The component sizes of a critical random graph with given degree sequence

Consider a critical random multigraph $\mathcal{G}_n$ with $n$ vertices constructed by the configuration model such that its vertex degrees are independent random variables with the same distribution $\nu$ (criticality means that the second moment of $\nu$ is finite and equals twice its first moment). We specify the scaling limits of the ordered sequence of component sizes of $\mathcal{G}_n$ as $n$ tends to infinity in different cases. When $\nu$ has finite third moment, the components sizes rescaled by $n^{-2/3}$ converge to the excursion lengths of a Brownian motion with parabolic drift above past minima, whereas when $\nu$ is a power law distribution with exponent $\gamma\in(3,4)$, the components sizes rescaled by $n^{-(\gamma -2)/(\gamma-1)}$ converge to the excursion lengths of a certain nontrivial drifted process with independent increments above past minima. We deduce the asymptotic behavior of the component sizes of a critical random simple graph when $\nu$ has finite third moment.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/13-AAP985 the Annals of Applied Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aap/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Partial Match Queries in Two-Dimensional Quadtrees : a Probabilistic Approach

We analyze the mean cost of the partial match queries in random two-dimensional quadtrees. The method is based on fragmentation theory. The convergence is guaranteed by a coupling argument of Markov chains, whereas the value of the limit is computed as the fixed point of an integral equation

A phase transition for the heights of a fragmentation tree

We provide information about the asymptotic regimes for a homogeneous fragmentation of a finite set. We establish a phase transition for the asymptotic behaviours of the shattering times, defined as the first instants when all the blocks of the partition process have cardinality less than a fixed integer. Our results may be applied to the study of certain random split trees

Déterminants du chômage des jeunes diplômés dans la ville de Kisangani

This paper addresses the problem of unemployment among young graduates in the city of Kisangani in the DRC. The ultimate objective is to analyse the main determinants of unemployment among young graduates in the city of Kisangani. The use of the econometric method through logistic regression (Logit model) allowed to bring out the results from the data collected through an empirical sampling of young graduates from all the communes of the city of Kisangani. The results obtained reveal that the main determinants of unemployment among young graduates are the level of employment available, the level of education, the route to employment and the type of job sought. Statistical analysis of these elements shows that all these determinants significantly influence graduate unemployment at the 5% level. To remedy this problem, this paper proposes that the Congolese education system be restructured to better prepare young graduates to face the challenges of the labour market. The government should put in place policies that promote job creation for and by young people. These policies should include improving the business climate, improving the quality of the education system, promoting SMEs and microfinance, and training and supporting young entrepreneurs to ensure the viability of start-ups.Ce papier aborde la Problématique du chômage des jeunes diplômés dans la ville de Kisangani en RDC. L’objectif ultime est d’analyser les principaux déterminants du chômage des jeunes diplômés dans la ville Kisangani. L’usage de la méthode économétrique à travers la régression logistique (modèle Logit) a permis de ressortir les résultats issus des données collectées grâce à un échantillonnage empirique auprès des jeunes diplômés provenant de toutes les communes de la ville de Kisangani. Les résultats obtenus révèlent que les principaux déterminants du chômage des jeunes diplômés sont le niveau d’emploi disponible, le niveau d’éducation, la voie d’obtention d’emploi et le type d’emploi recherché. L’analyse statistique de ces éléments montre que tous ces déterminants influencent significativement le chômage des jeunes diplômés au seuil de 5%. Pour remédier ce problème, ce papier propose que le système éducatif congolais soit restructuré de manière à mieux préparer les jeunes diplômés à affronter les enjeux du marché du travail. Le gouvernement devra mettre en place des politiques favorisant la création d’emplois pour les jeunes et par les jeunes. Les impératifs de ces politiques devront passer par l’assainissement du climat des affaires, l’amélioration de la qualité du système éducatif, la promotion des PME et la microfinance et enfin, la formation et l’appui aux jeunes entrepreneurs pour assurer la viabilité des startups

Participative Design Using Soft Systems Methodology

Participative design is an effective tool for designing organizational systems where conflicting and diverse goals of users and clients from different organizations must be reconciled. This paper presents a methodology for participative design based on Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). A brief overview of SSM is first presented. The design methodology is then presented within the SSM framework. The design methodology prescribes a set of activities to accomplish participative design, and uses two design tools from the manufacturing and process engineering fields - Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and the IDEF0 functional modeling method. Experiences using the design methodology are also presented

Behavioral Aspects of Latino Familialism: a Three Study Analysis

The existing research on Latino familialism draws a distinction between the attitudes associated with familialism and familialism-based action. Because attitudes tend to be more stable when considering variables such as immigration generation status, etc., social science researchers tend to employ measures based on attitudinal aspects of familialism, rather than action or behavior. Because of this preference, there is a lack of studies that examine familialism-based action and behaviors. This dissertation consists of three unique studies that examine actions and behaviors associated with familialism, while taking into account the methodological concerns expressed by previous researchers. The first study uses nationally representative U.S. data to compare the differences in the frequency of contact with various family members, among black non-Hispanics, Hispanics, and white non-Hispanics. The central finding of this study is that Hispanics maintain more frequent contact with family than white non-Hispanics, but there is no difference between Hispanics and black non-Hispanics, with the exception of contact with fathers. The second study, which employs qualitative data collected from a metropolitan area in the Southwest U.S., examines the locus of educational aspirations and expectations among a sample of Hispanics and white non-Hispanics. Among other things, this study finds that Hispanic females were more likely than other participants to make statements that suggest the aspirations or expectations of significant others were a strong influence in the decision to attend college. This study further argues that this tendency is related to the acquiescent nature of traditional Hispanic gender norms associated with the familial concept of marianismo. Using nationally representative U.S. data, the final study finds that, other things being equal, Hispanic college students are more likely than non-Hispanic students to attend a college or university that is within fifty miles of their permanent residence. The study further finds that this tendency mediates the gap between Hispanic students and white non-Hispanic students, in terms of the selectivity level of institutions attended

Secondary Moment Effects on Slender Reinforced Masonry Walls

Slender masonry walls can be an effective loadbearing component of buildings that require high ceilings such as warehouses and gymnasiums. This type of construction is also efficient in terms of material usage and over-all construction costs. The proven long-term durability of existing masonry buildings makes this construction material an attractive option; however, the limited experimental testing on slender walls in out-of-plane flexure combined with high axial loads have led to conservative prescriptive restrictions on their design in Canadian and U.S. standards. The experimental testing presented herein aims to advance knowledge on Reinforced Masonry (RM) walls and introduces a novel method of reinforcement for new masonry wall construction. This novel method consists of applying Near-Surface Mounted (NSM) steel reinforcement rather than conventional embedded reinforcement. The first phase of the research included numerical Finite Element (FE) analysis and experimental testing of 3 m tall RM walls subjected to four-point out-of-plane loading; the second phase consisted of experimental testing of 8 m tall slender (slenderness ratio kh/t = 42) RM walls subjected to combined axial loading and four-point out-of-plane loading. For both phases, the flexural stiffness (EI) of the walls was assessed through multiple approaches (using reinforcement strain, surface strain, and out-of-plane displacement data), and compared to the stiffness calculated using the current Canadian masonry design standard (CSA S304-14) formulation. The equation for the effective flexural stiffness in the current design standard was observed to underestimate the stiffness response in most loading conditions, however it does not provide a consistently accurate value. An alternative method for calculating flexural stiffness was therefore proposed, which accounts for loss of stiffness from repeated loading, or accidental overload, as well as the effect of applied axial loads. Throughout this dissertation, the performance of RM walls with conventional embedded reinforcement is compared to the performance of walls with NSM steel bars. RM walls with NSM steel reinforcement exhibited higher flexural stiffness, and displacement ductility comparable to or exceeding that of RM walls with conventional reinforcement. In addition, a design example illustrated how NSM steel reinforcement can be beneficial for the design of walls with large secondary moment effects

Secondary Moment Effects on Slender Reinforced Masonry Walls

Slender masonry walls can be an effective loadbearing component of buildings that require high ceilings such as warehouses and gymnasiums. This type of construction is also efficient in terms of material usage and over-all construction costs. The proven long-term durability of existing masonry buildings makes this construction material an attractive option; however, the limited experimental testing on slender walls in out-of-plane flexure combined with high axial loads have led to conservative prescriptive restrictions on their design in Canadian and U.S. standards. The experimental testing presented herein aims to advance knowledge on Reinforced Masonry (RM) walls and introduces a novel method of reinforcement for new masonry wall construction. This novel method consists of applying Near-Surface Mounted (NSM) steel reinforcement rather than conventional embedded reinforcement. The first phase of the research included numerical Finite Element (FE) analysis and experimental testing of 3 m tall RM walls subjected to four-point out-of-plane loading; the second phase consisted of experimental testing of 8 m tall slender (slenderness ratio kh/t = 42) RM walls subjected to combined axial loading and four-point out-of-plane loading. For both phases, the flexural stiffness (EI) of the walls was assessed through multiple approaches (using reinforcement strain, surface strain, and out-of-plane displacement data), and compared to the stiffness calculated using the current Canadian masonry design standard (CSA S304-14) formulation. The equation for the effective flexural stiffness in the current design standard was observed to underestimate the stiffness response in most loading conditions, however it does not provide a consistently accurate value. An alternative method for calculating flexural stiffness was therefore proposed, which accounts for loss of stiffness from repeated loading, or accidental overload, as well as the effect of applied axial loads. Throughout this dissertation, the performance of RM walls with conventional embedded reinforcement is compared to the performance of walls with NSM steel bars. RM walls with NSM steel reinforcement exhibited higher flexural stiffness, and displacement ductility comparable to or exceeding that of RM walls with conventional reinforcement. In addition, a design example illustrated how NSM steel reinforcement can be beneficial for the design of walls with large secondary moment effects

Etude de cas : méthodes de planification des programmes de santé communautaire et accès à l’eau potable en milieu rural en Haïti

Notre expérience en Haïti de la programmation de projets, impliquant l’ONG Concern World Wide, le Ministère de la Santé Publique et de la Population (MSPP) et la communauté locale bénéficiaire du projet, a suivi successivement un « cadre logique » puis des approches participatives pour définir une action de santé communautaire. Ce projet était implanté à Saut d’Eau, l’une des 12 communes du Département du centre, qui couvre le Plateau Central, une région essentiellement rurale. La Commune de ..

Analyse d’implantation d’initiatives d’amélioration continue de la qualité des soins aux personnes vivant avec le VIH en Haïti

Cette thèse vise à mieux comprendre le processus d’implantation des initiatives d’amélioration de la qualité des soins en Haïti. Un programme national d’amélioration continue de la qualité, HEALTHQUAL-Haïti, a été choisi pour la réalisation d’une analyse d’implantation. Pour être systématique dans cette recherche évaluative, le modèle logique du programme d’amélioration continue de la qualité (PACQ) HEALTHQUAL-Haïti a été réalisé. Ce modèle a permis par la suite de poser les bonnes questions pour déterminer le degré de mise en œuvre de HEALTHQUAL-Haïti. Puis les facteurs qui ont facilité ou entravé la mise en œuvre du PACQ ont été analysés. Il s’agit d’une thèse par article. Trois (3) articles constituent le cœur de cette thèse : le premier présente le processus d’élaboration du modèle logique de HEALTHQUAL-Haïti ; le second apprécie le degré de mise en œuvre du programme HEALTHQUAL-Haïti ; le troisième présente les facteurs qui influencent le degré de mise en œuvre de HEALTHQUAL-Haïti. Ce dernier montre un cadre conceptuel avec différentes perspectives théoriques pour expliquer la mise en œuvre du programme HEALTHQUAL-Haïti tenant compte de la réalité empirique. Des facteurs externes et des facteurs internes influencent la mise en œuvre du programme HEALTHQUAL : les facteurs externes, particulièrement les caractéristiques des réseaux, la capacité de négociation, la capacité de mobilisation de ressources, la capacité de vaincre les résistances au changement, l’héritage politique, les normes institutionnelles, la situation socio-politique du pays et des facteurs internes comme le leadership partagé, l’appropriation du processus par les acteurs, le jeu de pouvoir, l’apprentissage organisationnel, la structure organisationnelle, le degré de motivation des prestataires, la culture des prestataires et la disponibilité des ressources. Un résultat fondamental, c’est que les modèles du changement, pris de façon isolée, n’expliquent que partiellement la mise en œuvre. Par ailleurs, c’est une configuration de facteurs tant externes qu’internes qui déterminent le degré de mise en œuvre à un moment donné. Sept (7) modèles du changement ont été retenus : le modèle politique, néo-institutionnel, psychologique, de l’apprentissage organisationnel, du développement organisationnel, le modèle structurel et le modèle rationnel. La culture organisationnelle interagit avec les variables des différents modèles du changement soit pour faciliter ou entraver la mise en œuvre du programme HEALTHQUAL. Ces différentes combinaisons de facteurs forment des archétypes, qui, à un moment donné, déterminent le degré d’implantation du programme HEALTHQUAL.This thesis aims to better understand the process of implementing initiatives to improve the quality of care in Haiti. We have chosen a national continuous quality improvement program, HEALTHQUAL-Haïti, to conduct an implementation analysis using case studies. To be systematic in our evaluative research, we first produced the logic model of the Continuous Quality Improvement Program, HEALTHQUAL-Haiti. This model then allowed us to ask the right questions and select the right variables to analyze the degree of implementation of HEALTHQUAL-Haïti. We then looked at the factors that facilitated or hindered the implementation of the HEALTHQUAL-Haiti program. We have opted for a thesis by articles. Three (3) articles constitute this thesis: The first presents the process of developing the logical model of HEALTHQUAL-Haiti; the second assesses the degree of implementation of the HEALTHQUAL-Haiti program; the third presents the factors that influence the degree of implementation of HEALTHQUAL-Haiti. This last one describes a conceptual framework taking into account different theoretical perspectives to explain the implementation of the HEALTHQUAL-Haïti program. External and internal factors influence the implementation of the HEALTHQUAL program: external factors, particularly the characteristics of networks, negotiation capacity, capacity to mobilize resources, capacity to overcome resistance to change, political heritage, institutional norms, socio-political situation of the country, and internal factors such as shared leadership, ownership of the process by actors, power, organizational learning, organizational structure, level of motivation of providers, culture of providers, and availability of resources. What has been found is that models of change, taken in isolation, only partially explain implementation. Furthermore, we observed that it was a configuration of both external and internal factors that determined the degree of implementation at any given time. The different variables or concepts of seven models of change were considered: the political, neo-institutional, psychological, organizational learning, organizational development, structural and rational models. Organizational culture interacts with the variables of the different change models either to facilitate or hinder the implementation of the HEALTHQUAL program. These different combinations of factors form archetypes, which at any given time determine the implementation of the HEALTHQUAL program