This essay investigates the philosophies and practices of Simone Weil and Etty Hillesum from the viewpoint of their relation to eating. By analyzing them aided by Renée Girard’s theory of mimetic desire, I discuss similarities and differences between Weils and Hillesums work and spiritual development. Entering their thinking through Robert Daly’s notion of a phenomenology of redemption, which describes the form of  mimetic desire that counters, rather than produces, violence, I discuss, guided by Susan Bordo’s work on eating disorders as well as Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology of perception, how Weil and Hillesum can be said to engage in this respectively. By contrasting Weil’s decreation with Hillesum's compulsive overeating, or “life-gluttony”, my analysis argues that Hillesum's diaries depict how she copes with violence by practicing a kind of radical self-love, through which she becomes able to reconcile with both herself and her outside world. As for Weil, I argue that the self-destructive ethics that her decreation consists in prevent her from reaching a full reconciliation, insofar as it constitutes only internalized violence, and not a refusal of violence as such. Thus, my conclusion is, Hillesum's philosophy might be said to be an expression of a more complete redemption, as I formulate it taking my departure in Daly's concept, than Weil's. / Denna uppsats diskuterar Simone Weils och Etty Hillesums verk och liv med avstamp i Weils formulering av begreppet avskapelse samt den livshunger, eller livsglupskhet, som Hillesum beskriver i sina dagböcker. Med hjälp av Renée Girards teori om mimetiska begär undersöker den hur självsvält och överätande figurerar i Weil och Hillesums liv och verk, och hur dessa fenomen relaterar till deras respektive andliga och etiska övertygelser. Utifrån Richard Dalys tanke om en försoningens fenomenologi, baserad i Girards teori om mimetiska begär, Susan Bordos analys av ätstörningar som kulturellt fenomen samt Maurice Merleau-Pontys kroppsorienterade fenomenologi utreder den skillnader och likheter mellan Weil och Hillesum med avseende på hur deras etiska övertygelser gestaltas av och i deras liv och verk. Min analys gör gällande att Hillesums dagböcker skildrar hur hon gör upp med våld genom att praktisera ett slags radikal självkärlek, genom vilken hon blir förmögen att försonas med såväl sig själv som sin omvärld. Vad gäller Weil, hävdar jag att den självförintande etik som hennes avskapelse består i omöjliggör en fullkomlig försoning, såtillvida som den endast utgör ett internaliserat våld, och inte en uppgörelse med våldet som sådant. Därmed, är min slutsats, kan Hillesums filosofi möjligen sägas vara ett uttryck för enmer fullkomlig försoning, som jag formulerar den med avstamp i Dalys begrepp, än Weils.

More and more institutions have begun to implement digital transformation. Identifying the reasons behind institutions’ digital transformation can help them make the right strategies. This thesis focuses on the digital transformation taking place in the financial industry and uses organizational institutionalism theory to analyze the influence of external pressures, and what responsible strategies institutions may adopt. We use qualitative methods to conduct the research. We interview eight employees from different institutions in the financial industry in China. Our findings show how coercive, mimetic, and normative pressures affect these financial institutions differently, and in responding to these pressures, these financial institutions develop office management systems and new digital products and services. The study evaluates to which extent the new digital reality fits the theory of the influence of external pressures on institutions. For managerial practice, the findings provide guidance in describing and diagnosing external pressures that drive digital transformation, and in coping with these pressures appropriately to formulate effective digital transformation strategies.

Thromboxane A2 (TXA2) and ET-1 have been known to play important roles in modulating vascular contraction and growth. The present study was undertaken to examine the effect of TXA2 on the induction of endothelin-1 (ET-1) mRNA and protein levels in smooth muscle cells derived from rat heart. U-46619, a stable TXA2 mimetic, superinduced preproET-1 mRNA in the presence of cycloheximide in these cells. This effect could be blocked by SQ-29548, a TXA2/prostaglandin H2 receptor antagonist and by actinomycin D, an RNA synthesis inhibitor. In addition, H7, a protein kinase C inhibitor, could abolish the induction. Transient transfection experiment revealed that the elevated ET-1 mRNA level after U-46619 treatment was a result of the activation of ET-1 gene activity. The elevated ET-1 message level was accompanied by increased ET-1 release into the cultured medium. These results show that the short-lived TXA2 can induce potent and long-lived ET-1. These findings support a potential role for ET-1 in the pathogenesis of coronary atherosclerosis and hypertension evoked by TXA2.

Activation of NF-κB contributes to cardiac hypertrophy and the interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R)-mediated MyD88-dependent signaling pathway predominately activates NF-κB. Recent studies have shown that the TIR/ BB-Loop mimetic (AS-1) disrupted the interaction of MyD88 with the IL-1R, resulting in blunting of NF-κB activation. We have examined the effects of AS-1 on the IL-1b-induced hypertrophic response using cultured neonatal cardiac myocytes in vitro and transverse aortic constriction (TAC) pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy in vivo. Neonatal cardiac myocytes were treated with AS-1 15 min prior to IL-1β stimulation for 24 h. AS-1 treatment significantly attenuated IL-1β-induced hypertrophic responses of cardiac myocytes. In vivo experiments showed that AS-1 administration prevented cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction induced by pressure overload. AS-1 administration disrupted the interaction of IL-1R with MyD88 in the pressure overloaded hearts and prevented activation of NF-κB. In addition, AS-1 prevented increases in activation of the MAPK pathway (p38 and p-ERK) in TAC-induced hypertrophic hearts. Our data suggest that the IL-1R-mediated MyD88-dependent signaling pathway plays a role in the development of cardiac hypertrophy and AS-1 attenuation of cardiac hypertrophy is mediated by blocking the interaction between IL-1R and MyD88, resulting in decreased NF-κB binding activity and decreased MAPK activation.

La microfluidique diphasique permet la production et la manipulation de millions de gouttelettes hautement monodisperses, chacune d'entre elles peut servir de microréacteur indépendant. Cette technologie offre de grandes perspectives dans de nombreux domaines scientifiques et industriels (principalement en biotechnologie). Les gouttelettes peuvent être produites, analysées et manipulées à très haut débit grâce notamment à des méthodes optiques. De nombreuses études ont été menées pour améliorer cette technologie et ses applications mais une compréhension approfondie des processus dynamiques complexes se produisant à l'interface des gouttelettes et du fluide porteur (huile) n'est toujours pas bien comprise. Au cours de cette thèse, nous nous sommes intéressés au développement d’une nouvelle approche optofluidique permettant une meilleure analyse de la dynamique et l'organisation moléculaire aux interfaces des gouttelettes dans l’écoulement microfluidique.Notre première étude porte sur la conception et l'utilisation de surfactants photosensibles permettant de stabiliser les gouttelettes et d’induire ensuite leur fusion contrôlée à l'aide d’un laser UV pulsé. La lumière offrant une grande flexibilité, une accordabilité (longueur d’onde et intensité) et une haute résolution spatio-temporelle. Deux approches ont été développées : l’une basée sur la photolyse de molécules photolabiles (processus irréversible) et l’autre basée sur la photo-isomérisation de dérivées d'azobenzène (processus réversible). Le succès de ces deux approches n’était pas évident, car l’irradiation de l’interface à l’échelle microscopique induit des modifications au niveau de la tension interfaciale mais aussi au niveau des processus de diffusion et d’absorption des molécules tensio-actives à l’interface, chacune de ces étapes ajoute une échelle de temps et une distance caractéristique différente. Nos résultats ont permis de déterminer le coefficient de diffusion des surfactants dans la région de l’interface, ainsi que le véritable mécanisme de fusion des gouttes par photo-isomérisation.La deuxième étude porte sur la détection et l'analyse en temps réel des propriétés optiques de l’interface et ce afin de mieux comprendre sa construction, sa dynamique et l'organisation moléculaire dans l’écoulement hydrodynamique. Nous avons pour cela mis au point un système original de détection hautement sensible à large bande, utilisant un réflecteur parabolique ne nécessitant pas l’utilisation de filtres dichroïques. Nous obtenons ainsi une détection en temps réel ultra-sensible de la photoluminescence des gouttelettes sur une large plage spectrale. Nous avons mis en évidence pour la première fois l’apparition d’une émission anti-stokes, thermiquement activée (hot band emission). Celle-ci est principalement localisée au niveau de l’interface. Notre dispositif pourrait constituer un nouvel outil puissant d’analyse permettant de détecter et d’étudier les interfaces liquides avec une très grande résolution spatiale, temporelle et spectrale sans recourir à des techniques complexes d’imagerie et de microscopie optique. Nous montrons par exemple que, contrairement à la microscopie optique, l’émission anti-stokes mise en évidence permet de détecter la formation de vésicules (émulsion double) en temps réel et à très haut débit.Lors de la dernière étude, nous nous intéressons à la diffusion de colorants à travers des bicouches biomimétiques dans des systèmes microfluidiques. Deux approches ont été abordées, celle des bicouches à l’interface de microgouttes (Droplet Interface Bilayer) et celle des émulsions doubles (eau/huile/eau). Nos résultats préliminaires montrent que de tels systèmes constituent de bons modèles pour l’étude du transport de molécules et de médicaments à travers des membranes biologiques. / Droplet microfluidics offers tremendous applications and prospects in many scientific and industrial fields (mainly in biotechnology). The technology enables for the fabrication and manipulation of millions of highly monodisperse microdroplets, each of which may be regarded as an independent micro-reactor. Droplets may be produced, monitored, and manipulated at kHz rates, using mainly optical (optofluidics) methods. Numerous studies have been conducted to improve the technology but a thorough understanding of the complex fundamental dynamical processes occurring at the droplets interface are still not well understood. During this PhD work, we focused on the development of new optofluidics approaches for a better understanding of the dynamics and the molecular organization at the droplets interface during droplets production and droplets transport in microfluidic channels and chambers (traps).Our first study concerned the design and use of a droplet-stabilizing photoactive surfactant for a controlled merging of droplets using a ps UV-laser. This is particularly attractive approach since light provides flexibility, wavelength/intensity tunability and high temporal/spatial resolutions. We investigated two different methods: photolysis of photolabile molecules (irreversible process) and photo-isomerization of azobenzene derived molecules (reversible process). The success of approach was far from trivial, since illumination at the microscale induces changes not only in the dynamics of the interfacial tension but triggers also changes in diffusion and absorption of surfactant molecules at the droplets interface, each partial step adding a typical time and length-scale. Analysis of the measured merging time (found at the ms time scale) allowed for the determination of the diffusion coefficient of surfactant molecules around the droplet interface. Another important result was the first experimental demonstration of the mechanism of the light-driven merging process using photo-isomerization. It was found to rely on a subtle opto-mechanical process induced by the switching between trans and cis isomers of azobenzene surfactant molecules under illumination.In our second study, we focused on the real-time detection and analysis of the optical properties of dyes at the droplets interfaces, in order to better understand the building, the dynamics and the molecular organization of the droplet interface in the flow. For this aim, we developed an original broadband highly sensitive detection system, using an off-axis full VIS spectrum - collection, reflection and detection scheme. Our setup enables to achieve a real-time detection of droplets photo-luminescence over a large spectral range and at the ms timescale and to show for the first time the occurring of a thermally activated hot band anti-stokes shift emission. The later was found to localize mainly at the droplets interfaces. Based on this original result, we propose that our optofluidic system may serve as a new analysis tool to detect and study soft interfaces without the aid of optical imaging/recording techniques. The observed hot band anti-stokes shift is shown to be suitable for instance to detect and discriminate between flowing droplets and vesicles (or double emulsions) in a real-time and high throughput detection mode.In the last study, we were particularly interested in the study of mass transport and diffusion of dyes across biomimetic bilayers systems. Two major approaches were addressed, the droplet-interface-bilayer (DIB) and solvent evaporated water/oil/water double emulsions. Both techniques required rigorous design and micro-fabrication characterization. Preliminary results show that such systems may lead to the development of smart applications in soft-bio-mimetic membrane’s design, mass transport and drug carriers studies.

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Cerium is the most abundant of the rare earth metals, found on average at a level of 66 parts per million in the earth's crust. The unique redox properties of cerium and cerium oxide nanoparticles have led to its use in a wide variety of industrial and commercial uses such as oxygen sensors, fertilizers and as a catalyst to remove toxic gases in automobile exhaust. The use of cerium has also garnered interest in the nanotechnology field. Nanoceria has been generated in its oxide form as nanoparticles and nanorods. Recently, nanoceria has been shown to protect against oxidative stress in both animal and cell culture models. Although not fully understood, this observed protective effect of nanoceria is believed to be the result of recently identified SOD mimetic activity. Currently there is little understanding as to how nanoceria is capable of scavenging radicals or what properties makes nanoceria an effective SOD mimetic. Our data shows strong evidence that the oxidation state of nanoceria is directly related to its reported SOD mimetic activity. As such, future studies of nanoceria should be mindful of the oxidation state of nanoceria preparations as only nanoceria with a high concentration of cerium (III) have shown effective SOD mimetic activity. In addition to the characterization of nanoceria and its SOD mimetic activity, we have evidence that free cerium is capable of generating radicals and damaging DNA in vitro in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. These data strongly suggests that the rare earth inner-transition metal cerium is capable of generating hydroxyl radicals via a Fenton-like reaction. Based on these results the use of free cerium salts should be monitored to limit environmental exposure to cerium. Altogether our data would suggest that cerium by virtue of its unique redox chemistry is quite capable of accepting and donating electrons from its surroundings. In its free form cerium is able to redox cycle easily and can generate radicals. However, paradoxically nanoceria may not easily redox cycle due to the bound lattice structure of the particle. The unique nature of nanoceria and cerium leads to a unique circumstance where nanoceria is a radical scavenger while free cerium generates radicals. As such, further investigation is needed to insure that leeching or cerium from nanoceria does not abrogate any potential benefit nanoceria may provide.

No description available.

Research problem: The purpose of this study is to extend existing knowledge on the determinants of sustainability reporting. Institutional theory, legitimacy theory, CSR and TBL are used to find out if: (1) audit firms’ sustainability reports are an influencing factor on non-audit firms’ sustainability reports, (2) if audit firms’ sustainability reports are an influencing factor on their clients’ sustainability reports. Methodology: To find out if there is a relationship between the content in sustainability reports of audit firms and non-audit firms, the study conducts a content analysis using a quantitative strategy and a deductive approach. The sample consists of three of the Big 4 audit firms as well as 30 Swedish publicly listed companies, small and large cap. Their sustainability reports are analyzed from 2010 to 2020. Conclusion: The findings show that, first, firms do imitate audit firms when they issue sustainability reports, thus a case of mimetic isomorphism can be concluded. Second, clients of audit firms do not imitate their external auditors more than other audit firms when issuing their sustainability reports.