(M)other Lands, (M)other Tongues: Resistance to the Linear in Two Postcolonial Moroccan Texts

This project focuses on French language novels by two Moroccan authors, Love in Two Languages by Abdelkebir Khatibi and With Downcast Eyes by Tahar Ben Jelloun. Both these novels were written in the 1980s. In Love in Two Languages, which is a novel with a deconstructed plot, the narrator deals with the struggles of having a French lover while being Moroccan, ie. from a country that was colonized by France, as well as his strained relationship with the French language. Ben Jelloun’s book, With Downcast Eyes, is about a young Moroccan girl who moves to France with her family and her struggles to learn French, while also feeling in a constant middle space between Morocco and France. How do both create a new linguistic space, one that is anti-colonial, while also writing in French? How are they reconfiguring the French language and creating a poetics of relation, moving away from a linear colonial conception of poetics? This project examines how these books create a liminal literary space, one that questions its own use of language and does not take French for granted. It is a space which reexamines its relation to the Other, with a capital O. Firstly, this thesis looks at the ways in which muddled narrative structures, character movements and the blurring of geographical settings all work to create a nonlinear literary space, in other words a space that refuses to adopt trajectories of colonialism. The second chapter of this project examines the ways in which the narrators deal with colonial trauma. The chapter focuses on both narrative and linguistic moments of friction and conflict in the texts, which at once shows the need for new literary spaces but also the constant tension in which these spaces exist

Applying IUCN Red List criteria to birds at different geographical scales: similarities and differences

Aplicación de los criterios de la Lista Roja de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza en diferentes escalas geográficas a las aves. La Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN) se encarga de evaluar a escala mundial el riesgo de extinción y el estado de conservación de las especies. Para garantizar su objetividad, repetibilidad y trazabilidad, en las evaluaciones se sigue un proceso estandarizado que hace uso de información fiable y verificable. Asimismo, las evaluaciones se sintetizan de acuerdo con determinadas directrices, que se han ajustado recientemente para su aplicación a escalas inferiores. No obstante, la misma especie puede clasificarse en varios estados de conservación, distintos o superpuestos. Para comparar cuantitativamente las evaluaciones de escala mundial a escala subnacional, analizamos 15 listas de evaluación relativas a 66 especies de aves cinegéticas en Francia; según se había declarado, dichas evaluaciones se realizaron en consonancia con las directrices de la UICN. En general, nuestros resultados ponen de manifiesto que (1) las evaluaciones a gran escala espacial tienden a dar como resultado estados de peligro inferiores que las de pequeña escala; (2) las evaluaciones a gran escala permitieron comprobar de forma oficial la información en que se basan, mientras que las evaluaciones a menor escala no; (3) las evaluaciones a gran escala son más propensas a basarse en pruebas estandarizadas de una reducción significativa del tamaño de la población y a estar menos expuestas a efectos de ‘escala’ o de ‘borde de distribución’; (4) las evaluaciones a gran escala también se basan más frecuentemente en publicaciones científicas en sentido estricto; y (5) las fuentes se sintetizan con mayor exactitud en comparación con las listas rojas a escalas espaciales pequeñas. Por lo tanto, nuestros resultados sugieren que las listas rojas a pequeña escala no coinciden plenamente con las directrices de la UICN y que difieren de forma significativa con respecto a sus procesos de evaluación en comparación con los estándares mundiales. El uso de información subjetiva y poco fiable en las listas rojas en pequeña escala (sobre todo en las listas nacionales y subnacionales) puede poner en peligro el objetivo original de las listas rojas de la UICN de proporcionar información completa y científicamente rigurosa y, por lo tanto, podría comprometer la credibilidad y el prestigio de las listas rojas de la UICN a los ojos de los investigadores, del público en general y de otras partes interesadas.Extinction risk and conservation status of species are assessed at the global scale by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). To ensure objectivity, repeatability and traceability, assessments follow a standardized process that uses reliable and verifiable information. Assessments are synthesized according to guidelines, which have recently been adjusted for application at sub–global scales. Nevertheless, species may have several, different or overlapping conservation status. To quantitatively compare assessments from global to sub–national scales, in this study we analyzed 15 assessment lists for 66 game bird species in France. Assessments were declared to be made following IUCN guidelines. Overall, our results reveal that (1) assessments at large spatial scales tend to give lower threat status than small–scale assessments; (2) large–scale assessments made it possible to formally verify information whereas smaller–scale assessments usually did not; (3) large–scale assessments are more likely to be based on standardized evidence of reduction in population size and are less exposed to ‘scale–effects’ and ‘edge–effects’; (4) large–scale assessments are also more often based on scientific literature sensu stricto; and (5) sources are more accurately synthesized than red lists at small spatial scales. Our results suggest that small–scale red lists do not fully match IUCN guidelines and differ significantly in their assessment processes when compared to global standards. The use of subjective and unreliable data in small–scale red lists (above all in national and sub–national lists) may jeopardise the original aim of IUCN Red Lists to provide comprehensive and scientifically rigorous information, and could thus compromise the credibility and prestige of IUCN red lists in the eyes of researchers, the general public, and other stakeholders.Aplicación de los criterios de la Lista Roja de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza en diferentes escalas geográficas a las aves. La Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN) se encarga de evaluar a escala mundial el riesgo de extinción y el estado de conservación de las especies. Para garantizar su objetividad, repetibilidad y trazabilidad, en las evaluaciones se sigue un proceso estandarizado que hace uso de información fiable y verificable. Asimismo, las evaluaciones se sintetizan de acuerdo con determinadas directrices, que se han ajustado recientemente para su aplicación a escalas inferiores. No obstante, la misma especie puede clasificarse en varios estados de conservación, distintos o superpuestos. Para comparar cuantitativamente las evaluaciones de escala mundial a escala subnacional, analizamos 15 listas de evaluación relativas a 66 especies de aves cinegéticas en Francia; según se había declarado, dichas evaluaciones se realizaron en consonancia con las directrices de la UICN. En general, nuestros resultados ponen de manifiesto que (1) las evaluaciones a gran escala espacial tienden a dar como resultado estados de peligro inferiores que las de pequeña escala; (2) las evaluaciones a gran escala permitieron comprobar de forma oficial la información en que se basan, mientras que las evaluaciones a menor escala no; (3) las evaluaciones a gran escala son más propensas a basarse en pruebas estandarizadas de una reducción significativa del tamaño de la población y a estar menos expuestas a efectos de ‘escala’ o de ‘borde de distribución’; (4) las evaluaciones a gran escala también se basan más frecuentemente en publicaciones científicas en sentido estricto; y (5) las fuentes se sintetizan con mayor exactitud en comparación con las listas rojas a escalas espaciales pequeñas. Por lo tanto, nuestros resultados sugieren que las listas rojas a pequeña escala no coinciden plenamente con las directrices de la UICN y que difieren de forma significativa con respecto a sus procesos de evaluación en comparación con los estándares mundiales. El uso de información subjetiva y poco fiable en las listas rojas en pequeña escala (sobre todo en las listas nacionales y subnacionales) puede poner en peligro el objetivo original de las listas rojas de la UICN de proporcionar información completa y científicamente rigurosa y, por lo tanto, podría comprometer la credibilidad y el prestigio de las listas rojas de la UICN a los ojos de los investigadores, del público en general y de otras partes interesadas

La flora y vegetación pampeanas vistas por los cronistas y viajeros de los siglos XVIII y XIX

Fil: Delucchi, Gustavo. División Plantas Vasculares. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Charra, Gustavo. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; Argentin

Generation of the second-harmonic Bessel beams via nonlinear Bragg diffraction

We generate conical second-harmonic radiation by transverse excitation of a two-dimensional annular periodically-poled nonlinear photonic structure with a fundamental Gaussian beam. We show that these conical waves are the far-field images of the Bessel beams generated in a crystal by parametric frequency conversion assisted by nonlinear Bragg diffraction.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures. submitte

Aerosolized colistin in the treatment of multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa nosocomial pneumonia

Introduction. Multiresistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MRPA) nosocomial pneumonia is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity in the ICU. We report our experience with aerosolized colistin in the treatment of MRPA nosocomial pneumonia. Patients and methods. It is a prospective, observational study performed over 2 years (2006-2007). Patients who developed MRPA nosocomial pneumonia and were treated with aerosolized colistin were included. The criteria used to assess if treatment was successful were extubation and ICU mortality rates. Results. We report 32 patients of whom 12 were women and 20 men. The mean age was 48 ± 19 years. All patients were receiving mechanical ventilation. The mean length of ventilation was 22 ± 5.5 days. The bronchial sampling technique used was broncho-alveolar lavage. The mean delay of infection (duration between intubation and pneumonia diagnosis) was 7 ± 2 days. Isolated MRPA was susceptible only to colistin. The treatment was aerosolized colistin for all patients (4 MUI/day). A positive blood culture (n=5) was a prerequisite for administering colistin intravenously (4 MUI/day). Any potential toxicity was observed. The mean delay of extubation after starting treatment was 10 days. Sterile samples were obtained on average by the eighth day. No deaths were recorded. Conclusion. It seems that aerosolized colistin is an important alternative to treat MRPA nosocomial pneumonia in ICU. Our results need further confirmation by other multicentre studies

Conception de noyaux de systèmes embarqués reconfigurables

The vision of the emergence of a global environment for the information management where most of the physical object around us will be equipped with processors, communication capabilities and interconnected through various networks forces us to redesign the computing systems. Instead of heavy, monolithic and non evolutive systems, we must design light, flexible and reconfigurable systems.This work presents a new architecture allowing the conception and development of flexible and reconfigurable operating system kernels for embedded systems.La perspective de l'émergence d'un environnement global du traitement de l'information dans lequel la plupart des objets physiques qui nous entourent seront équipés de processeurs, dotés de capacités de communication et interconnectés par le biais de réseaux divers, nous oblige à repenser les systèmes informatiques. Aux systèmes traditionnels, lourds, monolithiques, et peu évolutifs, nous devons préférer les systèmes légers, flexibles, et reconfigurables.Cette thèse présente une architecture permettant la conception et le développement de noyaux de systèmes d'exploitation flexibles et reconfigurables à destination du monde de l'embarqué

Intravenous immunoglobulin vs plasma exchange in treatment of mechanically ventilated adults with Guillain-Barré syndrome

Introduction: The aim of the study is to compare efficacy of IvIg versus PE in treatment of mechanically ventilation adults with GBS in intensive care unit. Methods: It is a prospective, non randomized study, realized in a medical ICU from 2006 to 2010. We included all patients with GBS who required mechanical ventilation (MV). We defined two groups: group 1 (group treated by IvIg: 0.4 g/kg/day for 5 days) and group 2 (group treated by PE: 4 PE during 10-14 days). We collected demographic characteristics, clinical and therapeutic aspects and outcome. Statistical analysis used: The quantitative variables are expressed on mean ± standard derivation and compared by Student test. The statistic analysis has been based on SPSS for windows. P < 0.05 is considered as significant.Results: Forty-one patients (21 in group 1 and 20 in group 2) were enrolled. The mean age was 37.4 ± 9.2 years, with a masculine predominance (75.4%). Electromyogram in all patients found acute   inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy in 80.5 % of patients. The mean length of  hospitalization was 45.3 ± 9.2 days. The length of hospitalization of the IvIg group is less long than PE group (p = 0.03). The weaning of the MV was more precocious in IvIg group than PE group (p = 0.01). Also, the beginning of motility recuperation was precocious at IvIg group than PE group (p = 0.04). Conclusion: Our work reveals a meaningful difference for the MV weaning and precocious recovery in IvIg group compared to PE group.Key words: Guillain Barré syndrome, intensive care unit, intravenous immunoglobulin, plasma exchange, mechanical ventilation, recover