| 1. |
- Ceciliason, Ann-Sofie, 1971-
(författare)
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Forensic taphonomy in an indoor setting : Implications for estimation of the post-mortem interval
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overall aim of this thesis was to determine if and how taphonomic data can be used to expand our knowledge concerning the decompositional process in an indoor setting, as well as adapting scoring-based methods for quantification of human decomposition, to increase the precision of post-mortem interval (PMI) estimates.In the first paper, the established methods of Total Body Score (TBS) and Accumulated Degree-Days (ADD) were investigated in an indoor setting, with results indicating a fairly low precision. The PMI was often underestimated in cases with desiccation and overestimated in cases with presence of insect activity. This suggests that the TBS method needs to be slightly modified to better reflect the indoor decompositional process.In the second paper, a novel method for PMI estimation was developed using histological assessment of decompositional changes in the human liver. The scoring-based method created, the Hepatic Decomposition Score, was a statistically robust way to quantify the degree of decomposition, with the potential to improve the precision of PMI estimates.In the third paper, the indoor decomposition process was further investigated regarding microbial neoformation of volatiles in relation to the degree of decomposition and the PMI. A higher decomposition degree was observed in cases with neoformation (i.e., presence of N-propanol and/or 1-butanol in femoral vein blood) than in cases without signs of neoformation. Microbial neoformation may be an indicator of decomposition rate, which may make it possible to improve the precision of PMI estimates based on the TBS/ADD method.In the fourth paper, a novel constructed Bayesian framework allowed a qualified estimate of PMI based on observed taphonomic findings. This framework provided a unique possibility to report results, express the uncertainties in assumptions and calculations, as well as to evaluate competing hypotheses regarding PMI periods or time of death.Taken as a whole, the results indicate that using taphonomic data derived from an indoor setting could improve scoring-based methods, as well as highlighting benefits of incorporating such data into a Bayesian framework for interpretational purposes and for reporting PMI estimates.
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| 2. |
- Suresh, Shyam, 1990-
(författare)
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Developments of Topology Optimization Methods for Additive Manufacturing involving High-cycle Fatigue
- 2023
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Additive manufacturing (AM) is a versatile manufacturing process which is gaining popularity in the automotive and aerospace industries. Through AM one can manufacture complex structures and combined with topology optimization (TO) a powerful design tool that provides great freedom in geometric form emerges. The goal of the research presented in this thesis is to develop new TO methods that consider specific properties related to AM for metals. In particular, anisotropy, non-homogeneity in the form of surface effects, and constraints on high-cycle fatigue (HCF) damage are treated. In the first paper of the thesis, an HCF constraint is introduced into a TO problem where the total structural mass is minimized. The HCF model is based on a continuous-time approach in contrast to more conventional cycle-counting approaches. It is based on the concept of a moving endurance surface, and a system of ordinary differential equations is used to predict the fatigue damage at every point in the design domain. The model is capable of handling arbitrary load histories, including most non-proportional loads. Gradient-based optimization is utilized, and the fatigue sensitivities are determined by the adjoint method. In the subsequent papers, several extensions are made to the original HCFconstrained TO problem: The HCF model is extended so that it is applicable not only to isotropic materials but also to transversely isotropic materials. The anisotropic properties are manifested in the constitutive elastic response and in the fatigue properties. Acceleration of fatigue and sensitivity analyses by extrapolation is introduced, making the treatment of an unlimited number of load cycles possible. Simultaneous optimization of build orientation and topology, considering stress- and HCF constraints, is performed. For better prediction of fatigue, especially for non-proportional loads, the original continuous-time HCF model is modified using a quadratic polynomial endurance function. In the final paper, a new TO method, taking surface layer effects into account, is introduced. This essentially models the impaired mechanical properties observed in as-built AM components compared to components having polished surfaces. Numerical test problems as well as application-like problems are solved in all papers to exemplify the applicability of the developed TO methodology.
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| 3. |
- Fetisova, Ekaterina, 1974-
(författare)
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Towards a flexible statistical modelling by latent factors for evaluation of simulated responses to climate forcings
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In this thesis, using the principles of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and the cause-effect concept associated with structural equation modelling (SEM), a new flexible statistical framework for evaluation of climate model simulations against observational data is suggested. The design of the framework also makes it possible to investigate the magnitude of the influence of different forcings on the temperature as well as to investigate a general causal latent structure of temperature data. In terms of the questions of interest, the framework suggested here can be viewed as a natural extension of the statistical approach of 'optimal fingerprinting', employed in many Detection and Attribution (D&A) studies. Its flexibility means that it can be applied under different circumstances concerning such aspects as the availability of simulated data, the number of forcings in question, the climate-relevant properties of these forcings, and the properties of the climate model under study, in particular, those concerning the reconstructions of forcings and their implementation. It should also be added that although the framework involves the near-surface temperature as a climate variable of interest and focuses on the time period covering approximately the last millennium prior to the industrialisation period, the statistical models, included in the framework, can in principle be generalised to any period in the geological past as soon as simulations and proxy data on any continuous climate variable are available. Within the confines of this thesis, performance of some CFA- and SEM-models is evaluated in pseudo-proxy experiments, in which the true unobservable temperature series is replaced by temperature data from a selected climate model simulation. The results indicated that depending on the climate model and the region under consideration, the underlying latent structure of temperature data can be of varying complexity, thereby rendering our statistical framework, serving as a basis for a wide range of CFA- and SEM-models, a powerful and flexible tool. Thanks to these properties, its application ultimately may contribute to an increased confidence in the conclusions about the ability of the climate model in question to simulate observed climate changes.
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| 4. |
- Lindström, Anton, 1976-
(författare)
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A multivariate approach to characterization of drug-like molecules, proteins and the interactions between them
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- En sjukdom kan många gånger härledas till en kaskadereaktion mellan proteiner, co-faktorer och substrat. Denna kaskadreaktion blir många gånger målet för att behandla sjukdomen med läkemedel. För att designa nya läkemedelsmoleyler används vanligen datorbaserade verktyg. Denna design av läkemedelsmolekyler drar stor nytta av att målproteinet är känt och då framförallt dess tredimensionella (3D) struktur. Är 3D-strukturen känd kan man utföra så kallad struktur- och datorbaserad molekyldesign, 3D-geometrin (f.f.a. för inbindningsplatsen) blir en vägledning för designen av en ny molekyl. Många faktorer avgör interaktionen mellan en molekyl och bindningsplatsen, till exempel fysikalisk-kemiska egenskaper hos molekylen och bindningsplatsen, flexibiliteten i molekylen och målproteinet, och det omgivande lösningsmedlet. För att strukturbaserad molekyldesign ska fungera väl måste två viktiga steg utföras: i) 3D anpassning av molekyler till bindningsplatsen i ett målprotein (s.k. dockning) och ii) prediktion av molekylers affinitet för bindningsplatsen. Huvudsyftena med arbetet i denna avhandling var som följer: i) skapa modeler för att prediktera affiniteten mellan en molekyl och bindningsplatsen i ett målprotein; ii) förfina molekyl-protein-geometrin som skapas vid 3D-anpassning mellan en molekyl och bindningsplatsen i ett målprotein (s.k. dockning); iii) karaktärisera proteiner och framför allt deras sekundärstruktur; iv) bedöma effekten av olika matematiska beskrivningar av lösningsmedlet för förfining av 3D molekyl-protein-geometrin skapad vid dockning och prediktion av molekylers affinitet för proteiners bindningsfickor. Ett övergripande syfte var att använda kemometriska metoder för modellering och dataanalys på de ovan nämnda punkterna. För att sammanfatta så presenterar denna avhandling metoder och resultat som är användbara för strukturbaserad molekyldesign. De rapporterade resultaten visar att det är möjligt att skapa kemometriska modeler för prediktion av molekylers affinitet för bindningsplatsen i ett protein och att dessa presterade lika bra som andra vanliga metoder. Dessutom kunde kemometriska modeller skapas för att beskriva effekten av hur inställningarna för olika parametrar i dockningsprogram påverkade den 3D molekyl-protein-geometrin som dockingsprogram skapade. Vidare kunde kemometriska modeller andvändas för att öka förståelsen för deskriptorer som beskrev sekundärstrukturen i proteiner. Förfining av molekyl-protein-geometrin skapad genom dockning gav liknande och ickesignifikanta resultat oberoende av vilken matematisk modell för lösningsmedlet som användes, förutom för ett fåtal (sex av 30) fall. Däremot visade det sig att användandet av en förfinad geometri var värdefullt för prediktion av molekylers affinitet för bindningsplatsen i ett protein. Förbättringen av prediktion av affintitet var markant då en Poisson-Boltzmann beskrivning av lösningsmedlet användes; jämfört med prediktionerna gjorda med ett dockningsprogram förbättrades korrelationen mellan beräknad affintiet och uppmätt affinitet med 0,7 (R2).
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| 5. |
- Åkesson, Anna, 1980-
(författare)
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Hydraulic- hydromorphologic analysis as an aid for improving peak flow predictions
- 2010
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Conventional hydrological compartmental models have been shown to exhibit a high degree of uncertainty for predictions of peak flows, such as the design floods for design of hydropower infrastructure. One reason for these uncertainties is that conventional models are parameterised using statistical methods based on how catchments have responded in the past. Because the rare occurrence of peak flows, these are underrepresented during the periods used for calibration. This implies that the model has to be extrapolated beyond the discharge intervals where it has been calibrated. In this thesis, hydromechanical approaches are used to investigate the properties of stream networks, reflecting mechanisms including stage dependency, damming effects, interactions between tributaries (network effects) and the topography of the stream network. Further, it is investigated how these properties can be incorporated into the streamflow response functions of compartmental hydrological models. The response of the stream network was shown to vary strongly with stage in a non-linear manner, an effect that is commonly not accounted for in model formulation. The non-linearity is particularly linked to the flooding of stream channels and interactions with the flow on flood-plains. An evaluation of the significance of using physically based response functions on discharge predictions in a few sub-catchments in Southern Sweden show improvements (compared to a conventional model) in discharge predictions – particularly when modelling peak discharges. An additional benefit of replacing statistical parameterisation methods with physical parameterisation methods is the possibility of hydrological modelling during non-stationary conditions, such as the ongoing climate change.
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