Les travaux portent sur l’estimation de la variance dans le cas d’une non- réponse partielle traitée par une procédure d’imputation. Traiter les valeurs imputées comme si elles avaient été observées peut mener à une sous-estimation substantielle de la variance des estimateurs ponctuels. Les estimateurs de variance usuels reposent sur la disponibilité des probabilités d’inclusion d’ordre deux, qui sont parfois difficiles (voire impossibles) à calculer. Nous proposons d’examiner les propriétés d’estimateurs de variance obtenus au moyen d’approximations des probabilités d’inclusion d’ordre deux. Ces approximations s’expriment comme une fonction des probabilités d’inclusion d’ordre un et sont généralement valides pour des plans à grande entropie. Les résultats d’une étude de simulation, évaluant les propriétés des estimateurs de variance proposés en termes de biais et d’erreur quadratique moyenne, seront présentés. / Variance estimation in the case of item nonresponse treated by imputation is the main topic of this work. Treating the imputed values as if they were observed may lead to substantial under-estimation of the variance of point estimators. Classical variance estimators rely on the availability of the second-order inclusion probabilities, which may be difficult (even impossible) to calculate. We propose to study the properties of variance estimators obtained by approximating the second-order inclusion probabilities. These approximations are expressed in terms of first-order inclusion probabilities and are usually valid for high entropy sampling designs. The results of a simulation study evaluating the properties of the proposed variance estimators in terms of bias and mean squared error will be presented.

La perception visuelle ne se résume pas à la simple perception des variations de la quantité de lumière qui atteint la rétine. L’image naturelle est en effet composée de variation de contraste et de texture que l’on qualifie d’information de deuxième ordre (en opposition à l’information de premier ordre : luminance). Il a été démontré chez plusieurs espèces qu’un mouvement de deuxième ordre (variation spatiotemporelle du contraste ou de la texture) est aisément détecté. Les modèles de détection du mouvement tel le modèle d’énergie d’Adelson et Bergen ne permettent pas d’expliquer ces résultats, car le mouvement de deuxième ordre n’implique aucune variation de la luminance. Il existe trois modèles expliquant la détection du mouvement de deuxième ordre : la présence d’une circuiterie de type filter-rectify-filter, un mécanisme de feature-tracking ou simplement l’existence de non-linéarités précoces dans le traitement visuel. Par ailleurs, il a été proposé que l’information visuelle de deuxième ordre soit traitée par une circuiterie neuronale distincte de celle qui traite du premier ordre. Bon nombre d’études réfutent cependant cette théorie et s’entendent sur le fait qu’il n’y aurait qu’une séparation partielle à bas niveau. Les études électrophysiologiques sur la perception du mouvement de deuxième ordre ont principalement été effectuées chez le singe et le chat. Chez le chat, toutefois, seules les aires visuelles primaires (17 et 18) ont été extensivement étudiées. L’implication dans le traitement du deuxième ordre de l’aire dédiée à la perception du mouvement, le Sulcus syprasylvien postéro-médian latéral (PMLS), n’est pas encore connue. Pour ce faire, nous avons étudié les profils de réponse des neurones du PMLS évoqués par des stimuli dont la composante dynamique était de deuxième ordre. Les profils de réponses au mouvement de deuxième ordre sont très similaires au premier ordre, bien que moins sensibles. Nos données suggèrent que la perception du mouvement par le PMLS serait de type form-cue invariant. En somme, les résultats démontrent que le PMLS permet un traitement plus complexe du mouvement du deuxième ordre et sont en accord avec son rôle privilégié dans la perception du mouvement. / Visual perception is not limited to the perception of the quantity of light that reaches the retina. The natural scene is in fact composed of contrast and texture variations which are classified as second-order information (in opposition to first-order for luminance). Moreover, second-order motion (spatiotemporal variation of contrast or texture) can easily be detected in several different species even though it cannot be explained by motion detection mechanisms such as the energy model (Adelson and Bergen). Indeed, second-order motion does not involve any luminance variation and cannot be detected by a classical receptor field based on an energy model. Three models are proposed for second-order detection: a filter-rectify-filter circuit, feature-tracking mechanisms or the presence of early non-linearity in the visual system. It was suggested that first- and second-order decoding are performed by distinct pathways. This theory is still debated, but it is generally accepted that they may be partially separated in the early stages of the visual systems. The majority of electrophysiological studies on second-order perception were performed on monkeys and cats. However, even if the cat’s area 17 and 18 responses were greatly studied, the motion dedicated region, the Posteromedial lateral suprasylvian sulcus (PMLS), is still to be evaluated. We performed extracellular recordings in the PMLS to measure the response profiles of its composing neurons to second-order motion. PMLS first- and second-order profiles are similar, but second-order tunings are less selective. Our data suggest that the PMLS performs form-cue invariant processing and accomplishes a more complex decoding of second-order motion.

La perception visuelle du mouvement est essentielle à l’exécution de déplacements sécuritaires ainsi qu’à l’interaction efficace avec notre environnement. C’est pourquoi il est nécessaire de comprendre la nature des mécanismes responsables de l’analyse de l’information sur le mouvement, ainsi que l’effet du vieillissement sur la réponse de ces mécanismes. Deux études seront présentées. La première avait pour but l’analyse des mécanismes responsables de la perception du mouvement de rotation fractale, nouveau stimulus introduit par Benton, O’Brien & Curran (2007). Ce type de stimulus a été créé afin d’isoler les mécanismes sensibles à la forme. Plusieurs auteurs ont suggéré que les mécanismes sensibles au mouvement de deuxième ordre utiliseraient les indices de position afin d’extraire l’information sur le mouvement (Seiffert & Cavanagh, 1998). Ainsi, la présente étude visait à déterminer si la rotation fractale est analysée par de tels mécanismes. Les résultats obtenus suggèrent que les mécanismes sensibles à la rotation fractale seraient basés sur l’orientation; tandis que ceux sensibles à la rotation de premier ordre, basés sur l’énergie. De plus, une certaine dissociation des mécanismes responsables du traitement de la rotation fractale et de premier ordre serait présente. La deuxième étude avait pour but, quant à elle, d’établir l’effet du vieillissement sur l’intégration du mouvement de premier et deuxième ordre. Les résultats indiquent que les mécanismes sensibles au mouvement de deuxième ordre seraient davantage affectés, comparativement à ceux de premier ordre. Ainsi, les fonctions visuelles requérant une intégration corticale de plus haut niveau seraient davantage affectées par l’effet du vieillissement. / Motion perception ensures the execution of safe navigation, as well as efficient interaction with the environment. As such, it is essential to understand the nature of mechanisms ensuring motion perception, as well as effects of aging on their response. Two studies will be presented. The first aimed at identifying the nature of mechanisms responsible for the perception of fractal rotation, a novel stimulus introduced by Benton et al. (2007). This stimulus has been created to isolate form sensitive mechanisms. Several authors have suggested that second-order motion sensitive mechanisms use position cues to extract motion (Seiffert & Cavanagh, 1998). Hence, the following study aimed at determining whether fractal rotation is analyzed by such mechanisms or not. Results suggest fractal rotation sensitive mechanisms use orientation changes, whereas first-order sensitive mechanisms use energy. Moreover, dissociation between first-order and fractal rotation mechanisms has been observed. The second study aimed at establishing the effect of aging on first- and second-order motion integration. Results indicate second-order sensitive mechanisms would be more affected by aging, than first-order mechanisms. Accordingly, visual functions requiring higher order cortical integration are more likely to be more affected by aging.

Title: Semi-infinite programming: theory and portfolio efficiency application Author: Bc. Lukáš Klouda Department: Department of Probability and Mathematical Statistics Supervisor: RNDr. Ing. Miloš Kopa, PhD. Supervisor's e-mail address: kopa@karlin.mff.cuni.cz Abstract: The thesis deals with application of semi-infinite programming to a portfolio efficiency testing. The summary of semi-infinite programming, first and second order optimality conditions and duality in linear semi-infinite programming is presented. The optimization problem for a portfolio efficiency testing with respect to the second order stochastic dominance under assumption of discrete, normal, Students and general elliptical distribution is formulated. Conditional value at risk(CVaR) is used as the risk measure, because of its consistency with the second order stochastic dominance relation. Efficiency of index PX with respect to the second order stochastic dominance is tested. The tests are performed using the program GAMS.

In some of the most established and supposedly immutable liberal democracies, diverse social groups are losing con fi dence not only in established democratic institutions, but in the idea of liberal representative democracy itself. Meanwhile, an illiberal and anti-egalitarian transformation of democracy evolves at an apparently unstoppable pace. This democratic fatigue syndrome , the present article suggests, is qualitatively di ff erent from the crises of Democracy which have been debated for some considerable time. Focusing on mature democracies underpinned by the ideational tradition of European Enlightenment, the article theorizes this Syndrome and the striking transformation of democracy in terms of a dialectic process in which the very norm that once gave birth to the democratic project - the modernist idea of the autonomous subject - metamorphoses into its gravedigger, or at least into the driver of its radical reformulation. The article further develops aspects of my existing work on second-order emancipation and simulative democracy . Taking a theoretical rather than empirical approach, it aims to provide a conceptual framework for more empirically oriented analyses of changing forms of political articulation and participation.

[pt] Este trabalho tem por objetivo a avaliação da estabilidade de taludes de solo quando sometidos a processos de infiltração de chuva, utilizando conceitos de Análise Limite e Análise de Confiabilidade. Primeiramente, determina-se a variação da sução no solo, para isto, emprega-se o Método dos Elementos Finitos e o Método de diferenças finitas na solução da equação de Richards. O modelo de Van Genuchten (1980) é utilizado para a curva característica. Na solução da nãolinearidade, emprega-se o método Picard Modificado. A instabilidade de taludes é estudada mediante o método de Análise Limite Numérica com base no Método de Elementos Finitos e o critério de Mohr Coulomb como critério de escoamento. A solução do problema matemático será realizada no espaço cônico quadrático com o objetivo de tornar a solução mais computacionalmente eficiente. Considerando as propriedades do solo como variáveis aleatórias foi incluída a determinação do Índice de Confiabilidade utilizando as formulações dos métodos de Monte Carlo e FORM (first order reliability method). Inicialmente são introduzidos conceitos básicos associados ao fluxo saturado-não saturado. A seguir são apresentados alguns conceitos. Sobre Análise Limite e sua formulação pelo Método de Elementos Finitos. Finalmente são introduzidos os fundamentos da Análise de Confiabilidade. Análises de confiabilidade das encostas de Coos Bay no estado de Oregon nos Estados Unidos e da Vista Chinesa no Rio de Janeiro Brasil, são apresentadas devido a que estes taludes sofreram colapso quando submetidos a processos de infiltração de água de chuva. Os resultados deste trabalho mostram que a falha das encostas ocorre quando o índice de confiabilidade atinge um valor perto de dois. / [en] This thesis aims to perform a reliability analysis of the stability of 2D soil slopes when they are submitted to water infiltration due to the rains.The time variation of the soil matric suctions is calculated first. The Finite Element Method is used to transform the Richards differential equation into a system of nonlinear first order equations. The nonlinearity of the problem is due to the use of the characteristic curve proposed by van Genuchten (1980). The Modified Picard Method is applied to solve de time-dependent nonlinear equation system. The responses of the flux-problem are transferred to the stability problem in some instants using the same time-interval (normally days).To estimate the stability of the slopes, limit analysis is used. The limit analyses are performed based on the Inferior Limit Theorem of the Plasticity Theory. The problem is defined as an optimization problem where the load factor is maximized. The equilibrium equations are obtained via Finite Element discretization and the strength criterion of Mohr-Couomb is written in the conic quadratic space. Therefore, a SOCP (Second Order Conic Programming) problem is generated. The problem is solved using an interior point algorithm of the code Mosek.Since the soil properties are random variables a reliability analysis can be performed at each instant of the time-dependent problem. In order to perform the reliability analyses, Response Surfaces for the failure function of the slope are generated. In this work, the Stochastic Collocation Method is used to generate Response Surfaces. The Simulation Monte Carlo Method and the FORM (First Order Reliability Method) are used to obtain both the reliability index and the probability of failure of the slopes.Reliability analyses of the Coos Bay Slope in the state of Oregon in USA and in the Vista Chinesa Slope in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, are presented because they collapse due to rainfall infiltration. The results show that the soil slope fails when the related reliability index is close to two.

Dans cette thèse, nous étudions des problèmes aux limites pour les systèmes elliptiques sous forme divergence avec coefficients complexes dans L^{infty}. Nous prouvons des estimations a priori, discutons de la solvabilité et d'extrapolation de la solvabilité. Nous utilisons une transformation via des équations Cauchy-Riemann généralisées due à P. Auscher, A. Axelsson et A. McIntosh. On peut résoudre les équations Cauchy-Riemann généralisées via la semi-groupe engendré par un opérateur différentiel perturbé d'ordre un de type Dirac. A l'aide du semi-groupe, nous étudions la théorie L^{p} avec une discussion sur la bisectorialité, le calcul fonctionnel holomorphe et les estimations hors-diagonales pour des opérateurs dans le calcul fonctionnel. En particulier, nous développons une théorie L^{p}-L^{q} pour des opérateurs dans le calcul fonctionnel d'opérateur de type Dirac perturbé. Les problèmes de Neumann, Régularité et Dirichlet se formulent avec des estimations quadratiques et des estimations pour la fonction maximale nontangentielle. Cela conduit à à démontrer de telles estimations pour le semi-groupe d'opérateur de Dirac Pour cela, nous utilisons les espaces Hardy associés et les identifions dans certains cas avec des sous-espaces des espaces de Hardy et Lebesgue classiques. Nous obtenons enfin des estimations a priori pour les problème aux limites via une extension utilisant des espaces de Sobolev associés. Nous utilisons les estimations a priori pour une discussion sur la solvabilité des problèmes aux limites et montrer un théorème d'extrapolation de la solvabilité. / In this this thesis we study boundary value problems for elliptic systems in divergence form with complex coefficients in L^{\infty}. We prove a priori estimates, discuss solvability and extrapolation of solvability. We use a transformation to generalized Cauchy-Riemann equations due to P. Auscher, A. Axelsson, and A. McIntosh. The generalized Cauchy-Riemann equations can be solved by the semi-group generated by a perturbed first order Dirac/differential operator. In relation to semi-group theory we setup the L^p theory by a discussion of bisectoriality, holomorphic functional calculus and off-diagonal estimates for operators in the functional calculus. In particular, we develop an L^p-L^q theory for operators in the functional calculus of the first order perturbed Dirac/differential operators. The formulation of Neumann, Regularity and Dirichlet problems involve square function estimates and nontangential maximal function estimates. This leads us to discuss square function estimates and nontangential maximal function estimates involving operators in the functional calculus of the perturbed first order Dirac/differential operator. We discuss the related Hardy spaces associated to operators and prove identifications by subspaces of classical Hardy and Lebesgue spaces. We obtain the a priori estimates by an extension of the square function estimates and nontangential maximal function estimates to Sobolev spaces associated to operators. We use the a priori estimates for a discussion of solvability and extrapolation of solvability.

Partout où la pierre est facilement disponible, on trouve des constructions en maçonnerie de pierre. Suivant les coutumes et les usages, les blocs de pierres sont assemblés bruts, simplement ébauchés ou parfaitement taillés, avec ou sans l'ajout d'un liant. Supplantée par le béton dans les constructions neuves depuis le milieu du XX} siècle, les ouvrages en maçonnerie demeurent majoritaires dans le patrimoine bâti français, un patrimoine qu'il convient d'entretenir rationnellement. L'objectif de ce travail de thèse est de poursuivre l'élaboration d'un cadre scientifique rigoureux et opérationnel afin de donner aux décideurs et aux gestionnaires les outils nécessaires pour mener à bien leur mission. Nous proposons ici deux outils d'évaluation de la stabilité d'ouvrages de soutènement en maçonnerie basés sur l'utilisation conjointe du calcul à la rupture avec des méthodes d'homogénéisation. Dans un premier temps, nous mettons d'abord au point un outil analytique permettant de dimensionner des ouvrages neufs ou d'évaluer la stabilité d'ouvrages peu déformés. Cet outil permet également de dimensionner des solutions de renforcement par clouage lorsque cela est jugé nécessaire. Dans un deuxième temps, nous implémentons cet outil dans un code numérique afin de lui donner la souplesse nécessaire à l'étude d'ouvrages non-conventionnels, de grandes taille ou fortement pathologique. Enfin, nous mettons en oeuvre plusieurs campagnes expérimentales qui nous fournissent les données nécessaires à la validation de ces modèles de calcul / Wherever stone is readily available, we encounter stone masonry buildings. Depending on customs or dedicated use, the blocks are used raw, lightly faced or perfectly cut, with or without the use of mortar. Althougth concrete has replaced masonry in new construction for some decades, the better part of the French built heritage is made of masonry, an heritage we are responsible for. This works aims at contributing to create a reliable scientific frame for that purpose. This thesis uses the yield design theory alongside with homogenisation techniques to study the stability of stone masonry earth retaining walls. First, we provide an analytical tool suitable for designing new structures or assessing the stability of existing ones that are still in good shape. Should it be needed, this tools allows for the design of a strengthening solution based on soil-nailing. Then, we implement it in a finite element code to give it the versatility required to study unconventionnal structures or structures badly damaged. We then present several experimental campaigns aiming at validating the proposed tools

Descrevemos os processos de captura, criação e micromanipulação cirúrgica das moscas Chrysomya megacephala. Apresentamos os processos de geração de estímulo e registro da atividade dos dois neurônios H1 localizados na placa lobular de seu cérebro. Um primeiro resultado apresentado refere-se a acuidade de seu sistema visual. Desenvolvemos um procedimento para comparar sua taxa de disparos espontâneos com as respostas do neurônio H1 quando sujeito a estímulos de excitação e inibição. Mostramos que o sistema visual da mosca não está apenas adaptado a detectar grandes fluxos ópticos mas também, é capaz de detectar pequenas velocidades de aproximadamente 1, 5o.s-1 e de apenas 0,25o de amplitude. Estes valores mostram que a mosca é capaz de detectar deslocamentos angulares muito menores do que sua abertura omatidial, = 1 2o. Outro resultado apresentado é obtido ao estudarmos o processo de codificação-decodificação neural. Alguns sistemas sensoriais agem como um conversor analógico-digital, recebendo um estímulo S(t) e codificando-o em uma sequência de pulsos, spikes. O processo de decodificação da resposta neural consiste em receber este conjunto pulsos e gerar uma estimativa Se(t) do estmulo. Este processo requer a computação e subsequente inversão de funções de correlação de alta ordem. A dimensão das matrizes que representam estas funções pode se tornar proibitivamente grande. Apresentamos um eficiente método para reduzir estas funções de correlação. Esta aproximação tem baixo custo computacional, evita a inversão de grandes matrizes e nos da um excelente resultado para a reconstrução do estímulo. Testamos a qualidade de nossa reconstrução sobre estímulos de rotação e translação. A contribuição dos núcleos de segunda ordem para a reconstrução do estímulo é de apenas 8% da contribuição dos núcleos de primeira ordem. Entretanto, em instantes específicos, a adição destes núcleos pode representar uma contribuição de ate 100%. Finalmente, investigamos quais atributos do estímulo são codificados pelos neurônios H1. Nosso espaço de estímulos possui um conjunto da ordem de 2 × 1096 elementos. É impossível imaginar que o sistema formado pelos dois neurônios H1 seja capaz de codificar eficientemente esta enorme quantidade de elementos. É razoável considerar que este sistema seja ao menos capaz de codificar um atributo essencial do movimento, seu sentido - rotações horizontais para direita ou para esquerda. Desta forma, apresentamos dois estímulos distintos para a mosca, um no qual suas velocidades são retiradas de uma distribuição Gaussiana e outro que contem apenas o sentido deste movimento. Obtemos uma correlação da ordem de 80 - 90% entre as estimativas de ambos os estímulos, estimativas obtidas através do processo de reconstrução linear. Obtemos aproximadamente 85% de eficiência na predição do sentido deste movimento. Ao utilizarmos a Teoria da Informação, encontramos uma diferença de apenas 10% entre as taxas de informação transmitida sobre os estímulos Gaussiano e sua versão reduzida. Concluímos que a propriedade comum a estes dois estímulos, o sentido do movimento, é o atributo relevante a ser codificado pelos neurônios H1. / We describe the practices of capturing, creation, and microsurgery of the flies Chrysomya megacephala. We present the procedures of stimulus generation and recording of the activity of the two H1 neurons in the lobula plate of its brain. One first result presented is related to its visual system acuity. We developed a method to compare its spontaneous firing rate with the H1s responses to excitatory and inhibitory stimuli. We show that the flys visual system is not only adapted to detect large optic flows but is also capable to detect small velocities about 1, 5o.s-1 with just 0, 25o of amplitude. These values show that the fly is capable to detect angular displacements much smallers than its ommatidial aperture, = 1 2o. Another relevant result is attained studying the processes of neural encode-decode. Some sensorial systems act as an analog-to-digital conversor, these systems encode the input stimulus S(t) in a sequence of action potential, spikes. The decoding process of the neural response consists of capturing this set of spikes and to generate an estimate Se(t) of the stimulus. This process requires the computation and subsequent inversion of high order correlations functions. The dimension of the matrixes that represent these functions can become prohibitively large. We present an efficient method to reduce these correlation functions. This approximation has low computational cost, avoids large matrixes inversion and give to us an excellent result to the stimulus reconstruction. We tested the reconstruction quality of rotational and translational stimuli. The contribution of second order stimulus reconstruction kernels is just 8% of first order kernels contribution. However, in specific times, the addition of these kernels may represent a 100% contribution. Finally, we investigate which stimulus features are codified by the H1 neurons. The stimulus space has a set of about 2 × 1096 elements. It is impossible to imagine that the system formed by the two H1 neurons could be able to encode efficiently this amount of elements. It is reasonable to consider that this system is at least able to encode an essencial characteristic of movement, its direction horizontal rotations to the right or to the left. Therefore, we presente two different stimuli to the fly, one which have velocities taken from a Gaussian distribution and another which contains just the direction of this movement. We obtain about 80 - 90% correlation between the estimates of both stimuli, estimates obtained through linear reconstruction methods. We obtain about 85% of efficiency in the prediction of stimulus direction. We find just a 10% difference between the information rate transmitted about the Gaussian stimulus and its reduced version using Information Theory. We conclude that the common attribute of these stimuli, the direction of movement, is the relevant attribute to be codified by the H1 neurons.

São descritas as recomendações da Norma Brasileira NBR-6118/1978 e do Código Modelo do Comité Euro-internacional du Béton CEB-1990 para a verificação da estabilidade de pilares esbeltos de concreto armado com seção variável submetidos à flexão normal composta, empregando-se a teoria do método geral. Para a obtenção dos momentos de segunda ordem são descritos os métodos de Engesser-Vianello e da integração numérica das curvaturas das seções transversais ao longo do pilar. Para a determinação do momento fletor absorvido pelas seções em função da curvatura proveniente da flexão do pilar sob a ação de uma força normal, desenvolvem-se as expressões para seções retangulares e circulares (cheias e vazadas) com base nas relações de tensão-deformação dos materiais segundo a norma e o código supracitados. Apresenta-se também um programa para microcomputador, elaborado em linguagem PASCAL, destinado à verificação da estabilidade de pilares com opção de adoção dos critérios da NBR-6118/1978 ou do CEB-1190. Não foram abordados os efeitos decorrentes de vibrações, fazendo-se apenas a descrição dos métodos de consideração dos efeitos decorrentes da deformação lenta. / The recommendations of Brazilian Code NBR-6118/1978 and Comité Euro-Internacional du Béton Model Code CEB-1990 are described, for stability verification of concrete slender columns with variable cross sections, subjected to axial load and bending moment, using the exact method. To obtain the second order bending moments, the Engesser-Vianello method and the numeric integration of the cross section curvatures along the longitudinal axial of column method are described. To obtain of bending moment supported by the cross sections due to curvature resultant of the column flexure under axialload, expressions for rectangular and circular (full and hollow) cross sections are developed, using stress-strain relations for materials proposed by model codes above mentioned. It\'s also presented a software written in PASCAL language for microcomputer and destined to column stability verification, with option to adopt the NBR-6118/1978 or CEB-1990 model code recommendations. Effects due to vibrations were nor included. Methods to take in account creep effects were described.