The 19th century was a time when a large number of voluntary associations were being formed both in Sweden and in Europe as a whole. Their ambition was to engage in health care and poor relief issues as well as in the educational system. Furthermore, the general idea was to promote temperance and foster a sense of thrift among the poor and the working class population. While the starting-point of the thesis was the question as to why the voluntary associations founded various charitable activities as well as how the philanthropy was designed, organised and modified throughout the century, the aim has been to elucidate the motive force and incentives for their social reforms. In order to answer the two main questions of the dissertation, the association De Badande Wännerna (the DBW), which engaged in several philanthropic activities in the Swedish province of Gotland as early as the 1810s, has been selected for a case study. In the literature a number of different reasons have been stressed as to why voluntary associations chose to engage in charitable activities. In order to shed light on what factors that underlay their philanthropic work, the process of negotiation regarding the various institutions established by the DBW, as well as the practical layout of the establishments, have been analysed from the perspectives of a theoretical model based on affinity groups. The study has shown that the incentives of philanthropy were complex. Furthermore, the incentives changed concurrently with the expansion of the public poor relief and educational system, which from the middle of the 19th century took over many of the humanitarian efforts hitherto run by the voluntary associations. The result of this development was that the voluntary associations created new spheres of activity. They continued to fulfil important societal functions, but their establishments also fulfilled a more internal desire for pleasure and delights.

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Sweden’s health care is continuously subjected to economical cutbacks, which results in enormous workloads. To prevent problems that arise in these situations, it is of great importance to take measures to increase the efficiency of the working process. This goal can be obtained by increasing our knowledge of the body, under both normal and sickly conditions. That is, by sharing knowledge of the various medical service units within Stockholm’s county council and thus elaborates diagnostics. Both clinical and scientific competence must be at hand within several medical fields, whereas the width is a condition for specialized surgery and education within different categories. The purpose of this essay is to describe the profits/advantages by using telemedicine at Karolinska university hospital in Huddinge as support service for the structural changes made by Stockholm’s county council, this from county council economics perspectives. The decision that all abdominal surgery was to be performed at Karolinska was based on the knowledge and experience that by concentrating a certain type of special care to a single location, that knowledge will be maximized (the more patients, the more practice), which will ease the prospects of high-quality health care, education as well as research. Telemedicine as a support service means specialist availability through telemedicine information technique and healthcare time efficiency. This in the form of traveling hours, new evaluation of already remitted patients and time consumption due to inferior examination. The increase in efficiency will result in cost-benefits for Stockholm’s county council and entirely new grounds fore coworkers and patients. The new system will lead to that the most highly qualified within a certain area of expertise are available through exchange of knowledge, going from specialist to doctor. As a result, the patients will faster receive the proper care. / Ekonomiska besparingar sker kontinuerligt inom sjukvården i Sverige, vilket innebär enorma arbetsbelastningar. För att förhindra problem som kan uppstå i och med detta är det viktigt med åtgärder som leder till effektivisering av arbetsprocessen. Det kan uppnås genom att öka kunskapen om vår kropp under normala och sjukliga förhållanden, dvs. genom att utveckla diagnostiken via kunskapsutbyten vid de olika sjukvårdsenheterna inom Stockholm Läns Landsting. Både klinisk och vetenskaplig kompetens måste finnas inom ett stort antal medicinska fält och bredden är en förutsättning för högspecialiserad kirurgi och utbildning inom olika kategorier. Syftet med denna uppsats är att beskriva lönsamheten, med användning av telemedicin på Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset i Huddinge som stödtjänst till de strukturella förändringar som SLL har beslutat om (koncentration av specialistkirurgi till sjukhuset), ur ett landstingsekonomiskt perspektiv. Beslutandet om att all övre abdominell specialkirurgi skulle utföras på Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset i Huddinge grundades utifrån kunskapen och erfarenheten om att koncentration av en viss typ av specialistvård på ett och samma ställe leder till att all specialistkunskap koncentreras och utvecklas på ett ställe (större patientmassa, ”mer träning”) vilket gör det lättare för vidare högkvalificerad vård, utbildning och forskning. Telemedicin som stödtjänst innebär specialisttillgänglighet genom telemedicinsk informationsteknik och vårdtidsvinster i form av restider, ny bedömning av redan bedömda patienter och minskad tidsåtgång pga. undermålig undersökning. Effektiviseringen leder till kostnadsbesparingar för Stockholms Läns Landsting och innebär helt andra förutsättningar för medarbetare och patienter. Det nya arbetssättet gör att de bästa inom området finns tillgängliga för de berörda sjukhusen genom kunskapsöverföring från specialisten till läkaren. På så sätt kommer patienten fortare till rätt behandling.

Företag: Midelfart Sonesson AB Syfte: Studien skulle ge en bild av vilka kriterier som är betydelsefulla för företag vid rationalisering av lagerställen. Den skulle dessutom ge en bild av vilka tänkbara ekonomiska konsekvenser som kan följa efter en rationalisering. Genom en fallstudie av ett typföretag och genom kompletterande intervjuer med kunniga inom logistik och företagsekonomi skulle författarna undersöka vilka kriterier som företagen lägger mest vikt på när de ska starta ett så stort projekt som lagerställesrationalisering, samt förstå vad kostnadsbesparingen kan bli. Metod: En studie av företaget Midelfart Sonesson AB har utförts. Primär- och sekundärdata har samlats in genom personliga intervjuer, litteratur, rapporter, och elektroniska källor. Teori: Teorin består av nio olika avsnitt som kan tillämpas på ämnet i uppsatsen. Teorin används för att förstå företagets uppbyggnad, organisation och dess handlande. Det ger en förståelse av lagerhållning och lagerställesrationalisering. Empiri: I empirin beskrivs företagets situation idag. Förslag från konsulten tas upp, angående den förändring och det val som de står inför. Material som inkommit genom intervjuer belyses även i empirin. Slutsats: Kostnadseffektivitet med bibehållen kundservice är de viktigaste kriterierna. Stora kostnadsbesparingar kan göras vid lagerställesrationalisering. / Company: Midelfart Sonesson AB Purpose: The essay should give a picture of which criteria are important to companies when rationalizing their warehouse places. It would also illustrate what the possible economic consequences could be after a rationalization. A case study of a typical company and in addition, interviews with experts in the areas of logistics and business administration should help the authors investigate which criteria the companies emphasize, when they start such a large project as warehouse place rationalizing, and also understand the cost effect. Methodology: A study of the company Midelfart Sonesson AB has been done. Primary- and secondary data has been gathered through personal interviews, literature, reports and electronic sources. Theoretical perspective: The theory consists of nine different sections that can be applied to the subject of this essay. The theory is used to understand a company’s build-up, organization and its action. It gives a comprehension of stock holding and warehouse place rationalization. Empirical foundation: This is where the company’s situation of today is described. The consultant’s recommendations, concerning the transformation and the choice that has to be made, are described. Information received through interviews is also illustrated in the empirical foundation. Conclusion: Cost efficiency with maintained customer service is the most important criteria. Large cost savings can be made through warehouse place rationalizing.

Building Integrated Photo Voltaics (BIPVs) are devices which are manufactured to replace building components exposed to sufficient sunlight to generate energy. Photo Voltaic Roof tiles are Building Integrated components which can be used instead of traditional roofing materials. The following thesis is focused on comparing traditional, cheaper asphalt roof tiles with Photo Voltaic (PV) roofing tiles in terms of energy cost savings during their respective Net Present Values. The method used for achieving this is computer simulation made possible by software named "Solar Advisory Model" (SAM), developed by National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL), to simulate energy output and resultant energy costs saved. The simulations have been run on a prototype example of a model of a dwelling unit's roof area. The simulations have been repeated for 35 cities all over the U.S.A. for 5 different climatic zones on the same prototype example of the dwelling unit. Similarly, the roof area being laid with an array of PV roof tiles has been estimated for coverage by traditional asphalt roof shingles by using data from the RS Means construction costs data. The estimated costs associated with the asphalt roof area have been adjusted to a different set of 35 locations from the 5 climatic zones by using the location factor from RS Means. A statistical analysis was done to analyze the data, net present value of roofing materials being the dependent variable versus climatic zones and roofing material as the independent variables. The statistical model also included CDD (Cooling Degree Days) and HDD (Heating Degree Days) as co-variates. The results indicate that NPV (Net Present Value) of BIPV roof is significantly different from that of asphalt roof. Another statistical analysis was done to determine the effect of climatic zones on energy savings due to the use of BIPV roofing. Energy savings (in US$) was used as a dependent variable, and climatic zone as the independent variable. HDD AND CDD were also included in this model as co-variates. The results of this test indicate that both climatic zone and HDD have an effect on total energy savings.

Halving poverty until 2015 is something that all member states of United Nation have agreed up on by adopting the Millennium Development Goals MDG in 1991. The question asked in this paper is how much aid is needed in Tanzania, to reduce poverty by half. The method we use links estimated annual economic growth rates to the required amount of aid needed to halve poverty. This study finds that during 2002-2015 Tanzania should receive between $37 to $43 (2002 US dollar) per year and capita depending on the underlying assumptions. Between 1994 and 2002 Tanzania received 36 dollar per year and capita so the amount of aid must at least be kept on the same level as preceding years and perhaps be increased to reach the goal of halving poverty until 2015. Moreover, this study only calculates the cost of reaching the first MDG and not the cost of reaching the remaining goals stated in the United Nations Millennium Declaration.

In this research, the four valve independent metering configuration is to be investigated. The Independent metering concept will be emphasized and compared to spool valve coupled metering conventional technologies. Research focuses on the energy savings potential of the four valve independent metering configuration in addition to improving performance. The basic model of interest in this research is an actuator that is controlled by the four valve independent metering configuration to move beam like members of mobile hydraulic equipment such as tractor loader backhoes, excavators, and telehandlers. Five distinct (or discrete) metering modes that exist in the literature are initially studied: Powered Extension, High Side Regeneration Extension, Low Side Regeneration Extension, Powered Retraction, and Low Side Regeneration Retraction. The energy saving potential of these modes is studied and comparisons between this system and a conventional spool valve controlled actuator are conducted. The problem of switching between these five modes is treated as an optimal control problem of a switched dynamic system. Before solving the optimal control problem, a dynamic model for the system of interest is first derived. The model is experimentally validated. General theory for the optimal control problem is derived and then applied to the hydraulic system of interest. The results are then interpreted and explained by looking into the force-speed capability of modes. The effect of mode switching on system performance is studied as well. The basic mechanical system used for this analysis is a continuous rotating beam that undergoes structural vibrations due to mode switching in the driving hydraulic actuator. A fully coupled actuator-beam model is investigated. A non-dimensional analysis is pursued to generalize the study results. The optimal switching analysis and the vibrational study lead to the idea of Continuously Variable Modes (CVMs). Instead of having five distinct modes that determines the flow path by opening two of the four valves in the assembly, three Continuously Variable Modes are presented as an alternative way of controlling the four-valve configuration. These three CVMs combine the distinct modes and use three of the four valves to provide the fluid flow path. The five distinct modes become a special case of these three CVMs. It is going to be shown that CVMs have more force-speed capabilities than the distinct modes and provide for better velocity and vibrational performance by virtue of always offering a continuous flow path. The theory behind CVMs is presented and experimental validation follows.

Thesis (M.Pharm. (Pharmacy Practice))---North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

"Diabetes mellitus" refers to a spectrum of conditions, which all present with hyperglycaemia as a common medical finding. Diabetes was once thought of as a single disease, but according to Setter et a/. (2000:378), it includes a heterogeneous group of disorders that are secondary to various genetic predispositions and precipitating factors. Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) accounts for 10 to 15% of all cases of diabetes mellitus and is clinically characterised by hyperglycaemia and a propensity to diabetic keto-acidosis. Its control requires chronic insulin treatment. Although it may occur at any age, it most commonly develops in childhood or adolescence and is the predominant type of diabetes mellitus diagnosed before age 30 (Beers & Berkow, 2004). Type 2 DM is usually the type diagnosed in patients older than 30 years of age. It is also commonly associated with obesity (Berkow, 1992:1108). The objective of this study was to review the usage and cost of antidiabetic drugs and to determine the influence of the pricing regulations on the cost of these drugs. This research can be classified as retrospective and quantitative. Data were obtained from a prescription claims database, and the study population consisted of all the antidiabetic prescriptions for the year 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004. The one-year period was divided into three study periods, namely January to April, May to August and September to December. Firstly diabetes mellitus was investigated in order to understand the disease and to determine the prevalence and treatment thereof. It was found that diabetes mellitus is a heterogeneous disorder acquired from both genetic and environmental factors and that education for the general population, and in particular for the patients, is the key to preventing and controlling diabetes and reducing the complications arising from it. Secondly managed health care, pharmaco-economics and a drug utilisation review were investigated in order to understand these concepts. The influence of the South African Government on health care was discussed, including the new pricing regulations of medicine in South Africa. Thirdly, the utilisation patterns of antidiabetic drugs were reviewed, analysed and interpreted. It was determined that the oral antidiabetic agents are relatively less expensive than the insulins and that they are prescribed more frequently, and secondly that the biguanides presented almost half (49.4%, n = 116 138) of all the oral antidiabetic agents. It was also determined that the average cost of the oral antidiabetic drugs was between 21 .O% and 28.0% lower in 2004 than in 1996 - an indication that, despite inflation, the antidiabetic drugs were less expensive in 2004 than eight years ago in 1996. It was also calculated that the total cost savings in antidiabetic medication could have been R1 448 682.26 if the lower price of antidiabetic agents had been implemented during the period January to April. And finally it was also determined that further substantial "cost savings" could have been possible if all the innovator antidiabetic products had been substituted for less expensive generic antidiabetic products. Abstract / Thesis (M.Pharm. (Pharmacy Practice))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Current designs of high performance buildings utilize hourly building energy simulations of complex, interacting systems. Such simulations need to quantify the benefits of numerous features including: thermal mass, HVAC systems and, in some cases, special features such as active and passive solar systems, photovoltaic systems, and lighting and daylighting systems. Unfortunately, many high performance buildings today do not perform the way they were simulated. One potential reason for this discrepancy is that designers using the simulation programs do not understand the analysis methods that the programs are based on and therefore they may have unreasonable expectations about the system performance or use. The purpose of this study is to trace the origins of a variety of simulation programs and the analysis methods used in the programs to analyze high performance buildings in the United States. Such an analysis is important to better understand the capabilities of the simulation programs so they can be used more accurately to simulate the performance of an intended design. The goal of this study is to help explain the origins of the analysis methods used in whole-building energy simulation, solar system analysis simulation or design, and lighting and daylighting analysis simulation programs. A comprehensive history diagram or genealogy chart, which resolves discrepancies between the diagrams of previous studies, has been provided to support the explanations for the above mentioned simulation programs.