This thesis investigates the potential of express bus to serve travel demand in a polycentric region, using the Atlanta metropolitan area as a case study. Express bus, which serves as the primary mode of line-haul transit commuting for most suburbs in the Atlanta region, is primarily focused on serving traditional suburb-to-city commutes. However, more than half of the commutes in the Atlanta metro are to suburban locations. This thesis investigates the potential of an author-devised plan to enhance the transit commute to suburban employment centers, using express bus as the primary technology. Working mostly with existing routes, the plan incorporates ideas found in the literature, such as intermediate stops, transfer hubs, and local bus serving first and last mile connections. The thesis also tested existing plans, off of which the author's plan was devised. Tests were performed using the trip-based model of the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC). Dramatic gains were seen as a result of the author-devised plan, such that 8,000 daily transit trips are added, and express bus ridership increases by 50%. Performance improved especially for routes in which intermediate stops were added. The results have implications for how transit can better serve travel demand in a polycentric region.

Along with an increased online presence, as well as expanded trade agreement between EU countries, the Swedish online gambling market has been facilitated and made more accessible than ever before. As a consequence, this growing gambling market has also correlated with increased gambling-related health- and economical issues amongst Swedish gamblers. At the same time online gambling companies keep increasing their investments in external communication and marketing activities. In order to protect the public, the governmental initiative “Spelinspektionen” initiated the new law, spellagen (2018:1138), which from the 1st of January 2019 is supposed to regulate marketing from online gambling companies. Based on a multimodal critical discourse analysis, the purpose of this study is to examine how spellagen (2018:1138) has affected marketing strategies from three different gambling companies; Leovegas, Ninja Casino and No Account Casino. The analysis studies a material based on six movies before the introduction of spellagen, and six movies after the introduction. Four central discourses has been identified, called The Hero, Action, Escapism, and Alonetime. Based on these discourses, the analysis used different tools from a multimodal discourse analysis in order to distinguish the strategies upon which the hidden- or open message was communicated. The analysis found that the gambling companies regularly used Per Binde ́s motives for gambling in their commercials. At least three out of five motives were identified through identity-creating strategies and emotional strategies which could be connected to Bindes motives “chances of winning”, “the jackpot-dream” and “moodswings”. The most prominent strategy for all of the commercials was the use of symbols and representation, which allows the company to communicate hidden or subtle meanings through connotations the company know that their target group will make. This main strategy did not make any drastic changes after the introduction of spellagen (2018:1138). The same message was still communicated, but now more often through visual elements rather than linguistic ones. The conclusion pointed out that in order for spelinspektionen to protect Swedish gamblers, spellagen (2018:1138) must be more concrete and descriptive, so that no alternative interpretations can be made. Other measures for spelinspektionen to consider is the amount of gambling commercials which the Swedish public are exposed to today.

This thesis will explore the complex relationship between marketplace exclusion and symbolic resources mediated by the market, for older consumers who have traversed from a socio-cultural identity in the majority to stand on the periphery of consumption. Employing a Consumer Culture Theory influenced perspective and using Baudrillard critical theory of symbolic exchange and death as a lens of analysis, this thesis will utilize a psycho-social method to explore how and why older consumers find themselves excluded from the market. As well as how this absence is negotiated in a society where inclusion in social life is dependent on consumption. This thesis postulates the market as an ideological structure that promulgates a capitalist ideology of life as an affirmatory force and, therefore, negates death. In doing so this thesis problematizes the dominant notion of the market in theory and practice, in particular, the notion of the market as a free and open space for participation. Contributing to an explorative effort to shed light on the complex relationship between exclusion and sign-value, marketplace representation and ideology.

Foram coletadas amostras de uma chapa grossa temperada, de aço microligado ao boro com 8 mm de espessura. O aço foi produzido em aciaria do tipo LD, laminado na forma de chapa grossa em laminador de cadeira única reversível e finalmente recebeu tratamento de têmpera em forno de tubos radiantes e máquina de têmpera com fluxo de água. Todas as etapas de produção tiveram os parâmetros de processo controlados para obtenção das melhores propriedades possíveis. As amostras foram retiradas da região situada a um quarto da largura da chapa e submetidas a diversos ciclos térmicos em aparelho de dilatometria. Com auxílio de técnicas de microscopia ótica, microscopia eletrônica de varredura e medidas de dureza, o aço pôde ser caracterizado e foi possível levantar as curvas de resfriamento contínuo (TRC). As microestruturas revelaram a presença de múltiplos microconstituintes, principalmente em resfriamentos a partir de resfriamentos 25°C/s, quando surgem elementos aciculares como ferrita acicular e bainita misturados com ferrita poligonal e perlita. Acima desta taxa de resfriamento o campo perlítico é suprimido e a partir de 45°C/s surge a martensita. A 100°C/s a microestrutura é dominada predominantemente por martensita. As amostras resfriadas nas 3 taxas mais severas também revelaram a presença de austenita retida e constituinte MA, detectados por meio de difração de raios-x e ataque com reagente de Klemm. / Samples were taken from a quenched plate with 8mm thickness and chemical composition consisting of carbon, manganese, silicon, aluminum, niobium, titanium and boron. The steel was produced in LD converter, rolled in a reversible single chair rolling mill and quenched in a radiating tube furnace and quenching machine with water flow. All production stages had the process parameters controlled to obtain the best possible properties. The samples were extracted from a position situated at one quarter of the plate´s width and submitted to various thermal cycles in dilatometry device. With the aid of optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and hardness measurements, the steel could be characterized and the continuous cooling transformation curves could (CCT) be plotted. The microstructures revealed the presence of multiple components, especially when cooling rates reach 25°C/s, where acicular elements, like acicular ferrite and bainite, are found along with polygonal ferrite and pearlite. Above this cooling rate the pearlite field is suppressed and starting at 45°C/s martensite was found. At 100°C/s the microstructure is mainly martensitic. The samples cooled at the 3 most severe rates also revealed the presence of retained austenite and MA constituent, which were detected by x-ray diffraction and attack using Klemm reagent.

Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo estimar os efeitos dos Programas Condicionais de Transferência de Renda (PCTR) no Brasil sobre a oferta de trabalho dos jovens inseridos na situação denominada \"nem-nem\", ou seja, aqueles que não estudam não trabalham e nem estão em busca de emprego. Tendo como base o trabalho de Foguel e Barros (2010) propõe-se verificar se os programas sociais produzem o efeito indesejável de incentivar jovens moradores de domicílios beneficiários a ofertarem menos trabalho, a partir da estimação de modelos de dados em painel aplicados aos microdados da Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios (PNAD/IBGE). Foram construídos dois painéis formados pelo mesmo conjunto de municípios durante dois períodos: de 2001 a 2009 e de 2011 a 2014 e com o desenvolvimento deste projeto foi possível identificar o perfil dos jovens nem-nem no Brasil, os fatores associados a essa condição e a evolução nos últimos anos. Durante todo o período em análise o percentual de jovens nem-nem se manteve relativamente estável, mas apresentou comportamentos distintos entre os grupos avaliados neste trabalho: jovens do sexo masculino, feminino, jovens mães e não mães. De um modo geral, a maioria dos jovens nem-nem se concentra em domicílios de baixa renda, tem baixa escolaridade e destaca-se nessa condição as jovens com filho devido ainda a forte exigência da participação dessas mulheres nas atividades domésticas e cuidados com parentes e/ou crianças. Em relação ao impacto dos PCTR na probabilidade de o domicílio possuir jovens fora do mercado de trabalho e da escola observou-se que apenas para as jovens mães o resultado foi significativo - e nesse caso deve-se considerar a falta de disponibilidade de vagas nas creches e pré-escolas como um intensificador da vulnerabilidade das mulheres nessa condição. Por outro lado, embora os jovens do sexo masculino apresentem o menor percentual de nem-nem entre os grupos analisados, observou-se uma tendência de alta, principalmente entre os menos escolarizados. Dessa forma, políticas públicas de incentivo ao aumento de vagas nas pré-escolas para as crianças devem ser adotadas no sentido de garantir às jovens mães oportunidades de inserção no mercado de trabalho e/ou retorno aos estudos. Deve-se também adotar políticas voltadas para a redução do abandono escolar de jovens do sexo masculino, a fim de evitar círculo vicioso de baixa escolaridade e dificuldade de inserção no mercado de trabalho. / This research aims to estimate the effects of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programmes in Brazil on the labor supply of NEET, that is, youths neither working nor studying or looking for a job. Based on the study of Foguel and Barros (2010), this study verifies if social programs have the undesirable effect of encouraging young people from beneficiary households to offer less work, based on the estimation of panel data models applied to microdata Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios (PNAD / IBGE). Two panels were built by the same set of municipalities during two periods: from 2001 to 2009 and from 2011 to 2014. It was possible to identify the profile of NEET in Brazil, the factors associated with this condition and developments in recent years. Throughout the study period, the percentage of inactive youths remained relatively stable, but presented different behaviors among the groups evaluated in this study: young men, women, young mothers and non-mothers. Generally, the majority of NEET are in on low-income households, have low schooling levels and stands out in this condition the young women with children because they have a large participation in domestic activities and group of children and relative care. Regarding the impact of PCTRs on the probability that there is NEET in the household, it was observed that only for the young mothers the result was significant - and in this case one should consider the lack of availability of day care centers and pre-schools as an intensifier of women\'s vulnerability in this condition. On the other hand, although young males had the lowest percentage of idles among the groups analyzed, there was an increase trend among the less educated youths. Thus, public policies that increase the number of pre-schools for children should be adopted in order to guarantee young mothers\' opportunities to enter into the labor market and/or to return to school. Moreover, it is recommended the implementation of policies to reduce school drop-outs for young males, in order to avoid the vicious cycle of low schooling and difficulty to entering in the labor market.

Esta pesquisa tem como objetivo estimar os efeitos dos Programas Condicionais de Transferência de Renda (PCTR) no Brasil sobre a oferta de trabalho dos jovens inseridos na situação denominada \"nem-nem\", ou seja, aqueles que não estudam não trabalham e nem estão em busca de emprego. Tendo como base o trabalho de Foguel e Barros (2010) propõe-se verificar se os programas sociais produzem o efeito indesejável de incentivar jovens moradores de domicílios beneficiários a ofertarem menos trabalho, a partir da estimação de modelos de dados em painel aplicados aos microdados da Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios (PNAD/IBGE). Foram construídos dois painéis formados pelo mesmo conjunto de municípios durante dois períodos: de 2001 a 2009 e de 2011 a 2014 e com o desenvolvimento deste projeto foi possível identificar o perfil dos jovens nem-nem no Brasil, os fatores associados a essa condição e a evolução nos últimos anos. Durante todo o período em análise o percentual de jovens nem-nem se manteve relativamente estável, mas apresentou comportamentos distintos entre os grupos avaliados neste trabalho: jovens do sexo masculino, feminino, jovens mães e não mães. De um modo geral, a maioria dos jovens nem-nem se concentra em domicílios de baixa renda, tem baixa escolaridade e destaca-se nessa condição as jovens com filho devido ainda a forte exigência da participação dessas mulheres nas atividades domésticas e cuidados com parentes e/ou crianças. Em relação ao impacto dos PCTR na probabilidade de o domicílio possuir jovens fora do mercado de trabalho e da escola observou-se que apenas para as jovens mães o resultado foi significativo - e nesse caso deve-se considerar a falta de disponibilidade de vagas nas creches e pré-escolas como um intensificador da vulnerabilidade das mulheres nessa condição. Por outro lado, embora os jovens do sexo masculino apresentem o menor percentual de nem-nem entre os grupos analisados, observou-se uma tendência de alta, principalmente entre os menos escolarizados. Dessa forma, políticas públicas de incentivo ao aumento de vagas nas pré-escolas para as crianças devem ser adotadas no sentido de garantir às jovens mães oportunidades de inserção no mercado de trabalho e/ou retorno aos estudos. Deve-se também adotar políticas voltadas para a redução do abandono escolar de jovens do sexo masculino, a fim de evitar círculo vicioso de baixa escolaridade e dificuldade de inserção no mercado de trabalho. / This research aims to estimate the effects of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programmes in Brazil on the labor supply of NEET, that is, youths neither working nor studying or looking for a job. Based on the study of Foguel and Barros (2010), this study verifies if social programs have the undesirable effect of encouraging young people from beneficiary households to offer less work, based on the estimation of panel data models applied to microdata Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios (PNAD / IBGE). Two panels were built by the same set of municipalities during two periods: from 2001 to 2009 and from 2011 to 2014. It was possible to identify the profile of NEET in Brazil, the factors associated with this condition and developments in recent years. Throughout the study period, the percentage of inactive youths remained relatively stable, but presented different behaviors among the groups evaluated in this study: young men, women, young mothers and non-mothers. Generally, the majority of NEET are in on low-income households, have low schooling levels and stands out in this condition the young women with children because they have a large participation in domestic activities and group of children and relative care. Regarding the impact of PCTRs on the probability that there is NEET in the household, it was observed that only for the young mothers the result was significant - and in this case one should consider the lack of availability of day care centers and pre-schools as an intensifier of women\'s vulnerability in this condition. On the other hand, although young males had the lowest percentage of idles among the groups analyzed, there was an increase trend among the less educated youths. Thus, public policies that increase the number of pre-schools for children should be adopted in order to guarantee young mothers\' opportunities to enter into the labor market and/or to return to school. Moreover, it is recommended the implementation of policies to reduce school drop-outs for young males, in order to avoid the vicious cycle of low schooling and difficulty to entering in the labor market.

Cell and organelle membranes consist of a complex mixture of phospholipids that determine their size, shape, and function. Among the distinct types of phospholipids found in membranes of living organisms, phosphatidylcholine (PC) is the most abundant. The rate-limiting step of the predominant pathway for PC synthesis in eukaryotic cells is catalysed by the enzyme, CTP: phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase α (CCTα or PCYT1A). CCTα has a critical role in lipid metabolism and also has direct clinical relevance as mutations in CCTα result in an interesting spectrum of human diseases, such as lipodystrophy with fatty liver, growth plate dysplasia and cone-rod related dystrophy. Numerous biochemical and structural studies on purified CCTα have revealed its membrane-bound activation and suggested that it acts as a lipid compositional sensor, yet the in vivo mechanism of how CCTα senses and regulates PC levels in membranes remains unclear. Here I show that in budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pct1, the yeast homolog of CCTα, is intranuclear and translocates to the nuclear membrane in response to changes in membrane properties and the need for membrane PC synthesis. By aligning imaging with lipidomic analysis and data-driven modelling, Pct1 membrane association is demonstrated to correlate with membrane stored curvature elastic stress estimates. Furthermore, this process occurs inside the nucleus, although nuclear localization signal mutants can compensate for the loss of endogenous Pct1. These data suggest an ancient mechanism by which CCTα senses lipid packing defects and regulates phospholipid homeostasis from the nucleus. Additionally, I identified the importance of mammalian CCTα in early adipogenesis and investigated the enzymatic function of PCYT1A mutants in fibroblasts from lipodystrophic patients. The allele Val142Met is evaluated to be the main cause of loss-of-function in the compound heterozygous mutations by using yeast survival assay. These results collectively provide preliminary evidence for the pathogenicity of PCYT1A mutations in adipose tissue. From yeast to humans, this study uncovers the critical role of Pct1/CCTα in maintaining the internal membrane environment.

Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a rare genetic disease that causes retinal degradation, obesity, kidney dysfunction, polydactyly, and other cilium-related disorders. To date, more than 20 BBS genes, whose mutants cause BBS phenotypes, have been identified, and eight of those (BBS1-2, 4-5, 7-9, and 18) are known to form the BBSome complex. Recent studies have revealed that the BBSome is closely involved in the trafficking of signaling proteins in the primary cilium. Mutations in BBS genes are highly pathogenic because trafficking in the primary cilium is not fully functional when BBS mutations impair assembly of the BBSome. However, the functional links between onset of BBS and BBSome assembly are not well understood. To address this gap in knowledge, we examined the structure of a BBSome assembly intermediate, the BBSome core complex (BBS2, 7, and 9). We employed a combination of chemical crosslinking coupled with mass spectrometry (XL-MS) and electron microscopy (EM) to determine the structure. We applied this structural information to BBS mutations in the core complex to understand how these mutations might cause the disease. These results provide the first structural model of the BBSome core complex and give insight into the molecular basis of Bardet-Biedl syndrome. We have also investigated the mechanism of assembly of the two mTOR kinase complexes (mTORC1 and 2). mTOR is a master regulator of cell metabolism, growth and proliferation. As such, mTOR is a high-value drug target. We investigated the mechanism of assembly of these mTOR complexes and found that the cytosolic chaperonin CCT contributes to mTOR signaling by assisting in the folding of mLST8 and Raptor, components of mTORC1 and mTORC2. To understand the function of CCT in mTOR complex assembly at the molecular level, we have isolated the mLST8-CCT complex and performed a structural analysis using chemical cross-linking couple with mass spectrometry (XL-MS) and cryogenic EM. We found that mLST8 binds CCT deep in its folding cavity, making specific contacts with the CCTα and γ subunits and forming a near-native β-propeller conformation. This information can be used to develop new therapeutics that regulate mTOR activity by controlling mTOR complex assembly.

<p>Adjustment to a new culture is a slow and step-wise process, which can be facilitated by cross-cultural training. First, a comprehensive review of current theories about cross-cultural adjustment and different training techniques is presented. Then, the study looks at the preparation and training of expatriates at Ericsson in relation to these theories. In-depth interviews with two Area Managers at Ericsson have been carried out in order to establish how the company’s training program is structured. We found that Ericsson follows a sequential model with both pre-departure and post-arrival training, mainly didactic in nature. The pre-departure training is very culturegeneral, whereas the post-arrival training is more specific for the host culture. The post-arrival training is, however, not offered in all host countries. Language training is also offered, and expatriates are encouraged to visit the host country prior to the departure. Many components in Ericsson’s training program are supported by theory,but several other techniques described in the theory are not in use. A suggestion is made to further formalize the post-arrival training and make the overall training more culture-specific.</p>

Adjustment to a new culture is a slow and step-wise process, which can be facilitated by cross-cultural training. First, a comprehensive review of current theories about cross-cultural adjustment and different training techniques is presented. Then, the study looks at the preparation and training of expatriates at Ericsson in relation to these theories. In-depth interviews with two Area Managers at Ericsson have been carried out in order to establish how the company’s training program is structured. We found that Ericsson follows a sequential model with both pre-departure and post-arrival training, mainly didactic in nature. The pre-departure training is very culturegeneral, whereas the post-arrival training is more specific for the host culture. The post-arrival training is, however, not offered in all host countries. Language training is also offered, and expatriates are encouraged to visit the host country prior to the departure. Many components in Ericsson’s training program are supported by theory,but several other techniques described in the theory are not in use. A suggestion is made to further formalize the post-arrival training and make the overall training more culture-specific.