In 2010, the Large Hadron Collider (\\lhc{}) at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) near Geneva (Switzerland) came into full operation providing proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\\sqrt{s} = \\unit[7]{TeV}$. \\lhc{} data may allow the observation of the Higgs boson, the last unknown building block of the standard model of particle physics (SM). Di-muon final states containing heavy flavour jets pose an irreducible background for searches of the Higgs boson as predicted the SM or theories beyond. They also provide a unique testbed for tests of perturbative Quantum Chromo-Dynamics (pQCD). This thesis provides a measurement of the cross section of events with one di-muon pair with an invariant mass in the \\Z{} mass region and at least one heavy flavour jet. Studies on acceptance and systematic effects of the experimental setup are presented as well as a comparison to theoretical predictions. The total inclusive cross section of \\zbFS{} events was observed as $\\sigma(\\mu^{+}\\mu^{-}+b+X) = \\unit[(4.15 ^{+0.97}_{-0.89} (stat.) ^{+0.45}_{-0.53} (syst.))]{pb} $ from the equivalent of $\\unit[36]{pb^{-1}}$ of data. Agreement with pQCD predictions at next-to leading order (NLO) is found while tensions with leading order (LO) predictions are observed. Further, the cross-section ratio \\RwZ{} with events containing two muons and at least one jet of any origin was measured to $\\mathcal{R} = \\unit[4.6 ^{+1.4}_{-1.2} (stat.) \\pm 0.5 (syst.)]{\\%}$. This is found to agree with NLO and LO calculations within known uncertainties.

The diploma thesis deals with the use of the open method of coordination in education policy of the European Union. It views the open method of coordination as a tool based on exchanges of good practice and on mutual learning processes. The aim of this thesis is to determine whether the European Union managed to create an effective coordination mechanism through the open method of coordination in the field where the EU can only intervene to support the action of Member States. Research focuses on the Education and Training 2010/2020 work programme whose origin and implementation is connected to the use of the open method of coordination in education policy. The effectiveness of the open method of coordination in the field of education and training is assessed through two criteria. The thesis examines whether the method contributes to achieving greater convergence towards the main EU goals in education and training and whether it support spreading of good practice between Member States. The ability of the open method of coordination to contribute to greater convergence towards the main goals is assessed through European benchmarks of the Education and Training 2010/2020 work programme and through the convergence capacity - the ability of the method to converge education policies of Member States in the...

L’analyse proposée dans ce mémoire de maîtrise, à la fois générique et herméneutique, porte sur Le conte de l’île inconnue de l’auteur lusophone José Saramago. Nous abordons d’abord l’aspect générique et subversif de l’œuvre qui, bien qu’elle soit possiblement un conte merveilleux, pose des problèmes relevant d’un certain mélange des genres, notamment à cause de la présence de l’ironie comme critique du pouvoir. Ensuite, le second chapitre repose sur l’herméneutique de l’espace telle que développée par Benoit Doyon-Gosselin. Nous avons arrêté notre choix sur les trois principales figures spatiales du Conte de l’île inconnue, qui sont, à notre avis, représentatives de la notion de passage − la porte, le bateau et l’île − dans le but d’analyser leur influence sur le couple, ainsi que leur interaction entre elles pour enfin faire ressortir leur signification profonde pour le récit.

Ce mémoire se concentre sur la réception des personnages bibliques par le lecteur du roman L’Évangile selon Jésus-Christ (ESJC), de l’écrivain portugais José Saramago. L’étude dégage d’abord les spécificités de l’univers du roman, à partir duquel le lecteur perçoit les personnages. En fait, cet univers s’avère un espace « tridimensionnel », mixte de mythe, de fiction et d’Histoire. Ensuite, le statut et le sens des figures du récit sont analysés à travers une approche du personnage en termes d’effets. À cet égard, les théories de Vincent Jouve dans L’effet-personnage dans le roman et les différentes représentations des personnages dans l’ESJC et dans le Nouveau Testament orientent l’analyse. En ce sens, ce mémoire démontre un ensemble de mécanismes démystificateurs des personnages, grâce à leur humanisation. L’étude examine également un complexe système axiologique voué, sinon à la subversion du lecteur, du moins à sa réflexion sur les personnages qui intègrent le récit fondateur de la croyance religieuse en Occident. / This work focuses on the reception of biblical characters by the readers of the novel The Gospel According to Jesus Christ, written by the Portuguese author José Saramago. Firstly, this study extracts elements from the novel’s universe, from which readers perceive the characters. In fact, such universe integrates a tridimensional world, mixing myth, fiction and History. Secondly, the status and the sense of narrative figures are analyzed through a character approach based on reading effects. In this sense, Vincent Jouve’s theories from ‘L’effet-personnage dans le roman’ [The character-effect in the novel] and the different representations of novel and biblical characters from the New Testament are also compared. In this way, this work demonstrates several mechanisms that demystify the characters, due to their humanization. The present study also investigates a complex axiological system that aims, if not at readers’ subversion, at least at their exam about the characters that integrate Western’s original narrative of religious belief.

Ce projet s’inscrit dans le cadre de la phase de conception d’un pont autoroutier dans la province de Québec au Canada. Une des variantes proposées comporte la construction d’un tablier en béton précontraint par encorbellements successifs. Il est prévu d’utiliser un béton à hautes performances avec fumée de silice et avec air entraîné pour le tablier et les piles. La résistance à la compression visée est de 40 MPa à trois jours, rendue possible par l’adjonction de fumée de silice. Une campagne d’essais a été réalisée, d’une part pour élaborer une composition qui réponde aux critères de performance et d’autre part afin de caractériser le comportement mécanique et viscoélastique du BHP. Un essai de retrait et de fluage d’une durée de 16 mois a été réalisé, conformément aux recommandations du document TC107-CSP de la RILEM. Le BHP a été testé dans des conditions endogènes et de séchage, à plusieurs échéances de chargement soit 3, 7, 28 et 90 jours après le bétonnage. Comme le béton formulé pour le projet possède des caractéristiques peu communes, il convient de s’assurer que le BHP présente des déformations acceptables et qui peuvent être correctement prédites par les modèles réglementaires. Le retrait endogène, le retrait total le fluage propre et le fluage total sont mesurés avec un comparateur manuel et avec une corde vibrante placée au coeur des éprouvettes. Le modèle B4 de base prédit correctement les deux types de retrait. Après 16 mois, le retrait endogène du BHP s’élève 350 μm/m tandis que le retrait de séchage atteint 340 μm/m. Le retrait de séchage et le fluage de dessiccation ne semblent pas avoir atteint un palier final à la fin des essais. Le modèle de l’Eurocode 2 Annexe B prédit le mieux les deux types de fluage lorsqu’on considère qu’il n’y a pas de fumée de silice dans le modèle. Trois modèles ont été ajustés et extrapolés à très long terme : Eurocode 2 Annexe B, fib 2010 et le modèle B4. Les paramètres intrinsèques au matériau dans les équations de ces modèles sont optimisés et présentés dans le but d’être intégrés dans les calculs d’analyse et de dimensionnement du pont. Le fib 2010 ne semble pas adapté pour modéliser convenablement le fluage de dessiccation. Le modèle B4 ajusté avec les mesures de pertes d’eau prédit le fluage le plus important à 50 ans. Il parait néanmoins difficile de conclure sur une valeur finale à très long terme sans avoir effectivement atteint la fin du séchage pendant l’essai.

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to explore how risks and costs can be reduced when working with incoterms in purchasing within the Asia-Pacific region. To fulfil this purpose, the following two research questions have been developed: 1. How does the case company currently work with incoterms when purchasing within the Asia-Pacific region? 2. How can risks and costs be reduced when working with incoterms when purchasing within the Asia-Pacific region? Method - Theories relevant for the study's purpose were collected through a literature study. To apply the theoretical framework to empirical data, a case study was conducted at a company. The empirical data was gathered through interviews and document studies. Findings - Use of the standard Incoterms 2010 is considered to be a good tool for reducing risks and costs when purchasing within the Asia-Pacific region, where risk management is a necessary complement. It is required that all employees working with incoterms have the right knowledge about the incoterms in order to use them correctly. The knowledge can be disseminated through the organisation by using knowledge management. It is also considered important to understand the differences between countries, in order to reduce the risk of misunderstanding. Contributions - The result of the study facilitates for companies who do not know how to work correctly with incoterms. The study contributes to decreasing the gap in theory regarding working with incoterms in the APAC region. It also facilitates for companies who do not know how to disseminate knowledge internally. Limitations - The case study was conducted at a company based in Thailand, which limited the ability to communicate, due to linguistic differences. Future research - It would be of interest to conduct an empirical study at other case companies of different sizes within the APAC region and in other trade regions. In addition, it would be interesting to study how internal courses about working with incoterms can be implemented in different types of organisations. Keywords - Incoterms 2010, APAC, Asia-Pacific, risk management, logistics costs in purchasing, knowledge management, relationship between risks and costs.

Memoria (licenciado en ciencias jurídicas y sociales)

LL.M. (International Law) / Since 1945 there has been a noticeable broadening of what constitutes a threat to international peace and security. Traditionally, the definition of “threat to international peace” was limited to a conflict among nations, which were conflicts common in the world. The core threat to international peace used to be organized inter-state conflicts only. Today however, the nature of threats to international peace has changed drastically to include internal conflicts – as there are examples of cases where these have spread across the borders or have led to massive refugee situations. In this dissertation, I review the mandate of the United Nation’s inter alia the changing definition of ‘threat to international peace’.

Master of Science / Department of Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health / Sara K. Rosenkranz / Evidence from physical activity interventions suggests that women, in particular, may overcompensate for exercise energy expenditure by increasing caloric intake. Sedentary behavior and poor diet quality are independent risk factors for many major chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is unknown whether insufficiently active women alter dietary quality or caloric intake when participating in an intervention to reduce sedentary behavior. Insufficiently active women (n=49) working full-time sedentary jobs were randomized into one of two 8-week sedentary interventions occurring during the work week [short breaks (SB) (1-2 min every half hour, n=24) or long breaks (LB) (15 min twice daily, n=25)]. Dietary information was collected through 3-day food records at baseline, week 4 and week 8. Dietary quality was assessed using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index 2010 (AHEI-2010). CVD risk factors (systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), fasting cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood glucose, and body mass index) were assessed at baseline and week 8. For all participants there were no changes in AHEI-2010 scores over time (baseline: M=53.4, 95% CI [49.2, 57.6], week 4: M=50.3, 95% CI [45.9, 54.7], week 8: M=48.4, 95% CI [44.1, 52.7], p>0.05). Average caloric intake in the SB group (baseline: M=1943.8 kcals/day, 95% CI [1716.2, 2171.5], week 4: M=1728.8 kcals/day, 95% CI [1462.4, 1995.2], week 8: M=1616.8 kcals/day, 95% CI [1450.2, 1783.4]) decreased significantly from baseline to week 4 (p=0.015) and baseline to week 8 (p=0.002). There were no significant changes in caloric intake in the LB group (p>0.05) at either time point. In all participants, absolute changes in LDL were positively correlated with absolute changes in caloric intake (r=0.473, p=0.005). There were no other significant associations between changes in dietary quality or caloric intake with changes in any other CVD risk factor (p>0.05). Following an 8-week sedentary intervention in the workplace, insufficiently active women did not alter their dietary quality, but decreased caloric intake. Future research should explore sedentary interventions compared to physical activity interventions in women as a means to create negative energy balance, as sedentary breaks throughout the day may be effective for improving health outcomes.

M.Comm. / South Africa are the proud hosts of the FIFA 2010 Football World Cup™, and deservedly so. A significant effort has been placed in winning the bid and continues this continues to be the situation as construction and infrastructure are being put in place for event. Time is fast becoming limited, now with just less than three years to go, proper development is essential. Outside the rush and pressure to be ready for this event and the economic benefits that that are attached, the opportunity exists to divert some of that momentum into something that will last way beyond 2010 – sustainable youth development programmes and football clubs. This entails that grassroots development and youth football development programs are structured and sustainable in order for well-rounded, well-developed players to graduate from it for many years to come. This study set out to ascertain the extent to which business management principles are applied in the management of football, as well as to explore the availability and applicability of policies and programmes provided by government and the national federation. The exact population size was extremely challenging to determine, largely due to insufficient and non-centralised record keeping by national and regional administrators. A sample size of 30 (n=30) that was geographically representative of Gauteng, was drawn. Researcher-administered interviews, with questionnaires, were used in the investigation. Meaningful insight was provided in the fact that only 33% of the respondents were aware of the White Paper on Sport and Recreation South Africa and indicated that there was a degree of alignment to it. The study highlighted the fact that while this document, and other policies regulating and supporting sport and sport development nationally are available, the respondents indicated a general lack of knowledge of these tools made available by the South African Department for Sport and Recreation and its partners. The National Federation, SAFA, devote little effort to football development programmes and while strides are being made in this regard, the increments of success are very small and potential benefits do not materialise. One further aspect concluded from the study was the lack of a clear understanding of what sport development, and football in particular, encompasses, and thus what a development programme should include. Current football programmes were found to be lacking with regard to the holistic development of players, as well as coaches, administrators and officials, in areas that extend beyond the tactical and technical aspects of football.