Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability. TBI is frequently followed by cerebral ischemia which is a great contributor to secondary brain damage. The main causes of cerebral ischemia are pathophysiological changes in cerebral blood flow and metabolism. Treatment of TBI patients is currently based on intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) targeted treatment protocols. However, ICP and CPP alone do not provide information of the oxygen availability in the brain. Monitoring of brain tissue oxygenation (BtipO2) may give additional and valuable information about the risk for development of ischemia in TBI patients. The aims of this thesis were to study BtipO2 monitoring devices in-vitro regarding accuracy and stability, to detect threshold level of cerebral ischemia in-vivo and finally to examine the cerebral oxygen levels and cerebral metabolism in TBI patients. The BtipO2 probes performed with high accuracy and stability at different clinically relevant oxygen concentrations. A pig TBI model was developed by step-wise intracranial volume/pressure increase. Volume increase resulted in a gradual increased ICP, decreased CPP, intracranial compliance and BtipO2, respectively. Brain death (BD) was confirmed by negative CPP and negligible amount of previously injected microspheres in the brain tissue. The model simulated the clinical development of BD in humans with a classical pressure-volume response and systemic cardiovascular reactions. The model should be suitable for studies of brain injury mechanisms. From the same in-vivo model it was also possible to detect the threshold level of cerebral ischemia in the pig, where BtipO2 below 10 mmHg and CPP below 30 mmHg was associated with an impaired cerebral metabolism (microdialysis lactate to pyruvate ratio >30). BtipO2 together with cerebral microdialysis were studied in 23 severe TBI patients. We observed different patterns of changes in BtipO2 and cerebral microdialysis biomarkers in focal and diffuse TBI.  Increased cerebral microdialysis levels of glutamate, glycerol or the lactate/pyruvate ratio were observed at BtipO2 < 5 mmHg, indicating increased vulnerability of the brain at this critical level of tissue oxygenation in TBI patients.

Habitats for juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) were observed at a high flow during the spring of 1989 and at a low flow during the spring of 1991 in the lower American River of California. Parameters of microhabitats in eight macrohabitats were measured. Mean column water velocity and total water depth variables were used to statistically compare juvenile chinook salmon microhabitat distributions between and among macrohabitat type/reach and flow combinations. Using mean column water velocity and total water depth as independent variables, each macrohabitat type/reach appeared to be unique. Mean column water velocity seemed to be a better descriptor of juvenile chinook salmon habitat selection than was total water depth. Riffles appeared to be the preferred macrohabitats for large non-schooling chinook salmon at both flow levels. Root wads, woody debris, and submerged terrestrial vegetation were utilized extensively and provided a significant cover for schooling chinook salmon during the high flow period. Habitat utilization by chinook salmon appears to be influenced by nonhydraulic variables. Application of models in current instream flow studies need to include factors such as water temperature and aquatic insect production. / Graduation date: 1993

The main objectives of this thesis are to determine if the addition of an energy wheel in an HVAC system can improve the indoor air relative humidity (RH), and perceived air quality (PAQ), as well as reduce energy consumption. An energy wheel is an air-to-air energy exchanger that transfers heat and moisture between the outdoor air entering and the exhaust air leaving a building. This thesis uses the TRNSYS computer package to model two buildings (an office and a school) in four different cities (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Vancouver, British Columbia; Tampa, Florida and Phoenix, Arizona).<p>The results with and without an energy wheel are compared to see if the energy wheel has a significant impact on the RH and PAQ in the buildings. The energy wheel reduces peak RH levels in Tampa, (up to 15% RH), which is a humid climate, but has a smaller effect on the indoor RH in Saskatoon (up to 4% RH) and Phoenix (up to 11% RH), which are dry climates. The energy wheel also reduces the number of people that are dissatisfied with the PAQ within the space by up to 17% in Tampa. <p>The addition of the energy wheel to the HVAC system creates a reduction in the total energy consumed by the HVAC system in Saskatoon, Phoenix and Tampa (2% in each city). There is a significant reduction in the size of the heating equipment in Saskatoon (26%) and in the size of the cooling equipment in Phoenix (18%) and Tampa (17%). A cost analysis shows that the HVAC system including an energy wheel has the least life-cycle costs in these three cities, with savings of up to 6%. In Vancouver, the energy wheel has a negligible impact on the indoor RH, PAQ and energy consumption.

This paper utilizes a sample of firms over the years 2000–2009 to test the effects of credit rating changes, the financial crisis, interest rates, and other variables on short-term, long-term, and total debt levels on the balance sheet. Each independent variable was created using a one year lag in order to run the regressions. The values of these variables from the previous year are being analyzed to see if they can predict debt levels for the following year. The results of this paper suggest that levels of long-term and total debt are somewhat reliant on and are positively correlated with the federal funds rate. The results indicate that short-term debt levels are much harder to predict, but they appear to be negatively correlated with the financial crisis. Long-term debt levels were also affected by this variable, but were positively correlated with it. Z-score was a significant predictor of all types of debt, and was positively correlated with each. In an effort to acquire as many data points as possible for the regressions, strict data filtration techniques were used. This limited the sample to 177 firms. The overall insignificance of the results in this study suggest that further research on what drives debt levels on the balance sheet is necessary. This will generate a greater understanding of firm behavior both inside and outside of a financial crisis.

Background: This paper considers two levels of supply chain integration as manufacture ( Haleeb foods) and distributors. In the last decade, the advancement in technology and collaboration in the business becoming more commonly used. Firms need to be working closely with their supply chain partner upstream and downstream. However, supply chain integration is a process to join together as business partners and optimize the collective performance of the supply chain.   Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the existing  levels of supply chain integration between Haleeb foods and its distributors in Pakistan. Theory defines that developing countries have a lack of integration between supply chain partners due to some barriers to supply chain integration. Furthermore, this study found the barriers to supply chain integration between the Haleeb foods and its distributors as well as identifying the most common barriers to SCI.   Methodology: This study is to identify different levels and barriers to SCI between Haleeb foods and its distributors. Subsequently, research supported the supply chain integration in the food industry of Pakistan. Furthermore, relevant literature is reviewed to design the questionnaire and sent it to all the distributors of Haleeb foods across the Pakistan through a company representative . 178 responses were received out of 200 distributors in order to complete this survey based study. Pearson correlation was performed out of empirical data to find out the significant relationship. Moreover, the authors used descriptive statistic to identify the levels and barriers to supply chain integration.   Conclusion: The current level of supply chain integration in Haleeb foods and its distributors is low due to less supply chain integration practice and unstable industrial condition in Pakistan. However, the basic dimensions (II, CRS, ORL) of supply chain integration are very important to identifying the levels of SCI. On the other hand, there are some barriers to supply chain integration between Haleeb foods and its distributors. These barriers are strongly influencing on SCI. Originality/value: This is the first empirical work, measuring the existing levels and barriers to supply chain integration in the dairy industry of Pakistan specifically, Haleeb foods and its distributors. This research has given a clear idea about the supply chain integration and collaborative efforts in the food industry of Pakistan.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur musiker ser på begrepp som ljudnivå, musikupplevelse och relationen mellan dessa. Underlaget för studien är sex intervjuer med musiker och ljudtekniker, med och utan hörselskador. Studien byggs på sex kvalitativa intervjuer och är avgränsad till att i första hand behandla detta inom musikstilar vilka är baserade på trummor och bas – pop/rock, jazz/blues. Studiens resultat visar att parametrar som t.ex. genre, lokal, ljudteknik, ljudtekniker och arrangör har inverkan på det ljud och den ljudnivå som uppnås vid en konsert. Vidare redovisas respondenternas syn på relationen mellan ljudnivåer och musikupplevelse. Samtliga respondenter menar att ljudvolymen har en stor betydelse för den musikaliska upplevelsen och att faktorer som lokalens utformning och musikens genre har stor betydelse för upplevelsen av lämplig ”ljudbild”. / The purpose of this study is to investigate musicians’ opinions about terms such as sound level, musical experience, and the relation between them. The basis for the study is six interviews with musicians and sound engineers, some with and some without hearing disorders. The study is limited to primarily focus on musical styles that are based on drums and bass – jazz/blues, pop/rock. The result demonstrates that parameters like genre, room, technical equipment, sound engineers and arrangers all have influence on the sound and the sound level at a concert. Also – the respondents’ different views on the relationship between sound level and musical experience are presented. All the respondents think that volume is of great significance for the total experience of the music and the feelings it brings. They also believe that factors like the interior and form of the room/venue and the musical genre are of great importance for the experience of proper sound and sound environment.

Diagnostic systems become more and more an important within the field of vehicle systems. This is much because new rules and regulation forcing the manufacturer of heavy duty trucks to survey the emission process in its engines during the whole lifetime of the truck. To do this a diagnostic system has to be implemented which always survey the process and check that the thresholds of the emissions set by the government not are exceeded. There is also a demand that this system should be reliable, i.e. not producing false alarms or missed detection. One way of producing such a system is to use model based diagnosis system where thresholds has to be set deciding if the system is corrupt or not. There is a lot of difficulties involved in this. Firstly, there is no way of knowing if the signals logged are corrupt or not. This is because faults in these signals should be detected. Secondly, because of strict demand of reliability the thresholds has to be set where there is very low probability of finding values while driving. In this thesis a methodology is proposed for setting thresholds in a diagnosis system in an experimental test engine at Scania. Measurement data has been logged over 20 hours of effective driving by two individuals of the same engine. It is shown that the result is improved significantly by using this method and the threshold can be set so smaller faults in the system reliably can be detected.

This study attempted to discover the operative cultural assumptions that guide school people's solutions to external and internal problems and that are taught to new members as the correct way to approach these problems. Schein's (1984) levels of culture and their interaction formed the conceptual framework for the study. The research method was based on Schein's (1985a) Joint Exploration Through Iterative Interviewing methodology which involved a series of encounters and joint explorations between an outside investigator and various inside key informants. <p>This methodology incorporated a triangulation approach using data from interviews, observations, and archival material. Data were collected over a four-month period within one school nominated by central office personnel of the Westville Catholic Board of Education. Throughout the data collection phase, formulating hypotheses about the school's assumptions was used to guide data collection and analysis. Data were categorized based on Schein's methodology of using basic assumptions to form cultural paradigms. <p>Data concluded that three basic assumptions guided life at St. Gabriel School: (1) the Catholic faith and the Christian value system pervaded all school activity; (2) a transactional leadership style influenced decision-making, relationships, communications, and the teaching-learning situation; and (3) the student's social needs were emphasized at the expense of academic learning. Staff, students, and parents appeared to be socialized into all three assumptions. This study revealed that the principal had a major impact upon how all three assumptions arose and were maintained. The religious assumption was initiated as part of the principal's leadership role. His leadership style emphasized student's social needs and resulted from his espoused philosophy of learning. Teachers, parents, and students possessed the same basic assumptions. Each group contained individuals who espoused values different from those embedded in the three assumptions, but the predominant members representing each group were living out the assumptions. While some members in each group desired change, no one was able to effect change. The possibility of establishing a school culture which encompasses the school effectiveness characteristics within the context of these three basic cultural assumptions would be problematic. St. Gabriel School did not demonstrate a shared vision on academic learning were planned curriculum, high expectations, and ongoing assessment reflected school academic goals. Collaborative and transformational relations were not characteristic of the staff. <p>Schein's (1984) conceptual model, developed for the study of basic cultual assumptions, was useful in deciphering the culture of St. Gabriel. Schein's analysis of culture as existing at three different levels proved to be an important distinction as data were collected. His Joint Exploration Through Iterative Interviewing methodology enabled the underlying assumptions to be brought to the surface. Schein provided a valuable theoretical framework and an appropriate methodology for studying the deepest level of an organization, that is, its cultural assumption. Judgements and conclusions about schools can be made on superficial levels of observation. In order to truly understand the functioning of any school probing beneath these source levels is necessary. This study confirmed that, for this instance, principals have a dominant influence on the culture of schools, therefore, they should be helped to use a cultural lens in order to understand and assess the state of effectiveness of their schools. Finally, a number of theoretical, methodological, and practical implications were noted.

The main objectives of this thesis are to determine if the addition of an energy wheel in an HVAC system can improve the indoor air relative humidity (RH), and perceived air quality (PAQ), as well as reduce energy consumption. An energy wheel is an air-to-air energy exchanger that transfers heat and moisture between the outdoor air entering and the exhaust air leaving a building. This thesis uses the TRNSYS computer package to model two buildings (an office and a school) in four different cities (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Vancouver, British Columbia; Tampa, Florida and Phoenix, Arizona).<p>The results with and without an energy wheel are compared to see if the energy wheel has a significant impact on the RH and PAQ in the buildings. The energy wheel reduces peak RH levels in Tampa, (up to 15% RH), which is a humid climate, but has a smaller effect on the indoor RH in Saskatoon (up to 4% RH) and Phoenix (up to 11% RH), which are dry climates. The energy wheel also reduces the number of people that are dissatisfied with the PAQ within the space by up to 17% in Tampa. <p>The addition of the energy wheel to the HVAC system creates a reduction in the total energy consumed by the HVAC system in Saskatoon, Phoenix and Tampa (2% in each city). There is a significant reduction in the size of the heating equipment in Saskatoon (26%) and in the size of the cooling equipment in Phoenix (18%) and Tampa (17%). A cost analysis shows that the HVAC system including an energy wheel has the least life-cycle costs in these three cities, with savings of up to 6%. In Vancouver, the energy wheel has a negligible impact on the indoor RH, PAQ and energy consumption.

Understanding changes in materials properties as a function of size is crucial for both fundamental science development and technological applications. Size restriction results in quantum confinement effects that modify both energy level structures and electron dynamics of solid materials. This study investigates individual quantum states in a single nanocrystal. Single electron charging effects in gold and semiconductor nanocrystals are observed. Charging effects are found to be dominant in samples, where the nanocrystals are weakly coupled to the substrate. For nanocrystals strongly coupled to the substrate, nanocrystal-substrate tunneling rate is larger than tip-nanocrystal tunneling rate. Therefore, the resulting peaks in the dI/dV spectrum are attributed to tunneling through the energy levels of the nanocrystal. A newly developed nanocrystals BEES technique is used successfully to further explore quantized energy levels and electron dynamics in single gold nanocrystals. BEES samples were grown successfully by depositing $unit[10]{nm}$ thick gold on silicon substrates. Nanocrystals are chemically attached to the gold substrate using a self assembled monolayer (SAM) of xyelendithiol molecules. Immobile and single isolated nanocrystals were imaged at low temperature. A BEES turn-on voltage of $unit[0.84]{V}$ was found on nanocrystal-free region of the substrate. The BEES spectrum acquired on a single gold nanocrystal is found to be attenuated by a factor of 10 when compared with BEES acquired on the substrate. The attenuation is attributed to electron relaxation to lower energy states before tunneling out of the nanocrystal. The measured hot electron lifetimes from experimental data were found to be on the order of $unit[16]{picoseconds}$, which is a long time compared to lifetimes in bulk metals or large nanocrystals. The long measured lifetimes result from the molecular-like energy level structures of these small nanocrystals.