Solute carriers (SLCs) are membrane-bound transporter proteins, important for nutrient, ion, drug and metabolite transport across membranes. A quarter of the human genome codes for membrane-bound proteins, and SLCs make up the largest group of transporter proteins. Due to their ability to transport a large repertoire of substances across, not just the plasma membrane, but also the membrane of internal organelles, they hold a key position in maintaining homeostasis affecting metabolic pathways. Unfortunately, some of the more than 400 identified SLCs are still not fully characterized, even though a quarter of these are associated with human disease. In addition, there are about 30 membrane-bound proteins with strong resemblance to SLCs, of which very little is known. The aim of this thesis is to characterize some of these putative SLCs, focusing on their localization and function in the central nervous system. Since many of the known SLCs play a vital part in metabolism and related pathways, the response to different nutritional conditions has been used as a key method. MFSD14A and MFSD14B, characterized in Paper I, are putative SLCs belonging to the Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) and found to be neuronal, differentially expressed in the mouse central nervous system and transiently upregulated in mouse embryonic cortex cultures due to amino acid deprivation. They were also altered in areas of the mouse brain after starvation as well as after high fat diet. In Paper II, the effect on gene regulation due to complete amino acid starvation was monitored in a mouse hypothalamic cell line and 47 different genes belonging to SLCs, or putative SLCs, were found to be affected. Of these, 15 genes belonged to already known amino acid transporters, whereas 32 were putative SLCs with no known function or SLCs not known to react to amino acids. The three SV2 proteins, SV2A, SV2B and SV2C, were studied in Paper III using human neuroblastoma cell lines. The high metabolic state of cancers often result in an upregulation and alteration of transporter proteins, and alterations of the SV2 proteins were found following different treatments performed in this study. Paper IV focused on putative SLCs of MFS type and their role in glucose metabolism. Mouse embryonic cortex cultures were subjected to glucose starvation and the gene expression of 19 putative transporters were analyzed. All but four of the putative transporters were affected either at 3h or 12h of glucose deprivation. In conclusion, several SLCs and putative SLCs studied in this thesis are strongly affected by alteration in metabolism, either due to amino acids or glucose or both. This makes the putative SLCs dynamic membrane-bound proteins, possibly transporters, highly affected by nutritional status and most likely regulated to maintain homeostasis.

Although the austenitic stainless steels 304 and 321 are often treated nominally as equivalents in their hot rolling characteristics, the question remains whether any subtle differences between the two allow further optimisation of their respective hot rolling schedules. The hot workability of these two types of austenitic stainless steels was compared through single-hit Gleeble simulated thermomechanical processing between 800℃ and 􀀄􀀅00℃ while the strain rate was varied between 0.00􀀄s􀀈􀀉 and 5s􀀈􀀉. It was found that the constants for the hyperbolic sinh equation for hot working of AISI 321 steel are Q = 465 kJ/mol, 􀀖􀀗 = 􀀘.􀀙6 􀀚 􀀄0􀀉􀀛 􀀜􀀝􀀞􀀈􀀉􀀟􀀈􀀉, 􀀠 = 0.00􀀘 􀀜􀀝􀀞􀀈􀀉 and 􀀡 = 6.􀀄 while for 304 steel the constants are Q = 446 kJ/mol, 􀀖􀀗 = 􀀅.􀀄4 􀀚 􀀄0􀀉􀀛 􀀜􀀝􀀞􀀈􀀉􀀟􀀈􀀉, 􀀠 = 0.008 􀀜􀀝􀀞􀀈􀀉and 􀀡 = 6.􀀄. It is shown that the occurrence of dynamic recrystallisation starts when the Zener-Hollomon parameter 􀀢 􀀣 6.4 􀀚 􀀄0􀀉􀀛s􀀈􀀉 for both steels but that the differences in the values of Q and A3 (the structure factor) between the two steels does lead to consistently lower steady state stresses for the steel 321 than is found in the steel 304 at the same Z values. This may, therefore, offer some scope for further optimisation of the hot rolling schedules and in particular in the mill loads of these two respective steels. A modelled constitutive equation derived from hot working tests to predict hot rolling mill loads is proposed and validated against industrial hot rolling data for AISI 321 stainless steel. Good correlation is found between the predicted Mean Flow Stress, the Zener-Hollomon Z parameter and actual industrial mill load values from mill logs if allowances are made for differences in Von Mises plane strain conversion, friction and front or back end tension. The multipass hot working behaviour of this steel was simulated through Gleeble thermomechanical compression testing with the deformation temperature varying between 1200℃ down to 800℃ and the strain rate between 0.001s-1 and 5s-1. At strain rates greater than 0.05s-1, dynamic recovery as a softening mechanism was dominant, increasing the dynamic recrystallisation to dynamic recovery transition temperature DRTT to higher temperatures. This implies that through extrapolation to typical industrial strain rates of about 60s-1,most likely no dynamic recrystallisation in plant hot rolling occurs in this steel but only dynamic recovery. Grain refinement by DRX is, therefore, unlikely in this steel under plant hot rolling conditions. Finally, mill load modelling using the hot working constitutive constants of the near-equivalent 304 instead of those specifically determined for 321, introduces measurable differences in the predicted mill loads. The use of alloy-specific hot working constants even for near-equivalent steels is, therefore, recommended. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering / PhD / unrestricted

This investigation is carried out with the desire to create a framework for digital learning tools in the region of Guanajuato, Mexico aimed towards primary schools in rural parts of the area. The framework is meant to be an aid in the implementation of technological equipments, especially tablets, and shed light on the most important aspects to take into consideration when designing and creating applications for those. In order to gather data, interviews and user tests were carried out with primary school students as well as with principals and teachers of primary schools in the mentioned area. The results show that clear feedback, intuitive graphics and appropriate levels of difficulty is of importance, as well as adaptability to users. No preference was noted regarding motions or amount of text. Norman’s design principles were additionally confirmed to be one of the vital parts to take into consideration. The challenges that come into the picture when implementing digital tools into classrooms seem to circulate around socio-economic aspects and insufficient resources such as wifi, power supply and personnel. However, these challenges may be worth taking upon, as implementing EdTech can benefit both students and teachers in many aspects and establish learning more in line with the trends in society where technology is on a constant rise. / Denna utredning genomförs med strävan att skapa ett ramverk för digitala lärverktyg i regionen Guanajuato, Mexico riktat mot grundskolor på landsbygden i området. Ramverket är tänkt att vara ett hjälpmedel vid implementering av teknisk utrustning, särskilt surfplattor, och belysa de viktigaste aspekterna att ta hänsyn till när man designar och skapar applikationer för dessa. För att samla in data har intervjuer och användartest genomförts med såväl grundskoleelever som med rektorer och lärare på grundskolor inom nämnda området. Resultaten visar att tydlig feedback, intuitiv grafik och svårighetsgrad är av betydelse, liksom anpassning till användaren. Ingen preferens noterades beträffande rörelser eller mängden text. Normans designprinciper bekräftades dessutom att vara en av de viktiga delarna att ta hänsyn till. De utmaningar som kommer in i bilden när man implementerar digitala verktyg i klassrummet verkar cirkulera kring socioekonomiska aspekter och otillräckliga resurser såsom wifi, strömförsörjning och personal. Men dessa utmaningar kan vara värda att ta sig an eftersom en inkorporering av EdTech kan gynna både elever och lärare i många aspekter och etablera lärande mer i linje med trenderna i samhället där tekniken är på ständig uppgång.

This study was carried out during the spring of 2013 in Cape Town, South Africa with a Minor Field Study (MFS) scholarship funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). South Africa is a country with a complex society due to the still recent history of Apartheid. South Africa faces great challenges with the gap between rich and poor, high unemployment and deep expertise gaps between the white minority and the historically disadvantaged coloureds and black majority. As a result the contemporary situation is extensive segregation and difficulties for the multicultural population to conduct a common cultural identity. The aim of this study was to find out how four South African issues of international fashion magazines deals with the representation of black, white and coloured people. Furthermore, to find out how South African women from socially diverse areas experience and perceive this representation. Quantitative content analysis, connotative and denotative picture analysis and the conduction of interviews was made in order to reach a result. Consequently, it turned out that the investigated magazines do not present a fair and equal representation of the South African society, hence highly over representing the white minority in each magazine. Additionally, South African women do not describe the fashion magazines as presenting an equal representation of race, neither that a reality based ideal is being conveyed.

Abstract  Background: In Indonesia and around the world, gender discrimination in employment practices is a pervasive and ongoing issue due to gender stereotypes and social norms. Organizations must therefore be aware of their influence, and how they through various stages of the recruitment process can reduce this prejudice. Additionally, organizations need to be conscious about how they can create and sustain an inclusive hiring procedure that leaves no one behind.  Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore what type of impact recruitment can have in terms of gender equality, equal opportunities and discrimination for working women in Indonesia. Furthermore, to investigate what impact gender stereotypes and social norms in Indonesia have on the recruitment processes in the country.   Method: This study adheres to an inductive approach with a qualitative research method. The empirical findings have been gathered through the conduction of nine interviews with employers at a consultancy company in Indonesia.  Conclusion: The conclusion of this thesis shows that recruitment can have a positive impact for gender equality in Indonesia and that a strategic recruitment process can help to develop gender stereotypes and social norms. However, there is a limit in how much recruitment can act as an equality tool since they do not always hold the final word on who to hire.

The engineering education has changed and evolved over decades in harmonywith societies challenges. Today, sustainable development is of great importanceand one way of equipping future engineers with the competencies to tackle these challenges is through Challenge Driven Education (CDE). CDE is a relatively new educational concept which brings together universities andexternal stakeholders to jointly foster the engineers of tomorrow. The research focuses on the challenge owner’s perspective, which is a sub-category of external stakeholder. The challenge owner could be a company or organisation providing the students with challenges and also takes an active role in the students path to solve them. Through qualitative interviews in Sweden and Tanzania this study investigates some aspects of the CDE concept and develops a product in the form of a guide.First, it was investigated which competencies for sustainability that could be considered important in future engineers, according to interviewees. It was also investigated which competencies were developed during CDE projects. Results show that UNESCO’s key competencies correlates well with interviewees views, justifying the legitimacy of the framework. However, some skills and attributes mentioned in interviews lie outside of UNESCO’s framework but where still considered important. This implies the need to supplement orevolve the framework in order to be a more comprehensive tool for improving CDE and the engineering education. Secondly, several differences on how CDE is portrayed and executed where found in the interviews. From the Tanzanian context a somewhat limited view of the challenge owner was identified and findings show possibilities of broadening the perspective of the challenge owner role. Also, findings shows a need to emphasise the importance of sustainable development and societal contributions in the future development of CDE. Lastly, in order to facilitate communication with potential challenge owners in future CDE collaborations in Tanzania, the need for a guide was identified. Using an iterative design method, a guide based on interviewees feedback and the findings from this study was created. The main purpose is to present a widened view of CDE and to inspire potential challenge owners to join. / Ingenjörsutbildningen har, i linje med samhälleliga förändringar, ändrats och utvecklats i årtionden. Idag är arbetet mot hållbar utveckling av hög prioritet och ett sätt att utrusta framtidens ingenjörer med kompetenser för att ta sig an dessa utmaningar är genom Challenge Driven Education (CDE). CDE är ett relativt nytt utbildningskoncept som för samman universitet och externa intressenter för att gemensamt fostra morgondagens ingenjörer. Studien utgår från de så kallade challenge owners perspektiv, vilket är en underkatergori till de externa intressenterna. Challenge owners kan vara företag eller organisationer som förser studenterna med utmaningar och som även tar en aktiv roll i studenternas arbete med att lösa dessa. Genom kvalitativa intervjuer i Sverige och i Tanzania undersöker denna studie några aspekter av CDE-konceptet och utvecklar en produkt i form av en guide:Först undersöktes vilka nyckelkompetenser för hållbar utveckling var relevantaför framtida ingenjörer enligt intervjupersonerna. Det undersöktes ävenvilka kompetenser som utvecklades under CDE-projekt. Resultaten visar att UNESCO’s nyckelkompetenser korrelerar väl med de intervjuades syn på vad som behövs, något som ger legitimitet till ramverket. Dock visar resultaten att några färdigheter och egenskaper som ansågs viktiga ligger utanför UNESCO’s ramverk. Det antyder att det finns ett behov att komplettera eller utveckla ramverket för att göra det till ett mer heltäckande verktyg i syfte att förbättra CDE och ingenjörsutbildningen i stort. I intervjuerna identifierades sedan flera variationer i hur CDE beskrivs och tillämpas. Från den tanzanska kontexten identifierades en något begränsad syn på vad en challenge owner är och resultaten visar på möjligheten att bredda synen på challenge owner-rollen. Resultaten visar också på vikten av att betona hållbar utveckling i CDE-projekt samt att CDE kan bidra till samhällsutvecklingen. Något som ansågs viktigt för att utveckla och ta CDE-konceptet vidare. Slutligen identifierades ett behov att underlätta kommunikation med potentiella challenge owners i framtida CDE-samarbeten i Tanzania. Genom att använda en iterativ design metod skapades en guide. Guiden är baserad på feedback från intervjudeltagarna samt resultat och slutsatser från denna studie. Det övergripande syftet med guiden är att presentera en breddad bild av CDE samt att inspirera potentiella challenge owners att engagera sig i CDE.

Ce présent travail concerne les aspects de la réparation et du renforcement des ouvrages utilisant des matériaux composites et plus particulièrement, il traite le cas des poutres en béton endommagées. La méthode de renforcement des ouvrages en béton par collage de matériaux composites est une pratique qui connaît actuellement un essor important. Dans cette optique, on propose d’apporter une contribution à l’analyse du comportement des poutres endommagées en béton par matériaux composites. La nouvelle méthode de renforcement interne NSM (Near Surface Mounted) consiste en l’insertion de bandes de Polymères Renforcées de Fibres (PRF) dans des engravures préparées préalablement dans le béton d'enrobage des surfaces tendues, remplies de résines époxydiques pour fixation. Pour construire un système renforcé de NSM efficace, les armatures en PRF doivent être en mesure de transférer ses efforts longitudinaux développés à l'élément de flexion en béton armé afin d'assurer l’action du composite, avec une compatibilité de déformation des matériaux. Les spécimens testés sont composés de poutres coutres avec une section rectangulaire de (100 mm x180 mm) et une longueur de 1300 mm renforcés avec PRFC-NSM. D’autres spécimens de poutres rectangulaires ont été testés avec une section de 200 mm x 400 mm et une longueur de 2300 mm, les renforts en PRF utilisés sont des plats ou des joncs. Les paramètres étudiés dans ce travail concernent la classe de résistance en compression, le taux de renfort, le type de composite et le degré d’endommagement. L’étude expérimentale sur le comportement des poutres endommagées puis renforcées sollicitées en flexion 4 points a dévoilé beaucoup de critères de performances en termes de ductilité, de rigidité et de capacité portante. Une modélisation analytique a été menée afin de comparer les réponses moment-courbure analytiques avec celles obtenues expérimentalement. Une fois cette modélisation validée, l’approche analytique a été couplée avec la méthode des plans d’expériences dans le but d’évaluer l’influence de différents paramètres et leurs interactions tels que le type de renfort (carbone, Joncs, aramide), le taux d’armatures passives et de renfort et la classe de résistance sur les réponses concernant la capacité portante et la ductilité des poutres renforcées. / This work deals with aspects of repair and reinforcement of structures and in particular, it deals with the case of damaged concrete beams. The method of reinforcing concrete structures by adhesive bonding of composite materials is a practice which is currently undergoing a major expansion. In this context, we propose to contribute to the analysis of the behavior of damaged concrete beams by composite materials. The new NSM (Near Surface Mounted) internal reinforcement method consists of the insertion of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (PRFC) strips in pre-prepared etchings in the encapsulation concrete of stretched surfaces filled with epoxy resins for fixing. To build an effective NSM reinforced system, FRP reinforcements must be able to transfer its developed longitudinal forces to the reinforced concrete flexure element to ensure the action of the composite with material deformation compatibility. The specimens tested consist of beams with a rectangular section (100 mm x 180 mm) and a length of 1300 mm reinforced with PRFC-NSM. Other specimens of rectangular beams were tested with a section of 400 mm x 800 mm and a length of 2300 mm, the FRP reinforcements used were either plates or rods. The parameters studied in this work concern the strength of the concrete, the reinforcement rate, the type of composite, the degree of damage. The experimental study on the behavior of damaged beams, then reinforced and subjected to bending, revealed many performance criteria in terms of ductility, stiffness and bearing capacity. Analytical modeling coupled with the experimental design method was carried out in order to evaluate the responses of the beams tested according to the interaction of the different parameters such as the reinforcement type (carbon, joncs, aramid), the Passive and reinforcement rates and strength class of reinforced beams.

Die Ausgangsüberlegung der Dissertationsschrift: Wenn sich die HU-Geschichtswissenschaft nach 1945 als "materialistischer Historismus" beschreiben ließe, dann widerspräche dies den beiden gängigen Erklärungsmustern. Denn eine historistische Wissenschaft wäre, erstens, weder eine reine "Legitimationswissenschaft" (Kowalczuk), da die historistische Methodizität insbesondere der Quellenarbeit sowie das typische Selbstverständnis als 'Forschung' (Offenheit, Arbeitsteilung, kumulativer Prozess) der politischen Instrumentalisierung der Historiographie entgegen stünden. Zweitens widerspräche der Idealtypus eines 'materialistischen Historismus' dem Konzept der DDR-Geschichtswissenschaft als grundsätzlich anderem, nämlich sozialistischen Typ Geschichtswissenschaft: der von Martin Sabrow sog. "historischen Normalwissenschaft" mit eigener Fachlichkeit. Denn die Elemente des "Historismus", die die DDR-Geschichtswissenschaft bewahrte, würden große Ähnlichkeiten mit der traditionellen sowie der westdeutschen Geschichtswissenschaft erzeugen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen die „konstitutive Widersprüchlichkeit“ der DDR-Gesellschaft. Einige Vertreter der HU-Geschichtswissenschaft bewahrten bewusst Elemente des Historismus, was insbesondere anhand der mediävistischen Forschungen Eckhardt Müller-Mertens offenkundig wird. Dagegen suchte z. B. Joachim Streisand die DDR historisch zu legitimieren und arbeitete darüber hinaus intensiv dem Ministerium für Staatssicherheit zu. Jedenfalls scheinen die Resulate der Arbeit der These einer in sich geschlossenen, sozialistischen Normalwissenschaft zu widersprechen. / The thesis invesitgates the question, if the historians of the socialist GDR may be seen as successors of the traditional german „Historismus“ of the pre-war era. I focused on the „Fachrichtung Geschichte“ of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and portraied the work of historians such as Alfred Meusel, Joachim Streisand, Eckhard Müller-Mertens and Kurt Pätzold. The extend to that Joachim Streisand used german national history to legitimise SED-dictatorship of his present was surprising. He used history as a means for political ideology and – as suprising files in BsTU-archives show – used his position at the university to spy for the ‚Stasi‘ (Minsterium für Staatssicherheit). In contrast to this story a number of historians emphasised research founded on sources and tried to keep some independece from SED-politics. A longer portrait of the thesis deals with medievalist Eckhard Müller-Mertens, who explored new methods in the analysis of the medieval ideas of the „Reich“. Müller-Mertens used the label „materialistischer Historismus“ to characterise the scientific tradition, in that he wanted to be seen. After all, the history of this part of the GDR proves the „Widersprüchlichkeit“ (being contradictory), that constituted this dictatorship.

Microsatellites are repetitive DNA characterized by tandem repeats of short motifs (2 – 5 bp). High mutation rates make them ideal for population level studies. Microsatellite allele genesis is generally attributed to strand slippage, and it is assumed that alleles are caused only by changes in repeat number. Most analyses are limited to alleles (electromorphs) scored by mobility only, and models of evolution rarely account for homoplasy in allele length. Additionally, insertion/deletion events (indels) in the flanking region or interruptions in the repeat can obfuscate the accuracy of genotyping. Many investigators use microsatellites, designed for a focal species, to screen for genetic variation in non-focal species. Comparative studies have shown different mutation rates of microsatellites in different species, and even individuals. Recent studies have used reciprocal comparisons to assess the level of polymorphism of microsatellites between pairs of taxa. In this study, I investigated the evolution of microsatellites within a phylogenetic context, using comparisons within the rodent family Bathyergidae. Bathyergidae represents a monophyletic group endemic to sub-Saharan Africa and relationships are well supported by morphological and molecular data. Using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, a robust phylogeny was generated for the Bathyergidae. From my results, I proposed the new genus, Coetomys. I designed species-specific genotyping and microsatellite flanking sequence (MFS) primers for each genus. Sequencing of the MFS provided direct evidence of the evolutionary dynamics of the repeat motifs and their flanking sequence, including rampant electromorphic homoplasy, null alleles, and indels. This adds to the growing body of evidence regarding problems with genotype scores from fragment analysis. A number of the loci isolated were linked with repetitive elements (LTRs and SINEs), characterized as robust phylogenetic characters. Results suggest that cryptic variation in microsatellite loci are not trivial and should be assessed in all studies. The phylogenetic utility of the nucleotide variation of the MFS was compared to the well-resolved relationships of this family based on the 12S/TTR phylogeny. Variation observed in MFS generated robust phylogenies, congruent with results from 12S/TTR. Finally, a number of the indels within the MFS provided a suite of suitable phylogenetic characters.

My project takes place in Korsten four kilometers north of central Port Elizabeth. Korsten is today known as the industrial center of the city and provides job opportunities throughout the whole region. Central Korsten contains the biggest informal market within Port Elizabeth; it is also functioning as a nodal interchange where buses and minibus taxis provide transport within the city as well as nationwide. In 2010 major changes in the transport system will take place as a part of the 2010 world cup program. The city introduces the new Bus rapid transit system, a transportation system based on trunk buses complimented with minibus taxis. Introducing a new bus-system to Korsten will be a great challenge especially concerning Korstens informal identity and tradition. The informal economy is today an integral part of the South African economy and something that most South Africans come in contact with on daily bases. But it is an economy and movement not measurable or regulated by the government. The informal economy got its own rules and traditions and it flourishes in Korsten. It creates job opportunities as well as a possibility to buy everyday goods to a reasonable price, but it also contributes to a hectic and unstructured environment which gives a chaotic impression. This dissertation highlights the informal tradition and its possibility to be an integral part of the modern Korsten. It investigates the meaning of the public space and what role it plays in our cities and how it can be implemented in Korsten. / Available at: erik_tellden(at)hotmail.com +46702267034