In order to avoid the occurrence of early-age damage, cement-treated base (CTB) materials must be allowed to cure for a period of time before the pavement can be opened to traffic. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the utility of the soil stiffness gauge (SSG), heavy Clegg impact soil tester (CIST), portable falling-weight deflectometer (PFWD), dynamic cone penetrometer, and falling-weight deflectometer for assessing early-age strength gain of cement-stabilized materials. Experimentation was performed at four sites on a pavement reconstruction project along Interstate 84 near Morgan, Utah, and three sites along Highway 91 near Richmond, Utah; cement stabilization was used to construct CTB layers at both locations. Each site was stationed to facilitate repeated measurements at the same locations with different devices and at different curing times. Because of the considerable attention they have received in the pavement construction industry for routine quality control and quality assurance programs, the SSG, CIST, and PFWD were the primary focus of the research. Statistical techniques were utilized to evaluate the sensitivity to curing time, repeatability, and efficiency of these devices. In addition, the ruggedness and ease of use of each device were evaluated. The test results indicate that the CIST data were more sensitive to curing time than the SSG and PFWD data at the majority of the cement-treated sites during the first 72 hours after construction. Furthermore, the results indicate that the CIST is superior to the other instruments with respect to repeatability, efficiency, ruggedness, and ease of use. Because the CIST is less expensive than the SSG and PFWD, it is more likely to be purchased by pavement engineers and contractors involved with construction of CTBs. For these reasons, this research suggests that the CIST offers greater overall utility than the SSG or PFWD for monitoring early-age strength gain of CTB. Further research is needed to identify appropriate threshold CIST values at which CTB layers develop sufficient strength to resist permanent deformation or marring under different types of trafficking.

<p>Pharmaceuticals that are found in marine ecosystems are a threatening environmental concern, which is known to harm both animal and plant life. One of the reasons for this problem is that the waste water treatment techniques are not optimized to clear waste water from its pharmaceuticals contain. In this master thesis four Swedish treatment wetlands were studied, and their ability to reduce numerous pharmaceuticals in waste water. The four treatment wetlands that were studied were those in Oxelösund, Trosa, Nynäshamn and Eskilstuna. Two ecotoxicological tests and chemical analysis were used. The ecotoxicological tests were performed on the copepod <em>Nitocra spinipes</em> and macro algae <em>Ceramium tenuicorne</em>, but the results were ambiguous and could not be related to the chemical analysis. The result from the chemical analysis showed that 50-70 % of the substances were reduced to some degree, and of which 15 % were almost completely reduced. In Nynäshamn’s wetland and Oxelösund’s wetland the pharmaceutical treatment were more efficient than in Trosa’s wetland and Eskilstuna’s wetland. This was probably due to the, at the time, more efficient biological activity. The pharmaceuticals that dominated the incoming waters to all the wetlands were more or less the same. On the contrary, substances were reduced to different degrees in the four wetlands. However, the reduction patterns for both Nynäshamn and Oxelösund were similar, which suggest that the same processes dominated in both wetlands. As the study was performed in cold winter conditions with bad oxygen supply it is likely that greater reduction would be obtained in warmer conditions.</p>

<p>Piloter i försvarsmakten har en väldigt unik arbetsmiljö med särskilda påfrestningar från bland annat höga G-krafter och snabba tryckförändringar. I dagsläget utför svenska stridspiloter i princip samma slags fysiska tester som all Försvarsmaktspersonal. De årliga fysiska testerna för svenska stridspiloter är uppdelade i två olika tester; ett konditionstest och ett multitest i styrka. Validiteten för dessa tester kan dock ifrågasättas. De ger endast en grov bild över en persons allmänna fysiska status och har, enligt min åsikt, egentligen inte direkt någonting att göra med huruvida piloten skall kunna klara av att utföra sin tjänst. Man kan dock fråga sig i om en god allmän hälsa indirekt är en förutsättning för att piloten skall kunna utföra sin tjänst på bästa sätt. Ökad styrka och anaerob förmåga, framförallt ökad styrka i benmusklerna, bål och även armar har förts fram som faktorer som ökar G-toleransen. Flera studier visar på sådana resultat med koppling till ökad G-toleransoch tiden innan en person blir utmattad av AGSM. Det finns dock några studier vars resultat kontradikterar mot detta och som istället menar att muskelutmattning vid utförandet av AGSM sannolikt inte påverkar G-toleransen. Samtidigt som ingen studie har lyckats visa att aerob förmåga ökar G-toleransen. Det är väldigt svårt att mäta G-toleransen och framförallt att mäta den på rätt sätt. Många har försökt men tyvärr finns det vissa tveksamheter och många möjliga felkällor i alla studier jag undersökt. Det återstår således att utföra mer forskning på området för att säkerställa dessa resultat. Då det idag inte råder några tvivel om att aerob förmåga inte ökar G-toleransen och eftersom anaerob förmåga, främst styrkan i ben och bål men också i armar och övriga kroppen, i flertalet studier antytts kunna öka G-toleransenanser jag att man borde fokuseras på att testa styrkan i de muskler som används vid AGSM i de årliga fysiska testerna och att styrketräning överlag borde premieras för stridspiloter. Jag har inte kommit fram till särskilt många förslag på nya tester men det var heller inte mitt syfte med uppsatsen. Däremot vill jag bestämt föreslå att de årliga fysiska testerna för svenska stridspiloter snarast borde ges en grundlig översyn, framför allt bentestet. Cykeltestet borde omarbetas för att bli likvärdigt med löptesterna. Ett nacktest vore också högst önskvärt i dessa framtida tester. Men först måste det noggrant utredas vad det egentliga syftet med testerna skall vara.</p> / <p>Fighter pilots have a very unique working environment in Swedens Armed Foces, stress from high G-forces and fast pressures changes to name a few. Up to days date Swedish fighter pilots conduct almost exactly the same physical tests each year as the rest of Swedens Armed Forces. Each years physical testing is divided into two seperate tests; one fitness test and one multi test of strength. But the validity of both these test can be questioned. These test only gives a rough estimation of a persons overall physical standard and has little to do with whether the pilot manage to cope with his serving or not. However, you could argue that a fighter pilot indirect requires a good general physical state to stay on acitve duty. Anaerobic fitness and most of all increased strength in muscles groups such as legs, abdominal and arms has been brought up as evidence to support the conclusion that strength training increases G-tolerance. Multiple studies all share these same results. The results connected to G-tolerance and the time before a person losses consiousness because of the repeated execution of the AGSM. There are however a few studies made that contradict the very conclusion of the studies above. They found out that musclefatigue as a result of repeated execution of tha AGSM is unlikely to affect G-tolerance. At the same time, no present studie that I have been able to find has found any evidence that support that fact that aerobic fitness would have any effect on G-tolerance. To meassure G-tolerance and most of all to get it right is difficult work. Many have tried and few or perhaps none has completly succeeded. There are some doubts and alot of possible sources of errors in all studies I have found. Hence alot of work are still to be done in this particular region of science before we can know for sure that these facts are correct. I suggest that since there are no doubts about the fact that aerobic fitness does not contribute to G-tolerance and since anaerobic fitness and strenght in first of all legs and abdominal mucles but also arms and the upper body has been found to somehow affect G-tolerance positivly focus should be on meassuring the strength in first of all the muscles that are involved in the AGSM in the every year physical tests and that fighter pilots should be encouraged to exercise strength training. I have not come up with many suggestions regarding new tests but that was not the aim of this paper. But I strongly suggest that someone is to overlook these tests soon, especially the leg test. I also think that the bicycle test should be made more equivalent to the running tests. A neck test would also be most appropriate to include in these future tests to come. But first of all it needs to be determined what the main purpose of these tests should be.</p>

Piloter i försvarsmakten har en väldigt unik arbetsmiljö med särskilda påfrestningar från bland annat höga G-krafter och snabba tryckförändringar. I dagsläget utför svenska stridspiloter i princip samma slags fysiska tester som all Försvarsmaktspersonal. De årliga fysiska testerna för svenska stridspiloter är uppdelade i två olika tester; ett konditionstest och ett multitest i styrka. Validiteten för dessa tester kan dock ifrågasättas. De ger endast en grov bild över en persons allmänna fysiska status och har, enligt min åsikt, egentligen inte direkt någonting att göra med huruvida piloten skall kunna klara av att utföra sin tjänst. Man kan dock fråga sig i om en god allmän hälsa indirekt är en förutsättning för att piloten skall kunna utföra sin tjänst på bästa sätt. Ökad styrka och anaerob förmåga, framförallt ökad styrka i benmusklerna, bål och även armar har förts fram som faktorer som ökar G-toleransen. Flera studier visar på sådana resultat med koppling till ökad G-toleransoch tiden innan en person blir utmattad av AGSM. Det finns dock några studier vars resultat kontradikterar mot detta och som istället menar att muskelutmattning vid utförandet av AGSM sannolikt inte påverkar G-toleransen. Samtidigt som ingen studie har lyckats visa att aerob förmåga ökar G-toleransen. Det är väldigt svårt att mäta G-toleransen och framförallt att mäta den på rätt sätt. Många har försökt men tyvärr finns det vissa tveksamheter och många möjliga felkällor i alla studier jag undersökt. Det återstår således att utföra mer forskning på området för att säkerställa dessa resultat. Då det idag inte råder några tvivel om att aerob förmåga inte ökar G-toleransen och eftersom anaerob förmåga, främst styrkan i ben och bål men också i armar och övriga kroppen, i flertalet studier antytts kunna öka G-toleransenanser jag att man borde fokuseras på att testa styrkan i de muskler som används vid AGSM i de årliga fysiska testerna och att styrketräning överlag borde premieras för stridspiloter. Jag har inte kommit fram till särskilt många förslag på nya tester men det var heller inte mitt syfte med uppsatsen. Däremot vill jag bestämt föreslå att de årliga fysiska testerna för svenska stridspiloter snarast borde ges en grundlig översyn, framför allt bentestet. Cykeltestet borde omarbetas för att bli likvärdigt med löptesterna. Ett nacktest vore också högst önskvärt i dessa framtida tester. Men först måste det noggrant utredas vad det egentliga syftet med testerna skall vara. / Fighter pilots have a very unique working environment in Swedens Armed Foces, stress from high G-forces and fast pressures changes to name a few. Up to days date Swedish fighter pilots conduct almost exactly the same physical tests each year as the rest of Swedens Armed Forces. Each years physical testing is divided into two seperate tests; one fitness test and one multi test of strength. But the validity of both these test can be questioned. These test only gives a rough estimation of a persons overall physical standard and has little to do with whether the pilot manage to cope with his serving or not. However, you could argue that a fighter pilot indirect requires a good general physical state to stay on acitve duty. Anaerobic fitness and most of all increased strength in muscles groups such as legs, abdominal and arms has been brought up as evidence to support the conclusion that strength training increases G-tolerance. Multiple studies all share these same results. The results connected to G-tolerance and the time before a person losses consiousness because of the repeated execution of the AGSM. There are however a few studies made that contradict the very conclusion of the studies above. They found out that musclefatigue as a result of repeated execution of tha AGSM is unlikely to affect G-tolerance. At the same time, no present studie that I have been able to find has found any evidence that support that fact that aerobic fitness would have any effect on G-tolerance. To meassure G-tolerance and most of all to get it right is difficult work. Many have tried and few or perhaps none has completly succeeded. There are some doubts and alot of possible sources of errors in all studies I have found. Hence alot of work are still to be done in this particular region of science before we can know for sure that these facts are correct. I suggest that since there are no doubts about the fact that aerobic fitness does not contribute to G-tolerance and since anaerobic fitness and strenght in first of all legs and abdominal mucles but also arms and the upper body has been found to somehow affect G-tolerance positivly focus should be on meassuring the strength in first of all the muscles that are involved in the AGSM in the every year physical tests and that fighter pilots should be encouraged to exercise strength training. I have not come up with many suggestions regarding new tests but that was not the aim of this paper. But I strongly suggest that someone is to overlook these tests soon, especially the leg test. I also think that the bicycle test should be made more equivalent to the running tests. A neck test would also be most appropriate to include in these future tests to come. But first of all it needs to be determined what the main purpose of these tests should be.

Pharmaceuticals that are found in marine ecosystems are a threatening environmental concern, which is known to harm both animal and plant life. One of the reasons for this problem is that the waste water treatment techniques are not optimized to clear waste water from its pharmaceuticals contain. In this master thesis four Swedish treatment wetlands were studied, and their ability to reduce numerous pharmaceuticals in waste water. The four treatment wetlands that were studied were those in Oxelösund, Trosa, Nynäshamn and Eskilstuna. Two ecotoxicological tests and chemical analysis were used. The ecotoxicological tests were performed on the copepod Nitocra spinipes and macro algae Ceramium tenuicorne, but the results were ambiguous and could not be related to the chemical analysis. The result from the chemical analysis showed that 50-70 % of the substances were reduced to some degree, and of which 15 % were almost completely reduced. In Nynäshamn’s wetland and Oxelösund’s wetland the pharmaceutical treatment were more efficient than in Trosa’s wetland and Eskilstuna’s wetland. This was probably due to the, at the time, more efficient biological activity. The pharmaceuticals that dominated the incoming waters to all the wetlands were more or less the same. On the contrary, substances were reduced to different degrees in the four wetlands. However, the reduction patterns for both Nynäshamn and Oxelösund were similar, which suggest that the same processes dominated in both wetlands. As the study was performed in cold winter conditions with bad oxygen supply it is likely that greater reduction would be obtained in warmer conditions.

Eight small-scale breath alcohol measurement devices were tested for accuracy, precision and the ability to not yield false positive and false negative readings. These pocket-sized breath testers (PMBTs), which provided numerical readout of BrAC to the 100th of a percent, were smaller than evidential and preliminary breath test instruments (EBTs and PBTs). The smallest devices were approximately the same size of a cigarette lighter. Designed to provide drinkers feedback about their individual alcohol levels, the PMBTs ranged in price from $40-100 USD. The devices were first tested under laboratory conditions with alcohol solution simulators providing the alcoholic samples. They were then tested with human drinkers, under controlled field conditions. Each device was tested at multiple alcohol levels. Two of the eight PMBTs failed to complete all levels of testing and were excluded from the study. All PMBTs demonstrated the ability to not yield false positive and false negative readings. No device met NHTSA performance criteria for accuracy (systematic error) in testing EBTs at every alcohol level tested. An interaction between PMBTs and the alcohol test levels was found. Thus, accuracy was found to be dependent upon the alcohol level at which the devices were tested. No device met NHTSA performance criteria for precision in testing EBTs at every alcohol level tested. Precision varied depending on the testing condition. There was less precision under controlled field conditions than under laboratory conditions. Five of the six PMBTs that completed the testing overestimated BrAC; only one device read below actual BrAC. Ramifications of the findings are discussed, regarding the overestimation and underestimation of BrAC and the possibility of manufacturers intentionally calibrating the devices to overestimate BrAC. Potential PMBT users are discussed and areas for future research are addressed.

La liberté de tester au Québec a longtemps été qualifiée de « illimitée ». Dans les faits, une telle liberté signifiait que le de cujus pouvait ne rien laisser à son ou sa conjointe ni à ses enfants. Or, depuis l'introduction des dispositions législatives sur la prestation compensatoire et, plus particulièrement, de celles sur le patrimoine familial et sur la survie de l'obligation alimentaire, l'étendue de cette liberté n'est plus la même. Bien que les Québécois soient toujours libres de déterminer par testament à qui ils souhaitent léguer leurs biens, leur liberté est désormais limitée par ces dispositions législatives impératives qui permettent au conjoint survivant et à la famille immédiate du défunt de réclamer certaines sommes à la succession, et ce, quelles que soient les dernières volontés du de cujus. Ainsi, le patrimoine sur lequel s'exerce la liberté du testateur n'est plus forcément celui sur lequel le défunt pouvait exercer sa volonté pendant sa vie et son mariage. Il n'est donc plus possible de parler de liberté « illimitée» de tester des Québécois. Ce constat quant à l'émergence de restrictions à la liberté testamentaire dans le Code civil nous conduit à nous interroger sur les raisons et les fondements de cette transformation de la liberté de tester et, incidemment, sur la question plus générale de la production et de l'évolution du droit de la famille dans la société. Pour répondre à ce questionnement, cette thèse repose sur une approche socio-juridique selon laquelle il faut rechercher les fondements de l'évolution du droit à l'intérieur des représentations sociales valorisées dans une société et une époque données. Partant du postulat que ce sont les changements dans les représentations sociales qui contribuent à expliquer le passage d'une rationalité sociale à une rationalité juridique, cette thèse dégage par quels acteurs, suivant quelles logiques et dans quels buts ces restrictions à la liberté de tester ont été introduites dans le droit québécois. Une telle façon d'aborder l'évolution du droit à partir de l'évolution des représentations sociales contribue ainsi à « éclairer» l'idée communément véhiculée selon laquelle le droit reflète l'évolution des moeurs. Grâce à une étude des représentations sociales inscrites et retracées dans le discours des acteurs sociaux - mémoires déposés à l'Assemblée nationale, Journal des débats, commissions parlementaires, jurisprudence, doctrine, textes de loi - cette thèse montre que les changements qui ont conduit à restreindre la liberté de tester au Québec ne dépendent pas que des perceptions relatives à la famille et au patrimoine, tel qu'on le rapporte généralement. L'introduction de restrictions à la liberté de tester dans le Code civil semble plutôt résulter d'un compromis entre l'évolution des représentations sociales sur les rapports familiaux et l'évolution des représentations sociales sur le droit, plus précisément quant aux fonctions du droit dans la société et aux conditions de sa cohérence. L'analyse de cette évolution permet enfin d'observer que si le droit des successions a longtemps été une « composante » du droit des biens, il constitue désormais, surtout, une « composante» du droit de la famille. / Formerly the freedom of wiIling in Quebec was considered to be "unlimited", which meant that its scope was such that the deceased could refrain from bequeathing any property at aIl to his or her spouse or children. Following the introduction of legal measures on compensatory allowance and, more particularly, provisions concerning the family patrimony and the survival of the obligation of support, the scope of this freedom is no longer as alI-inclusive as it once was. Although Quebeckers remain free to determine via their last wiIls and testaments to whom they wish to bequeath their property, henceforth their margin of freedom is limited by the preceding legislative changes which entitle the surviving spouse and immediate family of the deceased to claim to certain amounts from the succession, whatever the last will of the deceased may have been. As such, the patrimony upon which the testator now exercises freedom has ceased necessarily to be that which the deceased had control over during his or her life and marriage. It is thus no longer possible to refer to Quebeckers' "unlimited freedom" of wiIling. The emergence of limitations in testamentary freedom in the Civil Code invites us to question the reasons and foundations for this shift in the freedom of willing and, incidentaIly, the more general issue of the reform and evolution offamily law in society. To address these issues, this thesis is founded upon a socio-Iegal approach according to which it is essential to seek out the basis of the evolution of law from within the social representations valued in a society at a given time in its history. Beginning from the postulate that it is the changes in social representations that help to explain the transition from a social rationality to a legal rationality, this thesis illustrates by what actors, foIlowing which lines of logic and to what end these limitations in the freedom of wiIling were introduced into Quebec law. Such an approach to the evolution of the law on the basis of social representations thereby helps "to enlighten" the commonly expressed idea whereby law is a mirror image of mores. Based upon an analysis of social representations recorded and retrieved in the discourse of different social actors, including briefs tabled before the National Assembly and proceedings in the Journal of Debates, parliamentary committees, as weIl as decided cases, doctrine and statutory texts, this thesis seeks to demonstrate how the changes which led to the restriction in testamentary freedom in Quebec extend far beyond perceptions evoking family and patrimony as is generaIly claimed. The introduction of limitations in the freedom of willing in the Civil Code seems rather to result from a compromise between the evolution in social representations regarding family relationships and the evolution in social representations regarding law, more specifically with regard to the functions of law in society and the conditions underlying the law's systemic coherence. Lastly the analysis of this evolution makes it possible to observe that while the law governing successions was for a long time a "component" of property law, henceforth it has specifically gravitated to being a "component" of family law. / "Thèse présentée à la Faculté des études supérieures en vue de l'obtention du grade de docteur en droit (LL.D.)". Cette thèse a été acceptée à l'unanimité et classée parmi les 10% des thèses de la discipline.

Hensikt: Hensikten med studien var todelt. Den ene delen tok sikte på å belyse hvordan manved screeningkunne finne ut om personer med kognitiv svikt oppfyller helsekravene for fortsatt å kunne kjøre bil. Den andre delen så på ergoterapeutens rolle og kunnskapsgrunnlag i slike førerkortvurderinger. Metode:Tverrsnittsstudie hvor den ene delen varbygd på data fra 99 pasientjournaler med fokus på to nevropsykologiske tester(NorSDSA og UFOV)og en praktisk kjøretest(P-Drive). Den andre delen varbygd på data fra en webbasert spørreundersøkelse sendt ut til 1857 norske ergoterapeuter. Resultat:UFOV hadde signifikant korrelasjon med utfall i praktisk kjøretest, høy sensitivitet og høy PPV, slik at ved en ikke-godkjent UFOV er det grunn til å fortsette med praktisk kjøretest. NorSDSA hadde lav sensitivitet, men høy spesifisitet som indikerer atde som får godkjent på NorSDSA bør fortsette med en praktisk kjøretest.I praktisk kjøretest var det skår på kjørehandlingene «Løser problem, «Reaksjon» og «Oppmerksomhet mot venstre» som hadde størst sammenheng med resultatet av førerkortvurderingen. Det varfå ergoterapeuter i Norge som haddeførerkortvurderinger som sittarbeidsområde. Informantene i undersøkelsen opplevde at de kunne haen sentral rolle i å vurdere helsekravene for førerkort, men at de mangletbåde kunnskap, gyldige og pålitelige metoder og nasjonale retningslinjer for slike vurderinger. Konklusjon:Fra et folkehelseperspektiv, er utfordringentidlig å identifisere sjåfører med økt risiko, uten unødig begrense andre. Studien viser at det er behov for både å gjennomføre nevropsykologiske tester samt praktisk kjøretesti vurdering av helsekrav for personer med kognitiv svikt.Det er behov for mer forskning på området, og dessutenbehov for å utarbeide nasjonale retningslinjer.Ergoterapeutene oppfattet sinrolle i førerkortvurderinger som sentral med spesielt praktisk kjøretestsom et viktig bidrag. / Aim: The aim of thestudy was dual. First, itsought to determine whether individuals with cognitive impairments meet health requirements fordrivingsafety. Second, itexaminedthe role of occupational therapists and their knowledge of driver assessments. Method:For part 1, across-sectional study was applied, based partly on data from 99 patient records,focusing on two neuropsychological tests (NorSDSA and UFOV) and on-roaddriver performancetest(P-Drive). The second part wasbased on data from an online survey sent to 1.857 Norwegian occupational therapists. Result:UFOV had significant correlation with outcome in P-Drive, high sensitivity, and high PPV. A failed UFOV indicates a reason to continue with an on-roadtest. NorSDSA had low sensitivity but high specificity and high PPV. Passing NorSDSA indicates a reason to continue with an on-road test. The items in P-Drive that had the highest correlation with the result of the driving assessment were problem solving,reaction, and attention to the left.Few occupational therapists in Norway were involved in driving assessment. Survey participants felt that they might play a central role in assessing the health requirements for driving but lacked the knowledge, valid and reliable methods, and national guidelines for driving assessments. Conclusion: From a public health perspective, the challenge is to identify at-risk drivers as early as possible, without unnecessarily restricting other drivers. This study shows a need for conducting neuropsychological tests and for a practical driving test to assess people with cognitive impairment. This area requires further study, just as there is a need for national guidelines.Occupational therapists perceived a central role for them in driving assessment. They believed they could contribute most effectively through a driving test. / <p>ISBN 978-91-86739-50-8</p>

Syfte och frågeställningar Studiens syfte var att undersöka hur relationen mellan sprintförmåga och olika typer av styrke- och hopptester ser ut. De fyra frågeställningarna var; Hur ser sambandet ut mellan accelerationsfasen i sprint och styrketester? Hur ser sambandet ut mellan accelerationsfasen i sprint och hopptester? Hur ser sambandet ut mellan maxhastighetsfasen i sprint och styrketester? Hur ser sambandet ut mellan maxhastighetsfasen i sprint och hopptester? Metod Totalt rekryterades 24 deltagare, både kvinnor (n=21, ålder 21,5 ±2,5 år, längd 170,3 ±6,3 cm, vikt 68,5 ±6,3 kg) och män (n=3, ålder 18,7 ±0,2 år, längd 177,3 ±4,9 cm, vikt 72 ±9,0 kg) från handboll, truppgymnastik och ishockey med krav om att tillhöra den högsta nationella nivån inom respektive idrott. Studien hade en kvantitativ ansats i form av tvärsnittsstudie för att jämföra accelerationsfasen (0-10 m) samt maxhastighetsfasen (20-30 m) i sprint med fyra stycken styrke- och hopptester (1RM knäböj, squat jump, CMJ och stående längdhopp). Rådatan analyserades i programmet SPSS där beräkningsmodellen Pearsons produktmomentkorrelationskoefficient användes för att räkna ut sambanden. Resultat Samtliga styrke- och hopptester hade ett moderat statisktiskt signifikant samband till maxhastighetsfasen (20-30 m) under sprint, där det starkaste sambandet fanns mellan stående längdhopp och maxhastighet (r=-0,66, p=0,001). Samtliga tester visade inget eller ett svagt samband med accelerationsfasen (0-10 m) i sprint. Slutsats Resultatet föreslår att ett horisontellt hopp kan indikera förmågan att generera maximal hastighet i sprint. Således kan stående längdhopp ses som ett bra alternativ för att uppskatta explosivitet vid horisontell förflyttning med relevans för maximal hastighet i sprint. Med den heterogena testpopulationen i åtanke kan därför stående längdhopp med fördel inkluderas vid testning av lagidrottare där olika fysiska delkapaciteter representeras. / Aim The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between sprint ability and different types of strength and jump tests. To meet purpose the following questions were formulated: How does the acceleration sequence in sprint relate to strength tests? How does the acceleration sequence in sprint relate to jump tests? How does the maximum speed sequence in sprint relate to strength tests? How does the maximum speed sequence in sprint relate to jump tests? Method In total, 24 subjects participated in this study consisting of both women (n=21, age 21,5 ±2,5, height 170,3 ±6,3 cm, weight 68,5 ±6,3 kg) and men (n=3, age 18,7 ±0,2, height 177,3 ±4,9 cm, weight 72 ±9,0 kg). The participants represented the highest national level of their respective sports which were handball, team gymnastics and ice hockey. This study applied a quantitative method through a cross sectional analysis to determine the relationship between the acceleration (0-10 m) and maximum speed (20-30 m) phase in sprint with four different strength and jump test (1RM Squat, Squat Jump, CMJ and Standing Long Jump). Raw data was analyzed in the statistical analysis software SPSS where the Pearson’s correlation was applied to determine the relationships. Results All the aforementioned strength and jump tests showed a moderate statistically significant correlation with the maximum speed phase (20-30 m) during sprint, where the strongest correlation existed between Standing Long Jump and the maximum speed phase (r=-0,66, p=0,001). The acceleration phase (0-10 m) showed little to no statistically significant correlation to any of the strength or jump tests. Conclusions The results suggest that horizontal jumping can indicate an ability to generate maximum speed in sprint running. Therefore Standing Long Jump might offer an efficient alternative to gauge horizontal power in terms of sprint running at maximum speed. With the heterogeneous test population in mind, Standing Long Jump may be applied in conditions where testing of multiple athletes is required. Especially in team sports where different positional roles and tasks represent varying physical abilities or demands.

The recent application of semiconductor materials, such as GaN, to power electronics has led to the development of a new generation of devices, which promise lower losses, higher operating frequencies and reductions in equipment size. The aim of this research is to study the capabilities of emerging GaN power devices, to understand their advantages, drawbacks, the challenges of their implementation and their potential impact on the performance of power converters. The thesis starts by presenting the development of a simple model for the switching transients of a GaN cascode device under inductive load conditions. The model enables accurate predictions to be made of the switching losses and provides an understanding of the switching process and associated energy flows within the device. The model predictions are validated through experimental measurements. The model reveals the suitability of the cascode device to soft-switching converter topologies. Two GaN cascode transistors are characterised through experimental measurement of their switching parameters (switching speed and switching loss). The study confirms the limited effect of the driver voltage and gate resistance on the turn-off switching process of a cascode device. The performance of the GaN cascode devices is compared against state-of-the-art super junction Si transistors. The results confirm the feasibility of applying the GaN cascode devices in half and full-bridge circuits. Finally, GaN cascode transistors are used to implement a 270V - 28V, 1.5kW, 1 MHz phase-shifted full-bridge isolated converter demonstrating the use of the devices in soft-switching converters. Compared with a 100 kHz silicon counterpart, the magnetic component weight is reduced by 69% whilst achieving a similar efficiency of 91%.