Magister Public Health - MPH / Over the years major changes have occurred in the focus, approach and application of monitoring and evaluation systems as a result of increased levels of emphasis towards achieving results (outcomes) as opposed to activities and outputs. As the focus of management changes from activities to results, so too has the focal point of M&E shifted from the traditional M&E system of progress monitoring that only deals with assessing inputs and implementation processes, to a results-based M&E system that emphasizes the need to assess the contributions of intervention to development outcomes. Nowadays funders, stakeholders and donor agencies want to see the difference that development initiatives make in the livelihood of project beneficiaries.Results-based M&E systems are essential components of most organisational structures responsible for development services and this is very fundamental as it provides vital information and empowers policy makers to take better informed decisions. The foundation of an M&E system is the very first step which is in essence called a ‘readiness assessment’. Such an assessment must be conducted before the actual establishment of an M&E system. Just as a building must begin with a foundation, constructing an M&E system must also begin with the establishment of a readiness assessment. Without this assessment and an understanding of the preparedness and commitment of the organisation, establishing an M&E system may be fraught with difficulties and failure.The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Programme of Ikamva Labantu has always been in the form of a reporting-type check list. The Centre is in a process of establishing an effective M&E system. The problem being investigated in this study is whether Ikamva Labantu has achieved a sufficient level of readiness to establish a results-based monitoring and evaluation system. However, the study shall also highlight crucial aspect of PM&E and RBM&E that will have to be taken into consideration with the establishment of the actual M&E system.With the use of the qualitative research method, the aim of this study is to analyse and assess the readiness assessment phase for establishing a monitoring and evaluation system in the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Programmes of Ikamva Labantu Centre, Khayelitsha.

Bakgrund: I Sverige finns 45 förlossningskliniker. Varje klinik har egna PM/riktlinjer för olika tillstånd och omhändertagande. De är framtagna för att underlätta arbetet och främja jämlik vård. Det finns både risker med att ge oxytocin och att avstå från det. Därför är det viktigt att åtgärden används på ett sätt som minimerar riskerna för mor och barn samt ökar sannolikheten för ett positivt förlossningsutfall.  Syfte:  Att kartlägga svenska förlossningsklinikers riktlinjer för värkstimulering med oxytocin under aktiv förlossning utifrån frågeställningarna: Är förlossningsklinikernas riktlinjer utformade enligt Nationella Mediciniska Indikationer och uppvisar riktlinjerna en god kvalitét enligt bedömningsinstrumentet Apprasial of Guidelines Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II). Metod: En kvantitativ studie med beskrivande och jämförande design. Resultat:  Resultatet grundar sig på samtliga förlossningskliniker riktlinjer för värkstimulering med oxytocin under aktiv förlossning. Jämförelsen mot Nationella Medicinska Indikationer visar på stora skillnader vad gäller innehållet i riktlinjerna. I 25 PM (69 %) saknas en eller flera delar av innehållet. Resultatet utifrån AGREE II visade att endast 20 PM (56%) kunde rekommenderas för användning.  Slutsats: Kvalitén på riktlinjerna varierar och de förlossningskliniker som följt Nationella Mediciniska Indikationer är också de som uppvisar bäst resultat enligt AGREE II. / Background: In Sweden there are 45 delivery wards. Every ward has their own guidelines for different conditions and their management. They are composed to relieve the work and promote equal care. There are risks of both administering oxytocin and to refrain from it. It is therefore important that the course of action taken is used in a way that minimizes the risk for both the mother and the child at the same time increasing the probability for a positive delivery outcome. Purpose: To map the Swedish delivery wards local guidelines in inducing delivery with oxytocin during active delivery in regards to the following issues: are the delivery wards guidelines formed according to National Medical Indication and do they uphold the high quality standard according to the assessment tool Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II). Method: A quantitative study with descriptive and comparable design. Results: The result is based on all delivery wards local guidelines for inducing delivery with oxytocin during active delivery. In comparison to NMI there are large differences in the content of the guidelines. In 25 guidelines (69%) there were one or several parts of content missing. The result according to AGREE II showed that only 20 local guidelines (56%) could be recommended for clinical use. Conclusion: The quality of the local guidelines vary and the delivery wards that have followed National Medical Indication recommendations are also the ones that present the best results according to AGREE II.

This master thesis deals with the estimation of magnet losses in a Permanent Magnet(PM) motor inserted in a nut-runner. This type of machine has interesting featuressuch as being slot-less and running at a very high speed (30000 rpm). An extensiveliterature review was performed in order to investigate the state of the art in estimationof the losses in magnets of a PM machine. Analytical models to calculate the no-loadback-emf and the magnetic ux density in the air-gap due to the currents in the statorare presented rst. Furthermore, several of the analytical models for calculating lossesin magnets described in the literature were tested and adapted to the case of a slotlessmachine with a parallel-magnetized ring. Then, a numerical estimation of thelosses with nite element method (FEM) 2D was carried out. In addition, a detailedinvestigation of the eect of simulation settings (e.g., mesh size, time-step, remanentmagnetic ux density in the magnet, superposition of the losses, etc.) was performed.Finally, calculation of losses with 3D FEM are also included in order to compare thecalculated losses with both analytical and FEM 2D results. The estimation of thelosses includes the variation of these with frequency for a range of frequencies between10 and 100 kHz. / Detta examensarbete handlar om uppskattningen av magnetforluster i en permanentmagnetmotor (PM) inford i en mutterdragare. Denna typ av maskin har intressantafunktioner, som att den ar slot-less och att den kors i en hog hastighet (30000rpm). En omfattande litteraturstudie utfordes for att kunna uppskatta forluster imagneterna pa basta satt. Forst presenteras analytiska modeller for att berakna denelektromotoriska kraften (EMK) och den magnetiska odestatheten i luftgapet somuppkommer pa grund av strommarna i statorn. Dessutom har era av de analytiskamodellerna for berakning av forlusterna som beskrivits i litteraturen testats och anpassatstill en slot-less maskin med en parallelmagnetiserad ring. En numerisk uppskattningav forlusterna har sedan utforts med hjalp av nita elementmetoden (FEM) 2D.Dartill har en detaljerad undersokning genomforts hur olika parameterinstallningarpaverka utfallet. De FEM parametrar som har undersokts har bland annat bestattav berakningsnatets storlek, tidssteg, remanens odestatheten i magneten och om superpositionav forlusterna galler. Till sist har berakningar for forluster med 3D FEMutforts och jamforts med resultaten for bade de analytiska och FEM 2D resultaten.Uppskattning av forluster innefattar variationen av dessa med ett frekvensomrade mellan10 och 100 kHz.

Les particules en suspension dans l’air (notées « PM » pour « Particulate matter ») sont aujourd’hui au cœur des préoccupations sociétales en raison de leur impact majeur sur la santé publique et leur forte participation au changement climatique. La matière organique (MO) représente généralement la première composante en masse des PM mais reste encore très mal appréhendée, en particulier la fraction organique d’origine biogénique primaire (PBOA). Des sucres primaires sont proposés comme des traceurs moléculaires pour étudier les processus de transport atmosphérique ainsi que pour estimer la contribution des PBOAs à la masse totale des PM. Cependant, les connaissances sont encore très limitées sur leurs distributions spatiales et temporelles (i.e., cycles journaliers, saisonniers et annuels), leurs principales sources d’émissions, ou encore les facteurs environnementaux qui déterminent leurs concentrations atmosphériques. Par ailleurs, si la comprehension du potentiel oxydant (PO) —proxy de l’effet sanitaire des PM— inhérent à la composante chimique des aérosols a relativement bien avancé ces dernières années, la contribution de cette fraction PBOA est encore est très mal connue. Ces différents aspects constituent les objectifs de ce travail de thèse. D’un point de vue méthodologique, nos questions ont été abordées par une approche interdisciplinaire, qui a impliquée l’exploitation statistique d’une large base de données et le couplage de campagnes de terrain spécifiques avec la mise en œuvre d’une stratégie expérimentale novatrice développée pour l’étude simultanée des caractéristiques chimiques et microbiologiques des échantillons prélevés.Dans un premier travail basé sur l’exploitation d’une large base de données, nous avons montré que les PBOAs constituent une fraction très importante des PM en France, independamment de la typologie de l’environnement, contribuant en moyenne annuelle à 13 ± 4 % de la MO dans les PM10. On met en évidence une similitude entre les évolutions temporelles de concentrations et de ratios entre sucres primaires pour des sites localisés dans une même région géographique (jusqu’à une distance inter-sites d’environ 200 km). Ces observations indiquent que la source PBOA est très homogène spatialement sur des distances cohérentes avec celle de grands types d'écosystèmes. Cette observation a ensuite été validée par une expérimentation basée sur deux échantillonnages annuels de terrain qui nous a permis de démontrer (i) que les évolutions journalières des concentrations atmosphériques en sucres primaires sont déterminées par seulement quelques taxons microbiens atmosphériques, variables d’un point de vue regionale ; et (ii) que ces taxons proviennent respectivement de la flore locale et régionale pour les sites d’étude qui sont directement influencés et non par les activités agricoles. Enfin, dans le cadre d’étude de PO, nos résultats ont permis de démontrer (i) que tous les bioaérosols modèles testés possèdent un PO intrinsèque significatif, comparable pour certaines espèces à celui de composants chimiques atmosphériques modèles connus pour leur forte reactivité redox ; et (ii) qu’ils sont capables d’influencer significativement le PO des PM chimiques modèles ou collectées en condition réelle.Ces travaux apportent un nouveau regard sur l’importance massique des PBOAs et des nouvelles connaissances sur les sources et processus dominants conduisant à leur introduction dans l’atmosphère, ainsi que l’influence des facteurs environnementaux sur ces processus. L’ensemble des résultats de ce travail plaide pour une prise en compte systematique des PBOAs dans les modèles de chimie atmosphérique pour une meilleure prédiction de la qualité de l’air. / Airborne particles (called « PM » for Particulate matter") are nowadays at the core of societal concerns because of their major impact on public health and their strong participation in climate change. Organic matter (OM) generally represents the first mass component of PM but it is still poorly understood, in particular the organic fraction from primary biogenic origin (PBOA). Some specific primary sugars are proposed as molecular tracers to study the atmospheric transport processes as well as to estimate the contribution of PBOAs to the total mass of PM. However, knowledge is still very limited about their spatial and temporal distributions (i.e., daily, seasonal and annual cycles), their main emission sources, or the environmental factors that drive their atmospheric concentrations. Moreover, although the understanding of the oxidative potential (OP) —a proxy of the health effect of PM— inherent in the chemical component of aerosols has progressed quite well in recent years, the contribution of this PBOA fraction is still very poorly understood. These aspects constitute the main objectives of this thesis work. From a methodological point of view, our questions were addressed by an interdisciplinary approach, which involved the statistical exploitation of a large database and the coupling of specific field campaigns with the implementation of an innovative experimental strategy developed for the simultaneous study of the chemical and microbiological characteristics of the samples collected.In a first work based on the exploitation of a large database, we showed that PBOAs constitute a very important fraction of PM in France, regardless of the typology of the environment, contributing on average to 13 ± 4% of the annual MO in PM10. We observed a synchronous temporal trends in both concentrations and ratios between primary sugars species for sites located in the same geographical region (up to an inter-site distance of about 200 km). These observations indicate that the PBOA source is very spatially homogeneous over distances consistent with those of large ecosystem types. This observation was then validated by an experimental approach based on two annual field sampling studies that allowed us to demonstrate (i) that daily changes in atmospheric concentrations of primary sugars are drived by only a few regionally variable atmospheric microbial taxa; and (ii) that these taxa come from local and regional flora for study sites that are directly influenced and not by agricultural activities, respectively. Finally, in the framework of the OP study, our results demonstrated (i) that all the tested model bioaerosols have a significant intrinsic OP, which is comparable for some species to the model atmospheric chemical components known for their high redox reactivity; and (ii) that they can significantly influence the OP of chemical PM models or sampled under real ambient conditions.This work provides a different look into the mass importance of PBOAs and new insights into the dominant sources and processes leading to their introduction into the atmosphere, as well as the influence of environmental factors on these processes. Alltogether these results argue for a systematic consideration of PBOAs in atmospheric chemistry models for better prediction of air quality.

This thesis explores the opportunities and challenges of integrating recent Natural Language Processing (NLP) Artificial Intelligence (AI) advancements into IT project management and delivery (PM&D). Using a qualitative design through hermeneutic phenomenology strategy, the study employs a semi-systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews to delve into NLP AI's potential impacts in IT PM&D, from both theoretical and practical standpoints. The results revealed numerous opportunities for NLP AI application across Project Performance Domains, enhancing areas such as stakeholder engagement, team productivity, project planning, performance measurement, project work, delivery, and risk management. However, challenges were identified in areas including system integration, value definition, team and stakeholder-related issues, environmental considerations, and ethical concerns. In-house and third-party model usage also presented their unique set of challenges, emphasizing cost implications, data privacy and security, result quality, and dependence issues. The research concludes the immense potential of NLP AI in IT PM&D is tempered by these challenges, and calls for robust strategies, sound ethics, comprehensive training, new ROI evaluation frameworks, and responsible AI usage to effectively manage these issues. This thesis provides valuable insights to academics, practitioners, and decision-makers navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of NLP AI in IT PM&D.

No description available.

The electrification of automobiles has emerged as the sustainable powertrain solutionto meet United Nations sustainable development goals of sustainable cities andcommunities, affordable and clean energy, and climate action. The success of theelectrification depends on the efficiency of traction motors. Hence, the automobileindustry is dedicated to improving the performance of electrical traction machinesfor high performance and sustainability. The thesis aims to build various electricalmachine’s concept designs and quantify their behaviour on sustainability andperformance. The thesis objective is to design Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM),Synchronous Reluctance Motor (SynRM), and Permanent Magnet SynchronousReluctance Motor (PM­SynRM). The thesis work comprises of accurate performanceestimation and optimisation of these electrical machines through a finite element based method. The in­house scripts are developed to estimate the performance, electrical losses, and efficiency of these electrical machines through flexible open-source tools. The performance of PMSM with rare-­earth magnet Neodymium Ferrite Boron(NdFeB) and without rare­-earth magnet (ferrite) is done to evaluate the role of bothmagnets in producing torque density. The SynRM is evaluated and optimized usinggenetic algorithms in the thesis. The electrical machines are designed without the useof rare-­earth magnets to eliminate the degradation of the environment and reduce thecost and weight of the motor. / The electrification of automobiles has emerged as the sustainable powertrain solutionto meet United Nations sustainable development goals of sustainable cities andcommunities, affordable and clean energy, and climate action. The success of theelectrification depends on the efficiency of traction motors. Hence, the automobileindustry is dedicated to improving the performance of electrical traction machinesfor high performance and sustainability. The thesis aims to build various electricalmachine’s concept designs and quantify their behaviour on sustainability andperformance. The thesis objective is to design Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM),Synchronous Reluctance Motor (SynRM), and Permanent Magnet SynchronousReluctance Motor (PM­SynRM). The thesis work comprises of accurate performanceestimation and optimisation of these electrical machines through a finite element based method. The in­house scripts are developed to estimate the performance, electrical losses, and efficiency of these electrical machines through flexible open-source tools. The performance of PMSM with rare-­earth magnet Neodymium Ferrite Boron(NdFeB) and without rare­-earth magnet (ferrite) is done to evaluate the role of bothmagnets in producing torque density. The SynRM is evaluated and optimized usinggenetic algorithms in the thesis. The electrical machines are designed without the useof rare-­earth magnets to eliminate the degradation of the environment and reduce thecost and weight of the motor.   Sammanfattning på svenska / Abstract in Swedish Elektrifieringen av bilar har framstått som en hållbar drivlinelösning för att mötaFörenade Nationernas hållbara utvecklingsmål för hållbara städer och samhällen, medprisvärda och rena energi och klimatåtgärder. Framgången med elektrifieringen berorpå effektivitet på motorer för framdrivningen. Därför är bilindustrin dedikerad tillatt förbättra prestanda för elmotorer för hållbarhet och hög prestanda. Avhandlingensyftar till att bygga olika konceptdesign för elmotorer för framdrivning och kvantifieraderas beteende på hållbarhet och prestanda. Uppsatsmålet är att utforma Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM),Synchronous Reluktance Motor (SynRM) och permanent magnetassisterad SynRM(PM­SynRM). Examensarbetet består av noggrann prestationsuppskattning ochoptimering av dessa elektriska maskiner genom finit element metod (FEM). Deskripten för att hantera FEM för elektormagnetisk design är in­house utveckladeför att uppskatta flexibelt prestanda, elektriska förluster och effektiviteten hos dessaelektriska maskiner genom att använda öppen källkod. Prestanda för PMSM med en sällsynta jordartsmagnet (NdFeB) och PMSM utansällsynta jordartsmagnet (ferrit) räknades fram för att utvärdera båda magneternasroll för att producera vridmomentdensitet. SynRM och PM­SynRM maskinernautvärderas och optimeras med hjälp av genetiska algoritmer i avhandlingen.De studerade elektriska maskinerna är designad utan användning av sällsyntajordartsmagneter för att eliminera miljöförstöring och minska motorns kostnad ochvikt.

In this paper, a periodic maintenance model is formulated assumingcontinuous monitoring, imperfect preventive maintenance (PM) and perfect correctivemaintenance (CM) using three decision variables, (I, N, Z). The model is derived in aninfinite horizon context where the mean cost per unit time is modelled. PM actionsare performed N − 1 times at time instants iT for i = 1, ..., N − 1, where T = ∆T · Iand ∆T is a fixed positive number representing the minimum time allowed betweenPM actions and I is a time interval multiple representing the decision of how oftenPM actions should be performed. The N:th maintenance activity is either a plannedreplacement (if Z = 0) or a corrective replacement from letting the component runto failure (if Z = 1). Imperfect PM is modelled using age reductions, either using aconstant r or a factor γ. Previous research on assumptions of these types has beenlimited as the assumptions yield models of high complexity which are not analyticallytractable. However, assumptions of this type are considered more realistic than othermore thoroughly researched assumptions, using e.g. minimal CM. Therefore, twocomplimentary optimisation methods are proposed and evaluated, namely, completeenumeration and a specially derived genetic algorithm which can be used for differentproblem sizes respectively. Carefully determined solution bounds enabled completeenumeration to be applicable for many input parameter values which is a great strengthof the proposed model. / I denna rapport modelleras en periodisk underhållsmodell baserat på antagandenakontinuerlig tillsyn,. ofullständigt förebyggande underhåll (FU) och perfektavhjälpande underhåll (AU) genom tre beslutsvariabler (I, N, Z). Modellen härledsinom ramen för en oändlig planeringshorisont där genomsnittskostnaden pertidsenhet modelleras. FU åtgärder utförs vid N − 1 stycken tillfällen vid tidpunkternaiT för i = 1, ..., N − 1, där T = ∆T · I och ∆T är ett givet positivt tal som representerarden minsta tillåtna tiden mellan FU åtgärder och I är en tidsintervallmultipelsom representerar beslutet kring hur ofta FU åtgärder ska utföras. Den N:teunderhållsåtgärden är antingen ett planerat utbyte (om Z = 0) eller ett avhjälpandeutbyte från att låta komponenten arbeta tills dess att den går sönder (om Z = 1).Ofullständigt FU modelleras genom åldersreduktion, antingen genom en konstantr eller en faktor γ. Det har visat sig finnas få tidigare studier som baseras påliknande antaganden då antaganden av denna typ resulterar i modeller av högkomplexitet som inte går att optimera analytiskt. Dock anses antaganden av dennatyp vara mer realistiska än andra mer välstuderade antaganden som exempelvisminimalt AU. Därför föreslås och utvärderas två kompletterande optimeringsmetodertill modellen, nämligen, total genomsökning och en specifikt anpassad genetiskalgoritm som kan användas för olika problemstorlekar. Genom att härleda effektivalösningsavgränsningar kunde optimering med hjälp av total genomsökning bli möjligtför många olika värden på modell parametrarna vilket är en stor fördel med denslutgiltiga modellen.

This research investigates particulate matter (PM) deposition to rock pigeons (Columba livia) in urban environments within Denton County, Texas. Pigeon habitat was characterized within a 2-km radius at eight locations using the 2016 National Land Cover Database (NLCD). In summer 2020, feathers were sampled from 10 rock pigeons at two locations (n = 20) differing in degree of urban development. Birds were captured using walk-in funnel traps baited with bird seed. Based on molt pattern and appearance, four old flight feathers were identified and sampled from each bird. New primary feathers were obtained from each population as reference samples. Feathers were washed three times with double deionized water and acetone, and the solution vacuum filtered through a glass microfiber filter to collect all particles >1.5 µm in diameter. Particulate matter mass was determined by gravimetric analysis and calculated per unit feather surface area. Relative PM accumulation rates were significantly different between the populations. Characteristics of urban land cover, proximity to and types of emissions sources, wind exposure, and building density were drivers of variability in PM deposition to feather surfaces. The results from this study should be useful for subsequent research to help identify best practices for using feathers collected from pigeons or other urban restricted bird species to monitor PM levels across multiple spatial scales.

A fairly new technology used to produce metallic components is powder metallurgy (PM). Among the advantages with this technique are decreased cost of production for complex-shaped parts, new alloys are made possible, reduced end processing, less material loss, and vibrational damping effects. The downside is the number of pores created which can alter the tribological properties of the material. The focus of this report is to investigate how lean PM steel behaves under tribological contacts.  Friction and wear will be investigated using a pin-on-disc setup to mimic the sliding part of a gear tooth mesh. Previous studies show that the amount of wear, and if the wear increases or decreases with increased density is dependent on the degree of porosity and the pore size. This means that the wear might be minimized by optimizing the number of pores in the material and their shape and size. The result of this study shows that the friction coefficient decreases with increasing density. The wear coefficient show signs of the same correlations but further tests are needed. The main wear comes from adhesive wear, with signs of abrasive wear. The amount of abrasive wear seems to increase with an increase in density, supporting previous studies claiming that pores can trap wear debris and decrease the number of abrasive particles in the contact.