This bachelor thesis focuses on literary depictions of personal experiences of living as non-British in the UK following the referendum on leaving the European Union in 2016. The purpose of the thesis is to analyze what Brexit as a phenomena does with individuals’ views of themselves and the society in which they live. The thesis rests upon a hypothesis that Brexit will affect both subjective notions of one's identity and ideas about the individual's role in a social community. However, the question remains how this can be expressed in literary form? In order to answer this question, two autobiographical books written in Italian are reviewed. These are La Mia Brexit by the comedian Francesco De Carlo and Brexit Blues by the journalist Marco Varvello. As mentioned, the focus is on analyzing the relationship between Brexit and the main characters' ideas about identity and social community. An attempt is also made to interpret the texts using the narrative concept of Turning points, with the aim of studying whether Brexit can be likened to this in the two books. The main conclusion of the thesis revolves around the concept of uncertainty, in which Brexit as a phenomenon mainly contributes to various uncertainties in the characters' views on identity and community. It is also noted that Brexit can be likened to narrative turning point, but that the characters in the books are uncertain what this turning point means.

Machine ethics is a field of applied ethics that has grown rapidly in the last decade. Increasingly advanced autonomous robots have expanded the focus of machine ethics from issues regarding the ethical development and use of technology by humans to a focus on ethical dimensions of the machines themselves. This thesis contains two essays, both about robots in some sense, representing these different perspectives of machine ethics. The first essay, “Is it Morally Right to use UAVs in War?” concerns an example of robots today, namely the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used in war, and the ethics surrounding the use of such robots. In this essay it is argued that UAVs might affect how the laws of war (LOW) are interpreted, and that there might be need for additional rules surrounding the use of UAVs. This represents the more traditional approach of machine ethics, focusing on the decisions of humans regarding the use of such robots. The second essay, “The Functional Morality of Robots”, concerns the robots of the future – the potential moral agency of robots. The suggestion in this essay is that robots should be considered moral agents if they can pass a moral version of the Turing Test. This represents the new focus of machine ethics: machine morality, or more precisely, machine agency. / <p>QC 20110414</p>

Vi undersökte i denna uppsats substansmissbrukares erfarenhet av vändpunkter. Bakgrunden till detta är att vi ville se om specifika vändpunkter kunde användas i preventionsbyggande syfte för att förhindra att individer hamnar i ett missbruk. Detta gjorde vi genom en kvalitativ undersökning med semistrukturerade intervjuer. Vårt urval bestod av fem individer som alla hade haft ett substansmissbruk men som lyckats upprätthålla en drogfrihet under olika långa perioder fram till idag. Intervjuerna genomfördes digitalt via Teams på grund av den pågående pandemin. Vi delar upp empirin från intervjuerna utifrån fyra ämnesområden. Dessa är Vägen in i missbruk, Det aktiva missbruket, Vändpunkter och vägen ut ur missbruket samt Upprätthållandet av drogfriheten. I resultatet framkom det att vändpunkter är betydelsefullt, men att det är individuellt hur stor påverkan som vändpunkterna har på individerna. Det finns alltså ingen specifik vändpunkt som gör att en individ upprätthåller sin drogfrihet eller som kan förebygga början på ett missbruk. Vändpunkterna startar dock ett förändringsarbete hos individen och med hjälp av resurser i samhället kan en rehabilitering påbörjas.

This a/r/tographic dissertation offers opportunities to interrogate curator identity and curator ways of being in both public and private spaces. Instead of an authoritative or prescriptive look at the curatorial, this dissertation as catalogue allows for uncertainty, for messiness, for vulnerable spaces where readers are invited into an exhibition of disorderly living. Stitched throughout the study are stories of mothering and the difficulties that accompanied the extremely early birth of my daughter. Becoming a mother provoked my curating in unexpected ways and allowed me to reconsider the reasons I collect, display, and perform as a curator. It was through the actual curating of familial material artifacts in the exhibition Dress Stories, I was able to map the journey of my curatorial turns. My engagement with clothing in the inquiry was informed by the work of Sandra Weber and Claudia Mitchell, where dress as a methodology allows for spaces to consider autobiography, identity, and practice. It was not until the exhibition was over, I was able to discover new ways to thread caring, collecting, and cataloging ourselves as curators, artists, researchers, teachers, and mothers. It prompts curators and teachers to consider possibilities for failure, releasing excess, and uncaring as a way to care for self, objects, and others.

Syftet med denna studie har varit att undersöka deltagarnas självbeskrivna vändpunkter som möjliggjort upphörandet från kriminalitet och droger, samt vilka faktorer som beskrivits som centrala i upprätthållandet av den nya livsstilen. Studien har baserats på sex intervjuer med personer som tidigare levt ett kriminellt liv. Vändpunkterna har beskrivits som en individuell kombination av en romantisk relation till en partner, brutna sociala band till viktiga närstående (exempelvis barn eller föräldrar), upplevd skadlig hälsopåverkan, anhopning av konsekvenser, personlig mognad och en nyfunnen gudstro. Upprätthållandet har beskrivits som framgångsrikt genom att deltagarna kontinuerligt utvärderat sin situation och arbetat på att bibehålla sin nya identitet. Detta har bland annat möjliggjorts genom att underhålla nya, sunda relationer; att ha en stimulerande arbetssituation; samt att vara goda förebilder, föräldrar och partners. Alla i gruppen lever idag i tolvstegsprogrammet, vilket de är övertygade om bidrar till en bestående förändring och en kontinuerlig personlig utveckling. / The purpose of this study has been to examine the participants’ self-described turning points that has enabled desistance from criminality and drugs, together with what factors described as central in the persistence of their new lifestyle. The study was based on interviews with six former offenders. The turning points were described as a unique combination of a romantic relationship to a partner, broken social bonds to important relatives, perceived adverse health effects, accumulation of consequences, personal maturity, and a newfound faith in God. The persistence were described as successful by continuously evaluating their situation and working to maintain their new identity. This was done by maintaining new, healthy relationships; a stimulating work situation; and being good role models, parents and partners. Everyone in the group is currently living with the twelve step program, since they believe it contributes to a lasting change and a continuous personal development.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第19471号 / 理博第4131号 / 新制||理||1594(附属図書館) / 32507 / 京都大学大学院理学研究科数学・数理解析専攻 / (主査)准教授 竹井 義次, 教授 岡本 久, 教授 小野 薫 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

This thesis has investigated the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve in the provinces of China which assumes the increase in GDP per capita (income per capita) would generate the raise of CO2 emissions (pollution) until a turning point in which CO2 emissions start decreasing. The study includes 30 provinces over a period spanning from 2000 to 2019 by applying OLS and Fixed-effects regression model with panel data. The findings demonstrate that the provinces of China conform to the EKC theory's projections by exhibiting an inverted-U shape. Apart from that, this study also confirmed the presence of differences in turning points between provinces with high income and those with low income, and the former exhibiting a significantly higher value. Our research findings suggest that policymakers should tailor their CO2 emission reduction policies to the specific circumstances of each region. In the absence of appropriate measures, a negative outcome may arise.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among young children and adults. This primary injury initiates an inflammatory response that may lead to a secondary brain injury. Nursing care in the critical care setting supports prevention or reduction of secondary injury through control of intracranial pressure (ICP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and the subsequent cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP). While secondary injury may be preventable, some nursing interventions may contribute to increased ICP and decreased CPP. Patients with increased ICP or decreased CPP are at risk for poor clinical outcomes. This literature review examined the effort of routine nursing care interventions on outcomes of TBI patients in the critical care setting. Eleven research articles studying head of bed elevation, head and neck positioning, turning, and spacing of patient care activities were the focus of the analysis. Results typically showed positive outcomes by elevating the head of the bed to thirty degrees. CPP was also maintained at thirty degrees, but showed varied results. ICP and CPP are best controlled with the head and neck in a neutral position. Turning patients is a routine nursing intervention that contributes to increased ICP in some positions in some patients. Most studies suggest ICP is lowest in the supine position and highest in the left lateral position, but differences in findings were noted. Providing basic nursing care interventions in close succession also may contribute to increases in ICP in some patients. Results from this review provide evidence to support the importance of assessing and planning care for each TBI patient individually. It is hoped that findings from this review will provide guidance for bedside nurses to improve clinical practice and drive future research to support best practices for care of patients who suffer TBI.

Det finns en ojämn fördelning företagsägare i Sverige där andelen är 70% män och 30% kvinnor. Syftet med denna studie är att få en ökad förståelse för kvinnor som är företagsägare. Delvis genom att undersöka faktorer som påverkade kvinnorna att bli företagsägare, och delvis vilka karriärmöjligheter och utmaningar kvinnorna upplevde vid starten av företaget, upplever nu och ser i framtiden. Teoretiska begrepp som används är brytpunkter och livsdesign. Brytpunkter är ett begrepp inom Careership-teorin om karriärbeslut från Hodkinson och Sparkes och livsdesign är ett begrepp från Savickas et al. och innehåller delar av karriärkonstruktion, självkonstruktion och livslång själv-konstruktion. Det finns ett socialkonstruktivistiskt perspektiv i studien och metoden som har använts är kvalitativ genom narrativa intervjuer. I resultatet kommer fyra teman att presenteras; faktorer som påverkade att bli företagsägare, utmaningar då och nu, karriärmöjligheter då och nu, och utmaningar och karriärmöjligheter i framtiden. Resultatet visar att det finns påtvingande brytpunkter, självinitierande brytpunkter och ibland en kombination av båda inför karriärvalet att bli företagsägare. Vidare visar resultatet att personer oavsett ålder behöver göra övergångar inom arbetslivet och en livsdesign är en förutsättning för att klara sig i en ständigt föränderlig och turbulent arbetsmarknad. Resultatet visar att de flesta kvinnorna har en förälder som är företagsägare och några har även andra personer inom sitt nätverk. Det framkommer även att intervjupersonerna har fått lära sig hantera olika utmaningar och nya aktiviteter inom sitt företagande vilken har stärkt deras självförtroende och har lett till ett ökat självledarskap. De har också behövt hantera att själva skapa arbetstillfällen för att kunna försörja sig, något som är annorlunda från en löneanställning. De lyfter vidare nätverkets betydelse där andra företagsägare ger en kompetenshöjande och stöttande funktion. Samtliga vill fortsätta vara företagsägare trots olika framtidsutmaningar inom klimatomställning och pågående inflation. De ser fortfarande karriärmöjligheter och har olika mål inom sitt företagande i framtiden. / There is an uneven level of business owners in Sweden where the proportion is 70% men and 30% women. The purpose of this study is to gain an increased understanding of women who are business owners. Partly by examining factors that influenced the women to become business owners, and partly what career opportunities and challenges the women experienced at the start of the company, experiencing now and thoughts about the future. Theoretical concepts that are used are turning-points and life-design. Turning-points is a concept within the Careership theory of career decision from Hodkinson and Sparkes and life-design is a concept from Savickas et al. and includes elements of career construction, self-construction, and lifelong self-construction. There is a social constructivist perspective in the study and the method that has been used is qualitative through narrative interviews. In the result four themes will be presented; factors that influenced becoming a business owner, challenges then and now, career opportunities then and now, and challenges and career opportunities in the future. The result shows that there are forced turning-points, self-initiating turning-points and sometimes a combination of both before the career choice of becoming a business owner. Furthermore, the results show that people regardless of age need to do transitions in working life and a life-design is a necessity for coping in a constant changing and turbulent labor market. The result shows that most of the women have a parent who are business owners and some also have other people within their network. It also appears that the women have learned to deal with different challenges and new activities within their business, which has strengthened their self-confidence and has led to increased self-leadership. They have also had to deal with creating job opportunities to make a living, which is different from a salaried employment. They further highlight the importance of the network where other business owners provide an enhancing in competence and supportive function. Everyone wants to continue being business owners despite various future challenges in climate change and ongoing inflation. They still see career opportunities and have different goals in their business in the future.

During the last decades the challenge of sustainability has become more urgent and environmental impacts of different processes in manufacturing industry have received more attention. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has become an important and useful tool to evaluate the environmental impact of products and processes. In this study the environmental impact of two cooling techniques in a turning process has been evaluated using LCA. Turning is used for shaping metal parts by removing material. The compared cooling techniques in this study are dry cutting and Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL). The inputs and output in each technique are considered in form of material flows and energy consumption as well as waste flows. The Ecoinvent database has been used in order to quantify, evaluate and compare the environmental impacts of the two cooling techniques. Environmental impact categories considered in this study are Carbon footprint (CO2 kg equivalent), Cumulative Energy Demand (CED), Total eco-cost in Euro and ReCiPe. ReCiPe is a method used to evaluate multiple environmental impact categories and it covers impact categories related to human health, ecotoxicity and material depletion. Calculations and analysis of the results show that MQL has significantly lower environmental impact compared to dry cutting whereas energy consumption is the main contributor in the considered environmental impact categories. / Under de senaste åren har hållbar utveckling blivit mer relevant och miljöpåverkan av olika tillverkningsprocesser i industrin har således fått mer uppmärksamhet. Livscykelanalys (LCA) har blivit ett viktigt och användbart verktyg för att analysera och utvärdera miljöpåverkan av produkter och processer. I det här examensarbetet har miljöpåverkan av två olika kylmetoder vid svarvning utvärderats med hjälp av livscykelanalys (LCA). Svarvning används för att forma metalldelar. De jämförda kylmetoderna är torrskärning (dry cutting) utan kylvätska och minimalsmörjning (Minimum Quantity Lubrication - MQL) där en liten mängd smörjmedel används. Tillfört material, energiförbrukning och avfall vid varje kylmetod har betraktats. Ecoinvent-databasen har använts för att kvantifiera, utvärdera och jämföra miljöpåverkan av de två kylmetoderna. Miljöpåverkanskategorierna som behandlas i denna studie är koldioxidavtryck (CO2 kg ekvivalent), kumulativt energibehov (CED), totala miljökostnader i Euro och ReCiPe. ReCiPe är en metod som används för att utvärdera flera olika miljöpåverkanskategorier inkluderande människors hälsa, miljögifter och förbrukning av naturresurser. Beräkningarna och analysresultaten visar att MQL har betydligt lägre miljöpåverkan än torrskärning och att energiförbrukningen är den mest avgörande faktorn.