Cette thèse a consisté à développer une nouvelle stratégie analytique en utilisant le couplage chromatographie liquide - spectrométrie de masse (LC-MSn) afin d’identifier dans les huiles et corps gras, les triglycérides (TAGs) et leur régio-spécificité. Cette méthodologie analytique générale a été appliquée à 8 huiles de graine de résineux en particulier, à l’huile de pignon de Pinus Koraiensis car ses TAGs sont constitués d’acides gras, possédant une double liaison en position Δ5, non-méthylène alternée, susceptibles de jouer un rôle anti-cholestérol chez l’homme.La thèse se décompose en quatre chapitres: les deux premiers, bibliographiques, traitent respectivement de la taxonomie des 8 résineux étudiés, de la composition en acide gras (AG) de leur graine et des techniques analytiques déjà décrites pour caractériser les TAGs. Le troisième chapitre, expérimental, est dédié au développement de nouvelles stratégies analytiques NARP-LC-MSn mises en place pour identifier les TAGs présents dans les huiles et plus particulièrement à l’huile de pignon de Pinus Koraiensis. Grâce à l’ajout post colonne de sel d’argent, il a été possible de déterminer de manière non ambigüe la structure de tous les TAGs d’un lipide, même ceux présents en faible quantité, par Ag+-NARP-LC-MS mais aussi de déterminer la structure de chaque AG constitutif d’un TAG par fragmentation de l’adduit moléculaire par Ag+-NARP-LC-MS2. Le problème de la distinction des TAGs ayant la même masse moléculaire, les mêmes longueurs de chaine mais des positions de double liaisons différentes, a été résolu en développant une méthode d’identification des TAGs à partir des lois de rétention chromatographiques qui relient linéairement le logarithme du facteur de rétention de chaque TAG soit au nombre total de carbone soit au nombre total de double liaisons. Cette étude a permis d’identifier 22 nouveaux TAGs parmi un nombre total de 58 TAGs caractérisés. Elle a amené la preuve que le résidu AG saturé à 17 atomes de carbone est ramifié et non linéaire. Elle a mis en évidence la présence de trois AGs constitutifs qui n’ont jamais été décrit: 19:1, 19:2 et 24:0 dans l’huile de pignon de Pinus Koraiensis. Le quatrième chapitre porte sur le développement de trois méthodes de détermination de la régiospécificité des TAGs, grâce à la seule SM: (1) une méthode Ag+-NARP-LC-ESI-MS2 utilisant les rapports des ions diglycériques des TAGs. Il en ressort que cette méthode n’est pas assez fiable pour déterminer la structure des TAGs. (2) la seconde méthode fait appel à des expériences MS4/ MS5 sur les adduits argent des TAGs. Elle s’avère pertinente à condition d’avoir à disposition les couples de TAGs standards. (3) enfin une troisième méthode, utilisant la MS2, s’appuie sur le principe de la méthode de dissociation compétitive d’une paire [TAGref – Li -TAG]+. En utilisant la méthode des ajouts dosés il est montré qu’elle ne nécessite que de la disponibilité d’un seul des deux TAGs stéréoisomères comme standard.Ces méthodes originales ont permis, malgré leurs limites respectives de caractériser la régiospécificité d’un certain nombre de TAGs présents dans l’huile de graine de Pinus Koraiensis. / This thesis consisted of developing a new analytical strategy using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MSn) to identify in oils and fats, triglycerides (TAGs) and their regio-specificity. The general analytical methodology was applied to 8 conifers seed oils, in particular, the seed oil of Pinus koraiensis. These conifer seed oils differ from common edible vegetable oils by having a series of unusual polyunsaturated fatty acids (UPIFA) with a polymethylene-interrupted (PMI) double bond system and a double bond at the 5 position which may have anti-cholesterol properties. This thesis is composed of four chapters: the two first chapters, literature review, are devoted respectively to TAGs of the 8 resinous seed oils studied and analytical techniques already used. The third chapter is dedicated to the development of a new analytical strategy combining HPLC with mass spectrometry method to identify TAGs in Pinus Koraiensis seed oil. Thanks to post column addition of silver salt, it was possible to determine the TAGs present by Ag+-NARP-LC-MS and also the fatty acids composition of the TAGs by Ag+-NARP-LC-MS2. Concerning the distinction between TAGs with the same mass, same chain length but differing positions of double bond on fatty acid chain, it was determined by chromatographic retention rules which link linearly the logarithm of retention factor of each TAG to the total carbon number or the total number of double bonds. This study has identified 22 new TAGs from a total of 58 TAGs characterized. It confirmed the knowledge that the saturated fatty acid with 17 carbon atoms is branched, not linear. It highlighted the presence of three constituent fatty acids that have never been described: 19:1, 19:2 and 24:0 in the seed oil of Pinus koraiensis. The last experimental part is devoted to the regiospecificity determination of TAGs. Three methodologies were developed. The first one used the ratios of diacylglycerol ions of TAGs but was not reliable enough. The second method used the LC-MS4 experiments (It is relevant if they have available couples of TAG standards). Finally, a third method, using MS2, based on the principle of the method of competitive dissociation of a pair [TAGref - Li-TAG] +. Using the method of standard additions it has been shown that it requires the availability of one of the two stereoisomers TAGs as a standard.These methods provide a significantly different approach to regioisomer characterization of TAGs and overcome most of the shortcomings of existing methodologies.

There are many differentiated product industries in which firms offer multiple products in the same market. In making strategic decisions regarding entry, quality and quantity to be supplied for their multiple products firms must consider the competition with rivals as well as cannibalization of their own products that are close substitutes. In this setting, understanding the relationship between the behavior of consumer demand and firms decisions' regarding product characteristics and strategic variables like advertising are fundamental issues in industrial organization. This dissertation empirically explores these fundamental issues in the pharmaceutical and airline industries. The first paper of my dissertation estimates consumer demand for different anti-cholesterol drugs using panel data on a nationally representative sample of individuals who were diagnosed with cholesterol problems in the period 1996-2002. The data provides detailed information on individuals' medical conditions, medical and drug insurance coverage, drug purchases (if any), and other demographic and medical information. Individuals choose whether to purchase an anti-cholesterol rug and, if so, which drug to buy. The model permits flexible substitution patterns among drug choices and persistence in those choices by incorporating both observed and unobserved consumer heterogeneity. The estimates suggest that lower income patients without prescription drug insurance are very price sensitive: they are less likely to use drugs and, if they do use them, they tend to purchase the less expensive drugs. I find that roughly 500 thousand individuals without drug insurance who are currently not purchasing anti-cholesterol drugs would do so in the counterfactual world in which they are given the standard co-payment plan. The second paper also looks at consumer demands for anti-cholesterol drugs. While the first paper focused on the differentiated products, this paper explores the market expansion effects of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA). The study combines the individual data used in the first paper with monthly expenditure data on DTCA for the period 1996-2002. The dynamic demand model estimated in this paper explores the heterogeneous effects of DTCA. Overall, I find a positive effect from DTCA with short term elasticity of 0.107. Through persistence in consumer demand this effect lasts over multiple time periods. I find that individuals not taking a cholesterol drug respond more to advertising than those on the drug. In addition, I find that less educated individuals, those that may be unaware of their health condition, and those without health insurance are most responsive to DTCA. Finally, the third paper studies the effect of product ownership and quality on entry in the airline industry. Specifically, this paper empirically examines the decision of an airline to offer high quality nonstop service between cities given that the airline may or may not be offering lower quality one-stop service. I find that airlines that offer one-stop service through a hub are less likely to enter that same market with nonstop service than those that do not. In addition, the quality of the one-stop service is another determinant of entry. Airlines are more likely to enter a market with nonstop service if their own or their rival's one-stop service in the market are of lower quality. / text