När stadsområdet Vallastaden i Linköping byggdes 2017 var ett krav att kunna utnyttja maximal markyta för bebyggelse. Det behövdes då ett alternativt sätt att anlägga VA-ledningar, då började utvecklingen av infrastrukturkulvertar. De utvecklade då ett helt system som ligger i en skyddad miljö och klarar av tätbebyggelse. Efter det har intresset hos flertalet kommuner väckts men det är fortfarande svårt att avgöra vilken metod som ger en större ekonomisk lönsamhet.Genom att utföra en teoretisk simulering i form av LCC-analys kan en slutsats dras utifrån den data som används. För att utföra den teoretiska simuleringen har litteraturstudier gjorts för att samla data som sedan använts i Excel.LCC-analysen har begränsats till kunskaperna utefter de förutsättningar som finns. Därav har beräkningarna fokuserat på schakt-, anläggning- och underhållskostnad.Resultaten visar att det finns en brytpunkt runt 40 år där en tydlig skillnad kan ses över de två systemens lönsamhet. Infrakulverten är teoretiskt billigare när simuleringen utförs med ett intervall på (+/-) 20 % av totalpriset. Studien visar även att infrastrukturkulverten har en mindre underhållskostnad vilket är en av de drivande kostnaderna när det kommer till simuleringen. Underhållskostnaden är en årlig återkommande kostnad vilket resulterar i att systemens kostnad ökar i olika takt utifrån deras underhåll.Slutsatsen är att infrastrukturkulverten är ekonomiskt lönsamt på sikt utifrån den undersökning som utförts i studien. Infrastrukturkulverten har även en lägre underhållskostnad men kan eventuellt ha en liten högre anläggningskostnad beroende på projektets storlek. / When Vallastaden, a neighborhood in Linköping was to be constructed in 2017 they had a requirement to be able to make use of as much of the land as possible for construction. It was necessary to come up with an alternative way to construct the water and sewage system, so the development of infrastructure culverts started. They developed a complete system which lays in a protected environment and manages close contact to buildings. This sparked the interest of several municipalities, but it is still difficult to decide which method is the most feasible financially.By performing a theoretical simulation like an LCC-analysis the decisions can be made based on the data used. In order to perform this theoretical simulation literature study has been done in order to collect the data which has been used in Excel.The LCC-analysis has been limited to the knowledge based on the existing prerequisites. Based on these prerequisites the calculations have focused on the excavation-, plant- and maintenance costs.The results show that the breakeven point lays around 40 years, a clear difference can be seen between the financial feasibility of both systems. Infrastructure culverts are theoretically cheaper when the simulation is done with an interval of (+/-) 20% of the total price. Studies have also shown that infrastructure culverts have lower maintenance costs, which are the majority of the costs when it comes to this simulation. Maintenance costs are a yearly recurring cost which result in the system costs rising based on their maintenance.The conclusion is that infrastructure culverts are financially profitable based on the research done in the study. Infrastructure culverts have lower maintenance costs but could potentially have higher construction costs based on the project size.

El presente trabajo tiene como finalidad idear y planificar todas las actividades que son necesarias para dar inicio al proyecto de producción de shampoo-jabón en barra 100% natural y eco amigable, así como también demostrar la viabilidad de la idea de negocio. Hoy en día, existe gran diversidad de shampoos y jabones en el mercado, más no con la calidad y función que brinda nuestro producto, dígase, ser 100% natural y eco amigable. Como se manifestó en líneas anteriores, nuestro producto cumple la función de dos elementos en uno solo, es decir, jabón y shampoo al mismo tiempo, además de mencionar que cuenta con la incorporación de una esponja de lufa eco amigable para una mayor limpieza del cuerpo. El producto se ideó considerando a un público tanto femenino como masculino que apuesten por los productos naturales y amigables con el medio ambiente. Para determinar la viabilidad del proyecto se tomó en consideración aspectos del entorno externo e interno en el que se desarrollaría la empresa creada, así como también aspectos financieros, comerciales, planes estratégicos, de marketing, recursos humanos y de financiamiento que pudiesen contribuir con la determinación de la factibilidad de nuestra idea de negocio. / The purpose of this work is to devise and plan all the activities that are necessary to start and start the production project for 100% natural and eco-friendly shampoo-soap bars, as well as to demonstrate the viability of our business idea. Today, there is a great diversity of shampoos and soaps on the market, but not with the quality and function that our product provides, say, be 100% natural and eco-friendly. As stated in previous lines, our product fulfills the function of two elements in one, that is, soap and shampoo at the same time, in addition to mentioning that it has the incorporation of an eco-friendly loofah sponge for greater body cleaning. The product was devised considering both a feminine and masculine public that bet on natural and environmentally friendly products. To determine the viability of the project, aspects of the external and internal environment in which the created company would be developed were taken into consideration, as well as financial, commercial, strategic, marketing, human resources and financing aspects that could contribute to the determination of the feasibility of our business idea. / Trabajo de investigación

Electrification of transportation could be one pathway into sustainability since the electricity production can originate from renewable and low carbon energy sources. Electrifying the road could also reduce the battery dependence and further increase the vehicle efficiency in sense of energy consumption and load capacity when thinking of storage of electric energy in vehicle batteries. Not only is the Electric Road System (ERS) a rather new concept, it also raises concerns about consequences on health, safety, environment and public acceptance. The aim of this master thesis, within the logistics domain, is to interdisciplinary investigate the concept of electrified roads and to define potential blockers and in various extents investigate their feasibility. The potential blockers are assessed at a system level meaning that the depth of analysis of each aspect depends on the amount of data available and the relative importance according to the experts. Given the limits of research time, points that require more investigation have been indicated. This study will have a focus on freight vehicles since that is the vehicle considered to lack alternative solution towards decarbonization. The areas chosen for a closer analysis are health, safety and environment. The information available regarding the ERS impact on those areas is very limited even though they seem to constitute crucial factors for gaining the public acceptance. By investigating energy usage and CO 2 emissions in different phases of the ERS, the feasibility of the environment is assessed. Investigating the Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) produced by the inductive on-road charging technology, part of the ERS, approaches the possible health effects of ERS. Health effects of particles and pollutants are also touched upon. Accidents involving Electric Vehicles (EVs) and the transportation of dangerous goods through ERS will also be analyzed in the safety chapter. Ongoing projects and available technologies are used and taken into consideration throughout the study. Feedback from the industry and people involved with the ERS concept contribute in defining the fields facing significant uncertainties. In the last part, two scenarios are being analyzed in the sense of testing the feasibility of the inductive on-road charging in city logistics and for the big city triangle. This study has its base in literature reviews and interviews with experts within the industry. The different ERS technologies are still under development why many specific parameters are confidential. This poses some unintentional limits to this study in the sense of difficulty drawing specific conclusions. Therefore factors such as commercialization of the vehicle, health, safety and development time remain uncertain. Others such as environmental impact seem to benefit from the ERS, while others motivates the introduction of ERS such as the battery manufacturing.

Every day 493 tonnes of waste containing 67% of organic material is generated in the city of El Alto in Bolivia. The majority of the waste is disposed to a landfill that is expected to reach its maximum capacity by 2015. Therefore, new waste treatment methods need to be explored. The high content of organic material in waste makes biogas technologies a potential solution for waste treatment in El Alto. These technologies can generate a renewable energy source and organic fertilizer that can provide several benefits to the city. The objective of this study is to investigate the techno-economic feasibility of a small-scale biogas plant for treating organic market waste in the city of El Alto. To this end, a multi-criteria analysis was performed to identify a suitable technology. The garage-shaped digester was selected as the most appropriate technology for the conditions of El Alto. By implementing this technology, 1.8 GWh of electricity and 2,340 tonnes of organic fertilizer can be produced annually. Furthermore, an economic analysis of two scenarios was conducted. The Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return, Payback time, Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) and sensitivity analysis were evaluated. The biogas plant resulted economically viable in both cases. However, the LCOE estimated (0.17-0.26 USD/kWh) were very high in comparison to the LCOE from natural gas in Bolivia (0.026 USD/kWh). Regarding the sensitivity analysis, several parameters were evaluated from which the compost price was the most influential on changing the NPV. The study also included the estimation of the emission savings. A total of 900 tonnes of CO2/year could be avoided for producing electricity from biogas. Moreover, social benefits could also be generated such as new job opportunities. The use of a small-scale biogas plant for treating organic market waste in the city of El Alto is a cost-effective option. Though, it is fundamental that the government support the waste-to-biogas technologies by introducing economic mechanisms and promoting awareness to ensure the markets for both, biogas and organic fertilizer.

This Master of Science and Engineering thesis in Chemical Engineering treats biogas production in China. The thesis is divided into two parts. The first part contains an energy potential and situation analysis of biogas in China and a comparison with the situation in Sweden. The biogas potential in China is 950-2180 TWh depending on source. Specially, the potential from fish waste is 11 TWh. Part 1 also includes batch experiments where co-digestion of corn straw and swine manure is performed using substrate from Dajugezhuang in Tianjin. The experiments were executed at Tianjin Academy of Environmental Science. The experiments do not show a significant reduction in COD when co-digesting manure with straw and are connected with uncertainty. The experiments should be executed again with the recommendations given in this report. It is discovered that the inoculum affects the C:Nratio a lot. When co-digesting experiments are being performed, an inoculum that have a C:N-ratio close to the desired must be used. This is due to that the organic loading rate must be kept low. Part 2 of this thesis is an economical feasibility analysis and market investigation of biogas in China. A model is created using excel, where economic data from biogas plants in China are used to estimate the profit of producing biogas in China. The model indicates that the most feasible choice is to upgrade the biogas and inject it to the gas grid. This is due to the lower investment cost for an upgrading unit compared to an electricity-generating unit. The model uses electricity and gas prices from different provinces in China. Guangdong is the province with the highest electricity price and Ningxia the province with the lowest electricity price. The gas price in Guangdong is also high, but highest in Guangxi and Yunnan. The lowest gas price is found in Ningxia. Part 2 also discuss problems with the current situation for biogas producers in China. Investment subsidies from the government instead of product subsidies has led to a situation where China has over 30 million biogas reactors, but very low yield. The current situation means low incentives for selling the products from anaerobic digestion, biofertilizers, bio-methane, electricity and heat. The grid connection limit on electricity generators of >500 kW limits the number of grid-connected plants to less than 10. vi / Detta examensarbete i kemiteknik behandlar biogasproduktion i Kina. Examensarbetet är uppdelat i två delar. Den första delen innehåller en energipotential och nulägesanalys av biogas i Kina och en jämförelse med situationen i Sverige (kapitel 1). Biogas potentialen i Kina är 950-2180 TWh beroende på olika källor. Speciellt är potentialen från fiskarens 11 TWh. Del 1 omfattar även satsvisa utrötningsförsök där samrötning av majshalm och svingödsel sker med hjälp av substrat från Dajugezhuang i Tianjin. Experimenten utfördes vid Tianjin Academy of Environmental Science. Experimenten visar inte en signifikant minskning av COD vid samrötning av grisgödsel med halm och försöken är behäftade med osäkerhet. De bör därför genomföras igen efter de rekommendationer som ges i denna rapport. Det upptäcks att den ymp som används påverkar C:N-kvoten mycket. När samrötningsexperiment genomförs, ska en ymp som har en C:N-kvot nära den önskade för försöket användas. Detta beror på att den organiska belastningen måste hållas låg. Del 2 i detta examensarbete är en feasibility-analys och marknadsundersökning av biogas i Kina. En modell skapades i Excel, där ekonomiska data från biogasanläggningar i Kina används för att uppskatta resultatet att producera biogas i Kina. Modellen visar att det mest ekonomiska sättet att använda biogasen är att uppgradera den och injicera det till gasnätet. Detta beror på den lägre investeringskostnaden för en uppgraderingsanläggning jämfört med ett elkraftverk. Modellen använder el- och gaspriser från olika provinser i Kina. Guangdong är provinsen med det högsta elpriset och Ningxia provinsen med det lägsta elpriset. Gaspriset i Guangdong är också hög, men högst i Guangxi och Yunnan. Det lägsta priset på gas finns i Ningxia. Del 2 diskuterar också problem med den nuvarande situationen för biogasproducenter i Kina. Investeringsstöd från staten i stället för subventioner av produkterna har lett till en situation där Kina har över 30 miljoner biogasreaktorer, men mycket lågt utbyte i reaktorerna. Den nuvarande situationen innebär få incitament för försäljning av produkterna från rötningsprocessen, bio-gödsel, bio-metan, el och värme. Den nätanslutningsgräns som finns för elproducenterna på >500 kW, begränsar antalet nätanslutna anläggningar i Kina till mindre än 10 stycken. vii

Background: Medication errors continue to be one of the most prevalent problems in healthcare related to patient safety, often resulting in injury or death, with higher incidences of error occurring with intravenous medications. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of deliberate practice (DP) with second-degree nursing students in developing and maintaining fundamental intravenous medication management practices required for safe practice. Method: This was a feasibility study using a two-arm, single-blind, randomized controlled trial design. Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development model was used to explore the use of a DP teaching intervention to achieve competency in skills associated with safe IV medication management. A convenience sample of first-year, first-semester nursing students enrolled in an accelerated graduate program (N = 32) were invited to participate; 19 enrolled, and 12 completed the study. Students (n = 12) received three 30- minute one-on-one practice sessions at 2-week intervals with an expert nurse (the intervention group focused on IV skills and the control group on skills unrelated to IVs). Pre- and post-intervention instruments tested participants’ confidence with IV management and safety skills. The primary outcome was their ability to safely administer and monitor IV medications during a 20-minute videotaped medication administration scenario. Results: Low recruitment (19 of 32) and high attrition (37%) were observed. Participants completing the study (5 in the intervention group and 7 in the control group) reported that the time required to attend the sessions was not burdensome (91.7%); time allotted was adequate (100%); 100% reported positive experience; 91.7% found the DP sessions essential to learning. Change in confidence scores for IV skills were not significant (P = 0.210), but were higher in the intervention group (2.97–4.14 = 1.50 change) compared to the control group (2.71–3.77 = 1.04 change). Significant differences were found in overall medication administration skills between the control and intervention groups (t [-2.302], p = 0.044) in favor of the intervention group, particularly with medication preparation skills (p = 0.039). Overall raw scores were low in both groups; only 16–42 (26%–70%) of the total 60 steps required for safe practice were completed. Participants scored lowest in the evaluation phase, with all participants performing less than 50% of the 14 steps. Conclusion: Even though participant satisfaction was high, significant attrition occurred. Students reported the DP sessions to be beneficial and they felt more confident in performing skills, but three 30-minute sessions (90 minutes) were not adequate to develop, maintain, or refine all the IV-management skills associated with safe medication practices. Determining the length and duration of DP sessions as well as comparing the efficacy of DP sessions between individual and group sessions with varying doses and frequencies is needed to advance our understanding of using DP within nursing education.

Fatal opioid overdoses in Massachusetts, U.S.A. increased by 311% from 2000 to 2019 and claim the lives of nearly 2,000 residents every year. Research suggests that the public is growing critical of traditional punitive approaches to opioid use disorder. In this study, a political feasibility study of passing non-arrest policies for opioid addiction was conducted. Semi-structured interviews with 32 experts from law enforcement, program administration, addiction treatment, policymaking, and policy advocacy were completed. The political feasibility of three policy proposals across six criteria (effect, relevance, support, opposition, enabling factors, and inhibiting factors) was examined. Media and document review augmented and affirmed interview data. Study participants reported a growth in the number of opioid-addicted young adult White residents and a concomitant shift in increased public support for treatment over incarceration. Data suggest that communities of color are disproportionately impacted by limited access to treatment. Study participants caution that strained relationships between people of color and the police could impede the positive effects of non-arrest programs among diverse populations. Results suggest that it may be politically feasible to scale non-arrest programs, but that it is not currently feasible to pass policies that decriminalize drugs or prohibit judges from requiring individuals to remain drug-free as a condition of probation. To ensure that policies benefit diverse populations, lawmakers must invest in treatment programs and pass legislation that accounts for the different relationships that Black and Hispanic residents have with the police. / 2022-09-26T00:00:00Z

Spraying with the chemical herbicide 2,4-D is the most widely used method of controlling big sagebrush. Spraying is very effective in increasing forage production and generally is not poisonous to either man or animals. Two procedures can be used to calculate the internal rate of return to big sagebrush control: standard and modified discounting. Standard discounting assumes all nonuse costs are incurred in the year of treatment, and the annual income stream is constant throughout the effective life of treatment. Modified discounting correctly assumes the nonuse cost is incurred in the period of deferment, and the income stream does not reach its full potential until after deferment. Thus, modified discounting yields a lower internal rate of return. Three big sagebrush control methods (spraying, burning, and chaining) offer internal rates of return which are greater than 8 percent (cost of obtaining capital for range improvement). The most important factors in determining the internal rate of return are the site vigor index and the amount of forage present before treatment. A larger pre-treatment forage yield will give a larger internal rate of return, assuming the vigor index is sufficiently high. If state and private rangelands infested with big sagebrush are not improved by spraying or other big sagebrush control methods, certain benefits, called opportunity costs, will be foregone. For spraying alone, the expected annual opportunity costs would be $3,048,102. The economic feasibility of controlling nearly 2 1/2 million acres of state and private rangelands infested with big sagebrush are excellent. The expected annual increase in carrying capacity of 1,830,000 acres of sagebrush rangeland meriting improvement by spraying is 765,855 AUMs. The remaining 623,000 acres meriting control other than by spraying could possibly increase the total number of additional AUMs to over 1 million.

abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the Feasibility of Using a Non-Counter Movement Squat to Assess Lower Body Strength in Adults ages 20-70 years. Feasibility was tested by measuring five feasibility metrics described by Bowen et al. (Bowen et al., 2009): Acceptability, Demand, Implementation, Practicality, and Limited Efficacy. Seven male subjects and fifteen female subjects participated in the study. The subjects had their height, weight, body fat percentage by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and grip strength measured. Subjects performed a warm-up on a cycle ergometer, a Non-Counter Movement Squat Test (NCMST) 1-repetition maximal strength test using a Smith machine, and a cool down on a treadmill. Each subject then completed a post-participation questionnaire used to measure acceptability, Demand was measured by subjects who agreed to participate, implementation was measured by subjects who completed the protocol, practicality was measured by an administrator survey, and limited efficacy was measured by distribution of strength results by age and for all subjects by sex. Results showed acceptance of hypotheses of acceptability, demand, implementation and practicality for both males and females. Limited efficacy was inconclusive for both males and females resulting in rejection of hypothesis. The findings of this study show that further research is needed to compare the NCMST to other lower body muscular strength tests to determine the validity of the NCMST. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Healthcare Innovation 2019

The diploma thesis deals with the matter of business in construction. It focuses on the business intention, business plan, or feasibility study and describes the differences between them. It theoretically defines when, under which circumstances and for what reasons it is appropriate to create a business plan for the intended purpose. It also includes a description of the individual parts of the business plan. The practical part of the thesis deals with the specification of the business plan in the problematic of processing bids for construction work in public and private tenders, for which this real business plan is created, with an evaluation of whether and under what conditions this plan could be implemented.