Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

In vertebrates the cornea must maintain its transparency throughout adult life to ensure sight, and understanding the mechanisms underpinning corneal homeostasis are fundamental to developing new treatments to cure or prevent blindness. This study investigated the role the planar cell polarity pathway plays in the directed migration of adult corneal epithelial cells, in maintaining the homeostatic environment of the eye and during wound healing. RT-PCR confirmed, for the first time, the expression of multiple core PCP genes within human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells. Components of the PCP pathway were pharmacologically and genetically manipulated during wound healing of corneal epithelial cells and the importance of the downstream target JNK, and core PCP gene Vangl2, during wound healing was demonstrated. Manipulation of core PCP components was found also to directly affect the ability of HCE cells to realign and migrate in response to physical topographical cues in vitro. This study therefore indicated that PCP may regulate the directed migration of corneal epithelial cells as they travel over the basement membrane. Using conditional knockout mice the loss of Vangl2, a core PCP gene, and its effect on both planar and the apical-basal polarity of the corneal epithelium was investigated. Severe morphological defects were observed in Vangl2-null mice indicative of underlying problems in apical-basal polarity of the epithelial cells. The basement membrane of Vangl2-null cells was largely absent in vivo, which suggested that at least some of the planar defects were secondary to an unexpected failure of apical-basal polarity. This study has shown for the first time that PCP plays a crucial role in the maintenance of an adult vertebrate tissue, particularly during wound healing and maintenance of the corneal epithelium. It has also indicated a role for the core PCP gene, Vangl2, in setting up apical-basal polarity of these adult cells.

Gurus claim that they are able to act as mediators to put disciples on the path of spiritual development in diaspora. This study aims to investigate this claim, researching the hypothesis ‘that changing cultural environments in the United Kingdom, compared to those of the Indian sub-continent, requires a different model of the guru-chela (guru-disciple), relationship?’ In effect it seeks to test the differences, based on the stability and sustainability of the relationship in diaspora? This claim was endorsed by psychotherapist, J S Neki (1973), in a meeting in America and was published in The Journal of Ortho-psychiatry Volume 3. It discusses the possibility of the ‘guru-chela (disciple) relations’ acting as a model for ‘therapeutic care for the Hindu patient in diaspora.’ This research aims to examine critically the effectiveness of the guru-disciple relationship in light of changes the gurus have made in the delivery and quality of instructions they provide and the changes in the disciples’ aspirations in the new environment. The study investigates the meeting ground for science-based western psychotherapy and intuition-based spirituality. Both subjects deal with pastoral care components for their respective respondents, but are diametrically opposed in their approaches. The research sample in the study, are taken from Leicester, where the researcher is based, as the area provides a diverse group in the Heart of Hindu England, through which to examine the guru-disciple phenomena in diaspora.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

Dans le présent travail de recherche, nous proposons, à travers quelques essais empiriques, un nouveau regard sur les enjeux économiques de la migration internationale et le développement des pays d’origine. Tout d’abord, nous commençons par étudier le lien entre la migration internationale et le commerce extérieur en nous appuyant sur des données bilatérales d’un groupe de 27 pays, choisis selon des critères bien particuliers. Les résultats mettent en exergue un lien de complémentarité entre le commerce et la migration. Par la suite, nous étudions l’impact de la migration à travers d’autres canaux de transmissions tels que le capital humain et l’investissement. Il s’agit de retracer l’impact des transferts de fonds des migrants sur la croissance économique des pays d’origine de court et long terme. L’impact est ambigu dans l’espace et le temps. Enfin nous avons choisi de mener une étude complémentaire, à caractère micro-économique, et qui se focalise sur la migration de retour au pays du Maghreb et en particulier en Tunisie. Elle explique comment le migrant de retour contribue au développement de son pays d’origine à travers le canal investissement. Les résultats attestent un biais régional en défaveur de la région du Sud tunisien. / The present research proposes an attempt at explicitly analyzing the interrelationship between the economic effects of international migration and development in origin countries. By relying on bilateral data of a group of 27 countries selected according to very specific criteria, we start by studying the link between international migration and foreign trade, and show a complementary relationship between trade and migration. Then, we investigate the impact of migration through other transmission channels, such as human capital and investment, in order to trace the impact of migrants' remittances on economic growth of origin countries in the medium and long term. The impact is found ambiguous in space and time. Finally, we perform an additional study, at micro-economic level, which focuses on return migration to the Maghreb countries, with a particular attention to Tunisia. It aims at explaining how return migrants might contribute to the development of origin countries through the investment channel. The results show a regional bias to the detriment of the region of southern of Tunisia.

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We carried out a pilot study of local dispersion and patterns of movement of Golden- ringed dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii (Odonata: Cordulegasteridae). Cordulegasteridae is a family with many primitive traits present and rather restricted geographical distribution ranges (at least among European species). Their migration seems to be limited despite the body size that predetermines them to high mobility over large spatial scale. Linear habitat (upper parts of narrow forest streams) specialisation along with behavioural ecology (peculiar premating habit of scanning streams for females) is a unique life history, which bring lot of questions. We collected mark-release-recapture data during two adult flight seasons in year 2010 and 2011. We were simultaneously capturing patrolling males along three separate streams (Dračice, Koštěnický and Struha) in total length of 9.9 km in, located in the Natural park Česká Kanada, in the Southern Czech Republic. We captured and marked 440 individuals and recorded 113 recapture events (26 % recapture rate) in year 2010 and 355 individuals were marked, 171 recapture events made (48 % recapture rate) in 2011. Our data suggested high level of stream fidelity (only 10 inter stream dispersal events, 2.8 % dispersal rate). What was as well reflected in a closeness of...

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between economic variables and the net migration that has occurred to the EU member countries over the time period 1993-2013. The discussion tackles the subject in both directions since the theories and the result tells there's a two-way connection between the variables. In order to answer the questions as presented in the study different regressions are being conducted using the Least Square Dummy Variable model and a panel data set. The data material as used in the study was taken from The Quality of Government Institute (QOG) and includes information on economic variables which based on past research is likely to have an effect on net migration. The dependent variable used is net migration and the independent variables are GDP per Capita, income distribution (Gini coefficient), unemployment, working age population, trade and childbirth. The results of the regressions show that the variables GDP per Capita, trade and childbirth have a significant correlation with net migration where GDP per Capita affects positively and the other negatively. A better financial situation increases the possibility of effective integration, which according to Strömbäck (2015) is a key factor for a good socio-economic outcomes of immigration. The analysis section deals with additional context and make connections between previous studies and the results of the test conducted in this study.