Sexual conflict has been proposed to be important for evolution, and is often implicated in population divergence and speciation through sexually antagonistic co-evolution (SAC). However, empirical tests of these ideas on field populations are few. How sexual conflict, and SAC, operates in the wild, remains an important unanswered question if we are to fully understand the role of sexual conflict in evolution in nature. Here, I studied sexual conflict over mating in the seed feeding bugs Lygaeus equestris and Lygaeus simulans. Firstly, I show that laboratory adapted populations of L. equestris that differ in the magnitude of sexual conflict also differ in aspects of their reproductive development and mating propensity, with the population displaying greater conflict load also mating more readily. Study of female receptivity to mating as an evolvable trait, that could be involved in conflict over mating, revealed moderate to low heritability at two age groups. To better understand variation in the expression of sexual conflict in the wild, field caught populations of L. equestris, ranging across its distribution, and also of its sister species, L. simulans, were assayed for the magnitude of sexual conflict over mating in common garden laboratory experiments. High female mating costs were apparent across the populations, but the magnitude of these costs did not vary. No consistent patterns of mating costs and life history variation were found however, arguing against close links between mating costs and life-history. Finally, I investigated whether populations displaying sexual conflict over mating have begun to diverge, and evolve reproductive isolation. I found no evidence of reproductive isolation, or variation in mating propensity, between populations of L. equestris when crossed in reciprocal no-choice mating trials. However, L. equestris and L. simulans did show pre-zygotic reproductive isolation albeit with asymmetries between the reciprocal crosses (L. simulans males were able to mate L. equestris females, but male L. equestris were largely unable to mate L. simulans females). As expected for close taxa that perhaps have not been diverged for long, pre-zygotic isolation was perhaps stronger than post-zygotic isolation, as F2 offspring were generated by some of the inter-specific crosses: gene flow can therefore occur between these species contrary to previous studies. My data suggest that sexual conflict over mating may reduce the likelihood of speciation through the evolution of male persistence, as well as promote it through population divergence.

The monitoring of project-oriented business processes is difficult because their state is fragmented and represented by the progress of different documents and artifacts being worked on. This observation holds in particular for software development projects in which various developers work on different parts of the software concurrently. Prior contributions in this area have proposed a plethora of techniques to analyze and visualize the current state of the software artifact as a product. It is surprising that these techniques are missing to provide insights into what types of work are conducted at different stages of the project and how they are dependent upon another. In this paper, we address this research gap and present a technique for mining the software process including dependencies between artifacts. Our evaluation of various open-source projects demonstrates the applicability of our technique.

From the mid-1970s and on, the contribution to air pollution of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides from gasoline passenger cars in the developed world has been reduced through co-evolution of regulation and commercial introduction of catalytic emission control technology, now part of hundreds of millions of cars, trucks and buses worldwide. This dissertation is a disaggregated study of the global introduction of catalytic emission control technology as a measure to reduce local air pollution. The introduction of the “three-way” catalyst for gasoline passenger cars is studied for four countries. Present innovation in diesel engine emission control is studied. Technological change is analyzed regarding the process of innovation, the innovation system and its stakeholders. Results are evaluated for implications for innovation and regulatory policy for coming environmental challenges. Automotive catalysis is an example of environmentally motivated innovation, including problem definition, public regulation, corporate market and non-market strategies, invention, variety, selection, technology transfer, mass diffusion and the ongoing coevolution of emission-abating policies and technical development. Common denominators for successful technological or market innovations is a participatory dialogue around structured and tiered regulatory roadmaps, international competition, support by international networks and conducive local public opinion. The near-global introduction of the three-way catalyst was complex and highly dependent on local context and conditions, suggesting that any general “global” innovation and regulation strategy to address present and future local or global problems must be reviewed with an understanding of local barriers and drivers for environmentally motivated innovation. Given the stakeholders and technical challenges of different technological regimes to mitigate climate change, it is concluded that increased fuel efficiency and the introduction of plug-in hybrids are possible trajectories for sustainable mobility. / Sedan mitten av 1970-talet har utsläppen av kolmonoxid, kolväten och kväveoxider från bensindrivna personbilar reducerats genom samordnad utveckling av lagstiftning och kommersiell introduktion av katalytisk avgasrening, som nu är en del av hundratals miljoner bilar, lastbilar och bussar över hela jorden. Denna avhandling är en disaggregerad studie av den i det närmaste globala introduktionen av katalytisk avgasrening för fordon, som åtgärd för att minska lokala luftföroreningar. Introduktionen av ”trevägskatalysatorn” för bensinbilar studeras i fyra länder. Pågående innovation för dieselavgasrening studeras. Teknisk förändring analyseras med avseende på innovationsprocessen, innovationssystemet och dess respektive intressenter. Resultaten används för att analysera konsekvenser för styrmedel för att åtgärda miljöproblem i vardande. Fordonskatalys är ett exempel på en miljömotiverad innovation, inklusive problemdefinition, lagkrav, företagens marknadsstrategier och marknadspåverkan, innovation, utbud och urval, tekniköverföring, storskalig spridning samt den fortlöpande ömsesidiga utvecklingen av teknik och policy för att reducera emissioner. Gemensamma nämnare för exempel på lyckosamma introduktionsprocesser är en inkluderande dialog kring etappvisa lagkrav, internationell konkurrens, stöd och samarbete i internationella nätverk samt en tydlig opinion för förändring. Introduktionen av trevägskatalysatorn var och är komplex och beroende av lokal kontext och regionala villkor. Kommande ”globala” teknikförändringar måste utvecklas med en förståelse för varje enskild nation eller marknad och dess specifika barriärer och drivkrafter för miljömotiverad innovation. Givet intressenter och tekniska utmaningar i olika teknologiska regimer med potential att reducera klimatförändringar är ökad bränsleeffektivisering och introduktion av s.k. plug-in-hybrider möjliga utvecklingsvägar för hållbar mobilitet. / Desde los años 70 y adelante, la contribución a la polución atmosférica de emisiones de monóxido de carbono, hidrocarburos y óxidos de nitrógeno proveniente de la combustión de los autos a gasolina, ha sido mitigado, por co-evolución entre regulación e introducción comercial de sistemas catalíticos de control de emisiones. Esos sistemas ahora forman parte de cientos de millones de autos, camiones y buses en todo el mundo. La presente tesis es un estudio desagregado de la introducción cerca de global de sistemas de control de emisiones catalíticos, como medida para reducir la contaminación atmosférica local. Se examina el proceso de introducción del convertidor catalítico “de tres vías” para autos a gasolina en cuatro países. Se estudia la innovación presente en el área de sistemas de control de emisiones de motores diesel. El cambio tecnológico es analizado viendo el proceso y el sistema de innovación y los distintos grupos de interés. Los resultados se usan para analizar las implicaciones en cuanto a innovación y política de regulación para enfrentar los desafíos medioambientales actuales. Catálisis automotriz es un ejemplo de innovación motivado ambientalmente, incluyendo definición del problema, regulación pública, estratégicas corporativas dentro y fuera de mercado, variedad, selección, transferencia de tecnología, difusión masiva y la coevolución continuo entre política de reducción de emisiones y desarrollo tecnológico. Denominaciones comunes para innovaciones exitosas, tecnológicas o de mercado, son un diálogo dinámico sobre planes de regulación estructurados en etapas, competición internacional, apoyo y coordinación de redes internacionales, y opinión local beneficiario. La introducción global del catalizador de tres vías fue compleja y altamente relacionada con el contexto local y condiciones locales, sugiriendo que estrategias “globales” de innovación y regulación para tratar los desafíos de hoy y mañana deben ser diseñados con entendimiento de factores locales a favor y en contra para innovación ambientalmente motivado. Dado los grupos de interés, los desafíos tecnológicos y las trayectorias presentes en el área de mitigación del cambio climático, se concluye que el aumento de uso eficiente de combustible y la introducción de vehículos híbridos enchufables (plug- in) son alternativas viables para el transporte sustentable. / (japanese) 1970年代の中頃から今日に至るまで，先進国においては，自動車触媒技術の導入と規制との相互作用によって、ガソリン乗用車から排出される一酸化炭素CO，炭化水素HC，窒素酸化物NOxによる大気汚染への寄与率は減少している。現在では、この自動車触媒はディーゼル乗用車、トラックやバスなどを含めて何億台もの自動車で使われている。 この論文は，各地域での大気汚染を解決する手段としての触媒の地球規模での導入に関する調査研究である。ガソリン乗用車への三元触媒導入の過程を４か国比較で行うと共に，現在取り組まれているディーゼル機関の排出ガス制御についても研究した。これらの例の技術革新について、その内容を、技術革新に係る利害関係者（ステークスホルダー）の観点から技術の変革について分析した。これらの結果から，将来の環境問題に対応するためのイノベーションと規制に関する政策への示唆を行なった。 自動車用触媒は，問題定義，規制，市場原理に基づくないしは市場原理に基づかない戦略，開発，多様性，選択，技術移転，技術普及，そして今もなお進化する排出ガス削減に関する規制（政策）と技術開発との相乗効果，等々を含んだ「環境保護に起因する技術革新」の良い例である。 技術革新、および普及の成功例に共通していることは， 1. 構造的かつ段階的な「目標へのロードマップ」を巡る相方向の会話， 2. 国際競争力， 3. 国際的ネットワークによるサポート， 4. 地域社会に支持された意見, 等が挙げられる。 三元触媒の導入はほぼ全世界に及ぶが，その過程は複雑で、地域（国）の事情に強く依存する。つまり、現在または未来の、各国（地域的）または地球規模の問題に焦点を当てた「世界的」技術革新や規制戦略は、地域よって異なる障害の存在や、環境保護の視点に立った技術革新を推進する潜在力への理解なしには成り立たないことを意味するのである。 気候変動を緩和するための様々な技術体系からの技術的挑戦および関係者（ステークスホルダー）の意見を考慮すると，燃費向上とプラグイン・ハイブリッドの導入が，交通部門における持続可能な発展への道のりであると言える。 / QC 20100517

Organizations are becoming increasingly dependent on information technology for different purposes, such as project and resource-management systems, cooperative work systems and organizational memory systems. There is a need to make a dynamic roadmap for IT capability usage to facilitate organizational performance. The aim of this research is to gain a deeper understanding of the role of IS Strategy in utilizing IT capabilities for operationalizing and integrating business process information for the purpose of organizational performance from the lens of the resource-based view (RBV). This research makes use of single case study analysis of a construction organization in the oil and gas industry in Iran. This case study is expected to fill a gap in the literature in the specific context of a strategic situation and the critical environment in Iran.

Strategic alliances are a prevalent form of business organization. The critical characteristics of strategic alliances are detailed using Coase (1937) and the resulting definition tested through primary research and the alternative form, the infrastructure alliance posited. The thesis examines whether strategic alliances add value in the European banking sector through four types of analysis at two levels of engagement - a 23 historical review (at industry level); a review of over 400 papers in the academic literature; a questionnaire survey (at firm level) and in-depth interviews (at firm level). Bankers high pre-existing propensity to enter into strategic alliances is determined and three lifecycles, and the underpinning, conditions identified - Clubs and Consortium Banks, Bankassurance and the Virtual bank - the latter involving a fundamental change in Coase (1937) enabled by the underpinning technology. Bankers were found to be followers of potential business steams and the strategic alliance was one form of market entry. The questionnaire research, however, identified European bankers prefer to enter into alliances (as opposed to own branch or M&A) only in countries which had the appropriate supporting conditions such as definable, enforceable and terminable contracts, the provision of accounting information, stable governments and economic freedom. Direct discussions with senior bankers resulted in a number of valuable insights into the conceiving, forming, organizing evolving and dissolving of alliances. Further research into the infrastructure alliance, including 'oscillation' between infrastructure and strategic forms is proposed. The Co-Evolution Model of Strategic Alliances is proposed and taxonomy consisting of parallel co-evolution, convergent coevolution, divergent co-evolution and the subsidiary taxonomy of differential parallel coevolution, differential convergent co-evolution and differential divergent co-evolution detailed and further research suggested. Strategic alliances are found to add value in European banking but this value is contingent on the strength of the business stream, the global, national and industry conditions and the nature of managerial decisions and drive.

Esta dissertação trata das características próprias dos problemas de projeto de desenvolvimento de produtos. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram revisar parte da literatura publicada sobre a natureza dos problemas de projeto; confirmar, na prática, a mudança na definição dos componentes do problema ao longo da sua resolução; e propor uma estrutura que auxilie a escolha de ferramentas de geração de alternativas. São apresentados os resultados de uma observação do processo projetual realizado por estudantes de graduação da Engenharia e do Design, trabalhando conjuntamente. A dissertação é estruturada na forma de três artigos encadeados. Os resultados da revisão bibliográfica conformam o primeiro artigo, referente ao capítulo dois deste documento. A observação dos grupos de estudantes está no segundo artigo, referente ao capítulo três. A contribuição busca facilitar a tradução dos requisitos de um projeto em conceitos de um produto, através da proposição de uma matriz que cruza as dimensões dos problemas de projeto de produtos manufaturados industrialmente e algumas ferramentas conhecidas para a geração de alternativas. Essa matriz se encontra no terceiro artigo, referente ao capítulo quatro do documento. No quinto e último capítulo são elaboradas as conclusões do estudo, que apontam para a recursividade da atividade de definir um problema paralelamente ao seu processo de resolução. / This study is about the nature of design problems. Its objectives are: to review part of the literature about the topic; to confirm, with empirical basis, the changes in the components of design problem through the resolution process; and present a framework that helps choosing concept generating tools. The empirical data were obtained from observation and verbal protocols of graduation students from Engineering and Design courses working together. This research is presented in three linked articles, setting chapters two, three and four of this document. Chapter two represents the literature review. The observation of the students corresponds to chapter three. The contribution appears in chapter four, where the design problem dimensions are crossed with tools for concept generation. Lastly, in the fifth chapter, the conclusions pointed out to the recursiveness in the problem definition and solution generation process.

Esta dissertação trata das características próprias dos problemas de projeto de desenvolvimento de produtos. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram revisar parte da literatura publicada sobre a natureza dos problemas de projeto; confirmar, na prática, a mudança na definição dos componentes do problema ao longo da sua resolução; e propor uma estrutura que auxilie a escolha de ferramentas de geração de alternativas. São apresentados os resultados de uma observação do processo projetual realizado por estudantes de graduação da Engenharia e do Design, trabalhando conjuntamente. A dissertação é estruturada na forma de três artigos encadeados. Os resultados da revisão bibliográfica conformam o primeiro artigo, referente ao capítulo dois deste documento. A observação dos grupos de estudantes está no segundo artigo, referente ao capítulo três. A contribuição busca facilitar a tradução dos requisitos de um projeto em conceitos de um produto, através da proposição de uma matriz que cruza as dimensões dos problemas de projeto de produtos manufaturados industrialmente e algumas ferramentas conhecidas para a geração de alternativas. Essa matriz se encontra no terceiro artigo, referente ao capítulo quatro do documento. No quinto e último capítulo são elaboradas as conclusões do estudo, que apontam para a recursividade da atividade de definir um problema paralelamente ao seu processo de resolução. / This study is about the nature of design problems. Its objectives are: to review part of the literature about the topic; to confirm, with empirical basis, the changes in the components of design problem through the resolution process; and present a framework that helps choosing concept generating tools. The empirical data were obtained from observation and verbal protocols of graduation students from Engineering and Design courses working together. This research is presented in three linked articles, setting chapters two, three and four of this document. Chapter two represents the literature review. The observation of the students corresponds to chapter three. The contribution appears in chapter four, where the design problem dimensions are crossed with tools for concept generation. Lastly, in the fifth chapter, the conclusions pointed out to the recursiveness in the problem definition and solution generation process.

abstract: Food system and health characteristics were evaluated across the last Waorani hunter-gatherer group in Amazonian Ecuador and a remote neighboring Kichwa indigenous subsistence agriculture community. Hunter-gatherer food systems like the Waorani foragers may not only be nutritionally, but also pharmaceutically beneficial because of high dietary intake of varied plant phytochemical compounds. A modern diet that reduces these dietary plant defense phytochemicals below levels typical in human evolutionary history may leave humans vulnerable to diseases that were controlled through a foraging diet. Few studies consider the health impact of the recent drastic reduction of plant phytochemical content in the modern global food system, which has eliminated essential components of food because they are not considered "nutrients". The antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory nature of the food system may not only regulate infectious pathogens and inflammatory disease, but also support beneficial microbes in human hosts, reducing vulnerability to chronic diseases. Waorani foragers seem immune to certain infections with very low rates of chronic disease. Does returning to certain characteristics of a foraging food system begin to restore the human body microbe balance and inflammatory response to evolutionary norms, and if so, what implication does this have for the treatment of disease? Several years of data on dietary and health differences across the foragers and the farmers was gathered. There were major differences in health outcomes across the board. In the Waorani forager group there were no signs of infection in serious wounds such as 3rd degree burns and spear wounds. The foragers had one-degree lower body temperature than the farmers. The Waorani had an absence of signs of chronic diseases including vision and blood pressure that did not change markedly with age while Kichwa farmers suffered from both chronic diseases and physiological indicators of aging. In the Waorani forager population, there was an absence of many common regional infectious diseases, from helminthes to staphylococcus. Study design helped control for confounders (exercise, environment, genetic factors, non-phytochemical dietary intake). This study provides evidence of the major role total phytochemical dietary intake plays in human health, often not considered by policymakers and nutritional and agricultural scientists. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Anthropology 2012

Entre as temporalidades de diferentes processos locais, este estudo etnográfico aprofunda-se em entender como esses diferentes ritmos relacionam-se e modulam as atividades de pescadores e de outros habitantes (humanos e não-humanos) na vila do Pontal do Leste - Ilha do Cardoso, Cananeia - SP. Relações essas sempre em processo de co-constituição, co-respondencia, co-evolução entre humanos e não-humanos, nunca formados e preexistentes de antemão. As percepções desses processos são fundamentais para o entendimento do comportamento de alguns animais não-humanos e plantas, das condições de tempo, da geomorfologia insular e da ecologia eólico-hídrica local, resultando em caracterizações sensíveis, que serão desdobradas nessa etnografia. Portanto, nessa malha de relações composta por paisagens multiespécies, onde diversas linhas de movimentos são traçadas por seres e processos, o intuito deste estudo foi descrever como essas linhas encontram-se e contaminam-se. E, acima de tudo, como esses encontros são traduzidos pelos habitantes e visitantes da vila. / Among the temporalities of different local processes, this ethnographic study deepens in understanding how these different rhythms relate and modulate the activities of fishermen and other inhabitants (human and non-human) in the village of Pontal do Leste - Cardoso Island, Cananeia - SP. These relations are always in the process of co-constitution, coresponse, co-evolution between humans and nonhumans never formed and preexisting inadvance. The perceptions of these processes are fundamental to the understanding of the behavior of some non-human animals and plants, of the weather conditions, insular geomorphology and local wind-hydric ecology, resulting in sensitive characterizations that will be unfolded in this ethnography. Therefore, in this meshwork of relationships composed of multispecies landscapes, where several lines of movement are traced by beings and processes, the purpose of this study was to describe how these lines meet and become contaminated. And, above all, how these meetings are translated by the inhabitants and visitors of the village.

Esta dissertação trata das características próprias dos problemas de projeto de desenvolvimento de produtos. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram revisar parte da literatura publicada sobre a natureza dos problemas de projeto; confirmar, na prática, a mudança na definição dos componentes do problema ao longo da sua resolução; e propor uma estrutura que auxilie a escolha de ferramentas de geração de alternativas. São apresentados os resultados de uma observação do processo projetual realizado por estudantes de graduação da Engenharia e do Design, trabalhando conjuntamente. A dissertação é estruturada na forma de três artigos encadeados. Os resultados da revisão bibliográfica conformam o primeiro artigo, referente ao capítulo dois deste documento. A observação dos grupos de estudantes está no segundo artigo, referente ao capítulo três. A contribuição busca facilitar a tradução dos requisitos de um projeto em conceitos de um produto, através da proposição de uma matriz que cruza as dimensões dos problemas de projeto de produtos manufaturados industrialmente e algumas ferramentas conhecidas para a geração de alternativas. Essa matriz se encontra no terceiro artigo, referente ao capítulo quatro do documento. No quinto e último capítulo são elaboradas as conclusões do estudo, que apontam para a recursividade da atividade de definir um problema paralelamente ao seu processo de resolução. / This study is about the nature of design problems. Its objectives are: to review part of the literature about the topic; to confirm, with empirical basis, the changes in the components of design problem through the resolution process; and present a framework that helps choosing concept generating tools. The empirical data were obtained from observation and verbal protocols of graduation students from Engineering and Design courses working together. This research is presented in three linked articles, setting chapters two, three and four of this document. Chapter two represents the literature review. The observation of the students corresponds to chapter three. The contribution appears in chapter four, where the design problem dimensions are crossed with tools for concept generation. Lastly, in the fifth chapter, the conclusions pointed out to the recursiveness in the problem definition and solution generation process.