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Wear and Corrosion of HVAF and HVOF-Sprayed WC-CoCr Coatings on Aluminum Alloy
No full textLight alloys are being increasingly investigated as alternatives to ferrous-based engineering components, based on weight considerations. However, in-service applications of such light alloy components often require a surface modification step to enhance their wear and corrosion responses for improved functionality. Thermally sprayed cermet coatings offer an enhanced resistance to wear and corrosion. This work investigates WC-CoCr coatings deposited using two different feedstocks comprising fine and coarse powder size distributions on aluminum alloy and steel substrates using high-velocity air-fuel (HVAF) and high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) spray techniques. The WC-CoCr coatings were HVAF sprayed at various parameters to investigate the relationship between the processing conditions, microstructure, and performance. Microindentation, dry sliding wear, dry sand abrasion, cavitation erosion, and corrosion tests were conducted to assess the performance of the coatings. Despite the qualitative similarities in the microstructures of the coatings, the measured microindentation hardness values were observed to vary, and coatings deposited with higher particle impact velocities showed the highest microhardness between 1400 and 1600 HV0.3. For the three categories of wear investigated, the HVAF coatings showed better resistance than the HVOF coating investigated in this study. The estimated average specific wear rate (SWR) due to sliding wear of the HVOF coating was 16.7 ± 4.0 × 10−8 mm3/Nm compared to that of the most resistant HVAF coating, which exhibited a SWR of 1.7 ± 0.6 × 10−8 mm3/Nm. The cumulative mass loss rate due to the abrasive wear on the HVOF coating reached 1.11 mg/min compared to 0.76 mg/min of the most abrasion-resistant HVAF coating. All coatings showed similar corrosion resistances under the investigated conditions. The combination of wear and corrosion performance of the respective coatings could provide insight into the coating selection for intended applications. CC BY 4.0</p
Vocational Didactics : Mapping the Terrain in Swedish Upper Secondary Vocational Education and Training
No full textPurpose: The article focuses on the contribution of didactics and didactic theory as a distinct strand in research on vocational education and training (VET). Empirical research is reviewed to further explore what characterizes vocational didactics in the Swedish context of Upper Secondary VET. Approach: Semi-structured and flexible review methodology was used to identify didactic research and map its emergent features. An analytic framework was constructed for this purpose and used iteratively throughout the review process. The framework expresses the constitutive simultaneous interdependence of the relationships A-B-C. They refer to A) the ways of how the actors engage with the content as meaning and matter or relationship between the actors and the content, B) the relationship between the actors and the method through interaction with the content, and C) relationship between the methods embedded in work tasks and school assignments and how they underpin the content. A total of 26 sources was identified and thematized as school-based vocational didactics, collaborative vocational didactics, and work-based vocational didactics. Findings: Four distinct features of vocational didactics in Upper Secondary Vocational Education and Training (USVET) are outlined: 1) Diversification of the use of simulation as a method in school-based education pointing to vocational knowledge and skills 2) broadening of instruction (and reflection) as a method by inclusion of several parties (e.g., supervisors, workplace staff, instructors-practitioners), 3) work tasks as a method pointing to vocational knowledge and skills as content, 4) interaction between several parties using verbal and non-verbal means. Despite a growing interest in the importance of work tasks in their dual affordance of meaning and matter, few sources deal with students’ learning processes in alignment with the logic of the production of goods and services. Conclusion: The analytic framework we have put forth strengthens the conceptual boundaries of vocational didactics from a point of view of profession-related learning objectives (content), actors, and methods involved. Applying the didactic theories to review empirical research on VET strengthens the integrity of vocational didactics as a particular field. CC-BY-SA 4.0</p
Investigation on submerged friction stir welding of AZ31B magnesium alloy under the influence of rotation speed
No full textIn this study, submerged friction stir welding (SFSW) was performed to weld 6 mm thick AZ31B Mg alloy plates, aiming to explore the impact of rotation speed on microstructure and tensile behavior. The water medium was used to submerge the samples. The SFSW was conducted at three different speeds (815, 960, and 1200 rpm), to assess the impact of rotation speed on SFSWed joint performance. As the rotation speed increased from 815 to 960 rpm, tensile strength increased plateauing over a range of the rotation speed. However, a significant drop in tensile strength occurred at 1200 rpm due to the formation of void defects. The SZ exhibits a size and width increment in the lower part with increasing rotation speed. The hardness of the stir zone (SZ) gradually rose with increasing rotation speed from 815 to 960 rpm. Fracture locations were observed in the thermal-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ) adjacent to the SZ at a rotation speed of 815 rpm, and in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) adjacent to the TMAZ at a rotation speed of 960 rpm. The joint welded at 1200 rpm fractured within the SZ. This study offers valuable insights into the welding and joining field, particularly regarding their mechanical characteristics. CC-BY 4.0</p
En kvalitativ studie om kvinnors upplevelse av hästars inverkan på deras välmående
No full textSyftet med studien är att utforska kvinnors upplevelser av att umgås med hästar, för att få en inblick i vad denna relation innebär för dem. Studien genomförde semistrukturerade intervjuer med åtta kvinnliga deltagare i åldrarna 20-80 år. Intervjuerna varade mellan 20-80 minuter och spelades in och transkriberades för att säkerställa en detaljerad analys. För att analysera datan användes tematisk analys som metod för att kunna identifiera och tolka återkommande teman och mönster i deltagarna berättelser. Resultatet visade att deltagarna upplevde att interaktion med hästar bidrog till minskad stress och en känsla av lugn. Hästarna erbjöd en unik kombination av fysisk aktivitet, psykisk återhämtning och personlig utveckling som bidrog till att stärka deltagarnas självförtroende och känsla av kontroll i vardagen. Stallmiljön beskrevs som en trygg plats där deltagarna kunde återhämta sig och bygga meningsfulla relationer till hästar. För flera deltagare var relationen med hästar en central del i deras liv som främjade både psykiskt och fysiskt välmående. Hästar kan spela en viktig roll i att stödja psykiskt välmående och hästarnas närvaro har potential att främja kvinnors livskvalitet.The purpose of this study is to explore women’s experiences of interacting with horses to gain insight into what this relationship means to them. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight female participants aged 20–80 years. The interviews lasted between 20–80 minutes and were recorded and transcribed to ensure a detailed analysis. Thematic analysis was used to identify and interpret recurring themes and patterns in the participants' narratives. The results showed that the participants experienced reduced stress and a sense of calm through their interactions with horses. Horses provided a unique combination of physical activity, psychological recovery, and personal development, which contributed to enhanced self-confidence and a sense of control in daily life. The stable environment was described as a safe space where participants could recover and build meaningful relationships with horses. For several participants, the relationship with horses was a central part of their lives, promoting both psychological and physical well-being. Horses can play an important role insupporting psychological well-being, and their presence has the potential to enhance women’s quality of life
Nyhedsjournalistens metoder : Bokrecension av: Mads Kæmsgaard Eberholst och Maria Bendix Wittchen (red.) Djøf Forlag, 2024.
No full textCC BY 4.0</p
Does aesthetic education vary in Swedish preschool teacher programs? : An examination of the position of aesthetic subjects in preschool teacher education
No full textForskning visar att många förskollärare känner en osäkerhet kring att använda estetik som undervisningsmetod i förskolan. Tidigare studier har betonat estetikens betydelse för att främja barns språkutveckling, kommunikation och sociala interaktioner. Ehrlin och Wallerstedt (2014, s. 1801–1802) lyfter att förskollärarutbildningen genomgått en akademisering och därmed blivit mer teoretisk än praktisk. Syftet med denna studie är att jämföra och analysera kursplaner inom ämnet estetik från olika lärosäten som innehar förskollärarutbildningar. Studien syftar specifikt till att undersöka likheter och skillnader ur ett historiskt perspektiv mellan kursplaner från 2010-talet och 2020-talet, samt att identifiera förändringar i ämnesestetiska kursplaner under denna tidsperiod. Utifrån ett läroplansteoretiskt perspektiv har vi använt oss av de didaktiska frågorna vad, hur och varför för att analysera kursplanerna. I vår analys vill vi synliggöra vad för estetiska kunskaper vi kan utläsa att förskollärarstudenter får med sig under sin studietid. Resultatet visade att det finns variationer mellan de olika lärosätena vilket kan innebära att förskollärarstudenterna får olika kunskaper och erfarenheter trots att alla förskollärarutbildningar utgår ifrån samma examensmål. Slutligen visade studien på betydelsen av en väl avvägd kombination av teori och praktik samt behovet av att överväga hur olika tolkningar av nationella mål kan påverka utbildningens kvalitet och studenternas erfarenheter
Psychologists' involvement in and experiences of treating patients with stress-related exhaustion in primary care.
No full textBACKGROUND: Primary health care is the setting for most patients with stress-related mental health problems. Good care processes are important for patients with stress-related mental health problems and the complex needs of these patients has become a challenge for primary care settings which is traditionally designed to manage acute episodes of one illness. The care process of these patients is thus interesting to investigate. The aim of this study was to explore psychologists´ involvement and experiences regarding the organisation of the care process and treatment of patients seeking care for stress-related exhaustion. METHOD: Fifteen psychologists (14 women and 1 man, age range 27-72 years)c from fifteen different primary health care centres in the western part of Sweden, located in both rural and urban areas were included. Qualitative content analysis of individual semi-structured interviews was conducted. RESULTS: The analysis resulted in eight subcategories within the two main categories studied illuminating psychologists' involvement and experiences regarding the organisation of the care process and challenges regarding treatment of patients seeking care for stress-related exhaustion. CONCLUSION: The care process of patients with stress-related exhaustion is perceived to be ineffective and not congruent with the needs of the patients. A lack of holistic overview of the care process, a lack of collaboration and poor utilization of the health care professionals' competence leads to an unstructured process forcing the patients to be the carriers and coordinators of their own care.CC-BY 4.0This study was financed by grants from the Swedish state under the agreement between the Swedish government and the county councils, the ALF agreement (ALFGBG-726011).</p
Laser Processing of Liquid Feedstock Plasma-Sprayed Lithium Titanium Oxide Solid-State-Battery Electrode
No full textThe astonishing safety and capacity characteristics of solid-state-batteries are encouraging researchers and companies to work on the manufacturing, development, and characterization of battery materials. In the present work, the effects of laser beam interaction with a liquid feedstock plasma-sprayed ceramic solid-state-battery (SSB) material coating were studied. Lithium Titanium Oxide (LTO) in the form of an aqueous suspension consisting of submicron powder particles was plasma-sprayed for the first time using a high-power axial III plasma torch on an aluminum substrate. The plasma-sprayed LTO coating suspension was subsequently post-processed using a fiber laser. The energy input of the laser beam on the surface of the deposited layer was the main variable. By varying the laser power and laser processing speed, the energy input values were varied, with values of 3.8 J/mm2, 9.6 J/mm2, 765.9 J/mm2, and 1914.6 J/mm2, and their effects on some key characteristics such as laser-processed zone dimensions and chemical composition were investigated. The results indicated that changing the laser beam parameter values has appreciable effects on the geometry, surface morphology, and elemental distribution of laser-processed zones; for instance, the highest energy inputs were 33% and 152%, respectively, higher than the lowest energy input.CC-BY 4.0 This research was funded by the project GREEN-BAT [26081094, 2022–2025], under theframework of M-ERA.Net. Authors would like to Thank Academy of Finland and M-ERA.NET 3 fromthe European Commission and the respective national/regional financier. The Swedish segment ofthis research conducted at University West, Sweden has been made possible by funding received fromthe following projects: (a) a proof-of-concept project NovelCABs supported by Energimyndigheten,the Swedish Energy Agency, Dnr 2021-002227 and (b) a trans-national M-ERA.NET 3 project GreenBAT with support from the European Commission and the respective national/regional financierswith Vinnova (Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems) being the national financierfor Swedish participation</p
Promoting and Sustaining Sexual Health as a Health Resource in Prisons : A Scoping Review
No full textSexual health is a neglected topic in prisons, even though sexual health is a basic human need that includes physical, mental, social and spiritual aspects. There is limited knowledge concerning how to promote and sustain the sexual health of prisoners. The aim of this study was to increase knowledge of sexual health promotion as a health resource in prisons. By conducting a scoping review, we searched for sexual health-promoting activities, approaches or experiences from prisons globally. The findings included sexual health interventions covering conjugal visits and sexual health promotion through education and collaboration. There are connections between mental health and sexual health for prisoners, and sexual health also influences quality of life. In conclusion, it is evident that there is a significant imperative for further research, interventions and measures in this domain to ensure holistic rehabilitation for prisoners. CC BY 3.0</p
Text-till-bild-verktygen: ”Gamechanger”, ”hypen” och det ”ganska crapiga” : En kvalitativ studie på kreatörers användning av text-till-bild AI-verktyg
No full textWith the emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), a new form of content creation has been implemented across industries, particularly within creative agencies. Many studies today around this topic are using a quantitative approach to study the usage of text-to-image tools. Objective of this thesis is to explore swedish creators’ perceptions, ideas, and thoughts regarding these tools and contribute to deeper understanding of their views of the tool’s impact, applications, and limitations. We conducted a qualitative study employing a semi-structured interview format. Our choice of data analysis is conducted using a thematic analysis and parts of an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). In our research, a total of 5 creators, with varying roles at different agencies, were interviewed, and from the empirical data 11 main themes were identified where the results pointed to a great variety of thoughts and ideas. These positions are based on the fact that there is a shared opinion for the usability and application of the text-to-image tools where a majority saw a challenge and difficulties with the communication with the tool. Many expressed the need to be up-to-date in order to be competitive and a majority saw the need for regulation for use. There are varying opinions on how the technology works and the purpose of the functions. There is a need for regulation and the importance of the human laying on of hands is emphasized so that the tool does not have too great an impact. A misleading image emerges on social media that does not match the informants' image of the tools. There is a need to be up-to-date on technology to be competitive.Med den nya funktionen för Artificiell intelligens, Generativ AI (GAI) har ny form av innehållsskapande implementerats bland branscher, i synnerhet inom kreativa byråer. Många studier inom området idag använder sig av en kvantitativ tillvägagångsätt för att undersöka användandet av text-till-bild AI-verktyg. Syftet med studien är att kartlägga svenska kreatörers uppfattning, idéer och tankar för dessa verktyg och bidra med en djupare förståelse för deras syn på verktygets påverkan, användningsområde och begränsningar. Studien genomfördes med en kvalitativ metod genom en semistrukturerad intervjuform och analys av data sker med en tematisk analys med inslag av Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). I denna uppsats intervjuades totalt 5 kreatörer med varierande roller på olika byråer, och av den empiriska datan identifierades 11 huvudteman där resultatet pekade på en stor variation av tankar och idéer. Dessa ståndpunkter bygger på att det finns en delad uppfattning för användbarheten och tillämpningen med text-till-bild-verktygen där en majoritet såg en utmaning och svårigheter med kommunikationen med verktyget. Många uttryckte behov att vara up-to-date för att vara konkurrenskraftiga och en majoritet såg behovet av reglering för användandet. Det råder varierande åsikter för hur teknologin fungerar och funktionernas syfte. Det finns ett behov av reglering och vikten av den mänskliga handpåläggningen poängteras för att verktyget inte ska få för stor inverkan. Det framkommer en missvisande bild på sociala medier som inte stämmer överens med informanternas bild av verktygen. Det finns ett behov av att vara uppdaterad på tekniken för att vara konkurrenskraftig