Purpose: This research aims to test the identified factors that influence the online purchase intentions of millennial (Gen Y) and Gen Z Africans who reside in Sweden and to find out whether there are differences in the online purchase intention between the two generational cohorts. Research design: In order to fulfil the purpose of this study, an online questionnaire was distributed to Gen Y and Gen Z Africans living in Sweden. A total of 203 valid responses were collected through the convenience sampling and snowball sampling method. With the valid responses, the multiple linear regression and analysis of variance were conducted. Findings: The study has found enough evidence to prove that attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and green concern all have an influence on the online purchase intention of Gen Y and Gen Z Africans living in Sweden. However, the perceived risks is the only factor that does not have an influence on the online purchase intention of Gen Y and Gen Z Africans living in Sweden. Also, the study proves that there are no statistically significant differences in the attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, green concern and perceived risks of the two generations in question.

Detta arbete syftar till att få en djupare förståelse kring hur företag på en mindre ort kan attrahera morgondagens humana resurser. Med den ständiga urbaniseringen som sker i Sverige där konkurrensen om arbetskraft växer mellan större och mindre städer upptäcktes en kunskapslucka. Nämligen att ta reda på hur företag, på mindre orter i förhållande till de större städerna kan stärka sitt employer brand och dess attraktivitet för att attrahera den yngre generationen g. Arbetskraften är en stor tillgång för organisationer och med hjälp av employer branding som strategi kan organisationer stärka sitt arbetsgivarvarumärke för att attrahera potentiella arbetssökande. Själva begreppet employer branding, på svenska även kallat arbetsgivarvarumärke myntades för första gången 1996. Employer branding handlar både om att framställa företaget som attraktiv och höja engagemanget hos deras nuvarande anställda, eftersom medarbetarna blir en del av företagets marknadsföring. Vi som har genomfört denna studie fokuserar på att undersöka vilka attribut som Generation Z, i denna text förkortat till Gen Z, uppfattar som attraktiva och hur företag kan arbeta för att möta generationens intressen. De år som Gen Z tillhör varierar mellan olika forskare men det tenderar att vara mellan 1995 – 2010. Det som särskiljer generationen är att de är den första generationen som inte har växt upp utan internet. Denna studie har sitt fokus på en kartongfabrik i södra Dalarna som tillhör en större koncern. I denna studie har vi tittat på forskning kring employer branding, Gen Z, attraktivt arbete och urbanisering. Studien är genomförd med en kvalitativ metod med utgångspunkt i fenomenologin där datainsamlingen har genomförts genom semistrukturerade intervjuer. Metoden valdes för att kunna undersöka fenomenet kring individers upplevelser och erfarenheter. Studien fokuserade på två olika perspektiv, medarbetarperspektivet och elevperspektivet, således valdes fyra medarbetare och sju elever till studiens respondenter. Resultatet visar vilka egenskaper Gen Z finner mest attraktiva hos en framtida arbetsgivare. Kontaktnätet och ryktesspridning har en stor betydelse på individers beslut om arbetsgivare. Ett ytterligare resultat visar även på vikten utav att bygga upp den interna synen på företaget för att det skall spridas externt. En slutsats som dras är att det kampenom arbetskraft mellan större och mindre städer är svår att vinna för de mindre städerna. Det blir viktigt för företag på mindre städer att tidigt knyta kontakt med den yngre generationen, detta ökar chanserna att rekrytera dem när de är i ett stadie i livet då de mindre städerna är attraktiva igen. / The purpose of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of how employers in a small town can attract future colleagues. Due to the constant urbanization that takes place in Sweden where the competition for labor is growing between larger and smaller towns, a knowledge gap was discovered. To find out how employers, in smaller towns in relation to the larger labor markets, can strengthen their employer brand and it´s attractiveness to attract the younger generation (Gen Z). The workforce is a big asset to organizations and with help from employer branding as a strategy they can strengthen their employer brand to attract potential employees. The concept employer branding, in Swedish called arbetsgivarvarumärke, was coined for the first time in 1996. Employer branding is about highlighting the employer as an attractive workplace and increasing the engagement with their current employees, since the employees becomes a part of the employer marketing. This study focuses on which attributes Gen Z finds attractive and how employers can work to meet the interests of the generation. The years to which Gen Z belongs varies between different researchers but it tends to be between 1995 – 2010. What sets the generation apart is that they are the first generation not to have grown up without the internet This study has it´s focus on a papermill in southern Dalarna that belongs to a bigger company. We have examinated previous research regarding employer branding, Gen Z, attractive work and urbanization. The study is carried out with a qualitative method with it´s starting point in phenomenology where the data was collected through semi structured interviews. The method was chosen to be able to investigate the phenomenon of individuals' experiences and feelings. The study focused on two perspectives, the employees and students, therefore we chose four employees and seven students as respondents. The result shows which qualities Gen Z finds most attractive in a future employer. The social networks and rumors have a big impact on individuals decision making regarding employers. Another result shows the importance of building the internal view of the company in order for it to spread externally. One conclusion that is drawn is that the battle for labor between larger and smaller cities is difficult for the smaller cities to win. It becomes important for companies in smaller cities to establish early contact with the younger generation, this increases the chances of recruiting them when they are at a stage in their lives when the smaller cities are attractive again.

Syftet med denna studie är att skapa en ökad förståelse om Gen Zs attityd till influencermarketing och för att undersöka hur Gen Z har blivit påverkade av den mängd sponsrat innehållde exponeras för på sociala medier. För att besvara studiens syfte har två forskningsfrågorframställts. För att samla in empiriskt material och besvara på forskningsfrågorna, genomfördesnio intervjuer med personer mellan 18-28. Under intervjuerna fick deltagarna svara på frågorkopplade till forskningsfrågorna, datan sammanställdes och diskuterades för att besvara studiensforskningsfrågor. Resultatet för forskningsfråga 1 (FF1) visade att Gen Z blir negativt påverkadeav den ökade mängd sponsrat innehåll de exponeras för, respondenterna förklarar att de känt sigöverväldigade vilket har resulterat i att man upplevt minskat förtroende mot influencers.Resultatet för forskningsfråga 2 (FF2) visade att Gen Z har blandade inställningar gällandeinfluencer marketing, men att majoriteten hade en negativ attityd till influencer marketing. Flerarespondenter förklarade att influencer marketing kändes påträngande och skapadeirritationskänslor när de använde olika sociala medieplattformar som Youtube, Instagram ochTiktok. För vidare forskning rekommenderar författaren att undersöka hur den ökade mängdensponsrat innehåll påverkar Gen Zs upplevelser och erfarenheter kopplat till de olika socialamedieplattformarna som Youtube, Tiktok och Instagram. Eftersom dessa tre plattformar ärväldigt olika är även reklamen anpassad till varje enskild plattform, en fördjupad kunskap omdess påverkan på Gen Z och deras inställning till sponsrat innehåll för respektive socialmedieplattform på sociala medieplattform kan hjälpa företag att anpassa deras strategierberoende på vilken plattform de väljer att använda som marknadsföringskanal / The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of Gen Z's attitude towards influencermarketing and to investigate how Gen Z has been influenced by the amount of sponsored contentthey are exposed to on social media. To address the research objective, two research questionswere formulated. To collect empirical data and answer the research questions, nine interviewswere conducted with individuals aged 18-28. During the interviews, participants were askedquestions related to the research questions, which were then analyzed and discussed to presentthe findings. The findings for research question 1( RQ1) indicated that Gen Z is negativelyaffected by the volume of sponsored content they are exposed to. Respondents explained thatthey felt overwhelmed, which led to a decrease in trust towards influencers. The findings forresearch question 2 (RQ2) revealed that Gen Z has mixed attitudes towards influencer marketing,with the majority holding a negative attitude. Several respondents explained that influencermarketing (IM) felt intrusive and generated feelings of irritation when using various social mediaplatforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. For further research, the author recommendscomparing how Gen Z is influenced by the amount of sponsored content they are exposed to andtheir attitudes towards sponsored content on different social media platforms such as YouTube,TikTok, and Instagram. Since these three platforms are distinct, and advertising is tailored toeach platform, a deeper understanding of how Gen Z is influenced and their attitude towardssponsored content on different social media platforms can help companies tailor their strategiesbased on the platform they choose to use as a marketing channel.

Genome wide association studies revealed an association of the single nucleotide polymorphism rs11708067 within the ADCY5 gene—encoding adenylate cyclase 5—with increased type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk and higher fasting glucose. However, it remains unclear whether the association between ADCY5 variants and glycemic traits may involve adipose tissue (AT) related mechanisms. We therefore tested the hypothesis that ADCY5 mRNA expression in human and mouse AT is related to obesity, fat distribution, T2D in humans and high fat diet (HFD) in mice. We measured ADCY5 mRNA expression in paired samples of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue from 244 individuals with a wide range of body weight and parameters of hyperglycemia, which have been genotyped for rs11708067. In addition, AT ADCY5 mRNA was assessed in C57BL/6NTac which underwent a 10 weeks standard chow (n = 6) or high fat diet (HFD, n = 6). In humans, visceral ADCY5 expression is significantly higher in obese compared to lean individuals. ADCY5 expression correlates with BMI, body fat mass, circulating leptin, fat distribution, waist and hip circumference, but not with fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c. Adcy5 expression in mouse AT is significantly higher after a HFD compared to chow (p<0.05). Importantly, rs11708067 is not associated with ADCY5 mRNA expression levels in either fat depot in any of the genetic models tested. Our results suggest that changes in AT ADCY5 expression are related to obesity and fat distribution, but not with impaired glucose metabolism and T2D. However, altered ADCY5 expression in AT does not seem to be the mechanism underlying the association between rs11708067 and increased T2D risk.

The intellectual world of the late Ming literati was without question one of great richness and complexity. The focus of the present study, however, is limited to an examination of Wang Ken, the man, his key philosophical beliefs, and his role in the founding of the T'ai-chou School of thought. In exploring the genesis of Wang Ken and his school of thought, certain aspects of the social milieu are examined in order to reach a better understanding of how the larger environment and this radical intellectual movement became intertwined. In other words, I have attempted to discern and define the interplay of the most important creative minds of the time, and particularly those of the elite class with this group. As a teacher and thinker Wang Ken exercised a considerable influence on his times, contributing in the process to the new permissiveness so characteristic of the latter half of the Ming dynasty. In this regard, the present study also represents an attempt to discover the basic patterns underlying Wang Ken's thought, as well as the T'ai-chou School's responsiveness to dramatic changes in society. In doing so, we perceive an implication of intellectual autonomy in the form of social and political protest against imperial autocracy. Also, the spread of his faith in an attainable and intelligible sagehood among the lower classes, gradually blurred the dividing line between elite and commoner. Finally, the assertions of Wang Ken and the T'ai-chou School indeed stimulated a new sense of self-awareness and self-worth. Nevertheless, it is because of its radical rejection of the established social, political, and intellectual order that the T'ai-chou School has been branded as heterodox. As a result, the frustration of its aspiration for a more genuine humanity was inevitable, as this intellectual movement fell victim to the forces of orthodoxy and conformity.

We estimate cost functions to derive productivity growth using a unique database on costs and outputs of essentially all regulated Austrian gas distribution companies over the period 2002-2013, covering the times before and after the introduction of incentive regulation in 2008. We estimate a concave relation between total costs and time, and a significant one-off but permanent reduction in real costs after an imposed reduction in granted costs in the course of the introduction of incentive regulation. Our results imply that technological opportunities were higher in the early years of the sample than in later years, and that productivity growth grinded to a halt from 2008 on. We conclude that technological opportunities are exhausted (for the time being) in the Austrian gas distribution sector giving rise to an optimal general X factor (X-gen) of zero for the foreseeable future. (authors' abstract) / Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Series

Hypochondroplasia (MIM 146000) is a skeletal dysplasia characterized by disproportional dwarfism with rhizomelic or mesomelic shortening of the upper and lower extremities, with variable severity. Patients often have macrocephaly with normal facial features. Hypochondroplasia is a disease with autosomal dominant inheritance. In some patients it is caused by germline mutations in the FGFR3 gene, in others the cause of the disease remains unknown . The FGFR3 gene encodes a tyrosine kinase receptor. This receptor negatively regulates the conversion of cartilage to bone. FGFR3 gene mutations that cause hypochondroplasia lead to constitutive activation of the receptor and inhibit the growth of long bones. In this study, we analysed selected regions (exons) of the FGFR3 gene in 98 patients with disproportional dwarfism and clinical diagnosis of hypochondroplasia. Eighteen patients from 12 families had familial and 80 patients had sporadic form of the disease. All patients were previously tested negative for frequent germline mutations in exon 13 (codon 540) and exon 15 (codon 650). Genomic DNA was isolated from patient's peripheral blood leukocytes. The examination was conducted with the informed consent of the patient or his legal representative. We performed mutational analysis by direct sequencing of...

Tesis Magíster en Bioquímica, área de especialización en Bioquímica de Proteínas y Biotecnología, y Memoria para optar al Título Profesional de Bioquímico / El virus linfotrópico humano tipo I o HTLV-I es un retrovirus humano que infecta principalmente Linfocitos T CD4+ y es capaz de provocar dos patologías; la Leucemia de Células T en el Adulto (ATL), y la Mielopatía Asociada al HTLV-I/Paraparesia Espástica Tropical (HAM/TSP), una enfermedad neurodegenerativa progresiva que se caracteriza por ser una axonopatía de carácter central originada por un trastorno en el transporte axoplásmico. A pesar de conocerse bastante sobre las características del HTLV-I, aún no se conocen los mecanismos moleculares involucrados en la patogénesis de HAM/TSP y en la evolución de la infección durante la enfermedad. En HAM/TSP, el daño está asociado a la presencia del HTLV-I en linfocitos infiltrantes en el sistema nervioso central, en donde la proteína viral Tax, principal transactivador de genes virales y celulares, jugaría un papel relevante en el trastorno funcional de estas células, y posiblemente sobre las neuronas afectadas en la patología. Se postula que Tax secretada desde linfocitos infectados altera el transporte axonal en las neuronas motoras y con ello podría dar cuenta de la patogénesis de HAM/TSP. Se ha descrito recientemente una modulación de la actividad transactivadora de Tax mediada por modificaciones postraduccionales en ella, las cuales incluyen Ubiquitinación y Sumoilación. Principalmente estas modificaciones regulan la localización subcelular de Tax. Se postula hasta el momento que su ubiquitinación es señal de localización citoplasmática y su sumoilación, de localización nuclear. Esto último podría dar cuenta de la progresión en la ATL, pero aún no se han relacionado con la evolución de la infección viral en HAM/TSP. También se ha descrito recientemente la interacción de Tax con Calreticulina, lo que podría aumentar la exportación nuclear de la primera y su secreción al medio extracelular, pero hasta el momento no se ha relacionado directamente esta interacción con la secreción de Tax, lo que traería consecuencias directas sobre la etiología y progresión de HAM/TSP. En este trabajo se identifican las modificaciones postraduccionales en la proteína viral Tax mediante western blot a partir de la línea linfocitaria MT-2, la cual contiene el genoma del HTLV-I en la forma de provirus, y de Células Mononucleares de Sangre Periférica (PBMC) de individuos con HAM/TSP. Estos estudios tienen como objeto identificar las modificaciones postraduccionales de Tax en linfocitos infectados para poder relacionarlas con el nivel funcional de pacientes HAM/TSP. En células MT-2 se encontró una forma de 71 kDa de Tax, de peso molecular mayor al teórico de 40 kDa, la cual no se encuentra modificada por las proteínas pequeñas Ubiquitina y SUMO, pero si se encuentra N-glicosilada y probablemente corresponde a una proteína de fusión viral gp21-Tax. Al analizar Tax desde PBMC de pacientes infectados, sólo se pudo identificar la presencia de una banda de 58 kDa correspondiente a Tax presente en los medios de cultivos de las células. Esta proteína secretada se encuentra Ubiquitinada, pero no se encontraron diferencias significativas en los niveles de Tax modificada entre los distintos grupos de pacientes con diversa evolución de HAM/TSP estudiados. Se cuantificaron también los niveles de Calreticulina en células MT-2 y PBMC de individuos infectados, y se estableció la interacción entre Tax y Calreticulina en células MT-2. En los medios de cultivo de PBMC se encontró un aumento significativo de los niveles de una especie de Calreticulina a 56 kDa de los individuos infectados con HTLV-I. Se estableció una relación directa entre las cantidades de Tax y Calreticulina de 56 kDa secretadas al medio de cultivo. Esto último puede tener especial relevancia en los mecanismos de secreción de ambas proteínas y en los efectos extracelulares de las mismas

Quantifizierung des postmortalen RNA-Status im Gehirn mittels Real-time-PCR: Ein Beitrag zur Bestimmung der Leichenliegezeit Der postmortale Nukleinsäureabbau verläuft unterschiedlich: während DNA im Allgemeinen als stabil angesehen wird und erst mit Einsetzen von Fäulniserscheinungen stärkerer Degradation unterliegt, wird RNA mit dem Sistieren der Kreislauftätigkeit relativ rasch abgebaut. Eine Reihe von Studien hat aber gezeigt, dass RNA in bestimmten Geweben eine höhere Stabilität besitzt als ursprünglich angenommen. Dies könnte Bedeutung für die molekulare Medizinforschung besitzen, die auf Genexpressionsstudien in postmortalem Gewebe angewiesen ist. Außerdem könnte eine Quantifizierung der RNA-Degradation z.B. durch Real-time-PCR zur Eingrenzung der Leichenliegezeit genutzt werden. In dieser Studie wurde ein quantitativer Vergleich verschiedener sog. Haushaltsgene (u.a. GAPDH, ß-Actin, FASN) in Gehirngewebe mit einer Leichenliegezeit zwischen 0 und 96 Stunden und unter alternativen Ansätzen zur reversen Transkription (oligo-(dT)-Primer mit und ohne sog. Anker, Random Hexamer Primer) durchgeführt. Zunächst erfolgten systematische Untersuchungen zur Effektivität der RNA-Isolierung, reversen Transkription und der PCR im Hinblick auf eine möglichst präzise Quantifizierung. Es zeigte sich, dass die Resultate der Real-time-PCR ein Maß für die ursprünglich in der Probe vorhandene mRNA-Menge darstellen. Weiterhin stellte sich heraus, dass eine deutliche und evtl. auch zur Liegezeitbestimmung nutzbare RNA-Degradation erst nach 24h einsetzt. Ein wesentlicher Unterschied zwischen Random- und oligo-(dT)-priming der reversen Transkription war dabei nicht festzustellen. Diese Ergebnisse belegen zum einen, dass RNA im frühen postmortalen Intervall relativ stabil ist und als Substrat für quantitative Untersuchungen dienen kann, zum anderen, dass ein zeitabhängiger Abbau besteht, der eine Eingrenzung der Leichenliegezeit z.B. mittels Grenzwerten in ein frühes und mittleres Postmortalintervall zulässt. / Quantification of the postmortem RNA-status in human brain by means of real-time-PCR: A contribution to the determination of the postmortem interval The postmortem degradation of nucleic acid proceeds differently: whereas DNA is generally considered as stable and is only subject to stronger degradation with the beginning of putrefaction, RNA degrades very fast when the circulation is suspended. A series of studies, however, has shown that RNA has a greater stability in certain tissues than originally expected. This could be important for molecular medical research which is dependent on gene expression studies using postmortem tissue. Furthermore, the quantification of RNA-degradation by means of real-time-PCR could be used for the limitation of the postmortem interval. In this study, a quantitative comparison has been made between different so-called housekeeping-genes (e.g. GAPDH, ß-Actin, FASN) in human brain and a postmortem interval between 0 and 96 hours. Different alternative approaches have been used for the reverse transcription (oligo-(dT)-Primer with and without Anker, Random Hexamer Primer). At first, systematic examinations concerning the effectiveness of RNA isolation, reverse transcription and PCR have been undertaken with regard to a preferably exact quantification. It turned out that the results of the real-time-PCR represent a measure for the mRNA amount originally present in the specimen. Moreover, it emerged that a clear RNA degradation, which could possibly be used for the determination of the postmortem interval, begins after 24 hours. An important difference between random and oligo-(dT) priming of the reverse transcription could not be stated. These results demonstrate, on the one hand, that RNA is relatively stable during the early postmortem interval so that it can serve as substrate for quantitative examinations. On the other hand, it is shown that a time-dependent degradation exists which allows a limitation of the postmortem interval into an early and middle postmortem interval by means of threshold values for example.

In den vergangenen Jahren wurde vermehrt das Gen, welches für Catechol-O-Methyltransferase codiert, als starker Kandidat für ein erhöhtes Schizophrenierisiko diskutiert. Grund dafür ist die zentrale Rolle der Catechol-O-Methyltransferase beim Katecholaminabbau im menschlichen präfrontalen Cortex. Aufgrund der zunehmend akzeptierten Tatsache, daß die singuläre Betrachtung einzelner Marker bei der komplexen genetischen Textur von Kandidatengenen nur wenig zur Erhellung komplexer Erkrankungen beizutragen vermag (Licinio, 2003), untersuchten wir neben dem Val108/158Met-Polymorphismus (rs4680) vier weitere, die COMT-Gen-Region umspannende SNPs (rs2097603, rs740603, rs4818, rs165599) an einer Stichprobe von 459 Schizophrenen und 150 Kontrollpersonen. Zwar ergab sich für den Marker rs740603 auf Intron 1 eine signifikante Allel- (p = 0.0060) und Genotypassoziation (p = 0.019), der funktionelle Val108/158Met-Polymorphismus (rs4680) zeigte aber keinen signifikanten Zusammenhang mit der Erkrankung. Zudem fand sich in unserer Haplotypanalyse keine Markerkombination, die in überdurchschnittlichem Zusammenhang mit schizophrenen Psychosen stand. Für die Untergruppe der zykloiden Psychosen ließ sich bei einem p-Wert von 0.031 eine 4-Marker-Kombination ermitteln, die die SNPs rs740603, rs4818, rs4680 und rs165599 einschliesst und die Region von Intron 1 bis 3´-UTR umspannt. Zusätzlich ergab sich in der Subgruppe der zykloiden Psychosen ein geschlechtsspezifischer Effekt im Sinne eines signifikanten 3-Marker-Haplotypen (rs4818-rs4680-rs165599) (p = .0044) in der Gruppe der Frauen (n = 27) mit rs165599 als stärkstem Einzelmarker. Aufgrund des komplexen genetischen Zusammenhangs zwischen den untersuchten Markern und der Erkrankung sollte auch in der zukünftigen Forschung eine differenzierte Betrachtung der verschiedenen schizophrenen Zustandsbilder angestrebt werden, wie dies die Klassifikation nach Leonhard ermöglicht. Neben gewebsspezifischen Transkriptionsfaktoren könnten auch epigenetische Faktoren, wie die Cytosinmethylierung von CpG-Stellen in promotorregulierenden Regionen, einen Erklärungsansatz für die Entstehung schizophrener Störungsbilder darstellen. / Since several years, the gene encoding catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) at chromosome 22q11 is discussed as a strong candidate for schizophrenia susceptibility due to its key function in degredation of catecholamines in the prefrontal cortex, a critical region of the human brain, involved in cognitive control processes, monitoring of information in working memory and in active judgments on information (Petrides, 2005). To test the association of the COMT gene locus with schizophrenia, we analysed five SNPs (rs2097603, rs740603, rs4818, rs4680, rs165599) spanning from the P2 promotor region (MB-COMT) to the 3´-UTR in 459 index cases, which fulfilled diagnistic criteria of schizophrenia according to DSM IV as well as 150 blood donors as population controls. According to differentiated psychopathology (Leonhard, 1999) probands were categorized into cycloid psychosis, unsystematic schizophrenia and systematic schizophrenia prior to genotyping. In intron 1 the marker rs740603 showed significant allele (p = 0.0060) and genotype (p = 0.019) association, but the functional Val105/158Met variant (rs4680) failed significant association with disease. Considering COMT haplotypes none of the marker combinations showed evidence for an association with schizophrenia. In the subgroup of cycloid psychosis we found 4-locus marker combinations rs740603-rs4818-rs4680-rs165599 associated with disease at p-level 0.031, spanning a region from intron 1 to the 3´-UTR. In conclusion, the genetic interaction of COMT SNPs and haplotypes and schizophrenia susceptibility appears complex across different populations and psychopathological phenotypes. Particularly structures potentially involved in mRNA expression levels need further scrutiny.