Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Frankfurt a.M., 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 19-42).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 281-296).

In response to the challenges presented by unprecedented growth in higher education (HE) since 1978, China adopted policy experimentation (PE) as a means of introducing and testing HE reforms. This study involves four in-depth case studies of important reforms facilitated by policy experiments at different junctures of China's HE development: early 1980s, mid-late 1980s, late 1990s, and early 2010s. Within each reform, two elite universities as 'experiment points' (shi dian) were selected. Through cross-case analysis informed by semi-structured interviews and extensive documentary analysis, the study offers a holistic historical perspective on how PE has been used to bring about institutional changes in China's higher education. The study documents different rationales used for implementing policy experiments. State actors use PE to exert pressure on universities to introduce reforms, to lower associated risks and to strengthen the nation's overall HE policymaking capacity in a volatile and extremely heterogeneous context. For their part, university leaders have adopted PE locally to navigate China's politically charged policymaking environment and to negotiate with state actors more favourable terms for reforms. Therefore, the PE approach enables state-university interactions and power negotiations that create and maintain 'strategy space' for consensus-building and institutional changes. It is an iterative process characterised by central-local interaction and intentionally ambiguous boundaries. The state, however, retains ultimate authority for legitimatising, selecting and expanding policy experiments. It is best understood as elite-enabled experimentation within existing political hierarchies. Over time, China's PE approach has become a semi-institutionalised mechanism for HE reforms. In the various policy experiments discussed in this study, PE functions as a productive, disciplinary and symbolic force at different stages of the policy process. Sometimes it appears to offer a genuinely productive mechanism for producing, identifying and negotiating innovative policy options that may be replicated at a larger scale; sometimes its essential use lies in its generated regulative effect; and sometimes it assumes more of a symbolic role allowing the government to acquire or consolidate reform legitimacy. Policy processes are mediated by these different uses of PE towards either reform efficacy or institutional conformity. This study situates these reforms within broader political, social, economic and historical contexts, and highlights the policy implications for higher education reform internationally.

Au fil des trente dernières années, la notion de performance semble avoir acquis une place décisive dans le discours critique et esthétique du champ théâtral français. Cette étude vise à révéler les conditions dans lesquelles la notion de performance change de statut au sein du discours critique français, à travers une archéologie de la notion qui explore la décennie précédant son apparition dans le discours critique du théâtre en France. Il s’agit de rendre compte des débats et des frictions qui conduisent progressivement à cette émergence, à partir des discours des artistes, des organisateurs et des observateurs (spectateurs et critiques) des pratiques théâtrales dites expérimentales. La thèse étudie d’abord le discours de réseaux artistiques périphériques et parisiens de la période 1963-1968 : les premières éditions de la Semaine Sigma de Bordeaux, la branche Fluxus de l’École de Nice, ainsi que festival parisien de la Libre Expression qui présente le Théâtre Panique et organise des happenings. L’étude se concentre ensuite sur le discours relatif à la séquence 1969-1973 du Festival Mondial du Théâtre de Nancy. On y retrouve les mêmes concepts, exprimés cette fois au service d’un nouvel esprit du théâtre, dont l’enjeu consiste à établir un nouveau territoire critique et esthétique à même de garantir à la discipline théâtrale une place forte au sein de la société. De façon a priori paradoxale, les caractéristiques de la performance s’accordent à la fois aux pratiques théâtrales expérimentales et à une société marquée par l’économie capitaliste. De la contre-culture à la superstructure, cette historiographie tente de rassembler des éléments d’éclairage à cette problématique. / Throughout the past three decades, the notion of performance seems to have gained a crucial place in the French field of theatre’s critical and esthetical discourse. This dissertation intends to find out the conditions in which the notion of performance evolves inside the French critical discourse, exploring the decade preceding its advent in the critical discourse on theatre in France. The aim is to map an archaeology of the notion and to report the debates and frictions which progressively led to its emergence, out of the discourses of artists, curators and observers (spectators and critics) of the so-called experimental theatre practices. The study first analyses the discourse related to some artistic networks -peripheric and Parisian- during the 1963-1968 period, such as the first festivals Sigma in Bordeaux, the Fluxus branch of École de Nice, and the Parisian festival of Libre Expression, which presents the Panique Theatre and happenings. The dissertation then focuses on the discourse related to the 1969-1973 sequence of the International Theatre Festival of Nancy. One witnesses the same concepts, expressed this time in order to underwrite a new spirit of theatre, the stake of which is to set up a new critical and esthetical territory, able to ensure a stronghold position for the theatre field within the society. This historiography gathers elements to clarify how the features of performance can match both the experimental theatre practices and the society outlined by the capitalistic economy, from counter-culture to superstructure.

Les traumatismes du rachis incluent des fractures osseuses, des lésions disco-ligamentaires et des blessures médullaires. Ils impliquent un fort coût pour le système de santé, ainsi qu’une prise en charge (durée d’hospitalisation, atteinte de l’intégrité physique) lourdement handicapante pour leurs victimes. Les séquelles peuvent aller d’une déformation du profil sagittal à la tétraplégie. Leurs causes principales sont les accidents véhicules moteurs, les chutes et les accidents sportifs. Il existe de multiples mécanismes d’apparition des fractures vertébrales (compression, flexion-extension, cisaillement, torsion) et des blessures médullaires (contusion, traction, cisaillement), ce qui rend leur étude complexe. Malgré l’important investissement mis dans la recherche à ce sujet, des lacunes persistent dans la compréhension de ces traumatismes, qui ralentissent la progression des dispositifs de protection du rachis, et le développement des techniques chirurgicales. Dans ce contexte, l’objectif principal de ce doctorat est d’améliorer la compréhension fondamentale des mécanismes de fractures vertébrales et des blessures de la moelle épinière. Une première partie du travail a visé à développer des connaissances fondamentales sur les propriétés géométriques et mécaniques des vertèbres et de la moelle épinière. Ce type de propriétés a été utilisé pour créer et calibrer un modèle par éléments finis du rachis thoracolombaire. Ce modèle a ensuite été utilisé pour étudier le lien entre chargements mécaniques et une classification clinique des patrons de fractures vertébrales, ainsi que l’effet de différents éléments d’influences sur la mécanique de la contusion médullaire. / Spine traumas include bony fractures, intervertebral disc and ligaments lesions, and spinal cord injuries. They imply a high cost for the health system, as well as a highly incapacitating surgical management (length of hospitalization, physical handicap), and result in aftereffects such as sagittal curve deformity or tetraplegia. Their principal causes are motor vehicle accidents, falls and sports accidents. Multiple mechanisms of occurrence exist for vertebral fractures (compression, flexion-extension, shear, torsion) and spinal cord injury (contusion, traction, shear), which makes them complex to study. Despite major investments in research on this topic, there is a lack of the understanding of some aspects regarding these traumas. This slows down the progress in protection devices and surgical strategies development. In this context, the main objective of this Ph.D. is to improve fundamental knowledge of vertebral fractures and spinal cord injuries mechanisms. A first part of this work has been to develop fundamental knowledge on geometrical and mechanical properties of the vertebrae and the spinal cord. This type of properties has been used to create and calibrate a finite element model of the thoracolumbar spine. This model was then used to study the link between mechanical loadings and a clinical classification of vertebral fracture patterns, as well as the effect of various parameters on spinal cord contusion mechanisms.

Mes travaux de recherche concernent la méthodologie expérimentale pour la Recherche en Informatique Centrée Humain (RICH). Il s’agit des domaines de la recherche en informatique qui intègrent des utilisateurs pour construire de la connaissance scientifique et des outils supports à cette recherche. A titre d’exemple, nous pouvons citer les domaines concernés comme le domaine des Systèmes d’Information (SI), de l’Ingénierie des Interfaces Homme-Machine (IIHM) ou celui des Environnements Informatiques pour l'Apprentissage Humain (EIAH). Dans ces travaux de recherche se pose le problème du processus de conduite de la recherche et de la traçabilité des résultats et de la qualité des données. L’objectif de cette thèse est de proposer un processus de conduite de la recherche qui accompagne le chercheur tout au long de ce processus en lui fournissant des moyens pour intégrer des méthodes de production des données issues des sciences humaines et sociales et des outils pour garantir la traçabilité de ce processus. Cette méthode offre des outils conceptuels et techniques pour garantir la traçabilité du processus de conduite de la recherche. Elle porte le nom de THEDRE pour « Traceable Human Experiment Design Research ». Ce travail de formalisation d’un processus de conduite de la recherche a été une opportunité pour créer un langage de modélisation des processus de conduite de la recherche. La construction de ce langage et de cette méthode repose sur des expérimentations conduites depuis 2008 dans le domaine de la RICH. / My research focuses on the experimental methodology for research in human centered computer science (RICH). It concerns areas of informatics research that integrate users to build scientific knowledge and supporting tools for this research. As example, we can mention the fields concerned, such as the field of Human Computer Interface (HCI) or the Technology for Enhance Learning (TEL). The objective of this thesis is to propose a method which accompanies researchers in the integration of the methods of data production from the humanities and social sciences. In this research the problem of the traceability of the results and the quality of the data arises. This method provides conceptual and technical tools to ensure the traceability of the research conduct process. It is called THEDRE for "Traceable Human Experiment Design Research". This work of formalizing a process of conducting research has been an opportunity to create a modeling language for conducting research processes. The construction of this language and method relies on experiments carried out since 2008 in the field of RICH.

Le sujet concerne l’étude de capteurs d’alimentation utilisés dans les disjoncteurs de Schneider Electric qui doivent fonctionner de plus en plus à fréquences variables. On s’intéresse notamment aux « pertes fer », en s’appuyant sur leur caractérisation et leur modélisation. L’étude s’appuie sur l’amélioration du modèle LS dans le but de son intégration dans le dimensionnement du capteur. Le modèle est intégré en post traitement sur Flux®, une application en temps réel a donc été développée afin d’intégrer les pertes dans la simulation du capteur et de son environnement. Une analyse expérimentale du comportement du circuit magnétique du capteur a aussi été entreprise d’une part en intégrant de nouveaux matériaux et d’autre part en tenant compte des procédés de fabrications et des conditions de fonctionnement du capteur. Aussi une étude calorimétrique a été menée afin de mesurer les pertes fer du capteur expérimentalement et de mettre en place des mesures références à comparer avec les résultats de simulations. Enfin, deux missions principales ont été entreprises et restent à finaliser : une nouvelle méthode du modèle LS statique et un dispositif expérimental, un calorimètre, a été conçu et testé mais des améliorations restent à réaliser. / The topic of this study involves power sensors used in Schneider Electrics circuit breakers that should operate increasingly at variable frequencies. We are particularly focusing on "iron losses” through their characterization and modelling. The study is based on the improvement of the LS model in order to use it in the dimensioning of the sensor. The model is integrated in Flux® as post-processing; therefore an application has been developed that includes Ls model iron losses at each time step in the simulation of the sensor and its environment. An experimental analysis of the behaviour of the sensors magnetic circuit was also conducted by integrating new materials on the one hand and by considering the manufacturing processes and operating conditions of the sensor on the other hand. Furthermore, a calorimetric study was conducted to measure the iron losses of the sensor experimentally and to state reference measurements to compare with the results of simulations. Finally, two main missions have been engaged and remain to be finalized: a new method of the static LS model and an experimental bench, a calorimeter, has been designed and tested, but still to be improved.

Submitted by Maria Medeiros (maria.dilva1@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-10-17T15:14:14Z No. of bitstreams: 1 WILLY RODRIGO DE ARAÚJO - DISSERTAÇÃO (PPGEQ) 2018.pdf: 5030697 bytes, checksum: 8a14506fd3d3d6346a2c2cd041ea7844 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-10-17T15:14:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 WILLY RODRIGO DE ARAÚJO - DISSERTAÇÃO (PPGEQ) 2018.pdf: 5030697 bytes, checksum: 8a14506fd3d3d6346a2c2cd041ea7844 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-04-13 / Capes / Como contribuição inicial, este trabalho propõe a substituição do MPT por um código desenvolvido em MATLAB®, uma vez que este sana a deficiência do primeiro em regiões não convexas. No âmbito da operabilidade estacionária, aborda dois estudos de caso: uma mistura de correntes com diferentes restrições em vazões e temperaturas e um CSTR encamisado para condução de uma reação exotérmica. Neste, a EDS foi tratada do ponto de vista estatístico, em que quanto maior o distúrbio menor a probabilidade de ocorrência. Informações relativas ao índice de operabilidade (OI) foram inseridas em um controlador proporcional-integral de modo que este conduzisse, de forma rápida e direta, a um estado permanente que garanta as especificações desejadas. Quanto à perspectiva de operabilidade dinâmica, a proposta é fundamentada na análise a cada período. O modelo utilizado, bem como suas condições e restrições foi delimitado por um reator batelada de bancada. Uma rotina programada em VBA é capaz de realizar experimentações numéricas de forma automática e foi desenvolvida com o propósito de simular um massivo planejamento experimental utilizado na metodologia dependente do tempo. Este código cria um banco de dados série-temporal, aplica uma técnica para reconciliação dos elementos quanto ao passo e pode ser utilizada conjuntamente a grande maioria dos simuladores dinâmicos comerciais. Foi sugerida uma nova abordagem para a região desejada (DOS) baseada na região de confiabilidade conjunta de modo a estabelecer este conjunto em cada intervalo e com caráter de controle estatístico de processos. A proposta para delimitação dos entornos necessários à operabilidade apresentou respostas satisfatórias diante comportamentos convexos ou não. Os resultados mostraram que a EDSp apresentou maior eficiência em problemas não lineares, já que leva em conta um histórico na determinação de perturbações e a consideração dos extremos não necessariamente abrange os intermediários. Mediante falhas em faixas esperadas, a conciliação de operabilidade a uma malha “feedback” sempre assegurou a DOS. Foi obtido um perfil de superfícies, para monitoramento e controle da operação ao longo do tempo, que conduz à DOS requerida ao final da batelada. / As an initial contribution, this work proposes the MPT replacement by a code developed in MATLAB®, since it heals the deficit of the first one in non-convex regions. In the stationary operability scope, it deals with two case studies: a mixture of streams with different restrictions in flow and temperatures and a jacketed CSTR to conduct an exothermic reaction. In this, the method treated the EDS from a statistical point of view in which as larger is the disorder lower is the probability of occurrence. Information on the operability index (OI) was entered into a proportional-integral controller so that it would lead, quickly and directly, to a steady state that guarantees the desired specifications. In dynamic operability scenery, the proposal performs analysis in each period. A batch bench reactor delimited the model as well as its conditions and restrictions. A VBA routine capable of automatically performs numerical experiments was developed with the purpose of simulating one massive experimental planning used in the time-dependent methodology. This code creates a time-series database, applies a technique for reconciling the elements in step and can be used with the vast majority of dynamic commercial simulators. A new approach for the DOS based on joint confidence region was suggested to establish this set at each interval and with statistical process control character. The proposal for shape delimitations required along the procedure showed satisfactory responses to convex and non-convex behaviors. The results showed that the EDSp presented greater efficiency in nonlinear problems since it takes into account historical data in the disturbance determination. Also, the extreme perturbation values do not necessarily cover the intermediates. Through failures in expected ranges, the reconciliation of operability and a feedback loop has always ensured DOS. Surface profiles were obtained for monitoring and control the operation over time, leading to the required DOS at the end of the batch.

Trata-se de uma pesquisa-experimentação. Experimentação como pensamento, como criação, como potência de subjetivação. Um pensamento com e pelas imagens na educação geográfica. Uma pesquisa que Intenciona problematizar fotografias didáticas do continente africano presentes em livros didáticos de Geografia, procurando pelos enunciados e formações discursivas que nos fazem ver a África a partir do estereótipo e da alteridade. Trata-se de exercícios de pensamento que objetivam deslocar o já dado do continente pela via das imagens. Intenta-se compreender, num primeiro momento, qual ideia de África está presente em livros didáticos de Geografia, e suas implicações para a construção de saberes sobre o continente numa abordagem geográfica da questão racial. A pesquisa toma como referência o diálogo entre a educação geográfica e os campos dos Estudos Africanos e Pós-Coloniais explorando os elementos que constituem o discurso colonial. Considera a colonialidade do poder, a diferença colonial, e o inconsciente colonial-capitalístico como noções centrais, pois são intrínsecas à formação do sistema mundo moderno/colonial e, portanto, do capitalismo. Nessa perspectiva, a invenção da raça torna possível, dois grandes eventos modernos: o tráfico de africanos e a colonização. Já num segundo momento, a escrita se volta para o exercício de criar modos de deslocar a fotografia de seu lugar de representação, evidência, documento, arrastando-a para exercícios de pensamento capazes de possibilitar práticas de subjetivação com e pelas imagens na educação geográfica, a fim de enfrentar as questões étnico-raciais e a educação pelas imagens na Educação Básica. Problematiza, portanto, a espacialidade da questão racial, encaminhando a análise para a compreensão das invenções, efabulações a respeito da África e sua gente. Os exercícios de pensamento com e pelas imagens procuraram desestabilizar, desarranjar, desorganizar, escapar a uma sequência estabelecida para o estudo do continente africano nos livros didáticos. A técnica da colagem foi utilizada para criar composições de fotoáfricas, algo da ordem da criação do pensamento, algo capaz de fazer a África escapar do lugar que ocupa nas páginas do livro didático. Trata-se de arrastar o pensamento a outras paragens para permitir-se afetar por outras Áfricas, uma África de afetos, uma Geografia de afetos. Percebeu-se que o exercício de desmanchar a África em nós é da ordem da sensibilidade, sendo preciso atuar nessa dimensão para que outros modos de ver, sentir e ouvir Áfricas possa aparecer em nossas práticas com as imagens na educação geográfica e na vida. Experimentar é, portanto, da ordem da criação pela sensibilidade. Os exercícios oportunizaram espaços de discussão sobre a África que nos fazem ver na educação geográfica, mostraram a tensão entre a força das fotografias didáticas, que operam na ordem do clichê, que validam e reproduzem discursos hegemônicos eurocêntricos, e o descompasso em relação às diretrizes para a Educação das Relações Étnico-raciais. Ao mesmo tempo, proporcionaram encontros com e pelas fotografias, colocando-nos em movimento, mobilizando o pensamento para a presença das imagens como potência, como possibilidade de fazer ver e sentir outras Áfricas, Áfricas que surgem de encontros com a literatura, por exemplo, mas que surgem muito mais pela vida que pulsa, pelo desejo de mudar a ordem das coisas. / This is an experimentation-research. A research that is understood as an experimentation happening as thought, as creation, as a subjectivation power. A thought-experimentation with and through images that takes place in Geographic Education. This research intends to problematize didactic photographs of the African continent in didactic geography books and tries to find statements and discursive formations which show Africa as a stereotype and as a land of otherness. It is a set of practices of the thought which aim to displace the imaginary created around the continent using images to that end. It first tries to comprehend what is the idea of Africa in Geography didactic books and which are their implications to the construction of the continent imaginary, adopting for this purpose a geographic approach of the racial question. In this regard, it takes as reference the dialogue between the geographic education and the field of African and Postcolonial/Culture Studies, hence exploring the elements of the colonial discourse. It also considers the coloniality of the power, the colonial difference and the colonial-capitalistic unconscious as central notions, inasmuch as they are intrinsic to the formation of the modern/colonial world-system and so to the capitalism. In that perspective it finally ponders the invention of race as the responsible for the enabling of two big modern events: the African trade and the colonization. After this first movement of thought, the research secondly turns to the practice of creating modes to displace the African continent photographs of their places of representation, documentation and still evidence, moving them to practices of the thought which are able to allow subjectivations with and through these images in the Geographic Education, thus intending to face the ethnical-racial questions and the education through images in Basic Education. Hence, it problematizes the spatiality of the racial question, turning the analysis to the comprehension of the inversions and fabrications surrounding Africa and its peoples. These practices of the thought with and through images tried to disturb, destabilize, disrupt and disarrange the established sequence of study that the African continent has in didactic books, thus using a collage technique to create “photo-africas” compositions which could, by the ability of creation of the thought, give Africa a chance to escape from the usual place the continent has on the their pages. These experimentations intend thereby to drag the thought to other places, giving it a chance to be affected by “other Africas”, Africas of affections, Geography of affectations. As a result of this research, it was seen that the practice of dismantling Africa in us it’s from the order of the sensible, therefore being urgent to act on this dimension in order to create in our practices with images, both in Geographic Education as in life in general, another modes of seeing, feeling and hearing Africas. Experimenting is thus from the order of the creation through sensibility, and so the practices with the images made possible the emergence of an environment of discussions about Africa which have shown, in the Geographic Education, the tension between the strength of the didactic photographs, which act as clichés, authenticating, validating and reproducing hegemonic eurocentrical discourses, and their mismatch in relation to the guidelines to the Education to Ethnical-Racial Relations. At the same time, these practices provided encounters with and through photographs, opening new possibilities and mobilizing the thought to the known of images as more than representations, to their presence as powers and possibilities of seeing and feeling another Africas, Africas that can emerge from encounters with literature, for instance, but which substantially and certainly emerge strongest through the life that pulses and though the desire of changing the order of the established things. / Se trata de una investigación experimental. Experimento como pensamiento, como creación, como potencia de subjetivación. Un pensamiento con y por las imágenes en la educación geográfica. Tiene la intención de problematizar fotografías didácticas del continente africano presentes en libros didácticos de Geografía, buscando por enunciados e informaciones discursivas que nos hacen ver África desde el estereotipo y la austeridad. Se trata de ejercicios de pensamiento con el objetivo de desplazar lo ya dado del continente por la vía de las imágenes. Se intenta en un primer momento comprender cual idea de África está presente en los libros didácticos de Geografía y sus implicaciones para la construcción de saberes sobre el continente en un abordaje geográfica de la cuestión racial. La investigación tiene como referencia el diálogo entre la educación geográfica y los campos de los Estudios Africanos y poscoloniales explorando los elementos que constituyen el discurso colonial. Considera la colonialidad del poder, la diferencia colonial, y el inconsciente colonial capitalista como nociones centrales, ya que son intrínsecas a la formación del sistema mundo moderno/colonial y, por lo tanto, del capitalismo. En esa perspectiva, la invención de raza posibilita dos grandes eventos modernos: el tráfico de africanos y la colonización. En un segundo momento, la escritura se vuelve al ejercicio de criar modos de desplazar la fotografía de su lugar de representación, evidencia, documento, llevándola para ejercicios de pensamientos capaces de posibilitar prácticas de subjetivación con y por las imágenes en la educación geográfica, a fin de enfrentar las cuestiones étnico-raciales y la educación por las imágenes en la Educación Básica. Problematiza, por lo tanto, la espacialidad de la cuestión racial, encaminando el análisis para la comprensión de las invenciones, ficciones a cerca de África y su gente. Los ejercicios de pensamiento con y por las imágenes buscan desestabilizar, desordenar, desarreglar, huir de una secuencia establecida para el estudio del continente africano en los libros didácticos. La técnica de collage fue utilizada para crear composiciones de foto-áfricas, algo del orden de la creación del pensamiento, algo capaz de hacer con que África huya del lugar que ocupa en las páginas del libro didáctico. Se trata de arrastrar el pensamiento a otros parajes para permitir sensibilizarse por otras Áfricas, un África de afectos, una geografía de afectos. Se percibió que el ejercicio de deshacer el África en nosotros es del orden de la sensibilidad, es necesario actuar en esa dimensión para que otras maneras de ver, sentir y oír Áfricas pueda aparecer en nuestras prácticas con las imágenes en la educación geográfica y en la vida. Experimentar es, por lo tanto, del orden de la creación por la sensibilidad. Los ejercicios posibilitaran espacios de discusión sobre África que nos permiten ver en la educación geográfica, mostraron la tensión entre la fuerza de las fotografías didácticas, que operan en el orden del cliché, que validan y reproducen discursos hegemónicos eurocéntricos, y un descompaso en relación a las directrices para la Educación de las Relaciones Étnico-raciales. Simultáneamente, proporcionaron encuentros con y por las fotografías, nos poniendo en movimiento, movilizando el pensamiento para la presencia de las imágenes como potencia, como posibilidad de ver y sentir otras Áfricas, que surgen de encuentros con la literatura, por ejemplo, pero que surgen mucho más por la vida que pulsa, por el deseo de cambiar el orden de las cosas.

Cytoplasmic dynein is a multisubunit complex involved in retrograde transport of cellular components along microtubules. The heavy chains (HC) are very large catalytic subunits which possess microtubule binding ability. The intermediate chains (IC) are responsible for targeting dynein to its appropriate cargo by interacting with the dynactin complex. The light intermediate chains (LIC) are previously unexplored subunits that have been proposed to modulate dynein activity by regulating the motor or the IC-dynactin interaction. The light chains (LC) are a newly identified class of subunit which are also thought to have regulatory functions. In the first part of this work, I analyzed the relationship between the four SDS-PAGE gel bands that comprise the light intermediate chains. 1- and 2-D electrophoresis before and after alkaline phosphatase treatment revealed that the four bands are derived from two different polypeptides, each of which is phosphorylated. Peptide microsequencing of these subunits yielded sequences that indicated similarity between them. cDNA cloning of the rat LICs revealed the presence of a conserved P-loop sequence and a very high degree of homology between the two different rat LICs and among LICs from different species. The second series of experiments was designed to analyze the association of pericentrin with cytoplasmic dynein. First, various dynein and dynactin subunits were co-associate with pericentrin in these experiments. Co-precipitation from 35S labeled cell extracts revealed a direct interaction between LIC and pericentrin. Comparison of pericentrin binding by LICl and LIC2 showed that only LICl was able to bind. Further investigation of the relationship between LICl and LIC2 demonstrated that each LIC will self-associate, but they will not form heterooligomers. Additionally, using co-overexpression and immunoprecipitation of LICl, LIC2, and HC, I have shown that binding of the two LICs to HC is mutually exclusive. Finally, I investigated the relationships between dynein HC, IC, and LIC by examining the interactions among the subunits. IC and LIC were both found to bind to the HC, but not to each other. Despite the lack of interaction between IC and LIC, they are, in fact, present in the same dynein complexes and they have partially overlapping binding sites within the N-terminal sequence of the HC. The HC dimerization site was determined to extend through a large portion of the N-terminus, and it includes both the IC and LIC binding sites, although these subunits are not required for dimerization. Together these studies implicate the light intermediate chains in dynein targeting. Targeting of dynein to its cargo has been thought to be performed by the dynactin complex, and for one particular cargo, the kinetochore, there is considerable evidence to support this model. The results presented here suggest that the light intermediate chains appear to function in a separate, non-dynactin-based targeting mechanism.