ANGLICKÝ ABSTRAKT This master's thesis analyses European legal framework on handling chemical substances. Primary focus of this thesis is on the Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals, establishing a European Chemicals Agency. A part of the thesis is dedicated to comparing analyses between American and Europeans legal framework and part is also dedicated to an attempt of monetary cost-benefits evaluation of this regulation. The thesis covers also the nanoparticles regulation and Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

Cette thèse contribue aux discussions sur la notion "d'engagement du public en amont", qui a été défendue par des chercheurs pour traiter des nanotechnologies au début du XXIème siècle. Cette notion a été critiquée pour l'absence de lien avec les décisions fonctionnelles. En utilisant l'outil théorique envisagé par Habermas, cette thèse tente d'étudier ce lien, avec une attention particulière portée sur la capacité des Organisations de la Société Civile à accueillir, condenser et répercuter sur la sphère publique les préoccupations sociétales tout en les amplifiant. Alors que la littérature antérieure est plus axée sur la réflexion théorique ou l'étude de cas isolés, la recherche soutenue par des observations sur le long terme est en grande partie absente. Sur la base de l'analyse du contenu et des entretiens, cette thèse mène un travail sur deux questions: si et dans quelle mesure "l'engagement public en amont" envers les nanos pourrait contribuer à un espace public plus vivace; et comment l'influence que les OSC ont acquis dans l'espace public pourrait se transformer en pouvoir communicationnel. La réponse à ces questions est double: d'une part, "l'engagement du public en amont" permet à la société civile d'être mieux informée et de lui permettre plus tôt de prendre part au débat. Si l'implication de la plupart des OSC prend la forme d'une coopération ou d'une argumentation parfois basée sur des rapports d'expertise. D'autre part, quelques OSC se sont retirées de ce domaine compte tenu de la faible portée de leurs propres actions sur les décisions fonctionnelles. / This dissertation contributes to the discussions of the notion 'upstream public engagement', which has been actively advocated by STS scholars in addressing nanotechnologies since the beginning of the twenty-first century. One of the major criticisms of 'upstream public engagement'is its lack of a link with the political system. Drawing on theoretical tools provided by Habermas, this dissertation seeks to examine such a 'link'with a specific focus on the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) to distill, raise and transmit societal concerns in an amplified form to the public spheres. Previous literature has mostly included theoretical reflection or one-off case studies, and research based on long-term observations is scant. Based on content analysis and semi-structured interviews with relevant actors, this dissertation investigates whether and how upstream public engagement could contribute to more vibrant public spheres and facilitate the formation of communicative power. The answer to these questions is twofold: on the one hand, moving public engagement 'upstream' enables CSOs to be better informed and to become part of the debates more quickly. Most CSOs employ cooperative, argumentative, and expertise-based forms of involvement. On the other hand,'upstream pubic engagement'has turned out to be unsuccessful in generating substantial and sustained interest, as some CSOs have quit this field in frustration at the tokenistic engagement.

Notre étude est axée sur la recherche de nouveaux solvants éco-compatibles de substitution dans le cadre de la directive européenne REACH. Plus particulièrement, le but du projet est de substituer les solvants toxiques tels que la N-méthylpyrrolidone (NMP), le crésol et le phénol utilisés dans l'industrie des vernis d'émaillage par des solvants de moindre toxicité qui permettent de synthétiser ces vernis dans ces solvants tout en conservant les mêmes propriétés. Pour la synthèse de leur vernis d'émaillage qui est par exemple utilisé pour le revêtement des fils de cuivre, l'entreprise IVA utilise en grande quantité la NMP (CMR-18), le phénol et le crésol (toxique, irritant, corrosif..). Lors du processus de revêtement, les solvants contenus dans le vernis sont brûlés. Pour substituer ces solvants, nous allons dans un premier temps, étudier le mécanisme de polymérisation et ainsi comprendre le rôle des solvants impliqués. Ensuite, nous allons procéder à la caractérisation des polymères constituants les vernis (les polyesterimides et les polyamide-imides) en synthétisant des « authentiques » qui ont été caractérisés -entre autre- par analyse infrarouge. En fin, nous effectuerons un criblage de différents solvants « moins toxiques » afin de réaliser la synthèse des polymères dans ce(s) nouveau(x) solvant(s). Les solvants utilisés seront soit commerciaux, soit synthétisés à partir de la biomasse. Lorsque les vernis d'émaillage non toxiques seront obtenus dans un ou plusieurs nouveaux solvants de moindre toxicité, nous évaluerons leurs propriétés d'application / Our study is focused on the search of new solvents eco-compatible alternative development in the framework of the European directive REACH. More particularly, the aim of the project is to substitute the toxic solvents such as N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP), the cresol and phenol used in the industry of the varnishes of enamelling by solvents of lesser toxicity which enable you to synthesize these varnishes in these solvents while maintaining the same properties. For the synthesis of their varnish of enameling which for example is used for the coating of the copper wires, company IVA uses in great quantity NMP (CMR-1B), phenol and cresol (toxic, irritant, corrossive….). During the process of coating, the solvents contained in varnish are flaring. To substitute these solvents, we will in a first time, study the mechanism of polymerization and thus understand the role of solvents involved. Then, we will proceed to the characterization of the polymer constituents the varnish (the poly (esterimide) s and the polyamide-imides) by synthesizing "authentic" which were characterized ideally by infrared analysis. Finally, we will conduct a screening of different solvents "less toxic" in order to achieve the synthesis of polymers in this/these new solvent(s). The solvents used will be either commercial, or synthesized from biomass. When the varnish of enameling non toxic will be obtained in one or several new solvents of lesser toxicity, we will assess their application properties

No description available.

Standing at a workbench is required for manual work including sorting and assembly. When work heights and reach distances are not matched to stature or arm length, the trunk assumes a partially bent position, which increases the postural effort required to stand or to reach to far distances. As a result, the biomechanical load on the lumbar spine is raised, which contributes to a higher risk for back pain. In ergonomics, assistive devices are being developed to counter this effect. A new leaning device was tested in the laboratory with forward-bent standing and reaching where the trunk was bent forward and twisted to reach to a far target 45° from the center. This device supported the trunk at the upper chest. With leaning, back muscle activity decreased by ~ 60% with forward-bent standing and ~ 23-30% with the off-center reach, depending on reach height. Because leaning changed how standing remained balanced, ~12° less bending was required to reach the target. Therefore, upper-trunk support may be helpful for benchworkers when ergonomic design is not possible; some product development and testing is still needed to provide the right amount of support at the right time and to ensure there is no rib joint irritation. An interesting outcome from these previous studies was related to workers’ posture when they leaned against a workbench that was adjusted for heavier work (hip height). Low back muscle activity was unchanged with forward-bent standing, but decreased by ~ 23-30% with the off-center reach. This reduction was accompanied by greater twist at the mid back as a way of compensating for a loss of hip rotation. Three different heights for bench leaning were compared in a third study: elbow height, hip height and below hip height. The results showed that leaning at elbow height lowered the work demand by ~16-24% for far reach, partially due to changed motions consistent with greater mid back movement and coincided with ~ 8% increase in work demands at the mid-back and greater scapular recruitment. Therefore, more research is needed to establish work height guidelines for use when leaning against a workbench. / Thesis (Ph.D, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2013-01-29 14:32:19.696

This thesis is concerned with the experiences and understandings of young people as they move from their final two years of compulsory education into a range of post-16 destinations including Further Education, work, apprenticeships and unemployment. The participants were all identified as being ‘hard to reach’ by school practitioners. The research responds to a need to deepen understanding of such young people ahead of the age of participation in education and training in England being raised to 18 in 2015. The research was conducted in the South West of England. The empirical research was undertaken between January 2008 and April 2010 and comprised semi-structured interviews with 51 young people who were interviewed between one and three times during that period. The data presented in this thesis is focused on 11 of those young people who were each interviewed on three occasions. The findings suggest similarities between the post-16 transition experiences of the young people participating here and those of young people in this age range, not identified as ‘hard to reach’. Notwithstanding these parallels, the research revealed that young peoples’ post-16 transitions and the aspirations they hold are often more nuanced than has been theorised in previous research. The findings raise questions about the implications of labelling young people, and 14-19 policy predicated upon assumptions regarding those who do not participate post-16. In conclusion it is suggested that at a time of continued economic uncertainty and UK youth unemployment approaching one million , young people need more flexibility in the school and post-16 experiences that are available and actively encouraged, rather than increased levels of constraint.

The primary intent of this study was to explore fundamental questions about the role and relationship between motor (MI) and visual (VI) imagery within the context of estimating reach. Experiment 1 examined and compared VI and MI tasks under matched environmental conditions with the intent to explore the distinction and cooperation of the visual and motor systems in representing actions. The design of this experiment included an interference paradigm modified from Stevens (2005) in which six blocks of trials (conditions) were used: MI, VI, MI with visual interference, MI with motor interference, VI with motor interference, and VI with visual interference. Results indicated that MI was significantly more accurate than VI in regard to total error, distribution of error and mean bias (p <= .05). Significant increases in the number of errors and estimation bias were found when the modalities for the imagined task and the interference task were matched. The data showed that motor tasks interfered with the ability to MI, whereas visual tasks interfered with the ability to VI. Experiment 2 included a response-delay paradigm modified from Bradshaw and Watt (2002) in which eight blocks of trials were used: MI and VI conditions with no-delay and delays of 1-, 2- and 4 s. Overall, this experiment demonstrated that response-delay influenced accuracy of the MI (visuomotor) task, but not the VI (perceptual) task. That is, after a 4s delay, error in MI increased significantly. Interestingly, these results may indicate a crucial temporal constraint for the representation of distance, isolated in the visuomotor system. In view of both experiments, the findings are consistent with the notion of a distinction between vision for perception (VI) and vision for action (MI) as advanced by Goodale, Westwood & Milner (2004). In conclusion, VI seems to delineate relevant spatial parameters within the environment and then transfer the information to MI. At this point, information is computed in terms of biomechanical possibilities for a certain movement. In summary, just as perception and action are firmly linked, so too are MI and VI.

The primary intent of this study was to gain insight into the developmental nature of spatial perception and representation. More specifically, the work presented here examined 1) the age-related ability to modulate peri- and extrapersonal space via hand and tool use, 2) the adjustment period associated with extending and retracting spaces, and 3) the effect of tool length on modulation of space. Seventy children representing age groups 7-, 9-, 11 years and adults were presented with two experiments using an estimation of reach paradigm involving hand and tool conditions and a switch-block of the opposite condition. Experiment 1 tested Hand and Tool (20cm length) estimation and found a significant effect for Age, Space, and an Age x Space interaction (ps <.05). Both children and adults were less accurate in extrapersonal space, indicating an overestimation bias. Interestingly, the adjustment period during the switch-block condition was immediate and similar across age. Experiment 2 was similar to Experiment 1 with the exception of using a 40cm length tool. Results of 55 participants also revealed a difference in estimation responses between Age groups (p <.05); 7- and 9-year-olds were similar and less accurate than adults, and 11-year-olds were not different from any other age group. There was also a difference in Space (p <.05), revealing that participants underestimated their reaching abilities with higher accuracy in extrapersonal space. Interestingly, whereas participants overall overestimated with the 20cm tool, they tended to underestimate while using the 40cm tool. This finding suggests that participants were less confident when presented with a longer tool, even though the adjustment period with both tool lengths was similar. Considered together, these results hint that: (1) children as young as 6 years of age are capable of re-scaling peripersonal space via tool use in the context of estimation reach, (2) the adjustment period associated with extending and retracting spaces is immediate rather than gradual, and (3) tool length may influence confidence of participants, shifting the general direction of error from overestimation with a 20cm tool to underestimation with a 40cm tool.

The primary intent of this study was to explore fundamental questions about the role and relationship between motor (MI) and visual (VI) imagery within the context of estimating reach. Experiment 1 examined and compared VI and MI tasks under matched environmental conditions with the intent to explore the distinction and cooperation of the visual and motor systems in representing actions. The design of this experiment included an interference paradigm modified from Stevens (2005) in which six blocks of trials (conditions) were used: MI, VI, MI with visual interference, MI with motor interference, VI with motor interference, and VI with visual interference. Results indicated that MI was significantly more accurate than VI in regard to total error, distribution of error and mean bias (p <= .05). Significant increases in the number of errors and estimation bias were found when the modalities for the imagined task and the interference task were matched. The data showed that motor tasks interfered with the ability to MI, whereas visual tasks interfered with the ability to VI. Experiment 2 included a response-delay paradigm modified from Bradshaw and Watt (2002) in which eight blocks of trials were used: MI and VI conditions with no-delay and delays of 1-, 2- and 4 s. Overall, this experiment demonstrated that response-delay influenced accuracy of the MI (visuomotor) task, but not the VI (perceptual) task. That is, after a 4s delay, error in MI increased significantly. Interestingly, these results may indicate a crucial temporal constraint for the representation of distance, isolated in the visuomotor system. In view of both experiments, the findings are consistent with the notion of a distinction between vision for perception (VI) and vision for action (MI) as advanced by Goodale, Westwood & Milner (2004). In conclusion, VI seems to delineate relevant spatial parameters within the environment and then transfer the information to MI. At this point, information is computed in terms of biomechanical possibilities for a certain movement. In summary, just as perception and action are firmly linked, so too are MI and VI.

Numerous studies have investigated motor learning by examining the adaptation of reaching movements to visuomotor perturbations that alter the mapping between actual and visually perceived hand position. The picture of the visuomotor transformation from visual input to motor input that has developed consists of three broad phases: integration of hand and target locations in a common reference frame, calculation of a movement vector between hand and target, and transformation of this movement vector from the common reference frame into motor commands. The process of adapting to a visuomotor rotation is generally viewed as an alteration of the vectorial representation of reach planning. When visual feedback is rotated, the motor and visual directions no longer coincide and the motor command executed is remapped to the subsequent visual direction produced. In the current set of studies, we examined how learning a visuomotor rotation while reaching to a target with a curved hand path generalizes to straight path reaching and novel target directions. We found that there is very little to no generalization of learning between curved reaches and straight reaches when given only endpoint feedback. With continuous visual feedback, we found partial transfer. This suggests that in the absence of visual feedback, the vectorial adaptation hypothesis is insufficient and adaptation to a visuomotor rotation is mediated by the later stages of the visuomotor transformation, when the motor commands specific to the hand path used are being generated. / Thesis (Master, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2009-04-16 15:42:40.872