Pseudocoenia. Ceci est en désaccord avec la définition traditionnelle sur le développement fondamentalement hexaméral chez les Scleractinia. L'étude systématique aboutit à une réorganisation des familles, des genres et de leurs synonymies. Des espèces sont décrites avec des limites encore parfois ambigües nécessitant une approche morphométrique plus approfondie pour être reproductible. Les positions systématiques prises sont traduites dans le sens de la préservation de la stabilité de l'usage des noms, des actes nomenclaturaux sont proposés dans ce sens. Deux méthodes morphométriques ont été appliquées aux contours 2D des sections de polypiérites. L'analyse de Fourrier Elliptique a été utilisée sur des coupes transversales théoriques et réelles. Les résultats montrent les différentes symétries et certains genres distingués par cette méthode. L'analyse des dimensions fractales de modèles théoriques, des coupes étudiées, ou issues de la littérature ont été analysées. Les formes étudiées se placent selon un gradient de complexité croissante du contour correspondant à la maximisation de l'interface squelette-porosité. Le long de ce gradient, les différents taxons se répartissent, leur distinction restant souvent délicate par suite d'un léger recouvrement / A review of Jurassic plocoid corals in morphology, morphometry, systematics and in nomenclature was necessary. This study was realized with collection materials, type specimens and material from the literature. The morphological study enables identifying structures such as a new type of wall, the etallonotheca and some new types of auricles. A tetrameral initial ontogenetic stage was observed for the first time in Heliocoenia and Pseudocoenia. This is in disagreement with the traditional definition of the septal development supposed to be fundamentally hexameral in Scleractinia. The systematic study led to a significant reorganization of families, genera and their synonyms. Species are described but their limits are still ambiguous and so still require more detailed morphometric approaches to be reproducible. The systematic positions chosen here are translated in terms of nomenclature in order to preserve the stability of names. This requires in various cases nomenclatural acts. Two morphometric methods were applied on 2D contours of calices sections. Elliptical Fourier analysis was used on theoretical and real transversal sections. The results show that the different symmetries and some genera can be distinguished by this method. Analysis of fractal dimensions has also been applied. Theoretical models and the sections studied in this work or issued from the literature were analyzed. The studied forms are placed according to an increasing complexity gradient of the contour corresponding to the maximization of the interface skeleton-porosity. The different taxa are distributed along this gradient, due to their small overlaps; their true distinction often remains difficult

Cerebral small-vessel damage manifests as white matter hyperintensities and cerebral atrophy on brain MRI and is associated with aging, cognitive decline and dementia. We sought to examine the interrelationship of these imaging biomarkers and the influence of hypertension in older individuals. We used a multivariate spatial covariance neuroimaging technique to localize the effects of white matter lesion load on regional gray matter volume and assessed the role of blood pressure control, age and education on this relationship. Using a case-control design matching for age, gender, and educational attainment we selected 64 participants with normal blood pressure, controlled hypertension or uncontrolled hypertension from the Northern Manhattan Study cohort. We applied gray matter voxel-based morphometry with the scaled subprofile model to (1) identify regional covariance patterns of gray matter volume differences associated with white matter lesion load, (2) compare this relationship across blood pressure groups, and (3) relate it to cognitive performance. In this group of participants aged 60-86 years, we identified a pattern of reduced gray matter volume associated with white matter lesion load in bilateral temporal-parietal regions with relative preservation of volume in the basal forebrain, thalami and cingulate cortex. This pattern was expressed most in the uncontrolled hypertension group and least in the normotensives, but was also more evident in older and more educated individuals. Expression of this pattern was associated with worse performance in executive function and memory. In summary, white matter lesions from small-vessel disease are associated with a regional pattern of gray matter atrophy that is mitigated by blood pressure control, exacerbated by aging, and associated with cognitive performance.