L'idée de base de cette thèse est la mesure de la fonction de fragmentation du quark b dans un environnement de collisionneur e+e−, le LEP, à une énergie dans le centre de masse qui est celle du pic du Z0 et sa transposition dans le cadre d'un collisionneur hadronique, le TeVatron, à une énergie dans le centre de masse de 1,96 TeV. Pour cela on utilise le cadre de l'expérience DELPHI au LEP et celui de l'expérience CDF au TeVatron. Ces deux détecteurs sont particulièrement bien adaptés pour réaliser cette mesure. Tous deux bénéficient du nécessaire ensemble de sous-détecteurs de traces et d'identification de particules très performants. De plus CDF s'est équipé d'un système de déclenchement novateur, basé sur l'information du trajectographe gazeux et du microvertex, qui lui permet de tirer le meilleur profit des hauts taux de production de b en collisionneur hadronique. L'analyse développée ici extrait les composantes QCD perturbative et QCD non perturbative de la fonction de fragmentation dans le contexte e+e−. En effet, dans ce cadre, le processus QCD est bien compris, ce qui permet d'extraire la partie non perturbative directement à partir des données et non pas, comme habituellement, par comparaison avec les prédictions de divers modèles de fragmentation introduits dans le Monte Carlo et en ajustant les paramètres pour faire correspondre au mieux données simulées et réelles. On peut directement utiliser la partie non perturbative de la fonction de fragmentation ainsi trouvée à l'environnement d'un collisionneur hadronique, pourvu que l'on se place dans le même cadre de travail et que l'on tienne correctement compte de tous les processus QCD de production du b. L'impact de cette étude pour d'autres mesures telle que, par exemple, celle des oscillations Bs ou celle de la section efficace de production du b au TeVatron est présenté en conclusion de ce travail.

The Standard Model is a mathematical description of the very nature of elementary particles and their interactions, now seen as relativistic quantum fields. A key feature of the theory is the Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanism, responsible for the spontaneous symmetry breaking of the underlying gauge symmetry, and which implies the existence of a neutral Higgs particle. Searches for the Higgs boson were conducted at the Large Electron Positron collider until 2000 and are still ongoing at the Tevatron collider, but the particle has not been not observed. In order to better constrain models with an exotic electroweak symmetry breaking sector, a search for a Higgs boson decaying into a W pair is carried out with the ALEPH detector on 453 pb-1 of data collected at center-of-mass energies up to 209 GeV. The analysis is optimized for the many topologies resulting from the six-fermion final state. A lower limit at 105.8 GeV/c² on the Higgs boson mass in a fermiophobic Higgs boson scenario is obtained. The ultimate machine for the Higgs boson discovery is the Large Hadron Collider, which is being built at CERN. In order to evaluate the physics potential of the CMS detector, the WH associated production of a Higgs boson decaying into a W pair is studied. Performances of data acquisition and its sophisticated trigger system, particle identification and event reconstruction are investigated by performing a detailed analysis on simulated data. Three-lepton final states are shown to provide interesting possibilities. For an integrated luminosity of 100 fb-1, a potential signal significance of more than 5ó is obtained in the mass interval between 155 and 178 GeV/c². The corresponding precision on the Higgs boson mass and partial decay width into W pairs are evaluated. This channel also provides one of the very few possible avenues towards the discovery of a fermiophobic Higgs boson below 180 GeV/c². These studies required many original technical developments, that are also presented.

Destination Math was a program utilized by Xcellence ISD. A determination if usage of the software had a significant positive effect on math performance was needed. In this study, the researcher created a student database that included the usage data from the comprehensive mathematics software program, Destination Math, and the math residual value, an added value statistic that was derived from the math scores of the 2006 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test. An analysis was performed to determine if time spent using the Destination Math software resulted in differences between student usage level groups in regard to the math residual value (MRV). The researcher also looked at the usage levels of teachers and campuses to determine if there were differences in the MRV for different classifications of usage. Certain student classifications were added as independent variables. Since Destination Math was offered in Spanish, it was theorized that the program might be beneficial to students who were designated as Limited English Proficient (LEP). Therefore, this student classification was included as an independent variable. Because research existed that provided evidence that some software contained a gender bias, the student classification of gender was also included as an independent variable. The population for this study included every student in Xcellence ISD in grades 3-11 who took the math portion of the TAKS test during the week of April 18-21, 2006. Altogether, 3177 students were included in the data analysis for this study. This represented 53% of the tested population. Students with no usage data reported by Destination Math were eliminated from the study. While there are a number of cited studies that document score gains with Destination Math, this researcher did not find that residual math scores were significantly different among teacher or campus usage groups. While there was a significant difference between the student usage groups, High users exhibited negative MRVs. The results of this study are consistent with another large quantitative study that involved Destination Math. This researcher feels that there are an ample number of studies that provide evidence that Destination Math can have a positive effect on student math performance. However, the program should not be purchased with the intent to improve significantly the residual math scores.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This work is related to a study of events e+e- → Z 0(γ*) → τ+ τ- (γ) produced at the DELPHI detector, which is one of the experiments of the LEP collider at CERN, with centre- of-mass energy of 189 GeV. We study the simulation of background and signal events, applying selection criteria in order to maximize the rejection of background and minimize the rejection of signal and apply these same selection criteria on the real data. We finish this work showing the results of the measurement of the cross-section of this channel and of the branching fraction. / O presente trabalho refere-se ao estudo de eventos e+e- → Z 0(γ*) → tau+ tau- (γ) produzidos no DELPHI, um dos experimentos do colisor LEP do CERN, com energia de centro de massa de 189 GeV. Foi feita uma análise das simulações dos eventos de fundo e do sinal, onde aplicamos critérios de seleção dos dados de modo a maximizar a rejeição do fundo e minimizar a rejeição do sinal. Aplicamos esses mesmos critérios de seleção aos dados reais. Terminamos o trabalho .apresentando a medida da seção de choque deste canal e a razão de ramificação.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This work is related to a study of events e+e- → Z 0(γ*) → τ+ τ- (γ) produced at the DELPHI detector, which is one of the experiments of the LEP collider at CERN, with centre- of-mass energy of 189 GeV. We study the simulation of background and signal events, applying selection criteria in order to maximize the rejection of background and minimize the rejection of signal and apply these same selection criteria on the real data. We finish this work showing the results of the measurement of the cross-section of this channel and of the branching fraction. / O presente trabalho refere-se ao estudo de eventos e+e- → Z 0(γ*) → tau+ tau- (γ) produzidos no DELPHI, um dos experimentos do colisor LEP do CERN, com energia de centro de massa de 189 GeV. Foi feita uma análise das simulações dos eventos de fundo e do sinal, onde aplicamos critérios de seleção dos dados de modo a maximizar a rejeição do fundo e minimizar a rejeição do sinal. Aplicamos esses mesmos critérios de seleção aos dados reais. Terminamos o trabalho .apresentando a medida da seção de choque deste canal e a razão de ramificação.

Discharge instructions were originally created to alleviate the burden of transitioning from inpatient hospitalization to outpatient care. The US healthcare model's evolution throughout the 20th and 21st centuries has firmly distinguished inpatient providers from outpatient providers, with little continuity between them. As a patient leaves inpatient care there is an increasing need for clear discharge instructions to help navigate complex diseases and care regimens. However, comprehension of discharge instructions, both oral and written, is a major obstacle for many populations, with certain demographics especially affected. Populations with limited English proficiency (LEP), for example, are commonly provided discharge instructions in English, preventing them from fully engaging in their care and from understanding information that is paramount to a smooth transition to outpatient settings. Many factors contribute to the failure to provide this and other care in LEP patients' primary languages. Factors include but are not limited to: misinformation regarding price of interpreter services and time necessary to use these services, biases against LEP populations, and ignorance regarding the effect this has on the LEP population. This paper discusses the background of discharge instructions, reasons for development, the price LEP patients pay when we fail to provide care in their primary language, and possible reasons why we fail to provide that care. / Urban Bioethics

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Thesis advisor: Henry I. Braun / The City Connects intervention is motivated by the belief that out-of-school factors act as barriers to student thriving in cognitive and non-cognitive domains. It seeks to address these barriers first by identifying each student’s strengths and needs and then by providing a tailored set of prevention, intervention, and enrichment programs. Underlying the program is the assumption that provision of high-quality resources and individualized services will enable children to be cognitively, socio-emotionally, and physically prepared to thrive in school. This study’s purpose was to estimate the effects of the City Connects intervention on English learners’ (EL) likelihood of exiting Limited English Proficiency (LEP) status. ELs comprise a student subpopulation most at-risk to fail academically, and exposure to the program was hypothesized to improve their likelihood of exiting LEP status earlier than otherwise. A series of one- and two-level discrete-time event history analyses were conducted on the main analytic sample as well as two sub-samples. As participation in City Connects is at the school-level, school-level matching was used for sub-samples 1 and 2, and propensity score weights were applied at the student-level for all three samples. Additionally, hazard probabilities, survival probabilities, cumulative hazard rates, and median lifetimes were estimated. Lastly, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine whether effects were robust to unobserved selection bias. The results indicated that ELs participating in the City Connects intervention were significantly more likely to exit LEP status earlier than their peers in comparison schools. The median time in LEP status in City Connects schools was shorter and translated into a gain of at least one half of a year in grade in mainstream classes. Also, all the fitted models indicated that approximately 10 percent more City Connects students exited LEP status by the end of fifth grade than comparison students. Findings highlight the impact of the City Connects intervention, as ELs entering mainstream classes earlier could translate into important academic and non-academic gains, such as improved academic achievement and increased self-confidence. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2017. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Research, Measurement and Evaluation.