<p>Second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy and Raman microscopy were used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical materials. Prototype instruments and algorithms for sampling strategies and data analyses were developed to achieve pharmaceutical materials analysis with low limits of detection and short measurement times<br></p><p>Manufacturing an amorphous solid dispersion (ASD), in which an amorphous active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) within polymer matrix, is an effective approach to improve the solubility and bioavailability of a drug. However, since ASDs are generally metastable materials, they can often transform to produce crystalline API with higher thermodynamic stability. Analytical methods with low limits of detection for crystalline APIs were used to assess the stability of ASDs. With high selectivity to noncentrosymmetric crystals, SHG microscopy was demonstrated as an analytical tool, which exhibited a limit of detection of 10 ppm for ritonavir Form II crystals. SHG microscopy was employed for accelerated stability testing of ASDs, which provided a four-decade dynamic range of crystallinity for kinetic modeling. An established model was validated by investigating nucleation and crystal growth based on SHG images. To achieve <i>in situ</i> accelerated stability testing, controlled environment for in situstability testing (CEiST) was designed and built to provide elevated temperature and humidity, which is compatible with a commercial SHG microscope based on our research prototype. The combination of CEiST and SHG microscopy enabled assessment of individual crystal growth rates by single-particle tracking and nucleation rates for individual fields of view with low Poisson noise. In addition, SHG microscopy coupled with CEiST enabled the study of heterogeneity of crystallization kinetics within pharmaceutical materials.<br></p><p>Polymorphism of APIs plays an important role in drug formulation development. Different polymorphs of identical APIs may exhibit different physiochemical properties, e.g., solubility, stability, and bioavailability, due to their crystal structures. Moreover, polymorph transitions may take place during the manufacturing process and storage. Therefore, analytical methods with high speed for polymorph characterization, which can provide real-time feedback for the polymorphic transition, have broad applications in pharmaceutical materials characterization. Raman spectroscopy is able to determine the API polymorphism, but is hampered by the long measurement times. In this study, two analytical methods with high speed were developed to characterize API polymorphs. One is SHGmicroscopy-guided Raman spectroscopy, which achieved the speed of 10 ms/particle for clopidogrel bisulfate. Initial classification of two different polymorphs was based on SHG images, followed acquisition of Raman spectroscopyat the selected positions to determine the API crystal form. Another approach is implementing of dynamic sampling into confocal Raman microscopy to accelerate Raman image acquisition for 6-folds. Instead of raster scanning, dynamic sampling algorithm enabled acquiring Raman spectra at the most informative locations. The reconstructed Raman image of pharmaceutical materials has <0.5% loss of image quality with 15.8% sampling rate.<br></p>

This dissertation research aims to analyze the material Ejercicios Amigos Dos used by students learning Spanish as a foreign language in a Swedish school. Specifically, it examines the place of speaking skills, in the context of basic language skills. This study was an exploratory and descriptive analysis of the material Ejercicios Amigos Dos.Qualitative method used was action research, which was based on the real needs of the author of this study to enhance their teaching.Sheet one and Sheet two containing educational criteria for the analysis of teaching materials were used to measure the place of speaking skills.The main findings in the analysis showed that speaking skills are taken into account in the teaching material, however there are some micro skills missing. Speaking skills do not take a prominent role in the teaching material. Writing skills are emphasized to a greater extent.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of female and male authors from a genderperspective and how different cultures and ethnicities were represented in three textbooks: SpråkportenSvenska som andraspråk 1 2 3, Kontext Svenska som andraspråk 1 and Kontext Svenska som andraspråk2-3. I have chosen to use a critical discourse analysis to answer my questions. The method is based onNorman Fairclough`s model, which consists of three dimensions: text, discursive practice and socialpractice. The results showed an uneven distribution among female and male authors in all three textbooksmentioned above. Cultures and ethnicities other than Swedish were mentioned to a limited extent. Thecontent of the textbooks was often about differences between groups, while similarities between groupswere given a limited space. Descriptions of other cultures and ethnicities were in some cases one-sided andstereotyped. There were also tendencies towards a we and them discourse where the Swedish we was setagainst the non-Swedish them.

M. S.

The theory is based on an assumed displacement field, in which the surface displacements are expanded in powers of the thickness coordinate up to the third order. The theory allows parabolic description of the transverse shear stresses, and therefore the shear correction factors of the usual shear deformation theory are not required in the present theory. The theory accounts for small strains but moderately large displacements (i.e., von Karman strains). Exact solutions for certain cross-ply shells and finite-element models of the theory are also developed. The finite-element model is based on independent approximations of the displacements and bending moments (i.e., mixed formulation), and therefore only C°-approximations are required. Further, the mixed variational formulations developed herein suggest that the bending moments can be interpolated using discontinuous approximations (across inter-element boundaries). The finite element is used to analyze cross-ply and angle-ply laminated shells for bending, vibration, and transient response. Numerical results are presented to show the effects of boundary conditions, lamination scheme (i.e., bending-stretching coupling and material anisotropy) shear deformation, and geometric nonlinearity on deflections and frequencies. Many of the numerical results presented here for laminated shells should serve as references for future investigations. / Ph. D.

A method for reinforcing the free edges of a symmetric 11-ply graphite-epoxy laminate by adding a one-layer Kevlar-epoxy edge cap is studied. Generalized plane strain finite element analysis is used to predict that interlaminar stresses are reduced when an edge cap is added to the laminate. Different edge cap designs are evaluated. A three-dimensional composite failure criterion and finite element analysis are used in a progressive laminate failure analysis to predict the failure load of the reinforced luminate. The results of an experimental program are presented. Cappad laminates are shown to be on average 130% to 140%. stronger than uncapped laminates when subjected to static tensile or tension-tension fatigue loading. In addition, the coefficient of variation of the static tensile failure load decreases from 24% to 8% with the addition of edge caps. The predicted failure load which is calculated with the finite element results is 10%. lower than the actual failure load. For both the capped and the uncapped laminates, actual failure loads are much lower than those predicted using classical lamination theory stresses and a 2-D failure criterion. Possible applications of the free edge reinforcement concept are given. Suggestions for future research are made. / M.S.

A change in laminate thickness due to terminating internal plies acts as a stress riser for both intralamina and interlaminar stresses. This laminate configuration is referred to as a ply drop. The linear elastic, three-dimensional stress distributions in the vicinity of a ply drop are determined for a graphite-epoxy laminate subject to axial tension and compression by a finite element analysis. It is shown that the interlaminar stresses have a maximum magnitude at the ply drop-off, and decrease proceeding away from the drop-off. Two modes of failure initiation are analyzed. In the pure resin regions surrounding the dropped plies, the maximum stress criterion is assumed to govern failure. The Tsai-Wu criterion is used for intralamina failure prediction. The influence of two laminate lay-ups and a variety of ply drop geometries on the response and failure are presented. / M.S.

I denna studie undersöks om styrdokument och läromedel korrelerar i sättet att se på grammatik i kursen Svenska 2 på gymnasiet, med utgångspunkt i begreppen funktionell respektive formell grammatikundervisning. Svenskämnets syfte, kunskapskrav och kommentarsmaterial tillsammans med grammatikavsnitten i läromedlen Svenska rum 2 och Svenska impulser 2 undersöks genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Den teoretiska utgångspunkten är en begreppsdefinition av funktionell och formell grammatik som innefattar sex olika kriterier för varje begrepp. I resultatet framkommer att styrdokumenten ger uttryck för ett mer funktionellt perspektiv på grammatik, medan läromedlet Svenska rum 2 ger uttryck för ett formellt perspektiv på grammatik. Läromedlet Svenska impulser 2 har både ett funktionellt och formellt perspektiv på grammatik. Det finns en formell grund men läromedlet innehåller flera funktionella ansatser, därför har läromedlets grammatikavsnitt tolkats som mer funktionell än formell. Slutsatsen som kan dras är således att Svenska impulser 2 kan anses korrelera med styrdokumenten, trots att de funktionella aspekterna skulle kunna utvecklas ytterligare. Styrdokumenten kan dock inte anses korrelera med grammatikavsnittet i Svenska rum 2 efter begreppet funktionell grammatik. / This essay aims to examine whether or not the syllabi and teaching materials correlate in their views on grammar in the upper secondary school course Swedish 2, in regards to functional and formal grammar teaching. The aim of the subject, knowledge requirements and commentary materials, as well as the grammar sections of the teaching materials Svenska rum 2 and Svenska impulser 2, are examined through a qualitative text analysis. The theoretical assumption for the study is based on a definition of the concepts of functional and formal grammar, where each concept is defined by six different criteria. The results show that the syllabus favor a more functional perspective on grammar, whereas the teaching material Svenska rum 2 favors a more formal perspective on grammar. The teaching material Svenska impulser 2 expresses both a functional and a formal perspective on grammar. Its basis is a formal perspective on grammar, but the material includes several functional approaches to grammar and has therefore been interpreted as more functional than formal. This study concludes that Svenska impulser 2 can be considered to correlate with the syllabus, even though the functional aspects could be developed further. However, the syllabus cannot be considered to correlate with the grammar sections in Svenska rum 2 in regards to the concept of functional grammar.

This investigation centers on early concrete technology used in Seguin, Texas, during the mid-19th century. Over the course of fifty years, more than ninety concrete structures were built in Seguin. Over the last century, these have dwindled to twenty extant structures. Much of the previous Seguin concrete era research has focused on the historical narrative and architectural description. This study aims to answer questions that previous research has not — it investigated the raw materials used in making Seguin’s concrete. The results provide new information about the Seguin concrete structures, providing guidance for their long-term maintenance. The materials analysis uses instrumental techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction to determine the chemical composition and crystalline structure of the cement binder from several extant structures in Seguin. Gathering both qualitative and quantitative data for the binder allowed us to identify the raw materials used in the concrete and better understand the construction methods. Studying the materials and methods increased our understanding of these historic structures and will inform future preservation efforts. / text

Gender equality is a central topic in the curriculum of the upper secondary school and it should permeate all of the school’s activities. The purpose of this study is to determine whether three textbooks written for the course Swedish 1 in upper secondary school lives up to the requirements of gender equality as stipulated in the curriculum. The textbooks are analyzed both by means of comparing how often women and men are mentioned in the texts, as well as by evaluating the adjectives and participles by which women and men are described. Gender theory and sociolinguistics form the basis for this study. Gender theory addresses gender roles and gender identity in relation to the power of society and norms. Sociolinguistics describes the language from different perspectives, such as gender. The analysis shows that men are more frequently mentioned in the texts than women are. Moreover, positively charged adjectives and participles are more commonly associated with the male gender. The analysis also shows that men are usually linked to the public sector by association to their proffesional titles, while women are connected with the family. This study concludes that the reviewed textbooks cannot be said to meet the gender equality requirements in the curriculum for the upper secondary school. Men are in focus and the books confirm prejudice that exists in the society against women and men. However, these books do not need to be dismissed. Teachers can use these to show and discuss the realationship between women and men in today’s society with their students. This way norms can become more developed and contribute to a more permissive climate in the future.