Current theory and research have suggested that adolescent friends share many similarities which range from strong similarities in sociodemographic variables to weaker correlations for personality characteristics. The goal of this study was to advance the base of knowledge related to similarities between friends by exploring relationships between early adolescent ego identity status and friendship strength, quality, and duration. First, the objective measure of Ego Identity Status was used to test the hypothesis that early adolescents in reciprocally identified friendship pairs are more similar in their ego identity status; no such relationship was found. Second, a measure designed to assess friendship qualities/strengths and duration lead to the conclusion that the quality/strength and duration of a friendship was also not associated with identity similarities. In addition, in-depth interviews of a subsample confirmed the findings associated with the full sample paper-pencil measures. Based on these findings, it appears that these early adolescents select friends who are not likely to operate within similar identity statuses.

Let V denote a vector space of finite positive dimension. An ordered triple of linear operators on V is said to be a Leonard triple whenever for each choice of element of the triple there exists a basis of V with respect to which the matrix representing the chosen element is diagonal and the matrices representing the other two elements are irreducible tridiagonal. A Leonard triple is said to be modular whenever for each choice of element there exists an antiautomorphism of End(V) which fixes the chosen element and swaps the other two elements. We study combinatorial structures associated with Leonard triples and modular Leonard triples. In the first part we construct a simplicial complex of Leonard triples. The simplicial complex of a Leonard triple is the smallest set of linear operators which contains the given Leonard triple with the property that if two elements of the set are part of a Leonard triple, then the third element of the triple is also in the set. In the second part we construct a Hamming association scheme from modular Leonard triples using a method used previously in the context of Grassmanian codes.

Dans cette recherche, nous avons cherché à étudier les phénomènes de débats et de conflits lors de l'élaboration du budget de manière qualitative et quantitative, afin d'enrichir la littérature sur les conditions propices à la performance du processus budgétaire et sur la valeur des conflits pour la performance organisationnelle. Les instruments de mesure élaborés, les relations testées, les verbatim recueillis permettent de conclure que la performance du processus budgétaire est davantage influencée par les facteurs favorables à la résolution constructive des oppositions (vision commune, but supérieur commun, volonté de coopérer, croyance en la possibilité de résolution), tels qu'ils sont proposés par la littérature sur le conflit, que par le niveau intrinsèque de débat ou de conflit. Au niveau des retombées pratiques de la thèse, il paraît donc peu souhaitable, pour les managers, d'avoir des débats ou même des conflits s'ils ne se sont assurés, au préalable, que les facteurs de cohésion, favorables à la résolution constructive des oppositions sont réunis. Contrairement à la vision hiérarchique du processus budgétaire, nos résultats indiquent aussi que les débats entre pairs ou les conflits entre pairs sont les interactions les plus efficaces pour élaborer le budget. Notre travail met ainsi en évidence l'importance des facteurs informels de cohésion ainsi que le savoir-faire managérial dans l'animation d'équipe pour remédier à certaines limites des outils formels de contrôle, en particulier du budget, tels qu'ils ont pu être relevés dans la littérature.

<p>Cervical cancer is a multifactorial disease. Infection by oncogenic types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) is the major environmental risk factor and host genetic susceptibility also influences disease development. </p><p>The aim of this thesis is to identify and analyse risk genes involved in the genetic predisposition to cervical carcinoma. A unique and extensive population-based affected sib-pair (ASP) material and a large case-control sample were used in the investigations.</p><p>In paper I the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II DQB1 and DRB1 loci are confirmed, for the first time in a family-based material, as genetic susceptibility factors for cervical cancer. It is also proposed that the HLA class II DPB1 locus independently contributes to risk of developing disease. In addition, no evidence is found for an involvement of the class I HLA-B and HLA-A loci in the genetic predisposition. Paper II conclude that the Fas receptor –670 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) do not have a major impact on the susceptibility to cervical carcinoma <i>in situ</i> in the Swedish population. In paper III we show that interactions between the HPV16 E6 gene subtype and host HLA class II genotype potentially occur during infection and disease progression. Paper IV suggests that three chromosomal regions, 9q32, 12q24 and 16q24, contain risk factors of low to moderate effects on cervical cancer development. In paper V linkage signals are further identified between a 9q32 gene encoding the thymic stromal co-transporter (TSCOT) and the disease in ASPs with mean age over 30.5 years at diagnosis within the sib-pair.</p><p>These findings are important contributions towards understanding more about the aetiology of this complex cancer. The identification of new susceptibility regions opens up for further characterisation, replication and candidate gene analysis.</p>

<p>In this thesis regimes of quantum degeneracy of electrons and holes in semiconductor quantum wells in a strong magnetic field are studied theoretically. The coherent pairing of electrons and holes results in the formation of Bose-Einstein condensate of magnetic excitons in a single-particle state with wave vector <b>K</b>. We show that correlation effects due to coherent excitations drastically change the properties of excitonic gas, making possible the formation of a novel metastable state of dielectric liquid phase with positive compressibility consisting of condensed magnetoexcitons with finite momentum. On the other hand, virtual transitions to excited Landau levels cause a repulsive interaction between excitons with zero momentum, and the ground state of the system in this case is a Bose condensed gas of weakly repulsive excitons. We introduce explicitly the damping rate of the exciton level and show that three different phases can be realized in a single quantum well depending on the exciton density: excitonic dielectric liquid surrounded by weakly interacting gas of condensed excitons versus metallic electron-hole liquid. In the double quantum well system the phase transition from the excitonic dielectric liquid phase to the crystalline state of electrons and holes is predicted with the increase of the interwell separation and damping rate.</p><p>We used a framework of Green's function to investigate the collective elementary excitations of the system in the presence of Bose-Einstein condensate, introducing "anomalous" two-particle Green's functions and symmetry breaking terms into the Hamiltonian. The analytical solution of secular equation was obtained in the Hartree-Fock approximation and energy spectra were calculated. The Coulomb interactions in the system results in a multiple-branch structure of the collective excitations energy spectrum. Systematic classification of the branches is proposed, and the condition of the stability of the condensed excitonic phase is discussed.</p>

A laboratory experiment and a numerical simulation of a dual well pair SAGD process with live bitumen were conducted to examine operating strategies on the recovery performance of a multiple well pair SAGD process. The experiment was successfully carried out under such operation strategies as injecting steam into one well pair while producing from both producers after chambers mergence to sweep the oil between the two well pairs. The experimental results showed high oil recovery from the transition region between the two well pairs with these operation strategies. Numerical simulation matched reasonably well experimental results, which indicated that the numerical model captured the key mechanisms of the dual well pairs experiment. The improved SAGD process behaviour and performance was demonstrated in terms of faster oil production, enhanced solution gas production, and accelerated adjacent chambers communication in the experimental and numerical studies. These operation strategies could be applied in the multiple well pairs SAGD and enhance SAGD performance after steam chambers merge between adjacent well pairs. / Petroleum Engineering

Cervical cancer is a multifactorial disease. Infection by oncogenic types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) is the major environmental risk factor and host genetic susceptibility also influences disease development. The aim of this thesis is to identify and analyse risk genes involved in the genetic predisposition to cervical carcinoma. A unique and extensive population-based affected sib-pair (ASP) material and a large case-control sample were used in the investigations. In paper I the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II DQB1 and DRB1 loci are confirmed, for the first time in a family-based material, as genetic susceptibility factors for cervical cancer. It is also proposed that the HLA class II DPB1 locus independently contributes to risk of developing disease. In addition, no evidence is found for an involvement of the class I HLA-B and HLA-A loci in the genetic predisposition. Paper II conclude that the Fas receptor –670 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) do not have a major impact on the susceptibility to cervical carcinoma in situ in the Swedish population. In paper III we show that interactions between the HPV16 E6 gene subtype and host HLA class II genotype potentially occur during infection and disease progression. Paper IV suggests that three chromosomal regions, 9q32, 12q24 and 16q24, contain risk factors of low to moderate effects on cervical cancer development. In paper V linkage signals are further identified between a 9q32 gene encoding the thymic stromal co-transporter (TSCOT) and the disease in ASPs with mean age over 30.5 years at diagnosis within the sib-pair. These findings are important contributions towards understanding more about the aetiology of this complex cancer. The identification of new susceptibility regions opens up for further characterisation, replication and candidate gene analysis.

In this thesis regimes of quantum degeneracy of electrons and holes in semiconductor quantum wells in a strong magnetic field are studied theoretically. The coherent pairing of electrons and holes results in the formation of Bose-Einstein condensate of magnetic excitons in a single-particle state with wave vector <b>K</b>. We show that correlation effects due to coherent excitations drastically change the properties of excitonic gas, making possible the formation of a novel metastable state of dielectric liquid phase with positive compressibility consisting of condensed magnetoexcitons with finite momentum. On the other hand, virtual transitions to excited Landau levels cause a repulsive interaction between excitons with zero momentum, and the ground state of the system in this case is a Bose condensed gas of weakly repulsive excitons. We introduce explicitly the damping rate of the exciton level and show that three different phases can be realized in a single quantum well depending on the exciton density: excitonic dielectric liquid surrounded by weakly interacting gas of condensed excitons versus metallic electron-hole liquid. In the double quantum well system the phase transition from the excitonic dielectric liquid phase to the crystalline state of electrons and holes is predicted with the increase of the interwell separation and damping rate. We used a framework of Green's function to investigate the collective elementary excitations of the system in the presence of Bose-Einstein condensate, introducing "anomalous" two-particle Green's functions and symmetry breaking terms into the Hamiltonian. The analytical solution of secular equation was obtained in the Hartree-Fock approximation and energy spectra were calculated. The Coulomb interactions in the system results in a multiple-branch structure of the collective excitations energy spectrum. Systematic classification of the branches is proposed, and the condition of the stability of the condensed excitonic phase is discussed.

Three classes of bifunctional compounds related to frustrated Lewis pair chemistry were studied. The first class, alkynyl-linked phosphonium borates, was strategically synthesized and the corresponding neutral alkynyl-linked phosphine boranes generated in solution. They were reacted with THF, alkenes and alkynes to undergo either ring-opening or multiple bond addition reactions, giving rise to zwitterionic macrocycles. In two select alkynyl-linked phosphonium borates, thermolysis resulted in unique rearrangements transforming the phosphino- and boryl-substituted alkynyl moieties into C4 chains. The alkynyl-linked phosphine boranes were further demonstrated to coordinate as η3-BCC ligands in Ni(0) complexes. The rigid nature of the coordination was confirmed by dimerization without cleavage of the Ni–B interaction upon the addition of acetonitrile or carbon monoxide. Moreover, reactions with Al-, Zn- and B-based Lewis acids prompted hydride transfer within the alkynyl-linked phosphonium borate and interesting functional group transfer reactions. The second class of the bifunctional systems, a series of gem-substituted bis-boranes, was subjected to reactions with tBu3P and CO2. The O-linked bis-borane was shown to coordinate the phosphino-carboxylate moiety with one B, while the methylene-linked bis-boranes were demonstrated to chelate the carboxyl group. The third bifunctional system class, vinyl-group tethered boranes, was examined to elucidate the mechanism of the frustrated Lewis pair addition reaction to olefins. Using a bis(pentafluorophenyl)alkylborane, the close proximity of the olefinic protons and the ortho-fluorine nuclei were evident by both NOE measurements and DFT calculations. Moreover, its reactions with phosphine bases suggested that an initial interaction between the highly electrophilic borane and the olefinic fragment precedes such frustrated Lewis pair addition reaction. Furthermore, a bis(pentafluorophenyl)alkoxyborane was synthesized and reacted with P-, N-, C- and H-based nucleophiles, demonstrating the wide range of Lewis bases that can be applied in olefin addition reactions with complementary regioselectivity.

Gold(I) and copper(I) imidazolium complexes were synthesized and probed for use as bulky Lewis acids in frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) with bulky phosphines and amines. Their reactivity with small molecules was investigated and the compounds were fully characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and X-ray crystallography. Secondly, a new methylene-linked boron-sulfur Lewis acid was synthesized. Its thermodynamic properties were determined and its reactivity with terminal and internal alkynes was demonstrated. Adducts and heterocycles of this boron-sulfur system were fully characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and X-ray crystallography. The application of these new systems for the activation of small molecules is described in this thesis.