Proceeding from a specification, one develops an abstract mathematical model of a system, or portion of a system. This model of a system is validated to insure that the specification is interpreted accurately and to explore different algorithms for implementing the system behavior. We use the words "portion of a system," because only rarely are systems designed wholly using a purely top-down approach. Commonly, the design approach is a mixture of top-down and bottom-up. But even in this mixed approach, top-down techniques are critical to the development of new, advanced system features and improving the performance of existing system components. An example of this style of design tools and environments is Ptolemy II. Ptolemy II is a high-level modeling tool created at UC-Berkeley. It supports heterogeneous and homogeneous modeling, simulation, and design of concurrent systems. High-level modeling of such embedded systems as digital electronics, hardware, and software can be effectively represented. The bottom-up design approach exploits design reuse to achieve the productivity necessary to build complex systems. Historically, chip design companies have always reused designs in going from one product generation to another, but the efficiency of bottom-up design is enhanced by the use of IP (Intellectual Property) cores that a company can buy from an outside source. Design libraries are useful for system design and are an example of IP cores. A sound methodology to translate Ptolemy models to SystemC models would have a very beneficial effect on the CAD/EDA industry. Ptolemy II is written in Java and its high-level designs, or abstract graph models, are represented as XML documents. Ptolemy's major emphasis is on the methodology for defining and producing embedded software together with the system in which it is embedded. SystemC is written in C++, and its industrial use is gaining momentum due to its ability to represent functionality, communication, software, and hardware at various levels of abstraction. SystemC produces synthesizable code. A methodology to convert Ptolemy models to synthesizable SystemC code would be the technical epitome of a hybrid between top-down and bottom-up design styles and methodologies. Such a methodology would enable system designers to obtain fast design exploration, efficient IP-reuse, and validation. Ptolemy has various components and models of computation. A model of computation dictates how components interact between other components. SystemC has its own models of computation and design libraries. XML and Perl are both powerful tools by themselves, and we use these tools in this research to create a sound methodology for translating Ptolemy models (high-level of abstraction) to synthesizable SystemC code (low-level of abstraction), i.e.: code which can serve as input to hardware tools. / Ph. D.

The large constituent quark mass of bottomonium, the bottom quark/anti-quark bound state $(bbbar)$, affords a rich spectroscopy in which the perturbative (non-relativistic) limit of Quantum Chromodynamics may be theoretically described and experimentally investigated. The radial excitations of bottomonia---with radial quantum number $n$, one unit of total angular momentum $(J=1)$, and orbital angular momentum $L=0$, labeled $Upsilon(nS)$---are copiously produced in electron--positron $(epem)$ collisions. The Belle Collaboration is a high energy physics experiment located at the KEKB B-Factory epem collider, based at KEK in Tsukuba, Japan. Belle has accumulated a large dataset near the FourS and ThreeS resonances, collectively containing more than 28 million ThreeS and 556 million FourS. Some of these decay to other bbbar states---with one unit of orbital angular momentum and total angular momentum $J=0,1,2$, labeled cbj{n} ---via the emission of a photon, with subsequent transition to the OneS with the emission of one or more gluons, which hadronize to form an om meson. This dissertation presents an analysis of the hadronic transitions $chi_{bJ}(nP) rightarrow omega Upsilon(1S)$, where $Upsilon(1S) rightarrow ell^{+}ell^{-}$ with $ell=e,mu$, at Belle. The transitions of the $n=2$ triplet states provide a unique laboratory in which to study nonrelativistic quantum chromodynamics (NRQCD), as the kinematic threshold for production of an $omega$ and $Upsilon(1S)$ lies between the $J=0$ and $J=1$ states. The results presented herein constitute the first confirmation measurement of the $omega$ transitions of the $chi_{bJ}(2P)$ states since their discovery in 2004, with evidence---in excess of three standard deviations---for the sub-threshold transition of the $J=0$ state. The branching fraction $mathcal{B}big( chi_{b0}(2P) rightarrow omega Upsilon(1S) big)$ is found to be as large as the corresponding rate for the $J=2$ transition. The ratio of the $J=2$ to $J=1$ transitions is also measured and compared with the expectation from NRQCD, which we compute, revealing a $3.3sigma$ tension between experiment and theory. This work is leveraged to perform a search for radiative transitions of the $Upsilon(4S)$ to the $chi_{bJ}(2P)$ and $chi_{bJ}(3P)$ states, which are reconstructed in an inclusive $omega Upsilon(1S)$ final state. With no significant signal seen, limits are set on the corresponding branching fractions. / Doctor of Philosophy / Atoms, the stuff of everyday matter, consist of a number of electrons bound to a compact nucleus. This nucleus, in turn, contains one or more protons and neutrons, which are themselves made up of constituent particles called quarks that interact with one another by exchanging particles called gluons. Although great strides were made during the last century to further our understanding of the fundamental structure of matter, a comprehensive description of nuclear structure, at the quark level, eludes us. What we do know is that the force responsible for binding the large number of positively charged protons within the narrowly confined nucleus of, say, a gold atom is incredibly strong---in reality, more than 137 times as strong as the electromagnetic (EM) interaction, which is responsible for binding electrons around the nucleus in atoms. Unlike the EM force, which has one charge that can be either positive or negative, the strong interaction has three. This leads to a manifestly more complicated phenomena whose mathematical descriptions are computationally intractable. To study the strong interaction, we seek out the simplest of strongly bound states---called the meson---which consist of a quark and its anti-particle counterpart. The meson made up of a bottom quark/anti-quark pair, called bottomonium, provides an ideal laboratory for our investigations. In bottomonium, the quarks are very heavy (about 4.5 times the mass of a proton) and move relatively slowly compared to the quarks within a proton. This allows for some simplifications in the mathematical description of the bottomonium system, making it possible to compute predictions that can be tested in the lab. In this low energy regime, the strong interaction gives rise to a family of excited bottomonium states that have a structure similar to the excited states of an atom. Just as scientists learned about the EM interaction by studying the decays of excited atomic states, so too do we study the strong force by measuring the decays of bottomonium states. We call this study heavy quarkonium spectroscopy. When excited bottomonium states transition to lower-energy states, they may emit photons (as excited atoms do) or gluons. These emitted gluons, in turn, produce other particles. Measurements of the decay rates of bottomonium states may be predicted from the mathematical description of the strong interaction, providing direct experimental tests of the theoretical models. This dissertation presents a study of the decays of several bottomonium states, which are produced at the Belle experiment at the KEKB electron--positron collider. The decay rates, called the branching fractions, of these transitions are measured and used to test the prediction from theory, which we calculate. This work is leveraged to search for several previously unobserved decays, which are expected to be exceptionally rare.

No / In this work, the possibility of bottom-up creation of a relatively stable aqueous hydrocortisone nanosuspension using microfluidic reactors was examined. The first part of the work involved a study of the parameters of the microfluidic precipitation process that affect the size of generated drug particles. These parameters included flow rates of drug solution and antisolvent, microfluidic channel diameters, microreactors inlet angles and drug concentrations. The experimental results revealed that hydrocortisone nano-sized dispersions in the range of 80¿450nm were obtained and the mean particle size could be changed by modifying the experimental parameters and design of microreactors. The second part of the work studied the possibility of preparing a hydrocortisone nanosuspension using microfluidic reactors. The nano-sized particles generated from a microreactor were rapidly introduced into an aqueous solution of stabilizers stirred at high speed with a propeller mixer. A tangential flow filtration system was then used to concentrate the prepared nanosuspension. The nanosuspension produced was then characterized using photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), Zeta potential measurement, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray analysis. Results showed that a narrowsized nanosuspension composed of amorphous spherical particles with a mean particle size of 500±64 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.21±0.026 and a zeta potential of ¿18±2.84mVwas obtained. Physical stability studies showed that the hydrocortisone nanosuspension remained homogeneous with slight increase in mean particle size and polydispersity index over a 3-month period.

Traditionally, coal combustion residuals (CCRs) were disposed of with little engineering consideration. Initially, common practice was to use a wet-scrubbing system to cut down on emissions of fly ash from the combustion facilities, where the ash materials were sluiced to the disposal facility and allowed to sediment out, forming deep deposits of meta-stable ash. As the life of the disposal facility progressed, new phases of the impoundment were constructed, often using the upstream method. One such facility experienced a massive slope stability failure on December 22, 2008 in Kingston, Tennessee, releasing millions of cubic yards of impounded ash material into the Watts Bar reservoir and damaging surrounding property. This failure led to the call for new federal regulations on CCR disposal areas and led coal burning facilities to seek out geotechnical consultants to review and help in the future design of their disposal facilities. CCRs are not a natural soil, nor a material that many geotechnical engineers deal with on a regular basis, so this thesis focuses on compiling engineering characteristics of CCRs determined by different researchers, while also reviewing current engineering practice when dealing with CCR disposal facilities. Since the majority of coal-burning facilities used the sluicing method to dispose of CCRs at one point, many times it is desirable to construct new "dry-disposal" phases above the retired ash impoundments; since in-situ sampling of CCRs is difficult and likely produces highly disturbed samples, a sample reconstitution technique is also presented for use in triaxial testing of surface impounded CCRs. / Master of Science

Under de senaste årtiondena har ekonomisk globalisering varit ett faktum och den globala handeln har ständigt ökat. Många företag använder idag en global inköpsstrategi för att kunna effektivisera sin verksamhet, tillgodose sina kunders behov, minimera sina inköpskostnader och maximera sina vinster. Men den globala handeln har gjort försörjningskedjan mer komplex och företag upplever idag svårigheter att kontrollera leverantörer genom sin försörjningskedja. Det har lett till att leverantörers verksamheter sköts oansvarigt och de globala inköpen påverkar de ekologiska, sociala och ekonomiska aspekterna i triple bottom line på ett negativt sätt.   Studien syftar därför till att undersöka hur företag som är verksamma i norra Sverige, från Gävle i söder till Treriksröset i norr, arbetar med globala inköp utifrån triple bottom line genom sin försörjningskedja. Genom att skapa en modell som kan fungera som vägledning för hur företag kan arbeta med globala inköp, samt bidra med ny kunskap och vägledning inom ämnet lyder studiens problemformulering enligt följande:  Hur arbetar företag i norra Sverige med globala inköp utifrån triple bottom line genom sin försörjningskedja?  Den modell som skapats av författarna är baserad på den linjära inköpsprocessmodellen. Modellen har kompletterats med befintlig teori och litteratur inom studiens ämne för att beskriva den globala inköpsprocess och de steg och aktiviteter företag genomgår vid globala inköp. Vidare i studien har modellen utvecklats ytterligare baserat på det empiriska data som samlats in. Det empiriska datat är insamlat från åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer tillsammans med respondenter som har goda kunskaper inom globala inköp och arbetar på företag verksamma i norra Sverige. Studien bidrar i sin helhet med att skapa en förståelse för hur företag i norra Sverige arbetar med globala inköp utifrån triple bottom line genom sin försörjningskedja. Samt vilka konsekvenser globala inköp kan innebära för de tre aspekterna och vilka arbetssätt företag kan använda för att minimera konsekvenserna.   Studien resulterar i fyra slutsatser: För det första har företagen, trots föreliggande utmaningar, ett starkt fokus på triple bottom line när de arbetar med globala inköp. Vidare strävar även majoriteten av företagen efter att vara proaktiva istället för reaktiva i sitt globala inköpsarbete. Dessutom är kontrollen genom hela försörjningskedjan bristande eftersom samtliga företag gör djupgående kontroller av sina huvudleverantörer, men endast ett fåtal kontrollerar sina underleverantörer. Till sist går det att se att globalt inköpsarbete är under förändring till följd av nytillkommen lagstiftning och påverkan från händelser i omvärlden.

The framework of this dissertation work relies heavily on the water mass transformation theory (WMT). The theory conceptualizes the explicit relationship between mechanical and thermodynamic processes on water masses, and subsequently, on ocean circulation due to surface fluxes, advective transport, and diffusive mixing. Through high-resolution model and reanalyses data, computation of WMT budgets were made possible to study the physical drivers of water mass variability using ocean and climate models. More specifically, I have applied WMT to study: 1) the interannual variability of Weddell-Sea-derived Antarctic Bottom Water; 2) the transformation of North Atlantic Subtropical Mode Water due to eddy-induced lateral mixing in the near surface; and 3) the physical drivers behind the latest marine heatwave (MHW) that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico in summer 2023. The study in Chapter 1 investigates the variability of WMT within the Weddell Gyre (WG). The WG serves as a pivotal site for the meridional overturning circulation (MOC) and ocean ventilation because it is the primary origin of the largest volume of water mass in the global ocean, Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW). Recent mooring data suggest substantial seasonal and interannual variability of AABW properties exiting the WG, and studies have linked the variability to the large-scale climate forcings affecting wind stress in the WG region. However, the specific thermodynamic mechanisms that link variability in surface forcings to variability in water mass transformations and AABW export remain unclear. This study explores how current state of the art data-assimilating ocean reanalyses can help fill the gaps in our understanding of the thermodynamic drivers of AABW variability in the WG via WMT volume budgets derived from Walin’s classic WMT framework. The three ocean reanalyses used are: Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean state estimate (ECCOv4), Southern Ocean State Estimate (SOSE) and Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA). From the model outputs, we diagnose a closed form of the water mass budget for AABW that explicitly accounts for transport across the WG boundary, surface forcing, interior mixing, and numerical mixing. We examine the annual mean climatology of the WMT budget terms, the seasonal climatology, and finally the interannual variability. Our finding suggests that the relatively coarse resolution of these models did not realistically capture AABW formation, export and variability. In ECCO and SOSE, we see strong interannual variability in AABW volume budget. In SOSE, we find an accelerating loss of AABW during 2005-2010, driven largely by interior mixing and changes in surface salt fluxes. ECCO shows a similar trend during a 4-yr time period starting in late 2007, but also reveals such trends to be part of interannual variability over a much longer time period. Overall, ECCO provides the most useful timeseries for understanding the processes and mechanisms that drive WMT and export variability in the WG. SODA, in contrast, displays unphysically large variability in AABW volume, which we attribute to its data assimilation scheme. We also examine correlations between the WMT budgets and large-scale climate indices, including ENSO and SAM, and find no strong relationships. The goal of Chapter 2 was to gain novel insight to the mechanisms and thermodynamics of North Atlantic Subtropical Mode Water (NASTMW) creation, destruction and transformation in the North Atlantic through the lens of two high-resolution ocean models. This mode water is found throughout the northwestern part of the subtropical gyre, and its formation area is south of the Gulf Stream Extension. Though studies have looked at the variability of NASTMW, the mechanisms for their variations have not been fully explored. Thanks to the eddy-resolving nature of the two datasets from CESM and CM2.6 control runs, and the water mass transformation framework, we were able to quantify the contributions of NASTMW transformations due to surface eddies in the mixed layer of the North Atlantic. Using these models, we confirm previous findings that air-sea fluxes are the main cause of the formation and destruction of surface water masses over the whole basin. We find that in both models, the haline component of lateral mixing at the surface in the Gulf Stream region is a driver of mode water transformation. Chapter 3 aims to understand the mechanisms of the activation and evolution of the marine heatwave (MHW) that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) during summer 2023. We quantified contributions of the thermodynamic processes that transformed surface waters in the GOM into an unprecedented large volume of extremely warm water (> 31.8). Through water mass transforma- tion analysis of reanalyses data, we find that the genesis of this MHW was due to the compounding effect of anomalously warm winter surface water priming the region for a MHW, coupled with greater exposure to strong solar radiation. Transformation due to total surface fluxes (sensible and latent heat, solar and longwave radiation) contributed to the MHW volume at a peak rate of 17.7 Sv (106 m3 s−1 = Sv), while mixing countered the effect by 14.6 Sv at its peak. Total transformation during this 2023 MHW peaked at 4.9 Sv.

Yes / Corporate social responsibility has been seen by corporations as a practice to adopt as an act of philanthropy. There have been attempts to expand the role of social responsibility to business problems however there has never been an attempt to consider the strategic alignment of social outcomes to strategy. This article analyses the role of strategy by providing a review of strategy using Whittington’s generic strategies model and expanding the same model to incorporate a social strategy model that supports the anecdotal idea that social responsibility can be potentially strategic. The paper centres its argument within the Indian context.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research report is focused on stating a case for the strategic value to be gained from an alignment of company strategies with the needs of the bottom of the pyramid (BOP), as well as an analysis of the relationship and conditions of support between the donor and receipient of corporate social investment. The report will focus on the relationship of the business sector with the triple bottom line, more specifically the social development component - the relationship of the recipients with the business reaching out to them; and the contribution it makes to sustainability. Corporate social investment (CSI) is most often measured in non-economic terms. In continuation of establishing the link between CSI and sustainability, the report will: • Provide evidence of the strategic advantage a high emphasis on sustainability initiatives bring about for the business sector. • Address the direct relationship between the economic performance of a company and their corporate social investment achievements. • Highlight the close relation between social and environmental perfonnance of business and the link to continued business competitiveness and long-term sustainability. • Support a better understanding for the need for business and non-profits to form partnerships to add value to the long-term sustainability of communities through CSI. • Highlight the role NGOs and other socially concerned groups can play in engaging with the business sector (CSR Investors) as well as the people at the "Bottom of the Pyramid". • Develop a model for use by any partner on either end of CSI initiatives which will serve as a guideline for mainstreaming CSI. NGOs within the non-profit sector have a very specific role to play in the sustainability context. This statement also translates as to stating that the NGO should be the main partner in linking the business sector with the social development within the community. The role of NGOs, the non-profit sector in the community, is key to corporate companies opening the door to BOP markets. This view is supported by Prahalad and Hart (2005:32) stating that NGOs and other concerned social groupings are by far the lead experimenters in BOP markets. GRI indicators and guidelines playa dominant role in linking social development as component of the triple bottom line to sustainability. This is also confinmed by sustainability reports of a selection of businesses evaluated and compared. The model developed gives attention to the process of embedding CSR in the business profile, with factors influencing this process and activities acting as drivers. The change needed requires a certain quality of leadership, not only from the management of the business, but also from the govemance structure in place. Answering in these requirements will ensure the identification of strategiC issues and effective strategies to address them. The role of indigenous governance systems is highlighted to support the objective of reaching the BOP. The model provides guidance on the calculation of a return on CSR, the indicators of growth and success and the expected outcomes. The task of fitting a non profit organisation to a potential partner in the business sector continues to be a challenge, a strategiC move critical for the long-tenm sustainability of society. It cannot be dealt with in the enclosed boundaries of a research report and is a living activity that needs to be practiced. Innovation, skill, will-power and ethical leadership and govemance will continue to be instrumental for success. It is therefore critical that the buy-in comes from all levels of business, to allow for true sustainability of services and products. Eventually the true measure for success will be the extent to which the BOP benefits from the "exercise" economically and socially, the extent to which the businesses can add to their profit margin with incorporation of serving the BOP. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie navorsingsverslag is om 'n besigheidsaak te staaf. Die fokus is op die verkryging van 'n strategiese waarde uit die ooreenstemming van besigheidstrategiee met die behoeftes van gemeenskappe aan die onderkant van die ekonomiese piramide (BOP). Die fokus is verder op die analise van die verhoudings en voorwaardes vir ondersteuning tussen die gewer en die ontvanger van korporatiewe sosiale beleggings (CSI). Die verslag sal fokus op die verhouding tussen die besigheidsektor en die "triple bottom line", meer spesifiek die sosiale onlwikkelingskomponent - die verhouding tussen die ontvangers en die besighede wat uitreik na hulle; en die bydrae wat dit maak tot volhoubaarheid. Korporatiewe sosiale belegging (CSI) word gewoonlik gemeet in nie-ekonomiese terme. Ter voortsetting van die vestiging van die skakeling tussen CSI en volhoubaarheid, hanteer die verslag ook die volgende: • Dit gee bewyse van die strategiese voordeel wat verkry sal word uit 'n sterk klem op volhoubaarheidinisiatiewe wat voortgebring word vir die besigheidsektor. • Dit spreek die direkte verhouding aan tussen die ekonomiese prestasie van 'n besigheid en hul prestasies op die terrein van CSI. • Dit plaas nadruk op die noue verhouding tussen die sosiale en omgewingsprestasies van die besigheid en die konneksie daarvan met die mededingendheid van die besigheid en langtermynvolhoubaarheid. • Dit ondersteun 'n beter begrip vir die behoeftes van besighede en niewinsgewende organisasies (NGO's) aan vennootskappe ten einde waarde toe te voeg tot langtermynvolhoubaarheid van gemeenskappe deur korporatiewe sosiale beleggings. • Dit beklemtoon die rol wat NGO's en ander sosiale bewustheidsgroepe kan speel wanneer hulle betrokke raak by die besigheidsektor (CSR beleggers), sowel as die mense aan die onderkant van die ekonomiese piramide. • Dit ontwikkel 'n model vir gebruik deur enige vennoot aan enige kant van CSI inisiatiewe wat sal dien as riglyn vir die insluit van CSI in die besigheidshoofstroom. • NGO's binne die kader van die nie-winsmakende sektor het 'n baie spesifieke rol te speel binne die konteks van volhoubaarheid. Hierdie standpuntinname kan ook beteken dat die NGO die hoofvennoot behoort te wees in die skakeling van die besigheidsektor met die sosiale ontwikkeling van die gemeenskap. Die rol van die NGO, die nie-winsgewende sektor in die gemeenskap, is die sleutel tot die ontsluiting van die ekonomiese markte vir gemeenskappe aan die onderkant van die ekonomiese piramide. Hierdie standpunt word ondersteun deur Prahalad en Hart (2005:32) wat dit stel dat nie-winsgewende organisasies en ander sosiale groeperinge die onteenseglike leiers is in eksperimentering binne die BOP markte. GRI (Global Reporting Initiative, ook genoem die GRI Volhoubaarheid Verslagdoening Riglyne) aanwysers en riglyne speel 'n dominante rol in die koppeling van sosiale ontwikkeling as onderdeel van die "triple bottom line" met volhoubaarheid. Dit word bevestig deur die volhoubaarheidsverslae van 'n aantal besighede wat geevalueer en vergelyk is. Die ontwikkelde model gee aandag aan die proses van vaslegging van CSR binne die besigheidsprofiel, saam met die faktore wat hierdie proses beinvloed en die aktiwiteite wat dien as drywers. Die verandering wat benodig word vereis 'n sekere kwaliteit van leierskap, nie alleen in die bestuur van die besigheid nie, maar ook vanuit die regerende strukture wat reeds bestaan. Die identifisering van strategiese sake en effektiewe strategiee verseker dat voldoen word aan bogenoemde vereistes. Die rol van inheemse regerende strukture word beklemtoon in die bereiking van BOP-markte as doelwit. Die model verskaf leiding in die berekening van 'n opbrengs op korporatiewe sosiale verantwoordelikheid (CSR), die aanwysers van groei en sukses en die verwagte resultate. Die taak om 'n nie-winsgewende organisasie in geskikte passing met 'n potensiele vennoot in die besigheidsektor te gee, bly steeds 'n uitdaging, 'n strategiese skuif wat belangrik is vir die langtermynvolhoubaarheid van die gemeenskap. Dit kan nie voldoende hanteer word binne die grense van 'n navorsingsverslag nie en bly 'n lewende aktiwiteit wat voortdurend beoefen moet word. Innovering, vaardigheid, motivering en etiese leierskap en regering sal voortgaan om instrumenteel te wees vir sukses. Dit is daarom uiters belangrik dat die betrokkenheid en inkoop moet kom van al die vlakke van besigheid ten einde die ware volhoubaarheid van dienste en produkte te verseker. Uiteindelik sal die werklike meting van sukses bepaal word volgens die omvang waartoe BOP-markte baat vind by die "oefening", ekonomies sowel as sosiaal - dit is die omvang van waardetoevoeging tot die winste van die besigheid met inbegrip van dienste aan gemeenskappe aan die onderpunt van die ekonomiese piramide.

<p>In this study potential health risks for employees in connection with handling of bottom ash and bottom ash water at a Municipal Waste Incineration (MWI) plant have been investigated. Air surrounding the bottom ash and the bottom ash water has been examined. MWI is one of the primary ways to manage solid household waste, and bottom ash is the main solid residue produced by the incineration process. Bottom ash constitutes about 15-20% of the original waste. The bottom ash is extinguished in a water bath (bottom ash water).</p><p>The study was carried out in a MWI plant in Karlstad, Sweden. The plant is equipped with a grate furnace with a capacity of 7 tonnes per hour. Annually about 50 000 tonnes are incinerated at the plant.</p><p>Levels of airborne particles, metals present in the airborne particles, volatile organic compounds (VOC), and phosphine were measured in the air. Analysis of the bottom ash water including: pH, total phosphorus, ammonium, chemical oxygen demand (COD), suspended solids, and bacteria were also carried out. Further, a questionnaire was distributed to investigate how the workers at the MWI plant re°ected on health when working.</p><p>The results showed that the levels of airborne particles, metals and VOC did not pose any major health risks. The bacterial analysis demonstrated very low concentrations of bacteria in the water and thus that the bacteria posed no risk for the workers. The phosphine measurements did not result in levels exceeding the Swedish threshold limit value. However, the method used in this study was not well-tested in these sorts of environments and the results implied that higher levels of phosphine might be present. The conclusion from the questionnaire was that there is a concern about health risks in connection with certain tasks at the plant.</p> / <p>På Hedenverket, Karlstads Energi AB, förbränner man årligen cirka 50 000 ton hushålls- och verksamhetsavfall. En av restprodukterna av förbränningen kallas slagg (bottenaska) och utgör ca 15-20% av det inmatade avfallet. Slaggen släcks i ett vattenbad under själva pannan (slaggsläckningsbad) och matas sedan ut, via ett skakbord för reduktion av vatten, till containrar innan det slutligen körs på deponi.</p><p>Syftet med det här projekt var att utreda om det föreligger några hälsorisker vid arbete kring slaggen och slaggsläckningsvattnet. För att skapa en bild av möjliga hälsorisker gjordes en inledande studie av tidigare utredningar, mätningar gjorda på avfallsförbränningsanläggningar runt om i Svergie och vad kemiska och biologiska hälsorisker innebär. Även lagstiftning på området har berörts.</p><p>Med tidigare utredningar och mätningar samt diskussioner som grund utfördes mätningar av damm, metallhalter i damm, VOC och fosfin i luften samt en analys av slaggvattnet och bakterier i slaggvattnet. För att skapa en uppfattning av hur personalen, som arbetar med driften, upplever sin arbetssituation ur hälsorisksynpunkt genomfördes även en enkätundersökning.</p><p>Resultaten av undersökningarna på Karlstads Energi AB visade att varken damm, metaller eller VOC utgör någon hälsorisk. Bakterieprovtagningen av slaggsläckningsvattnet visade på mycket låga halter av bakterier och bakterier kan därför inte sägas utgöra någon hälsorisk.</p><p>Undersökningar av slaggvatten på andra anläggningar i Sverige visar däremot på höga metallhalter i slaggvattnet och det vore således inte särskilt hälsosamt att få i sig större mängder av detta. Resultaten av fosfinmätningen visar inte heller på några alarmerande nivåer, men metoden som användes är inte väl beprövad i den här typen av miljö. Resultaten kan tyda på att högre halter av fosfin förekommer, men hur höga de är inte möjligt att svara på. Fosfin är ett ämne som i små mängder kan ge upphov till bland annat illamående. I enkätundersökningen påtalades att obehag och illamående uppstºar vid längre arbeten över skakbordet och det är möjligt att fosfin kan vara en orsak till detta. Enkätundersökningen visade även att det finns en oro för hälsan vid vissa typer av arbeten på anläggningen och oro för att hälsan ska påverkas negativt på längre sikt.</p>

O objetivo deste trabalho é elucidar a relação da percepção dos docentes e profissionais sobre as competências para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável Corporativo (DSC), comparando o que é ensinado nos cursos de administração ao que é necessário na prática, em relação às competências para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável (DS), em organizações no Brasil. Levando em consideração o conceito de DSC e o Triple Bottom Line (TBL), existem competências específicas para a gestão deste DS: competências organizacionais (ligadas ao DSC, por meio de estratégias para alcançar o conceito de TBL de DS); competências distintivas (que abrangem as competências em cada uma das dimensões do TBL) e competências foco (que abordam as dimensões em conjunto) e ainda ter a formação em competências individuais (abrangidas normalmente nos cursos de administração de forma geral), para conseguir conjuntamente com as competências desenvolvidas pela organização melhor gerir os objetivos do DS. Para tanto é necessário a Educação para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável (EDS) inserida em conteúdos dos cursos de administração, e que tem como objetivo o enfoque em se construir uma sociedade que se desenvolva de maneira sustentável, preparando profissionais que conheçam gestão para atuarem em organizações de diferentes maneiras em busca do desenvolvimento sem prejudicar o ambiente para que ele se mantenha para gerações futuras. Assim, para se alcançar o objetivo proposto, esta pesquisa foi efetuada uma pesquisa de levantamento por amostragem (amostra por conveniência) com profissionais do DS nas organizações brasileiras; e com coordenadores de curso e docentes, ainda houve a pesquisa documental por meio de uma análise de conteúdo dos Projetos Pedagógicos de Curso (PPC), planos de ensino, grades curriculares e ementas de cursos de administração com notas quatro e cinco no Exame Nacional de Desempenho dos Estudantes (ENADE) e/ou signatários do Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME); a terceira etapa se constituiu da comparação dos dados obtidos nestas duas etapas anteriores e finalmente a etapa quatro que relacionou todas as etapas para responder o objetivo geral do trabalho. Dentre os principais resultados obtidos têm-se que há concordância entre os docentes e profissionais no que tange ao conceito de DS, ambos percebem o TBL como principal; no entanto quando comparados com os conteúdos encontrados nos documentos analisados a maioria destes não possuem a abordagem TBL, mas tendem a ter mais assuntos relacionados à dimensão ambiental, que acaba por coincidir com a maior área de atuação dos profissionais que responderam a esta pesquisa; sobre a abordagem dada ao DS, todos concordam que o mesmo deve estar diretamente ligado às estratégias das organizações. Apesar destas concordâncias, o que ocorre nas organizações ainda está distante da visão dos acadêmicos. O outro resultado importante deste trabalho é que os profissionais e acadêmicos concordam que o administrador precisa saber trabalhar de forma interdisciplinar, unindo questões financeiras, ambientais e sociais; ter pensamento sistêmico; conhecer o modelo do TBL e ter resiliência, dentre as competências do profissional. Já em relação às competências distintivas, ambos concordam que as mais importantes estão relacionadas à dimensão social; e sobre as competências foco, ambos concordam que as mais importantes estão relacionadas a abordar o TBL de forma completa e sempre voltado ao benefício de todos os stakeholders. Baseando-se nestes resultados foram propostos modelos de melhoria do EDS para os cursos de administração. / The objective of this research is to elucidate the relationship between academia´s and professionals\' perceptions of the competencies for Corporate Sustainable Development (CSD), comparing what is taught in management courses to what is needed in practice in Brazilian organizations. Regarding the concept of CSD and the Triple Bottom Line (TBL), there are specific competences for the Sustainable Development (SD) management: organizational competences (linked to the CSD, through strategies to achieve the SD concept of TBL); distinctive competences (covering competences in each of the TBL dimensions) and focus competences (which address the dimensions together) and still have the individual competences (usually discussed in management courses) to better manage the CSD together with the competences developed by the organizations. Hence it is necessary the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) inserted in the contents of the management courses, and that aims to focus on building a society that develops in a sustainable way, preparing professionals who know management to work in organizations in different ways in order to develop without harming the environment so that it remains for future generations. Thus, to achieve the proposed objective, this research was developed in four stages: the first with the professionals who work with the SD in organizations, through a sampling survey (convenience sampling). The second with the academy, including the course coordinators and faculty in a survey research and a documentary research through a content analysis of the pedagogical documentation from management courses with grades four and five in the National Student Performance Examination (ENADE) and/or signatories of Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME). The third stage was the comparison of the data obtained in these two previous steps. The fourth step aimed to answer the core objective of the research. Among the main results, there is an agreement between the faculty and professionals concerning the concept of SD, both perceived the TBL as most important concept. However, when compared to the contents found in the documents analyzed most of these do not have the TBL approach, but the environmental dimension, which corresponded to the area of activity of the most professionals who answered this research. On the approach given to the SD, everyone agrees that the same should be directly linked to the strategies of the organizations. Despite these consensus, what happens in organizations is still far from the vision of the faculty. The other important result is that the professionals and faculty agree that the manager needs to know how to work interdisciplinary, uniting financial, environmental and social issues; to think in a systemic way; to understand the TBL and to be resilient, among the professional competences. About the distinctive competences, both agree that the most important ones are related to the social dimension. And on the focus competences both agree that the most important ones are related to addressing the TBL in a complete means and always focused to the benefit of all stakeholders. Based on these results, it was proposed models to improve the ESD for the management courses.