Redes sociales juveniles : su influencia en los comportamientos de fuga = Youth's social networks : influence on their running away behaviours

La mayor parte de las investigaciones que se interesan en el estudio de los adolescentes de la calle, están orientadas a dos tipos de preocupaciones: la identificación de circunstancias que condujeron a los jóvenes "a la calle" y la observación de condiciones de vida de dicha situación. Si bien el examen de factores de tipo familiar y personal ha contribuido mucho a la comprensión del fenómeno de la fuga, el papel de las redes sociales, ha sido explorado menos. este artículo tiene como objetivo determinar si algunas características estructurales de las redes sociales, en las que participan los jóvenes en dificultad, pueden tener una influencia significativa sobre el comportamiento de fuga. Los análisis demuestran que los factores que cotribuyen a la fuga no proceden exclusivamente de situaciones adversas, sobre las cuáles los jóvenes no tienen mayor control, sino que también son producto de dinámicas sociales en las que ellos participan. Nuestros resultados identifican varias características de las redes sociales que son asociadas a la fuga, particularmente el nivel de diversidad y la presencia de adultos significativos en las redes. Dichos resultados pueden ser interpretados de dos modos: un enfoque psicosocial pone énfasis en la influencia de la red sobre el comportamiento de los jóvenes y un enfoque estructural concibe las redes sociales como un depósito de recursos, accesibles y útiles para aquellos que se fugan, pudiendo así modificar la experiencia de la fuga.____________________________________Most research on homeless adolescents focuses on two areas: the circumstances that lead the adolescent to life on the street and the living conditions on the street that confront the adolescent. While the study of personal and family issues has greatly clarified the phenomenon of the adolescent runaway, the influence of the social network has been given much less attention. This study will try to determine whether the structural characteristics of the troubled adolescent's social networks significantly influence the decision to runaway. Our analysis reveals that certain characteristics of the network do indeed influence flight behavior. The article shows that the factors contributing to flight derive not just from adversarial situations over which adolescents have little control, but are, rather, also the result of social dynamics in which they freely participate. Our analysis also shows that some factors related to the composition of social networks, specifically the degree of internal diversity and the presence within them of adults significant to the adolescent, are factors associated with flight. This result can be interpreted using two different approaches to the social network: a psycho-social approach that emphasizes the network's influence on the adolescent's behavior and a sociological approach that sees the network as a resource whose availability and utility to the runaway can modify the nature of the flight experience

Le financement du régime de rentes du Québec

The goal of this paper is to present an analysis of the problems raised by the financing of the Quebec Pension Plan. In the first step, we shall try to identify the reasons underlying the financing problem. In the second step, we shall deal with the various financing methods and their impact on the level, the structure and the rate of increase of the contributions to the Plan. Finally, we shall conclude on the financing method which, in our view, should prevail

Persistence of Problematic Sexual Behaviors in Children

The purpose of this study was to identify personal and family predictors and correlates of persistence of problematic sexual behaviors (PSB) in children. Participants were the families of 49 children (ages 4–11 years) referred by Child Protective Services in 4 administrative districts of Quebec. Caregivers completed interviews and questionnaires twice at a 1-year interval. Results showed that 43% of children persisted with PSB. When age was controlled, greater exposure to sexualized behaviors in the family proved both a correlate and a predictor of PSB persistence in children 12 months later.\ud Externalizing problems and somatic complaints emerged as correlates of PSB as well. Maltreatment subtypes did not predict PSB persistence

Le financement du régime de rentes du Québec

The goal of this paper is to present an analysis of the problems raised by the financing of the Quebec Pension Plan. In the first step, we shall try to identify the reasons underlying the financing problem. In the second step, we shall deal with the various financing methods and their impact on the level, the structure and the rate of increase of the contributions to the Plan. Finally, we shall conclude on the financing method which, in our view, should prevail.

Lowbush blueberry fruit yield and growth response to inorganic and organic N-fertilization when competing with two common weed species

Inorganic N fertilizers are commonly used in commercial blueberry fields; however, this form of N can favor increased weed species’ growth, which can ultimately reduce the benefits of fertilization. We hypothesized that chipped ramial wood (CRW) compost is an effective alternative organic fertilizer for blueberry plants when weeds are present, as ericaceous shrub species are generally more efficient in utilizing organic N than herbaceous weed species. In this study, we measured the growth, fruit yield, and foliar N response of lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) to an application of 45 kg N ha-1 in the form of organic (CRW) or inorganic N (ammonium sulfate) in two areas of a commercial field colonized by either poverty oat grass (Danthonia spicata (L.) Beauv.) or sweet fern (Comptonia peregrina (L.) Coult.). We also assessed the impact of the fertilization treatments on litter decomposition rates. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found no significant increase in blueberry fruit yield or growth using CRW. By contrast, inorganic N-fertilization increased fruit yield by 70%. The effect was higher in the area colonized by D. spicata (+83%) than by C. peregrina (+45%). Blueberry fruit yield was on average twice higher in the area of the field having D. spicata than C. peregrina, suggesting a stronger competition with the latter. However, the increase in D. spicata density from 0–1 to >25 plants m-2 reduced fruit production by three-fold and strongly impacted vegetative growth in both fertilized and unfertilized plots. The impact of increased C. peregrina density was comparatively much lower, especially on vegetative growth, which was much higher in the area having C. peregrina. These patterns are likely due to a lower competition for N uptake with C. peregrina as this species can derive N from the atmosphere. Interestingly, the higher fruit yield in the area colonized by D. spicata occurred even in plots where the weeds were nearly absent (density of 0–1 plant m-2), revealing the influence of unidentified variables on blueberry fruit yield. We hypothesized that this difference resulted from over-optimal foliar N concentrations in the area colonized by C. peregrina as suggested by the significantly higher foliar N concentrations and by the negative correlation between foliar N concentrations and fruit yields in this area. The possibility of an influence of C. peregrina on flowering and pollination success, as well as of unidentified local site conditions is discussed. The tested N-fertilization treatments did not affect foliar N concentrations or litter decomposition rates. Overall, our results show that ammonium sulfate is very effective at increasing fruit yields but that both fruit yields and the efficiency of the N-fertilization treatment are decreased by increased D. spicata density, especially above 25 plants m-2. Although CRW did not significantly enhance fruit yields in the short term, this fertilizer may have a long-term beneficial effect

Expérience de coopération interuniversitaire en travail social : Hongrie-Québec

À partir d'un projet de coopération scientifique entre des professeurs et chercheurs québécois et leurs homologues hongrois, un colloque a eu lieu à Budapest du 2 au 6 juin 1987 et les participants en donnent un compte rendu et présentent une analyse de la situation du service social en Hongrie. L'intérêt de l'expérience hongroise vient de l'omniprésence de l'État dans la sphère des activités de bien-être et du caractère avant-gardiste de certaines politiques familiales

Modeling the thermal decomposition and residual mass of a carbon fiber epoxy matrix composite with a phenomenological approach: Effect of the reaction scheme

The thermal decomposition of polymer matrix composites is a complex process involving hundreds of reactions and species, which are often modeled with simplified one-step schemes. These schemes can be improved by adding intermediate reactions of different nature (competitive, parallel, and consecutive). However, the optimal number and nature of intermediate reactions are rarely discussed. In this paper, several reaction schemes of increasing complexity have been developed to model the decomposition of a carbon/epoxy composite. The kinetic parameters describing each reaction have been extracted from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) by means of isoconversional methods. The composite mass loss rate and residual mass have been modeled and compared to TGA and tube furnace data. This research shows that adding parallel or consecutive intermediate reactions improves the agreement against TGA data compared to a single-step model, but only competitive reactions can account for the variation of the residual mass observed in the tube furnace when the heating rate is varied