Bacterial vaginosis (BV), a common female reproductive tract (FRT) condition characterized by an overgrowth of anaerobic species concurrent with the disappearance of commensal Lactobacilli species, is associated with a 60% increased risk of HIV-1 transmission. However, the role of the FRT epithelia in bacterial vaginosis-associated bacteria (BVAB)-augmented HIV- 1 transmission is unclear. To evaluate the increased risk of HIV-1 acquisition, we treated FRT epithelia with Atopobium vaginae, a prevalent BVAB, to determine the nature of the host response to BVAB exposure. Treatment of endocervical cells with A. vaginae resulted in a 1500-fold increase in the expression of the antimicrobial peptide hBD-2, an inflammatory cytokine response, and delocalization of the tight junction protein ZO-1 from cell borders. Conditioned media (CM) from the coculture of FRT epithelia and A. vaginae also generated an inflammatory immune response and lowered the transepithelial electrical resistance in polarized endocervical monolayers. Changes in HIV-1 infection were measured in TZM-bl reporter cells, which contain a luciferase gene under the control of an HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) region that is activated by the binding of Tat, an HIV-1 protein that drives viral replication. NFκB is a major host-derived transcription factor that regulates the expression of many genes involved in inflammation and the innate immune response. Interestingly, NFκB has been reported to bind Tat-activated response elements within the LTR of HIV-1, driving viral transcription. TZM-bl cells were treated with CM in the absence of HIV-1, which resulted in increased luciferase production that could be suppressed by the NFκB inhibitor TPCA-1. These data suggest that epithelially derived products from the coculture of FRT cells and A. vaginae enhance HIV-1 infection by causing cervical barrier dysfunction and increasing HIV replication efficiency through NFκB.

No / Objectives: High prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV) has been reported in lesbians but most studies were based in sexually transmitted infection clinic settings; therefore, we wished to determine the prevalence and risk factors of BV in lesbians and heterosexual women in a community setting in the UK. Methods: A cross-sectional study recruiting lesbian women volunteers from community groups, events, clubs and bars. Heterosexual women were recruited from a community family planning clinic. They self-swabbed to create a vaginal smear, which was Gram-stained and categorised as BV, intermediate or normal flora. They completed a questionnaire about age, ethnic group, smoking, genital hygiene practices and sexual history. Results: Of 189 heterosexuals and 171 lesbians recruited, 354 had gradeable flora. BV was identified in 43 (25.7%) lesbians and 27 (14.4%) heterosexuals (adjusted OR 2.45, 95% CI 1.25 to 4.82; p¿=¿0.009). Concordance of vaginal flora within lesbian partnerships was significantly greater than expected (27/31 (87%) couples, ¿¿=¿0.63; p<0.001). Smoking significantly increased the risk of BV regardless of sexuality (adjusted OR 2.65; p¿=¿0.001) and showed substantial concordance in lesbian partnerships but less than for concordance of flora. Conclusions: Women who identified as lesbians have a 2.5-fold increased likelihood of BV compared with heterosexual women. The prevalence is slightly lower than clinic-based studies and as volunteers were recruited in community settings, this figure may be more representative of lesbians who attend gay venues. Higher concordance of vaginal flora within lesbian partnerships may support the hypothesis of a sexually transmissible factor or reflect common risk factors such as smoking.

Flera tidigare studier har visat att det går att generera överavkastning genom att investera i aktier baserat på olika nyckeltal. Genom relativvärdering ställs företag i relation mot varandra för hitta indikationer på under- eller övervärdering. För att bidra ytterligare till den redan existerande forskningen fokuserar författarna till studien på en specifik bransch, industribranschen. Genom en branschindelning bör jämförbarheten öka mellan nyckeltal. Syftet med studien är att undersöka huruvida det är möjligt att generera överavkastning genom att investera i undervärderade aktier i industribranschen enligt nyckeltalen P/E, DY och P/BV. Resultatet kommer att härledas till och diskuteras utifrån teorier inom Behavioral Finance, för att förstå och förklara resultatet. Undersökningen baseras på en kvantitativ metod där tre nyckeltal har undersökts. Fem portföljer har skapats för respektive nyckeltal under tidsperioden 2001-2010. Vidare har allmänt publicerade rekommendationer samt förändringar i nyckeltalen i extremportföljerna undersökts för att bidra till en underliggande förklaring av resultatet. Studiens resultat stödjer tidigare forskning och vi kan visa att samtliga värdeportföljer presterar bättre än motsvarande tillväxtportföljer för de tre nyckeltalen. Störst överavkastning ger portföljer baserat på ett lågt P/BV. Vi har kunnat statistiskt säkerställa överavkastning mellan värde- och tillväxtportfölj för nyckeltalen P/E och P/BV. Effekten existerar alltså även i en specifik bransch och industribranschen visade upp en starkare effekt än tidigare studier där hela marknaden har undersökts. Vidare drar vi slutsatsen att överoptimistiska analyser leder till för höga förväntningar och i kombination med ett flockbeteende bland investerare är detta en förklarande faktor till studiens resultat. / Previous studies have shown the possibility to generate excess returns through investing in stocks based on multiples. A strategy called relative valuation, where companies are compared to one another, aims to find signs of under- or overvaluation. To support existing research, the authors of this study focus on a specific sector, the industrial sector. Supposedly by focusing on one sector the comparability improves. The purpose of the study is to investigate whether it’s possible to generate excess return through investing in undervalued stocks in the industrial sector, according to the multiples P/E, DY and P/BV. Theories from Behavioral Finance will be used to explain, and understand, the result. The study is based on a quantitative method to examine three multiples. During the period 2001-2010 five portfolios were created for each multiple. Publically published recommendations and the change in multiples for the outlying portfolios have been examined to support the explanation for the results. This study supports previous research and shows that, according to the three used multiples, value portfolios perform better than corresponding growth portfolios. The portfolio based on a low P/BV achieves the highest excess return. We can statistically prove that the value portfolios for P/E and P/BV achieve excess returns over their corresponding growth portfolios. The anomaly also exists in a specific sector and the industrial sector proved to have a stronger effect compared to previous studies with a full market research. We can also see that the analyses are overly optimistic and that this leads to high expectations. This in combination with the behavior of herding is a factor explaining the result of the study.

Background: There is a general belief that value stocks, historically, have created a greater return of investment compared to growth stocks. Investors can, through key ratios, compare companies to one another and thereby gain a solid appreciation whether a company is overvalued or undervalued relative to other comparable companies. The problem for investors is how to identify these value stocks and exploit mispricing in the market. Aim: The purpose of this study is to analyze investment strategies that are based on the Price-to-Book ratio on the Swedish stock market. Completion: To meet the purpose, the study is based on a deductive foundation with a quantitative method. Two investment strategies are investigated based on the Price-to-book ratio. The first strategy sorts the material following the value of the multiple, whereas the other strategy relies on regression analysis where interest on own capital is used as an explaining variable. Results: To only look at the price-to-book ratio, in order to distinguish undervalued stocks, does not work in the Swedish stock market during the period of 31-03-04 to 31-03-2015. It can be concluded that the combination used in the developed strategy works to identify value stocks that have a significantly higher cumulative return compared to the OMX Stockholm Price Index. / Bakgrund: Det finns en övertygelse om att värdeaktier historiskt har skapat högre avkastning än tillväxtaktier. En investerare kan genom värderingsmultiplar och nyckeltal jämföra bolag med varandra och skapa sig en uppfattning huruvida ett bolag är över- eller undervärderat relativt jämförande bolag. Problematiken ligger i hur en investerare skall identifiera värdeaktier och utnyttja felprissättningar på aktiemarknaden. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att analysera investeringsstrategier baserade på multipeln Pris/Bokfört värde på den svenska aktiemarknaden. Genomförande: För att uppfylla syftet utgår studien från en deduktiv ansats med en kvantitativ metod. Två investeringsstrategier undersöks baserade på multipeln Pris/Bokfört värde. Den ena strategin sorterar materialet utefter multipelns värde och den andra strategin genomförs med hjälp av regressionsanalys där räntabilitet på eget kapital används som förklarande variabel. Resultat: Att endast utgå från Pris/Bokfört värde, för att urskilja undervärderade aktier fungerar inte på den svenska aktiemarknaden under åren 2004-2015. Det kan fastställas att kombinationen i den utvecklade strategin fungerar för att identifiera värdeaktier som har en markant högre kumulativ avkastning jämfört med OMXSPI.

In this dissertation we will address two types of homogenization problems. The first one is a spectral problem in the realm of lower dimensional theories, whose physical motivation is the study of waves propagation in a domain of very small thickness and where it is introduced a very thin net of heterogeneities. Precisely, we consider an elliptic operator with "ε-periodic coefficients and the corresponding Dirichlet spectral problem in a three-dimensional bounded domain of small thickness δ. We study the asymptotic behavior of the spectrum as ε and δ tend to zero. This asymptotic behavior depends crucially on whether ε and δ are of the same order (δ ≈ ε), or ε is of order smaller than that of δ (δ = ετ , τ < 1), or ε is of order greater than that of δ (δ = ετ , τ > 1). We consider all three cases. The second problem concerns the study of multiscale homogenization problems with linear growth, aimed at the identification of effective energies for composite materials in the presence of fracture or cracks. Precisely, we characterize (n+1)-scale limit pairs (u,U) of sequences {(uεLN⌊Ω,Duε⌊Ω)}ε>0 ⊂ M(Ω;ℝd) × M(Ω;ℝd×N) whenever {uε}ε>0 is a bounded sequence in BV (Ω;ℝd). Using this characterization, we study the asymptotic behavior of periodically oscillating functionals with linear growth, defined in the space BV of functions of bounded variation and described by n ∈ ℕ microscales

Cette thèse est décomposée en deux parties. La première est consacrée à l'étude de la restauration d'image et la seconde partie est consacrée à l'étude d'un modèle de Frenkel-Kontorova par des méthodes issues du calcul variationnel et des équations aux dérivées partielles. Au chapitre 1, nous présentons les questions essentielles que nous traiterons dans cette thèse, puis on fait des rappels sur les définitions et quelques propriétés d'espace des fonctions à variations bornées BV , l'espace d'Orlicz et le modèle de Frenkel-Kontorova. Au chapitre 2, nous montrons que les problèmes de minimisation non convexe (restauration d'image) contenant des termes de régularisation sous-linéaires sont mal posés. Au chapitre 3, nous étudions un modèle de restauration avec un terme de régularisation à croissance non standard, proposé par Blomgren et al. : le module du gradient est élevé a une puissance qui dépend elle même du gradient. On montre qu'elle est semi-continue inférieurement pour la topologie faible d'un certain espace d'Orlicz-Sobolev qui lui est associé, ce qui permet un résultat d'existence de la solution. Au chapitre 4, nous étudions un modèle de Frenkel-Kontorova, dont on montre l'existence d'au moins une solution de type travelling wave, u. / This thesis is divided into two parts. The first is devoted to the study of image restorationand the second part is devoted to the study of a Frenkel-Kontorova model using methodsfrom the calculus of variations and partial differential equations. In chapter 1, we presentthe key issues we will discuss in this thesis, and recal the denitions and some properties ofspaces of functions of bounded variations BV , Orlicz Sobolev spaces and Frenkel-Kontorovamodel results on image analysis. In chapter 2, we show that the non-convex minimizationproblems (restoration image) involving sublinear regularizing terms are ill-posed. In chapter3, we study a model of restoration with nonstandard increasing regularizing terms,proposedby Blomgren. We show that is lower semi-continuous in the weak topologie of some Sobolev-Orlicz space associated with it, which allows existence result of the solution. In Chaptre 4, we study a Frenkel-Kontorova model, that we show existence of at least a traveling wave type solution, u.

La qualité osseuse est un paramètre important à prendre en compte lors des différents types de chirurgie mis en œuvre pour les interventions sur le rachis. Cependant, ce paramètre reste difficile à estimer in vivo du fait notamment de la difficulté à accéder à ce site anatomique. Ce travail porte sur le développement d'une technique ultrasonore permettant d'estimer la qualité osseuse en utilisant la réponse échographique d'une tige métallique insérée dans l'os et utilisée dans le cadre de la chirurgie du rachis. Des travaux expérimentaux montrent la faisabilité de notre approche in vitro. Une tige métallique similaire à celle utilisée en clinique est insérée dans des échantillons d'os trabéculaire perpendiculairement à l'axe du traducteur. Les réponses échographiques de la tige immergée dans l'eau et insérée dans l'os sont comparées, ce qui permet de déterminer la vitesse de propagation dans l'os (SOS, Speed of Sound), ainsi que la pente du coefficient d'atténuation en fonction de la fréquence (BUA, Broadband Ultrasonic Attenuation). Les résultats obtenus pour les 21 échantillons montrent i) une corrélation significative entre SOS et la fraction volumique d'os (BV/TV, R² = 0.6 et p < 0.001); et ii) une non-linéarité de la variation du BUA et BV/TV (R² = 0.22 et p<0.001). Des simulations numériques utilisant des éléments finis spectraux en 2D permettent de mieux comprendre la propagation ultrasonore et d'estimer la sensibilité des mesures à des erreurs de positionnement de la tige et du capteur. De plus, des simulations numériques par différences finies dans le domaine temporel en 3D permettent de mieux comprendre l'interaction entre une onde ultrasonore et le tissu osseux en comparant les résultats expérimentaux et numériques. Ce travail prouve la faisabilité de cette approche de caractérisation ultrasonore pour estimer la qualité osseuse, ce qui ouvre la voie à de possibles études cliniques dans le futur. / Bone quality is an important parameter which should be taken into account during the different types of surgical procedures used in spine surgery. However, this parameter remains difficult to be determined in vivo, mostly due to difficulties of positioning different sensors around this anatomical site. The aim of this work is to develop an ultrasonic technique allowing to assess bone quality using the echographic response of a metallic rod inserted in bone tissue and used in spine surgery. Experimental works show the feasibility of the technique in vitro. A metallic rod similar to the one used in the operating room is inserted in trabecular bone samples perpendicularly to the transducer axis. The echographic responses of the rod immersed in water and in bone tissue are compared, which allows to determine the wave velocity in bone tissue, as well as the slope of the attenuation coefficient as a function of frequency (BUA, broadband ultrasonic attenuation). The results obtained for the 21 samples show i) a significant correlation between SOS and bone volume fraction (BV/TV, R² = 0.6, p < 0.001); and ii) a non linear variation of BUA as a function of BV/TV (R² = 0.22, p<0.001).Numerical simulation using 2D spectral finite element simulation allows to better understand wave propagation and to estimate the sensitivity of the measurements to positioning errors of the rod and of the sensor. Moreover, 3-D finite difference time domain simulation allows to better understand the interaction between an ultrasonic wave and bone tissue by comparing the experimental and numerical results. This work proves the feasibility of this ultrasonic characterization approach to estimate bone quality, which opens the way to future clinical studies.

Bakgrund: Sedan finanskrisen 2008 har den globala ekonomin präglats av sjunkande räntor och stigande börser. Detta har lett till att intresset för den nordiska aktiemarknaden har nått rekordhöga nivåer. Flera av de strategier som tillämpas vid investeringar på aktiemarknaden baseras på att marknaden historiskt har tenderat att röra sig enligt vissa mönster under specifika kalendeperioder. Andra kända investeringsstrategier baseras istället på hur aktier värderas utifrån prismultiplar, som antas vittna om bolagets förväntade tillväxt och lönsamhet. Strategierna gör det intressant att undersöka dessa två typer av strategier gemensamt för att se ifall dem skulle kunna komplettera varandra och hjälpa en investerares att överavkasta sitt jämförelseindex. Syfte: Studiens syfte är att analysera ifall kalenderanomalier fortfarande förekommer (i) på aggregerad nivå på de nordiska marknaderna samt (ii) om eventuella marknadsanomalierna skiljer sig något mellan värde- och tillväxtaktier. Studien avser således besvara frågan ifall någon aktietyp tenderar att agera annorlunda under specifika kalenderperioder och hur detta kan bidra till mer välgrundade investeringsbeslut. Metod: För att kunna undersöka studiens syfte har avkastningen hos de nordiska aktieindexen undersökts under utvalda kalenderperioder. Utifrån regressioner har dessa perioder jämförts mot övriga perioder på året för att finna eventuell abnormal avkastning. För att undersöka differenser bland olika aktietyper har egna index konstruerats utifrån aktiens genomsnittliga P/BV-multipelunder de senaste tio åren. Resultat: Under den studerade tidsperioden mellan 2009 och 2020 går det att med statistisk signifikans att konstatera kalenderanomalier på de nordiska marknaderna. Resultaten varierar för varje effekt, land och aktietyp. En investerare hade alltså under den studerade tidsperioden kunnat generera abnormal avkastning genom att ta välkända anomalier i beaktning vid sina investeringsbeslut. Mellan de olika aktietyperna konstateras skillnader, dock inget som indikeraratt den ena gruppen är mer effektiv gentemot marknaden än den andra / Background: Since the financial crisis in 2008, the global economy has been characterized by falling interest rates and rising stock markets. This has led to interest in the Nordic stock market reaching record highs. Several of the strategies applied to investments in the stock market are based on the fact that the market has historically tended to move according to certain patterns during specific calendar periods, so-called calendar anomalies. Other known investment strategiesare instead based on how shares are valued on the basis of price multiples, which are assumed to testify to the company's expected growth and profitability. The strategies make it interesting to examine these two types of strategies together to see if they could complement each other and help an investor to outperform their benchmark. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to analyze whether calendar anomalies still occur (i) at the aggregate level in the Nordic markets and (ii) whether any market anomalies differ slightly between value and growth shares. The study thus intends to answer the question of whether anytype of share tends to act differently during specific calendar periods and how this can contribute to more informed investment decisions. Method: In order to be able to investigate the purpose of the study, the returns of the Nordic equity indices have been examined during selected calendar periods. Based on regressions, these periods have been compared with other periods of the year to find any abnormal returns. To examine differences among different share types, own indices have been constructed based on the share's average P / BV multiple over the past ten years. Result: During the studied period between 2009 and 2020, it is possible to establish calendar anomalies in the Nordic markets with statistical significance. The results vary for each effect, country and share type. An investor would thus have been able to generate abnormal returns during the period studied by taking well-known anomalies into account in his investment decisions. Differences are noted between the different share types, but there is no indication that one group is more efficient towards the market than the other.

Socially and politically significant Muslim communities are posing a challenge to the public spheres of Western Europe: can public reason in a liberal democracy be so conceived as to accommodate the religious reasons of Muslims and other religiously motivated citizens? This question, often discussed from the perspective either of political philosophy or of particular religious traditions, is addressed here instead by drawing on the theory and practice of inter-religious dialogue. The dialogue movement known as ‘scriptural reasoning’ is analysed for its potential to provide a way of conceptualising the nature of reasoning in the public sphere. ‘Reasoning with texts’, it is argued, is a way of describing much of the reasoning that takes place within the public sphere and not just religious reasoning. This approach to understanding public reasoning is established through a combination of example and theory. A model of communicative hermeneutics as public reason based on an (inter)textual rationality is proposed. As well as providing space for textually based religious arguments, this (inter)textual imagination can be situated alongside and complement postmodern developments of Jürgen Habermas’s conception of the public sphere. Whilst this approach to reasoning in the public sphere initially appears very different from the classic statement of the idea of public reason in John Rawls’s political liberalism, it is shown to have significant continuity with Rawls’s theory when this is viewed through the lens of the Supreme Court as exemplar of public reason. This highest level of public reason involving legislation is also a form of reasoning with texts. But in order for religious and more popular levels of public discourse and deliberation to impact on the political and legislative processes, these too must be conceived as modes of reasoning having some continuity with higher levels of public reasoning. It is such continuity that this thesis seeks to theorise.

Foucault’s concepts of Pastoral power and “governmentality” have led to the development of the London school of “governmentalists” (McKinlay and Pezet 2010). However, extant literature on governmentality drawn from this school of thought has undertaken an analytics of power centred on the deployment of governmental forms of power at the State level, not taking into consideration another entity that emerged after modernity, the modern enterprise, and not going beyond the 19th century, thereby trapping “governmentality” studies inside their own modern discourse. Following Foucault’s established relation between Pastoral power and “governmentality”, this thesis analyses the form of organising deployed by an organisation that emerged in the 16th century, apparently being able to survive into modernity without adopting modern managerial business categories. This organisation is the Society of Jesus, commonly known as the Jesuits. The first part of this thesis will analyse the relevance of the Society of Jesus for organisational studies and will show how modern business categories fail to explain its structural resilience. The second part of the thesis introduces Pastoral power as a possible explanation for the apparent structural resilience of the Society of Jesus. Following this line of reasoning, and after having established an analytics of power as a possible methodological framework, the Society of Jesus’ “organising practices” will be presented, leading to the conclusion that this entity, having emerged at the cornerstone of modernity, deployed practices that represent a significant shift when compared with previous Pastoral forms of organising. The fact that the Society of Jesus clearly intended to deploy practices for the conduction of geographicallydispersed individuals leads to the conclusion that it deployed a “protogovernmental” form of power, and that the rationality underpinning its practices, although not entirely modern, is clearly at the cornerstone of modernity and can therefore be enlightening to an understanding of how modern managerial categories might have emerged.