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No / There is an increasing interest in modelling of agents interacting as crowd and a simulation of such scenarios that map to real-life situations. This paper presents a generic state-based abstract model for crowd behaviour that can be mapped onto different agent-based systems. In particular, the abstract model is mapped into the simulation framework NetLogo. We have used the model to simulate a real-life case study of high density diverse crowd such as the Hajj ritual at the mosque in Mecca (Makkah). The computational model is based on real data extracted from videos of the ritual. We also present a methodology for extracting significant data, parameters, and patterns of behaviour from real-world videos that has been used as an early stage validation to demonstrate that the obtained simulations are realistic.

Millions of people sustain a mild traumatic brain injury (concussion) each year. While most clinical signs and symptoms resolve within 7-10 days for the majority of typical concussions, some gait and balance tasks have shown abnormalities lasting beyond the resolution of clinical symptoms. These abnormalities can persist after athletes have been medically cleared for competition, yet the implications of such changes are unclear. Most prior research has examined straight gait and standard measures of balance, yet there is a lack of knowledge regarding potential persistent effects on non-straight maneuvers or on indicators of motor control variability or complexity. To expand the knowledge of post-concussion locomotor and postural changes, this investigation examined the recovery of recently concussed athletes longitudinally, over the course of one year, in three domains: 1) path selection and body kinematics during turning gait, 2) non-linear local dynamic stability during straight gait, and 3) postural control complexity during quiet standing. Compared to matched health controls, concussed athletes exhibited significant and persistent differences in turning kinematics, local dynamic stability, and postural complexity over the initial six weeks following injury. These motor differences may increase the risk of injury to concussed athletes who are cleared to return to play. Given the persistent nature of these effects, future clinical tests may benefit from incorporating gait assessments before returning athletes to competition. Future research should prospectively and longitudinally monitor locomotor and postural control in conjunction with structural and functional changes within the brain to better understand the pathophysiology of concussions and potential rehabilitation strategies. / Ph. D.

Cascade testing and flow analysis of three high-turning supercritical compressor blades were conducted. The blades were designed at an inlet Mach number (M1) of 0.87 and inlet flow angle of 48.4 deg, with high camber angles of about 55 deg. The baseline blade was a conventional Controlled Diffusion Airfoil (CDA) design and the other two were optimized blades. The blades were tested for an inlet Mach number range from 0.61 to 0.95 and an inlet flow angle range from 44.4 deg to 50.4 deg, at high Reynolds numbers (1.2-1.9x10^6 based on the blade chord). The test results have shown lower losses and better incidence robustness for the optimized blades at higher supercritical flow conditions (M1>0.83). At the design condition, 30% loss reduction was achieved. The blade-to-blade flow was computed by solving the two-dimensional steady Navier-Stokes equations. Experimental results, in conjunction with the CFD flowfield characterization, revealed the loss reduction mechanism: severe boundary layer separation occurred on the suction surface of the baseline blade while no separation occurred for the optimized blades. Furthermore, whether the boundary layer was separated or not was found due to different shock patterns, different shock-boundary layer interactions and different pressure distributions on the blades. For the baseline blade, the strong passage shock coincided with the adverse pressure gradient due to the high blade front camber at 20% chord, leading to the flow separation. For the optimized blades, the high blade camber shifted to more downstream (30-40% chord), resulting in stronger flow leading edge acceleration, less strength of the passage shock near the blade surface, favorable pressure gradient right after the passage shock, thus no flow separation occurred. The flow understanding obtained by the current research can be used to guide the design of high-turning compressor blades at higher supercritical flow conditions. / Ph. D.

The FP interferometer was found to be feasible for detecting changes in machining forces. The fiber optic sensor was able to detect increases in strain corresponding to force increases detected by a dynamometer. The FP interferometer system must progress in several ways. A better data acquisition and data analysis system must be developed. A robust sensor must be made to withstand the harsh environment of machining. Also a method for eliminating the affects of thermal strain must be created. Finally, the placement of the FP sensor must also be determined. The FP has the potential to effectively monitor machining forces without affecting the rigidity of a turning operation setup. / Master of Science

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among young children and adults. This primary injury initiates an inflammatory response that may lead to a secondary brain injury. Nursing care in the critical care setting supports prevention or reduction of secondary injury through control of intracranial pressure (ICP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and the subsequent cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP). While secondary injury may be preventable, some nursing interventions may contribute to increased ICP and decreased CPP. Patients with increased ICP or decreased CPP are at risk for poor clinical outcomes. This literature review examined the effort of routine nursing care interventions on outcomes of TBI patients in the critical care setting. Eleven research articles studying head of bed elevation, head and neck positioning, turning, and spacing of patient care activities were the focus of the analysis. Results typically showed positive outcomes by elevating the head of the bed to thirty degrees. CPP was also maintained at thirty degrees, but showed varied results. ICP and CPP are best controlled with the head and neck in a neutral position. Turning patients is a routine nursing intervention that contributes to increased ICP in some positions in some patients. Most studies suggest ICP is lowest in the supine position and highest in the left lateral position, but differences in findings were noted. Providing basic nursing care interventions in close succession also may contribute to increases in ICP in some patients. Results from this review provide evidence to support the importance of assessing and planning care for each TBI patient individually. It is hoped that findings from this review will provide guidance for bedside nurses to improve clinical practice and drive future research to support best practices for care of patients who suffer TBI.

Machining operations in automated manufacturing centers are under-performing by 20-80%. Optimizing these machining operations requires on-line knowledge about the cutting tool's condition and the process state. Currently, this information is either not reliable or not available in a timely manner. This is due to the lack of suitable sensors, which must measure on-line directly and accurately one or more of the relevant tool and process information sources in the hostile machining environment. A direct, active, ultrasonic method for on-line sensing of the tool condition and process state in turning operations was developed. Sensing is achieved by using an ultrasonic transducer operating at 10 MHz in a pulse-echo mode to send pulses through the tool. The amplitude and propagation time of the reflected pulses are modulated by the tool nose, flank, temperature, and by the material in contact with the tool. The reflected pulses are received and processed by a high speed digital signal processing system. This method has the potential to directly and accurately measure on-line several relevant processes and cutting tool parameters through the use of a single sensor. These parameters are tool-workpiece contact, tool wear, tool chipping, temperature and chatter. / Ph. D.

This study investigates the structural integrity of hydrofoils under three scenarios: regular boating, turning, and collision with an underwater obstacle. To analyse the forces acting on the hydrofoil, calculations were performed and simulations were conducted in SolidWorks using a CAD model of the hydrofoil.The simulations reveal that the weld between the struts and the wing undergoes plastic deformation during both regular boating and turning. This deformation is particularly problematic during turning, as the forces on the weld increase significantly. Under the collision scenario, the bolts at the breakpoint fail before critical damage occurs to the components above.The results highlight the weakness of the weld and the need for a redesign of the hydrofoil to eliminate it. An alternative fastening method, such as bolted joints with watertight sealing, should be considered.

Since the 19th century, industrialization has led people from the countryside to the bigger cities, and Sweden is not an exception. Statistics from 2018 show that for the first time in 30 years, there is an increase in the people whom make the decision to move from the cities to the countryside. And from 2015 to 2018 there has been an increase of 11 000 people in the Swedish countryside. With this in mind, our study is going to explore the central driving forces in returnees; people returning home to the smaller towns in the Swedish countryside. We are also going to analyze how these people relate to the urban norm, with the intention of trying to explain how they identify with their role as returnee, as well as their ex-role they had before making the move home. To answer these two central questions, we have performed ten interviews throughout Sweden in smaller towns considered to be in the Swedish countryside. To analyze our empirical data four central concepts that constitute our theoretical framework have been presented. These concepts are turning points, role exit, social capital and the urban norm. Turning points and role exit is a part of Ebaugh’s theory about the role exit-process. Social capital is a broad theory, in which we have decided to apply the work of Robert D. Putnam and his focus on reciprocity and reliability in social networks. Finally, the urban norm is a theory that mainly explores the normative and hierarchical relation between the cities and the countryside, where the cities are always the norm. Our conclusion is that closeness to family and a sense of security is the most frequent driving force for returnees. There is also a duality in the way interviewees approach their roles as returnees and ex-city inhabitants, where they often keep relating to their past roles and have difficulties relating to their current role in their hometown.

Studien fokuserar på personer som lämnat något av de klassiska trossamfunden. Även om utträdet sker utifrån den egna övertygelsen, innebär det oftast en omvälvning att lämna för att söka ny identitet och kontext. Syftet är att undersöka hur individens relation till familj och trossamfund påverkats vid ett utträde. Fem personer som lämnat sitt trossamfund intervjuades med hjälp av semistrukturerade, kvalitativa djupintervjuer. Exitprocessen kan ses som ett avhopp från av en roll som varit central för individens självidentitet. I skapandet av en ny roll finns fragment av gamla rollen kvar med in i den nya identiteten, tillsammans formar dessa en ex-roll. Studiens resultat visar att det fanns en tydlig åtskillnad mellan hur tro kommunicerades i församling och inom familjesystemet. Trots att förkunnelsen påverkade både personlig livsstil och familjestruktur var detta inget som barn och föräldrar samtalade om. Resultatet visar även att informanterna intog en ex-roll i fråga om kulturkrock mellan det icke-kristna och en auktoritär gudsbild, vilket ledde fram till att de slutligen lämnade trossamfundet. I slutdiskussionen framkommer att den kristna tron kan fortsätta vara av betydelse i en ex-roll, även om den blivit mer komplicerad. Den gudsbild som informanterna erhållit kan hänga samman med relationen till föräldrarna och deras anknytning. / This study focuses on people who have left one of the classic church denominations. Even if the departure is based on their individual beliefs, it usually involves an upheaval to seek a new identity and context. The intention of the study is to explore how the individual's relationship to family and faith communities was affected by the exit. Five people who left their church communities were interviewed using semi-structured qualitative interviews. Exitprocess can be seen as a left of a role that has been central to the individual's self-identity. In a new identity the creation of a new role are fragments of the old role left into the new identity that together form an ex-roll. The study results show that there was a clear distinction between how the faith was communicated in the congregation and within the family system. Although the preaching affected both personal lifestyle and family structure it was not discussed between children and parents. The result also shows that the respondents took an ex-role in the cultural clash between the non-Christian and authoritarian image of God, which led to the conclusion that they finally left the community. In the discussion, it appears that the Christian faith can continue to be of importance in an ex-roll, although it has become more complicated. The image of God as informants received may be related to the relationship with the parents and their extension.