La séquence des événements moléculaires engendrés par des perturbations de signaux externes qui peuvent affecter les horloges circadiennes, et générer des pathologies restait peu connue. Durant ma thèse, j’ai démontré au niveau moléculaire, comment déplacer l’horaire de l'alimentation chez la souris de la phase active à la phase de repos, altère le métabolisme à la suite d’une hypoinsulinémie durant la phase active, ce qui provoque une activation de PPARα qui reprogramme le métabolisme et l'expression de RevErbα et qui de ce fait décale l’horloge de 12h dans les tissus périphériques. Notamment, l’absence de PPARα dans le noyau suprachiasmatique empêche le décalage de l’horloge centrale. Ainsi, les phases d’activité et de repos contrôlées par l’horloge centrale ne sont plus alignées avec l'expression des gènes contrôlée par les horloges périphériques. Ce non-alignement crée un syndrome métabolique similaire à celui observé chez des individus soumis à des horaires de travail décalés. / The sequence of molecular events through which alterations in externals cues may impinge on circadian clocks, and generate pathologies, was mostly unknown. During my thesis work, I have molecularly deciphered, how switching feeding in mice, from the “active” to the "rest" phase [Restricted Feeding (RF)] , alters the metabolism through hypoinsulinemia during the “active” phase, leading to increased PPARα activity, thereby reprograming both metabolism and RevErbα expression and leads to a 12h circadian clock-shift in peripheral tissues.Most notably, the lack of PPARα expression in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) prevents a shift of the central clock. Therefore, the “active” and “rest” phases controlled by the SCN clock and gene expression controlled by the peripheral circadian clocks are misaligned. Most interestingly, this misalignment generates a metabolic syndrome-like pathology, similar to that associated with shiftwork schedules.

Submitted by Livia Goulart Vilela (liviagv@yahoo.com) on 2012-09-26T23:27:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Lívia_Final_v2.pdf: 1933004 bytes, checksum: 56ba00b78e8c42dd90363f775487104d (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Suzinei Teles Garcia Garcia (suzinei.garcia@fgv.br) on 2012-09-27T13:31:01Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Lívia_Final_v2.pdf: 1933004 bytes, checksum: 56ba00b78e8c42dd90363f775487104d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2012-09-27T13:32:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Lívia_Final_v2.pdf: 1933004 bytes, checksum: 56ba00b78e8c42dd90363f775487104d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-09-04 / The purpose of this paper is to examine possible welfare gains from trade arrangements between Brazil and China, from the perspective of a computable general equilibrium model, named GTAP model. After an extensive description of the commercial and economic structures of the countries, in addition to their comparative advantage, it will be possible to simulate Preferential Trade Agreements, and from these, analyze the results of welfare measured by the Equivalent Variation. Another aspect regarding the Sino-Brazilian relationship, which can be analyzed by this measure of welfare, is the exchange rate misalignment in both countries and its consequences for trade transactions. Using the referred tools, the study seeks to determine the impact of such misalignment in the welfare of the countries, once the exchange is corrected through an adjustment in the tariff. / O propósito deste trabalho é examinar possíveis ganhos de bem-estar provenientes de arranjos comerciais entre Brasil e China sob a ótica de um modelo de equilíbrio geral computável, o chamado 'modelo GTAP' (sigla para Global Trade Analysis Project). Com base em uma descrição extensiva das estruturas econômicas e comerciais dos países e das Vantagens Comparativas de cada um deles, é possível simular acordos preferenciais de comércio e analisar os resultados de bem-estar por meio da medida de Variação Equivalente. Outro aspecto referente ao comércio sino-brasileiro que pode ser avaliado pela medida de bem-estar é o desalinhamento cambial dos dois países e as consequências deste para as transações comerciais entre ambos. Utilizando o mesmo ferramental anteriormente citado, o trabalho busca avaliar o impacto de tal desalinhamento no bem-estar dos países, uma vez que o câmbio seja corrigido via ajuste tarifário.

This thesis deals with the contact analysis study of crown gear couplings during the simulation of its working conditions. The toothed coupling transmits high torque, even when the input and output shafts are misaligned due to outside tooth shape. For this reason, it is necessary to design the gear shape correctly. The inherent use of toothed couplings results in a wide range of working speeds and load transfers. This can cause several problems, if the parameters are selected incorrectly. Among the most significant of these is the generation of vibrations during gear engagement, accompanied by noise and the excessive loading of components, such as shafts and bearings. It is not possible to completely reduce uneven running, even with knowledge of the latest trends in the field of gear development. For this reason, it is necessary to eliminate the paths where the vibrations can propagate during the design itself. Inefficient and costly experiments are often used to determine the correct shape of gear teeth. For this purpose, a computational approach to describe a contact pressure on the teeth of couplings at different misalignment and loads is proposed. The model helps to understand the composition of the contact pressure during the working mode of misalignment and its behaviour within the rotation of the gear coupling. The introductory part of thesis presents the current state of knowledge of gear couplings and a description of load distribution issues, regarding the angular misalignment, torque and friction. In the following chapter, three possible approaches to the problem are described - analytical, experimental and computational. The following work offers the introduction and creation of two different computational models, varying in different tooth shape on the hub and the sleeve. Each geometry was subjected to a different load moment, a misalignment of the hub, or the rotation of the gear coupling as a whole. The main monitored parameter was the course of contact pressure in each step, when changing the degree of misalignment or the rotation of the model. Finally, three main sets of contact pressure on the teeth are presented, in connection with the reduced pressure plotted on the toothed rings. There is derivation of results and mutual comparison of each load case. The computation approach in FEM program Ansys Workbench was used to solve the problem.

This study aims to investigate and identify factors within the social dimension of strategic alignment that can create mis-alignment within the organization and its IT projects. Identified factors are seen as risks and obstacles that organizations should work with to prevent strategic misalignment in future projects. The study examines the implementation of a common CRM-system (Customer relationship management) for a global organization based in Sweden. The study is anonymized to protect the organization and its respondents. Data collection has been performed using a triangulation based on semi-structured interviews with project members from both the IT and business department, documentation about the CRM project, the case organization's IT strategy and results from related research. The study took place during the COVID-19 pandemic and was thus carried out remotely using digital tools. A total of 17 factors were identified, of which 8 are unique to this study that has a direct impact on the case organization's strategic alignment within the CRM project. These factors have also been the basis for placing the case organization in a maturity pyramid for strategic alignment. Communication and knowledge sharing between IT and business, remnants of old legacy from silo operations and previously unsuccessful CRM projects, shortcomings in time planning and resource allocation, weak preparation, lack of training and low commitment are examples of what the results of this research identify affect strategic alignment for large Swedish organizations in projects. / Denna studie syftar att undersöka och identifiera faktorer inom den sociala dimensionen av strategisk linjering som kan skapa strategisk fel-linjering inom organisationer och dess IT-projekt. Identifierade faktorer ses som risker och hinder som organisationer bör arbeta med för att förhindra strategisk fel-linjering inom framtida projekt.  Studien undersöker implementeringen av ett gemensamt CRM-system (Customer relationship management) för en global organisation med säte i Sverige. Studien är anonymiserad för att skydda organisationen och dess respondenter. Datainsamling har utförts med hjälp av en triangulering som grundar sig i  semistrukturerade intervjuer med projektmedlemmar från både IT- och affärsverksamheten, dokumentation om CRM-projektet och fallorganisationens IT-strategi samt resultat från relaterad forskning. Studien ägde rum under COVID-19 pandemin och utfördes därmed på distans med hjälp av digitala verktyg. Totalt identifierades 17 faktorer varav 8 unika för denna studien som har en direkt inverkan på fallorganisationens strategisk linjering inom CRM-projektet. Dessa har faktorer har även legat till grunden för att placera fallorganasitonen i en mognads pyramid för strategisk linjering. Kommunikation och kunskapsdelning mellan IT- och affärsverksamheten, kvarlevor av gammalt arv från siloverksamheter och tidigare misslyckade CRM-projekt, brister i tidsplanering och resursallokering, svagt förarbete, brist på utbildning och lågt engagemang är exempel på vad resultatet från denna forskning identifierar påverka strategisk linjering för stora svenska organisationer i projekt.

Prosthetic alignment is the principle of the position and orientation and of the components in a lower limb prosthesis to achieve desirable biomechanical characteristics. Poor alignment of lower limb prostheses is related to decreased balance, knee and hip arthritis, and higher energy expenditure for the user. Clinicians, the prosthetists, have declared they need better tools and increased knowledge in how to perform lower limb prosthetic alignments. Therefore, the aim was to develop a tool concept for clinicians to use in the prosthetic alignment process. This thesis mapped out most of the variables a clinician must consider in the alignment process, identified the clinicians needs of an alignment tool, and screened the market for existing solutions. A systematic approach was applied to develop a conceptual tool from the gathered information. The needs of the customer were based on interviews with clinicians and competing products were benchmarked. Two different conceptual tools were developed, tested with clinicians with promising results, and presented in this thesis. Due to confidentiality agreements with the cooperating company, the designs and functions of the final concepts cannot be shown in the report and are therefore covered in the publication. / Protesuppställning är principen av att orientera och positionera komponenterna i en benprotes för att uppnå önskvärda biomekaniska egenskaper. Undermålig protesuppställning är relaterat till försämrad balans, knä- och höftartros, samt högre energiförbrukning hos användaren. Ortopedingenjörer har uttalat att de behöver bättre verktyg och ökad kunskap kring hur man bäst utför uppställning för benproteser. Uppsatsen ämnade därför att utveckla ett verktygskoncept för ortopedingenjören att använda i protesuppställningen. Den här uppsatsen har kartlagt de flesta variabler som en ortopedingenjör behöver överväga i uppställningsprocessen, identifierat ortopedingenjörers behov i ett uppställningsverktyg, samt undersökt marknaden för existerande lösningar. Ett systematiskt tillvägagångsätt användes för att utveckla ett konceptuellt verktyg baserat på den insamlade informationen. Kundens behov identifierades genom intervjuer med ortopedingenjörer och konkurrerande lösningar sammanställdes i en konkurrensanalys. Två olika konceptuella verktyg utvecklades, testades tillsammans med ortopedingenjörer med lovande resultat, samt har presenterats i denna uppsats. På grund av sekretessavtal med företaget som ingått i samarbetet kunde designen och funktioner, som ingår i de slutliga koncepten och resultatet, inte visas i denna rapport och är därmed övertäckta vid publicering.

Since the ending of the Cold War, the defence sector, particularly the areas of military logistics and defence acquisition, has been undergoing a comprehensive transformation. There are several factors that explain this transformation: changes in defence and security policies for nations and organisations; reductions in defence expenditure; participation in Peace Support Operations; Lessons Learned from these operations, especially in the area of logistics; revolutionary development in the area of Information and Communication Technology; emergence of novel Commercial Best Practises in the areas of business and business logistics; and changes in the legislation regarding the conduct of public procurement in Europe. In military logistics, the relatively easily described static supply and support chains of the Cold War Era, designed for military units that stood in preparedness, Just-in-Case, of full-scale military conflicts in Europe, are now being substituted for flexible, dynamic operational supply and support chains, designed for military units that are deployed on Peace Support Operations around the globe. Hence, new types of missions have to be provided for. As a consequence, new military concepts have to be considered; new technology is being implemented; and new Commercial Best Practises are being evaluated, adapted and adopted; in order to enhance performance and ensure Value-for-Money. In defence acquisition, the single Business Model of the Cold War Era, i.e. procurement of equipment, is being replaced by a spectrum of emerging Business Models, ranging from the traditional procurement of equipment, via acquisition of equipment and support, to acquisition of availability and capability, i.e. acquisition of performance. Consequently, new Commercial Best Practises are being evaluated, adapted and adopted; Commercial and Military-Off-The-Shelf products and services are being utilised; and Public Private Participation, Cooperation, and Partnerships are being investigated and initiated; in order to enhance performance and ensure Value-for-Money, while simultaneously mitigating operational risk in the supply and support chains. This licentiate thesis reports on a research project that was commissioned by FMV, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, and conducted in order to "study, analyse, and evaluate Business Models regarding how they can handle the new supply concept that a new logistical interface brings about, with a particular emphasis on the risk taking that is part of the business concept". This research purpose was used to formulate three Research Questions: • Research Question 1: How can a generic Business Model for a non-profit, governmental, Defence Procurement Agency be described? • Research Question 2: Which strengths and weaknesses do different Business Models have in the context of defence acquisition? • Research Question 3: Which risks are associated with different Business Models in the context of defence acquisition? Using constructs from: Business Model theory, Public Private Participation theory, defence acquisition theory and practise, and military logistics theory and practise; a generic Public Private Business Model for defence acquisition was developed. The generic model consists of numerous variables, which enables an array of possible configurations. The model was used in a multiple case study to describe and analyse four defence acquisition projects in the UK. The multiple case study demonstrated that the generic Public Private Business Model is useful in order to describe defence acquisition projects. The model has also demonstrated that it is useful in order to analyse acquisition projects, including performance and risk. The Public Private Business Model has demonstrated its usefulness by discovering internal and external misalignments. The internal misalignments are Business Model configurations where the different building blocks are working against each other. The research has revealed examples where the mitigation of operational risk in the supply and support chains creates new risks in other building blocks. An external misalignment occurs when a Business Model configuration works against the deal for which it was designed, or the strategy that it is intended to realise. The research has revealed examples where there is a risk that the Business Model configuration is detrimental to the overarching strategy, e.g. transferring risk to the private sector or incentivising industry to enhance performance. Hence, the Public Private Business Model ought to be useful to identify and eradicate negative patterns and to identify and reinforce positive patterns. The research has revealed three potential generic problems for Performance Based Contracts: a "definition problem" (i.e. what to measure); a "measurement problem" (i.e. when, where and how to measure); and a "comparison problem" (i.e. with what to compare). The research results demonstrate that it must be made explicit which dimensions of performance; e.g. speed, quality, cost, flexibility and dependability; that should be measured, and why others should be omitted. The research suggests that performance must be explicitly specified for any Performance Based Contract in order to avoid any unnecessary problems with interpretations. Furthermore, the research indicates that performance metrics must be explicitly described. In addition, the results emphasise the importance of having an established baseline, against which to compare the measurements of Key Performance Indicators.

This thesis analyses whether the concept of monetary sovereignty evolves under the impact of globalization and financial integration, and provides a framework for assessing what this implies. Thereby, this thesis contributes to a better understanding of both the contemporary exercise of sovereign powers in monetary and financial matters and of the driving forces behind the evolution of international law in this field. As elaborated in chapter 1, the contemporary concept of monetary sovereignty proposed by this thesis is not static but dynamic in nature. Due to the dual nature of sovereignty as a concept having not only positive but also important normative components, monetary sovereignty cannot become eroded under the impact of legal and economic constraints. Chapter 2 examines the ongoing hybridization of international monetary law arising from changes in the sources of this complex body of law, from the unsuitability of the categories of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ law for characterizing all normative evolutions in this field, and from the rise of private and transnational monetary law. Chapter 3 scrutinizes the phenomenon of exchange rate misalignment under monetary and trade law. Intrinsically related, it assesses which aspects of the IMF’s legal framework should be reformed in order to tackle contemporary challenges to the stability of the international monetary system, such as global current account imbalances. Chapter 4 analyses the increasing regionalization of monetary sovereignty. It argues that, to the extent that transferring sovereign powers to a monetary union is what provides a state’s population with maximum monetary and financial stability, the underlying transfers are not a surrender of monetary sovereignty, but its effective exercise under the form of cooperative sovereignty. Finally, chapter 5 assesses the implications of the contemporary concept of monetary sovereignty proposed herein for the reorganization of the international financial architecture in the wake of the Great Recession.

Cette thèse étudie le choix des régimes de change dans des contextes économiques particuliers. La première partie (Chapitres 1 et 2) considère le cas des petits pays dont les dettes sont libellées en monnaies étrangères et celui d’une région constituée de tels petits pays lorsqu’il existe une similitude dans la composition des paniers définissant leurs taux de change effectifs. La deuxième partie de la thèse (Chapitres 3 et 4) se penche sur la considération des différents régimes de change dans le contexte monétaire de trappe à liquidité comparativement à un environnement monétaire traditionnel. En se basant sur une modélisation théorique de type DSGE, l’économétrie bayésienne et des données de panel, la thèse utilise principalement l’analyse des fonctions de réponses, de bien-être et de désalignements monétaires comme critères de comparaison de plusieurs régimes monétaires alternatifs. Les principaux enseignements de cette thèse se résument ainsi. Le change flexible semble être le meilleur régime pour des petites économies ouvertes comme ceux de l’Asie du Sud-Est. Au niveau régional, il est montré le ciblage effectif conduit à une stabilité des taux de change bilatéraux de la région, une sorte de fixité des taux de change qui ressemblerait à une zone monétaire de facto. Dans le contexte monétaire de trappe à liquidité, on trouve que,contrairement à la croyance commune lors la crise de la zone euro, l’union monétaire est plus performante que des politiques nationales de change flexible. Seule une intervention sur le taux de change nominal pourrait permettre au régime de change indépendant de dominer l’union monétaire. A travers une analyse théorique et empirique de l’effet de la trappe à liquidité sur l’ampleur des désalignements monétaires, il est aussi montré que la contrainte ZLB tend à réduire le désalignement monétaire dans une union monétaire comparativement aux politiques nationales de flottement.Cela plaide en faveur du renforcement de l’intégration monétaire au sein d’une union durant la période de trappe à liquidité. / This thesis investigates the choice of exchange rate regimes in specific economic contexts. The first part of this work (Chapters 1 and 2) considers the case of small open economies with foreign-currency denominated debt and that of a region where there is a similarity among trade-weighted currency baskets of countries. The second part of the thesis (Chapters 3 and 4) focuses on the study of exchange rate regimes and monetary integration in a liquidity trap environment relative to “tranquil” times. Based on dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) models and Bayesian and Panel data econometrics, the thesis mainly uses the analyses of impulse responses, welfare and currency misalignments as comparison criteria among alternative currency regimes.The key lessons from this work are summarized as follows. For small open economies heavily in debted in foreign currency, like those of Southeast Asia, the flexible exchange is the best regime, followed by intermediate and fixed exchange rate regimes. At the regional level, it is shown that the exchange rate targeting regime leads to a stability of intra-regional bilateral exchange rates, which is a sort of fixity of exchange rates similar to a “de facto currency area”. In the context of a liquidity trap, we find that, contrary to common belief during the Euro area crisis, the currency union welfare dominates the independent floating regime. Only a central bank intervention in the form of a managed float policy could allow the independent floating to outperform the monetary union.Through both the empirical and theoretical analyses of the liquidity trap effects on currency misalignments, it is shown that the ZLB constraint tends to reduce currency misalignments compared with the independent floating policy. This suggests a reinforcement of the monetary integration within a monetary union during the liquidity trap

他國低估匯率造成貿易嚴重扭曲問題近年來越發受到重視，而美國國會為解決主要貿易對手國長期壓抑匯率以提升出口競爭力，導致美國貿易赤字不斷上升之問題，遂陸續提出諸多匯率改革相關法案，期望以具體之制裁手段防止他國持續刻意壓低匯率。 本文先以美國現行法案──1988年匯率與國際經濟政策協調法案作為出發點，探討美國現行法案之不足，以點出美國國會為何認為有於後續改革法案中加入制裁手段之必要，並得出2010年公平貿易貨幣改革法案與2011年貨幣匯率監督改革法案此二法案所提倡之將他國根本性匯率低估或匯率失調情形視為可課徵平衡稅之補貼，為國會多數支持之手段。再以經濟學及國際貿易法學之分析連貫後續討論：匯率低估是否等同對進口課徵關稅並對出口提供補貼？2010年公平貿易貨幣改革法案與2011年貨幣匯率監督改革法案欲將他國根本性匯率低估或匯率失調情形視為可課徵平衡稅之補貼，是否符合WTO有關補貼之規範？前者以Staiger及Sykes兩位學者使用之兩國兩財模型作為討論主軸，後者則以補貼三要件──「財務補助」、「受有利益」及「特定性」加以檢驗。最後皆得出匯率低估僅在特定之情況下始可能構成補貼之結論。 惟在研究過程中，本文發現若僅單憑國際貿易法學之角度去解析匯率低估是否構成補貼，將受法律文字之主觀影響而導致某些謬誤產生。為解決此一問題，本文乃提出以經濟學之分析輔佐國際貿易法裁決之建議，以期能提升國際貿易法裁決之客觀性與公平性。 / The serious trade distortion problem caused by currency undervaluation has given rise to more and more attention. The United States also faces the increasing trade deficit problem caused by some major trading partners that manipulate the value of their currencies in relation to the United States dollar to gain export competitive advantage. The U.S. Congress thus brings up many currency exchange rate reform acts, hoping to use the specific sanction policies to prevent other countries from intentionally depressing exchange rates consistently. This article starts from the U.S. currency act in force──Exchange Rates and International Economic Policy Coordination Act of 1988 to discover the insufficiency in order to point out why the U.S. Congress consider it necessary to put the sanction policies in follow-up currency reform acts. We then conclude that the policies that brought up by "Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act (2010)" and "Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act of 2011" to deem the "fundamentally undervalued currency" or "misaligned currency" as contervailable subsidies come out in favor of the majority of the U.S. Congress. Follow up we use the analysis of the economies and international trade laws to link the following discussion: is the currency undervaluation equals to import tariffs and export subsidies? Are the policies that deem the "fundamentally undervalued currency" or "misaligned currency" as contervailable subsidies consistent with the WTO’s subsidy regulations? The former one is discussed with the "two countries and two goods model" brought up by Staiger and Sykes while the latter one is examined by three elements: "financial contribution", "benefits" and "specific". The answers are both that the currency undervaluation will be contervailable subsidy in some very specific cases. However, during this research, we find out that if just use the view of international trade laws to analyze whether the currency undervaluation is a contervailable subsidy, we may be affected by the literalism and make mistakes. To solve this problem, we recommend that using the analysis of economies to support the ruling of international trade laws, hoping to increase the objectivity and fairness.

Cette thèse en sciences de gestion a pour objet de prendre la mesure du rôle du système d’information dans le déclenchement et la propagation des difficultés que rencontrent les petites et moyennes entreprises du secteur agro-alimentaire en France. Nous étudions le lien entre le désalignement des usages du système d’information et les difficultés que peuvent rencontrer les PME.Le terrain est constitué, d’un côté, par des enquêtes d’entreprises qui permettent de construire un indicateur synthétique de performances et, de l’autre côté, par l’enquête COI-TIC de 2006 dont nous obtenons quatre jeux d’indicateurs liés à l’usage du système d’information.À l’aide d’une démarche compréhensive, nous caractérisons ainsi le rôle du système d’information et son désalignement dans les dynamiques de performances. Nous montrons, au cas des PME des IAA, notamment l’importance de la coordination électronique (inter entreprise et entre les parties prenantes) et la place majeure des changements impliquant des projets informatiques. Enfin, les entreprises, quelles que soient leurs performances, rencontrent d’importantes difficultés d’appropriation des usages du système d’information. / The purpose of this thesis in management science is to assess the role of Information Systems in triggering and propagating the kind of problems faced by small and medium-sized enterprises in the food industry in France. The thesis will explore the relationship between misalignments in the uses of Information Systems and the difficulties with which SMEs are often confronted.The field of research is composed, on the one hand, of company surveys, used to elaborate a composite performance indicator, and on the other, the 2006 COI-TIC survey, from which four sets of indicators concerning the uses of Information Systems were extrapolated.Applying a comprehensive approach, the thesis defines the impact of the misalignment of Information Systems on performance dynamics. It also highlights, notably, the importance for SMEs in the food industry of IT coordination between companies and between those companies and their stakeholders, and examines the central role of changes involving IT projects. Lastly, regardless of their performances, companies face major difficulties in appropriating uses of Information Systems.