La notion de bonne foi dans les immunit��s l��gislatives au Qu��bec : entre impr��cision et redondance

Les immunit��s l��gislatives pour bonne foi sont une composante importante des r��gles sp��cifiques s���appliquant �� la responsabilit�� civile des administrations publiques. Apparues dans les ann��es 1940 au Qu��bec, elles visent �� insuffler �� la responsabilit�� civile les consid��rations propres �� l���action ��tatique (difficult�� des t��ches, pouvoir discr��tionnaire, libert�� d���action, etc.). Or, la notion principale de ces immunit��s, la bonne foi, est d���une nature fragile. Tiraill��e entre une vision subjective et objective, elle souffre de nombreuses lacunes. Originalement fond��e sur l�����valuation de l�����tat d���esprit d���une personne, la bonne foi reproduit dor��navant le concept de faute lourde pr��sent en responsabilit�� civile. Il en r��sulte un syst��me qui cr��e de la confusion sur l�����tat mental n��cessaire pour entrainer la responsabilit�� d���une administration publique. Au surplus, le r��gime de la bonne foi est variable et change selon les fonctions exerc��es par les administrations publiques. Ces attributs mettent en exergue le peu d���utilit�� de cette notion��: la bonne foi d��double plusieurs ��l��ments d��j�� pr��sents en responsabilit�� civile qu��b��coise et partant de l��, affaiblit sa place comme r��gle particuli��re applicable aux administrations publiques. Bref, par son caract��re adaptable, la bonne foi est un calque de la responsabilit�� civile qu��b��coise et son faible apport embrouille le r��gime de cette derni��re.

Le dispositif institutionnel et la relation th��rapeutique en salle d'accouchement : entre le risque, le savoir h��g��monique et les rapports de pouvoir.

Ce m��moire vise �� ��tablir la complexit�� de la relation th��rapeutique entre l���infirmi��re et le couple en salle d���accouchement. Sachant que la relation th��rapeutique est essentielle �� la r��ussite du processus de soins, sa conceptualisation demeure primordiale pour une meilleure compr��hension de son impact et pour mener �� bien les soins. Cette recherche ethnographique a voulu documenter les relations des infirmi��res avec des couples en salle d���accouchement dans un h��pital de l�����le de Montr��al. Ce m��moire aborde un th��me central de l���anthropologie : les relations humaines. La question clef de ce m��moire questionne les facteurs qui entravent et qui favorisent la relation th��rapeutique entre l���infirmi��re et le couple en salle d���accouchement. Cette recherche d��montre des lacunes th��oriques qui technicisent la relation th��rapeutique et indique que la notion du risque, les normes institutionnelles, l���h��g��monie du savoir obst��trical et le pouvoir m��dical sont des facteurs qui semblent avoir une grande influence dans la relation th��rapeutique.

Development of CHH family recombinant hormones and RNAi for induced maturation of Penaeus monodon

About 80 years ago, the neurosecretory eyestalk structures and their role in endocrine regulation was recognized in crustaceans. After the recognition it took half a century to identify the first peptide hormone. Till date a large number of homologous peptides of crustacean hyperglycaemic hormone and moult-inhibiting hormone have been identified, consequently they are called the CHH family hormones. This family comprises of highly multifunctional peptides which according to sequences and precursor structures can be divided into two subfamilies, type-I (CHH/ITP) and II (MIH, MOIH, VIH/GIH) (Webster et al., 2012). The XO-SG complex has been the major site of the two subfamilies. The advent of molecular techniques resulted in the characterization of different precursors of CHH, MIH and GIH; these hormones consist of a signal peptide, but only the preprohormone of CHHs contain a precursor- related peptide (CPRP) located between the signal and the mature hormone (Weidemann et al., 1989; Klein et al., 1993b; De Kleijn and Van Herp, 1995). The essentialities of the gene structure comply with the functions of the CHH family hormones. The CHH family hormone functions are inhibitory as well as stimulatory in the process of reproduction and maturation

Home gardens and Dioscorea species ��� A case study from the climatic zones of Sri Lanka

Home gardens are considered as vital units for enhancing food security particularly in developing nations of South Asia, such as Sri Lanka. Although the yam crop Dioscorea spp. constitute a popular but still minor component in Sri Lankan home gardens, they have the potential of producing large quantities of edible material with minimal inputs. However, their real value in South Asian home gardens is not yet reported. Hence, this study was carried out to get insights into home garden characteristics, gardener demography as well as current management practices within 300 Sri Lankan home garden systems that are located along a climatic gradient. By using interviews and field observations, gardeners, who cultivated in particular Dioscorea species, were studied within 10 of the 25 administrative districts distributed in the wet, intermediate and dry climatic zone of Sri Lanka. Furthermore, current management practices of yams cultivation were analyzed on local scale and compared afterwards with management recommendations published in the year 2006 by the Department of Agriculture. Dioscorea species were found in a majority of home gardens, especially in wet and intermediate zones of Sri Lanka. D. alata was the most prominent species and was managed at a subsistence level and not as per recommendations developed by the Department of Agriculture. Our results revealed that Dioscorea alata is an essential component of Sri Lankan home gardens in rural areas and can yield substantial quantities of edible tubers with low input, especially during times of food scarcities, and has therefore the potential to enhance food security and rural development.

Biological Basis and Clinical Application of Serum Tumor Markers

Cancer is the result of the accumulation of changes in molecules with important functions in processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell death and gene repair. Molecules, substances or altered pathways constitute tumor markers or biomarkers useful in clinical monitoring of cancer patients, because they have demonstrated to be suitable for the valuation of the patient���s treatment and it efficiency. Determination of tumor markers has not been very successful due to the low sensitivity and specificity of the techniques used and the requirement of large volumes of biological samples or the use of invasive methods for collecting them. The serum tumor markers arise, as a useful tool to obtain information about the disease progress and constitute as a scientific challenge to improve its applicability in early diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring of the disease and evaluation of therapeutic efficacy.

Caracterizaci��n de la exposici��n ocupacional a los gases, di��xido de azufre (so2), sulfuro de hidr��geno (h2s), y mon��xido de carbono (co), y la percepci��n de salud de los trabajadores, en una empresa del sector hidrocarburo en Colombia

En el proceso de extracci��n de petr��leo (crudo) deben realizarse tratamientos f��sicos y qu��micos en estaciones de recolecci��n del hidrocarburo con el fin de garantizar su calidad antes de su entrega para el transporte y comercializaci��n. Para la realizaci��n de esta actividad el personal operativo requerido (operadores) debe realizar diferentes actividades, tales como ronda operacional, verificaci��n de sistemas de almacenamiento del crudo, agua residual del proceso e insumos qu��micos utilizados en su tratamiento y manipulaci��n de facilidades en las estaciones de recolecci��n, entre otras. Como resultados de las actividades rutinarias los operadores est��n expuestos a factores de riesgo qu��mico asociados a gases y vapores org��nicos generados en los procesos de tratamiento del crudo. En el presente trabajo se realizaron mediciones de calidad de aire e higiene industrial en diferentes estaciones tratamiento de crudo, con el prop��sito de evaluar los niveles de exposici��n de los operadores a gases y vapores de hidrocarburos durante el proceso de tratamiento de crudo y dar respuesta a la siguiente pregunta: ��existe relaci��n entre la exposici��n ocupacional, las emisiones atmosf��ricas de gases (SO2, CO, H2S) y la percepci��n de afectaci��n de la salud de los trabajadores que se encuentran expuestos durante la actividad laboral, en una empresa del sector de hidrocarburos? Se realiz�� un estudio de corte transversal, mediante la aplicaci��n de cuestionarios sobre las condiciones de trabajo y de salud a 30 trabajadores que laboran en una estaci��n de tratamiento de crudo de una compa����a del sector de hidrocarburos. Los operadores objeto de estudio laboran en turnos rotativos, han estado vinculados con la compa����a por m��s de dos a��os y tienen contrato directo, adicionalmente, se identificaron los factores de riesgos ambientales y ocupacionales para el grupo de trabajadores y se realiz�� una revisi��n de los informes de medici��n de higiene industrial y de calidad de aire de las estaciones donde labora el personal seleccionado con el fin de establecer si los resultados se relacionan. Los resultados obtenidos indican que el 100% de los trabajadores son de g��nero masculino y se desempe��an en cargos de operadores, recorredores de pozos de crudo y supervisores. El 97% de los operadores tiene m��s de cuarenta a��os de edad y el 80% de los mismos ha laborado por m��s de 6 a��os en la compa����a. Acerca de la percepci��n de los trabajadores sobre su estado de salud el 90% afirma que su salud es buena, el 97% respondi�� que no presenta problemas respiratorios, el 23% manifiesta que presenta trastornos dermatol��gicos y el 27% indican que presenta dolor de cabeza constante. De la revisi��n de los informes de calidad de aire disponibles se encontr�� que las mediciones de Di��xido de Azufre SO2, Mon��xido de Carbono CO se encuentran dentro del rango definido como el de menor impacto para la salud humana. De los datos del informe se puede concluir que la calidad del aire es buena en el 100% de las ��reas de influencia de las estaciones de tratamiento de crudo. Seg��n los informes de higiene industrial el 34% de las instalaciones presenta concentraciones de Sulfuro de Hidr��geno (H2S) en el l��mite permisible para exposiciones cr��nicas en un promedio ponderado de tiempo (TLV-TWA) y el l��mite permisible para exposiciones agudas en un l��mite de exposici��n a corto plazo (TLV-STEL). Solo el 37% de los trabajadores objeto de este estudio percibe el riesgo por la exposici��n a factores de riesgo qu��micos y son claramente consientes que se encuentran expuestos a estos riesgos por la manipulaci��n de productos qu��micos y exposici��n a sustancias qu��micas producto de sus actividades rutinarias, el 73% no percibe el riesgo de exposici��n por su actividad laboral. Se recomienda que la compa����a fortalezca su esquema de vigilancia para generar alternativas que eleven los niveles de consciencia del riesgo del trabajador. Los factores de riesgo ambiental y ocupacional, de los gases y vapores generados se deben al proceso de tratamiento de crudo, est��n mutuamente relacionados dado que al generarse una emisi��n y/o escape no controlado como consecuencia se tiene una afectaci��n directa al medio ambiente y a los trabajadores.

Errores gerenciales en que incurren los directivos del sector terciario, subsector comercio en Bogot��. Casos de Philips Colombiana S.A.S, Team Foods Colombia S.A, y Cencosud Colombia S.A

Con el presente trabajo se detect��, se analiz�� y se consolid�� un grupo de errores en la gesti��n administrativa en el ejercicio de las funciones que les compete desarrollar a algunos de los gerentes o directivos de las organizaciones del sector terceario; en especial se abord�� el caso de errores cometidos por los gerentes en las empresas Philips Colombia S.A.S, Team Foods Colombia S.A y Cencosud Colombia S.A de la ciudad de Bogot�� y como resultado del estudio se proponen soluciones pr��cticas y aplicables a los gerentes de estas organizaci��nes mediante futuras decisiones que permitan abordar la soluci��n de los errores encontrados y faciliten el mejoramiento de la futura gesti��n gerencial de las organizaciones objeto de estudio o donde les competa ejercer las funciones administrativas propias de su cargo.

Works councils: an agency perspective

This paper investigates the role of works councils in a simple agency framework in which works councils are supposed to monitor manager���s information on behalf of the workforce, but they are independent agents who might pursue their private interest. First, we consider that workers can incentivize works councils through contingent monetary payments. In order to deter collusion, workers must pay higher compensations in states of nature where they can be expropriated by potential coalitions among works councils and management. Collusion makes contingent payments costly and reduces workers��� payoffs. Second, when elections are the exclusive mechanisms to align works councils��� interest, only well compensated representatives would face an intertemporal tradeoff between accepting management���s transfers at first period and losing rents at the second period. Elections increase the cost of entering on collusive behavior with management and works councils will try to behave on the employees��� interest.

Estimates of electronic coupling for excess electron transfer in DNA

Electronic coupling Vda is one of the key parameters that determine the rate of charge transfer through DNA. While there have been several computational studies of Vda for hole transfer, estimates of electronic couplings for excess electron transfer (ET) in DNA remain unavailable. In the paper, an efficient strategy is established for calculating the ET matrix elements between base pairs in a �� stack. Two approaches are considered. First, we employ the diabatic-state (DS) method in which donor and acceptor are represented with radical anions of the canonical base pairs adenine-thymine (AT) and guanine-cytosine (GC). In this approach, similar values of Vda are obtained with the standard 6-31 G* and extended 6-31++ G* basis sets. Second, the electronic couplings are derived from lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMOs) of neutral systems by using the generalized Mulliken-Hush or fragment charge methods. Because the radical-anion states of AT and GC are well reproduced by LUMOs of the neutral base pairs calculated without diffuse functions, the estimated values of Vda are in good agreement with the couplings obtained for radical-anion states using the DS method. However, when the calculation of a neutral stack is carried out with diffuse functions, LUMOs of the system exhibit the dipole-bound character and cannot be used for estimating electronic couplings. Our calculations suggest that the ET matrix elements Vda for models containing intrastrand thymine and cytosine bases are essentially larger than the couplings in complexes with interstrand pyrimidine bases. The matrix elements for excess electron transfer are found to be considerably smaller than the corresponding values for hole transfer and to be very responsive to structural changes in a DNA stack

Multi-objective optimization scheme for static and dynamic multicast flows

Muchas de las nuevas aplicaciones emergentes de Internet tales como TV sobre Internet, Radio sobre Internet,Video Streamming multi-punto, entre otras, necesitan los siguientes requerimientos de recursos: ancho de banda consumido, retardo extremo-a-extremo, tasa de paquetes perdidos, etc. Por lo anterior, es necesario formular una propuesta que especifique y provea para este tipo de aplicaciones los recursos necesarios para su buen funcionamiento. En esta tesis, proponemos un esquema de ingenier��a de tr��fico multi-objetivo a trav��s del uso de diferentes ��rboles de distribuci��n para muchos flujos multicast. En este caso, estamos usando la aproximaci��n de m��ltiples caminos para cada nodo egreso y de esta forma obtener la aproximaci��n de m��ltiples ��rboles y a trav��s de esta forma crear diferentes ��rboles multicast. Sin embargo, nuestra propuesta resuelve la fracci��n de la divisi��n del tr��fico a trav��s de m��ltiples ��rboles. La propuesta puede ser aplicada en redes MPLS estableciendo rutas expl��citas en eventos multicast. En primera instancia, el objetivo es combinar los siguientes objetivos ponderados dentro de una m��trica agregada: m��xima utilizaci��n de los enlaces, cantidad de saltos, el ancho de banda total consumido y el retardo total extremo-a-extremo. Nosotros hemos formulado esta funci��n multi-objetivo (modelo MHDB-S) y los resultados obtenidos muestran que varios objetivos ponderados son reducidos y la m��xima utilizaci��n de los enlaces es minimizada. El problema es NP-duro, por lo tanto, un algoritmo es propuesto para optimizar los diferentes objetivos. El comportamiento que obtuvimos usando este algoritmo es similar al que obtuvimos con el modelo. Normalmente, durante la transmisi��n multicast los nodos egresos pueden salir o entrar del ��rbol y por esta raz��n en esta tesis proponemos un esquema de ingenier��a de tr��fico multi-objetivo usando diferentes ��rboles para grupos multicast din��micos. (en el cual los nodos egresos pueden cambiar durante el tiempo de vida de la conexi��n). Si un ��rbol multicast es recomputado desde el principio, esto podr��a consumir un tiempo considerable de CPU y adem��s todas las comuicaciones que est��n usando el ��rbol multicast ser��n temporalmente interrumpida. Para aliviar estos inconvenientes, proponemos un modelo de optimizaci��n (modelo din��mico MHDB-D) que utilice los ��rboles multicast previamente computados (modelo est��tico MHDB-S) adicionando nuevos nodos egreso. Usando el m��todo de la suma ponderada para resolver el modelo anal��tico, no necesariamente es correcto, porque es posible tener un espacio de soluci��n no convexo y por esta raz��n algunas soluciones pueden no ser encontradas. Adicionalmente, otros tipos de objetivos fueron encontrados en diferentes trabajos de investigaci��n. Por las razones mencionadas anteriormente, un nuevo modelo llamado GMM es propuesto y para dar soluci��n a este problema un nuevo algoritmo usando Algoritmos Evolutivos Multi-Objetivos es propuesto. Este algoritmo esta inspirado por el algoritmo Strength Pareto Evolutionary Algorithm (SPEA). Para dar una soluci��n al caso din��mico con este modelo generalizado, nosotros hemos propuesto un nuevo modelo din��mico y una soluci��n computacional usando Breadth First Search (BFS) probabil��stico. Finalmente, para evaluar nuestro esquema de optimizaci��n propuesto, ejecutamos diferentes pruebas y simulaciones. Las principales contribuciones de esta tesis son la taxonom��a, los modelos de optimizaci��n multi-objetivo para los casos est��tico y din��mico en transmisiones multicast (MHDB-S y MHDB-D), los algoritmos para dar soluci��n computacional a los modelos. Finalmente, los modelos generalizados tambi��n para los casos est��tico y din��mico (GMM y GMM Din��mico) y las propuestas computacionales para dar sluci��n usando MOEA y BFS probabil��stico.

Potential energy surface and MULTIMODE vibrational analysis of C2H3+

A full dimensional, ab initio-based semiglobal potential energy surface for C2H3+ is reported. The ab initio electronic energies for this molecule are calculated using the spin-restricted, coupled cluster method restricted to single and double excitations with triples corrections [RCCSD(T)]. The RCCSD(T) method is used with the correlation-consistent polarized valence triple-zeta basis augmented with diffuse functions (aug-cc-pVTZ). The ab initio potential energy surface is represented by a many-body (cluster) expansion, each term of which uses functions that are fully invariant under permutations of like nuclei. The fitted potential energy surface is validated by comparing normal mode frequencies at the global minimum and secondary minimum with previous and new direct ab initio frequencies. The potential surface is used in vibrational analysis using the "single-reference" and "reaction-path" versions of the code MULTIMODE. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

Proteogenomics and in silico structural and functional annotation of the barley powdery mildew Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei

Blumeria graminis is an economically important obligate plant-pathogenic fungus, whose entire genome was recently sequenced and manually annotated using ab initio in silico predictions [7]. Employing large scale proteogenomic analysis we are now able to verify independently the existence of proteins predicted by 24% of open reading frame models. We compared the haustoria and sporulating hyphae proteomes and identified 71 proteins exclusively in haustoria, the feeding and effector-delivery organs of the pathogen. These proteins are ���significantly smaller than the rest of the protein pool and predicted to be secreted. Most do not share any similarities with Swiss���Prot or Trembl entries nor possess any identifiable Pfam domains. We used a novel automated prediction pipeline to model the 3D structures of the proteins, identify putative ligand binding sites and predict regions of intrinsic disorder. This revealed that the protein set found exclusively in haustoria is significantly less disordered than the rest of the identified Blumeria proteins or random (and representative) protein sets generated from the yeast proteome. For most of the haustorial proteins with unknown functions no good templates could be found, from which to generate high quality models. Thus, these unknown proteins present potentially new protein folds that can be specific to the interaction of the pathogen with its host.

MOLES3: implementing an ISO standards driven data catalogue

ISO19156 Observations and Measurements (O&M) provides a standardised framework for organising information about the collection of information about the environment. Here we describe the implementation of a specialisation of O&M for environmental data, the Metadata Objects for Linking Environmental Sciences (MOLES3). MOLES3 provides support for organising information about data, and for user navigation around data holdings. The implementation described here, ���CEDA-MOLES���, also supports data management functions for the Centre for Environmental Data Archival, CEDA. The previous iteration of MOLES (MOLES2) saw active use over five years, being replaced by CEDA-MOLES in late 2014. During that period important lessons were learnt both about the information needed, as well as how to design and maintain the necessary information systems. In this paper we review the problems encountered in MOLES2; how and why CEDA-MOLES was developed and engineered; the migration of information holdings from MOLES2 to CEDA-MOLES; and, finally, provide an early assessment of MOLES3 (as implemented in CEDA-MOLES) and its limitations. Key drivers for the MOLES3 development included the necessity for improved data provenance, for further structured information to support ISO19115 discovery metadata export (for EU INSPIRE compliance), and to provide appropriate fixed landing pages for Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) in the presence of evolving datasets. Key lessons learned included the importance of minimising information structure in free text fields, and the necessity to support as much agility in the information infrastructure as possible without compromising on maintainability both by those using the systems internally and externally (e.g. citing in to the information infrastructure), and those responsible for the systems themselves. The migration itself needed to ensure continuity of service and traceability of archived assets.

APM/CD13 and FOS in the hypothalamus of monosodium glutamate obese and food deprived rats

Protein (western blotting) and gene (PCR) expressions, catalytic activity of puromycin-insensitive membrane-bound neutral aminopeptidase (APM/CD13) and in situ regional distribution of CD13 and FOS immunoreactivity (it) were evaluated in the hypothalamus of monosodium glutamate obese (MSG) and/or food deprived (FD) rats in order to investigate their possible interplay with metabolic functions. Variations in protein and gene expressions of CD13 relative to controls coincided in the hypothalamus of MSG and MSG-FD (decreased 2- to 17-fold). Compared with controls, the reduction of hypothalamic CD13 content reflected a negative balance in its regional distribution in the supraoptic, paraventricular, periventricular and arcuate nuclei. CD13-ir increased in the supraoptic nucleus in MSG (2.5-fold) and decreased in the paraventricular nucleus (2-fold) together with FOS-ir (1.5-fold) in FD. In MSG-FD. FOS-ir decreased (7-fold) in the paraventricular nucleus, while CD13-ir decreased in the periventricular (5.6-fold) and the arcuate (3.7-fold) nuclei. It was noteworthy that all these changes of CD13 were not related to catalytic activity of APM. Data suggested that hypothalamic CD13 plays a role in the regulation of energy metabolism not by means of APM enzyme activity. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the SOS regulon of Caulobacter crescentus

The SOS regulon is a paradigm of bacterial responses to DNA damage. A wide variety of bacterial species possess homologs of lex,4 and recA, the central players in the regulation of the SOS circuit. Nevertheless, the genes actually regulated by the SOS have been determined only experimentally in a few bacterial species. In this work, we describe 37 genes regulated in a LexA-dependent manner in the alphaproteobacterium Caulobacter crescentus. In agreement with previous results, we have found that the direct repeat GTTCN(7)GTTC is the SOS operator of C. crescentus, which was confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis studies of the imuA promoter. Several potential promoter regions containing the SOS operator were identified in the genome, and the expression of the corresponding genes was analyzed for both the wild type and the lex,4 strain, demonstrating that the vast majority of these genes are indeed SOS regulated. Interestingly, many of these genes encode proteins with unknown functions, revealing the potential of this approach for the discovery of novel genes involved in cellular responses to DNA damage in prokaryotes, and illustrating the diversity of SOS-regulated genes among different bacterial species.