La sclérose Latérale Amyotrophique (SLA) est une maladie neuro-dégénérative rare. Il n’existe aucune donnée d’incidence française en population générale. Le profil phénotypique des patients français atteints de SLA, n’a pas été étudié. En outre, aucun facteur de risque confirmé n’existe pour cette pathologie bien que l’activité physique (AP) soit souvent rapportée comme possible facteur étiologique. Dans
 ce
 contexte, 
 pour améliorer les connaissances dans ces domaines, nos
 travaux
 ont
 consisté
 en trois études : (1) une étude sur l’incidence de la SLA dans la région du Limousin sur la base de données issues du premier registre français de SLA, (2) une étude des phénotypes des patients issus de 11 centres SLA français et (3) une revue de littérature des études épidémiologiques originales sur le lien entre PA et SLA. Nos travaux ont mis en évidence une incidence brute et standardisée sur la population européenne de 2010, élevée : 3,19/100 000 personnes-année (P-A) et 2,58/100 000 P-A respectivement. Concernant les aspects phénotypiques, nos travaux ont identifié huit phénotypes de SLA : (1) bulbaire, (2) spinal cervical, (3) spinal lombaire (4) flail leg, (5) flail arm, (6) respiratoire, (7) SLA-DFT et (8) Tête tombante (« Dropped head »). Nous avons conclu notre revue de littérature que l’AP en elle-même n’est probablement pas un facteur de risque de SLA. Comme perspective, (i) nous espérons étendre le registre de la SLA à d’autres régions françaises. En outre (ii) il serait très important de confirmer nos travaux sur les phénotypes sur un échantillon plus représentative Enfin, (iii) concernant le lien entre AP et SLA, d’autres travaux de niveau de preuve élevé sont souhaitables pour asseoir le résultat synthétique que nous avons apporté. / Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a rare neurodegenerative disease. Currently in France, there is no population-based incidence data. The phenotypic profile of French patients with ALS, has not been studied. Lastly, no risk factors are confirmed for this pathology. In this context, to improve knowledge in these fields, our work consisted of three studies: (1) a study on the incidence of ALS in the Limousin region based on the database from the first French ALS register (2) a study of the phenotypes of patients from 11 French ALS centers and (3) a literature review of original epidemiological studies focusing on physical activity (PA) and ALS risk. Our work has highlighted a high crude and standardized incidence (on Europe population): 3.19 / 100 000 person-years (PY) and 2.58 / 100,000 PY respectively. Regarding phenotypic aspects, our work identified eight ALS phenotypes: (1) bulbar, (2) cervical spinal (3) lumbar spinal (4) flail leg, (5) flail arm, (6) respiratory, (7) ALS-FTD and (8) dropped head. We demonstrated that the PA itself is probably not a risk factor for ALS. As a first perspective we hope to expand the ALS Register to other French regions. In a second perspective, it would be very important to confirm our work on phenotypes on a larger and representative sample of ALS patients. Finally, regarding the relationship between PA and ALS, other work of high level of evidence are desirable to confirm the synthetic result we brought in this thesis work.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / We study problems of existence and uniqueness of constant mean curvature surfaces with prescribed boundary satisfying the bounded slope condition. The surfaces are given as Euclidean graphs in R3 and as parabolic graphs in H3, over bounded domains contained in totally geodesic surfaces in these ambients, or moreover, as radial graphs over bounded domains contained in S2. / Estudamos problemas de existência e unicidade de superfícies de curvatura média constante com bordo prescrito satisfazendo a condição de declividade limitada (CDL). Tais superfícies são dadas como gráficos euclidianos (verticais) em R3 e como gráficos parabólicos em H3, definidos sobre domínios limitados contidos em superfícies totalmente geodésicas destes ambientes, ou ainda como gráficos radiais em R3 sobre domínios limitados contidos em S2.

Dans cette thèse, nous appliquons des outils issus de la théorie d’Arakelov à l’étude de problèmes de géométrie diophantienne. Une notion centrale dans notre étude est la théorie des pentes des fibrés vectoriels hermitiens, introduite par Bost dans les années 90. Nous travaillons plus précisément avec sa généralisation dans le cadre adélique, inspirée par Zhang et développée par Gaudron. Ce mémoire s’articule autour de deux axes principaux. Le premier consiste en l’étude d’un remarquable théorème de géométrie diophantienne dû à Faltings etWüstholz, qui généralise le théorème du sous-espace de Schmidt. Nous commencerons par retranscrire la démonstration de Faltings et Wüstholz dans le langage de la théorie des pentes. Dans un second temps, nous établirons des variantes effectives de ce théorème, que nous appliquerons pour démontrer une généralisation effective du théorème de Liouville valable pour les points fermés d’une variété projective fixée. Ce résultat fournit en particulier une majoration explicite de la hauteur des points satisfaisant une inégalité analogue à celle du théorème de Liouville classique. Dans la seconde partie de cette thèse, nous établirons de nouvelles mesures d’indépendance linéaire de logarithmes dans un groupe algébrique commutatif, dans le cas dit rationnel.Notre approche utilise les arguments de la méthode de Baker revisitée par Philippon et Waldschmidt, combinés avec des outils de la théorie des pentes. Nous y intégrons un nouvel argument, inspiré par des travaux antérieurs de Bertrand et Philippon, nous permettant de contourner les difficultés introduites par le cas périodique. Cette approche évite le recours à une extrapolation sur les dérivations à la manière de Philippon et Waldschmidt. Nous parvenons ainsi à supprimer une hypothèse technique contraignante dans plusieurs théorèmes de Gaudron, tout en précisant les mesures obtenues. / In this thesis, we study diophantine geometry problems on projective varieties and commutative algebraic groups, by means of tools from Arakelov theory. A central notion in this work is the slope theory for hermitian vector bundles, introduced by Bost in the 1990s. More precisely, we work with its generalization in an adelic setting, inspired by Zhang and developed by Gaudron. This dissertation contains two major lines. The first one is devoted to the study of a remarkable theorem due to Faltings and Wüstholz, which generalizes Schmidt’s subspace theorem. We first reformulate the proof of Faltings and Wüstholz using the formalism of adelic vector bundles and the adelic slope method. We then establish some effective variants of the theorem, and we deduce an effective generalization of Liouville’s theorem for closed points on a projective variety defined over a number field. In particular, we give an explicit upper bound for the height of the points satisying a Liouville-type inequality. In the second part, we establish new measures of linear independence of logarithms over a commutative algebraic group. We focus our study on the rational case. Our approach combines Baker’s method (revisited by Philippon and Waldschmidt) with arguments from the slope theory. More importantly, we introduce a new argument to deal with the periodic case, inspired by previous works of Bertrand and Philippon. This method does not require the use of an extrapolation on derivations in the sense of Philippon-Waldschmidt. In this way, we are able to remove an important hypothesis in several theorems of Gaudron establishing lower bounds for linear forms in logarithms.

[pt] O presente trabalho apresenta a aplicação das metodologias de análise de estabilidade para taludes rochosos de grande altura comumente aplicados dentro do mundo da mineração. Mostra os principais fatores que influem dentro de uma análise de estabilidade como são a determinação das propriedades geomecânicas do maciço rochoso (rocha intacta e descontinuidades) e a caracterização geológica estrutural da região estudada. Esses parâmetros geralmente são obtidos a partir de ensaios de laboratório e de campo, além da informação que fornecem os mapeamentos geológicos. Outra forma de determinar estas propriedades de resistência é através de retro-análises em regiões onde tenha ocorrido algum tipo de colapso ou pela recopilação de dados que foram utilizados em análises anteriores e possam ser extrapolados. Também é apresentado um passo a passo das distintas etapas de um estudo de estabilidade e a obtenção de dados que finalizam na aplicação de softwares especializados na área de geotécnia e geomecânica, os quais permitirão determinar e pré-visualizar os possíveis problemas de instabilidade dentro dos taludes de um pit mineiro. Serão apresentados dois tipos de análises de estabilidade, o primeiro baseado na teoria do método de equilíbrio limite, o qual procura a possível superfície crítica de deslizamento dentro de um talude e que, condiciona a estabilidade da parede aos valores do fator de segurança. A segundo análise está relacionada com um modelo numérico, o qual aplica o método de elementos distintos ou de blocos, que permite a aplicação de um modelo constitutivo que descreva o comportamento dos materiais e das descontinuidades dentro do maciço rochoso, fornecendo como resultados a pré-visualização de variação de deslocamentos e vetores de velocidade para cada etapa de escavação. / [en] This thesis presents the application of procedures for the stability analysis of high slopes commonly applied in the mining world. It presents the main parameters that influence the stability analysis: determination of the rock mass geomechanical properties (intact rock and discontinuities) and the geological structures characterization of the studied region. These parameters generally are the result of laboratory and field tests, in addition, the information about the geological mapping. Another procedure for determining the properties strength may be through a back analysis of a collapsed zone or extrapolation of a data compilation from previous analyses. Apart from strength parameter determination and concept applying of rock mechanics, this research describes step by step the different stages of a stability analysis and its obtained data, this work then finishes with a geotechnical and geomechanical software application, which will determines and previews slope stability problems for a mining pit. This thesis includes two stability analysis procedures: the first method applies the limit equilibrium theory, which looks for the critical failure surface that depends on depends on a factor of safety. The second one applies a numerical model that uses distinct element method, which through a constitutive model, describes how the materials and discontinuities behave in a rock mass, obtaining as a result, the displacement and velocity vectors for each excavation stage.

With an imminent future of fully autonomous heavy duty vehicles in offroad applications, the need for advanced control system will increase accordingly. By implementing a raster map with tiles and pixels, to which a vehicle can record slope and position data while driving, it is possible to map earth's surface. By adding a heat parameter to every pixel, i.e. the number of passings through it historically, it is possible in future visits of the same are to generate a route prediction made up by the "hottest" pixels. By fetching the slope values in the hottest pixels, it is possible to generate a slope horizon that can be utilized by control systems, e.g. when planning gear shifts in hilly offroad terrain. To mange the incrementally growing map, a memory management system was implemented. It buffers the relevant map data from the database, i.e. the vehicles closest surroundings, which is then used for route prediction and horizon generation. As the vehicle moves into other areas, new data is read from the database, and the recently passed area is written back to the database, however updated from the recent passing. The system is implemented so that it runs through another application in the telematics electrical controller unit (ECU) in a Scania vehicle. The ECU contains a GNSS module from which the vehicle fetches satellite positioning data. Slope data is fetched from a slope sensor mounted on the truck. Due to implications during testing and debugging of the resulting application developed and implemented during this thesis project, the application's performance couldn't be assessed properly. However, it is concluded that the background the application is built on is reliable, although tweaks to get the application fit for usage in offroad terrain had to be made. Mainly, the horizon length and map building techniques should not be the same as in similar applications for onroad driving.

An easy-to-use spreadsheet version of a finite difference method for progressive landslide analysis has been developed. The finite difference method was originally developed by Dr. Stig Bernander, earlier adjunct professor at Luleå University of Technology and head of the Design Department of Skanska AB in Gothenburg, Sweden.. The so called Muskrat Falls Project consists in the ongoing construction of a hydroelectric power plant in Churchill River Valley, Labrador, Canada. The site hosting the project includes a land ridge which is supposed to be used as a natural dam and thus be submitted to important water pressures. Yet, previous landslides in the area have shown that a stability analysis is worth to be carried out in order to ensure the safety of the facility. Until now, investigations have only been carried out using the traditional limit equilibrium method and related elastic-plastic theory. For the sake of simplicity, this approach does not take into account deformations outside and inside the sliding body. However, because of the soil features in Churchill River Valley and particularly its ‘deformation softening’ behavior, there is increasing evidence that the conventional analysis is not relevant in this situation. Further, when analyzing the total stability of the ridge, only a horizontal failure surface has been used and not an inclined one, which is very optimistic and rather unrealistic.. In order to provide a more reliable study, a progressive failure analysis has been performed according to the finite difference method of Dr. Stig Bernander. The development of a spreadsheet adapted to this particular problem has allowed getting quickly and easily numerical results for several cases of study and assumptions. For assumed material properties and geometries of failure, the critical load-carrying capacity is below 1000 kN/m whereas a rise of the water level with 21 m will give an increased load of Nq  = 2420 kN/m. This is more than twice of the what the ridge may stand with the assumed properties. The investigation has led to the conclusion that the situation will be risky for many combinations of soil properties if the water level is raised as high as initially planned. The investigation also shows that more material tests are necessary and that stabilization work may be needed to eliminate the risk for a landslide.

In this thesis a previously unknown mechanism of failure in multilayered slope profiles is identified. In some conditions this mechanism does not confirm to the known failure models (relating to circular failure) used in slope stability analysis. For this reason, major failures have occurred in the artificial cuts despite the fact that the limit equilibrium methods suggest that these cuts would be stable. The limit equilibrium methods were originally created to apply to earth dam walls. In the open pit mining environment, where we face inhomogeneous and inclined multilayered structures, the assumptions of these limit equilibrium methods appear to be inapplicable (e.g. assumption for the equal shear strength along the failure surface). Analysis starts with a general picture of the stress state in the highwall slope, given extant geological conditions and rock properties. The study then focuses on a comparison of the crack-tip stress changes in the rockmass with and without inclusions at the microscopic level. Basing some assumptions on binocular microscope observations of grain structures, it is possible to measure the size of the different inclusions and show that the microscopic carbon flakes present in the rock fabric make a major contribution to the failure process in a mudstone layer in the slope. The approach adopts the fracture-process zone ahead of a crack tip as the controlling parameter of flaw propagation in rock. Flaw coalescence, which is poorly accounted for in current fracture models, is attributable to two phenomena: the flaw propagation due to high level of applied stress; and the linking of fracture-process zones due to the small distance between neighbouring flaws. A condition of flaw coalescence is given based on these two mechanisms. This development allows defining of two zones along the failure surface (frictional and cohesive). In the slope-stability field the shear strength of the rock along the failure plane is a composite function of cohesive and frictional strength. For instance, the relaxation stress normal to bedding, induced by overburden removal, provides an investigation method for the determination of the weakest minerals, which may act as flaws for fracture propagation in low-porosity rock. A method has been developed to determine the critical stress for tensile fracture propagation due to the rock structure and the stress reduction normal to bedding. A proposed failure mechanism is based on the polygonal failure surfaces theory developed by Kovari and Fritz (1978), Boyd’s field observations (1983), Stead and Scoble’s (1983) analyses, Riedel (1929) Shear Fracture Model, Tchalenko and Ambraseys (1970), Gammond’s (1983) and Ortlepp (1997) observations for natural shear failures, computer modelling by McKinnon and de la Barra (1998), the results of many laboratory experiments reported by Bartlett et al. (1981) and the author’s experience. The proposed failure mechanism evaluates stability of the artificial slope profile due to the embedded weak layer structure, layer thickness, layer inclination and depth of the cut. On the basis of the observations and the above-mentioned modified fracture model, the slope profile is divided into two blocks; passive and active blocks. With this new model, it is possible to calculate slope safety factors for the slope failure cases studied in the industry. It has been found that, whereas the conventional slope stability models predict stable conditions, the new model suggests that the slope is only marginally stable (i.e. that failure can be expected). / Thesis (PhD(Mining Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Mining Engineering / unrestricted

Cette thèse porte sur l’étude de paramètres acoustiques dans parole fluente chez des locuteurs bègues (SB) et des non-bègues (SNB), tunisiens.Les paramètres acoustiques comparés entre SB et SNB incluent le temps d’établissement du voisement (ou V.O.T), la fréquence du fondamental (F0), des mesures du Jitter et du Shimmer, l’étendue et la direction de la transition du second formant (F2), et également les trois premiers formants (F1, F2 et F3) des trois voyelles /a, i, u/. Les résultats sont en accord avec les études antérieures en ce qui concerne le V.O.T, qui serait aussi plus long chez les bègues américains et français. Concernant les valeurs du F0, des différences significatives entre les deux groupes sont obtenues pour /u/. Les mesures du Jitter et du Shimmer ne montrent pas de différences significatives, contrairement aux résultats recueillis chez les bègues américains où la signification est obtenue pour les mesures du Shimmer. Enfin,en ce qui concerne l’étude des variations formantiques, il y a des tendances sans atteindre la signification pour F1, F2 et F3. Les mesures de F2 sont moins élevées chez les bègues avec quelques résultats significatifs obtenus pour les séquences du type C-u. Le triangle vocalique des trois voyelles /a i u/ chez les enfants bègues tunisiens n’est totalement centralisé contrairement aux triangles obtenus chez les locuteurs bègues français et américains, selon la littérature. / This thesis concerns the comparison of acoustic parameters in fluent speech in Tunisian stutterers’ speakers (SB) and non-stutterers (SNB), Tunisians.The acoustic parameters which are compared between SB and SNB include the Voice Onset Time (VOT), the fundamental frequency (F0), the measurements of jitter and shimmer, the scope and direction of the transition of the second formant (F2), and the first three formants (F1, F2 and F3) of the three vowels /a, i, u/. The results are consistent with previous studies regarding the V.O.T, which has been found also be longer for American and French stutterers. Concerning F0values, significant differences between the two groups are obtained for /u/. Measurements of jitter and shimmer show no significant differences, contrary to the results found from American concerning the shimmer. Finally, as regards the study of formant variations, there are tendencies without reaching significance for F1, F2 and F3. F2 values are lower in stutterers with significant results obtained for sequences of C-u. The vowel triangle of the three vowels /a, u, i/ in Tunisian children who stutter, is not centralized, unlike triangles obtained for French and American stuttering speakers, according to the literature.

La zone de déformation compressive des Brooks Range et des British-Barn située entre l’Alaska (Etats-Unis) et la région du Nord Yukon (Canada), en position arrière-arc, se développe dans un contexte cinématique et géodynamique depuis longtemps débattu. L’histoire tectonique du bloc continental Arctique d’Alaska, situé dans l’avant-pays de Brooks Range, est diversement interprétée dans les reconstructions de l’ouverture du bassin canadien. La chaîne de Brooks se développe à partir du Crétacé inférieur et sa mise en place se poursuit au Cénozoïque. Mieux contraindre son histoire d’exhumation, en relation avec le raccourcissement est essentiel dans cette région arctique où la cinématique des plaques, associée à l’ouverture du bassin canadien au Nord, fait l'objet de nombreux modèles géodynamiques controversés. La relation avec la subduction active Pacifique au Sud et les grands décrochements en arrière de la subduction fait de cette chaîne, en position arrière arc, une zone-clef pour affiner les reconstructions géodynamiques régionales et notre compréhension des processus orogéniques. Si le lien n'est pas établi entre la déformation mise en jeu dans cette subduction au Mésozoïque et la déformation dans la chaîne de Books, ce lien est en revanche assez bien documenté à l'heure actuelle. Il est donc légitime d'appréhender les événements sud-alaskans dans l'étude de cette chaîne de Brooks. La croissance de la chaîne au Cénozoïque est également mal comprise. Or, il s’agit d’un exemple quasi-unique de chaîne en milieu arctique active durant le Cénozoïque et qui a donc potentiellement enregistré des bouleversements climatiques majeurs, en l'occurrence depuis l‘optimum climatique à la transition Paléocène-Eocène, le refroidissement Oligocène jusqu’à la mise en place de glaciers et de la calotte nord-américaine au Quaternaire. Cet orogène est donc clef pour étudier voire quantifier l'impact du climat sur la construction topographique nord-alaskane. Ce travail a combiné une étude thermochronométrique basse-température multidatation (FT, (U-Th)/He) dans les massifs granitiques et dans les sédiments, qui ont fait l'objet de modélisation thermo-cinématiques via Pecube, dans le but de contraindre la construction orogénique depuis 100 Ma jusqu’à l’actuel. En parallèle, une approche structurale de terrain (Nord Yukon et Brooks Range) et l'analyse de données de subsurface ont été menées. Les données thermochronologiques, couplées à des analyses thermométriques RSCM et de la modélisation thermique soulignent la mise en place de reliefs au Crétacé supérieur avec une exhumation modérée (0.2 km/Ma) qui se poursuit jusqu'à la fin de l'Eocène, où les taux d'exhumation dans les chaînes de Brooks et British-Barn sont clairemement orogéniques (1.25-1.29km/Ma), et associés à la migration de la déformation vers les bassins adjacents. Ce travail souligne une migration de la déformation du SO vers le NE. Dans les deux segments de la chaîne un événement d'exhumation distinct est identifié à l'Oligocène : celui-ci est clairement associé dans la partie interne de la chaîne de Brooks à la mise en place hors-séquence d'un duplex crustal ; et associé à la migration de la déformation compressive en mer au large de la chaîne de British-Barn. Si le calendrier tectonique est semblable dans ces deux zones d'étude, il existe une différence majeure dans le style de déformation entre ces deux régions. Le front de déformation semble beaucoup plus éloigné de la chaîne et les failles beaucoup plus espacées dans la partie canadienne, éloignement et espacement probablement liés à l’épaisseur de sédiments syn-sédimentaires présents dans le bassin... / The kinematics and geodynamics associated with the compressional deformation in the Brooks Range and British-Barn Mountains, respectively in Alaska (USA) and North Yukon (Canada), in a back-arc setting has long been debated. In particular, the tectonic history of the Arctic Alaska continental block located in the foreland of the Brooks Range has been diversely interpreted in the plate reconstructions proposed for the Canadian basin. The Brooks Range mountain chain develops from the Lower Cretaceous to the Cenozoic. Constraining its exhumational history and its link with shortening evolution is essential in this arctic area where plate tectonics, associated to the Canadian basin opening in the North, has led to controversial geodynamic models. Tectonic coupling with the active Pacific subduction in the south as well as major seismogenic strike-slip faulting make this orogen a key area where to refine the regional plate reconstructions and understanding of orogenic processes. The Cenozoic evolution of the Brooks Mountains is poorly understood although it is a nearly unique example of arctic orogen, which have potentially recorded major climate changes like Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, the Oligocene cooling and Quaternary glaciations. This orogen is a key to study and quantify the climate impact on the north-alaskan topographic growth. This study combined low-temperature thermochronometry (FT, U-Th/He) on granitic and sedimentary rocks, which were thermo-kinematically modeled using Pecube in order to define the orogenic evolution of this arctic region since 100 Ma. In parallel, a field-based structural study (North Yukon and Brooks Range) was combined with the analysis of subsurface data. Thermochronological data, coupled to thermometric RSCM analyses and thermal modeling first define a slow exhumation period (0.2 km/Ma) from Upper Cretaceous up to the Eocene. With the Eocene, exhumation rates drastically increased to reach 1.25-1.29km/Ma as the deformation also migrates from SW toward NE. In both alaskan and canadian parts of mountains ranges a clear Oligocene exhumational event is identified. This event is linked to out-of-sequence crustal duplexing in the internal part of the range in the Brooks Range, contemporaneous with the propagation of deformation offshore, along British and Barn Mountains...

Identifying principles of water movement in the shallow subsurface is crucial for adequate process-based hydrological models. Hillslopes are the essential interface for water movement in catchments. The shallow subsurface on slopes typically consists of different layers with varying characteristics. The aim of this study was to draw conclusions about the infiltration behaviour, to identify water flow pathways and derive some general interpretations for the validity of the water movement on a hillslope with periglacial slope deposits (cover beds), where the layers differ in their sedimentological and hydrological properties. Especially the described varying influence of the basal layer (LB) as an impeding layer on the one hand and as a remarkable pathway for rapid subsurface stormflow on the other. We used a time lapse 3-D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) approach combined with punctual hydrometric data to trace the spreading and the progression of an irrigation plume in layered slope deposits during two irrigation experiments. This multi-technical approach enables us to connect the high spatial resolution of the 3-D ERT with the high temporal resolution of the hydrometric devices. Infiltration through the uppermost layer was dominated by preferential flow, whereas the water flow in the deeper layers was mainly matrix flow. Subsurface stormflow due to impeding characteristic of the underlying layer occurs in form of organic layer interflow and at the interface to the first basal layer (LB1). However, the main driving factor for subsurface stormflow is the formation of a capillary barrier at the interface to the second basal layer (LB2). The capillary barrier prevents water from entering the deeper layer under unsaturated conditions and diverts the seepage water according to the slope inclination. With higher saturation, the capillary barrier breaks down and water reaches the highly conductive deeper layer. This highlights the importance of the capillary barrier effect for the prevention or activation of different flow pathways under variable hydrological conditions.