My novel takes place after a climate change apocalypse, when the wealthy have built luxury resorts on far-off planets. The have-nots of earth travel to these resorts as workers in hopes of earning a spot as a Guest. The book is centered around a Chicano couple who travels to the Pluto location, and gets caught up in a heated strike, bringing their own relationship's issues to the fore.

Science Fiction har sedan sin uppkomst gestaltat samhället och de samhällsfrågor som för sin tid är aktuella. Alltifrån ifall människans existens är kroppslig eller andlig, till vad som händer när livsformer från andra planeter kommer till Jorden, har diskuteras i Science Fiction. I tv-serien Battlestar Galactica gestaltas och problematiseras vår samtid. Genom att flytta mänskligheten från Jorden och ut i rymden, där de konfronteras med en mängd etiska och moraliska frågor – tvingade att se över vad de själva är och vad de håller på att bli. Undersökningen avser att besvara frågor kring hur BG gestaltar människan och hennes förhållande till etik, moral, politik och religion.

The main goal of the thesis is to build upon the existing research literature and to explore the relationship of sport confidence and sports performance, among which a positive correlation is often found. The theoretical part summarizes the present findings regarding this connection, as well as how sport confidence generally works, what constructs it relates to, or how it is measured. In the empirical part, quantitative research on a sample of Sri Lankan swimmers between 17 and 19, executed using the Sport-Confidence Inventory (SCI; Vealey, Knight, 2002), is then presented. Its results showed that participants scoring high at least in one of the three SCI subscales were performing better, regardless of how well the other components were developed, as opposed to participants whose scores were moderate in all the three subscales. The results also pointed to significant differences between the genders, where it showed that men generally scored higher on the level of sport confidence. Series of recommendations for trainers and psychologists working with athletes, but also for potential follow-up studies, can be drawn from the outcomes. Keywords: sport-confidence, multidimensionality of confidence, performance prediction, competitive swimming, SCI

This thesis aims to map the life and artistic directions of Ludek Pesek, one of the founders of Space art (Cosmic realism). For us, Pesek is an unknown artist, because he lived and worked in Switzerland for over thirty years. Ludek Pesek (*1919, Czechoslovakia, 1999, Switzerland) was a significant painter, illustrator, writer and photographer. He graduated the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague and he was a member of the Association of Czech artists, from where he was expelled in 1971 along with other artists who after the Soviet intervention in 1968 remained outside the territory of Czechoslovakia. Firstly I am going to analyze paintings from the collections of South Bohemian Gallery and also from other galleries in the Czech Republic mainly Triptycha, Mars and others. Pesek's surreal compositions will then going to follow. In conclusion Im going to create the overall stylistic characterization of Pesek art, using the analysis of Czech art and his creations in exile. At the same time I will laid down the basis that will lead to the creation of a complete biography in the future, that which will cover all stages of Pesek's career.

This thesis consists of two parts ? theoretical and practical. The theoretical part is focused on the topics of beautiful book ? i.e. bibliophilia, artist?s book, illustration, and overall literary art. The basis for the practical part of this thesis is figure and work, namely ?The Day of the Triffids? by John Wyndham, as well as meaning and place of science fiction in the world of art. The practical part consists of set of illustrations, a cover design and a typographical solution of the book ?The Day of the Triffids? The aim of this work was to create a book, which could be classified as valuable literature, not only by its contents, but by its appearance as well.

Aim of this master’s thesis is create universal converter communication protocols. This converter will be instrumental towards testing attendance single communication protocol on microprocessors FREESCALE. Test instrument is behind purpose ease testing software PROCESSOR EXPERT. Processor expert is extended software for CODEWARRIROR. Test instrument is connected over interface USB to personal computer. PC is used like evolution tool for testing single periphery. Device could be used in future for other peripheries.

Tystnad kan användas som ett kognitivt verktyg för att påverka en filmupplevelse och för att förhöja vissa audiovisuella aspekter. Denna studie undersöker hur tystnad som berättargrepp inom genren sci-fi kan användas genom två koncept för ljudinspelning: fidelity, som är en trogen ljudinspelning av vad som visas i bild, och intelligibility, som adderar ljud för narrativ information. Koncepten lät oss som ljuddesigners analysera och kontrollera tystnadsögonblicken i varje scenario. Point of audition användes som ett adderat designverktyg för att fokusera tystnadsögonblicken i narrativet. Genom diskussion i fokusgrupper kunde vi utvärdera hur tystnaden upplevdes i varje separat klipp. Studien visade att tystnad som berättargrepp föredrogs vid en kombination av de två koncepten. / Silence can be used as a cognitive tool to influence a film experience and to elevate certain audiovisual aspects. This study examines how silence as a narrative technique in the sci-fi genre can be used through two concepts for sound recording: fidelity, which is a faithful sound recording of what is shown on screen, and intelligibility, which adds sound for narrative information. The concepts allowed us as sound designers to analyze and control the moments of silence in each scenario. Point of audition was used as an added design tool to focus the moments of silence in the narrative. Through discussions in focus groups, we were able to evaluate how the silence was experienced in each separate clip. The study showed that silence as a narrative approach was preferred in a combination of the two concepts.

This paper investigates whether free access to scientific literature increases the participation of under-represented groups in scientific discourse. To this end, we aggregate and match data tracing access to Sci-Hub, a widely used black open access (OA) repository or shadow library, and publication data from the Web of Science (WoS). We treat the emergence of Sci-Hub as an exogenous event granting relatively unrestricted access to publications, which are otherwise hidden behind a paywall. We analyze changes in the publication count of researchers from developing countries in a given journal as a proxy for general participation in scientific discourse. Our results indicate that in the exemplary field of mathematics, free access to academic knowledge is likely to improve the representation of authors from developing countries in international journals. Assuming the desirability of greater international diversity in science (e.g., to generate more original work, reproduce empirical findings in different settings, or shift the research focus toward topics that are overlooked by researchers from more developed countries), our findings lend evidence to the claim of the OA movement that scientific knowledge should be free and widely distributed.

Bakgrund Idag används olika medicinsktekniska produkter för helkroppsimmobilisering vid misstanke om spinal skada prehospitalt. Valet av immobiliseringsutrustning som skall användas görs av ansvarig sjuksköterska på plats. Den vanligaste utrustningen är ryggbräda, vaccummadrass, Kendric Extration Device (KED-väst) och nackkrage. Då utbildningen Pre Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) varit en del av specialistutbildningen för ambulanssjuksköterskor under en längre period har det funnits lite anledning till att ifrågasätta helkroppsimmobilisering och dess utrustning. All immobiliseringsutrustning klassificeras under klass 1 av Läkemedelsverket, vilket kan innebära att få vetenskapliga studier har gjorts för att utvärdera immobilieringsutrustning. Patientsäkerhetslagen ska efterlevas vad gäller vetenskaplig och beprövad metod i omvårdnaden av patienter med misstänkt spinal skada. Syfte Att genom en litteraturgranskning undersöka rekommendationer och eventuella risker med helkroppsimmobilisering vid misstanke av spinal skada prehospitalt utifrån patientsäkerhet och ett historiskt perspektiv. Metod Studien genomförs som litteraturgranskning med artikelgranskning och ett retrospektivt, deskriptivt perspektiv. Resultat Forskning rekommenderade helkroppsimmobilisering på traumapatienter där det fanns misstanke om spinal skada. Behandlingsriklinjerna följde nuvarande forskningsrekommendationer. Forskningskvaliten hade blivit bättre över tid och resultaten hade ökat i trovärdighet. Flera forskare påvisade risker med helkroppsimmobilisering. Riskerna var relaterade till dagens immobiliseringsutrustning. Ett antal alternativ till dagens immobiliseringsutrusning fanns beskrivna, men användes inte och var inte omnämnda i behandlingsriktlinjer. Slutsats Forskning rekommenderar helkroppsimmobilisering på traumapatienter där det finns misstanke om spinal skada. Immobiliseringutrustning har bevisligen flera risker för patienter, vilka orsakar allvarliga konsekvenser för hälsan. En lågt sittande ryggskada kanske inte behöver helkroppsimmobiliseras. Det kanske räcker med halvkroppsimmobilisering för vissa patienter. / Background Today, there are various medical devices for full body immobilisation in cases of suspected spinal injury prehospital. The choice of immobilisation devices to be used is the charge nurse’s on site. The most common equipment is back board, vaccummadrass, Kendric extraction Device (KED - West) and cervical collar. Because When training Pre Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) has been part of the specialist training of ambulance nurses over a longer period , there has been little reason to question full body immobilisation and its equipment . All immobilisation devices classified under Class 1 of the Medical Product Agency (MPA) , which may mean that few scientific studies have been done to evaluate immobilisation devices. The Patient Safety Act must be complied with in terms of scientific and proven method in the care of patients with suspected spinal injury. Aim Through a literature review examining recommendations and possible risks of full body immobilisation on suspicion of spinal injury pre-hospital based on patient safety and a historical perspective. Method The study is conducted as a literature review with the article review and a retrospective, descriptive perspective. Result Research recommended full body immobilisation on trauma patients where there was suspicion of spinal injury. Treatment guidelines followed the current research recommendations. The research quality had improved over time and results in increased credibility. Several researchers demonstrated the risks of full body immobilisation. The risks were related to today's immobilisation devices. A number of alternatives to current immobilisation devices was described, but was not used and was not mentioned in the treatment guidelines. Conclusion Research recommends full body immobilisation of trauma patients where there is a suspected spinal injury. Immobilisation devices has proven more risks for patients , which cause serious health consequences. A low sitting back injury may not need full body immobilisation. It might suffice with a half body immobilisation for some patients.

This study examines the potential of Schwann cells (SCs) to be manipulated by electric fields (EFs) in order to improve recovery from spinal cord injury (SCI). It had long been believed that the central nervous system (CNS) is incapable of regeneration, but recent studies have proven otherwise. SC transplants are known to be useful in promoting axon regeneration after SCI, but is not sufficient for functional recovery. EFs are known to exist in vivo, and have been known to drastically affect the morphology and behavior of cells in various tissues. It was the hypothesis of this study that the conditioning and observed alignment of SCs was a reproducible phenomenon that could promote the growth of axons. It was found that SCs could be aligned at various field strengths and preliminary data suggest that aligned SCs increased the length and directionality of axons extending from DRG explants.