For a little over twenty years, the niched asset class catastrophe bonds have existed. Despite of their now relatively long existence, they are still unknown to many and are usually only available for large, institutional investors, mainly within the insurance market, pension funds and hedge funds. Catastrophe bonds differ from traditional assets for many reason, the main one being the risk dependent of a predetermined event within a geographic area, such as an earthquake in Tokyo or a hurricane in Miami. Because the risk is dependent of other factors than traditional asset classes, there is a widespread knowledge of the possibilities to diversify the portfolio by investing in catastrophe bonds, which have a low covariance with other assets in the portfolio. Other asset classes who have similar characteristics have proved to be hedge funds, real estate, infrastructure and agriculture. The lack of competence some people have worried about investors have to be able to invest in these niched asset classes have been found to be relevant for all asset classes, not just these non-traditional assets. Also, it is always difficult to know when an investor is taking more risk than they are being compensated for, moreover this is individual for all investors. Lastly, catastrophe bonds contribute with public welfare in addition to the economic advantage; catastrophe bonds show low volatility and high returns while raising capital to help regions affected by natural catastrophes. / I drygt tjugo år har nu det speciella tillgångsslaget katastrofobligationer funnits, trots detta är det relativt okänt och anses vara en investering endast för de stora aktörerna inom främst försäkringsbranschen, pensionsfonder och hedgefonder. Katastrofobligationer skiljer sig från traditionella tillgångsslag av en rad anledningar, den främsta för att risken beror på en fördefinierad händelse inom ett geografiskt område, såsom en jordbävning i Tokyo eller en orkan i Miami. Tack vare att risken beror på andra faktorer än klassiska tillgångsslag finns en bred vetskap inom branschen att detta är ett enkelt sätt för att skapa diversifiering i portföljen och katastrofobligationer har låg samvariation med övriga tillgångar i portföljen. Andra tillgångsslag som har liknande egenskaper och också skapar diversifiering har visat sig vara hedgefonder, fastigheter, infrastruktur och jordbruk. Det kan konstateras att det är svårt att avgöra om det faktiskt föreligger en kunskapsbrist för specifikt katastrofobligationer eller om detta gäller tillgångar, likväl som det ofta är en subjektiv bedömning ifall den risk som tas också blir kompenserad tillräckligt. Slutligen bidrar obligationerna med en viss samhällsnytta utöver den ekonomiska nyttan, katastrofobligationer uppvisar låg volatilitet och hög avkastning samtidigt som att de frigör kapital för katastrofdrabbade områden.

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Étant donné que les catastrophes sont un phénomène spatial, l’application de systèmes d’information géographique (SIG) est un outil pratique et fiable pour le processus de réduction des risques de catastrophe (RRC). Les SIG peuvent servir le processus de RRC en tant que base de données pour la collecte et l’intégration de données, ainsi que pour l’incorporation de données multi‐sources, en tant que systèmes d’observation, en tant qu’outil pour la production de cartes de risques, en tant que calculateur d’exposition, constructeur de modèles déterminant les vulnérabilités des éléments, en temps quasi réel, traqueur de crise, etc… Mais ces applications SIG ont été intégrées de manière inégale à travers les différentes phases du cycle de RRC. De plus, l'utilisation efficace de ces technologies nécessite des recherches et des développements plus poussés, en particulier dans les pays en développement où de nombreux obstacles entravent l'utilisation des SIG pour la protection civile. Cette tâche devient encore plus compliquée au niveau local en région rurale comme dans notre zone d’étude Baalbek‐Hermel, Gouvernorat du Liban. Le manque de ressources humaines et financières et des données spatiales critiques lacunaires limitent l’utilisation des SIG pour améliorer la décision en matière de RRC ? Dans quelle mesure le SIG pourrait‐il être efficace dans les actions de RRC dans un pays en développement comme le Liban, où le nombre d’enjeux exposés augmentent sans cesse et où le gouvernement a d'autres priorités urgentes que de s'engager dans un plan de RRC? Plusieurs études de cas menées à Baalbek‐Hermel servent à tester les hypothèses retenues et à discuter de l’adoption et de l’adaptation de techniques SIG afin de les rendre efficaces et capables de servir tout le cycle de RRC ; évaluation des dangers, de la vulnérabilité et des dommages, planification d’urgence et d’évacuation, systèmes d’alerte précoce, zonage des terres, données en temps quasi réel pour l’intervention, rétablissement et renforcement de la résilience. Les défis posés par le déploiement de ces technologies SIG dans chacune des phases susmentionnées du cycle de la RRC et la manière dont ils peuvent être surmontés sont discutés, en considérant les approches autochtones pour l’application de technologies et d’innovations en matière de RRC. Les résultats de cette thèse offrent le potentiel de surmonter certains des obstacles qui entravent l'utilisation des SIG pour une RRC efficace dans les pays en développement. Ainsi, les praticiens de RRC au Liban et dans d'autres pays en développement pourraient exploiter ce potentiel pour tenter de réduire la vulnérabilité aux dangers et améliorer la capacité de prévention des catastrophes. / Given that natural disasters are spatial phenomenon, the application of geographical information systems (GIS) has proven to be a convenient and reliable tool for the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) process. GIS can serve DRR as a database for data gathering, integration and incorporation,an output viewer, a tool for hazard maps production, a calculator for exposure, a model builderfor determining assets’ vulnerabilities, a near real time crisis tracker, etc… Nevertheless, GIS applications have been integrated unevenly across the different phases of the DRR cycle.Moreover, the effective use of these technologies requires further research and development,especially in developing countries where numerous barriers hamper the use of GIS for civil protection. The task is further complicated at the local level in rural areas such as our study area Baalbek‐Hermel, Governorate of Lebanon. Restrictions include limited human and financial resources and a lack of critical spatial data required to support GIS application to DRR. To what extent could GIS be efficient in DRR actions in a developing country like Lebanon where themajority of assets at risk is ever‐growing and the government has other urgent priorities than tocommit to DRR plans? Several case‐studies in Baalbek‐Hermel were taken to test these assumptions and discuss the adaptation of GIS techniques to make them effective and to be able to serve the whole DRR cycle; hazard, vulnerability, risk and damage assessment, emergency and evacuation planning, land‐use zoning, recovery and resilience building. Challenges in the deployment of GIS technologies in each afore mentioned phase of the DRR cycle and how they may be overcome were discussed, considering indigenous approaches for the application of technologies and innovations in DRR. The results of this dissertation suggested ways to control some of the barriers hampering the effective use of GIS for DRR in developing countries. Thus,DRR practitioners in Lebanon and other developing countries could harness this potential in anattempt to reduce hazard vulnerability and improve disaster reduction capacity.

Les stratégies d'amélioration de la résilience des territoires à risque ont pris une place prépondérante dans les politiques de gestion des inondations. Raisonner en terme de résilience, c'est-à-dire de capacité pour un système à se maintenir et à retrouver un fonctionnement acceptable après la catastrophe, permet de penser différemment et d'anticiper la longue période qui suit un événement catastrophique. Le rôle du service de gestion des déchets dans la résilience des territoires urbains a été peu étudié. Or, lors d'une inondation, l'eau dégrade tout ce qu'elle touche, générant par là même des déchets en quantité très importante. Infrastructures bloquées, réintégration dans les habitations et les entreprises retardée, atteintes à la santé et à l'environnement, impacts psychologiques sont autant d'exemples des conséquences de la présence de ces amas de déchets sur le territoire. Loin d'être anecdotique, la gestion de ces déchets est donc un enjeu de la post inondation. Le maintien d'un service de gestion des déchets est donc stratégique pour la résilience des territoires face aux catastrophes. Il est donc nécessaire de travailler à sa résilience. Pour cela, cette thèse propose une démarche permettant de diagnostiquer la résilience d'un service de gestion des déchets qui se base sur trois leviers d'actions :1) analyse de la capacité du service à connaître les sollicitations du système urbain en matière de gestion des déchets qui s'appuie sur la construction d'une méthode d'estimation et de caractérisation du gisement potentiel de déchets post inondation ; 2) analyse de la capacité du service à maintenir un fonctionnement acceptable pour le système urbain qui s'appuie sur l'utilisation de méthodes de diagnostic de la vulnérabilité et d'analyse de la sûreté de fonctionnement ; 3) analyse de la capacité du service à solliciter un territoire plus vaste pour parer à ses défaillances. Cette démarche de diagnostic a été mise en pratique sur un territoire d'étude / Improving the resilience of urban areas against flooding is one of the main principles for flood prevention. Thinking in terms of resilience, i.e. enabling for the system to maintain or recover acceptable operating levels after disaster, allows to think differently and to anticipate post disaster period. The role of waste management system in resilience of urban territories has been little studied. However, during flooding, water degrades everything it touches, thereby producing very important quantities of waste. Blocked infrastructures, attacks on health and environment, psychological impacts, and deterioration in the area's image are the impacts made by poor management of this new waste. Therefore, adapting waste management system and anticipating flooding contributes to improving urban areas' resilience. That's why, this thesis suggests an approach allowing to assess resilience of waste management system. This approach proposes three steps : 1) study of capacity of waste management system to know waste management needs of the urban system. For this, a method allowing to quantify and to describe the waste that could be generated by flood was developed ; 2) study of capacity of waste management system to maintain an acceptable operating level compared with the urban system solicitations. For this, vulnerability assessment methods and reliability assessment methods were applied ; 3) study of capacity of waste management system to mobilize others waste management infrastructures in the larger scale, if it is unable to adapt itself to perturbation. This approach was applied to a concrete case

In this thesis we will elaborate on multivariate extreme value modelling, re- lated practical and theoretical aspects. We will mainly focus on the dependence models, the extreme value copulas in particular. Extreme value copulas effec- tively unify the univariate extreme value theory and the copula framework itself in a single view. We familiarize ourselves with both of them in the first two chapters. Those chapters present generalized extreme value distribution, gen- eralized Pareto distribution and Archimedean copulas, that are suitable for the multivariate maxima and the threshold exceedances description. These two top- ics will be addressed in the third chapter in detail. Taking into consideration rather practical focus of this thesis, we examine the methods of data analysis extensively. Furthermore, we will employ these methods in a comprehensive case study, that will aim to reveal the importance of extreme value theory application in the Catastrophe Insurance. 1

Apoptoseresistenz ist einer der Gründe für ein Versagen von Chemotherapie bei vielen Krebserkrankungen, darunter das Burkitt Lymphom. Um die molekularen Mechanismen der Apoptoseresistenz aufzuklären, wurde die Apoptoseinduktion in 15 Burkitt-Lymphom-Zelllinien nach Behandlung mit den Spindelgiften Taxol (Paclitaxel), Nocodazol und Vincristin untersucht. Interessanterweise entwickelten Zellen, die sich als resistent gegenüber Taxol- und Nocodazol-induzierter Apoptose erwiesen, nach Behandlung eine Polyploidie (>4N DNA), was eine inverse Relation von Apoptose und Polyploidie aufzeigt. In den sensitiven Zelllinien war die Taxol- und Nocodazol-induzierte Apoptose von Caspase-Aktivierung, Bid-Spaltung und Herunterregulation von Mcl-1 begleitet. Im Gegensatz zu den sensitiven Zelllinien wiesen die meisten apoptoseresistenten Zellen einen Verlust von Bax und Bak auf und waren durch einen anhaltenden mitotischen Arrest mit Auftreten eines >4N DNA-Gehalts nach Behandlung charakterisiert. Um weitere Einblicke in den Mechanismus der Spindelgift-induzierten Apoptose zu erhalten, wurde die Rolle der mitotische Kinase PLK1 (polo-like kinase) näher untersucht. Eine dominant-negative PLK1-Mutante induziert Apoptose. Allerdings zeigte eine zusätzliche Behandlung mit Spindelgiften keinen synergistischen Effekt, was darauf schließen lässt, dass sowohl Inhibierung von PLK1 als auch Mikrotubuli-destabilisierende Agenzien den gleichen Stress-Signalweg aktivieren. Andererseits unterstützte Überexpression von Wildtyp-PLK1 in Taxol behandelten Zellen die Zellzyklus-Progression. Dies deutet auf eine Verbindung zwischen Zelltodresistenz und genetischer Instabilität (Aneuplodie) hin. Inhibition von Apoptose in sensitiven Zelllinien durch Caspase-Inhibierung förderte Polypoidie, welche die inverse Relation bestätigte. Medikamente, welche die Caspase-Aktivierung unabhängig von Bax und Bak induzieren, könnten eine weitere Möglichkeit zur Behandlung von resistenten Burkitt-Lymphomen darstellen. / Apoptosis resistance is the major cause of chemotherapy failure in most kinds of cancers, including Burkitt lymphomas (BL). To elucidate molecular mechanisms regulating the development of apoptosis resistance, a panel of 15 BL cell lines was investigated for apoptosis induction upon treatment with microtubule inhibitors taxol, nocodazole and vincristine. Significant differences were observed in the extent of apoptosis induction among BL cell lines examined. Interestingly, cell lines exhibiting resistance to taxol- or nocodazole-induced apoptosis, showed development of polyploidy (>4N) and vice versa, displaying an inverse relationship between apoptosis and polyploidy induction. Further, in sensitive cell lines taxol-induced apoptosis was accompanied by caspase activation, Bid cleavage and Mcl-1 down-regulation. In contrast, most apoptosis resistant cell lines exhibited a loss of Bax and Bak expression and showed prolonged mitotic arrest with >4N DNA content upon treatment. To gain mechanistic insights into microtubule inhibitor-induced cell death, the role of the mitotic kinase PLK1 was addressed. Dominant negative PLK1 mutant induced apoptosis, however, failed to show synergism in induction of apoptosis in combination with microtubule inhibitors. This indicates that PLK1 inhibition and spindle toxins might trigger a similar mitotic stress pathway. Conversely, overexpression of wildtype PLK1 promoted cell cycle progression in cells treated with taxol. Remarkably, inhibition of apoptosis in sensitive cell lines by caspase inhibition promoted polyploidy confirming the inverse relationship between apoptosis and polyploidization. Considering targets to induce Bax/Bak independent caspase activation would be of great importance to avoid undesirable events leading to chromosomal imbalances in treating resistant cancers.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T19:58:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Cecilia Lara da Cruz.pdf: 1911618 bytes, checksum: 513402344e1247180a54afeefc085696 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-10-21 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This research investigates the connection between ethics and aesthetics in the representation of violence in the novel Cidade de Deus by Paulo Lins. The intense presence of violence in Brazilian history is articulated not only with forms and themes, but also with the ways artists express themselves, including in literature. The so-called crime fiction literature, which Cidade de Deus stands out as an example of, shows violence in an urban context as the main theme. This research aims to contribute to the studies on representations of violence and their meanings in literature and how that advanced Brazilian literary criticism, by analyzing the formal features and thematic aspects of the novel Cidade de Deus. We attempt to analyze the description of violence in the book, especially regarding the limits and representation possibilities within the ethical sphere, considering how it s impossible to represent the catastrophe. Issues we address are: the author s point of view and how he represents it; the outlines for representing extreme situations, which cannot be compared to anything other situation; the fact that the representation of violence brings implications to realism and the insight built by Paulo Lins and the possible connections between the representation of violence in the novel and the concepts of trauma, testimony, and melancholy, the way they have current been used in critical literary. The results show that Cidade de Deus can t be considered a testimonio due to the fact that this genre is set in post-dictatorial Latin America, despite its POV-style (Point of View) content, among other reasons, because it does not present a hesitant and unreliable narrator. We have also demonstrated that the insight s effect, hailed by critics, consists of literary and non-literary aspects and procedures. Moreover, we conclude and try to prove that Lins's novel is irregular, since it occasionally brings the representation of violence in order to encompass multiple meanings; in other times, it brings joy through stereotypical representations of violence. The theoretical framework is grounded in the proposals of Karl Erik Schollhammer, Tania Pellegrini, Jaime Ginzburg, Márcio Seligmann-Silva, Antonio Candido, Beatriz Resende and Hal Foster / Esta pesquisa consiste em investigar imbricamentos éticos e estéticos da representação da violência no romance Cidade de Deus, de Paulo Lins. A intensa e contínua presença da violência na História do Brasil está articulada tanto com as formas e os temas das manifestações artísticas brasileiras contemporâneas, inclusive as literárias, como com seus modos de produção e recepção. A chamada literatura marginal, da qual Cidade de Deus é um dos principais representantes, traz a violência, via contexto urbano, como protagonista. Procuramos apreender a inscrição da violência nesta obra, especialmente no que se refere aos limites e possibilidades de representação dentro da esfera da ética, considerando a própria impossibilidade da representação da catástrofe. As questões-problemas que abordamos dizem respeito à contaminação do ponto de vista e às questões de representatividade do autor; aos contornos dados para situações-limite, que não admitem termos de comparação; às implicações que a representação da violência traz ao realismo e à visão interna construídos por Paulo Lins, e às possibilidades de relação da representação da violência no romance com os conceitos de trauma, testemunho e melancolia, da forma como eles têm sido trabalhados na crítica literária atualmente. Os resultados mostram que Cidade de Deus não pode ser considerado um testimonio da forma como este gênero se configurou na América Latina pós-ditatorial, entre outras razões, pelo fato de não constituir um narrador hesitante e não confiável , não obstante seu teor testemunhal. Demonstramos também que o efeito visão interna , festejado pela fortuna crítica do romance, é constituído por procedimentos e aspectos literários e extraliterários. Ademais, concluímos e procuramos demonstrar que a irregularidade marca o romance de Lins, uma vez que ele nos traz, em algumas passagens, a representação da violência de forma a engendrar múltiplos sentidos; em outras passagens, deixa-se levar pela fruição de um deleite causado pela representação estereotipada da violência. A fundamentação teórica assenta-se nas propostas de Karl Erik Schollhammer, Tânia Pellegrini, Jaime Ginzburg, Márcio Seligmann-Silva, Antonio Candido, Beatriz Resende e Hal Foster

Ce travail veut apporter des éclairages sur la façon dont la ville d’aujourd’hui est conçue en revisitant à la fois les pratiques urbaines (approche néolibérale et approche par le risque). À travers l’étude comparative de deux quartiers d’Istanbul, Sarıgöl et Tozkoparan, désignés à risques et soumis à des projets de rénovation urbaine, nous avons analysé les objectifs des projets, leur contenu, les bénéficiaires de ces projets et les populations affectés. Sur quels motifs et réalités se basent les politiques publiques urbaines ? Comment les projets sont-ils légitimés par le risque ? Répondent-ils aux problèmes urbains et sociaux présents ? Occasionnent-ils de nouveaux problèmes sociaux ? Les constats établis sur les conséquences des pratiques de rénovation urbaine, nous ont poussé à nous intéresser aux enjeux sociaux émergeant des dynamiques urbaines conflictuelles. Comment les populations sont-elles ou seront-elles affectées par ces rénovations ? La réaction des habitants ? / This work aims to shed light on how the city of today is designed by revisiting both urban practices (neoliberal approach and risk approach). Through the comparative study of two districts in Istanbul, Sarıg.l and Tozkoparan, designated at risk and subject to urban renewal projects, we analysed the objectives of the projects, their content, the beneficiaries and affected populations. On what grounds and realities are urban public policies based ? How are projects legitimized by risk ? Do they respond to the urban and social problems ? Do they cause new social problems ? The findings on the consequences of urban renewal practices have led us to focus on social issues emerging from conflictual urban dynamics. How are populations affected or will they be affected by these renovations ? The reaction of the inhabitants ?

This diploma thesis deals with a considerable innovation of modern finance, insurance securitization. For better understanding of this concept it is important to consider insurance securitization in a broader context of financial securitization, which is presented in the first chapter. In the second part of this work the factors which have led to the development of insurance securitization are mentioned. Then there is a short comparison of insurance securitization with financial securitization and description of various secured products with discussing their positive and negative aspects. Finally, the thesis is concluded with some thoughts regarding the near future of insurance securitization. The aim of this diploma thesis is to evaluate using of insurance securitization as an alternative way of transfer risk, analyze its weaknesses and propose possible solutions.