The Planck constant is one of the most important constants in nature, as it describes the world governed by quantum mechanics. However, it cannot be derived from other natural constants. We present a model from which it is possible to derive this constant without any free parameters. This is done utilizing the force between two oscillating electric dipoles described by an extension of Weber electrodynamics, based on a gravitational model by Assis. This leads not only to gravitational forces between the particles but also to a newly found Casimir-type attraction. We can use these forces to calculate the maximum point mass of this model which is equal to the Planck mass and derive the quantum of action. The result hints to a connection of quantum effects like the Casimir force and the Planck constant with gravitational ones and the origin of mass itself.

Reinforced concrete deep beams are known for applications in tall buildings, foundations and offshore structures. Deep beams are structural elements with length and height within the same magnitude and have significantly smaller thickness compared to a conventional concrete beam. Deep beams in bending have non-linear strain distribution compared to conventional beams where Bernoulli’s hypothesis is valid. Crack formation is a common problem in reinforced concrete structures, which reduce the durability of the structure. Once the concrete cracks the tension reinforcement carry the tensile forces instead of the concrete. Therefore, the design of tension reinforcement is important since the serviceability should be retained even after the structure cracks. The crack widths can be limited by using proper reinforcement and one alternative is to combine tensile reinforcement with crack reinforcement.  The function of the reinforcement is to distribute the cracks over the cross section which leads to that many smaller cracks occur instead of fewer, wider cracks. Small cracks are seen as less of a problem compared to large cracks since larger cracks reduce the durability significantly. For deep beams, there is at the present no well-substantiated analysis model for how crack widths shall be calculated when having reinforcement in multiple layers with different diameters. The use of crack reinforcement in the outer bottom layer has by tradition been considered as a cost efficient way to achieve small crack widths. In this work the crack width in deep beams have been analysed using the finite element program Atena 2D. The numerical results have been verified by analytical calculations based on Eurocode 2. The aim is to achieve reduced crack widths  by analysing the combination of crack- and tensile reinforcement compared to the case with tensile reinforcement only. Tensile reinforcement has a larger diameter, for example ø25 mm, and crack reinforcement has smaller diameters, often between ø10 and ø16 mm. The result from the calculations with Atena showed that there was an improvement regarding the reduction of crack widths when using crack reinforcement in combination with tensile reinforcement compared to using tensile reinforcement only. However, this improvement decreased by using reinforcement in multiple layers since a tensile reinforcement bar 1ø25 mm needed to be replaced by approximately six crack reinforcement bars 6ø10 mm in order to achieve the same total reinforcement area. The main disadvantage was that more space was required to place all reinforcement bars in the cross section, which reduced the lever arm. The reduction of the lever arm resulted in a reduced capacity for the reinforcement and the cracks might unintentionally become wider than expected. Furthermore, significant reduction of both crack widths and reinforcement stresses were obtained when the total area for a case with 7ø25 mm was increased to 9ø25 mm. The increased total area of only tensile reinforcement ø25 mm reduced the crack width more compared to using a combination of crack- and tensile reinforcement, which could simplify the construction work at building sites and minimize time consumption. / Armerade höga betongbalkar är kända för tillämpningar i höga byggnader, grundsulor och offshore konstruktioner. Höga balkar är konstruktionselement med längd och höjd i samma storleksordning och har betydligt mindre tjocklek jämfört med en konventionell betongbalk. Höga balkar i böjning har en icke-linjär töjningsfördelning jämfört med konventionella balkar där Bernoullis hypotes gäller. Sprickbildning är ett vanligt problem i armerade betongkonstruktioner, vilket minskar beständigheten hos konstruktionen. När betongbalken spricker kommer armeringen att ta upp dragkraften istället för betongen därför är utformningen av böjarmering viktig eftersom bruksgränstillståndet bör behållas även efter att konstruktionen spricker. Sprickvidderna kan begränsas genom att använda korrekt armering och ett alternativ är att kombinera kraftarmering med sprickarmering. Armeringens funktion är att sprida ut sprickorna över tvärsnittet vilket leder till att många små sprickor uppkommer i stället för färre, bredare sprickor. Små sprickor ses som ett mindre problem jämfört med stora sprickor eftersom större sprickor minskar beständigheten avsevärt. För höga balkar finns det för närvarande ingen välunderbyggd analysmodell för hur sprickvidder ska beräknas när de har armering i flera lager och med olika diametrar. Användningen av sprickarmering har traditionellt ansetts vara ett kostnadseffektivt sätt att uppnå små sprickvidder. I detta arbete har sprickvidden i höga balkar analyserats med hjälp av finita elementprogrammet Atena 2D. De numeriska resultaten har verifierats med analytiska beräkningar baserade på Eurokod 2. Syftet är att uppnå reducerade sprickvidder genom att analysera kombinationen av sprick- och kraftarmering jämfört med fallet med endast kraftarmering. Kraftarmeringen har en större diameter, till exempel ø25 mm och sprickarmering har mindre diametrar, ofta mellan ø10 och ø16 mm. Resultaten från beräkningarna i Atena visade att sprickvidderna minskade vid användning av sprickarmering i kombination med kraftarmering jämfört med användning av endast kraftarmering. Denna förbättring minskade emellertid i och med användning av armering i flera lager. En kraftarmeringsstång 1ø25 mm behöver ersättas med ungefär sex sprickarmeringsstänger, 6ø10 mm, för att uppnå samma totala armeringsarea. Den största nackdelen var att det krävdes mer utrymme för att placera alla sprickarmeringsstänger i tvärsnittet, vilket minskade hävarmen. Minskningen av hävarmen medförde en reducerad kapacitet i armeringen och sprickorna blev bredare än förväntat. Vidare erhölls signifikant reduktion av både sprickvidder och armeringsspänningar när den totala arean för ett fall med 7ø25 mm ökades till 9ø25 mm. Den ökade totalarean av endast kraftarmeringsstänger ø25 mm minskade sprickvidden mer jämfört med att använda en kombination av sprick- och kraftarmering vilket skulle kunna förenkla byggarbetet på byggarbetsplatser och minimera tidsförbrukningen.

Ved består huvudsakligen av tre typer av polymerer, cellulosa, hemicellulosa och lignin. Lignin bildas i naturen genom enzymatiskt initierad oxidativ koppling av tre olika typer av fenylpropan-enheter. Dessa bygger genom olika kol-kol- och kol-syre-bindningar upp en amorf tredimensionell polymer. När kemisk massa tillverkas bryts lignin ner och löses ut i kokluten. Luten innehåller de förbrukade kokkemikalierna och bränns generellt i en sodapanna för att regenerera kemikalierna och producera ånga. Sodapannan är emellertid dyr. Därför har den blivit produktionsbegränsande på många massabruk. Att avlägsna en del av ligninet från avluten vore därför önskvärt och att finna ekonomiskt intressanta produkter baserade på lignin från svartlut är därför ett viktigt forskningsområde . Ett lämpligt område för ligninprodukter vore som tillsatts i oblekt massa. Oblekt massa används till stor del för tillverkning av kraftliner, topp- och bottenskikten på wellpapp. När lådor av wellpapp lagras i containrar som färdas över haven, förändras den relativa luftfuktigheten. Detta gör att lådorna kollapsar lättare än om de skulle ha lagrats vid konstant luftfuktighet, även en hög sådan. Detta är på grund av det så kallade mekanosorptiva- eller accelererade krypfenomenet. Genom tillsatts av våtstyrkemedel till kraftliner eller behandla den med hydrofoba ämnen, finns indikatoner på att mekanosorptiva effekten skulle kunna minska. För att försöka minska den effekten har ett lågmolekylärt kraftlignin, som utvunnits med hjälp av tvärsflödesfiltrering av svartlut och svavelsyrafällning, använts. Genom derivatisering av detta lignin med linolja erhölls ett hydrofobt ligninderivat som uppvisar strukturella likheter med biopolymeren suberin. När detta suberinlika ligninderivat tillsätts till massa verkar det mekanosorptiva krypet minska. När lågmolekylärt lignin används tillsammans med ligninradikalinitiatorerna lackas eller mangan(III) i kraftlinermassa erhålls dessutom en våtstyrka på ca 5% av torrstyrkan. Efter aminering av detta lignin gav en tillsatts till kraftlinermassan en våtstyrka på upp till 10% av torrstyrkan. Det finns indikationer på att det mekanosorptiva krypet samtidigt minskar när dessa behandlingar görs som ger upphov till ökad våtstyrka. / Wood consists mainly of three types of polymers; cellulose, hemi cellulose and lignin. Lignin is formed in nature through enzymatic initiated oxidative coupling of three different kinds of phenyl propane units. These form by various carbon-carbon and carbon-oxygen bonds, an amorphous three-dimensional polymer. As chemical pulp is produced, lignin is degraded and dissolved into pulping liquors. These liquors contain the spent cooking chemicals and are generally burnt in a recovery boiler to regenerate cooking chemicals and produce steam. However, the recovery boiler is expensive. Hence, it has become the bottleneck for production in many pulp mills. Removal of some lignin from the spent cooking liquor would, for that reason, be desired and valuable products based on lignin from cooking liquors are searched for. One suitable area for lignin products would be as additive in unbleached pulp. A major product from unbleached pulp is kraftliner, the top and bottom layers of corrugated board. When boxes of corrugated board are stored in containers travelling overseas the relative humidity is varying. This makes the boxes collapse more easily than if they were stored at constant humidity, even a high one. This is due to the so called mechano-sorptive or accelerated creep phenomenon. By addition of wet strength additive to kraftliner or treating it with hydrophobic compounds there are indications on that the mechano-sorptive effect would decrease. Trying to decrease this effect, low molecular weight kraft lignin has been used. It was obtained by cross-flow filtration of black liquor and precipitation by sulphuric acid. By derivatisation of this lignin by linseed oil, a hydrophobic lignin derivative was obtained, similar in structure to units in the biopolymer suberin. As this suberin-like lignin-derivative was added to pulp the mechano-sorptive creep seemed to be lowered. Furthermore, when the low molecular weight lignin was used together with the lignin radical initiators laccase or manganese(III) in kraftliner pulp, a wet strength of about 5% of dry strength was obtained. An amination treatment of this lignin and addition to kraftliner pulp resulted in a wet strength of up to 10% of dry strength. There are indications of that the mechano-sorptive creep also decreases as these treatments, resulting in increased wet strength, are made. / QC 20101103

There is growing demand for a more efficient use of polymers that originate from renewable feedstocks due to the depleting supply of fossil fuels, based on economic and environmental reasons. As a result, lignin has attracted renewed interest as a resource for various bioproducts. Lignin is a natural biopolymer with a high carbon content and is composed of aromatic moieties, with a high level of polar functionalities. This makes it a unique precursor for certain high-value applications, such as in biofuels, bioplastics, composite materials, carbon fibers and activated carbons and as a source of phenolic monomers and fine chemicals. Industrial lignins are formed as byproducts of pulping processes (such as kraft, sulfite or alkaline pulping) or result from the biorefining process, where carbohydrates are used for sugar production. Lignin’s intrinsic structure is significantly modified during the processing of lignocellulose, resulting in the formation of more diverse, condensed and less reactive raw materials. Since molecular mass and polydispersity are the most important parameters affecting the chemical reactivity and thermal properties of lignin, additional process steps to improve the quality of crude technical lignins, including kraft lignin, are needed. Solvent extraction is a potentially useful technique for further improving the polydispersity of technical lignins. This work summarizes the impact of solvent fractionation on the chemical structure, antioxidant activity, heating value, and thermal and sorption properties of industrial hardwood and softwood kraft lignins. The purpose was to understand the correlation between certain structural features in the lignin fractions and their properties to select the appropriate solvent combinations for specific applications of lignin raw materials. Four common industrial solvents, namely, ethyl acetate, ethanol, methanol and acetone, in various combinations were used to separate both spruce and eucalyptus kraft lignins into fractions with lower polydispersities. Gel-permeation chromatography analysis was used to evaluate the efficiency of the chosen solvent combination for lignin fractionation. The composition and structure of the lignin material were characterized by elemental analysis, analytical pyrolysis (Py-GC/MS/FID) and 31P NMR spectroscopy. The thermal properties of the lignin samples were studied by thermogravimetric analysis. Proximate analysis data (ash, volatile components, organic matter and fixed carbon) were obtained through the direct measurement of weight changes during the analysis, while the high heating values (in MJ/kg) were calculated according to equations suggested in the literature. The sorption properties of fractionated kraft lignins were studied with respect to methylene blue dye. Additionally, lignin fractions with different molecular weights (and therefore various chemical structures) that were isolated from both softwood and hardwood kraft lignins were incorporated into a tunicate cellulose nanofiber (CNF)-starch mixture to prepare 100% bio-based composite films. The aim was to investigate the correlation between lignin diversity and film performance. The transmittance, density and thermal properties of the films were investigated, as were their mechanical properties, including the tensile stress and Young’s modulus. This part of the study addressed the importance of lignin diversity on composite film performance, which could be helpful for tailoring lignin applications in bio-based composite materials based on the material’s specific requirements.

It is in the nature of the human species to find solutions of complex technical problems and always strive for improvements. The development of new materials is not an exception. One of the many man-made materials is carbon fibre (CF). Its excellent mechanical properties and low density have made it attractive as the reinforcing agent in lightweight composites. However, the high price of CF originating from expensive production is currently limiting CF from wider utilisation, e.g. in the automotive sector.   The dominating raw material used in CF production is petroleum-based polyacrylonitrile (PAN). The usage of fossil-based precursors and the high price of CF explain the strong driving force of finding cheaper and renewable alternatives. Lignin and cellulose are renewable macromolecules available in high quantities. The high carbon content of lignin is an excellent property, while its structural heterogeneity yields in CF with poor mechanical properties. In contrast, cellulose has a beneficial molecular orientation, while its low carbon content gives a low processing yield and thus elevates processing costs.   This work shows that several challenges associated with CF processing of each macromolecule can be mastered by co-processing. Dry-jet wet spun precursor fibres (PFs) made of blends of softwood kraft lignin and kraft pulps were converted into CF. The corresponding CFs demonstrated significant improvement in processing yield with negligible loss in mechanical properties relative to cellulose-derived CFs. Unfractionated softwood kraft lignin and paper grade kraft pulp performed as good as more expensive retentate lignins and dissolving grade kraft pulp, which is beneficial from an economic point of view.   The stabilisation stage is considered the most time-consuming step in CF manufacturing. Here it was shown that the PFs could be oxidatively stabilised in less than 2 h or instantly carbonised without any fibre fusion, suggesting a time-efficient processing route. It was demonstrated that PF impregnation with ammonium dihydrogen phosphate significantly improves the yield but at the expense of mechanical properties.   A reduction in fibre diameter was beneficial for the mechanical properties of the CFs made from unfractionated softwood kraft lignin and paper grade kraft pulp. Short oxidative stabilisation (&lt;2 h) of thin PFs ultimately provided CFs with tensile modulus and strength of 76 GPa and 1070 MPa, respectively. Considering the high yield (39 wt%), short stabilisation time and promising mechanical properties, the concept of preparing CF from lignin:cellulose blends is a very promising route. / Det ligger i människans natur att hitta lösningar på komplexa tekniska problem, samt att alltid sträva efter förbättringar. Utvecklingen av nya material är inget undantag. Ett av flera material utvecklade av människan är kolfiber. Dess utmärkta mekaniska egenskaper samt låga densitet har gjort det attraktivt som förstärkningsmaterial i lättviktskompositer. Det höga priset på kolfiber, vilket härstammar ur en kostsam framställningsprocess, har förhindrat en mer utbredd användning i exempelvis bilindustrin.   Det dominerande råmaterialet för kolfiberframställning är petroleumbaserad polyacrylonitril (PAN). Användandet av fossila råvaror och det höga priset på kolfiber förklarar den starka drivkraften att hitta billigare och förnyelsebara alternativ. Lignin och cellulosa är förnyelsebara makromolekyler som finns tillgängliga i stora kvantiteter. Det höga kolinnehållet i lignin gör det mycket attraktivt som råvara för kolfiberframställning, men dess heterogena struktur ger en kolfiber med otillräckliga mekaniska egenskaper. Däremot har cellulosa en molekylär orientering som är önskvärd vid framställning av kolfiber, men dess låga kolinehåll ger ett lågt processutbyte som i sin tur bidrar till höga produktionskostnader.             Det här arbetet visar att många av de problem som uppstår med kolfiber från respektive råvara kan kringgås genom att utgå från blandningar av desamma. Prekursorfibrer från blandningar av kraftlignin och kraftmassa från barrved tillverkade med luftgapsspinning konverterades till kolfiber. Utbytet för kolfibrerna som framställdes var mycket högre än vid framställning från endast cellulosa. Ofraktionerat barrvedslignin och kraftmassa av papperskvalitet presterade lika bra som de dyrare retentatligninen och dissolvingmassan, vilket är fördelaktigt ur ett ekonomiskt perspektiv.   Stabilisering är det mest tidskrävande processteget i kolfibertillverkning. I det här arbetet visades det att prekursorfibrerna kunde stabiliseras på kortare än två timmar, eller direktkarboniseras utan någon sammansmältning av fibrerna. Detta indikerar att en tidseffektiv produktion kan vara möjligt. Impregnering av prekursorfibrerna med ammoniumdivätefosfat ökade utbytet avsevärt, men med lägre mekaniska egenskaper som bieffekt.           Kolfibrernas mekaniska egenskaper ökade vid en diameterreduktion. En kort oxidativ stabilisering under två timmar i kombination med tunna prekursorfibrer gav kolfiber med en elasticitetsmodul på 76 GPa och dragstyrka på 1070 MPa. Att göra kolfiber från blandningar av lignin och cellulosa är ett lovande koncept om det höga utbytet (39%), den korta stabiliseringstiden samt de lovande mekaniska egenskaperna tas i beaktande. / <p>QC 20190226</p>

Background: Global and regional transpulmonary pressure (PL) during one-lung ventilation (OLV) is poorly characterized. We hypothesized that global and regional PL and driving PL (ΔPL) increase during protective low tidal volume OLV compared to two-lung ventilation (TLV), and vary with body position. Methods: In sixteen anesthetized juvenile pigs, intra-pleural pressure sensors were placed in ventral, dorsal, and caudal zones of the left hemithorax by video-assisted thoracoscopy. A right thoracotomy was performed and lipopolysaccharide administered intravenously to mimic the inflammatory response due to thoracic surgery. Animals were ventilated in a volume-controlled mode with a tidal volume (VT) of 6 mL kg⁻¹ during TLV and of 5 mL kg⁻¹ during OLV and a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 5 cmH₂O. Global and local transpulmonary pressures were calculated. Lung instability was defined as end-expiratory PL<2.9 cmH₂O according to previous investigations. Variables were acquired during TLV (TLVsupine), left lung ventilation in supine (OLVsupine), semilateral (OLVsemilateral), lateral (OLVlateral) and prone (OLVprone) positions randomized according to Latin-square sequence. Effects of position were tested using repeated measures ANOVA. Results: End-expiratory PL and ΔPL were higher during OLVsupine than TLVsupine. During OLV, regional end-inspiratory PL and ΔPL did not differ significantly among body positions. Yet, end-expiratory PL was lower in semilateral (ventral: 4.8 ± 2.9 cmH₂O; caudal: 3.1 ± 2.6 cmH₂O) and lateral (ventral: 1.9 ± 3.3 cmH₂O; caudal: 2.7 ± 1.7 cmH₂O) compared to supine (ventral: 4.8 ± 2.9 cmH₂O; caudal: 3.1 ± 2.6 cmH2O) and prone position (ventral: 1.7 ± 2.5 cmH₂O; caudal: 3.3 ± 1.6 cmH₂O), mainly in ventral (p ≤ 0.001) and caudal (p = 0.007) regions. Lung instability was detected more often in semilateral (26 out of 48 measurements; p = 0.012) and lateral (29 out of 48 measurements, p < 0.001) as compared to supine position (15 out of 48 measurements), and more often in lateral as compared to prone position (19 out of 48 measurements, p = 0.027). Conclusion: Compared to TLV, OLV increased lung stress. Body position did not affect stress of the ventilated lung during OLV, but lung stability was lowest in semilateral and lateral decubitus position.

Den Kern der vorliegenden Arbeit bilden sog. sensorgeführte Roboterbewegungen, d. h. die Nutzung von Informationen externer Sensoren zur Regelung des Roboters. Da gängige Industrierobotersysteme üblicherweise positionsgeregelt sind und seitens der Robotersteuerung lediglich der Zugriff zu den Sollwerten der Lageregelkreise erlaubt wird, kann auch der Regelkreis der sensorgeführten Roboterbewegung nur über den Lageregelkreis geschlossen werden. Aus diesem Grunde werden hier nur positionsbasierte Regelungsansätze verfolgt. Die Kraft-/ Momentregelung gilt als eine der wichtigsten Varianten sensorgeführter Roboterbewegungen. Dementsprechend widmet sich auch ein großer Teil dieser Arbeit dem Thema, mit dem Ziel durch innovative und übersichtliche Regelalgorithmen die Akzeptanz der Kraft-/ Momentregelung in industriellen Produktionsprozessen zu erhöhen. Beginnend mit der eindimensionalen Kraftregelung führt der Weg dabei über Konzepte zur Konturenverfolgung und kraft-/ momentgeregelten Montageaufgaben hin zur Kooperation von Robotern. In einem weiteren Teil wird ein Konzept zur Kollisionsvermeidung zwischen Robotern und Hindernissen präsentiert. Es basiert auf dem Ansatz der virtuellen Potential- bzw. Kraftfelder. Dabei ruft das künstliche Feld eine Bewegung des Roboters hervor, die vom Hindernis weg führt. Um das Feld zu erzeugen, wird die Methode der künstlichen Punktladungen entwickelt. Diese werden auf der Oberfläche eines Hindernisses platziert und generieren dann das virtuelle Kraftfeld. Die Platzierung kann z. B. mithilfe der CAD-Daten des Hindernisses erfolgen. Bei bewegten Objekten müssen alle Ladungspositionen ständig aktualisiert werden. Für Lehr- und Präsentationszwecke ist das sog. inverse Pendel eine oft genutzte Regelstrecke. Sein Aufrichten und Stabilisieren ist auch mit Hilfe eines Industrieroboters möglich. Dazu beschäftigt sich ein Kapitel dieser Arbeit mit Fragen zur Modellbildung der Kombination inverses Pendel und Industrieroboter und mit Regelungskonzepten für das Aufschwingen und Balancieren. Letztendlichen wird in diesem Zusammenhang noch ein Visual-Servoing System präsentiert, dass den Neigungswinkel des Pendels mit einer Kamera bestimmt. Alle hier vorgestellten Konzepte und Algorithmen werden Anhand von praktischen Experimenten verifiziert. / This work deals with so-called sensor guided robot motions, which means using the data of external sensors to control the robot. The control loop of the sensor guided robot motion can be only closed around the position control loop, because industrial robot systems usually work position controlled and only access to the desired positions is enabled. For this reason here only position based control approaches are regarded. Force/torque control is a very important type of sensor guided robot motions. According to this, a good portion of this work deals with the subject of force/torque control. Thus, the acceptance of force/torque control in industrial production processes should be increased, by using innovative and clear control algorithms. For this purpose force control in one degree of freedom, contour-following, force/torque controlled assembling tasks and the cooperation between robots are discussed here in different chapters. Thereafter, a concept to collision avoidance between robots and obstacles is presented. It uses the approach of virtual potential/force fields. In this case the artificial field induces a robot motion away from the obstacle. The method of artificial charges is developed to generate this field. For this purpose virtual charges are placed on the surface of the obstacles. Placing of the charges can be performed using e.g. CAD data of the obstacles. Having moving obstacles charge positions must be updated continuously. The inverted pendulum is commonly used teaching students in control theory. The swinging up and the stabilization of the pendulum also can be performed by an industrial robot. One chapter of this work deals with modelling of the robot mounted inverted pendulum and control algorithms for its swinging up and its stabilization. Finally, in combination with the inverted pendulum a visual-servoing system is presented, which measures the pendulum inclination angle by camera. All concepts introduced in this work are verified by practical experiments.

Bakgrund/problem: Då svensk matproduktion länge varit dominerad av massproduktion och förädlade livsmedel, pekar nu trenden mot att allt fler intresserar sig för lokalproducerad mat. Detta innebär en möjlighet för lokalproducenter att sälja och marknadsföra sina varor i en större omfattning jämfört med tidigare. För att detta skall realiseras visar forskning att det krävs samarbete aktörerna emellan för att maximera värdet. Dock är forskningen begränsad i att förklara hur dessa samarbeten bör utformas. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka om en brandingmöjlighet skulle kunna ge upphov till ett horisontellt värdeskapande och vilka dimensioner som i så fall skulle vara kritiska i en affärsmodell för att möjliggöra denna typ av värdeskapande. Metod: Vätterns nutida förutsättningar för framtida matsamarbeten har formats som en fallstudie där kvalitativt arbetssätt använts för att samla empiriskt material. Resultatet bygger på en kombination av långa och korta intervjuer där respondenter från tre olika infallsvinklar hörts. Dessa tre infallsvinklar; samordning, aktör och marknadsföring har valts för att kunna få en holistisk syn på den angivna problematiken. Resultat/Bidrag: Resultatet av studien påvisar att en identifierad brandingmöjlighet via identitetsbyggande faktorer kan bygga ett starkt varumärke, vilket kan ligga till grund för ett horisontellt värdeskapande. För att det horisontella värdeskapandet i slutändan ska möjliggöras kräver affärsmodellen fyra kritiska dimensioner (balans av aktörer, finansiell och mobiliserande kraft, tillfredsställande ledning samt nätverkande). / Background/problem: For a long time the food industry has been dominated by mass production and refined food, though times are changing and more people are getting interested in locally produced food. This enables great possibilities for local food producers, which give them great opportunities to sell and market their goods, but it requires them to cooperate with each other. The present research is rather limited on how to create these types of cooperation in the food industry. Purpose: The purpose of this research paper is to examine if a branding opportunity can enable horizontal value co-creation and which dimensions that will be critical in a business model in order to enable that type of value co-creation. Method: A case study has been formed based upon the present conditions of Vättern to enable a food based cooperation, where qualitative methods have been used to collect data. The result is based upon a combination of in-depth and shorter interviews where the respondents represent three approaches; coordinator, stakeholder and marketing. These approaches were chosen in order to enable a holistic perspective on the problem area. Results/contribution: The study shows that a branding opportunity can result in a strong brand, which can build a foundation for horizontal value co-creation. In order to enable horizontal value cocreation, the business model requires four critical dimensions, (operators in balance, financial- and mobilizing muscle, a satisfying management and lastly, networking), which are identified in this study.

Ein Sturz ist ein Ereignis, das jeder Mensch im Laufe seines Lebens mehrfach erfährt, ob als Kind, Jugendlicher, Erwachsener oder Senior. Was sich über die Lebensspanne ändert, sind die durch Stürze verursachten Folgen. Gerade bei älteren Menschen sind diese oft schwerwiegend. Auf Grund der demographischen Entwicklung kommt der Altersgruppe der Senioren und dem Thema Sturz eine gestiegene Bedeutung zu. Stürze stellen eine große Gefahr für den Selbständigkeitserhalt im Alter dar. Deren Folgen wirken sich nicht nur auf den physischen Bereich aus sondern sehr häufig auch auf den psychischen und sozialen, was einer multifaktoriellen und ganzheitlichen Betrachtungsweise und Analyse bedarf. Das neuartige Ganzkörpererlebnis Drums Alive, in seiner auf die Zielgruppe Senioren ausgerichteten Version Golden Beats, wurde auf seine Wirkungen und Effekte in Bezug auf Sturzprävention im Rahmen eines Modellprojektes mit dem Ansatz einer randomisierten kontrollierten Längsschnittstudie evaluiert. Um zu überprüfen, inwieweit die Intervention Effekte bzgl. der Parameter Sturzanzahl und –häufigkeit (Stolpern, Fallen, Stürzen), Kraftfähigkeit, Gleichgewicht, Mobilität, habituelle Ganggeschwindigkeit, Sturzangst, soziale Indikatoren, körperliche Aktivität und Sinnesfunktionen hervorzurufen vermag, wurde ein zehnwöchiges (20 Einheiten) Interventionsprogramm mit einer Interventions- und Kontrollgruppe durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse der Studie mit älteren Menschen mit einem niedrigen bis moderaten Sturzrisiko zeigen unmittelbare und längerfristig günstige Wirkungseffekte für die Parameter Stolperhäufigkeit, Gleichgewichtsfähigkeit, motorische Mobilität, intensive körperliche Aktivität sowie für eine verbesserte Einschätzung der sturzrelevanten Sinnesfunktionen. Für die Parameter Sturzhäufigkeit, Kognition und Angst vor Stürzen, die betrachteten sozialen Indikatoren, die Dimensionen leichte, moderate und gesamte körperliche Aktivität sowie die Parameter Kraftfähigkeit und habituelle Ganggeschwindigkeit konnten weder kurz- noch langfristig positive Veränderungen konstatiert werden.

During mitosis, adherent animal cells undergo a drastic shape change, from essentially flat to round, in a process known as mitotic cell rounding (MCR). The aim of this thesis was to critically examine the physical and biological basis of MCR. The experimental part of this thesis employed a combined optical microscope-atomic force microscope (AFM) setup in conjunction with flat tipless cantilevers to analyze cell mechanics, shape and volume. To this end, two AFM assays were developed: the constant force assay (CFA), which applies constant force to cells and measures the resultant height, and the constant height assay (CHA), which confines cell height and measures the resultant force. These assays were deployed to analyze the shape and mechanical properties of single cells trans-mitosis. The CFA results showed that cells progressing through mitosis could increase their height against forces as high as 50 nN, and that higher forces can delay mitosis in HeLa cells. The CHA results showed that mitotic cells confined to ~50% of their normal height can generate forces around 50-100 nN without disturbing mitotic progression. Such forces represent intracellular pressures of at least 200 Pascals and cell surface tensions of around 10 nN/µm. Using the CHA to compare mitotic cell rounding with induced cell rounding, it was observed that the intracellular pressure of mitotic cells is at least 3-fold higher than rounded interphase cells. To investigate the molecular basis of the mechanical changes inherent in mitotic cell rounding, inhibitors and toxins were used to pharmacologically dissect the role of candidate cellular processes. These results implicated the actomyosin cortex and osmolyte transporters, the most prominent of which is the Na+/H+ exchanger, in the maintenance of mechanical properties and intracellular hydrostatic pressure. Observations on blebbing cells under the cantilever supported the idea that the actomyosin cortex is required to sustain hydrostatic pressure and direct this pressure into cell shape changes. To gain further insight into the relationship between actomyosin activity and intracellular pressure, dynamic perturbation experiments were conducted. To this end, the CHA was used to evaluate the pressure and volume of mitotic cells before, during and after dynamic perturbations that included tonic shocks, influx of specific inhibitors, and exposure to pore-forming toxins. When osmotic pressure gradients were depleted, pressure and volume decreased. When the actomyosin cytoskeleton was abolished, cell volume increased while rounding pressure decreased. Conversely, stimulation of actomyosin cortex contraction triggered an increase in rounding pressure and a decrease in volume. Taken together, the dynamic perturbation results demonstrated that the actomyosin cortex contracts against an opposing intracellular pressure and that this relationship sets the surface tension, pressure and volume of the cell. The discussion section of this thesis provides a comprehensive overview of the physical basis of MCR by amalgamating the experimental results of this thesis with the literature. Additionally, the biochemal signaling pathways and proteins that drive MCR are collated and discussed. An exhaustive and unprecedented synthesis of the literature on cell rounding (approx. 750 papers as pubmed search hits on “cell rounding”, April 2012) reveals that the spread-to-round transition can be thought of in terms of a surface tension versus adhesion paradigm, and that cell rounding can be physically classified into four main modes, of which one is an MCR-like category characterized by increased actomyosin cortex tension and diminution of focal adhesions. The biochemical pathways and signaling patterns that correspond with these four rounding modes are catalogued and expounded upon in the context of the relevant physiology. This analysis reveals cell rounding as a pertinent topic that can be leveraged to yield insight into core principles of cell biophysics and tissue organization. It furthermore highlights MCR as a model problem to understand the adhesion versus cell surface tension paradigm in cells and its fundamentality to cell shape, mechanics and physiology.