Recent Advancements in IGCT Technologies for High Power Electronics Applications

Keywords «IGCT», «Power semiconductor device», «High power discrete device», «Bipolar device», «Industrial application». Abstract In this paper, we review the progress made recently for further developing the Integrated Gate Commutated Thyristor (IGCT) device concept for high power electronics applications. A wide range of newly introduced IGCT technologies are discussed and recent prototype experimental results as well as novel structures and future trends of the IGCT technology are presented. This will provide system designers with a comprehensive overview of the potentials possible with this device concept

Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)

Varför BIM?

Is the new technology always the best? This final project tries to determine if BIM is the melody of today, or if traditional 2D drawing is recommended. Perhaps a compromise is necessary, utilizing both methods. In order to answer this question, different views from the industry have been retrieved through reports, producers of software and users. The approach has consisted in building a 3D model of the school Råslättsskolan, house 01, along with interviews with people involved in the building process. When working in 2D it is hard to include the third dimension, mistakes are done and collisions happen that must be corrected, in most cases at the construction site. BIM is an incredible help since the model allows you to detect collisions and correct them. Another time when models are preferred is when you need production plans, for example, different steel details that will be joined together at the work shop before shipping to the construction site. Skanska and NCC, in densely developed urban areas, already require BIM today, something that most likely will be customary within the nearest future. It is not hard to understand that more and more clients require BIM when you realize its advantages. With the correct method, these 3D models can minimize risks of errors, optimize the production and save money.When it comes to introducing BIM today at BGK the students can’t do anything but make a recommendation. The improved quality, the future prospect and that the advantages of BIM is not depending by project size will make it attractive for BGK to begin a transition already today. BIM is the melody of the future, not the only song being sung, but clearly the strongest one

Fan modelling for front end cooling with CFD

In this thesis, performed at Volvo Cars, some concepts of modelling cooling fans with Computational Fluid Dynamics are evaluated by comparison with experimental data. Focus is set on the method Multiple Reference Frame (MRF) but the Body Force and Mixing Plane Models are also investigated. All measurements were carried out in Volvo Cars component test rig where pressure jump and air flow rate through a cooling fan and shroud mounted on a heat exchanger were measured. In order to make relevant comparisons, a detailed numerical model of the test rig with fan, shroud and heat exchanger were created. A mesh with high node density, in total 14 million tetrahedral elements, was used and the simulations were carried out with the standard k-å turbulence model. The comparisons were performed for different air flow rates, rotational speeds, cooling packages, and for setups with open and closed speed flaps. The Multiple Reference Frame approach reproduces fan performance with good accuracy for most cases. For these cases measured and computed data differ with less than 3.5% air flow rate. Moreover, the MRF approach generates good results for open and closed speed flaps as well as for idle conditions. It also introduces swirl leading to a realistic prediction of the velocity distribution downstream the fan. The MRF method is well suited when doing flow simulations within the engine room and is therefore recommended to use. Furthermore, improvements concerning the procedure to numerically represent heat exchangers and the use of the Body Force Model are described.Validerat; 20101217 (root

Den Nya Generationens Revisorer : En studie om automatiseringens påverkan på revisionsuppgifter samt revisorns yrkesroll

In a world that moves more towards the digital every day, we will in this study investigate how the auditing process is affected by automation of the auditing tasks and how the auditor’s professional role can be affected if the auditing tasks get automated. The area of application is primarily on the whole auditing process and the auditing tasks and not on the specific tasks the auditor has, even though many of the tasks are mentioned as examples. Also, if artificial intelligence eventually will replace the auditor in the future. Two interviews were held in order to see how program developers believe the future for the auditor will look like from a technical perspective and what is technically possible to develop. Also, three interviews were held in order to see the authorized auditors’ point of view and if they already have started to notice change and how much change they can expect in the near future. The purpose of this study is to investigate how automation is affected by automation of the auditing tasks and how the auditor’s professional role is affected if the auditing tasks get automated. To achieve our purpose, we investigated the parts that the auditor and the program developer think or know can be automated and the consequences that affect the auditor. The conclusion of the study differs from other studies that only have interviewed auditors, in which they have reached the conclusion that the profession will not change much in the next few years. Our conclusion is that the auditor profession will reshape as the years go by if the laws are adjusted, which can be a slow process but is likely to happen. We also think we will see an increased demand for IT-auditors as the programs get more complicated and that technological knowledge is required to understand how these programs and systems work.I en värld som rör sig alltmer mot det digitala undersöks, i denna studie, hur revisionsprocessen påverkas av automatisering av revisionsuppgifter samt hur revisorers yrkesroll påverkas om revisionsuppgifter automatiseras. Tillämpningsområdet är framförallt på revisionsprocessen och revisionsuppgifter i helhet och inte på revisorns specifika arbetsuppgifter även om flertalet arbetsuppgifter nämns som exempel. Samt om den artificiella intelligensen eventuellt kan ta över revisorns roll i framtiden. I denna studie har två intervjuer genomförts i syfte att se hur programutvecklarna ser revisorns framtid ur ett mer tekniskt perspektiv och vad som är tekniskt möjligt att utveckla. Tre intervjuer hölls också med syftet att fånga de auktoriserade revisorernas perspektiv för att se om de redan börjat märka av förändring och hur stor förändring de kan förvänta sig inom den närmsta tiden. Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka hur revisionsprocessen påverkas av automatisering av revisionsuppgifter samt hur revisorers yrkesroll påverkas om revisionsuppgifter automatiseras. För att uppnå vårt syfte undersökte vi vilka delar av revisorns yrke som revisorer och programutvecklare tror eller vet kan automatiseras samt vilka konsekvenser som påverkar revisorn. Slutsatsen i vår studie skiljer sig aningens mot tidigare studier där de främst intervjuat revisorer, samt att de flesta kommer fram till att revisorns roll i det stora hela förblir relativt oförändrad. Vi kom fram till att revisorns yrkesroll kan komma att omformas med åren allt eftersom lagar och regler justeras, vilket kan vara en trögrörlig process men att det med sannolikhet kommer att ske. Vi ser även att IT-revisorer kommer bli mer efterfrågade allt eftersom programmen blir mer komplicerade samt att mer teknologisk kunskap krävs för att förstå hur dessa program och system fungera

Reasons for household food waste with special attention to packaging

The amount of food waste needs to be reduced in order to sustain the world’s limited resources and secure enough food to all humans. Packaging plays an important role in reducing food waste. The knowledge about how packaging affects food waste in households, however, is scarce. This exploratory study examines reasons for food waste in household and especially how and to what extent packaging influences the amount of food waste. Sixty-one families measured their amount of food waste during seven days and noted in a diary why each item was wasted. Thirty of the families had participated earlier in an environmental project including education in environmental issues of everyday life. About 20–25% of the households’ food waste could be related to packaging. Three packaging aspects dominate the packaging related waste: packages that the consumer noted as being too big and packages that were difficult to empty, and wastage because of passed “best before date”. The environmentally educated households wasted less, especially of prepared food. They also wasted less food due to passed “best before date”. These households were more observant to packaging aspects in relation to food waste. The observations made could be used to learn more about packaging attributes that affect food waste. Although they recognised packaging influence on food waste, these households expressed lower satisfaction with packaging functions and wanted packaging to a lower extent

Scientist or Racist? The Racialized Memory War Over Monuments to Carl Linnaeus in Sweden During the Black Lives Matter Summer of 2020

This is a study of the Swedish debate on statues and monuments to the world-famous Swedish natural scientist Carl Linnaeus that took place during the Black Lives Matter movement breakthrough in the summer of 2020. The purpose is to examine how understandings of race, racism, identity,and history were articulated in the debate. The empirical material consists of Twitter posts and newspaper editorials,which we approach through thematic analysis complemented with discourse analysis of illustrative examples and excerpts. Theoretically, we conceptualize the debate as a case of a Swedish racialized memory war. The results show that discourse participants constructed the terms of the debate as a matter of being “for” or “against” Linnaeus’ legacy, and consequently as a matter of being for or against science, reason, progress, and a supposedly non-ideological historiography, rather than as a matter of qualitatively renegotiating how we selectively remember and celebrate historical persons and legacies, and formulate tendentious narratives of the past that serve present agendas. In this memory war, discourse participants mainly representing the white majority population of Sweden mobilized a defense of a “canonized” understanding of Linnaeus’ legacy on the editorial pages of the Swedish newspapers and on Twitter. This defense, we argue, supports an ongoing effort to absolve Swedes of any substantial complicity in European and Western racism and colonialism. In effect, what is defended is a white-washed use and understanding of history – a status quo that largely remains unchallengedin Sweden

Det offentliga som konkurrent på kommersiella marknader - En samhällsekonomisk analys med exemplet konferensmarknaden

I den här rapporten analyseras samhällsekonomiska effekter av att det offentliga konkurrerar med privata företag på kommersiella marknader. Den innehåller även en pilotstudie av marknaden för en – och tvådagarskonferenser tillämpad på Umeåregionen. Svensk konkurrenslagstiftning inkluderar regler om konkurrensbegränsande offentlig säljverksamhet. Reglerna gäller för den offentliga sektorn i sin helhet, dvs stat, primärkommuner (kommun) eller landstingskommuner (landsting) och juridiska personer vars verksamhet den offentliga sektorn har ett dominerande inflytande över. Inflytandet kan ta sig formen av ägande, finansieringsvillkor, styrelse, lag och avtal. Frågan om det offentliga som konkurrent är även samhällsekonomiskt relevant då snedvridning av konkurrens i form av exempelvis underprissättning till följd av stöd, kan innebära en samhällsekonomisk förlust. Sammantaget visar den samhällsekonomiska analysen att det inte går att dra några generella slutsatser om att konkurrens från den offentliga sektorn på marknader med en etablerad kommersiell verksamhet alltid är problematisk. Även i situationer där konkurrensen sker på olika villkor kan fördelarna med den offentliga aktörens medverkan överväga nackdelarna. Baserat på pilotstudien och olika scenarios avseende  konferensmarknaden i Umeå, är det möjligt att dra slutsatsen att fördelarna med offentliga aktörer kan dominera nackdelarna under förutsättning att den offentliga aktörens produktionskostnad maximalt är en procent högre än en privat aktörs produktionskostnad för motsvarande konferens. Analysen visar att subventioner till offentliga aktörer överskridande 1,3 miljoner kronor inte kan motiveras utifrån ett samhällsekonomiskt perspektiv i något scenario. I scenariot där den offentliga aktören ägnar sig åt underprissättning överväger nackdelarna även om verksamheten klarar sig utan subvention