McGill University Thèses et mémoires publiés en 1986

In this thesis, we will discuss an extension of the classical Galton-Watson process called Branching Process in Random Environments. The first chapter will be concerned with necessary and sufficient conditions for certain and noncertain extinction of the process and we will see that just as the mean number of offspring per individual was important in determining whether the classical Galton-Watson process had certain or noncertain extinction, it is now E log m(~ 0 ) which will play the role of criticality parameter. […]  Lire la suite

The transferrin receptor is a membrane protein which is involved in the binding and endocytosis of transferrin, the main Fe$ sp{3+}$ carrying protein. The receptor and transferrin function to provide cells with iron, an essential nutrient. As red cells mature and lose their ability to make hemoglobin, they also lose their capacity to bind transferrin and take up iron. The transferrin receptor in sheep reticulocytes has been shown to undergo externalization in vesicular form during maturation of sheep reticulocytes in vitro. Microscopic studies show that the receptor is internalized into endosomes and externalization, in vesicular form, occurs via formation of …  Lire la suite

This thesis is a study of certain means available to taxpayers who wish to split their income with other members of their family and thereby reduce their taxes. There are essentially four sections to the study: (a) a description of the Canadian system of taxation of the family and the reasons why the Income Tax Act treats each individual as a separate unit for income tax purposes as opposed to recognizing the family unit itself as the basis for taxation; (b) an analysis of the tax consequences of loans and transfers of property between spouses; (c) an analysis of the …  Lire la suite

Walsh, D. (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

Primary silanes of the type RSiH$ sb3$, where R = phenyl (Ph), benzyl (Bz) and n -hexyl, undergo catalytic dehydrogenative polymerisation in the presence of catalytic amounts of Cp$ sb2$TiMe$ sb2$ (Cp = $ eta sp5$-C$ sb5$H$ sb5)$ to give linear oligomers consisting of about 10 silicon atoms, regardless of the reaction conditions. When the amount of Cp$ sb2$TiMe$ sb2$ was increased, novel organometallic complexes of the type $ {$(Cp$ sb2$Ti)$ sb2( mu$-H)$( mu$-HSiRH)$ }$ and $ {$Cp$ sb2$Ti$( mu$-HSiRH)$ } sb2$ were isolated and characterised. X-ray crystal structural characterisation has confirmed the first Ti-H-Si-Ti bridged systems. Other titanocenes (Cp$ …  Lire la suite

Currents and sea level fluctuations in the Avalon Channel, driven over a broad range of time scales by buoyancy forces, atmospheric pressure, and wind stress, are described and compared with dynamical theory. Seasonal fluctuations in adjusted coastal sea level at St. John's are shown to be consistent with steric height and bottom pressure variations 3 km offshore in a depth of 180 m. Low frequency fluctuations (periods of 7-50 d) in observed Avalon Channel currents and water properties suggest the presence of a baroclinically-unstable, buoyancy-driven coastal current. A kinematic analysis of the current fluctuations reveals an eddy structure resembling that …  Lire la suite

The thesis examines the emergence of a new idea--trade union investment funds. The thesis looks at their establishment in Sweden, Italy and Quebec in the years 1983-84. The thesis aims to compare these three funds, the first three in the developed countries, and attempts to explain the reason for the important differences between the funds. The thesis situates the funds within the overall concept of economic democracy and traces a brief historical sketch of the development of this idea. The evolution of the general fund idea is exposed as is the debate over the significance of the funds in intellectual, …  Lire la suite

On a étudié l'effet de deux bloqueurs calciques de type dihydropyridine sur le metabolisme cerebral du glucose (LCGU), le débit sanguin (LCBF) et leur ratio (LCBF/LCGU), en presence d'une lésion cryogenique chez le rat. […]  Lire la suite

Stewart, R. K. (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

Contogouris, A. P. (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

Beaudet, Alain (Supervisor)  Lire la suite

The effect of the perception of fitness on the acquisition of several basic interviewing skills was explored. Furthermore, the relationship between perceived and actual fitness was investigated, as well as the relationship between actual fitness and basic interviewing skills. The interviewing skills were eye contact, talk time, verbal following (topic change) and focus of subject verbalization. The study consists of two parts. The first part explored the viability of altering an individual's perception of personal physical fitness. Fifty-four subjects were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control condition. Experimental subjects received positive feedback related to their physical fitness during …  Lire la suite

Cette thèse essaie de répondre aux questions suivantes: 1. Dans quels contextes les récits se développent-ils? 2. Quel est le rôle de Moise? 3. Comment se dégage l'image de Moïse? 4. Jusqu'à quel point Moïse sert-il de "modèle" au Prophète Muhammad? La dimension de la figure de Moise croît progressivement parce que les situations vécues par le Prophète Muhammad et la nouvelle communauté musulmane, ont engendré des récits appropriés. Moise était-il un "modèle" ou a-t-il été "créé à l'image de Muhammad?" L'étude des passages pertinents révèle certains parallèles entre la situation et la mission du Prophète Muhammad et celles de …  Lire la suite

In recent years the overwhelming revolutionary biological discoveries and techniques have introduced an awareness of moral, ethical, and philosophical concepts in the social consciousness.  Lire la suite

This thesis provides the first systematic measurements of respiratory mechanics in humans anesthetized with halothane. Measurements were made both in anesthetized and anesthetized-paralyzed states. Both active and passive elastance and flow resistance values of the total respiratory system are presented. Next, the passive mechanics data are partitioned into lung and chest wall components. As this partitioning is based on measurements of esophageal pressure, a simple method for validating the esophageal balloon-catheter technique for indirect measurement of pleural surface pressure has also been developed, and applied to anesthetized subjects. In addition, lung mechanics has been studied in awake normal subjects in …  Lire la suite

In this thesis, passive and active 3-branch Ti:LiNbO$ sb3$ waveguide devices were investigated. A multimode field-matching technique was employed to predict the power division in a passive 3-branch waveguide power divider. The limitation and range of validity of this method were pointed out. An alternative method was also employed to predict the power division when coupling between two neighbouring branches is not negligible, as is the case when the branching angle becomes small. The multimode field-matching method was also employed to predict the power division in an active 3-branch waveguide switch, where switching is achieved through the electrooptic effect of …  Lire la suite

The Hyp (hypophosphatemic) mouse, a murine homologue of X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) in man, is a Mendelian disorder of phosphate (Pi) homeostasis. The mutant genotype is characterized by abnormal Pi transport at the brush border membrane (BBM) of the proximal tubule and a defect in renal metabolism of vitamin D$ sb3$. The exact nature of these defects has not been elucidated. In order to determine if the defect is intrinsic to the renal cell or dependent upon an extrinsic humoral factor, I established primary cultures of renal epithelial cells from normal and Hyp mouse kidney. The cultures demonstrated several differentiated properties …  Lire la suite

The dissertation is an exercise in the application of the philosophical hermeneutics of Paul Ricoeur and the biblical hermeneutics of John Dominic Crossan to the aesthetics of religious cinema. The thesis defines religious cinema as virtual religious experience; therefrom a theory of religious cinema is derived. This derivation depends on a discussion of the essential elements of the cinematic experience and permits the expansion of the category of religious cinema beyond its traditional frontier. Throughout the dissertation, a dialogue is maintained with general cinema theory on the one hand and religious cinema criticism on the other. The purpose of this …  Lire la suite