Bakgrunden till denna studie är vårt gemensamma intresse av landsbygden och dess utveckling. Denna studie undersöker vilka faktorer som spelar in när människor väljer att aktivt genomföra en migration från stad till landsbygd. Vår förhoppning har varit att hitta specifika faktorer som kan hjälpa framtida samhällsplanerare att göra landsbygden mer attraktiv. Vi har använt Benson och O'Reillys teori om livstilsmigration, såväl som de migrationsteoretiska begreppen push-pull-teori och downshifting för att analysera resultatet av genomförd enkät och kvalitativa intervjuer. Vi har till stor del fokuserat på ett geografiskt avgränsat område, närmare bestämt östra Värmland. Resultatet av studien visar att svaren till mycket stor del överensstämmer med varandra samt Benson och O’Reillys teori. De stämmer även överens med den tidigare forskning vi använt oss av. Vi har kommit fram till att konceptet downshifting kan innefattas av teorin om livsstilsmigration. De främsta orsakerna till flytt från staden till landsbygden visade sig vara olika pull-faktorer till landet, däribland närhet till naturen, kravlösheten och den upplevda gemenskapen med andra människor i samma område. Även push-faktorer som stressen i staden, mängden människor samlade på en liten yta och ekorrhjulet finns bland de angivna svaren.

The European Commission had approved the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) regulations in the year 2006, and will begin to implement it form 1 June 2007. This regulation greatly increases safety of protection for the users of chemicals, but it also brought a problem for the manufactures as well as downstream users. That is they have to generate and distribute much more Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) then before. This work is difficult for most companies since this job usually was done manually. The new regulation requires a much more efficient method to generate and distribute them. This thesis project addresses the problem of automatically distributing MSDS and the corresponding metadata. It presents the underlying technology selected for this project. It gives a brief introduction of this project, the underlying technologies used, along with the methods used to deliver relevant and up to date materials safety information. At last an HTTP web application approach was selected to solve the problem, the resulting application can efficiently notify a downstream user of the newly updated MSDS and transport the corresponding file and metadata. It is truly data driven, therefore the downstream user does not need to check for updates everyday, instead will be notified when there is an available update. / Den Europeiska kommissionen antog 2006 en ny bestämmelse för informationsspridning av kemikalier, Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH), och den kommer att tas i bruk från första juni 2007. Bestämmelsen innebär ett starkt ökat skydd för användare av kemikalier, men den ställer även till problem för både tillverkare och användare. Exempelvis, de måste generera och distribuera betydligt fler materialsäkerhetsföreskrifter, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), än tidigare. Detta arbete är krävande för de flesta företag eftersom arbetet ofta sker manuellt. Den nya bestämmelsen kräver mycket effektivare metoder att generera och distribuera MSDS. Det här examensarbetet fokuserar på problemet att automatiskt distribuera MSDS och den korresponderande metadatat. Rapporten presenterar den underliggande teknologin för examensarbetet. Därutöver ges en kort introduktion till examensarbetet, den underliggande teknologin, tillsammans med de metoderna som används för att skicka relevanta och aktuella materialsäkerhetsföreskrifter. Som avslutning väljs en HTTP Web applikationslösning för att lösa problemet. Den lösningen kan effektivt underrätta en användare att det finns en nyare MSDS och sedan skicka den korresponderande filen och dess metadata. Den är data driven, vilket gör att en användare inte måste kontrollera för uppdateringar varje dag, utan kommer att bli informerad när det finns en ny tillgänglig.

Software maintainability can be difficult to plan for when strategies for software development present tradeoffs between popular support and expressiveness. These tradeoffs were explored in the context of a recent software project, where two schema transformation applications were developed in two ways: a first that used the traditional XSLT 1.0 plus pull processing approach to application development, and a second using XSLT 2.0 and push processing. The improvements obtained with the second strategy, which took 1/4 of the time to implement while substantially reducing the size of both applications and the complexity of one, suggest that the benefits of transitioning to XSLT 2.0 and push processing far outweigh the benefits of the older approaches.

Purpose: To examine the validity of 2 kinematic systems for assessing mean velocity (MV), peak velocity (PV), mean force (MF), peak force (PF), mean power (MP), and peak power (PP) during the full-depth free-weight back squat performed with maximal concentric effort. Methods: Ten strength-Trained men (26.1 ± 3.0 y, 1.81 ± 0.07 m, 82.0 ± 10.6 kg) performed three 1-repetition-maximum (1RM) trials on 3 separate days, encompassing lifts performed at 6 relative intensities including 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 90%, and 100% of 1RM. Each repetition was simultaneously recorded by a PUSH band and commercial linear position transducer (LPT) (GymAware [GYM]) and compared with measurements collected by a laboratory-based testing device consisting of 4 LPTs and a force plate. Results: Trials 2 and 3 were used for validity analyses. Combining all 120 repetitions indicated that the GYM was highly valid for assessing all criterion variables while the PUSH was only highly valid for estimations of PF (r = .94, CV = 5.4%, ES = 0.28, SEE = 135.5 N). At each relative intensity, the GYM was highly valid for assessing all criterion variables except for PP at 20% (ES = 0.81) and 40% (ES = 0.67) of 1RM. Moreover, the PUSH was only able to accurately estimate PF across all relative intensities (r = .92-.98, CV = 4.0-8.3%, ES = 0.04-0.26, SEE = 79.8-213.1 N). Conclusions: PUSH accuracy for determining MV, PV, MF, MP, and PP across all 6 relative intensities was questionable for the back squat, yet the GYM was highly valid at assessing all criterion variables, with some caution given to estimations of MP and PP performed at lighter loads.

No description available.

Despite of all the advances in smartphone technology in recent years, smartphones still remain limited by their battery life. Unlike other power hungry components in the smartphone, the cellular data and Wi-Fi interfaces often continue to be used even while the phone is in the idle state to accommodate unnecessary data traffic produced by some applications. In addition, bad reception has been proven to greatly increase energy consumed by the radio, which happens quite often when smartphone users are inside buildings. In this paper, we present a Short message service Push based Service (SPS) to save unnecessary power consumption when smartphones are in idle state, especially in bad reception areas. First, SPS disables a smartphone's data interfaces whenever the phone is in idle state. Second, to preserve the real-time notification functionality required by some apps, such as new email arrivals and social media updates, when a notification is needed, a wakeup text message will be received by the phone, and then SPS enables the phone's data interfaces to connect to the corresponding server to retrieve notification data via the normal data network. Once the notification data has been retrieved, SPS will disable the data interfaces again if the phone is still in idle state. We have developed a complete prototype for Android smartphones. Our experiments show that SPS consumes less energy than the current approach. In areas with bad reception, the SPS prototype can double the battery life of a smartphone.

The inherent difficulty in designing high voltage power supplies is often compounded by demands of high reliability, high performance, and safe functionality. A proposed high step-up ratio DC-DC converter meets the exacting requirements of applications such as uninterruptible power systems, radar, and pulsed power systems. The proposed DC-DC converter topology combines a multi-phase buck input stage with a novel self-tracking zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) resonant output stage. Traditionally, the inclusion of multiple power processing stages within a power supply topology severely degrades the overall converter efficiency. Due to the inherent high efficiency per stage, however, this effect is minimized. The self-tracking switching scheme ensures that ZVS occurs across the full range of load variation. Furthermore, the switching scheme allows significantly increased flexibility in component tolerances compared to traditional resonant converter designs. The converter also demonstrates indefinite short-circuit protection and true ZVS during transient processes. Computer simulation and hardware analysis verify the efficacy of the topology as a rugged and efficient converter.

The research presented in this thesis is to evaluate the feasibility of demountable shear connectors as an alternative to welded shear connectors in composite structures through push off tests and composite beam tests. Push off tests were conducted to examine the shear strength, stiffness and ductility of demountable shear connectors in composite structures. The experimental results showed that demountable shear connectors in composite structures have very similar shear capacity to welded shear connectors. The shear capacity was compared against the prediction methods used for the welded shear connections given in Eurocode 4 and AISC 360-10 and the methods used for bolted connections in Eurocode 3 and ACI 318-08. It was found that the AISC 360-10 and ACI 318-08 methods overestimated the shear capacity in some cases. The Eurocode method is conservative and can be utilised to predict the shear capacity of demountable connectors in composite structures. The experimental studies of two identical composite beams using demountable shear connectors and welded shear connectors showed very similar moment capacity. However, the specimen with demountable shear connectors was more ductile compared to the welded specimen. The experimental study suggests that the methods available in Eurocode 4 and BS 5950 for predicting moment capacity and mid span deflection can be adopted for composite beam with demountable shear connectors. In addition, a finite element analysis of push off test and beam test with demountable shear connectors was also conducted for parametric studies and results are used to evaluate the behaviour of composite structures. / EPSRC and the University of Bradford

Ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) are used to improve walking in some lower extremity conditions but AFOs restrict ankle motion resulting in a trade-off in ankle and hip mechanics. While the use of AFOs have been well documented, there still remain gaps in the literature. The first study compared the differences in sagittal plane ankle and hip kinematics and kinetics across three conditions at two speeds in healthy individuals while the second study compared frontal plane kinetics at the hip and knee and vertical ground reaction forces between two conditions at two speeds in healthy individuals. This was studied by collecting and analyzing three-dimensional joint kinematics and ground reaction forces from twelve healthy adults. Participants walked in three conditions (shod; i.e. athletic shoes only and two reduced push-off conditions using solid ankle foot orthoses (SAFOs); i.e. unilateral brace and bilateral brace conditions) and at two speeds (1.25m/s and 1.5m/s). In the first study, generalized linear models with general estimating equations were used to compare ankle and hip angles, moments and power for the braced and unbraced sides separately in all three conditions. In the second study, frontal plane kinetics and vertical ground reaction forces in the unbraced limb in the unilateral brace condition were compared to the same side during shod walking using paired sample t-tests. From our first study we found that the reduced push-off from the use of SAFOs results in decreased peak plantarflexion angles and power generation at the ankle and increased peak flexion angles, and first and second peak power generation at the hip in the braced limbs in both unilateral (p≤0.05) and bilateral (p≤0.05) brace conditions at both speeds. On the unbraced side in the unilateral brace condition, there were decreased peak power generation at the ankle at 1.25m/s and increased peak extension moments, first and second peak power generation at the hip compared to the shod condition (p<0.05) at both speeds. In the comparison between the unilateral and bilateral brace conditions, the changes in ankle and hip mechanics were similar to the changes between the shod condition and the bilateral brace condition on the unbraced side; in addition, participants also had higher peak extension moments in the unilateral brace condition compared to the bilateral brace condition (p<0.05). On the braced side, participants had lower peak plantarflexion moments at the ankle and lower peak flexion angles at the hip when walking with bilateral SAFOs, compared to walking with unilateral SAFOs (p<0.05). In the second study, we found that peak internal knee and hip abduction moments were 3% and 4% higher, respectively, in the unbraced limb in the unilateral brace condition at 1.25m/s (p≤0.041) compared to the same side in the shod condition. Peak vertical ground reaction force was 3% higher in the unbraced limb in the unilateral brace condition at both speeds (p=0.002). Findings indicate that walking with unilateral ankle foot orthoses presents an increased risk of developing secondary conditions.

Denna studie riktar fokus mot det växande intresset för att bosätta sig på landsbygden, en trend som fått alltmer uppmärksamhet i det moderna samhället. För att fördjupa förståelsen för detta fenomen, grundas studien på kvalitativa intervjuer med sex individer som har valt att flytta till landsbygden. Dessa intervjuer syftar till att studera personliga upplevelser och synvinklar från dem som aktivt har deltagit i denna migrationsrörelse. Studien koncentrerar sig på att utforska individers motivationer och upplevelser relaterade till deras beslut att flytta till landsbygden. Detta ger en möjlighet att djupdyka i de personliga drivkrafterna och hur dessa beslut påverkar både individens liv och de samhällen de väljer att bosätta sig i. Syftet med studien är att undersöka de mänskliga aspekterna av denna omvända migrationstrend och att förstå hur dessa val formar individers vardag. Resultaten visar att män valt att migrera till landsbygden på grund av flera olika motiv och anledningar, varav de mest centrala motiven var längtan efter en livsstil som ger bättre livskvalitet, samt strävan efter en kulturell förändring som stärker deras intressen och självbild.