This thesis summarizes a study of higher-dimensional distorted objects such as a distorted 5-dimensional Schwarzschild-Tangherlini black hole. It considers a particular type of distortion corresponding to an external, static distribution of matter and fields around this object. The corresponding spacetime can be presented in the generalized Weyl form which has an RxU(1)xU(1) group of isometries. This is a natural generalization of the 4-dimensional Weyl form which was presented in the paper by Emparan and Reall [1]. In the frame of this generalized Weyl form one can derive an exact analytic solution to the Einstein equations which describes the non-linear interaction of the black hole with external matter and gravitational fields. This research focuses on the effects of such interaction on the event horizon and the interior of the black hole. A similar study was presented in the papers [2] for 4-dimensional neutral black holes, where special duality relations between a neutral black hole horizon and singularity were derived. In relation to this work it is interesting to study which properties of distorted black holes remain present in the 5-dimensional case. This thesis also gives an investigation of the d-dimensional Fisher solution which represents a static, spherically symmetric, asymptotically flat spacetime with a massless scalar field. This solution has a naked singularity. It is shown that the d-dimensional Schwarzschild-Tangherlini solution and the Fisher solution are dual to each other. [1] R. Emparan and H. S. Reall, Phys. Rev. D, 65, 084025 (2002). [2] V. P. Frolov and A. A. Shoom, Phys. Rev. D, 76, 064037 (2007).

Between fall 2009 and fall 2010 I conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 19 young-adult women and men of mixed race in Edmonton, Alberta. A prominent theme that emerged was being asked the question ‘what are you?’. I position the ‘moment’ of being questioned as a manifestation of the external gaze. People of mixed race are subject to questioning because they do not fit within dominant racial binaries: they exceed the limited horizon of possible narratives of racial discourse and are socially identified as ambivalent (Anzaldua 1987). Within the literature on the ‘racial gaze,’ it is often positioned as something that fixes (Fanon 1967). However, the very ambivalence people of mixed race pose to the gaze allows them to negotiate it. The narratives of my respondents demonstrate that the inability of the social gaze to ‘fix’ them opens up the possibility of making identity through negotiating the gaze in multiple ways.

The need to satisfy aerospace industry's demand not met by traditional materials motivated researchers and scientists to look for new solutions. The answer was found in developing new material systems by combining together two or more constituents. Composites, also known as fiber reinforced polymers (FRP) consisting of a reinforcing phase (fibers) embedded into a matrix (polymer), offered several advantages with respect to conventional materials. High specific modulus and strength together with other beneficial properties, corrosion resistance and transparency to electrical and magnetic fields above all, made FRP also suitable for use as construction materials in structural engineering. In the early years of the twenty-first century, the publication by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) of design guidelines for the use of FRP as internal reinforcement and for external strengthening of concrete members accelerated their implementation for structural engineering applications. To date, FRP have gained full acceptance as advanced materials for construction and their use is poised to become as routine as the use of conventional structural materials such as masonry, wood, steel, and concrete. However, new concrete columns internally reinforced with FRP bars and FRP confinement for existing prismatic reinforced concrete (RC) columns have currently important unsolved issues, some of which are addressed in this dissertation defense. The dissertation is articulated on three studies. The first study (Study 1) focuses on RC columns internally reinforced with glass FRP (GFRP) bars; the second (Study 2) on RC prismatic columns externally confined by means of FRP laminates using glass and glass/basalt fibers; and the third (Study 3) is a theoretical attempt to interpret and capture the mechanics of the external FRP confinement of square RC columns. Study 1 describes an experimental campaign on full-scale GFRP RC columns under pure axial load undertaken using specimens with a 24 by 24 in. (0.61 by 0.61 m) square cross section. The study was conducted to investigate whether the compressive behavior of longitudinal GFRP bars impacts the column performance, and to understand the contribution of GFRP ties to the confinement of the concrete core, and to prevent instability of the longitudinal reinforcement. The results showed that the GFRP RC specimens behaved similarly to the steel RC counterpart, while the spacing of the ties strongly influenced the failure mode. Study 2 presents a pilot research that includes laboratory testing of full-scale square and rectangular RC columns externally confined with glass and basalt-glass FRP laminates and subjected to pure axial load. Specimens that are representative of full-scale building columns were designed according to a dated ACI 318 code (i.e., prior to 1970) for gravity loads only. The study was conducted to investigate how the external confinement affects ultimate axial strength and deformation of a prismatic RC column. The results showed that the FRP confinement increases concrete axial strength, but it is more effective in enhancing concrete strain capacity. The discussion of the results includes a comparison with the values obtained using existing constitutive models. Study 3 proposes a new theoretical framework to interpret and capture the physics of the FRP confinement of square RC columns subjected to pure compressive loads. The geometrical, physical and mechanical parameters governing the problem are analyzed and discussed. A single-parameter methodology for predicting the axial stress - axial strain curve for FRP-confined square RC columns is described. Fundamentals, basic assumptions and limitations are discussed. A simple design example is also presented.

Approximately one-third of U.S. adults are at increased risk for life-threatening diseases such as atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Such individuals are considered healthy without any diagnosed cardiometabolic conditions but may have a constellation of cardiometabolic complications that include obesity, glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, hypertension, insulin resistance, and hypertriglyceridemia. When most of these preclinical conditions comorbidly occur, the condition has been referred to as metabolic syndrome (MetS). MetS is considered to reflect one or more early pathophysiological processes in cardiometabolic disease; however, the extent to which these complications and their underlying pathophysiology interact with behavioral factors such as stress, diet, and physical activity have not been clearly established. For example, diet consisting of high total caloric intake and high fat composition is posited to contribute to obesity and other cardiometabolic risk factors, but research is inconsistent regarding the effect of psychological distress (i.e., anxiety, stress, depression, anger) on dietary intake and whether dietary intake mediates a relationship between distress and preclinical cardiometabolic disease risk. One factor that has been suggested to play a role in the distress – dietary intake relationship is eating style. Research on eating styles has identified four main types that may be related to distress and dietary intake: restrained, disinhibited, emotional, and external eating. Restrained eaters consciously restrict food intake to control body weight and body shape. Disinhibited eating refers to overeating that occurs following failure of restraint. Emotional eaters consume foods to reduce and alleviate negative emotions, such as anxiety. External eating occurs in response to immediate food-related external stimuli, regardless of internal physiological cues of hunger. Current evidence suggests each of these eating styles moderates the relationship between distress and dietary intake. There is also some research to suggest a relationship between eating styles and weight gain, body mass index (BMI), and development of obesity. However, no study has examined the interrelationships among psychological distress, eating style, and central obesity, and whether these relationships differ according to gender. Moreover, the extent to which distress and eating style may be associated with cardiometabolic risk beyond obesity is unknown. Thus, the main aim of the present study was to test a model of mediation and moderation to evaluate how psychological distress, eating styles, dietary intake, and gender are associated with measures of cardiometabolic risk in healthy individuals (Figure 1). Four hundred sixty-four participants contributed data from two different studies: Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, and Meal-Related Glycemia (SUGAR) and Markers Assessing Risk for Cardiovascular Health (MARCH). All participants were aged 18-55 years, had no major systemic disease, were not using medications having a cardiovascular, carbohydrate, endocrine, or psychiatric effect, and had no history of substance or alcohol abuse or dependence. The study employed a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach to assess the following aims: 1) to develop composite, latent factors to reflect psychological distress, eating style, and dietary intake using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and to develop a hybrid model of cardiometabolic risk; and 2) to simultaneously test the interrelationships among factors in a comprehensive model so that the strength of direct and indirect effects can be evaluated while statistically controlling for the other factors and covariates in the model. Latent factor models of psychological distress and eating style fit the data and were statistically acceptable, and a hybrid model of cardiometabolic risk fit the data and its CFA components were acceptable. A latent factor model of dietary intake would have likely fit the data and been statistically acceptable given the high intercorrelations among dietary variables, but no such factor was created because dietary variables failed to confirm the hypothesized associations with other model components (e.g., waist girth, eating styles); thus, these measures were excluded from further SEM analyses. Final model results showed that psychological distress was positively related to restrained, emotional, and external eating styles, but only restrained eating was directly associated with greater waist girth. Distress was not directly related to cardiometabolic risk, but an indirect effect was found in which higher levels of distress led to greater waist girth via higher levels of restrained eating. Waist girth, in turn, served as a significant mediator between restrained eating and worse insulin sensitivity, higher blood pressure, diminished glucose tolerance, and greater dyslipidemia. These effects were significant when controlling for age, gender, education, and physical activity, and when analyzed in a comprehensive SEM model simultaneously including distress, eating style, and cardiometabolic risk variables. Of note, results suggest the possibility for a reversed effect such that waist girth leads to restrained eating. Findings also suggest that emotional eating may lead to distress. In contrast, the relationship between distress and the other two eating styles, restrained and external eating, appeared unidirectional such that distress leads to restrained and external eating but not the reverse. Future studies using longitudinal data are needed to better understand these relationships in regards to causality. Data from the MARCH subsample was excluded from the above final modeling analyses because eating style data were only available for the SUGAR subsample. Thus, the role of gender in how distress, eating styles, and cardiometabolic risk are interrelated could not be examined due to the small number of women in the SUGAR study (n = 38). It remains unknown whether the significant effect of distress on each of the eating styles found in the current study was driven primarily by men, women, or both equally. Similarly, the sample size would not permit the evaluation of whether gender moderated the effect of restrained eating on central obesity. Given that women in the current study reported more restrained, emotional, and external eating than men, future studies with larger samples should follow-up by assessing for potential moderating effects of gender. The present findings suggest that decreasing restrained eating style may lead to less central fat deposition and hence reduced cardiometabolic risk. Such “non-diet” interventions show potential for improved cardiometabolic health, but more research is needed. Particularly needed are studies examining prevention and intervention outcomes based on type of restrained eating – flexible versus rigid – to better understand how these different subtypes operate and how they can be altered effectively to improve health.

A huge number of applications require coherent radiation in the visible spectral range. Since diode lasers are very compact and efficient light sources, there exists a great interest to cover these applications with diode laser emission. Despite modern band gap engineering not all wavelengths can be accessed with diode laser radiation. Especially in the visible spectral range between 480 nm and 630 nm no emission from diode lasers is available, yet. Nonlinear frequency conversion of near-infrared radiation is a common way to generate coherent emission in the visible spectral range. However, radiation with extraordinary spatial temporal and spectral quality is required to pump frequency conversion. Broad area (BA) diode lasers are reliable high power light sources in the near-infrared spectral range. They belong to the most efficient coherent light sources with electro-optical efficiencies of more than 70%. Standard BA lasers are not suitable as pump lasers for frequency conversion because of their poor beam quality and spectral properties. For this purpose, tapered lasers and diode lasers with Bragg gratings are utilized. However, these new diode laser structures demand for additional manufacturing and assembling steps that makes their processing challenging and expensive. An alternative to BA diode lasers is the stripe-array architecture. The emitting area of a stripe-array diode laser is comparable to a BA device and the manufacturing of these arrays requires only one additional process step. Such a stripe-array consists of several narrow striped emitters realized with close proximity. Due to the overlap of the fields of neighboring emitters or the presence of leaky waves, a strong coupling between the emitters exists. As a consequence, the emission of such an array is characterized by a so called supermode. However, for the free running stripe-array mode competition between several supermodes occurs because of the lack of wavelength stabilization. This leads to power fluctuations, spectral instabilities and poor beam quality. Thus, it was necessary to study the emission properties of those stripe-arrays to find new concepts to realize an external synchronization of the emitters. The aim was to achieve stable longitudinal and transversal single mode operation with high output powers giving a brightness sufficient for efficient nonlinear frequency conversion. For this purpose a comprehensive analysis of the stripe-array devices was done here. The physical effects that are the origin of the emission characteristics were investigated theoretically and experimentally. In this context numerical models could be verified and extended. A good agreement between simulation and experiment was observed. One way to stabilize a specific supermode of an array is to operate it in an external cavity. Based on mathematical simulations and experimental work, it was possible to design novel external cavities to select a specific supermode and stabilize all emitters of the array at the same wavelength. This resulted in stable emission with 1 W output power, a narrow bandwidth in the range of 2 MHz and a very good beam quality with M²<1.5. This is a new level of brightness and brilliance compared to other BA and stripe-array diode laser systems. The emission from this external cavity diode laser (ECDL) satisfied the requirements for nonlinear frequency conversion. Furthermore, a huge improvement to existing concepts was made. In the next step newly available periodically poled crystals were used for second harmonic generation (SHG) in single pass setups. With the stripe-array ECDL as pump source, more than 140 mW of coherent radiation at 488 nm could be generated with a very high opto-optical conversion efficiency. The generated blue light had very good transversal and longitudinal properties and could be used to generate biphotons by parametric down-conversion. This was feasible because of the improvement made with the infrared stripe-array diode lasers due to the development of new physical concepts. / Für eine Vielzahl von interessanten Anwendungen z.B. in den Lebenswissenschaften werden kohärente Strahlquellen im sichtbaren Spektralbereich benötigt. Diese Strahlquellen sollen sich durch eine hohe Effizienz (d.h. Sparsamkeit), Mobilität und eine hohe Güte des emittierten Lichtes auszeichnen. Im Idealfall passt die Lichtquelle in die Hosentasche und kann mit herkömmlichen Batterien betrieben werden. Diodenlaser sind solche kleinen und sehr effizienten Strahlquellen. Sie sind heutzutage allgegenwärtig, begegnen uns in CD-Playern, Laserdruckern oder an Supermarktkassen im täglichen Leben. Diodenlaser zeichnen sich durch ihren extrem hohen Wirkungsgrad aus, da hier elektrischer Strom direkt in Licht umgewandelt wird. Jedoch können bisher noch nicht alle Wellenlängen im sichtbaren Bereich mit diesen Lasern realisiert werden. Eine Möglichkeit, diesen Wellenlängenbereich über einen Umweg zu erreichen, ist Frequenzkonversion von infrarotem in sichtbares Licht mit sogenannten nichtlinearen optischen Kristallen. Dies ist im Prinzip auch mit Diodenlasern möglich, konnte bisher jedoch nur sehr ineffizient oder mit erheblichem Aufwand umgesetzt werden. Allerdings kann mit Hilfe von externen Resonatoren die Emission solcher Standard-Laserdioden maßgeblich beeinflusst und die Qualität des Lichtes erheblich verbessert werden. Hier setzt die Zielsetzung dieser Arbeit an: Das Licht von infraroten Hochleistungslaserdioden, sogenannten „Streifen-Arrays“, sollte durch einen externen Resonator stabilisiert und für die Frequenzverdopplung erschlossen werden. Diese Arrays bestehen aus mehreren dicht nebeneinander angeordneten Einzelemittern und zeichnen sich dadurch aus, dass eine Kopplung dieser Emitter von außen möglich ist. Im ersten Schritt sollte eine solche Synchronisation der Emitter erreicht werden. In einem zweiten Schritt soll das von außen beeinflusste Licht des Arrays mit einer hohen Effizienz in sichtbares (blaues) Licht konvertiert werden um den Wirkungsgrad der Diodenlaser voll auszunutzen. Dafür war es notwendig die Physik der Streifen-Arrays sorgfältig zu untersuchen. Es mussten Methoden entwickelt werden, durch die eine gezielte Beeinflussung der Emitter möglich ist, damit es zu einer globalen Kopplung und Synchronisation der Array Emitter kommt. Dafür wurden mit Hilfe von mathematischen Modellierungen und Experimenten verschiedene Resonatorkonzepte entwickelt und realisiert. Schlussendlich war es möglich, die Emissionseigenschaften der Arrays um mehrere Größenordnungen zu verbessern und sehr effizient kohärentes blaues Licht sehr hoher Güte zu erzeugen. In einem weiteren Experiment ist es zusätzlich gelungen nichtklassisches Licht bzw. Paarphotonen zu generieren, die ebenfalls interessant für die Lebenswissenschaften sind.

The object of this thesis is to analyse how a co-operational network can come about, operate and progress to contribute to industrial dynamics within the locality. The thesis is a case-study of the HomeCom Project, to learn whether this project has the required features to contribute to the clustering process and thus higher levels of industrial dynamics and competitive advantage of the home communications industry in Linköping. The theoretical platform is based on Porter’s Diamond-model, which explains the occurrence of clusters. Theories of external economies complement Porter’s theories, while oligopoly theory will be introduced to offer a different perspective. The empirical findings show that the HomeCom Project may be considered to contribute to the clustering and in consequence promote industrial dynamics and competitive advantage. But there are also difficulties and attitudes that may impede the reaching of the project’s goals.

It is generally recognized that firms face both internal and external environmental forces. However, few studies have attempted to describe the importance of various strategic factors and the relation between them. This study has been conducted to identify the main strategic determinant in the software industry and the reason behind the existence of these determinants. The study is based on a qualitative study. The empirical data have been collected from interviews. However, the frame of reference is based on well- established theories within the field of business strategy. The research identified certain strategic determinants in software industry. These are Market/Customer, Technology, Economy, Rivalry, Core Competences, Core Products, Technical and Human Resources. These factors have an impact on researched firms separately and jointly as well. However, competitive advantage can be achieved by focusing on product innovation and development, relation building with customers, technology and human resource management, capabilities/competences building and alliances with other companies and industries.

During a three-year period (1989-91), all patients living in the county of Uppsala, Sweden, with a radiographically verified fracture of the clavicle were prospectively, consecutively followed (n=245). The epidemiological study (I) was restricted to the two first years with 187 fractures in185 patients. The short term study (II) with 6 months follow-up included 222 patients. The long term study (III) with 10 years follow-up included 208 patients. The malunion study (IV) included eight patients and the nonunion study (V) 24 patients all of whom were consecutively operated between 1988-2000. Displacement, especially with no bony contact in the initial radiographs, was a statistically significant risk factor for sequelae. Comminute fractures, especially if including transversally placed fragments, were associated with a significantly increased risk of remaining symptoms. An increasing number of fragments was also associated with an increased risk of sequelae. Patients with remainig symptoms after 6 months were on average older at the time of injury as compared to patients without remaining symptoms. Advancing age was also a significant risk factor for sequelae – specifically pain at rest – still after 10 years. There was no difference between gender with respect to the risk of sequelae, except for nonunion. Fracture location did not predict outcome, except for more cosmetic defects (middle part). Shortening defined as overlapping at the fracture site was a significant risk factor for cosmetic defects after 10 years. Patients who experience pain at rest and/or cosmetic defects more than twelve weeks after the fracture have a higher risk for sequelae. The radiographic examination should always consist of two projections: the AP (0°) view and the 45° tilted view. Transversally placed fragments are not seen in the 0° view. Removal of excessive callus in patients with persistent symptoms even several years after the fracture showed a good outcome. One does not have to stabilize the clavicle when excising the hypertrophic callus. Symptomatic clavicular nonunions should be treated with surgery. Reconstruction plate combined with cancellous bone gives a faster and more reliable healing rate than external fixation.

Most organizations are exposed to increasing competition and must be able to orient themselves in their environment. Therefore, they need comprehensive systems that are able to present a holistic view of the organization and its business. A data warehouse (DW) may support such tasks, due to its abilities to integrate and aggregate data from organizationally internal, as well as external sources and present the data in formats that support strategic and tactical decision-makers. Traditionally, DW development projects have focused on data originating from internal systems, whereas the benefits of data acquired external to the organization, i.e. external data, have been neglected. However, as it has become increasingly important to keep track of the competitive forces influencing an organization, external data is gaining more attention. Still, organizations are experiencing problems when incorporating external data and these hinder the organizations from exploiting the potential of external data and prevent them to achieving return on their investments. In addition, current literature fails to assist organizations in avoiding or solving common problems. Therefore, in order to support organizations in their external data incorporation initiatives, a set of guidelines have been developed and contextualized. The guidelines are also complemented with a state of practice description, as a means of taking one step towards a cohesive body of knowledge regarding external data incorporation into DWs. The development of the guidelines, as well as the establishment of a state of practice description, was based upon the material from two literature reviews and four interview studies. The interview studies were conducted with the most important stakeholders when incorporating external data, i.e. the user organizations (2 studies), the DW consultants, and the suppliers of the external data. Additionally, in order to further ground the guidelines, interviews with a second set of DW consultants were conducted.

I vårt examensarbete undersöker vi olika typer av motivation. Vårt syfte med arbetet var att undersöka lärares syn motivation samt elevers egen motivation i skolan. De frågeställningar vi utgick från var: 1. Vilken typ av motivation har elever i år 4 och år 5? 2. Finns det någon skillnad mellan pojkars och flickors motivation? 3. Vilken typ av motivation strävar lärare efter att elever ska erhålla och använda sig av? 4. Hur ser lärare på intrinsic (inre) motivation, extrinsic (yttre) motivation samt amotivation? Vi börjar med att redogöra för begreppet motivation och sedan hur läroplanen ser på motivation. Vi lyfter sex olika huvudteorier inom motivation och går sedan in mer grundligt på intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. I denna teori finns Self-Determination theory och inom den amotivation. Self-Determination theory används i detta arbete när vi tittar på elevers olika styrningsformer inom motivation De fem olika styrningsformerna är: inre motivation, identifierad styrning, omedveten styrning, yttre styrning och amotivation. I arbetet gör vi elevernas olika styrningar synliga genom figurer. Vi använde oss av metoderna enkät och intervju för att få svar på våra frågeställningar. Undersökningens resultat påvisar bland annat att eleverna i år 4 och år 5 generellt har god intrinsic motivation, men använder sig också av extrinsic motivation. Lärarna som vi intervjuade tyckte att intrinsic motivation är den viktigaste av motivationsformerna, men menar samtidigt att extrinsic motivation är den form som är lättast att motivera eleverna genom.