Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

Based on the Lyapunov stability theorem, two design methodologies of adaptive block backstepping controller is proposed in this thesis for a class of multi-input systems with matched and mismatched perturbations to solve regulation problems. The main difference between these two method is that perturbation estimations are only employed in each virtual control input in the second method, whereas in the first method, the perturbation estimation is only employed in the last block. According to the number of block (m) in the dynamic equations of plant to be controlled, m-1 virtual input controllers are designed from the first block to the (m-1)th block, and the proposed robust controller is designed from the last block. Adaptive mechanisms are employed in each of the virtual input controllers as well as the robust controller, so that the least upper bounds of perturbations and perturbation estimation errors are not required. Furthermore, the dynamic equations of the plant do not need to satisfy the block strict feedback form, and the resultant control system can achieve asymptotic stability or uniformly ultimately boundedness. Finally, a numerical example and a practical example are given for demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed control schemes.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Submitted by Edileide Reis (leyde-landy@hotmail.com) on 2013-04-15T14:16:51Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Fraga.pdf: 1106693 bytes, checksum: 21456d6474e5d1db8e993e3543972a33 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Rodrigo Meirelles(rodrigomei@ufba.br) on 2013-05-09T17:37:24Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Fraga.pdf: 1106693 bytes, checksum: 21456d6474e5d1db8e993e3543972a33 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-05-09T17:37:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Fraga.pdf: 1106693 bytes, checksum: 21456d6474e5d1db8e993e3543972a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / A autora apresenta o problema desta pesquisa: as práticas biotecnológicas de reprodução assistida e terapia gênica podem violar os direitos fundamentais do individuo exigindo dessa maneira a fixação de limites passíveis de utilização prática? A partir da temática: “O conteúdo jurídico do conceito de beneficência estrita em face da experiência neo-eugênica: do limite entre técnicas terapêuticas e reprodutivas e práticas eugênicas da espécie humana” se desenvolveu o objeto deste trabalho a eugenia. O referencial teórico adotado lastreia-se na obra da Cátedra de Derecho y Genoma Humano da Universidade de Deusto em Bilbao Espanha sob a direção do professor Carlos Maria Romeo Casabona da consulta ao periódico da Cátedra a Revista de Derecho y Genoma Humano além dos autores Galton Lacadena Barbas Soutullo Semprini Frankena Vasquez e Rocha. Quanto ao delineamento do estudo a pesquisa se caracteriza como qualitativa no tocante aos procedimentos técnicos se configura como bibliográfica e quanto aos objetivos, sua natureza se apresenta como exploratória. A autora tem como objetivo geral demonstrar que muitas das práticas biotecnológicas adotadas atualmente sob o rótulo de técnicas de reprodução assistida ou de terapia gênica salvaguardadas, portanto pelo manto protetor da ciência apresentam na verdade uma forte conotação neo-eugênica. Assume a hipótese de que se faz necessário estabelecer um limites entre as ações de conseqüências estritamente benéficas emanadas das práticas biomédicas e as práticas eugênicas, o conteúdo jurídico deste conceito na atualidade frente aos diferentes tipos de cultura como também equacionar a maneira através da qual sua aceitabilidade será encarada pela sociedade. Quanto à estrutura o trabalho está ordenado em seis partes incluindo a Introdução e as Conclusões, elencadas progressivamente em número de 18. A autora no Capítulo 2 discorre sobre seu objeto de estudo: a eugenia. Sua proposta é delinear o percurso histórico da ideologia eugênica tradicional analisando a suas concepções e o embasamento teórico que a gerou assim como evidenciar o pensamento de alguns estudiosos defensores do movimento em prol da pureza da raça humana principalmente Francis Galton no Capítulo 3 descreve o fenômeno da disseminação das práticas eugênicas pelo mundo e suas repercussões no Capítulo 4 aborda o surgimento e evolução da genética como disciplina científica, suas conquistas e conseqüentes desdobramentos assim como o recrudescimento experimentado pelas idéias eugênicas a partir do advento da medicina genômica no Capítulo 5 traça o perfil jurídico e o conteúdo do conceito de beneficência estrita elaborado a partir do princípio da beneficência oriundo da doutrina bioética principialista estadunidense que foi desdobrado no sentido de ser admitido não só como obrigação mas também como um dever/direito. / Salvador

By the end of the twentieth century, and after a long line of conflicting case law, the question about the basis of liability in nuisance was settled: in Scotland, damages are awarded only upon proof of fault (RHM Bakeries (Scotland) Ltd v Strathclyde Regional Council 1985 SC (HL) 17). Fault, in turn, can adopt many forms: malice, intention, recklessness, negligence, and conduct causing a special risk of abnormal damage (Kennedy v Glenbelle Ltd 1995 SC 95). Many aspects of this seemingly clear picture, however, remain problematic. On the one hand, the way in which this model is interpreted and applied gives place to particular forms of liability that can actually be characterised as strict. On the other hand, two other areas of the law of neighbours that overlap with the scope of nuisance do not fit entirely this model, namely the regulation of disputes over uses of water and of those arising from withdrawal of support. The main argument of this thesis is that damages claims in the context of neighbourhood are governed by two distinct rules: a general fault-based liability rule for nuisance, and an exceptional strict liability rule for abnormally dangerous conduct. For the first of these rules, the thesis offers an evaluation of the fault model adopted in Kennedy v Glenbelle Ltd, explaining the interaction between its different elements and highlighting the developments that can result in forms of strict liability. For the second of these rules, the thesis develops an analysis of its elements and nature, as well as a proposal that delineates its scope of application. This two-rule model offers a justification for the current structure of the law applicable to disputes over uses of water. The strict liability rule applicable to interferences with the natural flow of watercourses, traditionally explained as based upon the infringement of property rights, is better explained as danger-based. The regulation of disputes arising from withdrawal of support, however, is not consistent with this model, even though they have also been characterised as nuisances. It is argued that this framework entails unjustified inconsistencies, both internal and by reference to the model proposed, and that it should be adjusted accordingly.

This thesis addresses authenticity and integrity of medical images using watermarking. Hospital Information Systems (HIS), Radiology Information Systems (RIS) and Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (P ACS) now form the information infrastructure for today's healthcare as these provide new ways to store, access and distribute medical data that also involve some security risk. Watermarking can be seen as an additional tool for security measures. As the medical tradition is very strict with the quality of biomedical images, the watermarking method must be reversible or if not, region of Interest (ROI) needs to be defined and left intact. Watermarking should also serve as an integrity control and should be able to authenticate the medical image. Three watermarking techniques were proposed. First, Strict Authentication Watermarking (SAW) embeds the digital signature of the image in the ROI and the image can be reverted back to its original value bit by bit if required. Second, Strict Authentication Watermarking with JPEG Compression (SAW-JPEG) uses the same principal as SAW, but is able to survive some degree of JPEG compression. Third, Authentication Watermarking with Tamper Detection and Recovery (AW-TDR) is able to localise tampering, whilst simultaneously reconstructing the original image.

Polynomial functors were introduced by Professors Eilenberg and Mac Lane in 1954, who used them to study certain homology rings. Strict polynomial functors were invented by Professors Friedlander and Suslin in 1997, in order to develop the theory of group schemes. The first real investigation of their intrinsic properties was performed in 1988, when Professor Pirashvili showed that polynomial functors are equivalent to modules over a certain ring. A similar study was conducted on strict polynomial functors in 2003 by Dr. Salomonsson in his doctoral thesis. A radically different method of attack was initiated by Dr. Dreckman and Professors Pirashvili, Franjou, and Baues in the year 2000. Their approach was to combinatorially encode polynomial functors, and utilised for this purpose the category of sets and surjections. Dr. Salomonsson would later repeat the feat for strict polynomial functors, employing instead the category of multi-sets. This thesis proposes the following: 1:o. To generalise the notion of polynomial functor to more general base rings than Z, so that it smoothly agree with the existing definition of strict polynomial functor, allowing for easy comparison. This results in the definition of numerical functors. 2:o. To make an extensive study of numerical maps of modules, to see how they fit into Professor Roby's framework of strict polynomial maps. 3:o. To conduct a survey of numerical rings. 4:o. To develop the theories of numerical and strict polynomial functors so that they run in parallel. 5:o. To show how also numerical functors may be interpreted as modules over a certain ring. 6:o. To expound the theory of mazes, which will be seen to vastly generalise the category of surjections employed by Professor Pirashvili et al., since they turn out to encode, not only polynomial or numerical functors, but all module functors over any base ring. 7:o. To simplify Dr. Salomonsson's construction involving multi-sets, making it more amenable to a comparison with mazes. 8:o. To prove comparison theorems interrelating numerical and strict polynomial functors. 9:o. And, finally, to indicate how polynomial functors may be used to extend the operad concept.

Esta dissertação tem por objetivo analisar os efeitos que a responsabilidade civil objetiva exerceu desde as legislações dos povos primitivos até as os dias de hoje, não somente a partir da análise de estudos das leis, como também das teorias que antecederam a teoria do risco. Aborda, ainda, as excludentes de responsabilidade civil aplicáveis à responsabilidade objetiva fundada na teoria do risco. Ao final, analisa as principais medidas introduzidas pelo legislador com o advento do parágrafo único do artigo 927 do Código Civil brasileiro. / This dissertation aims to analyze the effects of strict responsibility since the laws of primitive peoples until nowadays, not only from the analysis of studies of the laws, but also the theories that preceded the theory of risk. Besides, it studies the objections that can be raised by one to bar the strict civil liability based on the theory of risk. At the end, it analyzes the main measures introduced by the legislator with the advent of the single paragraph of Article 927 of the Brazilian Civil Code.

The safe extraction of shale gas resources has become a controversial issue in the energy sector and within energy law and policy circle. These issues have transcended to other areas of the society such as the environment, public health, and geopolitics. In fact, in environmental issue and regulation, it has become a norm in the minds of many that finding a model individual to do the right thing is a onerous task. One solution to this problem currently would be to realise the benefits energy resource extraction presents by devising the right regulatory strategies to improve the compliance level of those operating such risky activity to do the right thing. However, the strategic solutions to achieve the benefits are not that complex when compared with the strategic measures for achieving compliance to set regulatory standards for mitigating risks from energy extraction activity. This thesis argue for a complementary regulatory instrument mix (self-regulation and command & control regulatory strategies) to improve effective compliance for mitigating risks associated with energy extractive and consumption activities. One fundamental problem for this disparity is that the available regulatory strategies and approaches are fraught with diverse limitations that makes it unable to accommodate the dynamic of energy resource extraction. Also, industry and regulators of such activity's dependence on regulatory approaches has been centred on command and control regulation that inhibits the incentive for the operator to go beyond the set standards. Hence, the urgency to devise an effective framework to balance costs that comes with the quest to relaise the benefits from resource extraction activities and the need for the preservation of the environment and health. Though achieving full compliance is far-fetched but optimal compliance is achievable within the context of collective participation amongst all industry players. One pragmatic means of achieving these conflicting interests within the global energy sector is through alternatives or a combination of regulatory instrument mixes (self-regulation and command and control regulation). This thesis intends that these alternatives should serve as complements to the command and control regulation and not to replace them. Such alternatives to regulation which this thesis argue and formulate that can help mitigate especially water contamination risk which has an increased frequency of occurrence is what it calls: 'the risk/segment based strict liability rule.' In addition, 'self-regulation' as a complement to command and control environmental regulation. While self-regulation helps to address the problem of information asymmetry that regulation grapple with, the risk based strict liability rule helps to address risks that have a highly probable or increased frequency level of occurrence. By risk based strict liability rule being proposed in this thesis, it means a risk from an activity can be subject to a strict liability cause of action without necessarily subjecting the entire activity to stricter environmental laws. This is based on the legal rationale that where particular risks' has an increased frequency level of occurrence or the impacts could lead to transgenerational harm, it should be classified as abnormal. Therefore, should be subject to strict liability cause of action. Thus, the philosophy behind this thesis is to see how regulation can deal with particular risks under strict liability when they have an increased frequency to occur and not necessarily the entire activity. Thus, the significance of this thesis is that it resonates the ability of self-regulation and liability systems to direct the costs of the harms to those who create them. More so, these innovative policy options embedded in the properties of self-regulation and liability system will force operators to incur additional costs needed to forestall or control their actions that might result in externalities beyond the socially optimal level. Thus, environmental governance through self-regulatory and risk/segment liability rule systems as alternatives to command and control regulation will erode that complacency on the part of the creators of such possible negative impacts to act sustain-ably. These alternatives to command and control regulation are cogent in mitigating risks associated with shale gas as an energy source on two grounds. Based on the above problems, this thesis shall examine the critical question of whether stricter environmental liability and regulatory approaches is required to achieve a sustainable shale gas extraction. Also, what other features should be included in these environmental protectionist tools to achieve effectiveness in managing water contamination and dispersed risks associated with fracking activity. This thesis, argue for a stricter liability and regulatory approach as a complement to the limitations of command and control regulation with some added features to address dispersed harms associated with energy extraction activity especially the risk of water contamination.

Dans un système temps réel, les tâches doivent se terminer avant une date échéance. Pour les ordonnancer, il est nécessaire de connaître leur pire temps d'exécution. Ces systèmes gagnant en complexité, ils demandent une puissance de calcul de plus en plus grande. Pour faire face à cette demande, on peut utiliser des processeurs qui exploitent, en plus du parallélisme d'instructions, le parallélisme de tâches. C'est-à-dire qu'ils sont capables d'exécuter plusieurs tâches en parallèle. Mais la complexité de ces processeurs nuit à la prévisibilité du pire temps d'exécution des tâches. CarCore est un processeur conçu par l'équipe du professeur Ungerer de l'Université d'Augsbourg (Allemagne). Il permet l'exécution simultanée de plusieurs tâches au sein d'un même coeur. Il a été conçu pour isoler temporellement une tâche de l'influence des autres tâches qu'il exécute. Nous proposons une modélisation de ce processeur qui permet l'évaluation du pire temps d'exécution de la tâche temps réel avec des méthodes statiques. Nous mettons en évidence les deux sources de surestimation liées à notre modèle qui peuvent entraîner ponctuellement des surestimations de respectivement 1 et 3 cycles. En analysant ces sources de surestimation, nous montrons que des méthodes d'analyse statique ne semblent pas être suffisantes pour les supprimer. Nous proposons aussi une analyse de l'impact de quelques modifications du processeur sur le pire temps d'exécution estimé. Ces paramètres sont en particulier la taille de la fenêtre d'instructions et la longueur du pipeline. Pour cette dernière, nous envisageons l'ajout d'étages en 4 endroits significatifs du pipeline. Notre travail ouvre sur des perspectives comme des propositions de modification du pipeline qui permettront l'exécution de plusieurs tâches temps réel ou encore l'augmentation des performances du processeur sans que la précision de l'évaluation du pire temps d'exécution n'en souffre.