T cells engineered with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR-T) have had breakthrough successes in cancer immunotherapy with FDA approvals. Still, the high cost of personalized CAR-T cell therapy hinders the accessibility from the public as a therapeutic option, and the lack of uniquely defined cancer-specific antigens brings the risk of life-threatening on-target, off-tumor toxicity. Changing the immune cell therapy platform to Natural Killer cells (NK cells) can be an option to develop allogenic off-the-shelf cell therapy. To reduce the on-target, off-tumor toxicity, developing an inhibitory CAR (iCAR) for cell therapy is necessary for precise logic computation and implementation of iCAR can broaden the spectrum of treatable cancers. This dissertation optimized the primary NK cell expansion platform with autologous PBMC and set robust virus transduction using pseudotyped retrovirus on the primary NK cells to use the NK cells as the cell therapy platform. I engineered iCAR candidates to suppress in response to a “safety antigen” on healthy cells, first in T cells and validated in NK cells, showing its efficacy against various versions of activating CAR (aCAR) drove killing of targets expressing activating antigen, while an inhibitory CAR (iCAR) suppressed cytotoxicity against targets expressing a safety antigen. Therapeutic immune cells equipped with the right pair of aCAR and iCAR platform will improve safety for currently validated cancer antigens and enable new therapies for previously unaddressed indications. / 2024-05-23T00:00:00Z

Politicians, companies, organizations and people all over the world need to act swiftly to prevent, or at least, mitigate climate change. Sweden has the means and the ambition to be a one of the first green welfare states in the world. According to the Swedish Government Inquiries (SOU 2013:84) Fossil Free on the Way the transport sector is responsible for thirty percent of Sweden’s total emissions, which means that there are a lot of potential in decreasing the emissions from the sector. To provide a context, I have presented a couple of events that might help the understanding of the political debate. I mention the IPCC reports, the Paris Agreement and the Swedish Climate Act (2017:720) which provides guidelines and goals for politicians to follow. I also mention how Dieselgate changed the perspective of the diesel car as a green vehicle and how Tesla’s energy efficient engines as well as the company’s developed batteries helped change the perception of the electric vehicle, and later on, the view of the green vehicle. The aim of this study is to examine how the party political perceptions of what kind of car that should be considered as a a green vehicle has shifted over time. This is done by analyzing how the Green Party and the Moderates have taken a stand and argued for the electric car and the diesel car in 2014 and 2018. To help analyzing the arguments and the positions and to understand how differences between the parties' arguments stem from ideology, the study will be based on Jonas Anshelm’s and Martin Hultman's theoretical frameworks. What the analysis show is that, though, there are some ideological differences, both partiesshared consensus about what a green vehicle is. / Umeå universitet

Understanding how car travel and ownership respond to income and fuel prices, and how that response varies between households is crucial for car use policies and forecasts. This thesis, consisting of two papers, aims to investigate this by estimating the intemporal income and fuel price elasticities of car use using micro registry panel data on all Swedish households from 1998 to 2018. In Paper I, the income and fuel price elasticities of vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT) is estimated for all Swedish households using a linear fixed effects model. In order to investigate how different groups respond, the elasticities are estimated by income group and municipality type. The effect of income and fuel prices on VKT is largest in the middle of the income distribution but is relatively stable across municipality types. The effect of fuel prices on VKT is largest in densely populated municipalities compared to rural municipalities. Moreover, it is shown that the income elasticity is underestimated if income variable is misspecified. Paper II utilises a discrete-continuous model accounting for the effect of income and fuel prices on car ownership. It is shown that income impacts car ownership and VKT conditional on car ownership of similar magnitude, while fuel prices primarily impact VKT conditional on car ownership. Furthermore, we also estimate the model on six partially overlapping sample periods and find that the income elasticity has decreased over time, while the absolute fuel price elasticity increased up until the early 2010s and decreased thereafter. / <p>2022-10-13: ISBN (PDF) has been added in the E-version.</p>

This report consists of a conceptual development of a car awning, in collaboration with the company Thule. The main objective with was to create a convenient and easy-to-use awning, which offers a universal fastening solution for cars. Among others, the research done includes an analysis of the current market and observations to use as a basis to compile the requirement specification and function analysis. Furthermore, a moodboard and methods such as Kansei engineering was used to put emphasis on the design and aesthetics. The results display a conceptual solution to an awning that can be attached to any car that supports the use of a Thule roof rack with a T-track feature. It is easy to assemble, mount and use, with many options to be adjusted to the like of the user. High quality renders are presented, along with a full-scale prototype of the awning.  Research gathered in this report contributes to the field by presenting solutions forconvenience, usability, and adjustability regarding similar products. Discussion is had regarding the importance of these features, as well as the difficulties that exist when creating a product like this. Further work includes even more solutions to make the awning fully universal, as well as more resistance to different weather conditions.

Due to cars' negative impact on our cities and the strain cars put on the environment, more and more cities strive towards sustainable mobility and a reduction of car dependencies. This thesis will examine how two new contemporary planning projects view the car and what implications follow an eventual decrease of car dependent planning. The two projects are Brunnshög in Lund and Stationsstaden in Kävlinge, located in the South-West of Sweden, in the southern county of Skåne. Our study is based on research questions aiming to find out if these two projects are planning to reduce cars and how they will do it, as well as looking at the impacts that follow this kind of planning and consequences it can have on less mobile groups in society. The study is conducted by first gathering research surrounding the history of the car, its impacts on cities as well as current measures to reduce automobile dependencies. Following this, official planning documents and policies for both projects were analysed and interviews were conducted with relevant actors to gain a deeper understanding of the projects and work as a complement to the planning documents. With five theories acting as our framework the material was analysed and discussed from different concepts point of view, to gain a deeper understanding of the complex question that reducing cars in cities constitutes.  Through the study we concluded that the two projects work with reducing car dependencies to different degrees, Brunnshög more so than Stationsstaden. Identified reasons for their differences are due to challenges which include, political support, customer demand, time frames and surrounding infrastructure among other things. We also concluded that more consideration for the effects on certain groups in society is needed, as a reduction of cars might come with great effects that can cause injustices towards certain vulnerable groups.

Understanding how car travel and ownership respond to income and fuel prices, and how that response varies between households is crucial for car use policies and forecasts. This thesis, consisting of two papers, aims to investigate this by estimating the intemporal income and fuel price elasticities of car use using micro registry panel data on all Swedish households from 1998 to 2018. In Paper I, the income and fuel price elasticities of vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT) is estimated for all Swedish households using a linear fixed effects model. In order to investigate how different groups respond, the elasticities are estimated by income group and municipality type. The effect of income and fuel prices on VKT is largest in the middle of the income distribution but is relatively stable across municipality types. The effect of fuel prices on VKT is largest in densely populated municipalities compared to rural municipalities. Moreover, it is shown that the income elasticity is underestimated if income variable is misspecified. Paper II utilises a discrete-continuous model accounting for the effect of income and fuel prices on car ownership. It is shown that income impacts car ownership and VKT conditional on car ownership of similar magnitude, while fuel prices primarily impact VKT conditional on car ownership. Furthermore, we also estimate the model on six partially overlapping sample periods and find that the income elasticity has decreased over time, while the absolute fuel price elasticity increased up until the early 2010s and decreased thereafter.

Durch die große Anzahl moderner Fahrzeugfunktionen entsteht ein hohes internes Datenaufkommen. Um die im Fahrzeug anfallende Datenmengen filtern und zentral verarbeiten zu können, müssen entsprechende Telemetrie-Systeme aufgebaut und erweitert werden können. Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit dem Ausbau einer vorhandenen Telemetrieeinheit zu einem verteilten Regelsystem mit weicher Echtzeitanforderung bei vorgegebener Messtechnik und Messsoftware. Anhand einer MATLAB/Simulink Temperatur-Simulation werden die Auswirkungen und das Potenzial einer verteilten Regelung, für einen einfachen Anwendungsfall, aufgezeigt. Um Gütekriterien für via Mobilfunk verteilte Fahrzeugfunktionen abschätzen zu können, werden systembedingte Verzögerungszeiten für verschiedene Fahrstrecken untersucht. Das konzipierte Validierungsmodell bestätigt die Untersuchungen. / Current car and truck electronics are made up of a huge number of electronic controllers. As a result of this, a lot of data traffic needs to be managed internally. In Addition, this specific data gives the chance to interact with other cars or traffic systems. The resulting BIG DATA flow needs to be sorted and distributed via so-called “automotive telematics units”. To remodel and to extend these functions, new solutions have to be provided. Considering that measurement software and hardware are provided, this paper shows how an existing telematics system is able to create a distributed control system which fulfills soft real-time requirements. Using a simple case-study, a MATLAB/Simulink temperature-simulation presents the effects and the potential of such a control. To indicate quality criteria for distributed vehicle functions (via cellular network), system-related delay times for different routes are analyzed. Finally, the designed validation-model affirms the approach.

The Chinese automotive industry has evolved substantially over the last 55 years, in spite of multiple historical and economic hurdles. The change in the governmental policy during 1980s regarding ownership of private automobiles, from prohibition to encouragement, initiated rapid growth in the Chinese automobile industry. In the last two decades, China progressed from being nearly a truck-only producer to becoming a major producer of passenger and commercial cars. Economists consider the time between 2001 and 2007 to be a period of ‘blowout’ in the Chinese automobile industry. To date, little is known regarding this emerging automobile industry: What are the features of Chinese automobile industry? Has the Chinese automobile industry become a global player in its industry and reached economy of scale? How is the indigenous automobile sector different from international joint ventures in China? Have Chinese companies gained full transfer of technology and come to possess the capacity to develop their own designs? The subject is complicated, with many contradictory facts and interpretations. This thesis intends to address these questions by focusing on the Chinese indigenous automobile sector, through its three stages of development, using it as a model to examine the validity of various interpretations. I hope the historical appraisal of the industry’s initial development, its difficulty in transition and the internal-external factors affecting the later growth will help us understand the industrial and technological development of China’s emerging economy.

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2017-04-24T12:01:17Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcelo Alves de Souza_.pdf: 855945 bytes, checksum: 9461a25e1b5428dbc58da27dda36b17b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-24T12:01:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcelo Alves de Souza_.pdf: 855945 bytes, checksum: 9461a25e1b5428dbc58da27dda36b17b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-01-12 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / PROSUP - Programa de Suporte à Pós-Gradução de Instituições de Ensino Particulares / Esta pesquisa aborda a temática de obtenção de resultados em concessionárias líderes de vendas de veículos 0 km que praticam e obtêm resultados com o pós-venda. O objetivo deste estudo é analisar e comparar as práticas e os indicadores das concessionárias líderes de vendas de veículos 0 km instaladas no Rio Grande do Sul, permeando o modelo conceitual de pós-venda: suporte ao produto, relacionamento com cliente e gestão e recursos. A fim de atender a essa proposta, realizou-se um levantamento bibliográfico para dar embasamento teórico ao estudo e utilizou-se como método de pesquisa o estudo de caso. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio de entrevista semiestruturadas com executivos de 10 concessionárias de marcas distintas. Também foram coletados indicadores dessas empresas relativos aos veículos de entrada. Foi oportunizado a elaboração de um modelo teórico e a discussão sobre a aplicação do pós-venda. A contribuição gerencial centra-se na identificação das melhores práticas de pós-venda verificadas nas concessionárias de melhor desempenho em termos de qualidade e rentabilidade. / This research approaches the issue of obtaining results in car dealerships which are leaders in selling 0 km vehicles that practice and obtain after-sales results. The objective of this study is to analyze and compare the practices the car dealerships which are leaders in selling 0 km vehicles based in Rio Grande do Sul, permeating the conceptual after-sales model: product support, customer relationship and management and resources. In order to fulfill this proposal, a bibliographic research was carried out to provide a theoretical basis for the study and it was used a case study as the research method. The data collection was done through semi-structured interviews with executives from 10 car dealerships of different brands. The indicators of these companies were also collected for entry vehicles. The management contribution enabled the elaboration of a theoretical model and the discussion of the after-sale application. The management contribution focuses on the identification of the best after-sales practices verified in the best performing dealerships in terms of quality and profitability.

During the second half of the 20th century the Stock Car Racing enjoyed substantial growth and development. General enthusiasm for fast cars built within American culture by racers, hot rodders, and automaker advertising campaigns helped fuel rapid acceptance of production-based racing. Widespread popular fascination with automotive speed helped stock car racing withstand criticism of the violent nature of the sport leveled by public safety groups and politicians during the first decade of its organization. Indeed, the perceived rebelliousness of stock car racing helped drive stock car racing to develop a loyal fan base in the American South. For the National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing (NASCAR) control over the technology of competition and the conduct of race events brought respectability, scale, and profitability to this entertainment phenomenon between 1949 and 1979. The power to specify technology offered NASCAR leverage over the actions of racers who, despite their status as independent contractors, remained fiercely loyal competitors. Control over the technology of competition also helped maintain strictly stock perceptions of NASCAR racing that made corporate sponsorship attractive to automakers and held the interest of the general public. After initial forays across the nation, NASCAR chose advantageous concentration on the southeastern markets where racing spectacle found the most enthusiastic and devoted audience. This thesis is an account of the process of systematization that brought the grass-roots phenomenon of production-based to a region and an nation, and how NASCAR relied on a stock-appearing racecar as a device to simultaneously control participants, lure corporate promotional dollars, and attract fans.