This thesis examines the response of a representative agent investor to sequences (streaks) of quarterly earnings surprises over a period of twelve quarters using the United States S&P500 constituent companies sample frame in the years 1991 to 2006. This examination follows the predictive performance of the representative agent model of Rabin (2002b) [Inference by believers in the law of small numbers. The Quarterly Journal of Economics. 117(3).p.775 816] and Barberis, Shleifer, and Vishny (1998) [A model of investor sentiment. Journal of Financial Economics. 49. p.307 343] for an investor who might be under the influence of the law of small numbers, or another closely related cognitive bias known as the gambler s fallacy. Chapters 4 and 5 present two related empirical studies on this broad theme. In chapter 4, for successive sequences of annualised quarterly earnings changes over a twelve-quarter horizon of quarterly earnings increases or falls, I ask whether the models can capture the likelihood of reversion. Secondly, I ask, what is the representative investor s response to observed sequences of quarterly earnings changes for my S&P500 constituent sample companies? I find a far greater frequency of extreme persistent quarterly earnings rises (of nine quarters and more) than falls and hence a more muted reaction to their occurrence from the market. Extreme cases of persistent quarterly earnings falls are far less common than extreme rises and are more salient in their impact on stock prices. I find evidence suggesting that information discreteness; that is the frequency with which small information about stock value filters into the market is one of the factors that foment earnings momentum in stocks. However, information discreteness does not subsume the impact of sequences of annualised quarterly earnings changes, or earnings streakiness as a strong candidate that drives earnings momentum in stock returns in my S&P500 constituent stock sample. Therefore, earnings streakiness and informational discreteness appear to have separate and additive effects in driving momentum in stock price. In chapter 5, the case for the informativeness of the streaks of earnings surprises is further strengthened. This is done by examining the explanatory power of streaks of earnings surprises in a shorter horizon of three days around the period when the effect of the nature of earnings news is most intense in the stock market. Even in shorter windows, investors in S&P500 companies seem to be influenced by the lengthening of negative and positive streaks of earnings surprises over the twelve quarters of quarterly earnings announcement I study here. This further supports my thesis that investors underreact to sequences of changes in their expectations about stock returns. This impact is further strengthened by high information uncertainties in streaks of positive earnings surprise. However, earnings streakiness is one discrete and separable element in the resolution of uncertainty around equity value for S&P 500 constituent companies. Most of the proxies for earnings surprise show this behaviour especially when market capitalisation, age and cash flow act as proxies of information uncertainty. The influence of the gambler s fallacy on the representative investor in the presence of information uncertainty becomes more pronounced when I examine increasing lengths of streaks of earnings surprises. The presence of post earnings announcement drift in my large capitalised S&P500 constituents sample firms confirms earnings momentum to be a pervasive phenomenon which cuts across different tiers of the stock markets including highly liquid stocks, followed by many analysts, which most large funds would hold.

Les caméras à balayage de fente sont les instruments de détection directe de la lumière les plus précis en termes de résolution temporelle. Ces instruments sont capables de capturer des évènements de l’ordre de la picoseconde à un taux de répétition d’une centaine de mégahertz. Cependant, les performances de la caméra sont limitées par de nombreux phénomènes propres au fonctionnement de cette dernière mais aussi au système l’implémentant. Plusieurs effets dégradant la résolution temporelle sont étudiés. Le premier axe exploré concerne la synchronisation de la caméra avec l’évènement lumineux capturé. Cette investigation débouche sur le développement d’un discriminateur à fraction constante permettant de déclencher la caméra avec un jitter inférieur à 200 fs RMS. Une autre étude présente l’impact qu’ont le bruit d’amplitude et le bruit de phase des lasers usuellement utilisés avec la caméra sur sa synchronisation. Enfin une analyse des phénomènes intrinsèques à la photocathode de la caméra permet d’évaluer la variation du temps de transit des électrons dans celle-ci. / Streak cameras are the direct light detection instruments that are the best in terms of temporal resolution. Those instruments can capture picosecond light events at a hundred megahertz repetition rate. However their characteristics are limited by various phenomena specific to the camera and the implementing system. Several effects that affect the temporal resolution are studied. The first examined line deals with the synchronization of the camera with the studied light event. This inquiry led to the design of a constant fraction discriminator allowing a sub 200 fs RMS jitter triggering. Another study shows the impact of the usually used laser amplitude noise and phase noise on the system’s synchronization. Finally, an analysis of the camera’s photocathode intrinsic phenomena allows estimating the transit time variation of the electrons within the vacuum tube.

Jetströmmar betyder mycket för meteorologer och fungerar som ett hjälpmedel för prognostisering av lågtryck. Kvadrantmodellen för jetströmsstråk beskriver hur det kan bildas lågtryck och konvergens vid marknivå på olika sidor om jetströmmen. Jetströmmar är också av betydelse för flygtrafiken, eftersom man kan spara tid och bränsle genom att flyga in i – eller genom att inte flyga in i – en jetström. Det är känt att jetströmmar ibland kan ge upphov till klarluftsturbulens (CAT), och studier har visat att turbulensen ofta är associerade med stabilt stratifierade zoner i närheten av jetströmmen. Denna studie börjar med en teoridel där jetströmmars uppkomst och kvadrantmodellen redogörs. Teoridelen fortsätter med en kort beskrivning av hur jetströmmar påverkar flygtrafiken och vad det finns för system som varnar för farliga fenomen som är kopplade till jetströmmarna. Det tas även upp att flygturbulensen som upplevs av flygplan inte nödvändigtvis orsakas av termisk eller mekanisk turbulens, utan även kan orsakas av stående vågor. I arbetets senare del görs en fallstudie på två jetströmmar som gav upphov till kraftig flygturbulens under januari månad 2011. Från sonderingsdata beräknades Scorer-parametern och Richardsons tal för att se om dessa värden kunde relateras till flygturbulensen. Resultatet visade att Richardsons tal aldrig föll under 0.25 och antyder därför att det inte fanns någon fullt utvecklad turbulens. Vågor i luften kan därför vara en förklaring till flygturbulensen. Resultatet visade också att Scorer-parametern antog lokala minima och hade tydligare relation till flygturbulensen än Richardsons tal vad gäller flygturbulensens position i höjdled. / Jet streams are useful as a tool for meteorologist to make forecasts of low pressure areas. The four quadrant model describing jet streaks reveals how lows and convergence could form over ground levels on different sides of a jet streak. Jet streams are also of great importance for the aviation industry, as one could save time and fuel by flying into – or by not flying into – a jet stream. It is known that the jet streams sometimes can induce Clear Air Turbulence (CAT), and studies have shown that the turbulence is often associated with stable stratified layers in the vicinity of the jet stream. This study starts with a theory section describing the cause of jet streams and the four quadrant model. The theory section continues with a description of why jet streams could be a hazard for airplanes, and also a description of existing reporting and warning systems that are used to prevent pilots from flying into dangerous phenomena. In this section, it is also emphasized that in-flight turbulence not necessarily is a result of thermal or mechanical turbulence, but could also be induced by standing waves in the atmosphere. The latter part of this report is a case study of two jet streaks that was the cause of severe in-flight turbulence in January 2011. The Scorer parameter and the Richardson number were computed using data from atmospheric soundings. The results show that the Richardson number never fell below 0.25, suggesting that there were no fully-developed turbulence. Waves in the air could therefore be an alternative explanation to the reported in-flight turbulence. The results also show that the Scorer parameter had local minima on the levels where the in-flight turbulence occurred. In contrast to this, the Richardson number had no apparent relation to the position of the reported turbulence.

Assembly of virus capsid protein (CP) into icosahedrally symmetric particles is an intriguing and elegant process. In most cases of virus assembly, a large number of identical protein subunits self-assemble to generate a shell that protects the viral genome. Studies on virus assembly have resulted in a new scientific technique that uses these proteinaceous shells as nano-particles for a variety of biological applications. The current thesis deals with understanding the factors that govern the assembly of the Sesbania mosaic virus (SeMV) and a pleomorphic virus, Tobacco streak virus (TSV). CP of SeMV, a T=3 plant virus, consists of a disordered N-terminal R-domain and an ordered S-domain. The importance of the R-domain in the assembly was probed by replacement with polypeptides such as the B-domain of Staphylococcus aureus protein A and polypeptides P10 and P8 of SeMV. These chimera assembled into T=3 or larger virus like particles (VLPs). Addition of divalent cations resulted in the formation of heterogeneous nucleoprotein complexes that disappeared upon treatment with EDTA/RNAse. One of the chimeras (N∆65-B) purified in a dimeric form by affinity chromatography assembled into T=1 VLPs during crystallization. The three dimensional structure of these VLPs showed that they were devoid of divalent ions and the B-domain was disordered. These studies demonstrate the importance of N-terminal residues, metal ions in virus assembly and robustness of the assembly process. Also, the B-domain was functional in N∆65-B VLPs, suggesting possible biotechnological applications. Tobacco streak virus (TSV) is a polymorphic virus and a major plant pathogen. TSV capsids encapsidate the tri-partite ss-RNA genome of the virus in three spheroidal particles of diameters 27, 30 and 33 nm, respectively. CPs of ilarviruses are also involved in genome activation. The labile nature of ilarviruses has posed difficulties in their structure determination. This thesis describes the first crystal structure of truncated TSV-CP. The core of TSV CP conforms to the canonical β-barrel jelly roll tertiary structure found in other viral coat proteins. Dimers of CP with swapped C-terminal arms (C-arm) were observed in the two crystal structures determined. The C-arm was found to be flexible and responsible for the polymorphic and pleomorphic nature of TSV capsids. Mutations in the hinge region of the C-arm that reduce the flexibility resulted in the formation of more uniform particles. TSV CP was also found to be structurally similar to that of Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) accounting for similar mechanism of genome activation in alfamo and ilar viruses.

Samples of lucerne plants characteristic with local necrosic lesions, leave malformation and yellow spots on leaves were investigated with transmission electron microscopy. Virus particles observed there were filamentous ones of 600 to 700 nm long. Nucleic acid was isolated, transcribed and amplified using PCR. Genus-specific primers were designed based on reverse genetics from the highly conserved genes for carlaviruses, potexviruses and potyviruses. Successful amplification with carlavirus-specific primers, sequencing and comparison with sequences in GenBank database revealed presence of a carlavirus. This was later identified by nucleotide sequence comparison as a new isolate V4 of Alfalfa latent virus. Specific primers for isolate V4 were designed in a coat protein position. Half of the genom of this virus was obtained with PCR and PCR modified amplifications and compared with sequences of Alfalfa latent virus and Pea streak virus from GenBank.

Transition from laminar to turbulent flow has beentraditionally studied in terms of exponentially growingeigensolutions to the linearized disturbance equations.However, experimental findings show that transition may occuralso for parameters combinations such that these eigensolutionsare damped. An alternative non-modal growth mechanism has beenrecently identified, also based on the linear approximation.This consists of the transient growth of streamwise elongateddisturbances, mainly in the streamwise velocity component,called streaks. If the streak amplitude reaches a thresholdvalue, secondary instabilities can take place and provoketransition. This scenario is most likely to occur in boundarylayer flows subject to high levels of free-stream turbulenceand is the object of this thesis. Different stages of theprocess are isolated and studied with different approaches,considering the boundary layer flow over a flat plate. Thereceptivity to free-stream disturbances has been studiedthrough a weakly non-linear model which allows to disentanglethe features involved in the generation of streaks. It is shownthat the non-linear interaction of oblique waves in thefree-stream is able to induce strong streamwise vortices insidethe boundary layer, which, in turn, generate streaks by thelift-up effect. The growth of steady streaks is followed bymeans of Direct Numerical Simulation. After the streaks havereached a finite amplitude, they saturate and a new laminarflow, characterized by a strong spanwise modulation isestablished. Using Floquet theory, the instability of thesestreaks is studied to determine the features of theirbreakdown. The streak critical amplitude, beyond which unstablewaves are excited, is 26% of the free-stream velocity. Theinstability appears as spanwise (sinuous-type) oscillations ofthe streak. The late stages of the transition, originating fromthis type of secondary instability, are also studied. We foundthat the main structures observed during the transition processconsist of elongated quasi-streamwise vortices located on theflanks of the low speed streak. Vortices of alternating signare overlapping in the streamwise direction in a staggeredpattern. Descriptors:Fluid mechanics, laminar-turbulenttransition, boundary layer flow, transient growth, streamwisestreaks, lift-up effect, receptivity, free-stream turbulence,nonlinear mechanism, streak instability, secondary instability,Direct Numerical Simulation. / QC 20100518

In this report I present a feasibility study of using open astronomical data to make Initial Orbit Determination (IOD) for Resident Space Objects (RSO) appearing as streaks in telescope images. The purpose is to contribute to Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) for maintaining Space Situation Awareness (SSA). Data from different wide-field survey telescopes were considered but due to availability constraints only mask images from Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) survey were chosen for the analysis. An algorithm was developed to detect streaks in the mask images and match them to RSO known to be within the Field of View (FoV) at the observation time. Further, the IOD was made with angles-only Laplace’s method and the state vectors calculated for the streaks from the IOD were compared to those from the TLE for the matching RSO. The algorithm was tested with 6 different image fields acquired between the 14th to the 16th December 2019, of which 4 are characterised as non-crowded and 2 as crowded. The streak finding algorithm has a better precision and sensitivity for the non-crowded field, with an F1-score of 0.65, but is worse for the crowded fields with an F1-score of 0.035. In the non-crowded fields 95% of all streak and object matches are true matches to unique RSO, while for the crowded field only 10% are true matches. It was found that the 1''/pixel resolution in the images is too low for doing an IOD with Laplace’s method, despite how well the streak finding algorithm performs. However, with some improvements, the method is suitable as a cost effective way to verify known RSO in catalogues. / I den här rapporten presenterar jag en studie om att använda öppen astronomiska data för att göra initial banbestämning för artificiella rymdobjekt avbildade som streck i teleskopbilder. Syftet är att tillhandahålla information för att upprätthålla en god rymdlägesbild. Data från olika kartläggnings teleskop övervägdes men på grund av begränsningar i tillgänglighet valdes endast mask-bilderna från Zwicky Transient Facility för analysen. En algoritm utvecklades för att upptäcka streck i mask-bilderna och matcha dem med kända objekt i bildens synfält vid observationstillfället. Vidare gjordes den initiala banbestämningen med Laplaces metod, som använder vinkelkoordinaterna för streckens position vid observationen. Tillståndsvektorerna för strecken och de matchade objekten jämfördes, de beräknades från den initiala banbestämningen respektive objektets TLE. Algoritmen testades med 6 olika bildfält från observationsdatum mellan den 14:e till den 16:e december 2019, av dessa karakteriseras 4 som glesa och 2 som fyllda. Algoritmen för streck detektering har bättre precision och känslighet för de glesa fälten, med ett F1-värde på 0.65, men sämre för de fulla fälten med ett F1-värde på 0.035. I de glesa fälten är 95% av alla streck- och objektmatchningar korrekta matchningar med unika objekt, medan för det fulla fälten är endast 10% korrekta matchningar. Det visar sig att upplösningen på 1''/pixel i bilderna är för låg för att göra en initial banbestämning med Laplaces metod, oavsett hur bra algoritmen för streck detektering presterar. Genom att göra vissa förbättringar i algoritmen är metoden lämplig för att, på ett kostnadseffektivt sätt, verifiera kända objekt i kataloger.

No description available.

La bactériose vasculaire du riz (BLB) et à stries foliaires (BLS) causées respectivement par Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) et X. oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoc) sont deux maladies émergentes en Afrique de l'Ouest, suite à l'expansion de la culture du riz et à l'introduction de variétés à haut rendement au cours de ces dernières décennies. Trois nouvelles races de Xoo ont été caractérisées en Afrique dont on a montré, sur la base d'une analyse génétique, leur spécificité africaine. En revanche, une étude réalisée sur une dizaine de souches de Xoc isolées au Mali en 2003, démontre qu'elles sont apparentées à des souches de Xoc asiatiques. En Asie, plusieurs gènes de résistance à Xoo ont été identifiés et déployés dans les programmes de lutte contre BLB. Cependant aucun gène de résistance à Xoc n'a été encore identifié chez le riz. Les objectifs de notre étude étaient (i): d'implémenter les collections de souches de Xoo et Xoc Africaines disponibles mais incomplètes, à l'aide de nouvelles campagnes d'échantillonage réalisées de 2009 à 2012 dans différentes zones agroécologiques du Burkina Faso et du Mali, (ii) de déterminer la diversité génétique de ces souches, (iii) d'identifier et caractériser de nouvelles sources de résistance contre BLB et BLS au sein d'accessions de riz cultivées au Burkina Faso. Nos résultats ont montré que les souches africaines de Xoc sont hautement variables tant d'un point de vue génétique que du pouvoir pathogène. L'analyse par PCR de deux effecteurs de types III conservés (xopAJ et xopW) permet de différencier les souches de Xoc en deux groupes, xopAJ étant absent dans la majorité des souches et une insertion de 1050 bp étant détectée dans la séquence codante de xopW de certaines souches. Néanmoins, il apparait que la forte diversité génétique des Xoc n'est pas corrélée à leur origine géographique, ni à la période de collecte, ou à la nature de l'hôte. Les souches de Xoo caractérisées appartiennent toutes à la race A1 qui n'avait pas encore été signalée au Mali. Au regard de la diversité des souches et de leur évolution, il est important d'envisager un plan de surveillance épidémiologique à plus large échelle des populations de Xo dans les régions concernées en Afrique de l'Ouest. Enfin, nous avons montré que certaines variétés de riz cultivées au Burkina Faso présentent un phénotype de résistance spécifique des souches africaines de Xoo et ce, à tous les stades de développement de la plante. Ces données originales contrastent par rapport au phénotype des lignées de riz résistantes de référence (Xa4, xa5 et Xa7 efficaces uniquement au stade de tallage maximum). Eu égard à l'absence de gènes de résistance dans le riz efficaces contre Xoc, ces variétés qui constituent également une source de résistance efficaces contre la diversité des souches de Xoc africaines, offrent potentiellement un nouveau moyen pour assurer le contrôle du BLS au Burkina Faso et éventuellement dans d'autres pays Africains. / Bacterial Leaf Blight (BLB) and Bacterial Leaf Streak (BLS) diseases respectively caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) and X. oryzae. pv oryzicola (Xoc) are two emerging diseases of rice in West Africa, due to the recent expansion of rice cultivation and introduction of improved rice varieties over the last decade. Three news Xoo races were characterized based on genetic analysis, demonstrating their african specificity. In contrast, a study achevied on about ten Xoc strains isolated in Mali in 2003, show that they are related to asian Xoc strains. In Asia, several R genes against Xoo have been identified and deployed in breeding program to control BLB. In contrast, no R gene against Xoc has been identified in rice. The objectives of this PhD thesis are to (i) complete the Xo collections of African isolates upon annual sampling operated from 2009 to 2012 in various agroecological areas of Burkina Faso and Mali, (ii) determine the genetic diversity of these strains , (iii) identify and characterize news sources of resistance genes to BLB and BLS within rice accessions cultivated in Burkina Faso.Our results showed that african Xoc are highly diverse genetically and phenotypically. PCR-based analyse of two conserved type III effector gene (xopAJ and xopW) differentiated two groups of Xoc strains, with xopAJ not detected in a majority of African Xoc strains and 1050 bp insertion detected in xopW gene for few strains. However, the high genetic diversity observed among the Xoc strains is not correlated to geographical origin, sampling data or host plant species. Xoo strains characterized belong all to race A1 previously reported by Gonzalez et al. (2007) in Burkina Faso. Given the diversity of X. oryzae strains and their evolution, it is essential to establish a large scale epidemiological monitoring of Xo populations in concerned regions in west Africa.At last, some accessions cultivated in Burkina Faso showed specific resistance to african Xoo strains at all plant development stages. These original data contrast with rice lines carring Xa4, xa5 and Xa7 resistance genes against BLB, which are only effective at maximun tillering stage.Given no sources of effective resistance genes against BLS is available in rice, these accessions which were also efficient against a set of Xoc strains representative of the diversity in Africa, represent a huge potential source for the control of BLS in Burkina Faso, and eventually in others african countries.

Le travail présenté dans cette thèse, s'inscrit dans le domaine d'étude de l'interaction des rayonnements ionisants avec les liquides polaires. Bénéficiant de l'accélérateur d'électrons picoseconde ELYSE, les études ont été menées en utilisant les techniques de la radiolyse impulsionnelle associées à la spectrophotométrie d'absorption résolue en temps dans le domaine de la picoseconde. Ce travail est réparti sur deux chapitres distincts. Le premier aborde l'étude la variation temporelle du rendement radiolytique de l'électron solvaté dans l'eau et les alcools simples. Grâce au système de détection original monté sur l'accélérateur ELYSE, composé d'une lampe flash spécialement conçue pour cette détection et d'une streak-camera utilisée pour la première fois en spectroscopie d'absorption, il a été possible d'enregistrer la totalité du déclin du rendement radiolytique de l'électron solvaté d'une façon continue dans un intervalle de temps allant de la dizaine de picoseconde à quelques centaines de nanoseconde. La capture de l'électron solvaté par le méthylviologène, a été mise à profit pour réévaluer le coefficient d'extinction molaire du spectre d'absorption de l'électron solvaté dans l'eau et l'éthanol à partir des points isobestiques qui apparaissent à l'intersection des spectres d'absorption de l'électron solvaté qui disparaît et du méthylviologène qui se forme au cours de la réaction.Le deuxième chapitre est consacré à l'étude des carbonates organiques liquides, tels que le diméthyle carbonate (DMC), le diéthyle carbonate (DEC) et le propylène carbonate (PC). Cette famille de carbonate qui n'a jamais été étudiée auparavant par radiolyse pulsée, entre dans la composition des électrolytes des batteries notamment au lithium. Les études ont été focalisées sur le PC au vu de ces caractéristiques physico-chimiques, notamment sa constante diélectrique très élevée (64) et son très fort moment dipolaire de 4,9 D. Les premiers résultats ont été obtenus d'abord sur des solutions aqueuses contenant du propylène carbonate afin d'observer les réactions de réduction et d'oxydation du PC par les espèces radiolytiques de l'eau (électron solvaté et radicaux OH). Puis après l'identification (spectrale et cinétique) de l'espèce formée par interaction avec le radical OH comme étant le radical PC* résultant de l'abstraction d'un H de la molécule de PC et l'espèce formée par interaction avec l'électron aqueux comme étant l'anion PC-, d'autres mesures ont été effectuées dans le liquide pur ainsi qu'en présence de certains intercepteurs d'électrons (biphényle, anthracène, naphtalène). Elles ont permis d'accéder au rendement radiolytique de PC- ainsi qu'à l'évaluation de son potentiel redox. Les premiers résultats sur le DEC et le DMC sont aussi exposés dans cette partie, portant dans un premier lieu sur le solvant pur et puis en présence de biphényle.