198 research outputs found
Synthesis and characterization of amine-functionalized microgel particles and their subsequent assembly into colloidal molecule-like clusters by droplet-based microfluidics
The ability of thermoresponsive, amine-functionalized microgel particles to take part in microgelmicrogel inter-cross-linking has previously been reported in the literature, in connection to applications such as for example the formation of stimuli-responsive colloidal gels and colloidosomes [1]. This thesis deals with the synthesis of such thermoresponsive, cross-linkable microgels and their subsequent assembly into clusters using droplet-based microfluidics, with the goal of forming responsive colloidal molecules with well-defined valency. Such colloidal molecules can be used as model systems to study controlled self-assembly processes. In this project, monodisperse amine-functionalized poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) (PNIPMAM) microgels, cross-linkable with glutaraldehyde, were synthesized. In total, four microgel systems were produced and the microgels were subsequently characterized by dynamic and static light scattering (DLS and SLS), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and electrophoretic mobility. The microgels were shown to exhibit thermoresponsive behavior with respect to size, charge density and interaction potential. In the presence of glutaraldehyde, dense microgel suspensions were converted to macrogels through microgel-microgel cross-linking. Upon heating the macrogels to above the microgelsâ volume phase transition temperature (VPTT), they contracted, thus showing that the thermoresponsive behavior of the microgels was conferred to the macrogels. The obtained microgel systems were then used in droplet-based microfluidics to generate colloidal molecule-like clusters. However, the presence of clusters could not be confirmed, likely due to problems with extraction. [1] a) G. Huang, J. Gao, Z. Hu, J. V. St. John, B. C. Ponder and D. Moro. Controlled Drug Release from Hydrogel Nanoparticle Networks. J. Control. Release, 94:303-311, 2004. b) G. Huang and Z. Hu. Phase Behavior and Stabilization of Microgel Arrays. Macromol., 40:3749-3756, 2007. c) R. K. Shah, J.-W. Kim and D. A. Weitz. Monodisperse Stimuli-Responsive Colloidosomes by Self-Assembly of Microgels in Droplets. Langmuir, 26:1561-1565, 2010.Kolloider Ă€r partiklar i storleksordningen nm till ÎŒm. De Ă€r viktiga i biologiska system, dĂ€r exempelvis proteiner Ă€r en typ av kolloid. Att studera kolloider ger oss dĂ€rför insikt i hur till exempel proteiner byggs upp och interagerar. I detta fall försökte vi tillverka kolloidala molekyler, alltsĂ„ kolloider som interagerar med varandra genom ett specifikt antal bindningar i vĂ€l definierade positioner och riktningar. För att skapa kolloidala molekyler anvĂ€ndes mikrogeler som sammansattes till kluster, dĂ€r antalet bindningar och dess riktning bestĂ€ms av antalet mikrogeler och dess position. Mikrogeler Ă€r kolloidala partiklar med temperaturberoende egenskaper. Under en viss kritisk temperatur Ă€r mikrogelerna stora och vattenĂ€lskande och pĂ„ grund av detta absorberar de vatten. Ăver den kritiska temperaturen skyr mikrogelerna vatten och krymper ihop. Ăndring i temperatur pĂ„verkar inte enbart mikrogelernas storlek utan ocksĂ„ hur de interagerar med varandra; över den kritiska temperaturen tycker mikrogelerna om att interagera med varandra. Kolloidala molekyler som tillverkas av mikrogeler fĂ„r mikrogelernas temperaturberoende egenskaper och sĂ„ledes kan klustrens egenskaper ocksĂ„ styras genom temperaturen. För att kunna skapa kluster av mikrogeler behöver mikrogelerna tillverkas sĂ„ att möjlighet finns att binda ihop dem med varandra. Mikrogelerna tillverkades dĂ€rför med amingrupper som fungerar som brofĂ€sten. Glutaraldehyd fĂ€ster vid amingrupperna och kunde dĂ„ anvĂ€ndas som bro mellan tvĂ„ mikrogeler. För att fĂ„ mikrogelerna att komma tillrĂ€ckligt nĂ€ra varandra, bĂ„de för att bilda kluster och för att bygga broar mellan dem, sĂ„ bildade vi vattendroppar innehĂ„llande bĂ„de mikrogeler och glutaraldehyd. Mikrogelerna tvingades nĂ€rmare varandra i vattendropparna genom att dropparna krymptes. Klustren som bildas antar olika form beroende pĂ„ hur mĂ„nga mikrogeler som deltar. Fyra olika mikrogeler tillverkades frĂ„n tvĂ„ olika temperaturkĂ€nsliga polymerer, det vill sĂ€ga lĂ„nga kedjor av upprepade mindre enheter, och fĂ€rgades med fluorescerande molekyler. Vi har kunnat visa att mikrogelerna kan bindas ihop genom att lĂ„ta dem bilda tvĂ€rbundna nĂ€tverk, geler, frĂ„n lösningar. Kluster av mikrogeler har inte kunnat isoleras efter droppkrympning, men detta Ă€r nĂ„got som vi hoppas kunna göra i framtiden
Different Approaches of Numerical Analysis of Electromagnetic Phenomena in Shaded Pole Motor with Application of Finite Elements Method
In this paper is used Finite Element Method-FEM
for analysis of electromagnetic quantities of small micro motor â
single phase shaded pole motor-SPSPM. FEM is widely used
numerical method for solving nonlinear partial differential
equations with variable coefficients. For that purpose motor
model is developed with exact geometry and materialâs
characteristics. Two different approaches are applied in FEM
analysis of electromagnetic phenomena inside the motor:
magneto-static where all electromagnetic quantities are analysed
in exact moment of time meaning frequency f=0 Hz and timeharmonic
magnetic approach where the magnetic field inside the
machine is time varying, meaning frequency f=50 Hz. Obtained
results are presented and compared with available analytical
result
Kön, Diagnos och Mognad - en kvalitativ innehÄllsanalys av information om transsexualism pÄ hemsidor
This study aims to examine how the concepts of gender, diagnose, maturation and transsexualism are described and socially constructed on websites. To understand how the concepts we prepared to interpret nine sites using Berger and Luckmann's social constructivist perspective, and by FoucaultÂŽs theory about power. The theories focus on that we are living within a society which perpetuates normative gender roles. The different owners of the websites presented concepts differ depending on the purpose they had with their information. Summary we saw during our work how complex all the concepts were and how difficult it was to find a unified description of the concepts. Although we live in a society well developed we did find during our work how the gender roles is still solid and it seems like we live in a society hard to understand and accept the grey area between the constructed gender roles man and woman. Our results shows that through the power of language and how we use it we keep the gender roles alive and maintains the societyÂŽs way of looking at gender as a specific role
Organizational exposure to risk of unethical behaviour
Issues: The issues Swedwood asked us to explore in their Eastern European timber purchasing organizations were:
Have clear directives been given to each purchasing unit regarding the purpose and scope of its activities?
If so, what do these directives contain?
If so, how are these directives followed?
How are purchasing transactions planned and carried out?
What roles are involved in the purchasing process, and what are the responsibilities and authorities of each role?
Can the purchasing process, or parts of the process, be improved?
Can the company organize its purchasing units more effectively to ensure best practices?
Purpose: The overall approach we took was to assess Swedwood's potential exposure to low levels of legal or ethical practices by benchmarking its actual practices, using the concept of best purchasing practices described in the literature.
Method: To collected data using qualitative methods, since this is an appropriate way of raising the sensitive issues that needed to be addressed. This involved interviewing local purchasing organisations about their local market conditions, organisational structure and purchasing processes.
Conclusion: The study has shown that organisations' purchasing managers are exposed to considerable risks of low levels of ethical practices. While most local organisations have policies to prevent corruption, there is rarely a working manual to provide people with guidelines to achieve this. Support for ethical practices could probably be improved.Swedwood Àr ett dotterbolag till IKEA som grundades 1991. Deras huvuduppgift Àr att sÀkra
produktionskapacitet pÄ trÀmöbler dÀr IKEA haft svÄrigheter att anskaffa rÀtt produkter till
rÀtt pris. Deras anlÀggningar bestÄr av sÄgverk, trÀkomponent- ochm öbelfabriker.
MÄnga av de lÀnder Swedwood investerar i Àr i Transparency Internationals Corruption index
lÄgt rankade, och företaget Àr dÀrför oroat över dess utsatthet i inköpsarbetet. Riskerna Àr
alltid större dÄ stora summor Àr inblandade, och timmerinköp Àr ett sÄdant omrÄde.
Syftet med denna studie var att kartlÀgga företagets organisation och arbetsrutinerna vid
timmerinköp i 6 Ăsteuropeiska lĂ€nder. MĂ„let Ă€r att dĂ€rigenom faststĂ€lla den potentiella
utsattheten och vad man kan förbÀttra.
VÄr litteraturstudie innefattar sÄvÀl konventionell inköpsteori som organisationsteori och
inköpsetik. Genom att anvÀnda teorin som referensram belyste vi i analysen den potentiella
organisatoriska risken vid varje enhet. Vi har anvÀnt oss av en kvalitativ forskningsansats vid
insamlandet av data.
I diskussionen berörs de huvudsakliga problemen som Àr: vikten av en tydlig policy,
problematiken med organisationsutformningen, samt insyn och transparens. Genom att belysa
empirin med litteraturen, föreslÄr vi rekommendationer för organisationsstruktur och
arbetsutförande vilket syftar till att reducera riskerna och företagets utsatthet. Förslagen
innefattar skapandet av en inköpsmanual, regelbunden trÀning inom etik och idéer för att höja
den organisatoriska förmÄgan att lÀra i etiska och sÀkerhetsmÀssiga frÄgor.
VÄr slutsats Àr att policys för inköp, mÀtning, samt arbetsinstruktioner för dessa omrÄden kan
förstÀrkas. Riktlinjer Àr viktiga som mÄlsÀttning och som referens i organisationer. Lika
viktigt Àr att budskapet nÄr ut.
Vi fann att det fanns risker i inköpsorganisationen. Vi drar ocksÄ slutsatsen att lösningen och
problematiken Àr en kombination av metodik, teknik och kultur
Saving, sharing and shaping landrace seeds in commons:unravelling seed commoning norms for furthering agrobiodiversity
One of the major challenges facing agricultural and food systems today is the loss of agrobiodiversity. Considering the current impasse of preventing the worldwide loss of crop diversity, this paper highlights the possibility for a radical reorientation of current legal seed frameworks that could provide more space for alternative seed systems to evolve which centre on norms that support on-farm agrobiodiversity. Understanding the underlying norms that shape seed commons are important, since norms both delimit and contribute to what ultimately will constitute the seeds and who will ultimately have access to the seeds and thus to the extent to which agrobiodiversity is upheld and supported. This paper applies a commoning approach to explore the underpinning norms of a Swedish seed commons initiative and discusses the potential for furthering agrobiodiversity in the context of wider legal and authoritative discourses on seed enclosure. The paper shows how the seed commoning system is shaped and protected by a particular set of farming norms, which allows for sharing seeds among those who adhere to the norms but excludes those who will not. The paper further illustrates how farmers have been able to navigate fragile legal and economic pathways to collectively organize around landrace seeds, which function as an epistemic farming community, that maintain landraces from the past and shape new landraces for the present, adapted to diverse agro-ecological environments for low-input agriculture. The paper reveals how the ascribed norms to the seed commons in combination with the current seed laws set a certain limit to the extent to which agrobiodiversity is upheld and supported and discusses why prescriptions of âgetting institutions rightâ for seed governance are difficult at best, when considering the shifting socio-nature of seeds. To further increase agrobiodiversity, the paper suggests future seed laws are redirected to the sustenance of a proliferation of protected seed commoning systems that can supply locally adapted plant material for diverse groups of farmers and farming systems.</p
Saving, sharing and shaping landrace seeds in commons:unravelling seed commoning norms for furthering agrobiodiversity
One of the major challenges facing agricultural and food systems today is the loss of agrobiodiversity. Considering the current impasse of preventing the worldwide loss of crop diversity, this paper highlights the possibility for a radical reorientation of current legal seed frameworks that could provide more space for alternative seed systems to evolve which centre on norms that support on-farm agrobiodiversity. Understanding the underlying norms that shape seed commons are important, since norms both delimit and contribute to what ultimately will constitute the seeds and who will ultimately have access to the seeds and thus to the extent to which agrobiodiversity is upheld and supported. This paper applies a commoning approach to explore the underpinning norms of a Swedish seed commons initiative and discusses the potential for furthering agrobiodiversity in the context of wider legal and authoritative discourses on seed enclosure. The paper shows how the seed commoning system is shaped and protected by a particular set of farming norms, which allows for sharing seeds among those who adhere to the norms but excludes those who will not. The paper further illustrates how farmers have been able to navigate fragile legal and economic pathways to collectively organize around landrace seeds, which function as an epistemic farming community, that maintain landraces from the past and shape new landraces for the present, adapted to diverse agro-ecological environments for low-input agriculture. The paper reveals how the ascribed norms to the seed commons in combination with the current seed laws set a certain limit to the extent to which agrobiodiversity is upheld and supported and discusses why prescriptions of âgetting institutions rightâ for seed governance are difficult at best, when considering the shifting socio-nature of seeds. To further increase agrobiodiversity, the paper suggests future seed laws are redirected to the sustenance of a proliferation of protected seed commoning systems that can supply locally adapted plant material for diverse groups of farmers and farming systems.</p
Den officiella, formella & informella organisationsbilden - Malmö Förskoleförvaltning
Title: The Official, Formal & Informal organizational image â The Pre-School Administration in Malmo City Date: 2015-02-18 Course: FEKH49, Degree Project Undergraduate level, Business Administration, Undergraduate level, 15 University Credits Points (UPC) or ECTSâcr) Authors: Surra Al Sakban, Emil Gustafsson, Karin Runnerström Advisor: Louise Bringselius Key words: Public sector, Professional Bureaucracy, Organizational structure, Formal structure, Informal structure, Pre-School Administration in Malmo City. Purpose: To gain understanding how different images of an organisationâs structure may arise and recognize the significance and function of the different images. Methodology: A qualitative case study. Primary data was retrieved through seven semistructured interviews and minor complementary observations. Theoretical perspectives: The Professional Bureaucracy, Formal and Informal Organization. Empirical foundation: Collection of empirical data through conducting seven semi-structured interviews with personnel from the Pre-School Administration in Malmo City along with minor complementary observations. Conclusions: This study illustrates that an organization may display multiple images of the organizational structure. As current research describes the formal and informal organization, this report presents an additional dimension; the official image. Since it is not always evident what belongs to the formal or informal organization, a more in depth breakdown may be necessary. This research depicts three different images, "The Official Image", "The Formal Image" and "The Informal Image" of a public organization. The Official Image is what the organization portrays in order to accommodate public demand. The Formal Image, accounts for the written rules and regulations that organizations must adhere too and The Informal Image is the actual organizational structure. All three images fulfill a purpose and are closely connected, this report will attempt to define them more closely
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