Microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa, colonise the inner surfaces of drinking water pipes and form biofilms. Drinking water biofilms act to protect the microorganisms that they house from the harsh conditions that we impose such as disinfection. Biofilms are generally thought of as being detrimental in drinking water distribution systems; they can harbour pathogens that intermittently emerge at the tap and they can affect the aesthetics of drinking water. The formation and dissolution of biofilms are intricately linked with the flow conditions and therefore, if we are to manage biofilms in drinking water systems, then it is imperative that we understand the crucial role that hydrodynamics play. Thus, my thesis focuses on the growth of biofilms in drinking water under three distinct flow regimes: turbulent, transition and laminar, and under stagnant conditions, and reveals the role that hydrodynamics play in shaping biofilms in drinking water distribution systems. Not all bacteria are merely passive tracers in flow whose fate is governed by the physical flow alone. This thesis presents evidence that there might be key bacteria in aggregation in drinking water, whose biology acts to enhance the formation of multi-species biofilms. I explored that by testing the role that the Methylobacterium strain DSM 18358 played in the formation of biofilms on surfaces that starts with the formation of aggregates in the bulk water. I also explored whether the ability of this Methylobacterium strain to form aggregates was influenced by the flow regime. Ultimately, this research reveals whether the formation and structure of those aggregates in drinking water is influenced by the subtle interplay between biological and physical processes. Given that they are bacteria that can degrade various dangerous chlorine disinfection by-products I explored the role of the Methylobacterium strain DSM 18358 in the concentration of trihalomethanes in drinking water as these chlorine disinfection by-products can cause serious problems to human health when they occur at high concentrations in drinking water. Overall, I identified whether the presence of this Methylobacterium strain in drinking water can actually deliver a service that contributes to better drinking water quality.

Cells are in constant and dynamic interactions with the extracellular environment. They receive several inputs involved in the regulation of cell behaviour. Fibronectin, an abundant protein of the ECM, contains multiple binding domains and binds to cell receptors, growth factors and other ECM proteins. FN undergoes conformational changes through cell-generated contractile forces which consequently affects cell response. Tissue engineering aims at engineering biomaterials that recreate the in vivo ECM. In addition to biomaterials, stem cells have emerged as a promising source due to their inherent differentiation potential. In this work, the role of poly acrylates in controlling human mesenchymal stem cell behaviour (hMSCs) was explored. Particularly, a series of copolymers with specific ratio of ethyl(acrylate), EA, and methyl(acrylate), MA, were used. It is known that poly(ethyl)acrylate, PEA, triggers a network-like conformation of FN upon adsorption, whereas poly(methyl)acrylate, PMA, elicits a globular conformation. It was found that a different degree of FN organisation can be obtained dependent on the EA/MA ratio, with the network being more connected with increased EA ratio. This differential conformation was shown to affect the availability of critical binding sites. This system was further used to study hMSCs response in terms of adhesion and osteogenic differentiation. All surfaces support cell growth and focal adhesion formation. However, increased cell size and spreading was promoted on surfaces with higher EA concentration. Next, the potential of the surfaces after sequential adsorption of FN and the growth factor BMP-2 to drive osteogenic commitment was explored. Enhanced expression of the osteogenic markers RUNX2 and OCN was found with higher concentration of EA whereas the opposite was observed with ALP expression. Another part of this work involved investigating cell migration on PEA and PMA. Higher cell speed was found on PEA where FN adopts a more extended conformation. Moreover, the protein composition of focal adhesions was evaluated by proteomic analysis. The findings of this work give further insights into how the surface with well-defined chemical properties can modulate FN conformation and how these changes affect cellular processes.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department Not Listed / Kenneth F. Hughey / As higher education continues to integrate technology, the counselor education field has evolved and recognized the importance of graduate students’ attitudes towards technology acceptance of a wide array of technology in their training programs (Burt, Gonzalez, Swank, Ascher, & Cunningham, 2011; Kennedy, 2011; Orr, 2011; Sabella, Poynton, & Isaacs, 2010; Tyler & Sabella, 2004). This study examined the attitudes of counselor education graduate students in CACREP-accredited program towards technology acceptance using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the theoretical framework for the study. In particular, the purpose of this study was to better understand counselor education graduate students’ attitudes towards technology acceptance as it relates to perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, technology self-efficacy, and technology anxiety. Participants in the study were 107 graduate students who were enrolled in Fall 2018 at 10 Midwest CACREP-accredited counselor education programs. Data were gathered by an online survey consisting of a demographic questionnaire and four instruments (Technology Acceptance Model Scales, Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale, Technology Self-efficacy Scale, and Technology Anxiety Scale). The results of the hierarchical regression analysis for each of the research questions revealed several significant findings regarding graduate students’ attitudes towards use of technology. For the first research question, perceived ease of use was predicted by technology self-efficacy and technology anxiety. The results indicated perceived ease of use was influenced positively by technology self-efficacy and negatively by technology anxiety. For the second research question, perceived usefulness was predicted by technology self-efficacy and technology anxiety. The results indicated perceived usefulness was influenced positively by technology self-efficacy and negatively by technology anxiety. For the third research question, counselor education graduate students’ attitudes towards the use of technology was predicted by perceived usefulness. In addition, this study found a strong positive relationship between perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness likely due to multicollinearity. Technology plays an increasing role in counselor education programs. Findings from this study provide important information for counselor education programs to consider regarding graduate students’ attitudes towards the use of technology.

Billerudkorsnäs is a good example of an industry that associated with a 24/7 production and where faults lead to downtime in the production process which in its turn generates substantial losses. Sustainability is essential for a prosperous future for Billerudkorsnäs, and with the growth of technologies and digitalization with big data that are in line with the coming Industry 4.0 standard, the company will have the possibility to ensure a sustainable production system. However, to be able to achieve this, it is necessary to implement an intelligent maintenance system into the traditional manufacturing process. This study will, therefore focus on how online monitoring can be applied to estimate error prediction on Nash vacuum pumps by using Bluetooth low energy sensors. At Billerudkorsnäs, 6 Nash vacuum pumps have from time-to-time had a problem of bearing faults resulting in unreliable production. Even though time-based maintenance has been implemented, it has proven to be an insufficient method to uphold an efficient production and to in-time detect faults in the production process. As a response to this, first, the study has deployed a digitalized online monitoring application for fault prediction. By utilizes of Bluetooth low energy (BLE) Beacon, communication gateway (BLuFi) and a web-based platform Bluzone with cloud server services that work parallel with machine learning technology. The faults discovered by implemented application are observed via Bluzone. In addition, automatic generated e-mail sent to a vacuum pump inspector when such faults have occurred. Second, as an effect of this implementation, a classical theoretical framework based on an AutoRegressive (AR) and AR with exogenous input (ARX) for prediction modelling has been studied. The method applies historical data from the vacuum pump, and the problem with input and output data from two different applications is discussed. The results of the study gave at hand- in comparison with the technology used to-day – that the implemented new system has a more efficient in providing reliable information as to prevent unnecessary downtime in the Nash vacuum pumps. This implies a lower production cost. Although interesting results in practice it is difficult to use theoretically. In correspondence, AR prediction model results verify the model fit compared to the measured response. Also, the ARX model was tested. / BillerudKorsnäs är ett bra exempel på ett företag i en bransch som kan associeras med en 24/7-produktion och där fel i produktionsutrustningen leder till nedtid i produktionen vilken i sin tur genererar stora förluster. Hållbarhet är därmed en förutsättning för en framtidsäkrad verksamhet i Billerudkorsnäs. Med den teknikutveckling och digitalisering som blir följden av den kommande Industry 4.0-standarden, kommer företag generellt att kunna ha ett mer hållbart produktionssystem. För att kunna uppnå detta är det dock nödvändigt att implementera ett intelligent underhållssystem inom den traditionella tillverkningsprocessen. Denna studie ämnar därmed att fokusera på hur löpande online-monitorering kan tillämpas för att ge bra underlag för felsökning på Nash-vakuumpumpar med hjälp av digitaliserad Bluetooth låg energi - sensorer. Hos Billerudkorsnäs har 6 Nash-vakuumpumpar haft problem genom åren som givit upphov till otillförlitlig produktion. Trots att underhåll baserat på tidsaspekter kontinuerligt har genomförts, så har det visat sig vara en otillräcklig metod för att upprätthålla en effektiv produktion och att upptäcka fel över tid i produktionsprocessen. Som svar på detta, först har denna rapports ambition varit att studera vad en implementering av en digitaliserad (online) övervakningsapplikation för felprognoser kan påverka tillförlitligheten i produktionen. Metoden som använts har varit att implementera BLE Beacon, kommunikationsgateway (BLuFi) in i webbplattformen Bluzone som är servermiljön och ha det som en molntjänst. BLE Beacon arbetar med maskininlärningsteknik. De fel som upptäckts genom användandet av denna metod dokumenteras via Bluzone. Vidare har automatgenererade epostmeddelanden skickats till en vakuumpumpinspektör när fel uppträtt. Som en effekt av metodens implementation har en teoretisk modell baserad på AutoRegressive (AR) och AR med exogenous input (ARX) för prediktionsmetoder etablerats. Resultaten av studien visade, i jämförelse med dagens teknik, att den nya metoden har en högre effektivitet när det gäller att tillhandahålla de ansvariga med tillförlitlig information för att förhindra onödiga driftstopp i Nashvakuumpumparna. Detta har i sin tur medfört en lägre produktionskostnad. Det är intressanta resultat i praktiken men, det är svårt att använda teoretiskt. I korrespondens, verifierar AR-prediktionsmodell resultaten ”model fit” i jämförelse med det uppmättadata. Dessutom testades ARX-modellen.

When developing algorithms for autonomous vehicles it is important to test several different scenarios many times. New and untested algorithms are prone to make errors which results in accidents. It is therefore preferred to use a simulation environment instead. Sensors used to determine the vehicle’s position must then be modelled. This thesis answers the question whether adding sensor simulation to an existing simulation platform (AGXUnity) is viable, or if using other existing options is preferred. To reach the goal, a function-based sensor is developed and its accuracy tested. Its performance is determined by simulation in a standard scene. Tests showed that the sensor had acceptable accuracy and performance. The conclusion is that AGXUnity is a viable platform for sensor simulation.

<p> School districts have spent millions on technology tools and trainings. Yet, half of teachers still feel unprepared to utilize technology in the classroom. The primary barrier to technology has shifted to teacher belief&mdash;composed of teaching philosophy, technology skills, and experience with technology. Technology-based professional development must integrate a theoretical framework which directly addresses the role of technology in order to fully support teacher technology integration. Moreover, technology-based professional development requires new models to counteract the focus on skills acquisition. The researcher used the TPACK (Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge) framework&mdash; conceptualizing instruction as a blending of technology, pedagogy, and content- to support participants in evaluating their own practice. Additionally, the researcher investigated supplemental supports for professional development, modeling and mentoring, on technology integration. The researcher used the Technology Integration Assessment Rubric (TIAR), based on the TPACK framework, to measure changes in technology integration. Comparison of pretest and posttest TIAR scores found TPACK-based professional development raised TIAR scores by 0.37 (<i>SE</i> = 0.051, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Analysis of the mean posttest TIAR scores for the supplemental supports showed mentoring (<i>M</i> = 2.47), modeling (<i>M</i> = 2.29), and modeling and mentoring (<i>M</i> = 2.27) scored higher than the control group (<i>M</i> = 2.17), but were not statistically significant. Based on the results, the researcher asserts the need for theory-based support for technology integration and school districts to incorporate TPACK into the core principles guiding instructional technology departments. Further research is needed regarding the evolution of diverse models for professional development.</p><p>

<p> For over forty years, researchers, policymakers, and educational leaders have promoted computer technology use within schools to enhance teaching and learning (Culp, Honey, &amp; Mandinach, 2003; U.S. Department of Education, 2010). The effective schools literature of the 1980s suggested principals should be the instructional leader of the school building; however, school principals are often tasked with other administrative and managerial responsibilities diverting their attention from instructional technology (Lashway, 2002; Fullan 2014). Filling this gap requires a school leader who understands the importance of engaging learners with the technological advances of today&rsquo;s society. Partnering with the principal, the instructional technology leader can aid to improve the school&rsquo;s learning environment by influencing individual and institutional factors to support classroom technology use (Consortium for School Networking, 2009; International Society for Technology in Education, 2011). Unlike the role of the school principal, the instructional technology leader lacks authoritative power and instead relies on the ability to manage one&rsquo;s own emotions and attitudes as well as the emotions and attitudes of others (teachers), a process explored in emotional intelligence theory. </p><p> Using a blend of portraiture and narrative design methodology, this study explored the experiences of instructional technology leaders under the lens of emotional intelligence. The following question framed this study: How do instructional technology leaders perceive their own emotional intelligence (EI) and the role EI plays in the implementation and integration of instructional technology in the schools they serve?</p><p>

The goal of this thesis work was to investigate the antimicrobial effect of chitosan from zygomyzetes cell wall material in nonwoven textiles and compare it to commercially available chitosan. This was done using two methods, a somewhat modified version of AATCC Test Method 100-2004 (a standard method for quantitative testing of antimicrobial effect in textiles developed by the AATCC Committee) focusing on CFU, and TTC, a tetrazolium salt that changes from colourless to red in the presence of living microorganisms under the right conditions. The CFU method was also used to detect if it is possible to add chitosan earlier in the production stages, by scanning for any antimicrobial effect in test samples produced that way. Commercial chitosan added to the test samples in 2 % citric acid showed the strongest antimicrobial effect, even reaching the detection limit of approximately 99.5 % inhibition for both E. coli and K. pneumoniae without any incubation. Medium molecular weight commercial chitosan added in 2 % citric acid solution was also the only tested compound that could eliminate C. ablicans after 24 h incubation. Both commercial chitosan added as a powder and cell wall extract showed a mediocre inhibition without incubation, but were able to reach &gt;99 % inhibition after 24 h incubation. Generally speaking, the chitosan investigated is comparable to the chitosan available commercially today, even if it required somewhat longer to reach the same levels of inhibition. The other method for addition of chitosan, however, did not work properly. / Uppsatsnivå: D

In order to continue to be competitive in the current industrial climate, producers must increase efficiency at their plants. Several Swedish companies choose to utilise the principles of Lean production. Tour &amp; Andersson AB (TA) has elected to create their own model using Toyota’s productions system which has been named TAPS (Tour &amp; Andersson Production System). Following two years of working with TAPS the company has decided to introduce Total Productive Maintenance (TPM).Most of the work carried out in the maintenance department today is in form of repairs to already faulty equipment. Only 10 % of their resources are utilised to take preventative measures. Some resources in the form of maintenance systems are available, but are currently not used to their full potential.This report is founded on the company’s needs to make the maintenance operation more efficient in order to reduce costs and to reach a high level of service on delivery to the customer. The company is also striving to increase staff participation and to guarantee a high level of their safety and environmental work.The contents of this report have been collected through various literature, observations of the operation, interviews and one survey. The summary information aims to explain the introduction process from TA’s perspective and is designed to consider TA’s existing improvement processes and working methods. The introduction of TPM as a working method in an organisation would normally be implemented in 12 steps:1.Inform of the management’s decision to introduce TPU2.Create an organisation for change and develop pilot areas3.Education and information4.Develop policy and goals5.Formulate a key plan for the introduction of TPU6.Staff meeting and celebration of TPU introduction7.Measure and analyse OEE8.Operator maintenance in 7 steps9.Specialist maintenance10.In-service training (Development of competency)11.Equipment planning12.Devise new goalsTA has at this stage reached point number 2; a steering committee has been formed which has began looking at pilot projects. Further knowledge of TPM still needs to be gained and hence the steering committee has discussed the possibilities of purchasing relevant technical literature, organising lectures and making educational visits to other plants where TPM has already been implemented.Overall, the news of the introduction of a new tool to increase the utilisation of the company’s equipment, has been greeted positively. The expectation is that the report will be used as a guide and steer Tour &amp; Andersson in the right direction in their efforts towards an efficient and economical operation. / Uppsatsnivå: C

Three different manufacturing lines are chosen to be investigated and different solutions are suggested which are all beneficial for the company. All three lines are considered from the Lean manufacturing point of view. The most common failures in the factory are caused by the system called Poka-Yoke. The three chosen line are being investigated from this aspect of view as well and different solutions are given in this project. The existing systems at these lines are compared to the FPS, which finds its roots back in Lean Production. The FPS is described in this project in a specific chapter. The readers can also find the history behind the FPS and Lean production and the comparison between the FPS and Toyota Production System in this project. The authors have also gone through different construction arrangement by the side of these three lines and have come up with some solutions from the Lean manufacturing point of view in order to make the VCT manufacturing one step closer to the FPS. One can claim that the main goal of this project is to show the connection between the FPS and Volvo manufacturing system and showing the fact that the whole concept behind the FPS is nothing but the Lean Production. / Uppsatsnivå: C