From a slave to a critical-thinker-artistic-writer: Emancipating a professional\u27s anthill using action research professional practice with information systems professionals as the crux: Gnothe se auton non, j regrette rien die lichtung and all the world\u27s a stage

The diagram shown in figure 1 gives an impression of this thesis around the key words slavery, enslavement, emancipation, freedom, power, critical thinker, and artistic writer. The text at the centre reads my rich model evolution during this thesis. On rereading the text, I wonder if it is referring to my own evolution during the research, which could be described as rich model, or the evolution of the rich model that encapsulates, and in one sense is, the chief contribution of the thesis. That I use this sentence and this impressionistic diagram to begin this abstract should signal to you, dear reader, that this thesis tells my truth, with a little\u27t\u27, in my own way, about my reflective practitioner investigation of my experience of being part of the information systems profession and then part of a Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A) programme. As such, it is what some may term post-modem, although I hesitate to describe it as such. Through my lived experience as an enslaved information systems professional, I can relate to the current situation of asymmetric warfare (note the picture of a fighter plane dropping a bomb with the word hacker under), asymmetric industrial relations, and some other forms of the master-relationship relationship. In my career as an information systems\u27 professional I have experienced that here is a constant that permeates the world: that parties desire to achieve greater power over any other competitor while sacrificing as little as possible of their own resources. Whether this is an actual war or just a simple jousting for advantage, the process remains similar: Two structuralist sides in conflict. Perhaps this simple description is the apparent reason why most fights are simply a zero-sum game, that is, one side wins ( + 1) and the other loses (-1). There are however variations to this theme. Hegel\u27s Master-slave dialogue is one. In this case the vanquished who is now a slave, eventually gains power over their master, the original victor, not through force of arms, but by becoming indispensable to the Master. The major and subtle weapon the slave possesses is time with obsequiousness that leads to dependency of the master to the actions of the slave. Again through my lived experience of near imagined slavery, I can also relate to another form of conflict that is now upon us, that of a structuralist formal army supported by post-structuralist critical-thinkers and the artist-writers of a post-modernist society against a structuralist guerrilla grouping, with a post-modem idealism giving vital quasi or actual intellectual support. This leaves the structuralist formal army seeking effective and favourable counters to this asymmetric situation through the weakness of the guerrilla forces, that is, a lack of critical-thinkers; else, it will see a form of defeat that is reliance upon the guerrilla force not to attack. It is a modem and curious situation where an overwhelming force seems to be impotent against a quick, opportunistic, attack by a much smaller, under-resourced opponent. Yet, if the guerrilla forces do in fact win, what is the result within the territory the guerrillas now control? It seems that it is not an egalitarian-based modem democracy, or even a functioning theocracy. The key is the critical-thinker, without these people who ask questions, embarrassing ones most times, the necessary balance to support a string of freedoms is lacking. The major problem is where do the guerrilla forces find these people, and support them by not exterminating them as counter-revolutionaries, thereby creating the basic weaknesses to the system they wish to impose. However, the above guerrilla case need not prevail. In my experience of organisational relationships, which are by their very nature asymmetric, a structuralist organisation can defeat even its deadliest asymmetric foe - an enslaved, passed over, disgruntled, and sabotage-prone information systems employee. I was one such employee, one such enslaved person

Ethical Dilemmas during mergers, acquisitions and takeovers

The organisational world is still shaking from the impact of individual and organisational actions that are contrary to the open-ended community standards of ethics. Yet, ethical values have to fight continually for organisational space as the conflict between many differing corporate values problematises the workplace environment and decision-making for managers. This paper is based on a study that is investigating the relations between such values at times of significant organisational stress, when organisations merge, are acquired, or are taken-over, and the ethical dilemmas that arise from these events within the framework provided by Kidder (2009). The paper concludes by summarising the key issues of diversity and policy, which are emerging and the implications for managers and academics

Sensitivity of synthetic aperture laser optical feedback imaging

In this paper we compare the sensitivity of two imaging configurations both based on Laser Optical Feedback Imaging (LOFI). The first one is direct imaging, which uses conventional optical focalisation on target and the second one is made by Synthetic Aperture (SA) Laser, which uses numerical focalisation. We show that SA configuration allows to obtain good resolutions with high working distance and that the drawback of SA imagery is that it has a worse photometric balance in comparison to conventional microscope. This drawback is partially compensated by the important sensitivity of LOFI. Another interest of SA relies on the capacity of getting a 3D information in a single x-y scan

Limitations of synthetic aperture laser optical feedback imaging

In this paper we study the origin and the effect of amplitude and phase noise on Laser Optical Feedback Imaging (LOFI) associated with Synthetic Aperture (SA) imaging system. Amplitude noise corresponds to photon noise and acts as an additive noise, it can be reduced by increasing the global measurement time. Phase noise can be divided in three families: random, sinusoidal and drift phase noise; we show that it acts as a multiplicative noise. We explain how we can reduce phase noise by making oversampling or multiple measurements depending on its type. This work can easily be extended to all SA systems (Radar, Laser or Terahertz), especially when raw holograms are acquired point by point

Synthetic aperture laser optical feedback imaging using a translational scanning with galvanometric mirrors

In this paper we present an experimental setup based on Laser Optical Feedback Imaging (LOFI) and on Synthetic Aperture (SA) with translational scanning by galvanometric mirrors for the purpose of making deep and resolved images through scattering media. We provide real 2D optical synthetic-aperture image of a fixed scattering target with a moving aperture and an isotropic resolution. We demonstrate theoretically and experimentally that we can keep microscope resolution beyond the working distance. A photometric balance is made and we show that the number of photons participating in the final image decreases with the square of the reconstruction distance. This degradation is partially compensated by the high sensitivity of LOFI

Reconstruction of the cartilage of the nose with 3D impression an tissue engineering : NASALTIS project

Le projet repose sur l'association de trois équipes qui ont mis en commun leur expertise pour permettre ce travail interdisciplinaire associant la biologie cellulaire, l'impression 3D, et des compétences chirurgicales. Il s'agit de fabriquer une prothèse de cartilage de la cloison nasale humaine par impression 3D et ingénierie tissulaire. La chirurgie reconstructrice du nez se heurte souvent au manque de cartilage. Le cartilage de la cloison nasale est la pièce maîtresse du nez. Son rôle est à la fois morphologique pour donner la forme projetée spécifique du nez humain, et fonctionnel pour maintenir perméable les fosses nasales au moment de l'inspiration. Ainsi la cloison nasale a un rôle à la fois morphologique et fonctionnel majeur.Malheureusement, le nez est un organe exposé au traumatisme ou aux pertes de substance en cas d'exérèse de tumeur maligne. De plus, le cartilage est un tissu avasculaire, ce qui entraînement une absence de capacités de régénération. La reconstruction du nez doit donc faire appel à des greffons de cartilage autologue prélevés au niveau du cartilage de l'oreille ou du cartilage des côtes, au prix d'une morbidité du site donneur pour le patient. Des implants alloplastiques existent, mais présentent un risque très élevé de surinfection et de rejet. C'est pourquoi les chirurgiens se tournent aujourd'hui vers l'ingénierie tissulaire pour éviter ces écueils. Les propriétés mécaniques du cartilage sont très importantes et doivent être imitées par le tissu construit en ingénierie tissulaire. Nous avons imaginé un concept de prothèse de cloison nasale associant un support structurel fabriqué dans un matériau de grade médical, de structure poreuse, imprimable en 3D, recouvert d'un gel de fibrine chargé de chondrocytes nasaux humains, pour répondre aux enjeux mécaniques et améliorer l'immunotolérance du tissu construit. Les chondrocytes nasaux humains sont obtenus par dons de résidus opératoires auprès de patients ayant donné leur consentement. L'amplification des chondrocytes, puis leur culture en hydrogel de fibrine, ont été réalisés en utilisant des facteurs solubles chondrogéniques, selon un protocole qui avait déjà montré son efficacité sur des chondrocytes nasaux et articulaires, au contact de différents supports liquides ou solides.Au cours de la première partie de notre étude, nous avons sélectionné un matériau parmi deux matériaux-candidats, en testant l'imprimabilité de chaque matériau, et sa biocompatibilité avec des chondrocytes nasaux en hydrogel de fibrine, après 3 semaines de culture in vitro, puis 6 semaines de culture in vivo sous la peau de la souris nude. Les essais d'imprimabilité, puis les analyses en PCR, en Western Blot réalisées après 3 semaines in vitro puis après 6 semaines in vivo, de la matrice extracellulaire du tissu obtenu, ont permis de retenir un silicone de grade médical. Dans la deuxième partie de notre étude, le matériau sélectionné a été imprimé selon une forme inspirée des techniques chirurgicales actuelles. Ce support à taille réelle a subi des tests mécaniques pour atteindre un module d'Young proche du cartilage de la cloison native. Ensuite, il a été recouvert d'un gel de fibrine chargé de chondrocytes nasaux et cultivé pendant 3 semaines in vitro. La qualité de la matrice extracellulaire obtenue autour du support a été analysée par des tests d'immunofluorescence sur le collagène de type II. La manipulabilité de la prothèse de cloison nasale construite, et sa capacité à soutenir le dos du nez pour lui rendre sa forme et sa fonction, ont été testés par des essais sur cadavres, car il n'existe pas de modèle animal pour le nez humain. Notre étude a permis de sélectionner un matériau imprimable et biocompatible pour les chondrocytes nasaux, puis de fabriquer une prothèse de cloison nasale humaine associant des chondrocytes humains nasaux.The project is based on the association of three teams that have pooled their expertise to enable this interdisciplinary work combining cell biology, 3D printing, and surgical skills. The aim is to manufacture a cartilage prosthesis of the human nasal septum using 3D printing and tissue engineering. Reconstructive surgery of the nose is often hampered by a lack of cartilage. The cartilage of the nasal septum is the centerpiece of the nose. Its role is both morphological to give the specific projected shape of the human nose, and functional to keep the nasal cavity permeable during inspiration. Thus the nasal septum has both a major morphological and functional role. Unfortunately, the nose is an organ exposed to trauma or loss of substance in the case of malignant tumor removal. Moreover, the cartilage is an avascular tissue, which results in a lack of regenerative capacity. Reconstruction of the nose must therefore use autologous cartilage grafts taken from the cartilage of the ear or the cartilage of the ribs, at the cost of morbidity of the donor site for the patient. Alloplastic implants exist, but present a very high risk of superinfection and rejection. This is why surgeons are now turning to tissue engineering to avoid these pitfalls.The mechanical properties of cartilage are very important and must be mimicked by tissue engineered tissue. We imagined a concept of nasal septum prosthesis combining a structural support made of a medical grade material, with a porous structure, 3D printable, covered with a fibrin gel loaded with human nasal chondrocytes, to meet the mechanical challenges and improve the immunotolerance of the constructed tissue. The human nasal chondrocytes are obtained by donation of surgical residues from patients who have given their consent. The amplification of the chondrocytes, then their culture in fibrin hydrogel, was carried out using soluble chondrogenic factors, according to a protocol which had already shown its effectiveness on nasal and articular chondrocytes, in contact with various liquid or solid supports. In the first part of our study, we selected a material among two candidate materials, by testing the printability of each material, and its biocompatibility with nasal chondrocytes in fibrin hydrogel, after 3 weeks of in vitro culture, then 6 weeks of in vivo culture under the skin of nude mice. The printability tests, then the PCR and Western Blot analyses performed after 3 weeks in vitro and after 6 weeks in vivo, of the extracellular matrix of the tissue obtained, allowed us to retain a medical grade silicone. In the second part of our study, the selected material was printed in a shape inspired by current surgical techniques. This full-size support underwent mechanical tests to reach a Young's modulus close to the native septum cartilage. Then, it was covered with a fibrin gel loaded with nasal chondrocytes and cultured for 3 weeks in vitro. The quality of the extracellular matrix obtained around the support was analyzed by immunofluorescence tests on type II collagen. The manipulability of the constructed septum prosthesis, and its ability to support the back of the nose to restore its shape and function, was tested by cadaveric testing, as there is no animal model for the human nose. Our study selected a printable, biocompatible material for nasal chondrocytes and then fabricated a human septum prosthesis combining nasal human chondrocytes