Fruit de négociations longues et ardues, la Convention des Nations Unies sur le droit de la mer signée en 1982 est sans doute l’un des traités multilatéraux les plus réussis sur le plan international. Pierre angulaire de la Convention, l’attribution du statut de « patrimoine commun de l’humanité » aux fonds marins et leur sous-sol situés au-delà des limites de la juridiction nationale ainsi qu’à leurs ressources a constitué une innovation majeure dans le domaine du droit international. Le succès de la Convention tient notamment au fait qu’elle a établi un cadre institutionnel sans précédent chargé de la mise en œuvre de la Convention et incarné par trois institutions : l’Autorité internationale des fonds marins, la Commission des limites du plateau continental et le Tribunal international du droit de la mer. Dotées de statuts juridiques divers et de compétences différentes, ces institutions fonctionnent depuis l’entrée en vigueur de la Convention en 1994. Vingt-et-un ans après sa fondation, il convient d’examiner ce cadre institutionnel dans son ensemble et d’évaluer sa mise en œuvre pour mieux comprendre le rôle complémentaire des institutions. Cette étude porte un regard critique sur la genèse, la nature, le fonctionnement et la pratique des institutions, et s’attache à les considérer dans leur interaction et leur interdépendance. Identifier les insuffisances institutionnelles et interinstitutionnelles, ainsi que les défis auxquels les institutions sont confrontées est un préalable indispensable à la recherche de solutions efficaces et viables pour surmonter les difficultés rencontrées, à la mise en œuvre harmonieuse de la Convention et à la concrétisation du concept fondamental de patrimoine commun de l’humanité. Dans cette perspective, l’importance du Tribunal dans son rôle de garant de l’intégrité de la Convention et le pouvoir créateur du juge international face aux lacunes conventionnelles méritent une attention toute particulière. / The result of protracted and arduous negotiations, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seasigned in 1982 is undoubtedly one of the most successful multilateral treaties at the international level. The principle of the common heritage of mankind, represented by the seabed, ocean floor and subsoil and their resources beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, is the cornerstone of the Convention and constituted a major innovation in international law. The success of the Convention lies, in particular, in the establishment of an unprecedented institutional framework, which is incarnated by three institutions: the International Seabed Authority, the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. These institutions of diverse legal status are vested with different functions and have been in operation since the entry into force of the Convention in 1994. Twentyone years following its establishment, it is necessary to review this institutional framework as a whole and to assess its implementation in order to better understand the complementary role of the institutions. This study critically examines the genesis, the nature, the functioning and the practice of the institutions throughtheir interaction and their interdependence. Identifying institutional and inter-institutional weaknesses, and the challenges that the institutions face is an indispensable prerequisite for ensuring effective and viablesolutions, the harmonious implementation of the Convention and for giving substance to the principle ofthe common heritage of mankind. In this context, the role of the Tribunal as the guarantor of the integrityof the Convention and the creative power of the international judge merit special attention.

Service quality has always been a tacit assumption within the delivery of academic library services, but since the 1990s demands for accountability from different stakeholders, including the clients, made service quality a highly debated and researched focus in academic libraries all over the world. The scope of the study covers a wide-ranging analysis of discourses underpinning service quality and its accompanying performance indicators in academic libraries. Using the academic library of the University of South Africa as an illustrative case study, this study examines the possible impact of inventory control on the service quality of the academic library in three areas, namely access to information resources, retrieval of information resources and positive implications for sound financial management. The study's findings all point to a positive enhancement of service quality in regard to the three areas mentioned. / Information Science / M. Inf.

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and moringa (Moringa oleifera) are nutritious and medicinal vegetables, but could also harbor harmful microbial contaminants. The main aim of the project was to determine the effect of each processing techniques on the microbiology, proximate nutrients and shelf life of these vegetables to produce nutritious, tasty, safe and long lasting vegetable products. The processing techniques used were: washing, blanching, and drying. Leaf samples were collected at each stage of processing and were analysed for total viable count, coliform count, yeast and mould count and nutritional content. Microbial plate analysis showed the presence, particularly on cowpea leaves, of yeasts and bacteria such as Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Staphylococci, Streptococci, and enterobacter including enteropathogens such as Salmonella spp., Shigella dysenteriae and E coli. The presence of E.coli on the leaves was also confirmed using polymerase chain reaction-amplified ribosomal DNA analysis. The most effective processing technique which reduced microbial load to below SABS standards while retaining nutritional quality was the washing of the leaves twice with tap water followed by steam tunnel blanching at 94oC for 12 minutes. Oven drying the leaves at 60oC gave satisfactory and extended shelf life results. Proximate analysis comparison of the two leaf types showed that on average moringa leaves contained more ash (2.37 vs 1.1 g), protein (6,9 vs 3,6 g), fat (0,41 vs 0.2 g) and energy (305,1 vs 70KJ) but less dietary fibre (0,9 vs 7,5 g) than cowpea leaves. No significant differences were noted in these values following washing and steam blanching. These results indicate that washing of these leaves is effective as to reducing microbial load and maintaining proximate values in the short term (up to 4 days) but that oven drying is effective for longer-term storage. / Life and Consumer Sciences / M. Sc. (Life Sciences)

Approved for public release; distribution in unlimited. / This thesis represents a cross Systems Command (NAVSEA/NAVAIR) developed product. The product - the Sunset Supply Base (SSB) system - provides a complete system for addressing the risks and supportability issues involved with Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) products in Navy combat and support systems. The SSB system was implemented on three Navy combat weapon systems at various phases of the product development life cycle. The main body provides to the Program Management Offices (PMO) and other decision makers, a high level summary of performance expectations. Appendix A - The Sunset Supply Base Architecture - identifies at a high level of abstraction a collaborative architecture providing a roadmap for design and development of the SSB system. Appendix B - The Systems Engineering Development and Implementation (SEDI) plan - is a prescriptive or "How to" manual describing activities that have been used to successfully implement the SSB system. Appendix C - Business Case Analysis (BCA) - presents the data collected as a result of SEDI plan implementation then addresses the business/programmatic attributes showing the viability and value proposition possible through the SSB system. Appendix D - The Marketing Plan for the SSB system - defines methods and practices necessary to establish the SSB system as the alternative of choice. / Chemical Engineer, United States Navy / Systems Engineer, United States Navy

La zone économique exclusive Mauritanienne est le siège d’upwelling et constitue une zone de transition où cohabitent des espèces d’affinités tempérée et tropicale. Pour comprendre le comportement spatio-temporel des assemblages démersaux du point de vue de leur composition, structuration, distribution de probabilité et diversité face aux préoccupations écologiques. Les facteurs abiotiques contribuent à la structuration des assemblages démersaux persistants au cours du temps. Les effets de la pêche étaient relativement faibles. Les trajectoires temporelles entre les assemblages et les conditions environnementales ont été mises en évidence pour certaines années et des zones. Dans les types d’habitats, un groupe minoritaire d’espèces très agrégatives obéissant au modèle de distribution en log-séries de Fisher et un autre majoritaire peu ou pas du tout agrégatives obéissant au modèle de distribution binomiale négative tronquée ont été identifiés. La diversité spécifique peut être divisé en deux groupes distincts et complémentaires : la richesse spécifique et l'autre associé à l’équitabilité. Un seul composant de la diversité ne peut donc pas représenter la diversité des poissons démersaux de la zone étudiée. Les GLM des indices complémentaires ont montré essentiellement un effet temporel et l’interaction Année-Strates bathymétriques. Aucun effet de l’effort de pêche n’a été observé sur la richesse spécifique, ni de la concentration en chlorophylle sur l’équitabilité. Ce travail pourrait fournir aux gestionnaires et aux scientifiques des connaissances complémentaires sur la dynamique spatio-temporelle des assemblages démersaux exploités dans des écosystèmes d’upwelling. / The Mauritanian exclusive economic zone is the seat of an upwelling phenomenon and constitutes a transition zone where species of temperate and tropical affinities coexist. To understand the spatio-temporal behavior of demersal assemblages from the point of view of their composition, structure, distribution of probability and diversity faced to ecological concerns. Abiotic factors contribute in the structuring of persistent groundfish assemblages over time. The fishing effects were relatively low, although significant in some years and in some specific geographic areas. Temporal trajectories between groundfish assemblages and environmental conditions have been highlighted for some years and in some specific areas. In each type habitats, two species groups were identified: a minority group of species very aggregative well fitted by Fisher’s log-series distribution and another majority of species little or not aggregative well fitted by the truncated negative binomial distribution. Diversity indices analyzed reveal that this set can be split into two distinct and complementary groups: a group associated with the species richness and another group associated with evenness. One component of diversity may not represent the diversity of the groundfish in the study area. GLMs of complementary indices showed essentially a temporal effect and Bathymetric strata-Year interaction. No effect of fishing effort was observed on the species richness and neither was the concentration of chlorophyll a on the evenness. This work could provide managers and scientists to further knowledge on the spatio-temporal dynamics of groundfish species assemblages exploited in upwelling ecosystems.

No description available.

Heat stress (HS) induced changes in energy metabolism, proteolysis, lipogenesis, and oxidative balance have meat quality ramifications for livestock. However, several knowledge gaps exist in understanding heat stressed finishing pig physiology and pork quality characteristics and how dietary zinc may ameliorate undesirable outcomes. Research was completed to determine zinc supplementation effects on carcass composition, meat quality, and oxidative stability of fresh and processed pork from pigs subjected to a chronic, cyclic heat stress using a 2×2×2 factorial arrangement of treatments with main effects of environment (HS vs. thermoneutral; TN), added zinc level (50 vs. 130 mg kg^-1 available zinc), and zinc source (inorganic vs. organic). Commercial crossbred mixed-sex pigs (initially 72.0 kg) were group-housed under either TN (18.9-16.7°C) or cycling HS conditions with chronic diurnal heat (30-29°C/26-27°C for 12h:12h) on days 24-71 with acute heat waves (32-33°C/29-30°C for 12h:12h) on days 21-24, 42-45, and 63-65. One representative pig (<i>n</i>=80) per pen was slaughtered on day 64. The HS pigs were lighter bodyweight (<i>P</i>=0.039), yielded lighter carcasses (<i>P</i>=0.011), less last rib backfat (<i>P</i>=0.032), tended to have smaller loin eye area (<i>P</i>=0.062) but similar percent lean in belly center slices (<i>P</i>>0.10). Compared to TN, HS carcasses had higher 24-h pH (<i>P</i>=0.001) and decreased drip loss (<i>P</i>=0.034). Shifts in individual fatty acid profile of sausage product derived from HS carcasses were observed but were of insufficient magnitude to affect iodine value. Initially, sausage from HS carcasses tended (day 0, <i>P</i>=0.071) to have less thiobarbituric acid reactive substances than TN but over a 10-day simulated retail display, no treatment induced lipid oxidation differences (<i>P</i>>0.05) were observed in either sausage or displayed loin chops. Consistent treatment differences in CIE L*a*b* of products throughout the 10-day display were not observed. The relationships between physiological changes in pigs receiving supplemental zinc and their body and ambient temperatures were also investigated. A representative gilt (<i>n</i>=96) was selected for thermal monitoring from each pen of the 2×2×2 treatments plus 4 additional treatments representing 2 intermediate levels of Zn in both environments. Core body temperatures (T_core) during the day 42-45 acute heat wave were continuously recorded via indwelling vaginal thermometers and infrared thermal imaging was used to measure skin temperatures at 12-hour intervals. From a 64-gilt subset of the 2×2×2 treatments, jejunum and ileum samples were collected on day 64 for analysis of villus height, crypt depth, and jejunal gene expression of heat shock proteins (27, 70, 90), occludin, and mucin (MUC2). The HS model induced thermoregulatory changes and increases in T_core (<i>P</i><0.05). Day 42-45 ambient temperature was negatively correlated with expression of HSP-27 (r=-0.42, <i>P</i>=0.047), HSP-90 (r=-0.49, <i>P</i>=0.014), and occludin (r=-0.69, <i>P</i><0.001) in HS pigs. For the organic Zn supplemented pigs, ambient temperature was positively correlated with expression of HSP-27 (r=0.42, <i>P</i>=0.034) and MUC2 (r=0.45, <i>P</i>=0.017) and negatively correlated with villus height in jejunum (r=-0.42, <i>P</i>=0.027) and ileum (r=-0.38, <i>P</i>=0.048). Thermal Circulation Index (measure of heat dissipation) of HS pigs was negatively correlated with their ileum villus height (r=-0.51, <i>P</i>=0.015) and positively correlated with HSP-70 expression (r=0.46, <i>P</i>=0.041). The T_core lacked correlation with most variables. This research demonstrates cyclic HS affects carcass composition and quality but does not appear to reduce display shelf-life of pork as indicated by lack of differences in lipid oxidation and color stability. In this HS model, zinc level or source imparted negligible benefits and thermal correlations with gut integrity characteristics existed for organic zinc supplemented and HS pigs. The degree of heat dissipation by heat stressed pigs appeared to be associated with classic HS damage and intestinal responses which may be useful indicators of HS in the grow-finish pig. Another agricultural challenge is maintaining higher education programming which establishes a successful career trajectory for agricultural students amid generational shifts in attitudes and background experiences. Undergraduates studying Animal Science and/or Agricultural Economics were surveyed to understand their perception of how collegiate curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular experiences (coursework, club participation, relevant work experience, international experience, advising/mentoring, college life, and professional networking) contribute to their anticipated career success. A best-worst scaling experiment was used to force respondents (<i>n</i>=487) to make unbiased tradeoffs between the collegiate experience attributes. Responses were then related back to additional demographical and experience/perception characteristics of respondents. Students indicated relevant work experience was overwhelmingly the most critical of the 7 factors (57% preference share), followed by professional networking (19%), and coursework (14%). Students solely in a pre-veterinary Animal Science curriculum represented a distinct category of students regarding their beliefs and experiences. Further research is needed to investigate possible disconnects between student perceptions and reality in higher education and agricultural careers.

Macroinvertebrates constitute the backbone of megafaunal communities in benthic ecosystems around the globe. Many macroinvertebrates have vital roles in benthic ecosystems, ranging from enhancing habitat complexity to providing staple food sources for other organisms. Regardless of how familiar macroinvertebrates are to the general public, very few studies have attempted to describe benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages across large spatial scale in the continental shelf waters of the Pacific Northwest. This study describes different subtidal macroinvertebrate assemblages off Washington and Oregon based on species-substrata associations and the key species that distinguish one assemblage from another. Two data sets were used for this study: underwater footage collected by the submersible Delta during 1993-1995 geological surveys, and footage collected by the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Hammerhead during macroinvertebrate surveys in late summer 2011. Footages from these surveys were used to document species-substrata associations and distinguish different assemblages based on species composition similarities and dissimilarities. In addition, I determined if a specific group of invertebrates, Asteroids (Echinodermata), were useful in explaining different assemblage patterns, after all other environmental parameters were taken into account. Findings of this study can be used not only to shed light on the structure of macroinvertebrate communities in the Pacific Northwest, but also as baseline data for future research on the direct and indirect effects of potential offshore installations on macroinvertebrate communities across the continental shelf waters. / Graduation date: 2012

Darbe nagrinėjamas Lietuvos Respublikos jūros erdvių delimitavimas po nepriklausomybės atkūrimo. Pirmiausia pateikiamos jūros erdvių sąvokos, jų delimitavimo principai, nustatyti atitinkamose konvencijose ir Tarptautinio Teisingumo Teismo praktikoje. Po to yra analizuojamos Lietuvos derybos dėl jūros erdvių delimitavimo su kaimyninėmis valstybėmis – aptariama derybų eiga, pateikiamos pozicijos atitinkamais klausimais, jų pagrindimas, derybų rezultatai. Derybų pozicijos bei rezultatai yra vertinami pagal konvencijas, nustatančias jūros erdvių delimitavimą, ir pagal teismų praktiką. / The object of this work is the analysis of maritime delimitation of the Republic of Lithuania after the independence reestablishment. Firstly it is presented maritime definitions, principles of the maritime delimitation established in the conventions and in the case of law. Latter in the work it is analyzed Lithuanian negotiations with the neighbourhood states on the maritime delimitation. It is discussed the processes of the negotiations, presented the positions on the respective questions, the substantiation of the mentioned positions, the results of the negotiations. The positions and outcomes of the negotiations are estimated according to the conventions on the maritime delimitations and according to the case of law.

Decision making for fast-moving consumer goods involves a choice between numerous similar alternatives. Under such demanding circumstances, a decision is made for one product. The decision is dependent on the interaction between the environment and the mind of the consumer, both of which are filled with information that can influence the outcome. The aim of this dissertation is to explore how the mind and the environment guides attention towards considered and chosen products in consumer decision making at the point-of-purchase. Consumers are equipped with several effort reduction strategies to simplify complex decision making. The selection of strategies can be conscious or automatic and driven by information in the environment or the mind of the decision maker. The selected decision strategy reduces the set of options to one alternative in an iterative process of comparisons that are fast and rely on perceptual cues to quickly exclude irrelevant products. This thesis uses eye-tracking to explore this rapid processing that lacks conscious access or control. The purpose is to explore how product packaging and placement (as in-store factors), and recognition, preferences, and choice task (as out-of-store factors) influence the decision-making process through visual attention. The results of the 10 experiments in the five papers that comprise this thesis shed new light on the role of visual attention in the interaction between the environment and the mind, and its influence on the consumer. It is said that consumers choose with their eyes, which means that unseen is unsold. The results of this thesis show that it is just as important to be comprehended as it is to be seen. In split-second decision making, the ability to recognize and comprehend a product can significantly impact preferences. Comprehension stretches beyond perception as consumers infer value from memory structures that influence attention. Hence, the eye truly sees what the mind is prepared to comprehend.