Depuis quelques décennies, les matériaux composites organique/inorganique font l’objet de nombreux travaux de recherches. En raison de leurs propriétés uniques et intermédiaires entre les deux mondes minérales et organiques, ces matériaux sont d’un grand intérêt pour des nombreuses applications tel que le domaine, d’optique, la microfluidique, la microélectronique…, La synthèse de ce type des matériaux est réalisée à moindre coût en deux étapes : La synthèse du réseau inorganique est effectué par procédé sol-gel , tant qu’à la partie organique des compositions de type résines négatives et positives possède la particularité d’être photo-réticulables sous irradiation (UV et visible). Parallèlement, est apparue la lithographie par écriture laser (spot de quelques microns). Elle s’avère très pertinente pour la mise au point d’un procédé pour lequel des objets de petites dimensions (quelques Microns) et de petites surfaces sont à réaliser car elle permet de s’affranchir de la fabrication de masques. Cette technique associée aux résines négatives, n’est pas idéale pour la fabrication d’objets de grandes surfaces en raison de temps de fabrication induits trop long. Il est, par exemple, extrêmement compliqué et couteux d’utiliser l’écriture Laser pour la réalisation de dispositifs microfluidiques. En effet, la création de canaux de taille micronique nécessite une très grande surface à insoler. Il est donc bien plus pertinent de travailler sur l’association de l’écriture laser avec une résine de type positive. L’objectif principal de ce travail est la synthèse, l’optimisation et mise en œuvre d’un matériau hybride photosensible de type résine positive : Application à la fabrication des capteurs microfluidiques. Notre choix s’est porté sur le poly(amic acid) PAA de masse molaire 2340 g/mol comme partie organique, connu pour ces bonnes propriétés mécaniques et sa grande stabilité thermique. Le travail est centré d’une part, sur la synthèse d’une résine positive photosensible à la longueur d’onde utilisée (365 nm) à base du polymère PAA. En général, les PAA sont très solubles dans une solution alcaline aqueuse, dû à la présence d’acide carboxylique. Afin d’améliorer le contraste entre la partie insolée et non insolée après le développement, un inhibiteur de dissolution 1,3,5-tris[(2-vinyloxy)ethoxy]benzène (TVEB) est greffé au PAA via la fonction vinyl éther. Ce dernier permet la réduction de la teneur en acide carboxylique dans le motif répétitif du polymère et comme conséquence diminuer la dissolution de la partie non insolée. D’autre part, la synthèse du matériau hybride à base de la résine photosensible optimisée, est réalisée par greffage d’un précurseur ORMOSIL le 4-vinyléther-phenyltriéthoxysilane (VEPTES) pré-hydrolysé par procédé sol-gel comme partie inorganique à notre polymère. Afin d'optimiser le matériau, une étude structurale a été réalisée depuis la synthèse du solution jusqu'à l'obtention des dépôts et enfin la création des canaux microfluidiques. Une amélioration significative au niveau des propriétés mécaniques et thermiques est notée au niveau du polymère par ajout d’une partie minérale. / In recent decades, the organic / inorganic composite materials are the subject of many research works. Because of their unique properties and intermediate between inorganic and organic worlds, these materials are of great interest for many applications such as the area, optical, microfluidics, microelectronics ... The synthesis of this type of materials is carried out at a lower cost in two stages: The synthesis of inorganic network is made by sol-gel process, as well as the organic part of the negative and positive resin type compositions has the particularity of being photo-crosslinked under irradiation ( UV and visible).Meanwhile, the lithography by laser writing has appeared (spot a few microns). It is particularly appropriate for the development of a method for which small objects (a few microns) and small surfaces are to achieve because it eliminates the production of masks. This technique associated with negative resins, is not ideal for manufacturing large objects surfaces due to induced production time too long. It is, for example, be extremely complicated and expensive to use writing laser for producing microfluidic devices. Indeed, the creation of micron-sized channels requires a very large surface area to be exposed. It is therefore more appropriate to work on the combination of laser writing with a resin positive type. The main objective of this work is the synthesis, optimization and implementation of a photosensitive hybrid material resin positive type: Application to the fabrication of microfluidic sensors. Our choice fell on the poly(amic acid) PAA with molar mass of 2340 g/mol as an organic part, known for its good mechanical properties and high thermal stability.The work focuses on a part, on the synthesis of a positive photosensitive resin at the wavelength used (365 nm) based on the PAA polymer. In general, PAA are very soluble in an aqueous alkaline solution, due to the presence of carboxylic acid. In order to improve the contrast between the irradiated and unirradiated part after the development, an dissolution inhibitor 1,3,5-tris [(2-vinyloxy) ethoxy] benzene (TVEB) is grafted to the PAA via the vinyl ether function. This allows the reduction of the carboxylic acid content in the repeating unit of the polymer and as a consequence reduces the dissolution of the non-exposed part.On the other part, the synthesis of the hybrid material based on the optimized photosensitive resin is formed by grafting a precursor ORMOSIL 4-vinylether-phenyltriethoxysilane (VEPTES) pre-hydrolyzed by sol-gel method as the inorganic part to our polymer. In order to optimize the material, a structural study was conducted for the synthesis of the solution until the deposits and the creation of microfluidic channels. A significant improvement in mechanical and thermal properties is recorded at the polymer by adding an inorganic portion.

Women living with HIV have a variety of reproductive health and psychosocial needs. The purpose of this critical ethnographic study was to examine how HIV, empowerment and reproduction are experienced by a volunteer sample of HIVpositive women attending public health care facilities in Gauteng. Feminist and critical approaches were used to guide the methodology of the research and the interpretation of the findings. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and observation. An overview of literature pertaining to the social construction of HIV-AIDS, women’s empowerment and reproductive decision-making is presented. A discourse of “healthy lifestyle” as technologies of the self is considered. Women’s empowerment as an ideal is described and structural barriers to its achievement are discussed. Stigma and discrimination as products of hegemony are discussed as important issues in the disempowerment of women living with HIV. HIV-AIDS as illness experience is reviewed with reference to the social context and to the individual context. Reproductive decision-making models and theories are critically analysed for their applicability to women living with HIV. The need for a conceptual shift in the notion of empowerment in order to understand constrained decision-making for women living with HIV is propagated. The stories of women living with HIV and dependent on public health care services are presented. Through the principles of a critical ethnography the lived experiences of these women are described by means of emerging themes. A historiography of family planning and HIV-AIDS services throws the narrations of the research participants into broader historic relief. Findings revealed that biomedical hegemonic power contoured and marked the lived experiences of women following an HIV-positive diagnosis. Taken-for-granted views of passivity and of own responsibilities regarding reproductive health are challenged. The women in the study were dependent upon public health care personnel for treatment, testing, dietary advice/supplementation and recommendations for a social xii disability grant. ARV-treatment was regarded as a low point in the illness career. All of the participants reported that the overriding problems in their lives were having too few material resources and not having the means to change this. This made them vulnerable to compounded health problems and decreased their ability to voice their own opinions about treatment. They did not regard themselves as having been at risk for contracting HIV and some harboured resentment towards men who were seen as being absolved from testing and responsibilities towards female partners, born and unborn children. Women who were not tested as part of antenatal sentinel groups tended to suffer symptoms of ill health for some time prior to being tested for HIV. Social support systems were either absent or consisted of trusted family members and friends. In many cases, women became the silent care-givers for those affected and infected by HIV. Anticipated stigma permeated the participants’ narrations of living with HIV and disclosure of their statuses was difficult. The use of male condoms, stressed during counselling sessions, was narrated as a difficult burden for women to bear. Although the research participants expressed low fertility preferences, HIV-AIDS was seen as disrupting the link between heterosexual conjugal relations and the taken-for-grantedness of procreation. HIV-AIDS also disrupted norms in infant feeding practices and bottle-feeding was regarded as a sign of possible HIV-infection and hidden. The research participants were not empowered with knowledge about how to deal with side-effects, condom failures and the reluctance of male partners to be tested for HIV. They enacted, resisted and lived with HIV in different ways, incorporating some of the biomedically prescribed posturing as women living positively and blending it with stigma-negating performances and gender-prescribed ways of dressing, walking and acting. Participation in a support group validated their experiences and promoted positive self-perception. The formation of a collective voice in the support group was hampered by irregular attendance, the interference of community leaders and horizontal violence. Power relations, yielded by biomedical hegemony, androcentric sociocultural practices, material deprivation, fear, discrimination and stigma potentially undermined the women’s abilities to become empowered. Expansion of choices in various spheres or fields and collective action xiii are proposed as dimensions to be added to an empowerment-of-women approach to the problems of reproductive health in the age of HIV-AIDS. The contribution of the study as an emancipatory project is evaluated and implications for policy and practice are suggested. On a methodological level, this study is a demonstration of the contribution to be made by a micro-level, critical analysis to the body of knowledge about female reproductive health in the era of HIV-AIDS in South Africa. On a theoretical level, this study contributes to a wider conceptualisation of women’s empowerment by recognising the interplay between micro-level elements of situated experience, knowledge and preferences and the macro-level elements of sociocultural, biomedical and material influences on health and reproductive behavior.

The human immunodeficiency virus / acquired immune deficiency syndrome pandemic (HIV/AIDS) continues to increase in prevalence worldwide, particularly in South Africa. There is a concurrent and distinct increase in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and HIV-related diseases in the paediatric population in South Africa, particularly those using public sector health services, with a corresponding increase in morbidity and mortality rates (Abdool Karim & Abdool Karim, 2010:363), which impacts greatly on paediatric healthcare services. Adding to this, the provision of paediatric antiretroviral care has numerous stumbling blocks, not least of which is lack of decentralisation of facilities to provide treatment. There is the additional shortage of staff, which includes staff that are comfortable dealing with children, lack of training programmes on the provision of antiretroviral therapy to children, and minimal on-site mentorship of staff regarding HIV/AIDS disease in children. This lack of capacity in the healthcare system means that not all of those who require treatment will be able to access it, and this is particularly pertinent to paediatric patients (Meyers et al., 2007:198). Therefore the purpose of this research was to develop a nursing model that would assist healthcare professionals, in particular professional nurses, to optimise the comprehensive treatment, care and support for HIV-positive children who require antiretroviral therapy at PHC clinics. To achieve the purpose of this study, a theory-generating design based on a qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual approach was implemented by the researcher to gain an understanding of how the healthcare professionals and parents/caregivers of HIV-positive children experienced the comprehensive treatment, care and support provided at primary healthcare clinics. The information obtained was used to develop a chronic care coordination model for the optimisation of comprehensive treatment, care and support for HIV-positive children requiring antiretroviral therapy. The study design comprised the following four steps: Step One of the research design focused on the identification, classification and definition of the major concepts of the study. This involved describing and selecting the research population and the sampling process prior to conducting the field work which comprised in-depth interviews with two groups of participants, namely healthcare professionals and parents/caregivers who accompany their HIV-positive children to PHC clinics in order to receive antiretroviral therapy. Step Two of the research design focused on the development of relationship statements in order to bring clarity and direction to the understanding of the phenomenon of interest. Step Three of the design concentrated on the development and description of the chronic care coordination model for optimising comprehensive treatment, care and support for HIV-positive children who require antiretroviral therapy in order to ensure a well-managed child on ART. A visual representation of the structure of the model for chronic care coordination was given and described as well as a detailed description of the process of the model. Step Four was the last step of the research design and its focus was the development of guidelines for the operationalisation of the model for chronic care coordination for the optimisation of comprehensive treatment, care and support for HIV-positive children requiring antiretroviral therapy at PHC clinics. Guidelines and operational implications for each of the five sequential steps of the model were developed. The evaluation criteria of Chinn & Kramer (2008:237‒248) were used to evaluate the model. It is therefore concluded that the researcher succeeded in achieving the purpose for this study because a chronic care coordination model that is understandable, clear, simple, applicable and significant to nursing practice has been developed for use by healthcare professionals, particularly professional nurses, in order to optimise the comprehensive treatment, care and support for HIV-positive children requiring antiretroviral therapy at primary healthcare clinics.

No description available.

Thesis (M.Sc.) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / Purpose of the study The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of couples on disclosure of their HIV-positive status to each other. Research methodology Qualitative, Phenomenology, exploratory descriptive and contextual research was conducted to identify the experiences and to determine the strategies that address non-disclosure of couples on their HIV-positive status. The population comprised 12 participants (six (6) couples). Purposive sampling was used to select eight (8) participants (four (4) couples) who participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data until data saturation was reached. Study findings Data were analysed using Tesch’s open-coding method. Five themes emerged, namely, fear of being HIV-positive, disclosure of HIV-positive status is a difficult process, acceptance of HIV-positive status, relations between partners post knowledge of HIV-positive results and encouragement pertaining to disclosure of HIV-positive status. Strategies were developed to address the experiences identified. Recommendations were made for the Department of Health, clinic staff, future researchers, patients and community members. Conclusion Although couples disclosed their status to one another disclosure was found to be a difficult process. Acceptance of HIV status was also found to be one of the challenges that led to delayed disclosure of the status. Support system from both family and community is a very important factor which might increase HIV status acceptance and disclosure from couples. Keywords: Couples, experiences, disclosure, HIV-positive status.

This research concerns itself with the effects of authentic leadership and a positive organisational context. Gardner, Avolio, Luthans, May and Walumbwa’s (2005) authentic leader and follower development model suggests that authentic leadership within a positive organisational context leads to increased authentic followership, which in turn influences positive follower outcomes, and finally leads to sustainable and veritable organisational performance. A research contextual framework, based on Gardner et al.’s (2005) model, is developed with one significant change being the repositioning of a positive organisational context as a relatively more significant construct in the development of authentic followership. The research contextual framework and in particular the correlations between the various constructs are tested. This is performed through a quantitative study based on the completion of a research questionnaire by employees at four South African based services companies. In addition to a general testing of the various correlations, the role of a positive organisational context is specifically investigated in order to shed light on which model better reflects the authentic leadership development process: Gardner et al.’s (2005) model or the research contextual framework. It is also intended that this research will provide insights into whether general authentic leadership theory can be generalised to a South African context. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Le contact entre l'électrode et l'électrolyte est primordial pour le bon fonctionnement d'une batterie Lithium-Ion. L'imprégnation de l'électrode positive par un électrolyte liquide a toujours été considérée comme totale, cependant les phénomènes ne sont pas exactement connus. Ainsi, ces travaux s'intéressent à l'influence de la composition de l'électrode positive (matière active et agent conducteur) sur cette imprégnation. Après une première étude des propriétés conductrices, électrochimiques et morphologiques d'électrodes présentant des formulations plus ou moins éloignées des formulations industrielles, une méthode utilisant l'équation de Washburn a été développée afin d'étudier l'imprégnation des pores modélisés par un ensemble de tubes capillaires. L'utilisation de l'hexadecane, considéré comme un liquide parfaitement mouillant, a permis de déterminer la taille effective des pores indépendamment de l'électrolyte, et celle-ci a pu être comparée à des résultats obtenus grâce à la méthode de thermoporosimétrie. Puis, les régimes de Washburn obtenus lors de la diffusion de l'électrolyte ont mis en évidence les cinétiques d'ascension. Par la suite, la méthode de Washburn a été utilisée afin de caractériser les propriétés d'imprégnation d'électrodes élaborées avec un nouveau liant et selon un procédé innovant s'affranchissant de l'utilisation de solvant. L'utilisation d'un additif permettant la création de porosité d'une part, et la réticulation du liant d'autre part permettent d'obtenir une imprégnation de l'électrolyte comparable à celle observée pour les électrodes fabriquées par voie solvant / The contact between the electrode and the electrolyte is essential for a Lithium-Ion battery functioning. The impregnation of a positive electrode by the electrolyte has always been considered as total; however the phenomena are not exactly known. Thus, in this work, the influence of the positive electrode composition (active material, conductive agent and binder) on the impregnation has been investigated. After a first study focusing on the conductive, electrochemical and morphological properties of the electrodes, with different types of formulation, a method using Washburn equation has been developed in order to study the impregnation of the electrode’s pores, which were modeled as capillary tubes. With the use of hexadecane, considered as a perfectly wetting liquid, the effective pore size has been determined and then compared to the results given by the thermoporosimetry method. Then, the kinetics of ascension have been identified with the Washburn regimes obtained with the diffusion of the electrolyte in the cathodes. Afterwards, Washburn method has been used in order to characterize the impregnation properties of electrodes elaborated with an innovative process without solvent. Thanks to the use of an additive allowing the creation of porosity in one hand and the reticulation of the binder in the other hand, an impregnation of these new electrode by the electrolyte has been considered as comparable to the one observed for the cathodes made with solvent

No description available.

With the high prevalence of mental illnesses in university students worldwide, researchers are investigating the effectiveness of mental health practices geared toward this subpopulation. Two encouraging approaches to promote student well-being are positive education (i.e., the teaching of applied positive psychology) and yoga. Nonetheless, few researchers have studied the combined effect of positive education and yoga on mental health. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the immediate and prolonged impact of integrating a yoga program into a positive education course offered at the University of Ottawa on undergraduate students’ mental health, affect, self-compassion, and vitality. In this mixed method single case experimental A1BA2 design, seven volunteer students completed a two-week baseline (A1), followed by a six-week yoga program including two weekly virtual yoga classes (B), and another two-week baseline (A2; post-yoga), all while taking the positive education course. Trait variables (i.e., mental health, trait self-compassion, and trait subjective vitality) were assessed via validated questionnaires during the baseline phases preceding and following the yoga program, while state variables (i.e., affect, state self-compassion, and state subjective vitality) were evaluated immediately before and after one of the weekly yoga sessions. Participants also completed diary entries guided by open-ended journal prompts related to the outcome variables following one of the weekly yoga sessions. Differences in trait and state quantitative variables pre- and post-yoga were compared by means of visual, stability, level, and trend analyses, while the qualitative data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Practicing yoga was found to improve all trait and state well-being outcomes, especially trait self-compassion and state subjective vitality, via greater pride, self-kindness, serenity, energy, and alertness. Results demonstrate that yoga and positive education mutually enhance university students’ mental health, affect, self-compassion, and vitality both immediately and prolongedly. This study addressed gaps in the literature and will help inform future implementation of yoga and positive education courses on university campuses.

Background & Purpose: University students have lower levels of mental health compared to the general population (Twenge et al., 2019). Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a further decline in university student mental health has been reported, emphasizing the growing concern for this population (Chen & Lucock, 2022). Positive education (i.e. courses grounded in positive psychology) could provide undergraduate students with techniques to cope with life, academic, and pandemic stress as growing research has shown its effectiveness in improving well-being (Smith et al., 2021; Yurayat & Seechaliao, 2021). However, to our knowledge, no studies have qualitatively investigated the long-term impact of a semester-long positive education course on university students mental health. Further, no studies have been found that examine the long-term impact of positive education on student mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the first purpose of the thesis is to explore the perspectives of students who took a Quality of Living course on if and how they believe the course influenced their mental health a) 1-year after taking the course and b) during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (RQ1). Additionally, physical activity is a well-researched predictor of mental health and is a first-line treatment for depression (Fortier et al., 2020; Ravindran et al., 2016). There are studies that suggest a bi-directional relationship between physical activity and mental health may exist (Da Silva et al., 2012; Kim et al., 2017). Yet the influence of mental health on physical activity is just emerging. To our knowledge, no studies have used a mixed methods approach to investigate the potential bi-directional relationship between physical activity and mental health in university students and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, a secondary aim of this thesis is to use a mixed-methods approach to explore the bi-directional relationship between physical activity and mental health over time amongst the students who took the QOL course during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (RQ2). It was hypothesized that there would be a bi-directional relationship between physical activity and mental health (Kim et al., 2017). Methods: RQ1: The sample consisted of 10 university students who took the course in the Winter 2020 semester. Participants were chosen using purposive sampling from those who indicated interest and were interviewed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted 1-year after the class ended using an interview guide and a pre-interview package was sent prior to the interview. Thematic analysis of the transcripts was performed to generate common themes once data saturation occurred. RQ2: As part of a larger study investigating the Quality of Living course, quantitative data was collected (n=57). Physical activity and mental health were measured before (baseline) and after (endpoint) the course through validated self-report questionnaires and was analyzed using cross-lagged correlational analysis. For the qualitative component, during the semi-structured interviews additional questions were asked to address RQ2. Abductive thematic analysis was used to analyze the transcripts and generate common themes. Results: RQ1: Overall, there were three primary themes identified in the data including The Influence of the Course on Mental Health, Helpful Course Components, and Transferring the Course Topics to One’s Personal Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic. RQ2: The quantitative data were non-significant and did not support the hypothesis. However, the qualitative data supported the presence of a bi-directional relationship and the students agreed that physical activity influences mental health and vice versa. Conclusions: These results suggest that positive education courses like the one investigated in this study could play a valuable role in improving undergraduate students' mental health long-term. These results can be used to inform the development and implementation of future positive psychology courses. Finally, a bi-directional relationship was qualitatively shown to exist and should be further investigated as understanding this relationship can help inform wellness interventions. Future research is recommended on these topics.