This comparative study aims to discover and demonstrate the potential division in preferences for, and use of, AmE and BrE vocabulary by examining the possible influence of variety shift, motivation, gender, and language contact among 181 EFL students in one upper secondary school and one university in Sweden. Accordingly, the material, a questionnaire, was distributed to probe the preferences and potential inclination factors through solicitation of background information and personal attitudes towards English. Additionally, through a selection process within the questionnaire, to determine the division in actual variety use, the respondents chose between 30 variety-dependent synonyms randomly divided into two separate columns. The results demonstrate a self-reported preference for AmE among upper secondary students, which seems to derive from its high frequency of use, and a preference for BrE among students in tertiary education, due to the more appealing sound of pronunciation and the status which it is believed to signal. Additionally, intrinsic motivation is shown to be more frequent among students who prefer BrE. The differences in variety use are, despite some minor connection to variety shift, essentially identical regardless of variety preference, motivation, EFL level and student gender, with AmE being used most frequently. However, none of the respondents used exclusively one variety without alternating between the two in at least one instance, but the extent of inclination seemed to depend on the variety with which one had had the longest contact.

Dans l’épure de la classification traditionnelle des sociétés, l’intuitu personae est considéré comme une notion inutile, absente du fonctionnement des sociétés par actions. Pourtant, sous l’effet des considérations financières des fonds d’investissement et des fonds de pension qui apportent des capitaux importants, l’intuitu personae fait étonnement son retour dans le droit des sociétés. L’intuitu personae, locution latine qui désigne « la considération de la personne » est une notion polymorphe. Ainsi, son identification dans les opérations de capital n’est pas aisée et oblige à analyser les techniques mises en place par le législateur par le biais des clauses d’agrément, des actions de préférence ou des opérations de transmission universelle de patrimoine. La notion révèle ainsi ses forces et ses faiblesses au contact de la contractualisation du droit des sociétés. Cette redécouverte de l’intuitu personae oblige également à s’interroger sur son rôle dans les nouvelles orientations du paysage sociétaire. L’intuitu personae fragilise les critères de définition de la société, affecte les fonctions traditionnelles du capital social et s’impose comme un facteur de mutation. Son impact est considérable dans le contexte d’un droit des sociétés traversé par des courants contradictoires. Dès lors, cette étude propose de conceptualiser les bouleversements opérés par l’intuitu personae dans les opérations de capital. À cet égard, l’intuitu personae contribue à la modernisation du droit des sociétés. / In the blueprint of traditional classification of companies, the concept of intuitu personae is considered a useless concept in regard to corporations’ transactions. However, due to financial considerations of investment funds and pension funds that provide important capital, intuitu personae astonishingly makes a return into Corporate Law. Intuitu personae is a Latin expression meaning “the reputation of the person”. It is a polymorphic concept. Consequently, it’s identification in capital operations is not easy task and requires the analysis of techniques implemented by the legislator through approval clauses, preference shares or universal transmission of wealth operations. The concept reveals its strengths and weaknesses in regards to Corporate Law. This rediscovery of the concept of intuitu personae also raises questions about its role in the new directions of the societal landscape. Intuitu personae weakens the definition criteria of the company. It affects the traditional functions of capital shares and establishes itself as a mutation factor. Its impact is significant in the context of Corporate Law crossed by conflicting currents. Therefore, this study proposes to conceptualize the changes made by intuitu personae in capital transactions. In this regard, the intuitu personae contribute to the modernization of Corporate Law.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Understanding the population dynamic processes is fundamental to access its viability (health). Great part of these processes is closely related to the organism densities in a studied population. These data can reveal how the population is arranged in the environment and, in adverse conditions, it is possible to forecast the occurrence of dispersion/migration. This study aims to investigate some ecological parameters of an Aegla longirostri population, a freshwater anomuran from the southern Brazil: (i) to estimate the population density, (ii) the substrate preference, (iii) the home range and (iv) the possible dispersion patterns. The study site was the first order stream Sanga do Caranguejo, located in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul State, during 2010 and 2011. For population density and dispersion investigation covo traps were used, distributed through the stream, in different times in the year. The study of the substrate preference used PVC gutters covered by mesh and arranged on the stream substrate, with controlled density population; a surber was used for active search in the stream. The home range analysis used radio telemetry techniques. The population size was estimated in 950 individuals in spring and 210 in autumn (estimated according to the Bayesian Method). With respect to the substrate preference, we found that there is an ontogenetic association regarding the choice. The juveniles, in the first development stages, prefer sandy substrates, while adults (males and females) prefer more complex substrates. The estimates of home range of eglids vary between 8,41 to approximately 45,49 linear meters of stream, and these crustaceans showed the local dislocation, once they perform their activities around a specific point in the stream. To finalize, we identified that the juveniles and adults of eglids are active walkers, not being carried by the flow in a passive way as occurs in larvae stage in other crustaceans. Its activities are related to the environment temperature and density of adult males. We believe that the knowledge about the group has increased, however, as it is a complex group, with a rich evolutionary history, much remain to be investigated about these freshwater crustaceans. / A compreensão dos processos de dinâmica populacional é fundamental para se avaliar a viabilidade (saúde) de uma população. Grande parte desses processos estão estreitamente relacionados com a densidade de organismos da população estudada. Estes dados podem revelar como a população está distribuída no ambiente e, em condições de adversidade ambiental, é possível prever a ocorrência de dispersão/migração. Neste estudo, alicerçado nos fatores ecológicos e biológicos do aeglídeo Aegla longirostri foram investigados: (i) estimativa da densidade populacional, (ii) as preferências de substrato, (iii) a área de vida e (iv) os possíveis padrões de dispersão. Este estudo foi conduzido em um riacho de primeira ordem, Sanga dos Caranguejos, que se localiza na região central do Rio Grande do Sul, durante os anos de 2010 e 2011. Nas investigações sobre densidade populacional e dispersão foram utilizados coletores do tipo covo espaçados pelo riacho, em diferentes estações climáticas do ano. A investigação de preferência de substrato foi conduzida com o uso de calhas de PVC cobertas por malha e dispostas no riacho para o experimento em condições de densidade controlada, e com surber, para busca ativa no riacho. A análise de área de vida foi realizada com a utilização da técnica de rádio telemetria. A população em questão foi estimada em 950 indivíduos na primavera e 210 indivíduos no outono (estimativas segundo o Método Bayesiano). Com relação à preferência de substrato, verificamos que há associação ontogenética quanto à escolha. Os juvenis, nos primeiros estágios de desenvolvimento, preferem substratos arenosos, enquanto que adultos (machos e fêmeas) preferem substratos mais complexos. Estimou-se também que a área de vida desses eglídeos varia desde 8,41 metros até, aproximadamente, 45,49 metros lineares de riacho, e que estes crustáceos apresentam comportamento de deslocamento local, já que realizam suas atividades em torno de um ponto específico do riacho. Observou-se ainda que os juvenis eglídeos, assim como os adultos, são caminhadores ativos, não sendo carregados pela correnteza de forma passiva como ocorre nas fases larvais de outros crustáceos. Suas atividades estão relacionadas com a temperatura do ambiente e com a densidade de adultos machos no riacho. Acreditamos que muito se avançou em termos de conhecimento da ecologia do grupo como um todo, e não apenas para a espécie estudada, servindo este estudo de base para estudo futuros sobre dispersão e área de vida principalmente.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Amphetamine compounds and its derivatives are widely used in clinical medicine, but it is known that frames can cause dependence, tolerance and withdrawal. Furthermore, these drugs can alter metabolism and the functions of central neurotransmitters causing oxidative imbalances. In this sense it is already documented that exercise improves the conditions of well-being and self-esteem, and improve the plasticity and thus neuronal protection. In this context, the present study aimed to evaluate the influence of regular and continuous exercise on anxiety and behavioral parameters related to relapse to the use of amphetamine in an animal model of conditioned place preference (CPP). Male Wistar rats were conditioned to the use of AMPH or vehicle for 14 days and then half of each group was subjected to aerobic, regular and continuous physical activity for 5 weeks, while the others were not exercised. At the end of the last exercise session, the animals were re-conditioned to the use of AMPH/vehicle for more 3 days. After this phase, the animals were subjected to behavioral testing CPP to evaluate relapse to drug use, and the elevated plus maze to measure anxiety parameters. Hippocampal oxidative status was evaluated by levels of generation of reactive species (RS), carbonyl protein (CP), and activity levels of catalase (CAT) and Na+K+-ATPase, respectively. It was observed that the per amphetamine was able to develop is the CPP in the animals, however after the completion of 5 weeks of aerobic exercise, there was a reduction in the rate preferably compared to sedentary rats indicating a lower rate of relapse to amphetamine. In addition, exercise was shown to be beneficial to reduce the degree of anxiety and oxidative damage in these animals by amphetamine. Thus, regular and continuous exercise is a promising tool in the treatment of dependence and relapse to the indiscriminate use of drugs. / Compostos anfetamínicos e seus derivados são amplamente utilizados na clínica médica, porém podem provocar quadros de dependência, tolerância e abstinência. Além disso, estas drogas são capazes de afetar as funções e o metabolismo de neurotransmissores do sistema nervoso central (SNC) provocando desequilíbrios oxidativos. Neste sentido, já é documentado que o exercício físico melhora as condições de bem estar e auto-estima, favorecendo a plasticidade e, consequentemente, a proteção neuronal. Nesse contexto, o presente estudo visou avaliar a influência do exercício físico regular e contínuo sobre parâmetros comportamentais e de ansiedade relacionados à recaída ao uso de anfetamina em modelo animal de preferência condicionada de lugar (PCL). Ratos Wistar adultos foram condicionados com anfetamina no protocolo de PCL ou veículo por 14 dias e, na sequência, metade de cada grupo foi submetida à atividade física aeróbica regular e contínua por 5 semanas, enquanto os demais não foram exercitados. Ao término da última sessão de exercício físico, os animais foram re-condicionados ao uso de anfetamina ou veículo por mais 3 dias. Após esta fase, os animais foram submetidos aos testes comportamentais de PCL para avaliar sintomas de recaída pela preferência à droga, sendo também avaliados parâmetros de ansiedade em labirinto em cruz elevado. O status oxidativo na região do hipocampo foi avaliado através da geração de espécies reativas (RS), dos níveis de proteína carbonilada (PC) e atividade das enzimas catalase (CAT) e Na+K+-ATPase. Observou-se que a anfetamina per se foi capaz de desenvolver a PCL nos animais. Entretanto, após 5 semanas de exercício físico aeróbico regular e contínuo, os animais expostos à anfetamina mostraram menor PCL pela droga quando comparados ao grupo sedentário, indicando menor índice de recaída à anfetamina. Além disso, o exercício físico regular e contínuo exerceu influência favorável ao reduzir o nível de ansiedade e os danos oxidativos cerebrais, os quais foram associados ao condicionamento com anfetamina. Desse modo, o exercício físico regular e contínuo é uma ferramenta promissora no tratamento de dependência e recaída ao uso abusivo de drogas.

No description available.

This thesis deals with the preference of pupils at secondary schools (gymnasia) for different types of teaching aids in zoology education. The main objective was to determine whether the pupils rate educational models as more attractive than the real zoological preserved specimens and whether their preferences are related to their susceptibility to potentially phobic stimuli, realism of the object or whether preferences differ between the sexes. Selected models included entire animals as well as animal organs. The research was conducted at selected secondary schools (gymnasia) in Prague and Jablonec nad Nisou using a questionnaire and a preference test. Secondary school pupils and their biology teachers participated in this research. The realistic design of each object was assessed by researchers and students from the Faculty of Science Charles University using a scale questionnaire. The results showed that students rated the real zoological preserved specimens as more attractive compared to teaching models, with no dependence on whether the objects were entire or anatomical. Effect of gender on overall preference has not been showed; however, the boys had a tendency to evaluate generally unpopular organisms more positively than girls. No influence of susceptibility to potentially phobic stimuli,...

The principal hypothesis of this thesis was that the Maputaland Centre of Plant Endemism [MC] is characterised by plant communities that match a particular set of environmental variables, and their rich biodiversity with endemic and rare taxa reflecting the geomorphological history of the region. Data assembled supports the hypothesis. Vegetation studies highlighted two plant communities, endemic to the MC as being an important component of the region’s biodiversity, namely Sand Forest and Woody Grassland. A broad approach to the floristic classification of vegetation was adopted for information on the floristics patterns and diversity of the endemic/rare plants and plant communities of the MC. A hierarchical classification, description and ecological interpretation of the plant communities of the Tembe Elephant Park, Sileza Nature Reserve and surrounding areas are presented. Much of the vegetation distribution can be ascribed to the level of the water table, vegetation dynamics and historic evolution of the geomorphology of the region. The hypothesis is presented that Sand Forest may have allelopathic effects on its environment. Data of exploratory germination trials are presented to test this hypothesis. Sand Forest soil inhibits the emergence of seedlings, the inhibiting effect decreasing progressively from Sand Forest through grassland to woodland. Sand Forest was defined as a community, and its possible dynamics are described. Ideas were formulated (albeit largely hypothetical) on the likely origin of this vegetation type. It is proposed that ancient Dune Forest is the precursor of Sand Forest, but that Sand Forest has subsequently become a separate functioning plant community on its own. Sand Forest appears to be a relictual vegetation type of which the historical factors responsible for it’s original establishment and expansion are currently no longer present in the region. The use of woody species by elephant in different vegetation types in Tembe Elephant Park was investigated. A classification of species into utilization categories was produced which enabled assessment of the importance of different species to elephants, and also of the potential impact of elephants on different tree species. Management implications are highlighted. / Thesis (PhD (Botany))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Plant Science / unrestricted

Tout au long de ce travail, nous avons essayé de répondre à notre problématique de choix de stationnement dans le centre ville de Sousse, en vue d'appréhender le comportement des usagers, lorsqu'on passe d'un univers sans contrainte de stationnement à un univers avec contrainte, et comment les usagers pendulaires, plus précisément qui actuellement se rendent jusqu'à leur lieu de travail en voiture, pourraient changer leur comportement. Au cours de l'enquête "préférences déclarées" utilisée dans cette thèse, les personnes interrogées ont été placées dans le cadre général d'un problème de stationnement et auront à se prononcer en faveur d'un type de stationnement, quels facteurs vont influencés plus leurs choix de stationnement et seront-elles prêtes à renoncer à l'automobile en faveur d'un mode de transport pour effectuer le déplacement domicile-travail. La modélisation du choix de stationnement est réalisé au moyen d'un panier d'outils qui permettra d'évaluer le poids des différentes variables dans le comportement des usagers en matière de choix de stationnement. Elle nous permttra d'indiquer également quelle proportion de ces usagers s'ils étaient confontrés à des mesures restrictives de stationnement et face à une nouvelle politique de régulation, adopteraient quel comportement. / This thesis try to analyze user characteristics and factors influencing parking choice, based on a stated preferences method, in the city center of Sousse. During the investigation, "stated preferences", respondents were placed in the general framework of a parking problem, and will vote in favor of a type of parking.Modeling the choice of parking will study the possible impacts on the behavior of users with a new urban transport policy (parking pricing) in the city center of Sousse and the most important factors influencing the demand of parking.

Research macroeconomists have witnessed remarkable methodological developments in mathematical, statistical, and computational tools during the last two decades. The three essays in this dissertation took advantage of these advances to analyze important macroeconomic issues. The first essay, “ Habit Formation, Adjustments Costs, and International Business Cycle Puzzles” analyzes the extent to which incorporating habit formation and adjustment costs in investment in a one-good two-country general equilibrium model would help overcome some of the international business cycle puzzles. Unlike standard results in the literature, the model generates persistent, cyclical adjustment paths in response to shocks. It also yields positive cross-country correlations in consumption, employment, investment, and output. Cross-country correlations in output are higher than the ones in consumption. This is qualitatively consistent with the stylized facts. These results are particularly striking given the predicted negative correlations in investment, employment, and output that are typically found in the literature. The second essay, “Comparison Utility, Endogenous Time Preference, and Economic Growth,” uses World War II as a natural experiment to analyze the degree to which a model where consumers' preferences exhibit comparison-based utility and endogenous discounting is able to improve upon existing models in mimicking the transitional dynamics of an economy after a shock that destroys part of its capital stock. The model outperforms existing ones in replicating the behavior of the saving rate (both on impact and along the transient paths) after this historical event. This result brings additional support to the endogenous rate of time preference being a crucial element in growth models. The last essay, “Monetary Policy under Fear of Floating: Modeling the Dominican Economy,” presents a small scale macroeconomic model for a country (Dominican Republic) characterized by a strong presence of fear of floating (reluctance to have a flexible exchange rate regime) in the conduct of monetary policy. The dynamic responses of this economy to external shocks that are of interest for monetary policy purposes are analyzed under two alternative interest rate policy rules: One being the standard Taylor rule and another that responds explicitly to deviations of the exchange rate with respect to its long-term trend.

The thesis describes an investigation of the feasibility of resolving anaphors in natural language texts by means of a "shallow processing" approach which exploits knowledge of syntax, semantics and local focussing as heavily as possible; it does not rely on the presence of large amounts of world or domain knowledge, which are notoriously hard to process accurately. The ideas reported are implemented in a program called SPAR (Shallow Processing Anaphor Resolver), which resolves anaphoric and other linguistic ambiguities in simple English stories and generates sentence-by-sentence paraphrases that show what interpretations have been selected. Input to SPAR takes the form of semantic structures for single sentences constructed by Boguraev's English analyser. These structures are integrated into a network-style text representation as processing proceeds. To achieve anaphor resolution, SPAR combines and develops several existing techniques, most notably Sidner's theory of local focussing and Wilks' "preference semantics" theory of semantics and common sense inference. Consideration of the need to resolve several anaphors in the same sentence results in Sidner's framework being modified and extended to allow focus-based processing to interact more flexibly with processing based on other types of knowledge. Wilks' treatment of common sense inference is extended to incorporate a wider range of types of inference without jeopardizing its uniformity and simplicity. Further, his primitive-based formalism for word sense meanings is developed in the interests of economy, accuracy and ease of use. Although SPAR is geared mainly towards resolving anaphors, the design of the system allows many non-anaphoric (lexical and structural) ambiguities that cannot be resolved during sentence analysis to be resolved as a by-product of anaphor resolution.