Over half of U.S. adults, roughly 117 million individuals, suffer from at least one preventable chronic disease, such as obesity, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and certain types of cancer. Epidemiological studies suggest that fruit and vegetable intake may be protective against these diseases, yet it is estimated that less than one-quarter of the population meets current fruit and vegetable recommendations. Low consumption rates may be attributed to lower income, food insecurity, and poor access and availability to fruits and vegetables. As a result, access to affordable and nutritious foods and beverages, particularly in underserved communities, such as “food deserts,” has become a national priority. An emerging strategy to address this is prescription programs, whereby physicians provide prescriptions or vouchers for fruit and vegetables to clients to encourage increased consumption, implemented in the form of the Farmacy Garden, which was the result of collaboration between multiple agencies. For collaborative efforts to be able to implement and sustain their shared goals, partnering individuals, agencies, and organizations need to first have the capacity or the potential to build capacity as a ‘unit.’ The purpose of this study was to concretely examine different factors and domains within Matachi’s Capacity Building Framework related to the Farmacy Garden in order to replicate the program in other locations. This framework conceptualizes organizational capacity building as dependent (and interdependent) on three different domains - individual, organizational, and environment. The study utilized semi-structured, openended interviews to ascertain concrete factors of organizational capacity building present at each level among Farmacy Garden collaborative project stakeholders (n=7). Interviews with six stakeholders (85.7% response rate) ranged in length from thirty-two minutes to one hour and twenty minutes. Common themes were coded separately by two members of the research team, first for overall recurring themes and second, to reveal connections between themes. Relevant quotes were identified and any discrepancies between researchers were resolved. Common themes often crossed over different levels, such as time, beliefs, values, and attitudes and inter-organizational linkages/partnerships, attitudes, and relationships, highlighting the inter-dependence of various factors across domains of capacity building. In addition to identifying specific factors that were necessary for the creation and sustainability of the Farmacy Program, the analysis revealed the importance of a “shared belief and value system.” In other words, individuals and organizations “valorized” this project in different ways than more traditional programs and/or interventions. The findings of this study can help guide leadership in cultivating relationships and new benchmarks to ensure transparency in project goals, in addition to time and physical resources, as well as inform the organizational capacity research area within nutrition and food systems fields. / Master of Science / Obesity and chronic disease are linked to the leading causes of death in the United States. Fruit and vegetable intake may be protective against these diseases, yet less than onequarter of the population meets current recommendations, potentially due to lower income, food insecurity, and poor access and availability. As a result, access to affordable and nutritious foods and beverages, particularly in underserved communities, such as “food deserts,” has become a national priority. An emerging strategy to improve access is a fruit and vegetable prescription program, whereby physicians provide prescriptions or vouchers for fruit and vegetables to clients. The Farmacy Garden, a gardening prescription program adapted from a fruit and vegetable prescription model, was created in the New River Valley,Virginia through the collaboration of individuals from multiple health agencies. The goal of this study was to examine the different domains and factors within a capacity building framework that contributed to the creation and ongoing implementation of the Farmacy Garden. Interviews were conducted with participating individuals and representatives of the organizations (n=7). Interviews with six stakeholders (85.7%) ranged in length from thirty-two minutes to one hour and twenty minutes. In addition to identifying specific factors that were necessary for the creation and sustainability of the Farmacy Garden, the analysis revealed the importance of a “shared belief and value system.” In other words, individuals and organizations valued this project in different ways than more traditional programs and/or interventions. The findings of this study can help guide leadership in cultivating relationships and new benchmarks to ensure transparency in project goals, in addition to time and physical resources and can be used to inform the development and delivery of a similar program in other locations.

Phased microphone arrays are valuable tools for aeroacoustic measurements that can measure the directivity of multiple acoustic sources. However, when deployed in closed test-section wind tunnels, the acoustics suffer due to intense pressure fluctuations contained in the wall-bound turbulent boundary layer. Furthermore, phased microphone arrays require many sensors distributed over a large aperture to ensure good spatial resolution over a wide frequency range. Microphone arrays of such large count are not always feasible due to constraints in space and cost. This thesis describes an alternative approach for measuring single broadband acoustic sources that uses an acoustic metasurface. The metasurface is comprised of a meandering channel of quarter-wave cavities and an array of equally spaced half-wave open through-cavities. A series of tests were conducted in Virginia Tech's Anechoic Wall-Jet Tunnel where combinations of a wall-bound turbulent jet-flow and a single broadband acoustic source were used to excite the metasurface and produce acoustic surface waves. Measurements of the acoustic surface waves were performed using two methods: a pair of traversing microphones scanning the pressure field along the length of the metasurface 0.25 mm beneath its bottom face, and an array of unequally spaced microphones embedded inside the metasurface. Spectral analysis on the measurements revealed that the inclusion of multiple through-cavities leads to constructive reinforcement of select acoustic surface waves as a function of the acoustic source location. In the case of the embedded microphones, acoustic beamforming was applied in order to extract spatial information. This reinforcement was observed during measurements made with both flow and acoustic excitation, up to Wall-Jet Tunnel nozzle exit speeds of 40 m/s beyond which it was no longer seen. A series of quiescent measurements made with a range of speaker locations constituted a calibration for the metasurface which was used to locate an unknown broadband acoustic source within an The Root-Mean-Square (RMS) error of 1.06 degrees. / Master of Science / Phased microphone arrays are valuable tools for aeroacoustic measurements that can measure the directivity of multiple acoustic sources within a sound field. When used in conjunction with signal processing techniques, such as delay-and-sum beamforming, a researcher or engineer can obtain an intuitive view of the sound field and distinguish between multiple sources over a wide frequency range. However, these microphone arrays often utilize dozens of microphones which raises the array's complexity and cost. Furthermore, when a phased microphone array is mounted flush to the wall of a wind tunnel test section, it is submerged under a turbulent boundary layer which imposes intense pressure fluctuations on the microphones making it difficult to identify acoustic sources. Boundary layers form at the interface between a fluid and solid interface. This thesis describes experimentation performed in the Virginia Tech Anechoic Wall-Jet Tunnel on a new type of pressure sensing microphone array that leverage acoustic metamaterial technology. The acoustic metamaterial shields the microphones from the flow, lessening the influence of the turbulent boundary layer on the measurement. The focus in this thesis is on the novel array's ability to locate a single broadband acoustic source using as few as six microphones. The metasurface was installed in the Wall-Jet Tunnel test plate such that an array of evenly spaced through-cavities are flush to the surface. The through-cavities communicate the pressure field on top of the test surface to a meandering channel of interconnected closed cavities below. Near the resonant depth frequencies of the closed cavities, acoustic surface waves form which are evanescent pressure waves that are bound to the surface or structure that support them. The interference between the acoustic surface waves generated at each through-cavity leads to reinforced acoustic surface waves which are sensitive to the direction of a broadband source. In all, an acoustic metamaterial was tested under a variety of conditions such as: Wall-Jet Tunnel flow speed, speaker location, and the number of through-cavities open. The performance of the novel array and future plans are discussed.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide due to the late stage of diagnosis as most patients do not present symptoms until late-stage disease. The two most common forms of non-small cell lung cancer are adenocarcinoma followed by squamous cell carcinoma, which differ in location, appearance and molecular phenotypes and require different approaches for treatment. Prior to the development of invasive lung cancer, premalignant lesions, or regions of abnormal cellular architecture, are often present in the lung. Understanding the pathologic heterogeneity and cellular and molecular alterations in premalignant lesions that precede or are adjacent to invasive carcinomas may help identify the earliest changes in lung carcinogenesis that could be used to identify biomarkers of progression and targets for intervention. Previous work by our group profiling endobronchial biopsies by bulk mRNA sequencing identified gene expression alterations associated with high grade squamous premalignant lesion histology and progression towards advanced histology. Molecular profiling combined with careful pathologic assessment of premalignant lesions are important steps in uncovering the biological processes that are dysregulated in premalignant lesions that progress; however, lung tissue is often limited and fixed. Biopsies of lung tissue, obtained using forceps or needles, are an important diagnostic and prognostic clinical tool although, only tiny amounts of tissue may be left for research. As a result, it is important to work closely with pathologists to review clinical pathology samples and optimize methodologies to use the limited biospecimens available to study these early changes associated with the development of lung cancer. My thesis work focused on the detailed pathologic annotation of lung premalignant lesion biopsies and whole tumor samples and the development of methodologies to profile these small biospecimens to advance lung cancer interception research. Lung squamous cell carcinoma is thought to originate from bronchial premalignant lesions that progress through a series of histological grades to dysplasia (mild, moderate, and severe), carcinoma in situ, and invasive carcinoma. Endobronchial biopsies of these premalignant lesions have heterogeneous pathologic features, and it is not known which features are associated with progression to cancer. In Aim 1 of my thesis, in collaboration with thoracic pathologists, whole slide biopsy images were annotated to identify the histologic grades of surface epithelium, including the presence of angiogenic squamous dysplasia, and stromal features such as the presence of a fibrotic basal membrane under the epithelium. Analyzing these annotations across 284 biopsies identified a significant association between former smokers and the presence of a fibrotic basal membrane. Additionally, we found that when exposed to asbestos, approximately two thirds of patients developed angiogenic dysplasia, while those who were never exposed had a 50% chance of developing it. We also observed a reserve cell dysplasia-like pattern characterized by its nuclear uniformity through all layers, increased nucleus to cytoplasm ratio, hyperchromia, and presence of cilia. This type of dysplasia is not described in the lung to date but is well described in the cervix as a transitional subtype between reserve cell hyperplasia and squamous dysplasia. We quantified the percentage of each histologic grade present in the epithelium of each biopsy and found that there was a weak, but significant, negative correlation between the percentage of normal epithelium and reserve cell dysplasia-like epithelium. The results suggest that reserve cell dysplasia in the lung may be worthy of more study, as it is found to be only inversely correlated with normal epithelium. More studies must be done to elucidate its true role in the premalignant to malignant process. To complement the pathologic analysis of endobronchial biopsies in Aim 2, we examined 31 lung cancer resection cases where premalignant lesions were present in the tumor margins. Our goal was to profile the RNA and DNA of multiple regions within each case to identify molecular alterations associated with the transition from premalignant to tumor tissue. The 31 cases were stained with H&E and mIHC panels using markers corresponding to epithelial, immune, and stromal cell types. We annotated the H&E stains alone and together with the mIHC stains and found that we annotated significantly more unique regions when considering both data modalities. We captured the annotated regions using an optimized laser capture microdissection (LCM) protocol. The goal of Aim 3 was to first optimize the LCM and isolation protocols for limited FFPE lung samples. We accomplished this using a smaller group of eight samples, of which six were LCM’d, by comparing different DNA and RNA isolation kits to select the kit that offered the highest quality and greatest amount of isolated DNA and RNA. The LCM tissue from the 31 cases is currently undergoing RNA and DNA sequencing and we hope the data analysis will identify unique tissue microenvironments associated with premalignant lesion progression. These findings contribute to existing lung cancer and premalignancy research, which, as a field, aims to identify progressing lesions and treat patients at earlier stages to decrease mortality. My thesis work has focused on characterizing the pathologic features of lung squamous premalignant lung lesions and their associations with premalignant progression to cancer and other clinical covariates such as smoking status and carcinogenic exposures. To fully understand these pathologic features, I have developed methods to isolate high quality RNA and DNA from these limited biospecimens to allow for the identification of the molecular alterations underpinning the pathological changes.

In an effort to develop cost-effective technologies for the removal of ammonium nitrogen from dairy waste, a novel biological wastewater treatment process, utilizing anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), referred to as Oxygen-Limited Autotrophic Nitrification and Denitrification (OLAND) was examined. Due to the potential use of OLAND-based systems in dairy manure management, a detailed water quality assessment of a modern dairy farm manure treatment-system was conducted. The Johnson Highland Dairy Farm, Glade Spring, Virginia, was selected for this assessment and a comprehensive analysis of the wastewater characteristics throughout the confined animal feeding operation was completed. The results suggest that ammonia concentrations in the anaerobic storage facility was high enough to justify use of treatment technologies that reduce ammonia loads in stored dairy waste. A lightly loaded Fixed Film Bioreactor (FFBR), in which the OLAND process was desired to occur, was then constructed in the laboratory and monitored over 51 days. Of particular interest was the time taken to achieve stable performance of this OLAND system. Furthermore, a protocol was developed to determine whether OLAND based metabolism was occurring. Ammonium nitrogen removal efficiency in the FFBR throughout the 51-day monitoring period was high, averaging approximately 95 % for the length of the study. From day 32 to 51, simultaneous removal of both ammonium and nitrite with a low level of concomitant nitrate production was observed, a key indicator of possible anammox activity. Stoichiometric ratios calculated for the FFBR compared favorably with those already established for OLAND systems. The developed protocol, incorporating anaerobic and aerobic batch experiments, to verify the occurrence of OLAND based metabolism did not yield expected results and described poorly what was being observed in the FFBR. Volatilization of ammonia during the experimental test was suspected and should be controlled when the protocol is performed in the future. / Master of Science

Background: Recently, animal image classification has involved the impracticalityof deep learning models due to high computational demands, limiting their use inwildlife monitoring. This calls for the crucial necessity of lightweight models for real-time animal identification in resource-limited environments like wildlife cameras andmobile devices. Achieving accurate animal classification in these settings becomes acrucial concern for advancing classification methods. Objectives: The goal of this research is to evaluate lightweight transfer learningmodels for classifying animal images while balancing computational efficiency andaccuracy. The objectives include analyzing the models’ performance and providingmodel selection criteria based on performance and efficiency for resource-constraintenvironments. This study contributes to the advancement of machine learning inwildlife preservation and environmental monitoring, which is critical for accuratespecies identification. Methods: The proposed methodology involves conducting a thorough literaturereview to identify lightweight transfer learning models for image classification. TheAnimal-90 dataset was utilized, comprising images of ninety distinct animal species.To train the dataset, selected pre-trained models, MobileNetV2, EfficientNetB3,ShuffleNet, SqueezeNet, and MnasNet were employed with custom classificationheads. A 5-fold Cross-Validation technique was used to validate the model. Acombined metric approach is applied to rank the models based on the results fromthe metrics, Accuracy, Inference time, and number of parameters. Results: The experimental outcomes revealed EfficientNetB3 to be the most ac-curate but also at the same time it has the highest number of parameters amongother models. Friedman’s test has rejected the null hypothesis of models havingsimilar performance. The combined metric approach ranked ShuffletNet as the topmodel among the compared models in terms of performance and efficiency. Conclusions: The research unveiled the commendable performance of all the mod-els in animal image classification, with ShuffleNet achieving the top rank among allother models in terms of accuracy and efficiency. These lightweight models, espe-cially ShuffleNet, show promise in managing limited resources while ensuring accurateanimal classification and confirming their reliability in wildlife conservation

Através do presente trabalho, demonstra-se que a função social da empresa é o fundamento e a justificativa para o reconhecimento e a proteção de interesses alheios aos dos sócios na sociedade limitada. Nos três primeiros capítulos, o objetivo é apontar qual o fundamento teórico da funcionalização do direito de propriedade, quais corolários dela decorrem e qual a sua importância para o exercício da empresa. Defende-se que a função social da propriedade é imperativo decorrente da ordem jurídica do mercado, moldada principalmente pelo princípio da solidariedade social. Por sua vez, a função social da empresa é corolário da função social da propriedade. Sustenta-se que a funcionalização do exercício da empresa repercute no exercício da atividade empresarial, acarretando obrigações positivas e negativas aos sócios majoritários (controladores) e administradores das sociedades empresárias, assim como incide sobre o exercício do direito de propriedade de parcelas do capital, do que decorrem obrigações atinentes aos sócios. A partir do capítulo quarto, objetiva-se sistematizar a composição de interesses na sociedade limitada, em abordagem que inclui tanto os conflitos que envolvem os sócios entre si, como os que os vinculam a terceiros, como a própria sociedade, os credores, os empregados, etc. No primeiro aspecto, versa-se sobre: deliberações sociais; o direito de recesso como forma de resolução de conflitos entre os sócios; a dissolução parcial como instrumento para assegurar a liberdade de não permanecer associado; as restrições ao exercício abusivo da administração; a transparência como instrumento de preservação dos interesses dos minoritários; o direito de participação nos lucros e no acervo social em caso de dissolução e liquidação da sociedade; o direito à manutenção da mesma proporção no capital social e o acordo de quotista como instrumento de composição de interesses. No segundo, sobre o conflito de interesses entre a sociedade e o sócio, em razão do exercício do direito de voto; a exclusão dos sócios nas modalidades de resolução da sociedade em relação ao sócio minoritário, da exclusão do sócio majoritário e do sócio remisso; aspectos da composição do capital social; os efeitos externos da sociedade, em abordagem que apreciará as conseqüências da autonomia patrimonial, a responsabilidade dos sócios e administradores e a desconsideração da personalidade jurídica; aspectos da proteção dos interesses dos empregados e da preservação do meio ambiente. A partir da análise doutrinária e jurisprudencial, demonstra-se como o princípio da função social da empresa é importante para a composição de interesses na sociedade limitada. / Through the present work we demonstrate that the social function of the firm is the basis as well as the evidence for the acknowledgment and protection minoritys and stakeholders interests in the private limited partnership. In the three first chapters it is analyzed the theoretical basis for the functionalization of the property right. It is supported that the property social function is mandatory due to the market juridical order shaped mainly by the social solidarity principle. The social function of the firm, in its turn, is corollary of the property social function. It also falls upon the exercise of property right of the capital portions of which elapse obligations which are referent to the partners. In the others chapters, the aim is to systemize the composition of interests in the private limited partnership, in an approach that includes conflicts which involve the partners among themselves as well as the ones which entail them to stakeholders, like the society itself, creditors, employees, etc. In the first aspect it runs upon social decisions; the right of recess as a way to solve conflicts among partners; the partial dissolution as an instrument to assure freedom of not continuing associated; the restrictions to the abusive exercise of management; transparency as an instrument of preservation of the minoritys interests: the right of participation in the profits and in the social patrimony in case of dissolution and liquidation of the society; the right of maintaining the same proportion in the social capital and the partners agreement as an instrument of composing interests. In the second one, concerning the conflict of interests between the society and the partner, due to the right of voting; the exclusion of partners in the modalities of resolution of society concerning the minority partner; of the exclusion of the majority partner as well as of the careless partner; aspects of the composition of the social capital. The external effects of the society, in approach which will appreciate the consequences of patrimonial autonomy, partners and managers responsibility and juridical personality disrespect; aspects of the protection of employees interests and environment preservation. Departing from the doctrinaire and jurisprudential analysis it is demonstrated how the principle of the enterprises social function is important for the composition of interests in the limited society.

by Chan Ping Cheung, Fung Hon Cheung. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-66). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / PREFACE --- p.v / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Our Approach --- p.2 / Chapter II. --- METHODOLOGY --- p.3 / Steps --- p.3 / Chapter III. --- MAJOR BUSINESS OF CHEUNG KONG (HOLDINGS) LIMITED / PRIOR TO THE SPIN-OFF --- p.5 / Genera] Description --- p.5 / Major Lines of Business --- p.7 / Chapter IV. --- ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL POSITION OF CKH --- p.14 / Other Financial Obligations --- p.15 / Chapter V. --- FUNDING STRATEGIES --- p.18 / Chapter VI. --- THE WHOLE STORY OF CKI'S SPIN-OFF --- p.20 / Chapter VII. --- MARKET COMMENTS ON CKI'S SPIN-OFF --- p.23 / Chapter VIII. --- THE MAIN REASON FOR CKI'S SPIN-OFF --- p.27 / Chapter IX. --- OTHER MANAGERIAL PURPOSES AND INCENTIVES OF CKI'S SPIN-OFF --- p.31 / Chapter X. --- POSSIBLE DISADVANTAGES OF SPIN-OFF --- p.34 / Chapter XI. --- THE SHARE PRICE PERFORMANCE OF CKI --- p.36 / Chapter XII. --- CONCLUSION --- p.41 / APPENDIX / Chapter I. --- ANALYSIS OF SPIN-OFFS --- p.42 / Chapter II --- BUSINESSES & HIGHLIGHTS OF CKI --- p.44 / Chapter III --- CHEUNG KONG GROUP STRUCTURE CHART --- p.48 / Chapter IV --- LEGAL ASPECTS OF SPIN-OFF --- p.49 / Chapter V --- HISTORY OF CKH --- p.51 / Chapter VI --- CHINA-CONCEPT IPOS --- p.53 / BIBLOGRAPHY --- p.54

在公司法上，公司是作為一種制度而存在，它是一種形式定型化行為準則化，運行規範化的企業組織。兩岸均採公司法作為規範市場經濟主體的法律。然兩岸由於政治制度、經濟結構的不同，而存在著各自的特色和相互的差異。公司法制亦然。 　　本篇論文先就兩岸公司法制個別的發展沿革與變遷背景作歷史觀察；繼之，分別從其法典、法條之形式與實質內容，比較分析兩岸公司法制之體系、制度、規範之異同，及其異同之原因。除了實體法之探究，亦對此分析兩岸公司法制中各個經濟發展與社會環境作用於公司法中的聯繫及影響。尤其是大陸在一九七九年後經濟體制改革到十四大確立社會主義市場經濟體制建立現代化企業的轉換對公司法制的影響及呈現不同風貌。 　　經由本篇論文所獲致之研究經驗及理解，對於兩岸公司法制之探討將具意義，並以此作為研究兩岸法律體制的基礎與準備。

Através do presente trabalho, demonstra-se que a função social da empresa é o fundamento e a justificativa para o reconhecimento e a proteção de interesses alheios aos dos sócios na sociedade limitada. Nos três primeiros capítulos, o objetivo é apontar qual o fundamento teórico da funcionalização do direito de propriedade, quais corolários dela decorrem e qual a sua importância para o exercício da empresa. Defende-se que a função social da propriedade é imperativo decorrente da ordem jurídica do mercado, moldada principalmente pelo princípio da solidariedade social. Por sua vez, a função social da empresa é corolário da função social da propriedade. Sustenta-se que a funcionalização do exercício da empresa repercute no exercício da atividade empresarial, acarretando obrigações positivas e negativas aos sócios majoritários (controladores) e administradores das sociedades empresárias, assim como incide sobre o exercício do direito de propriedade de parcelas do capital, do que decorrem obrigações atinentes aos sócios. A partir do capítulo quarto, objetiva-se sistematizar a composição de interesses na sociedade limitada, em abordagem que inclui tanto os conflitos que envolvem os sócios entre si, como os que os vinculam a terceiros, como a própria sociedade, os credores, os empregados, etc. No primeiro aspecto, versa-se sobre: deliberações sociais; o direito de recesso como forma de resolução de conflitos entre os sócios; a dissolução parcial como instrumento para assegurar a liberdade de não permanecer associado; as restrições ao exercício abusivo da administração; a transparência como instrumento de preservação dos interesses dos minoritários; o direito de participação nos lucros e no acervo social em caso de dissolução e liquidação da sociedade; o direito à manutenção da mesma proporção no capital social e o acordo de quotista como instrumento de composição de interesses. No segundo, sobre o conflito de interesses entre a sociedade e o sócio, em razão do exercício do direito de voto; a exclusão dos sócios nas modalidades de resolução da sociedade em relação ao sócio minoritário, da exclusão do sócio majoritário e do sócio remisso; aspectos da composição do capital social; os efeitos externos da sociedade, em abordagem que apreciará as conseqüências da autonomia patrimonial, a responsabilidade dos sócios e administradores e a desconsideração da personalidade jurídica; aspectos da proteção dos interesses dos empregados e da preservação do meio ambiente. A partir da análise doutrinária e jurisprudencial, demonstra-se como o princípio da função social da empresa é importante para a composição de interesses na sociedade limitada. / Through the present work we demonstrate that the social function of the firm is the basis as well as the evidence for the acknowledgment and protection minoritys and stakeholders interests in the private limited partnership. In the three first chapters it is analyzed the theoretical basis for the functionalization of the property right. It is supported that the property social function is mandatory due to the market juridical order shaped mainly by the social solidarity principle. The social function of the firm, in its turn, is corollary of the property social function. It also falls upon the exercise of property right of the capital portions of which elapse obligations which are referent to the partners. In the others chapters, the aim is to systemize the composition of interests in the private limited partnership, in an approach that includes conflicts which involve the partners among themselves as well as the ones which entail them to stakeholders, like the society itself, creditors, employees, etc. In the first aspect it runs upon social decisions; the right of recess as a way to solve conflicts among partners; the partial dissolution as an instrument to assure freedom of not continuing associated; the restrictions to the abusive exercise of management; transparency as an instrument of preservation of the minoritys interests: the right of participation in the profits and in the social patrimony in case of dissolution and liquidation of the society; the right of maintaining the same proportion in the social capital and the partners agreement as an instrument of composing interests. In the second one, concerning the conflict of interests between the society and the partner, due to the right of voting; the exclusion of partners in the modalities of resolution of society concerning the minority partner; of the exclusion of the majority partner as well as of the careless partner; aspects of the composition of the social capital. The external effects of the society, in approach which will appreciate the consequences of patrimonial autonomy, partners and managers responsibility and juridical personality disrespect; aspects of the protection of employees interests and environment preservation. Departing from the doctrinaire and jurisprudential analysis it is demonstrated how the principle of the enterprises social function is important for the composition of interests in the limited society.

Les problèmes d’ordonnancement de rendez-vous en tête-à-tête sont des problèmes dans lesquels des personnes souhaitent se rencontrer par deux lors de courts rendez-vous qui se déroulent lors d’une session unique. Dans cette thèse, nous référençons plusieurs applications de ce type de problèmes et proposons des notations qui généralisent les notations standards de problèmes d’ordonnancement α|β|γ. Nous nous intéressons en particulier à un cas dans lequel deux populations distinctes se rencontrent, des participants peuvent arriver en retard et des rencontres sont interdites. L’objectif est de minimiser le nombre maximal d’attentes des participants. Nous étudions dans un premier temps la complexité de ces problèmes : nous démontrons que plusieurs cas sans rencontre interdite sont polynomiaux et que le cas général est NP-complet au sens fort. Nous proposons ensuite des bornes inférieures. Puis nous développons plusieurs méthodes de résolution. Des modèles de programmation linéaire en nombres entiers et un modèle de programmation par contraintes sont tout d’abord proposés. Des règles de dominance permettant de limiter les symétries sont intégrées à ces modèles dans le but de limiter l’espace des solutions. Enfin, nous proposons une recherche à divergence limitée (limited discrepancy search) qui est une méthode approchée basée sur l’exploration d’un arbre de recherche tronqué. Dans cette méthode, nous exploitons le plus possible les propriétés de symétrie du problème pour faciliter la convergence vers une bonne solution. Toutes ces méthodes sont testées et comparées sur un ensemble de 300 instances générées aléatoirement d’après des paramètres réalistes. / One-to-one meeting scheduling problems are problems where a population of actors want to meet each other during short time slots that take place in a single session. In this thesis, we reference several applications of this type of problems found in the literature and introduce a notation extending the well-known scheduling notation α|β|γ. We are particularly interested in a case in which two distinct populations meet, participants may arrive late and some meetings are forbidden. The objective is to minimize the maximum number of participants waiting slots. First, we study the complexity of these problems: we show that several cases with no forbidden meeting are polynomial and that the general case is NP-complete in the strong sense. We then propose lower bounds. After that, we develop several resolution methods. Integer linear programming models and a constraint programming model are developed. To limit the solution space, we add dominance rules based on symmetries to these methods. Finally, we present a limited discrepancy search (i.e. an approximate method based on the exploration of a truncated tree search). In this method, we use as much as possible the symmetry properties of the problem to facilitate the convergence to a good solution. All these methods are tested and compared on a set of 300 randomly generated instances from realistic parameters.