Corporations and government agencies that use Avatars claim there are substantial benefits for using them in their respective organizations; including 24/7 service availability, quick answers without a phone queue, and improved consistency in the responses provided. “There are also potential cost savings by having an Avatar answering questions compared to using personnel” (Lind and Salomonson, 2006). However, these benefits may not be great enough as the lack of possible human communication may lead to alienation between individuals and organisations. Furthermore, a robot may “miss out” on business opportunities that a human would act on. A robot will not hear and understand nuances in speech, with the risk that a potentially problematic situation may not be adequately resolved, leading to dissatisfaction with products and services delivered. Many companies measure the satisfaction with Avatars by analysing question and answer logs to see if the Avatar appears to give satisfactory answers. Few of these companies have actually asked their customers (e.g. IKEA and SAS until recently) what they really feel about the quality of the answers they receive. User Centered Design, Participatory Design and other methods are the preferred ways of developing such systems, but these do not include all stakeholders. This thesis addresses this exclusion of all stakeholders by applying a co-design research approach for developing avatars for e-Services.Case studies from Mark Municipality, Sweden and Scandinavian Airlines Systems (SAS) are presented in this thesis showing how improvements of service quality aspects with Avatars can be managed by applying a four-step Co-Design research approach. From the first step of Co-Design, through interviews, log analysis and a channel survey, findings show that the failed dialogues with Avatars Eva (SAS) and Elin (Mark) are mainly concerned with five factors: interactivity; dialogue capability; consistency; knowledge; and synonyms. In the second step of carrying out customer workshops, a number of ideal scenarios are suggested for the Avatars to perform better. In the third step, SAS decision makers decided to implement the first three scenarios: Eva’s synonyms, knowledge and consistency. Mark decision makers decided to shut down their Avatar Elin, as they did not believe they had the necessary resources. In the fourth step, another channel survey was carried out for SAS as well as a new log analysis in order to know the impact of the redevelopment of the above three scenarios. An important result of the study was that the company adopted the continuous use of Co-Design as an approach to continuous improvement of the service quality performed by the Avatar Eva. This, for example, led to an increase of 14 percentage points on the users overall satisfaction level. The results also open a new set of questions framing the relation and transformation between Co-Design as a research approach for knowledge creation and Co-Design as a method for innovation and service quality improvements. This thesis also presents an Extended Co-Design Model, which illustrates how Co-Design inspires SAS staff. In addition, the staff of the supplier of the Avatar use it for other functions within and without SAS.

My thesis will reconsider the failed attempt by a number of Roman citizens to gain power in Rome in 63 B.C., commonly labeled “The Conspiracy of Catiline.” Two Roman authors, M. Tullius Cicero and C. Sallustius Crispus, were eyewitnesses to the events occurring that year and both wrote lengthy accounts about the discovery and suppression of the affair and its participants, who were planning to gain power in Rome through violent means. The participants planned murder and arson inside of Rome and threatened the city with an army in northern Etruria. Our sources tend to ascribe the leadership of these hostile activities to L. Sergius Catilina, presented as a debauched, and indebted, scion of a noble family. However, our sources discuss many other Roman citizens who participated with the affair. My thesis provides a comprehensive study of the terminology Cicero and Sallust used and the lexical choices they made to describe the affair and its participants. I examine the terminology that both these authors used to identify the affair’s context, primarily focusing on the terms coniuratio (“conspiracy”) and bellum (“war”), with the aim of showing how these terms and concepts become crystallized in this period. In addition, I examine the portrayal of the reported disturbances occurring inside and outside of Rome and the representation of the Roman citizens who were involved in them. By scrutinizing the terminology found in Cicero and Sallust’s accounts of the affair of 63, my thesis demonstrates that its common appellation as “The Conspiracy of Catiline” and all that it means – in terms of a single event with one leader – needs to be reconsidered due to the interpretations of its multifarious aspects.

BACKGROUND: Elderly individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) suffer from several comorbidities, which affect their health outcomes, as well as process of care. This study assessed process and intermediate clinical outcomes of diabetes care among elderly individuals with T2DM and co-occurring Parkinson's disease(PD). METHODS: This study used a retrospective cohort design with propensity score matching using Humana Medicare Advantage Part D claims database (2007-2011) and included elderly (age ≥ 65 years) Medicare beneficiaries with T2DM (identified by ICD-9-CM code of 250.x0 or 250.x2). PD was identified using ICD-9-CM code of 332.xx. After propensity score matching there were 2,703 individuals with T2DM and PD and 8,109 with T2DM and no PD. The three processes of care measures used in this study included: (i) HbA1c test; (ii) Lipid test; (iii) and Nephropathy screening. Intermediate clinical outcomes consisted of glycemic and lipid control. RESULTS: Multivariable conditional logistic regressions revealed that elderly individuals with T2DM and PD were 12 % (AOR: 0.88, 95 %CI: 0.79-0.97) and 18 % (AOR: 0.82, 95 %CI: 0.72-0.94) less likely to meet the annual American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommended HbA1c and lipid testing goals respectively compared to individuals with T2DM and no PD. Multinomial conditional logistic regressions showed that elderly individuals with T2DM and PD were more likely to have HbA1c and lipid (HbA1c < 8 %; LDL-C <100 mg/dl; HDL-C ≥ 50 mg/dl; triglyceride <150 mg/dl; and total cholesterol <200 mg/dl) control. CONCLUSIONS: Among elderly individuals with T2DM, those with PD were less likely to achieve ADA recommended annual HbA1c and lipid testing compared to those without PD. However, PD individuals were more likely to achieve intermediate glycemic and lipid control.

In this study we examined co-workers experiences of having a previous colleague as their leader, which is relatively common. We made qualitative interviews with six social welfare administrators who had been through this situation at work. The questions had been concentrated at how they were affected by the previous relationship, what expectations they had, and their view of how the business had been handled by their leader. The result of these interviews has then been connected to two leadership theories. The conclusion of the study was that the experience of the situation differs. One negative experience that emerged was that the leader had a hard time letting go of the roll as a colleague, which in turn made a few co-workers feel bad about how some co-workers were favoured and others not. Some of the commented expectations were to receive a more specific job-competent leader from outside, a leader who could raise and advance the activity at work, along with expectations of treating all co-workers equally. An opinion that the leader was always looking for consensus has emerged which wasn't always perceived positive, another wish was that the leader also has to be able to make own decisions. Everyone experienced a great involvement in the activities and the leadership was also experienced to have been democratic.

Metastatic cancer cells invade and spread to other locations by disrupting the basement membrane (BM). The membrane plays a major role during the normal development of an organism as well. In order to understand the invasion mechanism it is important to know about the interactions occurring between the proteins of the BM during normal development. This study concentrates on isolating and identifying the major factors associated with collagen IV, a major component of BM, during the third instar larval development of Drosophila. Western blot and mass spectrometry analysis revealed that collagen IV associates with various growth factors, signaling molecules, and proteins that may play a role during the development of Drosophila. Co-localization and knockdown studies performed on a single protein found through mass spectrometry suggested a possible role of this protein in the development of Drosophila. Further analysis of this proteins’ function will provide new insights into its developmental role and its potential role in collagen IV transport.

This thesis aims to clarify the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)'s approach to post-Cold War tensions and conflicts in the former Soviet area, the extent to which the new procedures, mechanisms and instruments developed by the organisation are useful, and how the OSCE's activities may reveal innovative contributions to conflict studies. An integrating analysis is needed, not only of the OSCE's development. but also of the numerous aspects conditioning OSCE approaches in the former Soviet space. particularly the involvement of other international organisations and the role of the Russian Federation. In this sense. OSCE activities take place in a complex environment that demands a comprehensive addressing of the different factors. at times limiting and at others strengthening the organisation's reach. How this interplay takes place and the extent to which it affects the OSCE's role in the former Soviet space is a fundamental question. Starting from the theoretical conceptualisation where the OSCE's approaches and procedures fit. this analysis includes the organisation's new tools to address conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict rehabilitation. How it renders the new procedures and instruments operational, how its institutions inter-relate and the extent to which its principles and activities are extended to its wide area are analysed. The role of the OSCE Field Missions in the former Soviet Union is stressed in this regard. demonstrating how the organisation applies commitments to reality. The focus on the Republic of Estonia and the Republic of Moldova, as two case-studies of OSCE involvement in the former Soviet Union area, show the organisation's preventive efforts and crisis settlement tools in practical terms. The case-studies demonstrate the encompassing approaches of the organisation in the field, permitting us to infer on its limits and possibilities and to shed light on the OSCE's possible innovative contributions to conflict studies.

Today the use of resources in the industry are not complete to be considered as sustainable from the perspective of nutrient recovery. In the Swedish pulp and paper industry residual streams such as bark, fiber reject and sludge are returned for more sustainable use more frequently. Around 300 000-600 000 tons of sludge is generated every year from different cleaning processes in the pulp and paper industry. About 15 % of that sludge is so called biosludge that is a result from biological water treatment, where large amounts of phosphorus are used. After the cleaning process the total amount of biosludge generated in Sweden each year is estimated to contain approximately 2000 tons of phosphorus (P). The most common way to discard the biosludge today is by incineration, where aspects such as high content of moisture and ash have proven to be problematic. Besides phosphorus, other elements such as sulfur (S), chlorine (Cl) and calcium (Ca) are often found in the biosludge in larger amounts.   This study included co-combustion experiments of current residual streams from the pulp and paper mill SCA Obbola AB where the aim was to investigate how the ash transformation chemistry was affected. The residual streams comprised of bark, fiber reject and biosludge which were combusted together with stem wood in a bench scaled bubbling fluidized bed. To investigate if different ash related operating and technical problems could be reduced and if there was potential of phosphorus recycling from the ashes, produced ash and other samples were examined by SEM/EDS. The fuel mix from SCA Obbola consisted of large amounts of Ca, S and P relative to more ordinary biomass fuels like stem wood. These elements originated from the biosludge and was confirmed by the fuel analysis. Analysis made on collected samples showed that Ca and P together formed phosphates that either stayed in the bed or was collected in the cyclone which indicated that there could be a potential for recovering phosphorus. Although, the Ca/P ratio in the ashes was too high, which probably leads to that phosphates unsuitable for nutrient recovery are formed.   The fiber reject from SCA Obbola contained large amounts of chlorine according to the fuel analysis which was indicated from the results later in the study. During the combustion most of the Cl left the bottom ash via volatilization. It was true for both the fuel blends with and without fiber reject. When larger amounts of biosludge was added to the fuel mix less of the corrosive compound potassium chloride (KCl) was found in depositions and collected fine particulate matter (PM). This was due to that more sulfur was added in the system when the amount of biosludge was increased which lead to that K reacted with SO2 instead of Cl and formed K2SO4. The observed reduction of KCl resulted in; 1) lower amounts of fine particulate matter which means less loaded particulate filters 2) less risk of high temperature corrosion on heat transfer surfaces. The general conclusion that could be drawn from this study was that by increasing the amount of biosludge in the fuel blend at already high mixings of fiber reject, problems such as corrosion and fine particulate matter could be reduced. These advantages must be considered to the amount of lime stone needed to be added for reducing HCl from a cost perspective.

With  the  ever  expanding  development  and  use  of  technology,  smartphones  enjoy  an increase in use mainly as people’s personal devices. This study aims to turn smartphones into  co-located  devices  through  a  serious  game  with  the  goal  of  breaking  the  ice  when groups meet for the first time. A prototype for a game named ICE (Interactive Co-located Events) was made and evaluated with a group of 14 people in a laboratory setting. Through questionnaires,  a  focus  group  and  observations,  it  became  clear  that  the  game  works  to break down barriers between people, but didn’t succeed in supporting people to truly get to know each other. This was mainly due to the competitive aspect of the game and the time limit  set  for  it.  Future  implementations  of  the  game  could  have  these  removed  to  see  if games  like  these  can  take  the  next  step  and  go  beyond  breaking  down  barriers  between people.

The majority of children in the UK live in households with two parents, yet most of the academic research on parenting focuses on the relationship between one parent and one child. More often than not, this one parent has been the mother. There is an expectation of father involvement in contemporary parenting, but the literature still tends to emphasise parenting as a one parent-one child interaction, measuring involvement of the father in terms of time spent with his child. The idea of collaboration, or collaborative parenting, drawing on research into coparenting in the US, considers the involvement of both parents with each other, with respect to the child, as an alternative way of conceptualising parental involvement. Collaboration is considered a useful concept, as it goes beyond the idea of parenting as being about time spent directly with the child. Unlike many factors which may predict child outcomes, a lack of collaboration could be addressed at the family level, through counselling or education. The aims of the research were to develop an understanding of the way in which parents work together, looking in particular at how this is affected by social support; whether there are associations between parental collaboration and the availability of time for family and leisure activities, and feelings about the balance between work and home life; whether parents who collaborate are more likely to adhere to expert advice on parenting matters; and whether there are associations with a child’s social, emotional and behavioural development. Emphasis was also placed on the methodology, as it entailed the development of a method for measuring the concept of collaboration, using data that was not designed for the purpose. The research was conducted through a combination of methods, comprising secondary analysis of data from the first four sweeps of the Growing Up in Scotland (GUS) study, and the conduct and analysis of 20 pairs of semi-structured interviews with parents who had previously taken part in this study. A condition of the funding received from the Scottish Government was to make use of the GUS data. The research found social support affected the process of collaboration in a number of ways: by enabling collaboration to take place; by removing the need for collaboration; by increasing the time available to collaborative couples; and by removing the need to plan ahead. Of particular note were the problems that were more likely to occur when couples neither collaborated, nor had support from outside the home. These are the couples who find that work impacts on their family the most. They are also the ones who are least likely to have time away from their children to do something for their own interest, and are the ones who are most likely to find it difficult to access advice. Collaborative couples tended to find more time available for activities with their children, as well as time for themselves. Positive associations were demonstrated between collaboration and a child’s social, emotional and behavioural development, but the strength of the association was not equal in all situations. When the mother was employed full-time, relatively strong associations were evident. When she was not in employment, and a number of other risk factors were present, relatively strong associations could again be seen. However, when the mother worked part-time, there did not appear to be any association between child behavioural development and collaboration. Associations were also demonstrated with the work-life balance of parents. Collaborative fathers professed less of an impact of the family on their work than non-collaborative ones. Similarly, collaborative fathers were less likely to say that long hours impacted on the time they had with their children than non-collaborative fathers, but there was no equivalent association for mothers. The impact of work on family was more likely to be lower for both parents when they acted collaboratively.

The author presents an analysis of how speakers establish references in conversation. Further, this paper focuses on what words of a reference are conventionalized as speakers coordinate multiple times. The author explores how the co-occurrence of the reference terms with the referent can be a good predictor of what words are conventionalized over time. In order to study this, the author created an online version of the reference game from Clark and Wilkes-Gibbs (1986) experiment, where a matcher and director must describe a set of ambiguous shapes to each other many times. By creating an online version of this reference game the author was able to gather significantly more data and analyze the data with computational tools. Results prove that co-occurrence is a useful predictor of terms which are conventionalized, providing a first step for accounting for statistical inference in the process of conventionalization.