This dissertation examines the associations between adult Latina daughters’ HIV risk behaviors and that of their older Latina mothers’ HIV risk behaviors. The central hypothesis of the study is that adult Latina daughters’ influence their older mothers’ behaviors and that such behaviors interact with the level of their attachment. Older Latinas are a vulnerable population that face cultural risk factors, health care provider bias, and engage in low rates of HIV testing. The primary mode of HIV infection for Latinas is through heterosexual contact. Yet, traditional gender norms such as marianismo belief place pressure on Latina women to be submissive to their partners, disregard their infidelities, and not attempt to negotiate condom use, increasing the risk of HIV infection among Latinas via heterosexual sex with their primary partners. Efforts by the CDC to increase HIV testing have emerged as a critical part of HIV prevention. However, research has indicated that older Latinas are less likely to speak to a health care provider about safe sex practices or HIV testing than their younger counterparts. Despite health care providers having strong influences over Latinas’ decisions to perform health related tests, physicians are not endorsing HIV testing for their older patients. This in part, leads to a disproportionate number of late stage diagnoses among older adults. Evidence suggest that adult daughters are a source of support and assistance in health-related issues for their aging mothers and are uniquely positioned to influence their mothers’ health-related behaviors and decisions. Additionally, mother-daughter attachment has been found to be a protective factor to other risky health behaviors. The present study (1) Examined the association between recurrent HIV risk behaviors of adult Latina daughters and those of their older Latina mothers and (2) examined the moderating effect mother-daughter attachment have on those associations. No statistical significance was found in examining the association between adult Latina daughters and their older mothers, nor was attachment found to be a moderator on those associations. Findings show culture may be the significant factor influencing the lack of association between adult Latina daughters and their older mothers. Results add to the literature and scientific field of social work and public health. Additionally promoting studies on cultural barriers that may exist in adult Latina daughter and older mother upward communication as techniques to promote healthy behaviors among older Latinas.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the industrialised world, and places a heavy burden on society in terms of personal disability and health care costs. The first signs of CHD often present acutely as a myocardial infarction (AMI), commonly known as a heart attack. Survivors of a heart attack remain vulnerable to poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL), further cardiac events, and increased morbidity due to a progression of CHD. Thus, the implementation of interventions to reduce these risks is an important public health strategy. To date, secondary prevention and rehabilitation efforts post-AMI focus primarily on the patient. However, it is argued that recovery from AMI occurs within a social context, and that risk reduction strategies are likely to be enhanced if interventions take into account the impact of the event on the quality of life of patients and their partners. Evidence from a review of couple relationship literature indicates that a significant proportion of couples experiences poor HRQOL (i.e., physical and emotional wellbeing) when coping with stressful life events, and that interactive aspects of a couple relationship (i.e., dyadic functioning and behaviour) are associated with individual well-being at such a time. Information from studies of couples dealing with recovery from heart attack is sparse, but tends to reflect the findings from the broader literature. Further research is required with post-AMI couples, though, as there are a number of shortcomings associated with the existing evidence. For instance, it is derived from studies conducted with, mostly small, samples of convenience; many different instruments are used to collect the data; and no studies specifically measure HRQOL. Analytically, most evidence is obtained with univariate and bivariate statistics, and data are analysed as groups of patients or partners, as opposed to dyads. Where multivariable analyses are undertaken a number of bivariate relationships are no longer significant after accounting for covariates such as age and gender; and few researchers investigate predictive associations between dyadic functioning/behaviour and HRQOL outcomes. Finally, there is a paucity of information from comparative analyses. Thus, it is not known whether the well-being of post-AMI couples over time is better than, similar to, or worse than, for example, that in the general population. The research program underpinning this thesis, the QUT-AMI Project, comprised two studies designed to address these methodological issues. The first was an observational, cross-sectional, pilot study conducted in 1998 with 26 post-AMI couples. The main investigation was a prospective cohort study of 93 post-AMI couples undertaken in 1999-2000. In both studies the samples comprised a consecutive series of adult males younger than 75 years who had experienced a first AMI, and their female partners. The average couple in both studies was middle-aged, had been married for many years, and both members of the dyad were working at the time of the heart attack. Prospective participants were identified in major clinical centres that admit cardiac patients, and couples were recruited to the project soon after the patient's heart attack. Clinical data were collected in hospital. Further data were collected with self-administered questionnaires during a home visit at 1 month (pilot and main study), and by mailed questionnaire or during a home visit at 6 months(main study) after the heart attack. The pilot study was undertaken to test recruitment and data collection procedures in preparation for the second (main) study, measure couples' HRQOL at 1 month after the event using the SF-36, and qualitatively investigate life issues for couples coping with recovery from AMI. In the main study couples' HRQOL outcomes were measured at 1 and 6 months post-AMI using the SF-36, and examined for changes over that time. The outcomes were also compared with those from matched population norms to estimate the impact of a heart attack on couples' HRQOL during the early and later recovery period. Additionally, the following relationships were investigated to determine the extent to which:* patients' dyadic functioning (e.g. happiness/satisfaction with relationship, measured with the Marital Adjustment Scale) and use of dyadic behaviour (e.g., hiding concerns and negative feelings from the other member of the dyad, measured with the Protective Buffering Scale) at 1 month predicted patients' emotional well-being at 6 months post-AMI;* partners' dyadic functioning and behaviour at 1 month predicted partners' emotional well-being at 6 months post-AMI;* patients' and partners' dyadic functioning at 1 month predicted patients' or partners' emotional well-being at 6 months post-AMI; and* patients' and partners' dyadic behaviour at 1 month predicted patients' or partners' emotional well-being at 6 months post-AMI. Exploratory analyses were also undertaken to determine the effect of dyadic discrepancies in functioning and behaviour, at 1 month after the heart attack, on patients' and partners' emotional well-being at 6 months after the event. Important findings were as follows:* At 1 month after an AMI the HRQOL of couples is impaired. The major impact is on physical well-being for patients, and emotional well-being for their partners.* In general, couples' HRQOL improves between 1 and 6 months after an AMI.* At 6 months after an AMI, the HRQOL of average couples is similar to that of their peers in the normal population.* There are subgroup variations in the quality of life of post-AMI couples, and these are associated with age, clinically poor physical health, and depression.* The combination of patients' and partners' use of dyadic behaviour at 1 month after an AMI explains 7% of the variation in patients' emotional well-being at 6months after the event, after adjustment for patients' concurrent physical wellbeing and prior levels of emotional well-being, as well as duration of couple relationships.* The combination of partners' perceptions of dyadic functioning and use of dyadic behaviour at 1 month after an AMI explains 5% of the variation in partners' emotional well-being at 6 months after the event, after adjustment for partners' concurrent physical well-being and prior levels of emotional well-being, as well as duration of couples' relationships.* Patients have poorer emotional well-being at 6 months after an AMI if partners use dyadic behaviour infrequently at 1 month after the event.* Partners have poorer emotional well-being at 6 months after an AMI if they are not satisfied/unhappy with the functioning of their relationships at 1 month after the event. Adjusted exploratory analyses, undertaken to determine the extent to which dyadic discrepancies in perceptions of functioning or use of protective buffering behaviour, predict emotional well-being, show that patients who are less satisfied/unhappier with functioning than their partners at 1 month after an AMI have poor emotional wellbeing at 6 months after the event; patients who use the behaviour more frequently than their partners at 1 month after an AMI have poor emotional well-being at 6months after the event; and partners who are less satisfied/unhappier with functioning than their patients at 1 month after an AMI have poor emotional well-being at 6months after the event. The evidence from the QUT-AMI Project supports the proposition that the interaction that occurs within a couple relationship, combined with individual characteristics of members of a dyad, influences the extent to which a heart attack impacts on couples' HRQOL. It is argued that it is not enough to merely focus on implementing secondary prevention strategies with post-AMI patients. Given that poor emotional well-being is known to predict adverse cardiac events, and premature mortality due to cardiac disease, it is recommended that a couple-focused intervention designed to meet specific needs should be implemented with at-risk couples as a public health strategy to improve not only the patients' quality of life but also that of his partner. Further research is recommended to determine the extent to which such an intervention improves post-AMI couples' quality of life.

In this dissertation a collaboration project in Swedish youth care is analysed. The aim of the project was to enhance coordination between the Social Services and the Swedish National Board of Institutional Care in order to make the efforts more efficient. The project also employed a number of coordinators. The overall purpose of this dissertation is to analyse conflicts, alliances and comparisons identifiable in interviews and observations. The analytic findings are put into an overall “collaboration context” represented by earlier research on the social phenomenon of “collaboration”. In this way the dissertation tries to contribute to a sociological understanding of a contemporary widespread phenomenon. The empirical materials of the study consist of recorded conversational interviews with 147 project participants (youngsters, parents and various professional categories) as well as observations of meetings, informal get-togethers and visits to institutions, Social Services offices, the head office of the National Board of Institutional Care and coordinators. The material was analysed using the analytic perspectives of Georg Simmel (1950/1964), Theodore Caplow (1968) and Erving Goffman (1959/2004). The analysis shows that the project manifested and led to struggles between organizations involving representatives from the Social Services, the National Board of Institutional Care and the project, as well as to several interpersonal conflicts between representatives from various categories of involved professionals, and the youngsters and their parents. The study also shows that the client, in such human service organizations, faces a significant risk of being marginalized. Professionals who appreciated the collaboration often drew their conclusions based on their interaction with other professionals, but the collaboration did not guarantee a successful treatment of the client. Conflicts concerning the roles of the coordinators and their written documents (“the agreements”) emerged and were actualized through the creation of the project. The coordinators and their “agreements” can be seen as the project’s most visible representatives and symbols, which during the project become both themes for conflict and actualize already established conflict patterns. The youngsters and their parents appreciated the projects’ coordinators who appeared as personally involved and able to make concrete changes. However, many of youngsters and their parents criticized the coordinators and even portrayed a victim identity in relation to the project. The coordinator’s relationship with the youngsters and their parents was mostly characterized by passivity. This is clearly apparent in the analysis of the administrative and/or passive coordinator. Different alliance constellations became visible in these presentations. When the coordinator roles were altered in the description, the alliance constellations change. It is a common strategy for clients in human service organizations to try to enter into alliances with professionals involved in their cases and, in so doing, try to alter the situation to their own advantage. The fact that these alliances are often sought by the client indicates, among other things, the client’s will to fight against the situation in which he/she finds him/herself. I believe that this can be seen as something productive rather than problematic. / I denna avhandling analyseras ett samverkansprojekt i den så kallade ungdomsvården i Sverige. Projektet hade som mål att förbättra samordningen mellan socialtjänsten och Statens institutionsstyrelse för att kunna effektivisera insatserna för samhällsomhändertagna ungdomar och deras familjer. I projektet var också ett antal samordnare anställda. Det övergripande syftet i avhandlingen är att analysera beskrivna och observerade konflikter, allianser och förklarande jämförelser som kan identifieras i intervjuer och observationer. Analytiska upptäckter sätts avslutningsvis i en mer övergripande ”samverkanskontext” som representeras av tidigare forskning om samhällsfenomenet ”samverkan”. På så vis försöker avhandlingen bidra till en sociologisk förståelse av ett samtida välspritt fenomen.Studiens empiriska material är inspelade samtalsintervjuer med 147 projektdeltagare (institutionsplacerade ungdomar, deras föräldrar och olika yrkeskategorier inom socialtjänsten, Statens institutionsstyrelse och projektet) samt observationer av organiserade möten, informella träffar före och efter intervjuer eller möten, samt vid besök på institutioner, socialtjänstkontor, Statens institutionsstyrelses huvudkontor och samordnarnas kontor. Materialet analyserades vidare med analytiska utgångspunkter från Georg Simmel (1950/1964), Theodore Caplow (1968) och Erving Goffman (1959/2004).Analysen visar att projektet manifesterade och medförde mellanorganisatoriska kamper mellan socialtjänsten, Statens institutionsstyrelse och projektet samt en rad interpersonella konflikter mellan representanter för olika professionella yrkeskategorier, ungdomar och föräldrar. Studien visar också att klienten i människovårdande organisationer löper en betydande risk att hamna utanför nya samarbeten. De myndighetspersoner som upplever ett bra samarbete drar ofta sina slutsatser utifrån interaktionen med andra professionella men det upplevda samarbetet behöver inte bli någon garanti för framgångsrik behandling av klienten. Konflikter om samordnarnas sätt att agera (samordnarroller) och samordnarnas skriftliga dokument, ”överenskommelsen”, har aktualiserats med projektets tillkomst. Samordnarna och deras ”överenskommelse” kan ses som projektets synligaste representanter och symboler, som under projektets gång blir både ämnen för konflikter och aktualiserar redan etablerade konfliktmönster. Ungdomarna och föräldrarna förkastar emellanåt myndighetspersonernas ageranden som moraliskt felaktiga, gestaltar sin offeridentitet samt försöker vända situationen till att bli fördelaktig för dem själva. Samordnarnas relation till ungdomar och föräldrar präglas mestadels av passivitet. Detta framträder tydligt i analysen av en administrativ och/eller passiv samordnarroll. I dessa framställningar är även olika allianskonstellationer synliga. När samordnarroller förändras i beskrivningen, förändras även allianskonstellationer.Att klienten i människovårdande organisationer söker ingå allianser med myndighetspersoner är en vanlig strategi för att försöka vända situationen till sin fördel. Att dessa allianser söks ofta av klienten indikerar bland annat klientens vilja till fortsatt kamp – mot den situationen i vilken klienten befinner sig. Jag menar att detta kan ses som något produktivt snarare än problematiskt.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:31:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ramon Silva Leite.pdf: 1012552 bytes, checksum: b3d09d4e52a7267b02a8d3f6b152290c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-04-27 / Fundo Mackenzie de Pesquisa / The Vertical Collaborative Relationship has been a way encountered by companies to act cohesively and to get mutual benefits. Accordingly, this study aimed to examine the collaborative relationship and its impact on businesses performance, focusing on the footwear s industry array of production of Nova Serrana (MG) and its suppliers. In order to analyze it, a descriptive research was done about the transaction cost theory and also about the main conceptions and contributions about chain companies, productive arrangements and cooperation. Later this descriptive research, an extensive fieldwork was carried out, divided into two stages. The first one, based on an exploratory character, was composed of 24 interviews: 14 with footwear manufacturers and 10 with their main suppliers. This stage aimed to study the phenomenon in a greater depth, to gain familiarity with the analyzed object and to refine the patterns used in other studies addressed to the reality of the footwear s sector. The obtained data on this stage, concerned by the content analysis' methodology technique, revealed that: a) communication, adaptation, commitment, dependence and trust are important for collaborative relationship; b) small companies remain relations considered relations of market, contributing to higher transaction costs; and c) medium and major companies prefer higher collaborative relationships in order to reduce transaction costs, as well as costs of new products` development. The research s second stage, descriptive in nature, had four main objectives: 1st) to identify the predominant variables in the relationship between manufacturers and suppliers from both perspectives; 2nd) to validate and operationalize the keys identified as their connection s constructs; 3rd) to verify if some firms characteristics are associated to better performances, and 4th) to compare suppliers and manufacturers point of view about their relationship. This stage had two data collections. The first one involved 211 manufacturers, while the second involved a sample of 87 suppliers. The gathered data underwent several tests, including the Structural Equation Modeling and CHAID s (Chi-Square Automatic Interaction Detection) technique of segmentation. The results proved that: a) the major variables for the collaborative relationship differ from manufactures to suppliers for the sample of manufactures, communication and commitment influence the relationship significantly, while for the sample of suppliers trust and commitment were considered the most important; b) the patterns that composed the final model, right after some adjusts, reached acceptable values of validity and trustworthiness; c) footwear manufactures with certain characteristics, such as type of shoe produced and capacity, obtain better performance than its competitors; and d) there are significant divergences between manufactures and suppliers` views about relationship. Before the obtained results, it follows that there is a significant relation between collaboration and performance. Thus, the way companies deal with their partners leads them to better results. Moreover, the collaborative relationships benefits are greater for the suppliers. For manufacturers, it is interesting to develop collaborative relationships with their most important suppliers, while standard market relations may be more appropriate to the less strategic partners. Finally, it is suggested that future studies concern other variables and include larger samples. / Relacionamentos colaborativos verticais têm sido uma das formas encontradas pelas empresas para atuarem de maneira mais coesa, ao mesmo tempo em que procuram obter benefícios mútuos. Nesse sentido, este estudo procurou analisar o relacionamento colaborativo e suas repercussões no desempenho das empresas, tendo como foco as indústrias de calçados do arranjo produtivo de Nova Serrana (MG) e seus fornecedores. Para esse fim, foi feita uma revisão da literatura a respeito da teoria dos custos de transação, além dos principais conceitos e contribuições sobre redes de empresas, arranjos produtivos e cooperação. Após essa revisão, foi desenvolvido um extenso trabalho de campo, dividido em duas etapas. A primeira, de caráter exploratório, contou com 24 entrevistas, sendo 14 com fabricantes de calçados e 10 com os principais fornecedores desses fabricantes. Essa etapa buscou estudar o fenômeno com maior profundidade e obter familiaridade com o objeto de estudo, além de refinar as escalas utilizadas em outros estudos para a realidade do setor analisado. Os dados coletados nessa etapa, tratados pela técnica da análise de conteúdo, revelaram que: a) a comunicação, a adaptação, o comprometimento, a dependência e a confiança são importantes para o relacionamento colaborativo; b) as empresas menores mantêm relações consideradas de mercado, o que as leva a ter maiores custos de transação; e c) as empresas de médio e grande porte optaram por relacionamentos mais colaborativos como mecanismo para reduzir custos de transação, bem como os custos de desenvolvimento de novos produtos. Já a segunda etapa da pesquisa, de caráter descritivo, teve quatro objetivos principais: 1˚) identificar as variáveis preponderantes no relacionamento, sob o ponto de vista dos fabricantes e fornecedores; 2˚) validar e operacionalizar os construtos identificados como principais no relacionamento; 3˚) averiguar se determinadas características das empresas estão associadas a melhores desempenhos; e 4˚) comparar a visão de fabricantes e fornecedores sobre o relacionamento. Essa etapa contou com duas coletas de dados. A primeira envolveu 211 fabricantes, enquanto a segunda contou com uma amostra de 87 fornecedores. Os dados coletados passaram por diversas análises, dentre elas a Modelagem de Equações Estruturais e a técnica de segmentação CHAID (Chi-Square Automatic Interaction Detection). Os resultados demonstraram que: a) as variáveis preponderantes para o relacionamento colaborativo são diferentes para fabricantes e fornecedores - para a amostra de fabricantes a comunicação e o comprometimento influenciam de forma mais significativa o relacionamento, já para a amostra de fornecedores a confiança e o comprometimento foram preponderantes; b) as escalas que compuserem o modelo final, após alguns ajustes, atingiram valores aceitáveis de validade e confiabilidade; c) fabricantes de calçados com determinadas características, tais como tipo de calçado produzido e porte, obtêm desempenhos superiores aos de seus pares; e d) há divergências significativas entre as visões de fabricantes e fornecedores sobre o relacionamento. Diante dos resultados obtidos, conclui-se que há uma relação significativa entre colaboração e desempenho. Assim, a forma como as empresas lidam com seus parceiros leva-as a ter desempenhos melhores. Além disso, os benefícios do relacionamento colaborativo são maiores para os fornecedores. Já para os fabricantes é interessante que desenvolvam relacionamentos colaborativos com seus fornecedores mais importantes, enquanto que para parceiros menos estratégicos relações do tipo mercado podem ser mais adequadas. Por fim, sugere-se que futuros estudos incluam outras variáveis no modelo, além de contemplar amostras maiores.

L'objet de cette thèse de bioinformatique est de mieux comprendre l’ensemble des systèmes de régulation génique chez les bactéries. La disponibilité de centaines de génomes complets chez les bactéries ouvre la voie aux approches de génomique comparative et donc à l’étude de l’évolution des réseaux transcriptionnels bactériens. Dans un premier temps, nous avons implémenté et validé plusieurs méthodes de prédiction d’opérons sur base des génomes bactériens séquencés. Suite à cette étude, nous avons décidé d’utiliser un algorithme qui se base simplement sur un seuil sur la distance intergénique, à savoir la distance en paires de bases entre deux gènes adjacents. Notre évaluation sur base d’opérons annotés chez Escherichia coli et Bacillus subtilis nous permet de définir un seuil optimal de 55pb pour lequel nous obtenons respectivement 78 et 79% de précision. Deuxièmement, l’identification des motifs de régulation transcriptionnelle, tels les sites de liaison des facteurs de transcription, donne des indications de l’organisation de la régulation. Nous avons développé une méthode de recherche d’empreintes phylogénétiques qui consiste à découvrir des paires de mots espacés (dyades) statistiquement sur-représentées en amont de gènes orthologues bactériens. Notre méthode est particulièrement adaptée à la recherche de motifs chez les bactéries puisqu’elle profite d’une part des centaines de génomes bactériens séquencés et d’autre part les facteurs de transcription bactériens présentent des domaines Hélice-Tour-Hélice qui reconnaissent spécifiquement des dyades. Une évaluation systématique sur 368 gènes de E.coli a permis d’évaluer les performances de notre méthode et de tester l’influence de plus de 40 combinaisons de paramètres concernant le niveau taxonomique, l’inférence d’opérons, le filtrage des dyades spécifiques de E.coli, le choix des modèles de fond pour le calcul du score de significativité, et enfin un seuil sur ce score. L’analyse détaillée pour un cas d’étude, l’autorégulation du facteur de transcription LexA, a montré que notre approche permet d’étudier l’évolution des sites d’auto-régulation dans plusieurs branches taxonomiques des bactéries. Nous avons ensuite appliqué la détection d’empreintes phylogénétiques à chaque gène de E.coli, et utilisé les motifs détectés comme significatifs afin de prédire les gènes co-régulés. Au centre de cette dernière stratégie, est définie une matrice de scores de significativité pour chaque mot détecté par gène chez l’organisme de référence. Plusieurs métriques ont été définies pour la comparaison de paires de profils de scores de sorte que des paires de gènes ayant des motifs détectés significativement en commun peuvent être regroupées. Ainsi, l’ensemble des nos méthodes nous permet de reconstruire des réseaux de co-régulation uniquement à partir de séquences génomiques, et nous ouvre la voie à l’étude de l’organisation et de l’évolution de la régulation transcriptionnelle pour des génomes dont on ne connaît rien.<p><p>The purpose of my thesis is to study the evolution of regulation within bacterial genomes by using a cross-genomic comparative approach. Nowadays, numerous genomes have been sequenced facilitating in silico analysis in order to detect groups of functionally related genes and to predict the mechanism of their relative regulation. In this project, we combined prediction of operons and regulons in order to reconstruct the transcriptional regulatory network for a bacterial genome. We have implemented three methods in order to predict operons from a bacterial genome and evaluated them on hundreds of annotated operons of Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. It turns out that a simple distance-based threshold method gives good results with about 80% of accuracy. The principle of this method is to classify pairs of adjacent genes as “within operon” or “transcription unit border”, respectively, by using a threshold on their intergenic distance: two adjacent genes are predicted to be within an operon if their intergenic distance is smaller than 55bp. In the second part of my thesis, I evaluated the performances of a phylogenetic footprinting approach based on the detection of over-represented spaced motifs. This method is particularly suitable for (but not restricted to) Bacteria, since such motifs are typically bound by factors containing a Helix-Turn-Helix domain. We evaluated footprint discovery in 368 E.coli K12 genes with annotated sites, under 40 different combinations of parameters (taxonomical level, background model, organism-specific filtering, operon inference, significance threshold). Motifs are assessed both at the level of correctness and significance. The footprint discovery method proposed here shows excellent results with E. coli and can readily be extended to predict cis-acting regulatory signals and propose testable hypotheses in bacterial genomes for which nothing is known about regulation. Moreover, the predictive power of the strategy, and its capability to track the evolutionary divergence of cis-regulatory motifs was illustrated with the example of LexA auto-regulation, for which our predictions are remarkably consistent with the binding sites characterized in different taxonomical groups. A next challenge was to identify groups of co-regulated genes (regulons), by regrouping genes with similar motifs, in order to address the challenging domain of the evolution of transcriptional regulatory networks. We tested different metrics to detect putative pairs of co-regulated genes. The comparison between predicted and annotated co-regulation networks shows a high positive predictive value, since a good fraction of the predicted associations correspond to annotated co-regulations, and a low sensitivity, which may be due to the consequence of highly connected transcription factors (global regulator). A regulon-per-regulon analysis indeed shows that the sensitivity is very weak for these transcription factors, but can be quite good for specific transcription factors. The originality of this global strategy is to be able to infer a potential network from the sole analysis of genome sequences, and without any prior knowledge about the regulation in the considered organism. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Abstract This study examined microgenetic changes in mother-child behaviors while they collaborated on a cognitive task that involved planning shopping routes around a table model of a grocery store across 4 trials. Sixty- eight mother-child dyads were randomly assigned to two conditions in which the goals of the task differed. In the experimental condition (n = 32) mothers were encouraged to help their child prepare for a solitary posttest and the dyad was informed they would be timed. In the control condition (n = 36), dyads were simply asked to work together. Research suggests that maternal instruction is most effective when matched to the child’s learning needs. While working with children on a collaborative planning task, it was expected that mothers would change their level or style of instruction as they became more aware of the child’s skill at the task. Specifically, mothers were expected to decrease their level of support behaviors and control across trials. For children, it was expected that they would become more engaged and more responsible for task completion across trials. Results suggested that as mothers and children became familiar with the task, mothers decreased their use of instructional behaviors. Also, that mothers in the experimental condition used more controlling behaviors across trials. Patterns of association emerged between mother’s control behaviors and child uncooperative behaviors, as did mother’s support behaviors and child engagement behaviors. These results suggest that mother-child behaviors may exhibit change due to factors other than the goals of the task itself, such as intersubjectivity (a shared understanding of the task at hand) and shared responsibility, which in turn may be influenced by shared social history (the extensive prior experience that the partners have had with one another in a social- historical context). Keywords: children, dyad, intersubjectivity, mothers, planning, sharing responsibility

Grace à leurs propriétés d’auto-réparation et d’auto-organisation, les matériaux pi-conjugués liquide-cristallins (LCs) présentent un grand intérêt pour l’élaboration de matériaux semi-conducteurs à hautes performances. Ils peuvent être utilisés pour différents types d’applications en électronique organique telles que les cellules solaires (OPV), les diodes électroluminescentes (OLED) et les transistors à effet de champs (OFET). Dans ce travail, nous avons conçu et préparé une nouvelle famille de LCs combinant des entités pi-conjuguées de type calamitique et discotique au sein d’une architecture moléculaire unique. Plus particulièrement, nous avons imaginé trois différentes architectures telles que des dyades et triades linéaires et des triades ramifiées, incluant des dérivés discotiques de pérylène ou de triphénylène et des dérivés calamitiques de terthiophène, de benzothienobenzothiophène ou encore de pyromellitique. L’objectif était d’étudier leurs comportements liquide-cristallins et leurs propriétés d’auto-organisation et de transport de charges.Les résultats obtenus ont montré que ces matériaux donnent des auto-assemblages complexes formant des arrangements multi-lamellaires de bicouches, dans lesquelles les entités calamitiques et discotiques présentent une organisation dans le plan. De plus, en choisissant judicieusement les entités pi-conjuguées calamitiques et discotiques (type-p ou type-n), nous avons démontré que ce type de matériaux auto-organisés peut présenter des propriétés de transport de charge ambipolaire en formant des chemins distincts pour chaque type de charge (trou et électron) par nano-ségrégation de ces entités de type p et de type n. / Due to their self-healing ability and their self-organization property, pi-conjugated liquid crystals (LCs) are materials of great interest to prepare high performance semiconducting materials. They can be used in different types of organic electronic applications such as solar cells (OPV), Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLED) and Organic Field-Effect Transistors (OFET). In this work, we were interested in designing and preparing a novel family of LCs combining π-conjugated discotic and calamitic moieties in a unique molecular architecture. More particularly, we designed three different molecular architectures based on a linear dyad, triad and a branched triad, which include discotic triphenylene or perylene and calamitic terthiophene, benzothienobenzothiophene or pyromellitic moieties. The objective was to study their liquid crystalline behaviors and their self-organization and charge transport properties.Based on our results, we demonstrated that these materials can form complex self-assemblies in the bulk such as multi-lamellar arrangements presenting bilayered lamellar phases with in-layer organization of both calamitic and discotic species. In addition, based on the appropriate choice of the disk- and rod-like π-conjugated cores (p-type or n-type), we showed that this kind of self-organized materials could exhibit ambipolar charge transport properties, presenting a spontaneous nanosegregation of p-type and n-type entities in bulk, and leading to well-defined distinct conductive channels for each type of charge carriers (hole and electron).

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L’obésité combinée avec le vieillissement augmente les risques de complication au niveau de la santé physique et fonctionnelle entraînant des incapacités physiques et limitations en termes de mobilité. Même s’il est reconnu que la nutrition, l’exercice et les thérapies comportementales peuvent atténuer ces complications, leurs intégrations comme habitude de vie semblent dépendre du partenaire et être une barrière. Ainsi, les gérontechnologies, comme l’exergame ou la vidéoconférence, semblent être des outils prometteurs permettant aux personnes âgées d’accéder à différents soins et d’améliorer leur santé. Les objectifs sont 1) Évaluer l’acceptabilité et la faisabilité de trois interventions non pharmacologiques via vidéoconférence au sein de couples âgés en surpoids et obèses et; 2) Explorer et comparer si ces trois approches engendrent des améliorations au niveau de la santé physique et fonctionnelle. 25 couples ont été recrutés, de ce nombre, 21 couples ont complété l’intervention et étaient aléatoirement répartis dans les groupes : 1) conseil en nutrition (NUT), 2) thérapie comportementale mixte (ALL) et 3) activité physique (AP). L’intervention comprenait 10 contacts répartis sur 16 semaines. Des mesures de la santé physique et fonctionnelle ont été prises avant (T0) et après l’intervention (T1) via vidéoconférence. L’acceptabilité a été évaluée à l’aide du questionnaire SUS et la faisabilité des 3 interventions a été déterminée à l’aide du pourcentage de présence et de rétention aux interventions. Des analyses statistiques non–paramétriques de Kruskal-Wallis, des tests exacts de Fisher et de Wilcoxon ont été réalisées. Les trois interventions semblent acceptables (Questionnaire SUS). La rétention était similaire entre les groupes (p>0,05) et jugée bonne ou très bonne avec 88% (groupe NUT), 100 % (groupe ALL) et 67 % (groupe AP). Concernant, les différences intragroupes, aucune différence significative, d’un point de vue statistique, pour le groupe NUT et le groupe ALL est observée. Seul le groupe AP s’améliore significativement, d’un point de vue statistique et clinique au niveau de la puissance estimée (10 levers de chaise (w); p=0,005; + 69W), de la force estimée (5 levers de chaise (sec); p=0,01, -3,82sec), et de l’endurance (levers chaise en 30 secondes (n); p<0,004; +7reps) des membres inférieurs, de l’équilibre (équilibre unipodal (x/60sec); p=0,033; +11,93sec) et des capacités fonctionnelles (SPPB (x/12); p=0,027; +1pt). Les trois interventions non-pharmacologiques réalisées par vidéoconférence semblent faisables et acceptables auprès de couples âgés en surpoids et obèses. De plus, seule l’intervention en activité physique a permis d’améliorer d’un point de vue statistique, la santé physique et fonctionnelle. / Introduction: Obesity combined with aging increases the risk of physical and functional health complications leading to physical disability and mobility limitations. While it is recognized that nutrition, exercise and behavioral therapies can reduce these complications, their integration as a lifestyle habit seems to be partner-dependent and a potential barrier. The gerontechnology, such as exergame or videoconferencing, seem to be a promising tools for older people to access different care and improve their health. Objectives: 1) To assess the acceptability and feasibility of three non-pharmacological interventions via videoconferencing in overweight and obese elderly couples and 2) To explore and compare whether these three approaches generate more improvement in physical and functional health. Methodology: 25 couples were recruited; of these, 21 couples completed the intervention and were randomly assigned to 1) nutrition counseling (NUT), 2) mixed behavioral therapy (ALL) and 3) physical activity (AP). The intervention comprised 10 contacts spread over 16 weeks. Measures of physical and functional health were taken before (T0) and after the intervention (T1) via videoconference. Acceptability was assessed using the SUS questionnaire and the feasibility of the 3 interventions was determined using the percentage of presence and retention. Non-parametric statistical analyses such as Kruskal-Wallis, exact Fisher test and Wilcoxon tests were performed. Results: All three interventions were acceptable (SUS questionnaire). Retention was similar between groups (p>0,05) and rated as good or very good at 88% (NUT group), 100% (ALL group) and 67% (AP group). Regarding intragroup differences, no statistical difference was observed between the NUT and ALL groups. Only the AP group showed a statistically and clinically significant improvement in terms of estimated power (10 chair lifts (w); p=0,005; + 69W), estimated strength (5 sit to stand (sec); p=0,01; -3.82sec), and endurance (30-second chair test (n); p<0,004; +7reps) of the lower limbs, balance (unipodal balance (x/60sec); p=0.033; +11,93sec) and functional abilities (SPPB (x/12); p=0.,27; +1pt). Conclusion: The three non-pharmacological interventions performed via videoconferencing appear feasible and acceptable in overweight and obese elderly couples. Moreover, only the physical activity intervention produced a statistical significant improvement in physical and functional health.