NCube/papyrus huggingface dataset:
Les ambitions maritimes de l’Inde dans l’océan Indien à l’aube du 21e siècle

This thesis aims to analyze the relevance of a particular strategic culture, that of India. At least four cultural variables, each with a specific security dimension - identity, values, norms and perceptive lens - help us understand the Indian notions of security and power.  The main hypothesis put forward in our paper is as follows: because Indian elite are deeply influenced by the prevailing Indian strategic culture, they perceive the Indian Ocean as the place where the main security threat to the country’s security lies. In addition, this particular security perception makes it possible to better understand India’s maritime ambitions in the Indian Ocean at the dawn of the 21st century. To confirm this, we analyze the influence of Indian strategic culture on strategic approaches privileged by Indian decision-makers within the Indian Ocean.  We conclude that New Delhi’s strategic objective is to become the dominant maritime power in the Indian Ocean. The means to bring about this end is the creation of a strong blue water navy capable of sustaining a permanent squadron on patrol far from its naval bases.  Furthermore, Indian naval activities - which are mainly defensive in nature - are justified by a doctrine of non-interference by major powers in Indian domestic affairs, a doctrine modeled on the Monroe Doctrine. According to the Indian doctrine, only the regional powers are able to preserve stability in the Indian Ocean region. Consequently, the Indian Government works to reduce the presence of foreign naval forces in the Indian Ocean.

Keyphrases: Strategic Culture, Blue Water Navy, Indian Ocean, India, China, United States
Family members' perceptions of nurse caring behaviours in the intensive care unit

Family member presence in critical care environments has been gradually increasing over recent years. The aim of this study was to evaluate family members’ perceptions with regard to nurse caring behaviours while in the intensive care unit (ICU). Of particular interest were the perceptions of family members of different diagnostic groupings (critically injured “trauma” versus other critical illnesses), and socio-demographic characteristics (gender, previous experience in an ICU, age and perception of illness severity). The conceptual framework was based on Watson’s ‘carative’ factors. Family members rated the importance with nurses’ caring behaviours using English and French versions of The Caring Behaviors Assessment (CBA) (Cronin & Harrison, 1988). The data were analyzed using MANOVA and Pearson Correlation Coefficients. Family members from both groups reported similar degrees of importance and satisfaction with nurse caring behaviours. Few differences emerged based on socio-demographic characteristics. Similar to studies using the CBA on patients, behaviours belonging to the ‘human needs assistance’ dimension were perceived as most important indicators of caring. A significant positive correlation (0.36, p =.012) was found between family members’ perception of illness severity and the importance of the ‘human needs assistance’ dimension . This study provides some indications for critical care nursing (education, training, research) from the unique perspective of the family member, and sheds light on the particular nurse caring behaviours that are important to them during a time of crisis.

Keyphrases: Caring, Trauma, Satisfaction, Satisfaction, Family, Caring, Intensive care, Trauma
Propriétés anesthésiques et analgésiques de l’eugénol chez la grenouille (Xenopus laevis), le poisson (Oncorhynchus mykiss) et le rat (Rattus norvegicus)

Eugenol (2-methoxy-4-(2-propenyl) phenol), derived from cloves, was first used as a topical agent for dental analgesia by dentistry practitioners, and subsequently to induce surgical anaesthesia by immersion in fish. Eugenol binds to vanilloid receptors, which are sensitive to heat, protons and certains lipid molecules. These receptors also play an important role in the mechanisms of inflammation, as well as hyperalgesia (Kanai 2005, and Crotright 2004). Eugenol could also produce its effects via its antagonistic interactions with glutamaergiques receptors (NMDA), and agonistic interactions with GABAergic receptors. Considering that eugenol has analgesic and anesthetic effects, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies were performed in frogs   (Xenopus laevis), fish (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and rats (Rattus norvegicus).  Results show that a surgical anesthetic dose was observed for frogs (350 mg/L) and fish (75 mg/L) with a eugenol solution. Pharmacokinetics were evaluated following LC/MS/MS plasma analysis of frogs, fish and rats. Results show that eugenol was eliminated in all species and that an enterohepathic recirculation was apparent for frogs and rats. The long half-life in rats suggests an accumulation in tissues following repeated administrations.  Following an intravenous administration 20 mg/kg of eugenol, a surgical anesthesia of approximately 167 sec was observed in rats.  Hargreave’s test results, evaluating hyperalgesia, show that eugenol reduced pain perception in a rat model of neuropathic pain. This pharmacological effect showed an increasing progression of the analgesia over the 5 days of daily treatments. In conclusion, eugenol has analgesic and anesthetic properties in African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis), trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and rats (Rattus norvegicus).

Keyphrases: Rat, Eugenol, Rat, Anaesthesia, Analgesia, Pharmacokinetics, Mass spectrometry, African clawed frog, Trout
Étude des effets secondaires associés à un traitement prolongé de fluticasone inhalée chez les chevaux atteints de souffle (asthme équin)

Recurrent Airways Obstruction (RAO) is a small airways inflammatory disease, very common in horses stabled in mouldy-dusty hay and straw environments. The clinical signs are prevented by environmental control, relieved by systemic and inhaled corticosteroids. Our objectives were to determine whether inhaled corticosteroids cause a suppression of cortisol levels and gastric ulceration in RAO horses treated with fluticasone 2000μg (Flovant HFA®) BID for 6 months and 2000μg SID for another 6 months. Five (5) healthy horses were used as controls and eleven (11) RAO affected horses were stabled in a moldy-dusty environment to induce disease exacerbation. Once they were symptomatic, they were divided into two groups, the treated group was kept on hay/straw and the untreated group was fed with pellets food and bedded on wood shavings six months. Afterwards, all horses were pasture for the next 6 months. Serum cortisol was mesured by Immuno-essai enzymatique par chimiluminescence (CEIA, Immunolite 1000®, Siemmens) 12, 10 days before and 7, 28, 80, 160, 200, 250, 290, 320 days after treatment initiation, in order to determine cortisol suppression. Fluticasone administered twice a day reduces blood cortisol levels after 28, 80 and 160 days, but did not cause any change in gastric ulcers. However, pellets slightly increased gastric ulcer scores in healthy horses.

Keyphrases: RAO, Cortisol, Fluticasone
Élaboration d’un simulateur de gravure par plasma de haute densité basé sur une approche cellulaire pour l’étude de profils dans divers matériaux

Sub-micrometer and nanometer-size device manufacturing requires perfect control of fabrication processing, in particular plasma etching. The fabrication of such devices is complex and the requirements in terms of quality and geometry of the etching profiles impose to use the best adapted operating conditions. Simulation of space and time-etching profile evolution that is proposed in this thesis addresses these issues. The simulator yields a better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms that occur during plasma etching of features in various materials. It enables to test the influence of plasma parameters on the profile shape and thus to determine the optimal operating conditions. The development of the simulator is based on the fundamental concepts in plasma etching. From thorough review of the various numerical approaches available to simulate etching profile evolution, we have developed a stable and flexible algorithm that enables to emphasize the importance of some key-parameters for the realization of etching profiles by high-density and low-pressure plasma. The capabilities of this algorithm were tested on the study of Si sputtering in an argon plasma and of ion-assisted chemical etching of SiO2/Si in a chlorine plasma. From comparisons between simulated and experimental profiles, we have shown the importance of some parameters, like the nature of the gas, the plasma pressure, the initial shape of the mask, the mask/material selectivity, the neutral/ion flux ratio, etc. We also linked these parameters to the formation of defects in the profile, for exemple mask facetting, sidewall bowing and microtrenching. Finally, we have shown that redeposition of sputtered atoms compete with electric surface charging to explain V-shape profiles observed on Pt sputtered in argon plasmas.

Keyphrases: Plasma, Simulation, Silicium, Platine, Etching, Silicon, Platinum, Microtrenching, Redeposition
Facteurs environnementaux associés à un asthme mal maîtrisé chez les enfants montréalais

Background: Home environmental exposures may impede asthma control in children. However, few population-based studies have investigated this relationship. Objective: Identify environmental home exposures associated with poor asthma control among asthmatic children less than 12 years of age in Montreal. Methods: This cross-sectional population-based study used data from a respiratory health survey of Montreal children aged 6 months to 12 years conducted in 2006 (n=7,980). Asthma control was assessed among those with active asthma in the year prior to the survey (n=980) using an adaptation of the Canadian asthma consensus report clinical parameters. Using log-binomial regression models, prevalence ratios (PR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were estimated to explore the relationship between inadequate control of asthma and environmental home exposures, including allergens, irritants, mold and dampness indicators. Subjects with acceptable asthma control were compared with those with inadequate disease control. Results: Of 980 children with active asthma in the year prior to the survey, 36 % met at least one of the five criteria outlined in the Canadian asthma guidelines as to poor control of their disease. The population’s characteristics found to be related with a lack of asthma control were: younger age, a history of parental atopy, low maternal education level, foreign-born mothers and tenant occupancy. After adjustments for the child’s age, parental atopy and tobacco smoke exposure at home, children living along high-traffic density streets (PR, 1.35; 95 % CI, 1.00-1.81) and those with their bedroom or residence in the basement (PR, 1.30; 95 % CI, 1.01-1.66) were found to be at increased risk of poor asthma control. Conclusions: Suboptimal asthma control appears to be mostly associated with traffic, along with mold and moisture conditions, the latter being a more frequent exposure and therefore having a greater public health impact.

Keyphrases: Epidemiology, Cross-sectional survey, Asthma control, Children, Home environment, Risk factor
Anisotropie de la photoluminescence dans des nanostructures organiques chirales
autoassemblées

In this work, we investigate exciton dynamics in a thin film of sexithiophene molecules in self-assembled chiral H-aggregate supramolecular stacks. The intermolecular coupling energy J=100 meV places those molecules in the intermediate coupling regime. The energetic disorder and the strong phonon-electron interactions leads to high localization of the photoexcitations. The initial photoexcited species branches into two distinct states : self-trapped exciton (95% yield) and charge-transfer excitons (5% yield). At room temperature (293K), the intermolecular hopping processes are thermaly activated and the fluorescence anisotropy goes to zero within 5 ns. At low temperature (14K), hopping processes are frozen. To characterize exciton diffusion mechanisms, a fluorescence anisotropy experiment has been done. This measurement consists of monitoring the difference between the parallel and perpendicular composants of the photoluminescence (with respect to the laser beam), as a function of time. The fluorescence anisotropy gives us information about the depolarization of the excitons, which is directly connected with their diffusion within the supramolecular stack. We measure an anisotropy of 0,1 after 20 ns which stays constant for 50 ns. Chargetransfer states induce a rise of the anisotropy up to 0,15 between 50 ns and 210 ns (the period between adjacent laser pulses). Those measurements shows that exciton localization is very strong at 14K and higher for the charge-transfer states than the self-trapped ones. A simple mathematical model based on the resolution of a system of differential equations with constants radiative and depolarization lifetimes can reproduce the experimental data. This model has some limitations, especially for the description of the depolarization mechanisms of the self-trapped excitons.

Keyphrases: Organic semiconductor, H-aggregate, Transition dipole moment, Self-trapped exciton, Charge-transfer excitons
Asthma during Pregnancy

Asthma is known as one of the most frequent chronic diseases encountered during pregnancy with prevalence estimated between 4 and 8%. The high prevalence of asthma during pregnancy results in some concerns about the impact of pregnancy on maternal asthma and also the impact of maternal asthma on perinatal outcomes. The literature presents conflicting results concerning the impact of maternal asthma during pregnancy on perinatal outcomes, such as preterm birth, low-birth-weight (LBW) infant and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant. Also, scientific evidence is scarce regarding the impact of asthma severity and control during pregnancy on these perinatal outcomes. We thus conducted a research project composed of five studies to achieve the following objectives: 1. to develop and validate two database indexes, one to measure the control of asthma and the other to measure asthma severity; 2. to evaluate the effect of fetal gender on maternal asthma exacerbations and the use of asthma medications during pregnancy; 3. to evaluate the impact of maternal asthma on adverse perinatal outcomes; 4. to evaluate the impact of the severity of asthma during pregnancy on adverse perinatal outcomes; 5. to evaluate the impact of adequately controlled maternal asthma during pregnancy on adverse perinatal outcomes. A large population-based cohort was reconstructed through the linking of three of Quebec’s (Canada) administrative databases covering the period between 1990 and 2002. A two-stage sampling cohort design was used to collect additional information on the women’s life-style habits by way of a mailed questionnaire for the three last studies.   We have observed no significant differences between mothers of a female and male fetus as to the occurrence of asthma exacerbations (aRR=1.02; 95% CI: 0.92 to 1.14). We have found that the risk of SGA (OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.14-1.41), LBW (OR: 1.41, 95% CI:1.22-1.63) and preterm delivery (OR: 1.64, 95%CI:1.46-1.83) was significantly higher among asthmatic than non-asthmatic women. Moreover, our results showed that the risk of SGA was significantly higher among severe (OR:1.48, 95%CI: 1.15-1.91) and moderate asthmatic women (OR: 1.30,  95%CI:1.10-1.55) than mild asthmatic women. Also, mothers with adequately controlled asthma during pregnancy were found to be at higher risk of adverse perinatal outcomes than non-asthmatic women (SGA (OR:1.28, 95%CI: 1.15-1.43), LBW (OR: 1.42,  95%CI:1.22-1.66), and preterm deliveries (OR: 1.63,  95%CI:1.46-1.83)). According to our results, all asthmatic women even those with adequately controlled asthma should be closely monitored during pregnancy because they are at increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes.

Keyphrases: Asthma, Asthma exacerbation, Pregnancy, Small for gestational age, Low birth weight, Preterm birth, Fetal gender
Suivez le guide : études comportementales et électrophysiologiques du rôle des contrôles attentionnels descendants dans le déploiement de l’attention visuospatiale

Contingent involuntary orienting is a phenomenon in which endogenous and exogenous attentional mechanisms interact, such that an item captures attention only if it shares an attribute that is relevant for the task at hand. Hence, top-down attentional control settings are established endogenously in favour of the relevant attribute, but stimuli sharing this attribute draw attention to their location involuntarily. The present thesis explores three aspects of this phenomenon. First, by studying the time course of this contingent capture effect, and by measuring event-related potentials (ERPs) to capturing distractors, it has been established that the performance deficits linked to contingent capture are in fact due to a deployment of visuospatial attention to the location of the distractor. Moreover, this spatially selective processing of the capturing distractor can be modulated if the distractor shares another target attribute, beside the target defining attribute. The ERP technique also permitted the dissociation of the contingent involuntary orienting hypothesis and the pure capture with brief attentional dwell time hypothesis. According to the latter interpretation, only salient singletons have the ability to capture attention at preattentive stages of processing. Therefore, top-down attentional control settings serve only to disengage attention from the location of such singletons when they do not share target features. The present results argue against this interpretation, because a deployment of visuospatial attention, indexed by the presence of the N2pc, was observed only in response to peripheral distractors sharing the target-defining attribute, even when all items in the stimulus displays were equated in terms of bottom-up salience. Lastly, when alphanumeric category was used to define the target, it was shown that top-down attentional control settings in favour of such conceptual attributes could be successfully implemented and used to guide visuospatial attention in an exogenous fashion, providing further evidence against the pure capture hypothesis.

Keyphrases: Neurosciences cognitives, N2pc, Cognitive neuroscience, Visuospatial attention, Contingent capture, Endogenous mechanisms, Exogenous mechanisms, Conceptual attribute, Alphanumeric category, Electrophysiology, Event‐related potentials, N2pc
ouvrir fermer / les portes Suivi de Les pouvoirs mémoriels de l'objet dans Le saut de l'ange de Denise Desautels

[O]uvrir fermer / les portes, the first part of this M.A. Thesis is a poetic project, divided in five sections, that combine free verse and poetic prose. The poetic subject tries to animate and reanimate fragments of her "story" by recalling memories of events or places, by repeating past conversations or by retroactively addressing thoughts. Behind a repetitive voice and behind a rythm that is at once fast or broken, we can find a reflexion: what and how can we say? What and how can we name? While the project's tone is lyrical and intimist, ouvrir fermer / les portes tries to take position facing the multiple variations of lyrism. The second part, the essay Les pouvoirs mémoriels de l'objet dans Le saut de l'ange de Denise Desautels, studies "auratic" and memorial (G. Didi-Huberman) connections between writing and the works of art (six sculptures of Island from artist Martha Townsend) that accompany the collection Le saut de l'ange by Quebec poet Denise Desautels.

Keyphrases: Quebec poetry, Denise Desautels, Denise Desautels, Martha Townsend, Martha Townsend, Memory, Objects of art, Aura, Aura
Dangerous identities : the impact of fundamental ethnic identities on conflict intensity

Though many have analyzed numerous factors’ influence on ethnic conflict intensity, it was found that ethnic identity itself has not been properly examined. This phenomenon is basically due to what we believe is improper ethnic group classification. We propose a new categorization method for ethnic identities putting forth religion, language and race as the clearest distinction of ethnic identity and labelling them as fundamental ethnic identities. Subsequently, a comparative examination of these ethnic identities was undertaken with the use of two different sources of data: the Battle Deaths dataset associated with the UCDP/PRIO data on armed conflicts and the Minorities at Risk dataset. The results, overall, indicated that ethnic identities with more intense emotional attachments lead to greater conflict intensity. Fundamental ethnic conflicts were shown to lead to greater intensity than non-fundamental ethnic conflicts. Also, similarity amongst ethnic groups was demonstrated to weaken conflict intensity. Furthermore, the study also concluded that the greater the number of fundamental ethnic identity differences involved in a conflict the more intense that conflict will be. However, the findings were unable to find any meaningful difference among the relative influence of the three fundamental ethnic identities.

Keyphrases: Religion, Race, Ethnicity, Conflict, Intensity, Identity, Religion, Language, Race
A critique of Nancy Fraser's theory of social justice : self-determination and the Mohawks of Kahnawá:ke

The focus of this study is Nancy Fraser’s work on social justice, which has gained prominence in the literature over the past few years.  The two original pillars of her approach are redistribution and recognition – the injustices that individuals face as a result of economic hardship or cultural denigration. These two concepts serve to diagnose and provide moral backing to the multiple struggles that individuals undertake with the aim of a more equitable way of participating in society. But what does this approach have to say about marginalized groups who seek greater autonomy, or perhaps even separation, rather than further participation in society? Fraser’s work has manifested resistance to sanctioning group difference, and silence on the issue of self-determination. I aim to build these claims into her approach, ultimately to render it more sensible to group dynamics and more capable to respond to their demands all too often neglected under the pretext of equality. The question is, equality of whom?

Keyphrases: Nancy Fraser, Recognition, Redistribution, Redistribution, Group rights, Kahnawá:ke, Social justice
Le roi et l’ermite : discours et idéologies chevaleresques dans les premières proses du Graal (Perlesvaus, le Haut livre du Graal et la Queste del Saint Graal)

Since the turn of the XIIIth century, writers take up the idea of a quest for the Holy Grail, already developed by Chrétien de Troyes in the Conte du Graal. The authors saw in the Holy Grail a great chance to elucidate an ecclesiastical ideology. The first proses of the Holy Grail then present a new way of exposing certain ideals of knighthood through religious convictions. From a socio-historical approach, we initially looked at the figure of King Arthur, who is impossible to circumvent. King Arthur’s behavior is the cause of the search for the Holy Grail. More particularly, this research ponders the question of why the knight’s social position tends to rise above that of the King’s. From the various royal functions to the nature and the goal of the chivalric adventures, we observe why and how the authors of the first proses of the Holy Grail tried to adapt the chivalric ideology to the ecclesiastical one. It appears that the influence of the political discourses from this medieval period will have played a major part in this new approach to knighthood.

Keyphrases: Graal, Perlesvaus, Ermite, Middle Ages, Social culture and history, Arthurian romance, Grail, Knight, XIIIth century, Perlesvaus, Hermit, Ideology