Dados coletados de experimentos de melhoramento geralmente contêm observações fenotípicas para vários caracteres avaliados em múltiplos ambientes. Especificamente para cana-de-açúcar, medidas repetidas são obtidas para cana-planta e uma ou mais socas. Tal cenário presta-se naturalmente ao uso de modelos mistos para modelagem de variâncias genéticas heterogêneas e correlações entre caracteres, locais e cortes. Essa abordagem também nos permite incluir informações de marcadores moleculares, auxiliando no entendimento da arquitetura genética dos caracteres quantitativos através do mapeamento de QTLs. Este trabalho teve como objetivo detectar QTLs e interação QTL por ambiente pelo método do Mapeamento de Múltiplos Intervalos, o qual também permite a inclusão de epistasia no processo de busca. Nossa população de mapeamento foi composta por 100 indivíduos oriundos de um cruzamento biparental entre os cultivares brasileiros pré-comerciais SP80-180 e SP80-4966, avaliados em duas localidades (Piracicaba e Jaú, SP, Brasil) e três anos (2004 a 2006) para percentual de fibra, conteúdo de sacarose (POL) e toneladas de cana por hectare (TCH). Um mapa genético com 96 grupos de ligação cobrindo 2468,14 cM já estava disponível para esse cruzamento. O modelo fenotípico selecionado conteve matrizes de covariância separadas para caracteres e ambientes, o que resultou em um modelo mais parcimonioso com bom ajuste aos dados. Foram detectados 13 QTLs com efeitos principais e 8 interações epistáticas, cada um deles exibindo interação QTL por local, QTL por corte ou a interação tripla. Assim, nenhum QTL apresentou efeitos estáveis ao longo de todas as combinações de ambientes. No total, 13 dos 21 efeitos apresentaram algum grau de pleiotropia, afetando pelo menos dois dos três caracteres. Além disso, esses QTLs sempre afetaram os caracteres fibra e TCH na mesma direção, enquanto que POL foi afetado no sentido oposto. Não foi observada evidência em favor da hipótese de QTLs ligados em detrimento da hipótese de QTL pleiotrópico para qualquer das posições genômicas detectadas. Esses resultados fornecem valiosas informações sobre a base genética da variação quantitativa em cana-de-açúcar e sobre a relação genética entre caracteres. / Data collected from breeding trials usually comprise phenotypic observations for various traits evaluated at multiple test environments. Specifically for sugarcane, repeated measures are obtained for plant crop and one or more ratoons. Such scenario naturally lends itself to the use of mixed models for modeling heterogeneous genetic variances and correlations between traits, locations and harvests. This modeling approach also enables us to include molecular marker information, aiding in understanding the genetic architecture of quantitative traits through QTL mapping. Our work was aimed at detecting QTL and QTL by environment interaction by the Multiple Interval Mapping method, which also allows the inclusion of epistasis in the search process. Our mapping population was composed of 100 individuals derived from a biparental cross between the Brazilian pre-commercial cultivars SP80-180 and SP80-4966, evaluated at two locations (Piracicaba and Jaú, SP, Brazil) and three harvest years (2004 through 2006) for fiber content, sugar content (POL) and tonnes of cane per hectare (TCH). A genetic linkage map with 96 linkage groups covering 2468.14 cM was already available for this cross. The selected phenotypic model contained separate covariance matrices for traits and environments, which resulted in a more parsimonious model with good fit to the data. We detected 13 QTL with main effects and 8 epistatic interactions, each exhibiting QTL by location, QTL by harvest or the three-way interaction. Thus, no QTL displayed stable effects across all environment combinations. Overall, 13 of the 21 effects presented some degree of pleiotropy, affecting at least two of the three traits. Furthermore, these QTL always affected fiber and TCH in the same direction, while POL was affected in the opposite way. There was no evidence in favor of the linked QTL over the pleiotropic QTL hypothesis for any of the detected genome positions. These results give valuable insights about the genetic basis of quantitative variation in sugarcane and about the genetic relation between traits.

Cette thèse décrit l'observation expérimentale de l'effet Hong-Ou-Mandel avec une sourceatomique ultra-froide. L’expérience originale réalisée en 1987 par C. K. Hong, Z. Y. Ou et L. Mandel illustre de façon simple une interférence à deux particules explicable uniquement par la mécanique quantique : deux particules bosoniques et indiscernables, arrivant chacune sur une face d'entrée différente d'une lame semi-réfléchissante ressortent ensemble. Cet effet se traduit par une réduction du taux de détection en coïncidence entre les deux voies de sortie quand les particules arrivent simultanément sur la lame. Cette expérience fut originalement réalisée avec des photons et nous rapportons ici la première mise en oeuvre expérimentale avec des particules massives se propageant dans l’espace libre.Après présentation des différentes techniques nécessaires à sa réalisation, nous décrivons cette expérience et analysons les résultats obtenus. En particulier, la réduction du taux de coïncidence est suffisamment forte pour exclure toute interprétation classique ; l'observation de cet effet constitue une brique fondamentale dans le domaine de l’information quantique atomique. / In this thesis, we report the first realisation of the Hong–Ou–Mandel experiment with massive particles in momentum space. This milestone experiment was originally performed in quantum optics: two photons arriving simultaneously at the input ports of a 50:50 beam-splitter always emerge together in one of the output ports. The effect leads to a reduction of coincidence counts which translates into a dip when particles are indistinguishable. We performed the experiment with metastable helium atoms where the specificities of the Micro-Channel-Plate detector allows one to recover the momentum vector of each individual atom.After listing the necessary tools to perform this experiment with atoms, the experimental sequence is discussed and the results are presented. In particular we measured a coincidence count reduction that cannot be explained through any simple classical model. This corresponds to the signature of a two-particle interference, and confirms that our atomic pair source produces beams which have highly correlated populations and are well mode matched. This opens the prospect of testing Bell’s inequalities involving mechanical observables of massive particles, such as momentum, using methods inspired by quantum optics. It also demonstrates a new way to produce and benchmark twin-atom pairs that may be of interest for quantum information processing.

Les noyaux les plus complexes sont situés entre les nombres magiques et les médianes des espaces de valence, dans des régions connues pour les changements abrupts des observables nucléaires. Dans ces régions appelées de transition de forme, le paradigme nucléaire change entre la goutte liquide vibrationnelle et le rotor statique. Sauf quelques exceptions, les noyaux de ces régions sont radioactifs, avec des demi-vies qui chutent dans les millisecondes. Complémentaires aux propriétés des états excités à basse énergie, les énergies de liaison et les rayons de charge nucléaires sont parmi les observables les plus sensibles à ces changements de structure nucléaire. Dans ce travail, une étude du phénomène de transition de forme est effectuée, par des mesures de nucléides radioactifs produits dans le laboratoire ISOLDE au CERN. Les masses des isotopes de rubidium riches en neutrons 98-100Rb et des isotopes d’or riches en protons 180,185,188,190,191Au sont mesurées avec le spectromètre de masse de type Penning ISOLTRAP. La masse de 100Rb est déterminée pour la première fois. Des déviations significatives par rapport à la littérature sont trouvées pour les isotopes 188,190Au. Une nouvelle méthode expérimentale est présentée, utilisant un spectromètre de masse à multi-réflexion comme analyseur de faisceau pour la spectroscopie laser d’ionisation résonante. La nouvelle méthode donne la possibilité d’effectuer des études de structure hyperfine atomique avec ISOLTRAP, dont on peut extraire les rayons de charge et les moments électromagnétiques nucléaires. / The most complex nuclei are situated between the magic and the mid-shell ones, in regions known for sudden changes of the trends of nuclear observables. These are the so-called shape-transition regions, where the nuclear paradigm changes from the vibrational liquid drop to the static rotor. With few exceptions, nuclei in these regions are radioactive, with half-lives dropping into the millisecond range.Complementing the information obtained from the low-lying excitation spectrum, nuclear binding energies and mean-square charge radii are among the observables most sensitive to these changes of nuclear structure. In the present work, a study of the shape-transition phenomenon is performed by measurements of radioactive nuclides produced by the ISOLDE facility at CERN. The masses of the neutron-rich rubidium isotopes 98−100Rb and of the neutron-deficient gold isotopes 180,185,188,190,191Au are determined using the Penning-trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP. The mass of 100Rb is determined for the first time. Significant deviations from the literature values are found for the isotopes 188,190Au. A new experimental method is presented, using a recently developed multi-reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer as a beam-analysis tool for resonance-ionization laser spectroscopy. The new method opens the path to measurements of atomic hyperfine spectra with ISOLTRAP, from which charge radii and electromagnetic moments of radioactive nuclides can be extracted. The properties of the studied nuclides map the borders of two prominent regions of quadrupole deformation, which constrain the fine balance between pairing and quadrupole correlations in the nuclear ground states. This balance is studied by the Hartree-Fock- Bogoliubov (HFB) approach. The sensitivity of the shape-transition phenomenon to the strength of pairing correlations is demonstrated. In particular, the strong odd-even staggering of charge radii in the mercury isotopic chain is shown to result in the HFB approach from the fine interplay between pairing, quadrupole correlations and quasi-particle blocking.

La transition de phase isostructurale du cérium a été et reste l'objet de nombreuses études pour tester les méthodes permettant de décrire les matériaux fortement corrélés.La Théorie du Champ Moyen Dynamique (DMFT) jointe à la Théorie de la fonctionnelle de la densité à permis de décrire de tels systèmes.Pourtant, le calcul des propriétés de l'état fondamental nécessite une très bonne précision de calcul à la fois de la part de la DFT et de la DMFT.Nous utilisons un résolveur Monte Carlo Quantique en Temps Continu (CT-QMC), rapide et capable de simuler les basses températures, combiné à une implantation ondes planes augmentées par projection de la DMFT pour calculer les énergies internes et libres -- et par conséquent l'entropie -- au cours de la transition de phase du cérium.D'importants calculs, utilisant cette implantation, nous ont permis de reconsidérer les propriétés de l'état fondamental et une grande partie de la thermodynamique de la transition de phase α<->γ du cérium à basses températures.En particulier, le bruit stochastique est suffisamment faible pour interpréter, sans ambiguïté, les courbes énergie en fonction du volume.Sur ces dernières, un double point d'inflexion est clairement visible pour l'énergie interne jusqu'à une température relativement basse.Les courbes d'énergie libre mettent, de plus, en évidence l'importance de l'entropie pour ce système.D'autre part, les spectres de photoemission tout au long de la transition de phase sont analysés.Le schéma DMFT est comparé avec des calculs DFT récents et des données expérimentales récentes.Enfin, nous mettons en avant les approximations utilisées et nous nous interrogeons sur leurs validité. / The isostructural phase transition of cerium has been and remains the aim of many studies in order to test methods developed to describe strongly correlated materials.The Dynamical Mean Field Theory (DMFT) combined with density functional theory (DFT) has been successful to describe such systems.However, the computation of the ground state properties requires a very good accuracy from both DFT and DMFT sides.We use thus a strong coupling Continuous Time Quantum Monte Carlo (CT-QMC) solver, which is fast and able to reach low temperatures, in combination with a projector augmented wave (PAW) DMFT implementation to calculate internls and free energies -- and thus the entropy -- during the phase transition of cerium.Extensive calculations using this implementation allows us to carefully reassess the ground state properties and almost all thermodynamics of the α<->γ phase transition in cerium at low temperatures.In particular, stochastic noise is small enough to avoid any ambiguity on the interpretation of energy versus volume curves.On those curves, a double inflexion point is clearly observable ont the internal energy curves untill a relatively low temperature.Moreover, free energy curves highlight the importance of including the entropy contribution.The DMFT picture is put in perspective with recent DFT calculations and recent experimental investigations.Furthermore, photoemission spectra are analysed while the phase transition.Finaly, we discuss the approximations used and raise curiosity about their consideration.

Dans le cadre d'une approche Higher Tamm Dancoff Approximation notée HTDA, nous avons étudié les corrélations vibrationnelles de type quadrupole, avec et sans appariement. Le champ moyen a été déterminé dans le cadre d'une approche microscopique utilisant l'interaction effective de Skyrme. Une interaction résiduelle schématique de type delta plus quadrupole-quadrupole, tenant compte en particulier de l'appariement neutron-proton T=0 et T=1 a été utilisé. Les résultats obtenus pour la résonance géante quadrupolaire isoscalaire du noyau Ca40 ont été comparés aux données expérimentales et à d'autres résultats théoriques. Nous avons également étudié un gaz de fermions piégés dans un potentiel d'oscillateur harmonique à 2D, et à température nulle, en présence d'un champ magnétique uniforme. Les expressions exactes des quelques grandeurs thermodynamiques ont été dérivées à partir de la matrice densité de Bloch.

Cette thèse est consacrée à l'étude expérimentale du bruit quantique électronique d'un système mésoscopique. Dans une première partie, nous nous sommes intéressés au bruit de partition d'un conducteur unidimensionnel balistique : un contact ponctuel quantique (QPC). Nous avons montré que, lorsque l'un des contacts du QPC est modulé par une onde radio-fréquence, il apparaît un bruit de partition en l'absence de courant moyen à travers le conducteur. Nous avons ainsi validé la théorie de la diffusion appliquée au bruit photo-assisté, d'une part en mesurant le facteur de Fano en l'absence de tension appliquée au QPC, et d'autre part en mesurant le bruit en présence d'une tension continue et d'une irradiation micro-onde. Dans une seconde partie, nous avons testé le système de mesure d'une nouvelle expérience qui, à terme, permettra de mesurer le bruit à haute fréquence d'un conducteur mésoscopique, ainsi que la statistique des photons qu'il émet dans le circuit de mesure. Le test a consisté à réaliser des expériences de type Hanbury-Brown et Twiss (interférométrie d'intensité) avec deux types de sources de photons micro-ondes. D'abord, nous avons utilisé une source thermique incohérente (résistance macroscopique de 50 Ohms) qui présente une statistique super-poissonnienne : les fluctuations de puissance sont proportionnelles au carré de la puissance moyenne émise par la source. Puis nous avons mis en évidence la statistique poissonnienne d'une source classique monochromatique, et nous avons montré que le facteur de Fano géant mesuré est parfaitement expliqué par le bruit des chaînes d'amplification.

<p>This dissertation explains why behavioral genetic research can be better informed by using characteristics in the human iris as biomarkers for personality, and is divided into five parts. Part I gives an introduction to the classical twin method and an overview of the findings that have led most developmental researchers to recognize that the normal variation of personality depends on a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. Part II highlights empirical findings that during the last twenty years have gradually moved genetic and environmental theory and research to evolve toward one another, and also presents the theory of genetics and experience that currently is used to explain how the interplay between genes and the environment works. Part III explains why, from a developmental perspective, it is of interest to identify candidate genes for personality, and gives a brief overview of genes that have been associated with personality. Problems associated with genetic research on the molecular level and how these apply to personality are also highlighted. Part IV examines molecular research on the iris and the brain, which suggests that genes expressed in the iris could be associated with personality, and explains how the use of iris characteristics can increase power to test candidate genes for personality by taking advantage of the self-organizing properties of the nervous system. The empirical foundation for the questions posed in this dissertation and also the empirical results are presented here. Part V discusses the associations found between iris characteristics and personality, and exemplifies how iris characteristics can be used within the theoretical frameworks presented in parts I, II, III and IV. In other words, Part V explains how iris characteristics – in addition to identify as well as test candidate genes for personality – can be used to investigate how people’s experiences in themselves are influenced by genetic factors.</p>

This thesis is composed of six papers, all dealing with the issue of sampling from a finite population. We consider two different topics: real time sampling and distributions in sampling. The main focus is on Papers A–C, where a somewhat special sampling situation referred to as real time sampling is studied. Here a finite population passes or is passed by the sampler. There is no list of the population units available and for every unit the sampler should decide whether or not to sample it when he/she meets the unit. We focus on the problem of finding suitable sampling methods for the described situation and some new methods are proposed. In all, we try not to sample units close to each other so often, i.e. we sample with negative dependencies. Here the correlations between the inclusion indicators, called sampling correlations, play an important role. Some evaluation of the new methods are made by using a simulation study and asymptotic calculations. We study new methods mainly in comparison to standard Bernoulli sampling while having the sample mean as an estimator for the population mean. Assuming a stationary population model with decreasing autocorrelations, we have found the form for the nearly optimal sampling correlations by using asymptotic calculations. Here some restrictions on the sampling correlations are used. We gain most in efficiency using methods that give negatively correlated indicator variables, such that the correlation sum is small and the sampling correlations are equal for units up to lag m apart and zero afterwards. Since the proposed methods are based on sequences of dependent Bernoulli variables, an important part of the study is devoted to the problem of how to generate such sequences. The correlation structure of these sequences is also studied. The remainder of the thesis consists of three diverse papers, Papers D–F, where distributional properties in survey sampling are considered. In Paper D the concern is with unified statistical inference. Here both the model for the population and the sampling design are taken into account when considering the properties of an estimator. In this paper the framework of the sampling design as a multivariate distribution is used to outline two-phase sampling. In Paper E, we give probability functions for different sampling designs such as conditional Poisson, Sampford and Pareto designs. Methods to sample by using the probability function of a sampling design are discussed. Paper F focuses on the design-based distributional characteristics of the π-estimator and its variance estimator. We give formulae for the higher-order moments and cumulants of the π-estimator. Formulae of the design-based variance of the variance estimator, and covariance of the π-estimator and its variance estimator are presented.

The topic of racism and prejudice is a very sensitive issue for many Canadians. This is primarily due to Canada's cherished image as a tolerant society leads even the most progressive people to adopt the belief that racism is comprised of only overt acts. However, what is not acknowledged by this old-fashioned view of prejudice is that the nature and expression of prejudice has evolved into a more covert form of prejudice known as modern prejudice (McConahay, 1986). This is particularly important because there is a well documented history of prejudice and discrimination of Aboriginal peoples in Canada, and without a proper understanding of the changing face of prejudice in Canada it is difficult to determine if there in fact has been a reduction in prejudiced attitudes towards Aboriginal peoples in Canada.<p> This study examines the criterion-related validity of the Prejudice Attitudes Towards Aboriginals Scale (PATAS) (Morrison, 2007) a 25 item (11 old-fashioned prejudice items and 14 modern prejudice items) newly developed measure of prejudicial attitudes towards Aboriginals developed using the theory of Modern Prejudice (McConahay, 1986). Four hundred and five undergraduate students completed a questionnaire including the PATAS, Right-wing Authoritarianism scale (RWA scale) (Altemeyer, 2007), Social Dominance Orientation scale (SDO5) (Pratto, Sidanius, Stallworth, and Malle, 1994), Motivation to Control Prejudice Reactions Scale (MCPRS) (Dunton and Fazio, 1997), and Form C of the Marlowe Crowne Social Desirability Scale (Renolds, 1982).<p> The results of this investigation revealed evidence attesting to the criterion-related validity of the PATAS. Participants who scored high on the PATAS also had high scores on the RWA scale, SDO5 scale, and tended to have a conservative political orientation. However, contrary to expectations, religious self schema was not found to be associated with PATAS scores. Practical applications and limitations of these findings are discussed as are possible directions for future research.

The topic of racism and prejudice is a very sensitive issue for many Canadians. This is primarily due to Canada's cherished image as a tolerant society leads even the most progressive people to adopt the belief that racism is comprised of only overt acts. However, what is not acknowledged by this old-fashioned view of prejudice is that the nature and expression of prejudice has evolved into a more covert form of prejudice known as modern prejudice (McConahay, 1986). This is particularly important because there is a well documented history of prejudice and discrimination of Aboriginal peoples in Canada, and without a proper understanding of the changing face of prejudice in Canada it is difficult to determine if there in fact has been a reduction in prejudiced attitudes towards Aboriginal peoples in Canada.<p> This study examines the criterion-related validity of the Prejudice Attitudes Towards Aboriginals Scale (PATAS) (Morrison, 2007) a 25 item (11 old-fashioned prejudice items and 14 modern prejudice items) newly developed measure of prejudicial attitudes towards Aboriginals developed using the theory of Modern Prejudice (McConahay, 1986). Four hundred and five undergraduate students completed a questionnaire including the PATAS, Right-wing Authoritarianism scale (RWA scale) (Altemeyer, 2007), Social Dominance Orientation scale (SDO5) (Pratto, Sidanius, Stallworth, and Malle, 1994), Motivation to Control Prejudice Reactions Scale (MCPRS) (Dunton and Fazio, 1997), and Form C of the Marlowe Crowne Social Desirability Scale (Renolds, 1982).<p> The results of this investigation revealed evidence attesting to the criterion-related validity of the PATAS. Participants who scored high on the PATAS also had high scores on the RWA scale, SDO5 scale, and tended to have a conservative political orientation. However, contrary to expectations, religious self schema was not found to be associated with PATAS scores. Practical applications and limitations of these findings are discussed as are possible directions for future research.