The present Master thesis entitled "Engineering Design and Optimization of Injector Holder" deals with the design of clamping holder, whose function is to ensure the exact position of injector system Common Rail. The shape of the injector holder is designed in the modelling program, both with respect to the installation space of internal combustion engine and also the method of manufacture. The proposed geometry is then subjected to stress analysis in the program using FEM. The final design phase is to optimize the geometry of the injector holder using the same method with the aim to reduce the weight of the component.

The Covid-19 pandemic has created sudden changes in society and in the organisational landscape where working from home practices have been applied on a large scale to reduce the spread of the virus. The restrictions from governments and changing working environments have affected people's lifestyles. Furthermore, certain countries have also initiated formal lockdowns which has not been the case in Sweden where recommendations have been given to work from home. This research aims to find out how managers are adopting to and dealing with changing organisational practices that are impacted by different institutional pressures such as values, regulations and change. This study focuses on managers to find out how they have adjusted to working from home practices and managed challenges from it but also to understand their arguments and considerations about future work constellations. By this material we aspire to provide managers with information in terms of organising working practices when society is going back to normal which highlights risks and opportunities with working from home and future hybrid working arrangements.

Title: Analysis of plantar pressures distribution at patients after microdiscectomy L5/S1 Author: Petra Végsöová Objective: The topic of the thesis is to analyze distribution of plantar pressure at "broken" and "healthy" foot. The work is based on comparison of plantar pressure distribution on "broken and healthy" footprint in static position before and after intensive daily rehabilitation. Method of solution: Twelve 40-65 years-old individuals were chosen for the study. They were treated for L5/S1 microdiscectomy and rehabilitated daily at Rehabilitation clinic Malvazinky in Prague. This group of individuals was examined in two ways; by a physiotherapist, who analysed their state of health using kinesiology analysis, and by Plantograph V07, which is used for examination of state of pressure between sole of foot and miniature pressure sensors shaped in a grid. Three weeks of rehabilitation was ended by the same ways of examination used at the beginning of therapy. The results were processed and compared by a computer. Key words: back pain, radicular syndrome, microdiscectomy, radicular pain, analysis of plantar pressures, plantograph

Background Since anthropometric variables are critical to the creation of pulmonary nomograms for FVC, FEV1, and other volumes and capacities, it is logical that anthropometric variables also influence the values of the maximal respiratory pressures (MRPs). Since nomograms are race-specific, it is important that tribe-specific tables of normal maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) be developed. To date normal tables for MRPs do not exist for Navajo children. Objective Therefore the purpose of this study was to derive MRP normative reference values for Navajo children in the age range of 6-14 years. Methods - Participants and Measurements A cross-sectional study was undertaken with a representative sample of 534 healthy children, ages 6-14 years, attending Navajo Nation elementary schools in Arizona. MIP and MEP were measured. Results Test results from 275 girls and 259 boys met American Thoracic Society quality control standards and showed that MRPs all increased with height. Mean MIP in cm H2O was 77 for boys and 67 for girls with lower limits of 44 and 40, respectively. Mean MEP in cm H2O was 75 for boys and 66 for girls with the lower limits of 42 and 38, respectively. Conclusion Since the data were collected from the population of interest, the resulting MIP and MEP reference equations should be used when testing Navajo children ages 6-14 years.

Background Since anthropometric variables are critical to the creation of pulmonary nomograms for FVC, FEV1, and other volumes and capacities, it is logical that anthropometric variables also influence the values of the maximal respiratory pressures (MRPs). Since nomograms are race-specific, it is important that tribe-specific tables of normal maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) be developed. To date normal tables for MRPs do not exist for Navajo children. Objective Therefore the purpose of this study was to derive MRP normative reference values for Navajo children in the age range of 6-14 years. Methods - Participants and Measurements A cross-sectional study was undertaken with a representative sample of 534 healthy children, ages 6-14 years, attending Navajo Nation elementary schools in Arizona. MIP and MEP were measured. Results Test results from 275 girls and 259 boys met American Thoracic Society quality control standards and showed that MRPs all increased with height. Mean MIP in cm H2O was 77 for boys and 67 for girls with lower limits of 44 and 40, respectively. Mean MEP in cm H2O was 75 for boys and 66 for girls with the lower limits of 42 and 38, respectively. Conclusion Since the data were collected from the population of interest, the resulting MIP and MEP reference equations should be used when testing Navajo children ages 6-14 years.

Pas de résumé en français / Pas de résumé en anglais

Natural hazards are predicted to only increase in frequency and severity over the next decade, making it crucial to avoid their negative consequences by disaster risk reduction. Reducing risks of natural hazards is not a recent invention as it has been shown that indigenous and local communities possess indigenous and local knowledge systems related to reducing disaster risks. These knowledge systems are however largely being ignored in policy and research. They are also subjected to pressures which risk altering, eroding or destroying them. In this thesis, these indigenous and local knowledge systems and the pressures that might threaten them are explored through a field study with interviews and observations in rural indigenous and local communities in northern Thailand. The findings show clear evidence of multiple and varying types of indigenous and local knowledge systems, such as knowledges, practices, and beliefs that reduce disaster risk. However, multiple types of pressures to the indigenous and local knowledge systems are also found. These pressures have in some cases already resulted in a loss of indigenous and local knowledge systems, or risk doing so in the future. The conclusion of the thesis is that these indigenous and local knowledge systems and the pressures to them should be kept in close mind in research, policy and intervention to improve disaster risk reduction and not perpetuate the current western paradigm.

Research questions: What effects can institutional pressures have on firms' sustainable activities? How can firms interact with their stakeholders to overcome the challenge of being sustainable and profitable?  Purpose: As sustainability is on the agenda for institutions worldwide, there is relevance in elevating the understanding of how institutional pressures impact firms' sustainable activities, and what mechanisms that firms can incorporate when developing CSR activities. Thus, we wish to contribute to the strategic benefits of stakeholder interaction to balance profitability and sustainability.  Method: Explorative, qualitative, case study. Conclusion: Institutional pressures have a significant impact on firms’ sustainable activities where the two main drivers are laws and regulations and the market demand. As a result, the main activities that these pressures bring forth include sustainability reporting, certifications, decreasing the carbon footprints, and the delivery of EPDs to the customers. Stakeholder interaction such as communication and collaboration can foster sustainable development and give a deeper understanding of mutually beneficial outcomes that enables firms to balance profitability and sustainability.

A new method for the determination of finely-gridded reservoir simulation pressures has been developed. It is estimated to be as much as hundreds to thousands of times faster than other methods for very large reservoir simulation grids. The method extends the work of Weber et al. Weber demonstrated accuracies for the pressure solution normally requiring millions of cells using traditional finite-difference equations with only hundreds of cells. This was accomplished through the use of finite-difference equations that incorporate the physics of the flow. Although these coarse-grid solutions achieve accuracies normally requiring orders of magnitude more resolution, their coarse resolution does not resolve local pressure variations resulting from fine-grid permeability variations. Many oil reservoir simulation models require fine grids to adequately represent the reservoir properties. Weber's coarse grids are of little value. This study takes advantage of the accurate coarse-grid solutions of Weber, by nesting them in the requisite fine grids to achieve much faster solutions of the large systems. Application of the nested-grid method involved calculating an accurate solution on a coarse grid, nesting the coarse-grid solution as fixed points into a finer grid and solving. Best results were obtained when an optimal number of coarse-grid pressure points were nested into the fine grid and when an optimal number of nested-grid systems were used.

No description available.