By 2020, cancer mortality rates are estimated to increase by 180% in Arab countries, where breast cancer is the most common type of cancer. This thesis explores and evaluates the ‘asabiyya-driven structuration (the cohesive force of the group that gives it strength in facing its struggles for progressive reproduction) of cancer agents, government agents, and the World Health Organization agents for breast cancer prevention and early detection in the Arab region. The layers of the philosophical standing from Ibn Khaldûn’s concept of ‘asabiyya and the theoretical foundation of social systems theory, structuration theory, social network analysis, and social capital theory are peeled in order to explore and evaluate the context, constraints, social networks, autopoiesis, and social capital. Utilizing a qualitative research design, this thesis employs content analysis and in-depth interviews, as well as NVivo as a tool for analysis. Data is collected from 122 publications and knowledgeable informants employed by cancer agencies, ministries of health, and World Health Organization offices in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Oman. The findings are divided into the contextual scope of responsibility and resources, the progressive and hierarchal constraining structure, the optimal and weak social networks, the strong and vulnerable shields of autopoiesis, and the presence and absence of social capital momentum, followed by a discussion on the the struggle for structuration against breast cancer. The findings demonstrate that countries with a national cancer control program witness local strengthening ‘asabiyya and ‘asabiyya-driven structuration, while those without a national cancer control program witness weakening local ‘asabiyya. Ultimately, this thesis proposes strategic recommendations to accelerate the regional ‘asabiyya-driven structuration of breast cancer.

Le développement des technologies optiques dans le domaine de la communication engendre un intérêt pour les matériaux présentant des propriétés non linéaires. Le matériau idéal doit combiner un coefficient non linéaire élevé, de bonnes propriétés optiques et un faible coût de fabrication. Les matériaux vitreux restent de bons candidats pour ce type d’application. La polarisation thermique permet de générer ce genre de propriétés dans les verres. En effet, à des températures de l’ordre de 300°C, l’application d’un champ électrique provoque la migration d’ions mobiles dans le matériau depuis l’anode vers la cathode. Une zone de déplétion en surface est ainsi créée donnant naissance à un champ électrique enterré. En combinant une technique de dépôt métallique, une irradiation laser et l’application d’un champ électrique (poling), il devient possible de réaliser des architectures complexes de migration et d’obtenir ainsi des propriétés optiques non linéaires structurées. / Optical technologies development for communication has triggered a real interest about materials with nonlinear properties. The ideal material should combine a high nonlinear coefficient, good optical properties and a low production cost. Glasses remain very good materials for this kind of applications.Thermal poling is now well known for breaking glasses natural centro-symmetry and inducing second order nonlinearities. Indeed, at temperatures close to 300°C, the application of an electric field induces mobile ions migration from the anode to the cathode.In that case, the space charge created during the poling process generates an efficient macroscopic electrostatic field trapped under the anodic surface of the glass.The combination of silver deposition, femtosecond laser irradiation and thermal poling has been successfully used to realize a complex architecture of ionic migration leading to structuring of second order nonlinear properties at the microscopic scale.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T20:39:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 5638.pdf: 3863541 bytes, checksum: 74ed5556a4774ead28ebb806dd347636 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-11-25 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / Reports from IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) call attention to the possibility of water shortages, to the collapse of the Amazon system, to the biodiversity crisis, and to the proliferation of extreme weather events. Anthony Giddens, British sociologist formulator of the theory of structuration, elaborates an analytical category appointing precisely the lack of concrete actions related to this environmental issue in the policy and in the daily practices. According to him, when practical measures for protecting the environment are put into practice, there will not be enough time to reverse the environmental collapse, setting the self-styled Giddens‟s Paradox. Such point of view of environmental question transforms in normative, abstract and universal, leaving to conceive it as eminently contextual - result of the interaction between individuals, groups and institutions. Precisely so it this research takes this analytical category as a starting point for a relational approach of environmental issues through his own theory of structuration. So, the environment and the nature are now considered as structural principles: as rules and resources mobilized in the reproduction and transformation of social life and, therefore, as objects of appointment disputes and discursive resignifications. In order to analyze sociologically the relational aspect the environmental issue through a qualitative research - theoretically and methodologically linked to the theory of structuration the county of Brotas (São Paulo/Brazil) was established as case study. Are used as research methods: semi-structured interviews, snowball technique, documental survey, photo documentation and socioeconomic questionnaire. This particular location shows a convergence between the multiple conceptions of the environmental issue, the professionalization of ecotourism and of the discursive resignification of the rural areas, allowing the visualization of multiple cognitive perceptions of the environmental issue. The critical debate from Giddens enabled the analysis of four social processes of resignification in the Brotas county: a) The Jacaré-Pepira River; b) From the "hole" to the tourist attraction; c) From Radical to Disneyland; and d) The Estrada do Patrimônio . In summary, the trajectory of the dissertation seeks to discuss sociologically that the environmental issue does not arise in everyday life in a universal and normative form, but eminently as cognitive perception linked to the complexity of knowingness agents. / Relatórios do IPCC (Painel Intergovernamental sobre as Mudanças Climáticas) alertam para a possibilidade de escassez de recursos hídricos, de colapso do sistema amazônico, de crise da biodiversidade, e de proliferação de eventos climáticos extremos. Anthony Giddens, sociólogo britânico formulador da teoria da estruturação, elabora uma categoria analítica que nomeia justamente a ausência de ações concretas em relação a essa questão ambiental nas práticas políticas e cotidianas. Segundo ele, quando medidas práticas de proteção ao meio ambiente forem postas em práticas, não haverá mais tempo suficiente de reverter o quadro de colapso ambiental, configurando o autodenominado Paradoxo de Giddens. Tal perspectiva da questão ambiental acaba por torná-la normativa, abstrata e universal, deixando de concebê-la como eminentemente contextual - fruto da interação entre indivíduos, grupos e instituições. Justamente por isso a pesquisa toma essa categoria analítica como ponto de partida para uma abordagem relacional da questão ambiental através da própria teoria da estruturação. Assim, meio ambiente e natureza passam a ser considerados como princípios estruturais: como regras e recursos mobilizados na reprodução e transformação da vida social e, portanto, como objetos de disputas de nomeação e de ressignificação discursiva. Para analisar sociologicamente o aspecto relacional da questão ambiental através de uma pesquisa qualitativa - teórica e metodologicamente vinculada à teoria da estruturação - estabeleceu-se o município de Brotas-SP como estudo de caso. São utilizados como métodos de pesquisa: entrevistas semiestruturadas, técnica de bola de neve, levantamento documental, fotodocumentação e questionário socioeconômico. Tal localidade específica apresenta uma convergência entre as múltiplas concepções da questão ambiental, a profissionalização do ecoturismo e a ressignificação discursiva do próprio espaço rural, possibilitando a observação de múltiplas percepções cognitivas da questão ambiental. O debate crítico a partir de Giddens permitiu a análise de quatro processos sociais de ressignificação no município de Brotas: a) O Rio Jacaré-Pepira; b) Do buraco ao atrativo turístico; c) Do Radical à Disneylândia e d) A Estrada do Patrimônio. Em síntese, a trajetória da dissertação procura debater sociologicamente que a questão ambiental não emerge na vida cotidiana de forma universal e normativa, mas eminentemente como percepção cognitiva vinculada à complexidade da cognoscência dos agentes.

Dans le contexte de lutte contre les nuisances sonores, cette thèse porte sur le développement de méthodes de résolution efficaces par éléments finis, pour des problèmes de vibroacoustique interne avec interfaces dissipatives, dans le domaine des basses fréquences. L’étude se limite à l’utilisation de solutions passives telles que l’intégration de matériaux poreux homogènes et isotropes, modélisés par une approche fondée sur la théorie de Biot-Allard. Ces modèles étant coûteux en terme de résolution, un des objectifs de cette thèse est de proposer une approche modale pour la réduction du problème poroélastique, bien que l’adéquation d’une telle approche avec le comportement dynamique des matériaux poreux soit à démontrer. Dans un premier temps, la résolution de problèmes couplés élasto-poro-acoustiques par sous-structuration dynamique des domaines acoustiques et poreux est établie. L’approche modale originale proposée pour les milieux poroélastiques, ainsi qu’une procédure de sélection des modes significatifs, sont validées sur des exemples 1D à 3D. Une deuxième partie présente une méthode combinant l’utilisation des modèles réduits précédemment établis avec une procédure d’approximation de solution par approximants de Padé. Il est montré qu’une telle combinaison offre la possibilité d’accroître les performances de la résolution (allocation mémoire et ressources en temps de calcul). Un chapitre dédié aux applications permet d’évaluer et comparer les approches sur un problème académique 3D, mettant en valeur leurs performances encourageantes. Afin d’améliorer les méthodes établies dans cette thèse, des perspectives à ces travaux de recherche sont apportées en conclusion. / In the context of interior noise reduction, the present work aims at proposing Finite Element (FE) solution strategies for interior structural-acoustic applications including 3D modelling of homogeneous and isotropic poroelastic materials, under timeharmonic excitations, and in the low frequency range. A model based on the Biot-Allard theory is used for the poroelastic materials, which is known to be very costly in terms of computational resources. Reduced models offer the possibility to enhance the resolution of such complex problems. However, their applicability to porous materials remained to be demonstrated.First, this thesis presents FE resolutions of poro-elasto-acoustic coupled problems using modal-based approaches both for the acoustic and porous domains. The original modal approach proposed for porous media, together with a dedicated mode selection and truncation procedure, are validated on 1D to 3D applications.In a second part, modal-reduced models are combined with a Padé approximants reconstruction scheme in order to further improve the efficiency.A concluding chapter presents a comparison and a combination of the proposed methods on a 3D academic application, showing promising performances. Conclusions are then drawn to provide indications for future research and tests to be conducted in order to further enhance the methodologies proposed in this thesis.

La structuration des liquides près d'interfaces est liée aux forces d'interactions liquides/interface à des distances de quelques dimensions moléculaires. Cet effet universel joue un rôle primordial dans divers domaines tels que le transport de chaleur, le transport de particules à travers les membranes biologiques, la nanofluidique, la microbiologie et la nanorhéologie.Le but principal de cette thèse est de réaliser l'échographie par laser de liquides nanostructurés près d'une interface, afin de mieux comprendre les propriétés physiques de liquides confinés à des échelles moléculaires. La méthode utilisée est la technique d'acoustique picoseconde, qui est une technique tout optique impliquant des lasers impulsionnels pour la génération et la détection d'ultrasons picosecondes. Nous avons adapté la technique pour étudier les propriétés acoustiques longitudinales à haute fréquence des liquides ultra-minces. Les résultats de la diffusion de Brillouin dans le domaine temporel sont utilisés pour déterminer le profil de distribution de la température dans le volume de liquide étudié qui peut être extrapolé aux dimensions nanométriques. Les résultats sur le changement de la fréquence de Brillouin aussi bien que sur l’atténuation acoustique en fonction de la puissance du laser donnent un aperçu de la relation entre les propriétés thermiques et mécaniques des liquides. L'analyse de Fourier des résultats pour différentes épaisseurs de liquide donnent l'information sur la vitesse du son et de l’atténuation aux fréquences GHz. Ce nouveau schéma expérimental est une première étape vers la compréhension des liquides confinés mesuré par l'échographie d'ultrasons aux fréquences GHz. / The phenomenon of liquid structuring near interfaces is related to the liquid/interface interaction forces at distances of some molecular dimensions. Despite the fact that this universal structuring effect plays a key role in various fields such as heat transport, particle transport through biological membranes, nanofluidics, microbiology and nanorheology, the experimental investigation of liquid structuring remainschallenging.The aim of this PhD thesis is the experimental study of the structuring/ordering of liquids at nanoscale distances from their interfaces with solids. In this context, we have adapted the experimental technique of picosecond laser ultrasonics to investigate high-frequency longitudinal acoustic properties of ultrathin liquids confined between solid surfaces of different types. At first, we will present results of time-domain Brillouin scattering (TDBS) used to determine the temperature distribution profile in the investigated liquid volume which can be extrapolated to nanometer dimensions. Results for the evolution of the extracted Brillouin scattering frequencies and attenuation rates recorded at different laser powers give insight to the intrinsic relationship between thermal and mechanical properties of liquids. Second, we will describe our results for the measurements of mechanical properties of ultrathin liquids with a nanometric resolution. Fourier analysis of the recorded TDBS signals for different liquid thicknesses yield the value of the longitudinal speed of sound and attenuation at GHz frequencies. This novel TDBS experimental scheme is a first step towards the understanding of confined liquids measured by GHz ultrasonic probing.

This thesis focuses on the adaptation of formal education to people’s technology- use patterns, their technology-in-practice, where the ubiquitous use of mobile technologies is central. The research question is: How can language learning practices occuring in informal learning environments be effectively integrated with formal education through the use of mobile technology? The study investigates the technical, pedagogical, social and cultural challenges involved in a design science approach. The thesis consists of four studies. The first study systematises MALL (mobile-assisted language learning) research. The second investigates Swedish and Chinese students’ attitudes towards the use of mobile technology in education. The third examines students’ use of technology in an online language course, with a specific focus on their learning practices in informal learning contexts and their understanding of how this use guides their learning. Based on the findings, a specifically designed MALL application was built and used in two courses. Study four analyses the app use in terms of students’ perceived level of self-regulation and structuration. The studies show that technology itself plays a very important role in reshaping peoples’ attitudes and that new learning methods are coconstructed in a sociotechnical system. Technology’s influence on student practices is equally strong across borders. Students’ established technologies-in-practice guide the ways they approach learning. Hence, designing effective online distance education involves three interrelated elements: technology, information, and social arrangements. This thesis contributes to mobile learning research by offering empirically and theoretically grounded insights that shift the focus from technology design to design of information systems.

Actuellement, il est largement reconnu que la décision des cellules souches de maintenir leur caractère souche ou se différencier vers une lignée spécialisée dépend particulièrement de la nature de leur microenvironnement, appelé niche cellulaire. Une des composantes essentielles de cette niche cellulaire est la matrice extracellulaire (MEC), qui au-delà de sa fonction de support cellulaire, détermine le devenir des cellules souches en fonction de sa composition biochimique, sa structure et sa localisation. D’un point de vue rationnel, un biomatériau destiné à remplacer la fonction d’un tissu endommagé doit non seulement jouer le rôle d’échafaudage cellulaire mais également mimer les propriétés de la MEC dans son ensemble. Malheureusement, il est extrêmement difficile de concevoir des biomatériaux mimétiques de la MEC naturelle tenant compte de sa complexité structurelle et fonctionnelle. Pour pallier à cette problématique, il semble nécessaire d’effectuer un travail en amont de déconstruction/reconstruction de la complexité de la MEC en étudiant l’effet individuel puis combiné de ses propriétés sur la différenciation des cellules souches. Ce projet de doctorat rentre dans le cadre de ce travail et vise à déterminer le rôle spécifique ou concomitant de différentes propriétés inhérentes à la MEC sur la différenciation ostéoblastique des cellules souches mésenchymateuses humaines (hCSMs). En effet, nous avons évalué l’effet de la composition biochimique de la MEC et la distribution spatiale des ligands sur la différenciation des hCSMs, en fonctionnalisant la surface d’un matériau modèle avec les peptides RGD et/ou BMP-2, distribués d’une manière aléatoire ou structurée. / Actually, it is well-established that maintaining the stemness character of stem cells or eliciting their lineage-specific differentiation is closely related to the nature of their microenvironment, known as stem cell niche. The extracellular matrix (ECM), a key component of stem cell niche, not only provides a support function for stem cells but also dictates their fate decision. From a rational point of view, a biomaterial intended to replace a damaged tissue should mimic the natural ECM in all its aspects, including its biochemistry, 3D structure, topography, porosity, rigidity…. etc. Unfortunately, the design of biomaterials that fully mimic the natural ECM is still a big challenge, due to its high structural and functional complexity. Towards the development of finely-tuned biomaterials, it seems important to start by deconstructing and then reconstructing the complexity of the ECM. In this context, the thesis project, herein, seeks to evaluate both the individual and the synergistic effect of different properties inherent to the natural ECM on human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) osteogenic differentiation. Indeed, we investigated whether the biochemical composition of the ECM and the spatial distribution of its components modulate hMSCs osteogenesis. This was achieved by creating different artificial ECMs, in vitro, containing RGD and/or BMP-2 mimetic peptides, distributed randomly or as specific micropatterns on the surface of a model material.

By 2020, cancer mortality rates are estimated to increase by 180% in Arab countries, where breast cancer is the most common type of cancer. This thesis explores and evaluates the ‘asabiyya-driven structuration (the cohesive force of the group that gives it strength in facing its struggles for progressive reproduction) of cancer agents, government agents, and the World Health Organization agents for breast cancer prevention and early detection in the Arab region. The layers of the philosophical standing from Ibn Khaldûn’s concept of ‘asabiyya and the theoretical foundation of social systems theory, structuration theory, social network analysis, and social capital theory are peeled in order to explore and evaluate the context, constraints, social networks, autopoiesis, and social capital. Utilizing a qualitative research design, this thesis employs content analysis and in-depth interviews, as well as NVivo as a tool for analysis. Data is collected from 122 publications and knowledgeable informants employed by cancer agencies, ministries of health, and World Health Organization offices in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Oman. The findings are divided into the contextual scope of responsibility and resources, the progressive and hierarchal constraining structure, the optimal and weak social networks, the strong and vulnerable shields of autopoiesis, and the presence and absence of social capital momentum, followed by a discussion on the the struggle for structuration against breast cancer. The findings demonstrate that countries with a national cancer control program witness local strengthening ‘asabiyya and ‘asabiyya-driven structuration, while those without a national cancer control program witness weakening local ‘asabiyya. Ultimately, this thesis proposes strategic recommendations to accelerate the regional ‘asabiyya-driven structuration of breast cancer.

Young people who are homeless experience adversity, but many are able to overcome the challenges of street life and transition back into housing. This exploratory, qualitative research draws on the narratives from interviews and focus groups with 35 young people who have experienced homelessness, as well as interviews and focus groups with 30 service providers working in youth shelters and a youth drop-in centre. Exploring themes of victimization, criminal offending, police involvement, and interactions with community services, this research highlights the capacities of young people to navigate around obstacles and negotiate to meet their needs. Integrating symbolic interactionism and social constructivist perspectives, this research explores the importance of micro-level interactions and perceptions, as well as the contexts that frame the decision-making processes of young people passing through homelessness. The implications of these perspectives are discussed within the framework of resilience discourse.

Unpredictable situations are a common phenomena in detention centres. This is because employees work in daily contact with inmates. Correctional officers must therefore manage their own emotions as well as the emotions of their inmates. The aim of the study is to highlight the correctional officers’ experiences of insecurity in detention, when working with the inmates. Furthermore, the study examines the security measures taken by the leadership of detention centres as an authority to achieve greater security among its employees. Research shows that correctional officers are one of the most insecure professionals in the workplace. There are also various emotional rules that correctional officers must follow in their work with inmates, to maintain their legitimacy. The theoretical frame of reference of the study is based on Giddens structuration theory, his concept of ontological security and trust, and Hochschild's theory of emotional work. The present study uses qualitative interviews with individuals working on the detention centres, in close contact with the inmates. The results of the study show that strong collegial relationships as well as a strong individual self-confidence of the individual contribute to an increased sense of security at work. The feeling of security also depends on how long an individual has worked in the detention centres. There are informal emotional rules that employees need to follow in their professional role, and through emotion management this can influence prisoners' perceptions of insecurity. In terms of security measures, the detention centres have introduced alarms, meetings, and education to ensure a good working environment. The interviews indicated that the correct officers regarded the education for new staff is unsuccessful in various aspects by employees, and that the safety alarm was seen as the key element when it came to security measures. The sociological perspective, including several theories from Giddens and Hochschild, is relevant to the study as it aims to study subjective experiences and emotions in unpredictable situations that arise when working with inmates. / Oförutsägbara situationer är ett vanligt förekommande fenomen inom kriminalvården. Detta då de anställda arbetar i daglig kontakt med de intagna. Kriminalvårdare måste därför hantera både sina egna och de intagnas känslor. Syftet med studien är att belysa kriminalvårdares upplevelse av otrygghet på häktet, i arbetet med de intagna. Vidare undersöks vilka säkerhetsåtgärder som vidtas från kriminalvården som myndighet, för att uppnå en ökad trygghet hos de anställda. Forskning visar att kriminalvårdare är en av de yrkesgrupper som utsätts för mest otrygghet i arbetet. Det finns även olika känsloregler kriminalvårdare måste förhålla sig till i sitt arbete med de intagna, för att behålla sin legitimitet. Studiens teoretiska referensram utgår från Giddens teori om struktureringsteori, ontologisk trygghet samt tillit. Vidare utgår studien från Hochschilds teori om känsloarbete. I den föreliggande studien används kvalitativa intervjuer med individer som arbetar inom kriminalvården, i nära kontakt med de intagna. Studiens resultat visar att starka kollegiala relationer och självförtroende hos den enskilde individen bidrar till ökad trygghet i arbetet. Känslan av trygghet beror även på hur länge en individ arbetat på kriminalvården. På kriminalvården finns det informella känsloregler som de anställda behöver följa inom sin yrkesroll och genom känslohantering kan detta påverka kriminalvårdares uppfattning av otrygghet. Vidare till säkerhetsåtgärder har kriminalvården infört säkerhetslarm, möten samt utbildning för att säkerställa en god arbetsmiljö. Det framkommer genom intervjuerna att utbildningen för nyanställda uppfattas av de anställda som bristfällig i olika aspekter, och att säkerhetslarmet betraktas som en central del gällande säkerhetsåtgärderna på kriminalvården. Det sociologiska perspektivet, innefattande teorier från Giddens och Hochschild, är relevant för studien då den avser att studera subjektiva upplevelser och känslor i oförutsägbara situationer som uppstår i arbetet med de intagna.