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Almost 30 years have passed since the dismantling of South Africa’s apartheid system, putting an end to the long history of racial segregation, discrimination, and oppression. But has it really changed? This research highlights the emergence of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) as an affirmative policy instrument to advance land reform and rectify the enduring inequalities in the country’s agricult
The geology of Vombsänkan is characterized by a complex sequence of Quaternary deposits overlying the Paleozoic sedimentary bedrock. The area is 759 km2 and has recorded several ice advances followed by glacial retreats and ice melting. The glacial history of Vombsänkan, which is controlled by sequential geological events such as active ice-margin and stagnant ice, formation of dead ice as well as
With aging populations, unequal access to care, and shortages of staff, healthcare systems today are facing many challenges. Technology advancements, with artificial intelligence (AI) in particular, have been one of the main drivers of innovation in multiple industries. Although the healthcare sector is moving slower compared to other industries, there is great potential for relieving healthcare w
This thesis investigates the narratives Icelandic politicians use to discuss crime, particularly focusing on themes of cultural purity and danger. The study aims to understand how these narratives influence public perception and policy. Politicians often frame crime as a significant threat to societal norms and values, using various rhetorical strategies to evoke emotions such as fear and urgency.
Rebound effects, though well-documented in consumption areas such as household energy consumption, have been far less explored in nutrition. This is despite the fact that the nutrition may be just as crucial of a consumption area when considering how to reduce carbon footprints in personal lifestyle choices. This thesis explores the existence of one of the possible mechanisms behind a rebound effe
This thesis presents a method, from an article by Gouveia and Stone, for solving resonant ODE:s as well as ODE:s with multiple roots, based on perturbation theory. It also gives a mathematical justification for the method as well as background on resonance and repeated roots. Later in the thesis we use the method to solve a number of ODE’s, illustrating its usefulness.
Automation with the use of robotics is a crucial trend across industries, enhancing efficiency and quality while improving health and safety conditions by minimizing human exposure to hazardous tasks. Alfa Laval, a global provider of products within heat transfer, separation, and fluid handling, is embracing this trend by exploring how to solve labor-intensive processes like the production of rubb
Soft power and public diplomacy compose the new reality shaping the dynamics of contemporary international relations. Strategic narratives represent an essential means for political actors to extend their influence, gain the public opinion’s support for their actions and fulfill their foreign policy goals. The thesis focused on the Chinese Party state’s construction of strategic narratives targete
This master’s thesis aims to support product-centered companies in their transition to a circular economy (CE) by developing a digital self-assessment and decision support tool. Circularity is a complex field that demands collaboration across multiple system levels. Although a wide range of frameworks, regulations and guidelines exist, the transition remains difficult for companies to navigate. Ex
Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) are increasingly adopted as sustainable alternatives to shift fossil fuel reliance. However, because of battery dependence, their heating systems face significant efficiency losses due to frost formation on heat exchangers in cold climates. This study investigates a capacitance-based sensing approach to detect ice buildup on automotive heat exchangers, aiming to op
This thesis studies the flood risks in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia, focusing on the Kali Belik River area, and explores the regulations and design principles aimed at enhancing flood risk reduction and management in the city. The discussion begins at the global level, analysing frameworks such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and transitions to the local level, assessing the cha
Galectins are proteins that bind to carbohydrate structures, with high affinity for β-galactoside ligands that exists naturally in our bodies. They are involved in the development of various diseases, including central nervous system diseases and cancer proliferation. Galectin-1, which is the focus in this thesis, is related to anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective functions in the brain. Drug del
Artificial intelligence (AI) development thrives on global datasets, yet every outbound transfer of EU personal data must now satisfy two demanding regimes; the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA). The GDPR lets exporters rely on Adequacy Decisions, standard contractual clauses, or other Article 44-49 tools only if they can guarantee an “essentia
The global industrial sector is a highly polluting and greenhouse gas-emitting sector. As industries increasingly explore Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance operational efficiency and drive innovation, questions emerge regarding its alignment with sustainability objectives. While AI is often positioned as a key enabler of digital transformation, its sustainable integration into industrial ope
Hydrogen plays a pivotal role in the global energy transition, offering a clean and versatile energy carrier for a sustainable future. However, ensuring its safe use in industrial facilities requires reli- able prediction of dispersion from Venting Units (VUs). Traditional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations provide high-fidelity results but are too slow for fast safety assessment and i
As industrial sectors and digital infrastructure expand, the global demand for high-volume, reliable manufacturing of thermal management solutions like heat exchangers continues to accelerate. This thesis investigates the design and optimization of an automated robotic assembly cell for heat exchanger production at Alfa Laval using Discrete Event Simulation (DES). The primary objective was to defi
α-CGRP 8-37 is a peptide fragment of calcitonin gene-related peptide and is commonly used as a CGRP antagonist in pharmacological research. CGRP signaling has been discussed in relation to neuroimmune mechanisms in psoriasis, but a practical development of α-CGRP 8-37 requires analytical methods and formulation strategies that can handle peptide instability, adsorption, and matrix effects. The aim
This thesis investigates the design and evaluation of Large Language Model (LLM) agent assistants for industrial maintenance, developed in cooperation with SSAB. The study focuses on identifying what combinations of tools and architectures best serve the needs of maintenance technicians, with an emphasis on practical usability and factual correctness. Multiple agents were developed and compared,
Cybersecurity has never been more relevant than it is today, as attacks become increasingly sophisticated. To keep devices safe from threats, a new type of smart firewall has become an active area of research. This type of firewall can dynami- cally configure itself based on incoming network traffic using reinforcement learn- ing. This research has shown promising results; however, its impact on r
