L'extrême complexité des échantillons biologiques, la variabilité technique et la dépendance de la protéomique envers les banques protéiques empêchent l'analyse complète d'un protéome. Ce travail de thèse s'est focalisé sur le développement de méthodes pour la protéomique quantitative et la protéogénomique afin d'améliorer la caractérisation du protéome. Premièrement mon travail s'est centré sur le développement de méthodes quantitatives globales et ciblées. La mise en place de standards pour évaluer les performances de tous les niveaux de la stratégie analytique est aussi décrite. Ces méthodes ont été optimisées pour répondre à diverses questions biologiques. Mon doctorat s'est focalisé aussi autour de la protéogénomique. Une méthode d'analyse N-terminomique à haut débit a été développée et appliquée à l'étude de la mitochondrie humaine. Enfin, ce manuscrit présente une approche multi-omique visant à améliorer l'analyse du protéome avec la création de banques de données personnalisées . / The high intrinsic complexity of biological samples, the technical variability and the dependency of Bottom-up Proteomics to consensus protein sequence databases handicap the comprehensive analysis of an entire Proteome. My doctoral work was focused on method development in quantitative Proteomics and Proteogenomics in order to achieve a better proteome characterization. First, I focused on the development of global and targeted quantitative methods. The introduction and development of standard samples to assess the performances at any level of the analytical workflow is also described. These methods were applied to answer different biological questions. My PhD also focused on Proteogenomic method development. A high throughput N-terminomic analysis approach was developed and applied to the analysis of the human mitochondria. Finally, this manuscript presents a personalized multi-omics profiling strategy to improve the proteome analysis with the use of personalized databases.

L’objectif de ce travail est de présenter une description grammaticale aussi complète que possible de la langue mano (près de 400 000 locuteurs en Guinée et au Libéria) tout en la plaçant dans un contexte typologique, en comparant le mano avec d’autres langues mandé, mais aussi en distinguant des particularités typologiques à un niveau plus large. Le texte de la thèse est divisé en six chapitres: Phonologie et phonétique; Morphologie; Groupe nominal; Groupe verbal; Système prédicatif; Syntaxe de l'énoncé. Justifiant l'orientation typologique de la thèse, chaque chapitre se conclut par une section présentant des caractéristiques typologiques. Les thèmes suivants ont été examinés en détail: étude quantitative de phonotactique, étude de la catégorie du nombre, y compris l’expression du nombre et l’accord en nombre ; le système des quantificateurs ; la structure argumentale ; l’étude de corpus de distribution des marqueurs prédicatifs ; la syntaxe de l’énoncé, notamment la syntaxe de l’énoncé relatif. Les annexes à la fin de la thèse représentent des compléments d'information importants, notamment les paradigmes verbaux complets. Deux de ces annexes sont des textes glosés. / This work aims to present a grammatical description – as complete as possible – of a South Mande language, Mano (400,000 speakers in Guinea and Liberia), placing it into a typological context, comparing the language with other Mande languages and distinguishing general typological particularities. The text of the thesis is divided into six chapters: Phonology and phonetics; Morphology; Noun phrase; Verb phrase; Predicative system; Syntax of the clause. Justifying the typological orientation of the thesis, each chapter is concluded by a section providing typological particularities of the data presented in it. A detailed analysis was given, among others, on the following themes: quantitative study of phonotactics; study of the category of number, including its expression and alignment by number; the system of quantification markers; argument structure, corpus study of predicative markers’ distribution; syntax of the clause, especially syntax of the relative clause.The appendices at the end of the thesis contain some important complementary information, including, for instance, complete verbal paradigms. Two of these appendices comprise of glossed texts.

L'augmentation de la production d'huile de colza (Brassica napus L.) pour répondre à la demande alimentaire et industrielle exige d'optimiser le rendement dans un contexte de réduction des intrants, notamment azotés. Les approches de génétique offrent une voie pour répondre à ces enjeux. En effet, la connaissance des régions génomiques (QTLs) et des mécanismes qui contrôlent l'élaboration des composantes du rendement sous contrainte azotée est un prérequis à la création variétale. Dans ce contexte, les questions de recherche posées dans cette thèse sont les suivantes: i) quelle est l'architecture génétique du rendement en huile chez le colza cultivé en bas intrants azotés?, ii) quelles sont les interactions des QTLs avec l'environnement et plus particulièrement avec l'intensité du stress azoté?, et iii) comment la combinaison de données agronomiques, génétiques et génomiques peut-elle contribuer à l'amélioration de caractères d'intérêt chez le colza? Une stratégie de détection de QTLs par analyse de liaison et analyse d'association a été mise en place sur deux populations biparentales et un panel de colzas d'hiver. Ces populations ont été expérimentées sur sept lieux et six années de culture (2009-2014) en condition de nutrition azotée limitante ou suffisante. Pour chaque essai, sept caractères phénotypiques relatifs à l'élaboration du rendement ont été mesurés. Peu d'interactions génotype × azote ont été détectées sur les caractères étudiés et un nombre important de QTLs a été retrouvé dans les deux conditions azotées. A l'inverse, de fortes interactions génotype × environnement ont été mises en évidence pour la majorité des caractères et les QTLs étaient pour la plupart spécifiques d'un lieu de culture. Dix régions génomiques d'importance, stables entre environnement et populations ont ainsi été identifiés et leur organisation structurale dans le génome du colza a été analysée. Le contrôle génétique de la teneur en huile des graines de colza a ensuite été étudié en combinant à la fois les informations de dix études indépendantes, les informations procurées par la récente publication du génome de B. napus et la recherche de variabilité haplotypique dans une région d'intérêt identifiée sur le chromosome A1 dans une population de colzas d'hiver. / The increase of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) oil production to answer the demand for human consumption and industrial applications requires the optimisation of seed yield in a context of reduction of inputs, including the nitrogen fertilization. Genetic approaches are a way to respond to this challenge. Indeed, determining the genomic regions (QTLs) and mechanisms controlling seed yield components under nitrogen limitation is a prerequisite for plant breeding programs. In this context, the scientific questions raised in this thesis are: i) what is the genetic architecture of seed yield components in rapeseed grown under limiting nitrogen condition? ii) how do the QTLs interact with the environment, and especially with the nitrogen stress?, and iii) how the combination of agronomic, genetic and genomic information can lead to the improvement of traits of interest in rapeseed? A strategy of QTL detection by linkage and linkage disequilibrium analyses was set up on two biparental populations and a winter oilseed rape diversity set. Those populations were trialled in seven location and six growing seasons (2009-2014) under low and sufficient nitrogen conditions. For each trial, seven seed yield-related traits were acquired. Few genotype × nitrogen condition interactions were detected and an important number of QTLs were common to the two nitrogen regimes. On the contrary, strong genotype × environment interactions were evidenced for most of the traits under study and the majority of the QTLs were location-specific. Ten critical genomic regions for yield associated traits stable through the environments and populations were identified and their structural organization in the rapeseed genome was investigated. The genetic control of oil content was then studied by combining the information from ten independent reports, the genomic information provided by the recent release of the B. napus genome and the haplotype variations among a winter oilseed rape population within one particular region identified on the A1 chromosome.

L’objectif principal de cette thèse était d’identifier et de quantifier les protéines de la matrice organique qui contrôlent le type polymorphique et la morphologie des cristaux présents dans la coquille d’oeuf de poule à différents stades du processus de minéralisation afin de mettre en évidence les composants impliqués dans la calcification à chacun de ces stades. Au total, 64 et 175 protéines différentiellement abondantes durant le processus de minéralisation ont été identifiées dans le milieu de formation (fluide utérin) et la matrice organique. Parmi celles-ci, les fonctions de 24 protéines du fluide utérin et de 77 issues de la coquille sont potentiellement reliées au processus de minéralisation. Nous décrivons plus particulièrement 20 protéines du fait de leur abondance et de leurs fonctions directe ou indirecte sur le processus de calcification. Des études complémentaires sur ces candidats permettront de confirmer leur implication dans la minéralisation de la coquille d’oeuf. / The aim of this PhD was to identify and quantify eggshell organic matrix proteins which control polymorphic type and morphology of crystals at different time points of the eggshell mineralization process in order to highlight particular components involved in calcification at each calcification stage. A total of 64 and 175 proteins differentially abundant during mineralization process were identified in the forming milieu (uterine fluid) and in the eggshell organic matrix respectively. Out of them, 24 uterine fluid and 77 eggshell proteins are functionally related to the mineralization process. We paid particular attention to 20 overabundant proteins with direct or indirect functional evidences related to calcification. Further studies will be necessary to confirm their involvement in the chicken eggshell mineralization.

Le développement des énergies renouvelables et leur expansion à travers le monde s'inscrit dans une démarche de lutte contre le changement climatique. En Allemagne, le phénomène de l'expansion de l'«énergie verte» connaît un essor fulgurant depuis la décision prise par Angela Merkel en 2011 de sortir progressivement du nucléaire d'ici l'an 2020. La question posée est de savoir si les énergies renouvelables, figurant parmi les indicateurs de développement durable en Allemagne en respectent vraiment les principes fondamentaux? Ce travail relève donc dans un premier temps les défis auxquels font face l'infrastructure et l'économie allemandes. Ensuite, sur le plan micro-économique, une étude de la performance en matière de développement durable a été établie par le biais d'une analyse quantitative grâce à la méthode du Data Envelopment Analysis. La dernière partie s'intéresse aux changements sociaux et environnementaux tels que la participation de la société civile, ou encore la ‘pollution atmosphérique’ engendrée par ce type d’énergies. / The development and expansion of renewable energies throughout the world is part of a global approach undertaken to tackle climate change. In Germany, the expansion of "green energy" is soaring since the decision by Angela Merkel in 2011 to phase out nuclear power by 2020. The question is whether renewable energy, as one of the sustainable developmentindicators in Germany, really respects the fundamental principles of the latter? Hence, this first addresses the challenges faced by the German economy and infrastructure. Then, at the micro level, a sustainability performance study was established through a quantitative analysis using the Data Envelopment Analysis method. The final part deals with social and environmental changes such as the participation of civil society, or the atmospheric pollution caused by renewables.

Leptosphaeria maculans est un champignon pathogène, responsable de l’une des principales maladies du colza (Brassica napus), la nécrose du collet. Le cycle de vie infectieux de L. maculans est particulièrement complexe. Après l’infection primaire des feuilles et des cotylédons, le champignon développe une longue phase de vie endophytique dans la tige. Cette phase de vie, qui est entièrement asymptomatique, dure plusieurs mois, avant que la nécrose ne se développe à la base de la tige, préjudiciable à l'élaboration du rendement. Durant cette phase, le colza peut présenter une « résistance adulte » limitant l'apparition et la gravité des symptômes. Alors que les gènes fongiques exprimés au cours de l’infection primaire du colza sont largement étudiés, très peu de connaissances étaient disponibles concernant la phase de colonisation systémique. Pour expliquer la capacité du champignon à coloniser la tige sans induire de symptômes, nous avons donc émis l’hypothèse que L. maculans exprimait à ce stade des effecteurs, c'est-à-dire des petites protéines sécrétées, interférant avec le système de défense de la plante. L’objectif de ma thèse était d'identifier de tels effecteurs et de les caractériser afin de mieux comprendre la colonisation systémique du colza par le champignon. Un des enjeux sous-jacents de cette thèse était aussi d'identifier de nouvelles résistances permettant la reconnaissance spécifique de ces effecteurs, qui pourraient expliquer, au moins en partie, la résistance adulte observée dans certaines variétés.Par une approche transcriptomique, j'ai pu identifier 307 effecteurs candidats "tardifs", spécifiquement exprimés lors de la colonisation de la tige et 107 effecteurs "précoces", spécifiquement exprimés lors de la colonisation des cotylédons. J’ai confirmé que les gènes codant des effecteurs précoces de L. maculans sont spécifiquement localisés dans les régions pauvres en gènes et riches en éléments répétés du génome fongique. A l'inverse les gènes codant des effecteurs candidats tardifs sont absents de ces régions et sont localisés dans les régions riches en gènes du génome. Les effecteurs de L. maculans ont donc une localisation génomique distincte en fonction de leur profil d'expression.Une analyse approfondie de cinq de ces effecteurs tardifs a permis de montrer leur conservation dans les populations naturelles de L. maculans et leur implication dans la suppression de la mort cellulaire végétale. Ces résultats associés à l'analyse de leur profil d'expression dans des échantillons de tige issus du champ au cours d'une saison culturale ont permis de proposer le modèle suivant: L. maculans coloniserait la tige de colza en sécrétant des effecteurs supprimant la mort cellulaire et donc interférant avec les défenses de la plante. A la fin de la saison culturale, la diminution de l'expression de ces effecteurs permettrait au champignon de passer d'un stade de vie biotrophe à un stade de vie nécrotrophe et d’induire la nécrose au collet. Cette transition entre les deux modes de vie serait donc basée sur un équilibre entre effecteurs supprimant la mort cellulaire et effecteurs induisant la mort cellulaire.Dans le but d'identifier de nouvelles sources de résistance spécifiques et/ou faciliter l’identification de résistances quantitatives dans le matériel végétal, j'ai créé des souches fongiques sur-exprimant précocement des effecteurs tardifs. Avec ces souches transformées j'ai évalué par test cotylédonnaire une grande collection de génotypes de colza pour identifier de potentielles relations de type gène-pour-gène. Une variété présentant une réponse hypersensible à un effecteur tardif a ainsi pu être identifiée, le contrôle monogénique de cette réponse a été validé et sa cartographie génétique effectuée dans deux descendances. Cette approche permet donc effectivement d'identifier de nouvelles sources de résistances pour lutter efficacement contre la nécrose du collet. / Leptosphaeria maculans is a pathogenic fungus, responsible for one of the main diseases of oilseed rape (Brassica napus), the stem canker disease. The infectious life cycle of L. maculans is especially complex. After the primary infection of leaves and cotyledons, the fungus develops a long endophytic stage in the stem. This infection stage, which is entirely asymptomatic, lasts several months before necrosis develops at the stem base, responsible of yield loss. At this stage, the oilseed rape may exhibit "adult resistance" limiting the onset and severity of symptoms. While the fungal genes expressed during the primary infection are extensively studied, very little knowledge was available concerning the systemic colonization. To explain the ability of the fungus to colonize the stem without inducing symptom, we have therefore hypothesized that L. maculans expressed effectors, i.e. small secreted proteins, interfering with the plant defense system.The objective of my thesis was to identify such effectors and to characterize them to better understand the systemic colonization of oilseed rape by L. maculans. One of the underlying challenges of this thesis was also to identify new resistances allowing the specific recognition of these effectors expressed during stem colonization, and which may explain, at least in part, the adult resistance observed in some varieties.Using a transcriptomic approach, I was able to identify 307 "late" effector candidates specifically expressed during stem colonization and 107 "early" effector candidates specifically expressed during cotyledon colonization. I confirmed that the genes encoding early effectors of L. maculans are specifically localized in gene-poor regions and rich in repeated elements of the fungal genome. Conversely, late candidate effectors are absent from these regions and are located in regions rich in genes of the genome. L. maculans effectors have thus a distinct genomic localization based on their expression profile.A detailed analysis of five of these late effectors showed their conservation in the natural populations of L. maculans and their involvement in the suppression of plant cell death. These results, associated with the analysis of their expression profile in stem samples from the fields during a growing season, allowed us to propose the following model: L. maculans would colonize systemically the oilseed rape stem by secreting effectors suppressing cell death and thus interfering with plant defenses. At the end of the growing season, the decreased expression of these effectors would allow the fungus to switch from a biotrophic to a necrotrophic lifestyle and to induce stem canker. This transition between the two ways of life would therefore be based on a balance between effectors suppressing and effectors inducing cell death.In order to identify new specific sources of resistance and / or to facilitate the identification of quantitative resistances in plant material, I created fungal strains over-expressing late effectors during cotyledon colonization. With these transformed strains I evaluated by cotyledonary test a large collection of oilseed rape genotypes to identify potential gene-for-gene. A variety with a hypersensitive response to a late effector was thus identified, the monogenic control of this response was validated and its genetic mapping carried out in two progenies. This approach therefore effectively enables the identification of new sources of resistance for effective control of L. maculans.

La canalisation génétique est définie comme la capacité d’un organisme à avoir un développement constant en dépit des mutations qui l’affectent. A l’heure actuelle, trois hypothèses majoritaires cherchent à expliquer l’apparition de ce processus : évolutive, congruente et intrinsèque. Pour tester ces hypothèses, j’ai choisi d’étudier les réseaux de régulation. Pour cela, j’ai réutilisé un modèle théorique pour simuler in silico l’évolution des architectures génétiques, et les analyser par les outils de la génétique quantitative. J’ai d’abord étudié les comportements évolutifs de notre modèle et sa capacité de réponse à la sélection stabilisante. Outre l’analyse de l’impact des paramètres du modèle, j’ai mis en évidence l’absence d’équilibre mutation – sélection – dérive après des milliers de générations du fait de l’augmentation progressive de la canalisation. J’ai ensuite montré que les réseaux soumis à des mutations fréquentes et fortes, sélectionnés vers des optimums phénotypiques extrêmes, et dans lesquels certains gènes sont laissés libres d’évoluer sont plus aptes à faire évoluer de la canalisation génétique. Ces résultats nous ont amenés à proposer un double mécanisme impliqué dans l’évolution de la canalisation dans les réseaux de régulation : la réduction de la cible mutationnelle et la redondance de la régulation génique. Je termine ce manuscrit en présentant quelques pistes d’études complémentaires, portant notamment sur l’étude de la canalisation contre les perturbations environnementales et l’utilisation de modèles alternatifs. / Genetic canalization is defined as the capacity of an organism to undergo a normal development even when the genome is altered by mutations. Currently, three main hypotheses are prone to explain the apparition of such a process: evolutionary, congruent and intrinsic. To test these hypotheses, I chose to study gene regulatory networks. To this end, I used a theoretical model, ran in silico simulations, and analyzed the genetic architecture by using quantitative genetics tools. I first studied the evolutionary behavior of the model, and its capacity to respond to stabilizing selection. In addition to the sensitivity analysis to model parameters, I evidenced the absence of mutation-selection-drift equilibrium after several thousand generations, which reveals the evolution of canalization. I also showed that networks submitted to frequent and large mutations, and/or selected toward extreme phenotypic optima are more prone to evolve genetic canalization. This result leads us to propose a two-fold mechanism able to explain the evolution of canalization in gene regulatory networks: shrinkage of mutational targets and redundancy in genetic regulation. At the end of this manuscript, I propose some possible future studies, such as the study of canalization towards environmental perturbations, and use of alternative models.

Mathematical logic and automata theory are two scientific disciplines with a close relationship that is not only fundamental for many theoretical results but also forms the basis of a coherent methodology for the verification and synthesis of computing systems. This connection goes back to a much longer history in the 1960s, through the fundamental work of Büchi-Elgot-Trakhtenbrot, which shows the expressive equivalence of automata and logical systems such as monadic second-order logic on finite and infinite words. This allowed the handling of specifications (where global system properties are stated), and implementations (which involve the definition of the local steps in order to satisfy the global goals laid out in the specifications) in a single framework. This connection has been extended to and well-investigated for many other structures such as trees, finite pictures, timed words and data words. For many computer science applications, however, quantitative phenomena need to be modelled, as well. Examples are vagueness and uncertainty of a statement, length of time periods, spatial information, and resource consumption. Weighted automata, introduced by Schützenberger, are prominent models for quantitative aspects of systems. The framework of weighted monadic second-order logic over words was first introduced by Droste and Gastin. They gave a characterization of quantitative behavior of weighted finite automata, as semantics of monadic second-order sentences within their logic. Meanwhile, the idea of weighted logics was also applied to devices recognizing more general structures such as weighted tree automata, weighted automata on infinite words or traces. The main goal of this thesis is to give logical characterizations for weighted automata models on pictures and data words as well as for Büchi-tiling systems in the spirit of the classical Büchi-Elgot theorem. As the second goal, we deal with synchronizing problem for data words. Below, we briefly summarize the contents of this thesis. Informally, a two-dimensional string is called a picture and is defined as a rectangular array of symbols taken from a finite alphabet. A two-dimensional language (or picture language) is a set of pictures. Picture languages have been intensively investigated by several research groups. In Chapter 1, we define weighted two-dimensional on-line tessellation automata (W2OTA) taking weights from a new weight structure called picture valuation monoid. This new weighted picture automaton model can be used to model several applications, e.g. the average density of a picture. Such aspects could not be modelled by semiring weighted picture automaton model. The behavior of this automaton model is a picture series mapping pictures over an alphabet to elements of a picture valuation monoid. As one of our main results, we prove a Nivat theorem for W2OTA. It shows that recognizable picture series can be obtained precisely as projections of particularly simple unambiguously recognizable series restricted to unambiguous recognizable picture languages. In addition, we introduce a weighted monadic second-order logic (WMSO) which can model average density of pictures. As the other main result, we show that W2OTA and a suitable fragment of our weighted MSO logic are expressively equivalent. In Chapter 2, we generalize the notion of finite pictures to +ω-pictures, i.e., pictures which have finite number of rows and infinite number of columns. We extend conventional tiling systems with a Büchi acceptance condition in order to define the class of Büchi-tiling recognizable +ω-picture languages. The class of recognizable +ω-picture languages is indeed, a natural generalization of ω-regular languages. We show that the class of all Büchi-tiling recognizable +ω-picture languages has the similar closure properties as the class of tiling recognizable languages of finite pictures: it is closed under projection, union, and intersection, but not under complementation. While for languages of finite pictures, tiling recognizability and EMSO-definability coincide, the situation is quite different for languages of +ω-pictures. In this setting, the notion of tiling recognizability does not even cover the language of all +ω -pictures over Σ = {a, b} in which the letter a occurs at least once – a picture language that can easily be defined in first-order logic. As a consequence, EMSO is too strong for being captured by the class of tiling recognizable +ω-picture languages. On the other hand, EMSO is too weak for being captured by the class of all Büchi-tiling recognizable +ω-picture languages. To obtain a logical characterization of this class, we introduce the logic EMSO∞, which extends EMSO with existential quantification of infinite sets. Additionally, using combinatorial arguments, we show that the Büchi characterization theorem for ω-regular languges does not carry over to the Büchi-tiling recognizable +ω-picture languages. In Chapter 3, we consider the connection between weighted register automata and weighted logic on data words. Data words are sequences of pairs where the first element is taken from a finite alphabet (as in classical words) and the second element is taken from an infinite data domain. Register automata, introduced by Francez and Kaminski, provide a widely studied model for reasoning on data words. These automata can be considered as classical nondeterministic finite automata equipped with a finite set of registers which are used to store data in order to compare them with some data in the future. In this chapter, for quantitative reasoning on data words, we introduce weighted register automata over commutative data semirings equipped with a collection of binary data functions in the spirit of the classical theory of weighted automata. Whereas in the models of register automata known from the literature data are usually compared with respect to equality or a linear order, here we allow data comparison by means of an arbitrary collection of binary data relations. This approach permits easily to incorporate timed automata and weighted timed automata into our framework. Motivated by the seminal Büchi-Elgot-Trakhtenbrot theorem about the expressive equivalence of finite automata and monadic second-order (MSO) logic and by the weighted MSO logic of Droste and Gastin, we introduce weighted MSO logic on data words and give a logical characterization of weighted register automata. In Chapter 4, we study the concept of synchronizing data words in register automata. The synchronizing problem for data words asks whether there exists a data word that sends all states of the register automaton to a single state. The class of register automata that we consider here has a decidable non-emptiness problem, and the subclass of nondeterministic register automata with a single register has a decidable non-universality problem. We provide the complexity bounds of the synchronizing problem in the family of deterministic register automata with k registers (k-DRA), and in the family of nondeterministic register automata with single register (1-NRA), and in general undecidability of the problem in the family of k-NRA. To this end, we prove that, for k-DRA, inputting data words with only 2k + 1 distinct data values, from the infinite data domain, is sufficient to synchronize. Then, we show that the synchronizing problem for k-DRA is in general PSPACE-complete, and it is in NLOGSPACE for 1-DRA. For nondeterministic register automata (NRA), we show that Ackermann(n) distinct data, where n is the number of states of the register automaton, might be necessary to synchronize. Then, by means of a construction, proving that the synchronizing problem and the non-universality problem in 1-NRA are interreducible, we show the Ackermann-completeness of the problem for 1-NRA. However, for k-NRA, in general, we prove that this problem is undecidable due to the unbounded length of synchronizing data words.

Individuals who screen research grant applications often select candidates on the basis of a few key parameters; success or failure can be reduced to a series of peer-reviewed Likert scores on as little as four criteria: risk, relevance, return, and reasonableness. Despite the vital impact these assessments have upon the sponsors, researchers, and society in general as a benefactor of the research, there is little empirical research into the peer-review process. The purpose of this study was to investigate how reviewers evaluate reasonableness and how the process can be modeled in a decision support system. The research questions both address the relationship between an individual's estimates of reasonableness and the indicators of scope, resources, cost, and schedule as well as evaluate the performance of several cognitive models as predictors of reasonableness. Building upon Brunswik's theory of probabilistic functionalism, a survey methodology was used to implement a policy-capturing exercise that yielded a quantitative baseline of reasonableness estimates. The subsequent data analysis addressed the predictive performance of six cognitive models as measured by the mean-square-deviation between the models and the data. A novel mapping approach developed by von Helversen and Rieskamp, a fuzzy logic model, and an exemplar model were found to outperform classic linear regression. A neural network model and the QuickEst heuristic model did not perform as well as linear regression. This information can be used in a decision support system to improve the reliability and validity of future research assessments. The positive social impact of this work would be more efficient allocation and prioritization of increasingly scarce research funds in areas of science such as social, psychological, medical, pharmaceutical, and engineering.

The not-for-profit community serves a vital societal role. Guided by the systems-theory, the purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to identify ways not-for-profit agencies could be more fiscally sound during difficult economic times and plan for uncertain futures. Face-to-face recorded interviews with 20 chief executives from different not-for-profit corporations in western Pennsylvania, were conducted to examine their professional lived experiences in order to collect best practices by which each executive dealt with difficult economic times. Structured interviews consisted of 8 questions that probed different aspects of the phenomena of dealing with fiscal challenges. Transcribed data were coded for both a priori and emergent themes and were categorized according to a cross-case similarities and differences of the specific responses of the CEOs. The convergent across-case findings of the current study indicated that leaders should (a) have a strategic plan, (b) utilize metrics to evaluate outcomes against goals, and (c) be willing to adjust plans accordingly. Almost all of executives indicated that remaining fiscally healthy was critical so that his organization could achieve its primary mission of serving their community. Not-for-profit organizations provide medical care to the homeless, care for the needs of the elderly, and provide specific services to children with metal disabilities helping them to become more productive. The current study contributes to positive social change by informing best practices regarding how not-for-profit corporations can continue to provide these critical social services through sustainable business practices, especially during those difficult economic times when their services are most needed.