This study investigates sustainability performance of Swedish firms through the lens of the upper echelons theory. We test how the size, average age, and proportion of gender in boards of directors (BoDs) and top management teams (TMTs), is related to sustainability performance. While BoDs have been studied in this way several times previously, no other studies, which we are aware of, study the relationship between TMTs and sustainability performance. The study follows a purely quantitative approach and is based on large and mid cap firms on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange. The sustainability performance of firms is proxied by the ESG-score issued by Refinitiv. The study finds that the size of both BoDs and TMTs is positively and significantly related to sustainability performance. The relationship for the size of BoDs is particularly strong and significant, whereas the one for TMTs is less so. Regarding the proportion of gender, this variable was also positively and significantly related to sustainability performance, but only for BoDs. Finally, the age variable was insignificant for both BoDs and TMTs.

Svärm-AI är en variant av artificiell intelligens (AI) som används för att simulera ett bettende liknande det man kan se i svärmar, flockar eller stim. Syftet med detta arbete är att undersöka ifall man kan använda svärm-AI för att förbättra en AI i ett top down shooter spel där två lag slåss mot varandra. Ett program skapades för att testa detta där de två lagen båda var datorstyrda enheter och fick slåss mot varandra för att samla mätvärden. Resultaten visar att svärm-AI presterade bättre i labyrintliknande banor utan stora tomma områden. De visade även att svärm-AI använde betydligt mycket mer prestanda. / <p>Det finns övrigt digitalt material (t.ex. film-, bild- eller ljudfiler) eller modeller/artefakter tillhörande examensarbetet som ska skickas till arkivet.</p><p>There are other digital material (eg film, image or audio files) or models/artifacts that belongs to the thesis and need to be archived.</p>

A study was performed on a recently developed prototype of the Yong-Geddes surrogate arm design to collect compliance data of the various system components and determine the accuracy of measurements made through the bench top model. The study was performed to perceive the effectiveness of the model as a tool for validating non-invasive blood pressure detection monitors. Three stages of testing were performed to gather pressure and volume data from an artificial artery component, a sphygmomanometer, and the surrogate arm system to produce compliance estimations. Mathematical equations from supported arterial hemodynamics studies and clinical trials were applied to the pressure and volume data. Dr. Drzewiecki’s equation for arterial compliance was capable of predicting the region of the highest compliance of the artificial artery and produced an overall value of 38.81% for the data. A second degree inverse polynomial was developed and modeled the sphygmomanometer compliance measurements with a of 99.09%. Significant error was observed throughout all stages of the compliance testing, which was attributed to factors such as excessive noise due to faulty data collection equipment and irreparable leaks in the fluid flow system.

The master’s thesis investigates daylight qualities and visitors’ perception in the central atriumof Medelhavsmuseet in Stockholm, Sweden. The investigation started from personal observationof the space where a feeling of darkness was experienced despite the existing skylight.The visitors’ perception of daylight and space were examined through a survey, and it wascompared to daylight simulations where it was proven that the museum’s daylight quality couldbe classified as a minimum. It is suspected that visitor perception of the space was consideredto be bright due to the use of artificial light, and the brightness of the prevailing weather conditionsduring the time of the survey (mid-April). The daylight conditions as per the survey andsimulations are considered to be sufficient if not a little muted during the lighter half of the year,but during the darker seasons, they are likely to be insufficient. Furthermore, it is proposed thatre-designing the skylight, changing the way the artwork is displayed or changing the materialof the skylight could drastically improve daylight quality, in turn benefiting visitor experience.

The focus of this research was to shed light on factors contributing to global international rankings in mathematics released by the 2011 administration of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study. This study focused on factors contributing to the global ranking of international scores in mathematics. Although students in the United States performed below students in the other sample countries (Singapore, Japan, and the Republic of Korea), American students scored within one standard deviation of the top performer, the Republic of Korea. The study also revealed that although other countries had their brightest and most advantaged students participate in the assessment, participating students in the United States were disproportionately disadvantaged to the proportion of United States' citizens. Another contributing factor of student success revealed in this study was the size and form of government and financing of the participating countries. While Singapore, the Republic of Korea, and Japan have education systems governed and financed by national governments, the United States education system is primarily governed and financed by 50 state governments.

The justification for development of elite loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) genotypes includes potential increases in stand uniformity and reduction in planting densities and corresponding establishment costs. However, some genotypes produce less desirable characteristics than others. The ability to realize full potential genetic gains is dependent on selecting appropriate combinations of genetic material and silvicultural management. In 2008, a study was established in the upper coastal plain of Mississippi to examine the performance of two varietal loblolly pine genotypes, a “crop tree” ideotype (CROP) and a “competitor” ideotype (COMP), at two levels of management intensity and three different initial tree spacings. After nine growing seasons, differences in crown morphology, top dieback frequency, and growth and yield variables are apparent between genetics and silvicultural intensity. The COMP ideotype had, on average, greater crown volume, less acute branch angles, and LAI than the CROP ideotype. Increasing management intensity had greater impact on crown characteristics than genotype. Current annual increment growth of stem wood was statistically higher in the COMP ideotype under intensive management and lowest stocking level. The interaction of ideotype, management intensity and spacing level significantly impacted growth and yield. The COMP ideotype is projected to produce greater volume than the CROP ideotype on this site. There was no significant difference between ideotypes with respect to specific gravity for any combination of cultural treatments. Instances of top dieback were significantly higher in the CROP ideotype across management and spacing levels. Nutrient sufficiency levels for fast growing loblolly pine and foliar levels in the current study were statistically significant. Differences due to management intensity were related to reduced competition and lower incidence of damage. The results of this study provide a reference point for elite loblolly pine under different silvicultural regimes for landowners interested in performance potential in Mississippi’s upper coastal plain.

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