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In the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11), Canada began the process of adjusting to the new security realities. It immediately became apparent that a preeminent issue that Canada would have to address was border security, especially the matter of maintaining a secure and open border with the United States (US). Canada has always recognized the necessity of an open border with the US but 9/11 reinforced just how vulnerable the border was to events beyond its control. Something needed to be done in order to sustain this vital trading relationship.<p>This thesis examines Canadas response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11 but more specifically, Canadas efforts to maintain an open and secure border with the US in the immediate months and years following the attacks. This thesis is a case study of Canadas political efforts in that regard. The central focus is on Canadas initiation, negotiation and signing of the Smart Border Declaration (SBD) with the US on December 12, 2001. The purpose here is to examine the driving factors that lead Canada to engage in the smart borders process with the US and assess the importance of them.<p>This thesis concludes that Canadas response to the border crisis has revealed three significant trends in Canadas foreign and security policy. First, the SBD serves as a demonstration that Canadas national security has been significantly influenced by the security of economics and in particular, the special trade relationship that exists between Canada and the US. Secondly, the SBD is a familiar case of Canada taking the initiative in a North American policy matter and achieving an impressive policy triumph. Thirdly, it shows that the SBD represented an equally familiar instance of Canada taking action to provide certain assurances to the US that the security of Canada and the US is indivisible. In essence, it was a significant effort to appear as a reliable and responsible neighbour to the US.

In the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11), Canada began the process of adjusting to the new security realities. It immediately became apparent that a preeminent issue that Canada would have to address was border security, especially the matter of maintaining a secure and open border with the United States (US). Canada has always recognized the necessity of an open border with the US but 9/11 reinforced just how vulnerable the border was to events beyond its control. Something needed to be done in order to sustain this vital trading relationship.<p>This thesis examines Canadas response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11 but more specifically, Canadas efforts to maintain an open and secure border with the US in the immediate months and years following the attacks. This thesis is a case study of Canadas political efforts in that regard. The central focus is on Canadas initiation, negotiation and signing of the Smart Border Declaration (SBD) with the US on December 12, 2001. The purpose here is to examine the driving factors that lead Canada to engage in the smart borders process with the US and assess the importance of them.<p>This thesis concludes that Canadas response to the border crisis has revealed three significant trends in Canadas foreign and security policy. First, the SBD serves as a demonstration that Canadas national security has been significantly influenced by the security of economics and in particular, the special trade relationship that exists between Canada and the US. Secondly, the SBD is a familiar case of Canada taking the initiative in a North American policy matter and achieving an impressive policy triumph. Thirdly, it shows that the SBD represented an equally familiar instance of Canada taking action to provide certain assurances to the US that the security of Canada and the US is indivisible. In essence, it was a significant effort to appear as a reliable and responsible neighbour to the US.

Cette étude porte sur le comportement à l’impact et post-impact d’un composite 100% biosourcé, à fibres de lin et à matrice Polyamide 11. Une première étape a consisté à optimiser les paramètres de mise en oeuvre par thermocompression de ce composite. Deux types de tissus unidirectionnels de lin (A et B) ont été testés, ainsi que deux conditionnements de la résine PA11 : sous forme de film ou de poudre. Tout d’abord, les niveaux de température et de pression ont été optimisés sur un « premier set » de composites, élaborés à partir de lin A et de poudre de Polyamide 11. Ensuite, un « deuxième set » de composites a été étudié pour optimiser le choix des constituants. L’ensemble des composites fabriqués a été testé en traction, par DMA et par des mesures de taux de porosité. Il a été montré que la configuration optimale était obtenue avec le lin B et le Polyamide 11 sous forme de film, élaborée avec une température de 210°C et des paliers de pression de 25, 40 et 65 bars. Une analyse des endommagements créés en traction dans ce composite a été réalisée en couplant des observations par MEB et des enregistrements par émission acoustique. Il a ainsi été possible d’identifier quatre classes d’endommagement dans les composites [0]4 et [90]4, et cinq classes dans les composites [±45]s. Chacune de ces classes a été associée à une forme d'onde acoustique et à un type d’endommagement observé. La deuxième partie de ce travail a consisté à étudier l’influence d’un impact de 3,6J sur le comportement en traction et en compression de quatre séquences d’empilement : unidirectionnel [0]8, alterné [0/90]2s, sandwich [02/902]s et multidirectionnel [45/0/-45/90]s. Les grandeurs caractéristiques du comportement à l’impact ont tout d’abord été déterminées pour les quatre drapages.Les endommagements créés par l’impact ont été analysés par différentes techniques : observations visuelles,mesures topographiques, C-scan par ultrasons, et micro-tomographie. Les résultats ont montré que les configurations qui s’endommagent le moins à l’impact sont les drapages alterné et multidirectionnel. Les échantillons impactés ont ensuite été sollicités pour déterminer leurs propriétés post-impact, et les comparer aux résultats obtenus sur éprouvettes saines. Des essais de traction et de compression ont été réalisés sur cinq éprouvettes de chaque configuration. Lors de ces essais, les endommagements ont été suivis par émission acoustique, et les champs de déformation ont été mesurés par corrélation d’images. Les résultats ont montré que,grâce à la présence des plis à ±45°, le composite multidirectionnel présente les meilleures propriétés résiduelles.Enfin, un modèle post-impact a été mis en place, permettant, dans une première approche, en appliquant un module dégradé dans la zone impactée, de retrouver globalement les champs de déformations expérimentaux mesurés sur les différents drapages. / This PhD work deals with the impact and post-impact behavior of a fully bio-based composite made of flax fibresand Polyamide 11. The first goal was to optimize the hot press moulding parameters for manufacturing this composite. Two types of unidirectional flax fabrics (A and B) and two forms of Polyamide 11 (powder or film) were tested. At first, the pressure and temperature process values were optimized using a first set of composites made of flax A and Polyamide 11 in the form of powder. Then, an optimization of material components was conducted using a second set of composites. All the manufactured composites were tested by means of tensile tests, DMA and porosity measurements. Finally, an optimum configuration was determined: the composite flax B/PA 11 film manufactured with a temperature value of 210 °C and with gradual levels of pressure until 65 bars. Moreover, damage mechanisms were evaluated by acoustic emission and SEM observations during tensile tests. Four mechanisms were identified for the [0]4 and [90]4 composites and five for [±45]s composites. The second goal of this study was to study the effect of an impact of 3.6 J on the compression and tensile behaviors of four stacking sequences of this composite: unidirectional [0]8, alternated [0/90]2s, sandwich [02/902]s and multidirectional [45/0/- 45/90]s. The damage created by the impact in these four lay-ups was characterized thanks to different techniques: visual observations, topographic and C-scan measurements, and micro-tomography. It has been shown that the configurations with the smallest damage were the alternated and multidirectional composites. Then, impacted composites were tested by tensile and compressive loadings, and results were compared with the properties of non- impacted composites. Acoustic emission and digital image correlation were used to identify the damage and strain mechanisms of each type of composites. The results showed that, thanks to the presence of the ±45° plies, the multidirectional composite has the best post-impact behavior. Finally, a finite element model has been developed for simulating the post-impact behavior. As a first approach, a lower value of modulus has been implemented in the impacted area. It has allowed us to compare numerical and experimental strain fields for the different stacking sequences.

Background-Amyloidotic cardiomyopathy (AC) can mimic true left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and hypertensive heart disease (HHD). We assessed the diagnostic value of combined electrocardiographic/echocardiographic indexes to identify AC among patients with increased echocardiographic LV wall thickness due to either different etiologies of amyloidosis or HCM or HHD. Method-First, we studied 469 consecutive patients: 262 with biopsy/genetically proven AC (with either AL or transthyretin (TTR)-related amyloidosis); 106 with HCM; 101 with HHD. We compared the diagnostic performance of: low QRS voltage, symmetric LVH, low QRS voltage plus interventricular septal thickness >1.98 cm, Sokolow index divided by the cross-sectional area of LV wall, Sokolow index divided by body surface area indexed LV mass (LVMI), Sokolow index divided by LV wall thickness, Sokolow index divided by (LV wall/height^2.7); peripheral QRS score divided by LVMI, Peripheral QRS score divided by LV wall thickness, Peripheral QRS score divided by LV wall thickness indexed to height^2.7, total QRS score divided by LVMI, total QRS score divided by LV wall thickness; total QRS score divided by (LV wall/height^2.7). We tested each criterion, separately in males and females, in the following settings: AC vs. HCM+HHD; AC vs. HCM; AL vs. HCM+HHD; AL vs. HCM; TTR vs. HCM+HHD; TTR vs. HCM. Results-Low QRS voltage showed high specificity but low sensitivity for the identification of AC. All the combined indexes had a higher diagnostic accuracy, being total QRS score divided by LV wall thickness or by LVMI associated with the best performances and the largest areas under the ROC curve. These results were validated in 298 consecutive patients with AC, HCM or HHD. Conclusions-In patients with increased LV wall thickness, a combined ECG/ echocardiogram analysis provides accurate indexes to non-invasively identify AC. Total QRS score divided by LVMI or LV wall thickness offers the best diagnostic performance.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common cardiac disease caused by a range of genetic and acquired disorders. The most common cause is genetic variation in sarcomeric proteins genes. Current ESC guidelines suggest that particular clinical features (‘red flags’) assist in differential diagnosis. Aims: To test the hypothesis that left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction in the presence of increased wall thickness is an age-specific ‘red flag’ for aetiological diagnosis and to determine long-term outcomes in adult patients with various types of HCM. Methods: A cohort of 1697 adult patients with HCM followed at two European referral centres were studied. Aetiological diagnosis was based on clinical examination, cardiac imaging and targeted genetic and biochemical testing. Main outcomes were: all-cause mortality or heart transplantation (HTx) and heart failure (HF) related-death. All-cause mortality included sudden cardiac death or equivalents, HF and stroke-related death and non-cardiovascular death. Results: Prevalence of different aetiologies was as follows: sarcomeric HCM 1288 (76%); AL amyloidosis 115 (7%), hereditary TTR amyloidosis 86 (5%), Anderson-Fabry disease 85 (5%), wild-type TTR amyloidosis 48 (3%), Noonan syndrome 15 (0.9%), mitochondrial disease 23 (1%), Friedreich’s ataxia 11 (0.6%), glycogen storage disease 16 (0.9%), LEOPARD syndrome 7 (0.4%), FHL1 2 (0.1%) and CPT II deficiency 1 (0.1%). Systolic dysfunction at first evaluation was significantly more frequent in phenocopies than sarcomeric HCM [105/409 (26%) versus 40/1288 (3%), (p<0.0001)]. All-cause mortality/HTx and HF-related death were higher in phenocopies compared to sarcomeric HCM (p<0.001, respectively). When considering specific aetiologies, all-cause mortality and HF-related death were higher in cardiac amyloidosis (p<0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Systolic dysfunction at first evaluation is more common in phenocopies compared to sarcomeric HCM representing an age-specific ‘red flag’ for differential diagnosis. Long-term prognosis was more severe in phenocopies compared to sarcomeric HCM and when comparing specific aetiologies, cardiac amyloidosis showed the worse outcomes.

Background: Survival of patients with Acute Aortic Syndrome (AAS) may relate to the speed of diagnosis. Diagnostic delay is exacerbated by non classical presentations such as myocardial ischemia or acute heart failure (AHF). However little is known about clinical implications and pathophysiological mechanisms of Troponin T elevation and AHF in AAS. Methods and Results: Data were collected from a prospective metropolitan AAS registry (398 patients diagnosed between 2000 and 2013). Troponin T values (either standard or high sensitivity assay, HS) were available in 248 patients (60%) of the registry population; the overall frequency of troponin positivity was 28% (ranging from 16% to 54%, using standard or HS assay respectively, p = 0.001). Troponin positivity was associated with a twofold increased risk of long in-hospital diagnostic time (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.05-3.52, p = 0.03), but not with in-hospital mortality. The combination of positive troponin and ACS-like ECG abnormalities resulted in a significantly increased risk of inappropriate therapy due to a misdiagnosis of ACS (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.12-5.54, p = 0.02). Patients with AHF were identified by the presence of dyspnea as presentation symptom or radiological signs of pulmonary congestion or cardiogenic shock. The overall frequency of AHF was 28 % (32% type A vs. 20% type B AAS, p = 0.01). AHF was due to a variety of pathophysiological mechanisms including cardiac tamponade (26%), aortic regurgitation (25%), myocardial ischemia (17%), hypertensive crisis (10%). AHF was associated with increased surgical delay and with increased risk of in-hospital death (adjusted OR 1.97 95% CI1.13-3.37,p=0.01). Conclusions: Troponin positivity (particularly HS) was a frequent finding in AAS. Abnormal troponin values were strongly associated with ACS-like ECG findings, in-hospital diagnostic delay, and inappropriate therapy. AHF was associated with increased surgical delay and was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality.

The European Committee for Standardization is working on a standard for the application of IPM (Integrated Pest Management) in museums and cultural heritage facilities. Since one of the aims of this research was to verify the approach against pests adopted in Italian conservation facilities, a survey was conducted. The results show that for the Italian museums, archives, libraries and historical houses pests are a problem, but IPM is unknown and prevention programmes to avoid damages caused by them, are not applied. In the most of cases pests problems are solved only when the risk is high and damages are visible. Also entomological monitoring, which represents a crucial part of IPM and could be very useful, is not included among the ordinary prevention activities. In addition, at present, the scientific researches on entomological traps, whether light or pheromones, for “cultural heritage pests” is extremely poor and only recently the behaviour and/or the physiology of the insects “of museums” have been investigated. For these reasons, tests to increase the traps using are performed. In particular, S. paniceum behaviour towards different attraction systems was investigated and the results indicate that the light traps efficiency could be improved using specific wavelengths and light sources.

Neonicotinoids have been pointed to as a factor responsible for the increased honey bee colony losses in the last decades. Many studies have investigated the effects of the first marketed neonicotinoid, imidacloprid, while fewer have focused on thiamethoxam. One recent study showed that sublethal doses of thiamethoxam lead to colony failure by decreasing forager homing flight success. We thus decided to investigate the mechanism which caused this phenomenon. Our hypothesis was that this effect was caused by impairment of forager locomotion abilities. Therefore we tested the effects of sublethal acute and chronic exposures to thiamethoxam on forager walking (Chapter 2) and flight (Chapter 3) performances. The acute treatment (1.34 ng/bee) affected walking locomotion firstly triggering hyperactivity (30 min post-treatment) and then impairing motor functioning (60 min post-treatment). 2-day continuous exposures to thiamethoxam (32.5, 45 ppb) elicited fewer effects on walking locomotion, however both exposure modes elicited an increased positive phototaxis. Similarly, in flight experiments, the single dose (1.34 ng/bee) elicited hyperactivity shortly after intoxication (increased flight duration and distance), while longer and continuous exposures (32.5, 45 ppb) impaired forager motor functions (decreased flight duration, distance, velocity). It is known that flight muscles temperature needs to be precisely regulated by bees during flight. Therefore, we further hypothesized that the impaired flight performances of neonicotinoid intoxicated bees were caused also by thermoregulation anomalies. We tested the effects that acute thiamethoxam exposures (0.2, 1, 2 ng/bee) elicit on forager thorax temperature (Chapter 4). Foragers treated with high doses exhibited hyperthermia or hypothermia when respectively exposed to high or low environmental temperatures. In summary, we show that sublethal doses of thiamethoxam affected forager walking and flight locomotion, phototaxis and thermoregulation. We also display the intricate mode of action of thiamethoxam which triggered, at different extents, inverse sublethal effects in relation to time and dose.

Introduzione. Lo scompenso cardiaco (HF) rappresenta una delle principali manifestazioni cliniche dell’amiloidosi cardiaca (AC) e ha importanti implicazioni prognostiche. Tuttavia, pochi studi fisiopatologici riguardanti HF in AC hanno valutato l’aspetto emodinamico. Abbiamo pertanto analizzato HF nelle tre principali forme eziologiche di AC: AL (amiloidosi sistemica primitiva), m-ATTR (amiloidosi familiare TTR-relata) e wt-ATTR (amiloidosi senile). Metodi. Fra i 340 pazienti con diagnosi di AC (145 AL, 119 m-ATTR, 76 wt-ATTR) seguiti presso il nostro Centro tra 1990-2015, abbiamo analizzato gli aspetti clinici, strumentali e prognostici di quelli in classe NYHA III-IV alla diagnosi. Risultati. 96 (28%) hanno mostrato segni e sintomi di HF (52 AL, 22 m-ATTR, 22 wt-ATTR). All’ecocardiogramma il valore di frazione d’eiezione del ventricolo sinistro (LVEF) era compreso fra il 22 e il 67% ed era <50% in 54 pazienti (52%). Al cateterismo cardiaco destro, in più del 70% dei pazienti è stata documentata una pressione d’incuneamento polmonare (PCWP) aumentata e un ridotto indice cardiaco (CI). Inoltre, nel 45% dei casi sono stati riscontrati una ridotta LVEF e un’aumentata PCWP, mentre nel 30% i valori di LVEF sono risultati normali con PCWP aumentata. 10 pazienti mostravano normale LVEF e PCWP pur in presenza di HF. Durante il follow-up 66 (27%) hanno sviluppato segni e sintomi di HF (6.2% person/years). I pazienti con HF alla presentazione avevano una sopravvivenza inferiore rispetto a quelli in buon compenso. L’eziologia AL e il valore di CI erano predittori indipendenti di mortalità nei pazienti in classe NYHA III-IV alla presentazione. Conclusione. HF è presente nel 30% dei pazienti alla prima osservazione e non è solo dovuto ad una disfunzione diastolica “pura”, isolata, ma ad un eterogeneo range di disfunzione diastolica e sistolica. HF alla presentazione condiziona la prognosi dei pazienti. Inoltre, l’eziologia AL e CI ridotto rappresentano variabili indipendenti di mortalità. / Introduction. In amyloidotic cardiomyopathy (AC), heart failure (HF) is one of the main clinical manifestations. However, a precise pathophysiological and prognostic characterization of HF in this condition is not available. We assessed the clinical and instrumental profile and outcome of patients with advanced HF (i.e. NYHA class III-IV) at the time of first evaluation in light-chain (AL), hereditary transthyretin-related (m-ATTR) and non-mutant transthyretin-related (wt-ATTR) AC. Methods. We analysed the 340 patients diagnosed with AC (145 AL, 119 m-ATTR, 76 wt-ATTR) at our Centre between 1990 and 2015. We evaluated clinical, ECG, echocardiographic and hemodynamic profiles as well as survival data of those with advanced HF at time of diagnosis. Results. 96 (28%) patients presented advanced HF at first evaluation (52 AL, 22 m-ATTR, 22 wt-ATTR). Left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) ranged between 22 and 67% and was <50% in 54 patients (52%). Increased pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) and reduced cardiac index (CI) were documented in more than 70%. 45% of patients showed reduced LVEF with increased PCWP, while in about 1/3 of cases a normal LVEF and increased PCWP were present. 10 patients with HF at presentation had normal LVEF and PCWP. During follow-up 66 (27%) developed HF: 29 AL, 23 wt-ATTR, 14 m-ATTR with incidence rate of 6.2% person/years. Survival was reduced in patients with HF both in overall population and in three main subgroups. AL AC and reduced CI were independent predictors of mortality in patients in NYHA class III-IV at presentation. Conclusion. In 30% of AC patients, HF is one of main manifestation at first evaluation. The pathophysiological substrate of HF in these patients is systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction. Survival was reduced in AC patients with HF at presentation. AL etiology and CI were indipendent predictors of outcome.