A search for ttbar resonances in the dilepton channel in 1.04/fb of pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The first ATLAS result on a search for a high mass top pair resonance at the LHC, in the subset of events where both W bosons from the top decays decay to either a final state electron or muon, is presented. The analysis is performed on 1.04/fb of pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV. Numerous models predict the production of new massive particles that decay preferentially to a top-anti-top pair, including Randall-Sundrum models where the observation of a Kaluza-Klein excitation of the gluon may be the first indication of the existence of an extra spatial dimension. In the analysis presented, a simple observable, sensitive to resonance mass, is formed by summing the missing transverse energy, and the transverse momenta of the selected jets and the two candidate leptons. A deviation from the Standard Model prediction for this observable is searched for using Bayesian statistical methods that compare the yields, and shapes, of the Standard Model background and signal predictions for KK-gluons with masses between 500 and 1600 GeV. No excess over the Standard Model is observed and 95% C.L. upper limits are set on the production cross-section times branching ratio to top quarks for KK-gluon-like resonances. The results of the analysis exclude Randall-Sundrum KK-gluons with masses less than 840 GeV.Comment: "Presented at the 2011 Hadron Collider Physics symposium (HCP-2011), Paris, France, November 14-18 2011, 3 pages, 4 figures.

Oral treatment with Eubacterium hallii improves insulin sensitivity in db/db mice

F.B. is supported by Swedish Research Council, Swedish Diabetes Foundation, Swedish Heart Lung Foundation, Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research, Knut and Alice Wallenberg foundation, Göran Gustafsson Foundation, Ingbritt and Arne Lundberg’s foundation, Swedish Heart Lung Foundation, Torsten Söderberg’s Foundation, Ragnar Söderberg’s Foundation, NovoNordisk Foundation, AFA insurances, and LUA-ALF grants from Västra Götalandsregionen and Stockholm County Council. F.B. is a recipient of ERC Consolidator Grant (European Research Council, Consolidator grant 615362—METABASE). W.M.d.V. is supported by the Finland Academy of Sciences (grants 137389, 141140 and 1272870 ), the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (Spinoza Award and SIAM Gravity Grant 024.002.002) and the European Research Council (ERC Advanced Grant 250172 MicrobesInside). M.N. is supported by a ZONMW-VIDI grant 2013 (016.146.327).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Using network centrality measures to manage landscape connectivity

We use a graph-theoretical landscape modeling approach to investigate how to identify central patches in the landscape as well as how these central patches influence (1) organism movement within the local neighborhood, and (2) the dispersal of organisms beyond the local neighborhood. Organism movements were theoretically estimated based on the spatial configuration of the habitat patches in the studied landscape. We find that centrality depends on the way the graph-theoretical model of habitat patches is constructed, although even the simplest network representation, not taking strength and directionality of potential organisms flows into account, still provides a coarse-grained assessment of the most important patches according to their contribution to landscape connectivity. Moreover, we identify (at least) two general classes of centrality. One accounts for the local flow of organisms in the neighborhood of a patch and the other for the ability to maintain connectivity beyond the scale of the local neighborhood. Finally, we study how habitat patches with high scores on different network centrality measures are distributed in a fragmented agricultural landscape in Madagascar. Results show that patches with high degree-, and betweenness centrality are widely spread, while patches with high subgraph- and closeness centrality are clumped together in dense clusters. This finding may enable multi-species analyses of single-species network models

Exploring origin of food as a source of meanings for Finnish consumers: A qualitative comparison of meanings in Swedish, German and French food

The findings show that Finnish consumers attach partly overlapping partly distinct cognitive, affective, and normative meanings to Swedish, German, and French food. Swedish and French foods are perceived healthier than German food. Finnish consumers also think that Swedish and French food is of high quality, safe and pure while in the case of German food consumers were more doubtful

Profit Limitation Controls Prior to the Present War

In March 2014, four organisations, the Global School (Den Globala Skolan), the Swedish International Centre of Education for Sustainable Development (SWEDESD) at Uppsala University, the Swedish National Commission for UNESCO (Svenska Unescorådet) and WWF-Sweden commissioned Anders Jidesjö, senior lecturer and researcher at Linköping University, to undertake a study of the Swedish experience in the domain of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) over the last 10 years by analysing relevant background documentation and reports as well as information gathered through interviews with key informants. This report presents the result of this study. An earlier version served as background document for the "ESD – Call for Action" event on 3 June 2014 (see also below). The current version has benefited from incorporating factual information and insights presented during that event. The report was commissioned in view of the UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development, scheduled for 11-12 November in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. This conference will mark the end of the UN Decade on Education for Sustainable Development, 2005-2014. The four organisations considered that the official Swedish position at the Nagoya Conference would be strengthened if informed by the experiences and insights of Swedish pre-schools, schools, universities, municipalities and public, private and non-governmental organizations that over the last ten years and longer have engaged in education and learning for sustainable development. The official Swedish position would also be bolstered by having politicians, policy makers and experts reflect on these experiences and formulate recommendations for reinforced policy and accelerated and effective practice and research in the ESD domain. To this effect, the four organizations organized the event "ESD – Call for Action", on 3 June at Blåsenhus, Uppsala University. It brought together 120 representatives of Swedish ESD-related practitioners, researchers and policy makers who together formulated an extensive set of recommendations that are meant to support the Swedish delegation attending the Nagoya Conference. The report and the 3 June recommendations will be made available to the participants of a second event "Making ESD Action Possible", scheduled for 27 August, 2014 at Rosenbad Conference Centre, Stockholm. This event is expected to assemble 140 Swedish ESD-related politicians, policy makers, researchers and practitioners. The combined recommendations formulated by the participants during the two events will be submitted to the official Swedish delegation to the Nagoya Conference. August 2014 Den Globala Skolan (the Global School), Svenska Unescorådet (Swedish National Commission for UNESCO), Swedish International Centre of Education for Sustainable Development (SWEDESD) at Uppsala University, WWF-Swede

Swedish research in organic farming and food systems

In Sweden research is mainly conducted by researchers at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). The SLU departments of Soil Science, Ecology and Crop Production Science (now Crop Production Ecology), Entomology, Animal Nutrition and Management, Animal Breeding and Genetics, Animal Environment and Health, Agricultural Biosystems and Technology, Crop Science and Agricultural Research for Northern Sweden are conducting research. This research is mainly financed by the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (Formas) through the national programme for organic agricultural research. Furthermore SLU research is funded under the programme for applied research for experimentation and development in organic farming, which is financed by the Swedish Board of Agriculture (SJV). Within the “Ekoforsk” Programme based at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) university scientists are commonly cooperating with advisors connected to private and public extension service institutions and organisations. Finally, the Swedish Farmers´Foundation for Agricultural Research (SLF), which is a levy board, funds a substantial part of research in organic farming, especially applied research in organic primary production systems

The Effect on the Swedish Real Economy of the Financial Crisis

This paper investigates the effects of the financial crisis on the Swedish real economy. In order to do this, an index which describes the financial conditions of the Swedish economy is developed. The index indicates that domestic Swedish financial conditions have deteriorated substan-tially during 2008 and are now at the highest level since the crisis of the early 1990’s. A Bayesian VAR model with both US and Swedish variables is used to assess the quantitative effects of the financial crisis on Swedish real GDP growth. Results suggest that the Swedish economy will grow substantially slower in the next couple of years due to the financial crisis.GDP growth; Bayesian VAR

The paradox of high R&D input and low innovation output: Sweden

This chapter takes its point of departure in the so-called Swedish paradox, according to which the Swedish NSI is plagued by low pay-off in relation to very high investments in R&D and innovation efforts. Using new data, we show that this paradox is still in operation, i.e. the productivity or efficiency of the Swedish NSI remains low. We also specify the paradox in several respects. By focussing upon nine activities in the NSI, we attempt to explain why and how the paradox operates. The paradox is also related to the moderate growth of labour productivity in Sweden. Further, we show that the paradox is linked to globalization: internationalization of production by Swedish firms has proceeded further than the internationalization of R&D. On the basis of this analysis, we identify strengths and weaknesses of the Swedish NSI – many of which are related to the Swedish paradox. We take account of the history of innovation policy in Sweden and – on the basis of the analysis as a whole -- we identify future policy initiatives that might help to mitigate the Swedish paradox.Innovation; innovation system; Swedish national system of innovation; Swedish paradox

Politics and preferences

The overall aim of this thesis is to better understand how politics and preferences influence policy outcomes. The thesis consists of two papers that examine two different policy outcomes in Swedish municipalities. Paper I analyzes the effect of income and education on the environmental policy performance of Swedish local governments. In estimating the effects of income and education we will also examine how they interact with political participation. To examine this I use panel data based on an environmental ranking of Swedish municipalities made every year between 1993 and 2001. The empirical results show that there is a positive relationship between income and the environmental policy performance. This relationship is however captured by controlling for the education level, which has a positive relationship with the environmental policy performance. Controlling for municipal fixed effects and relevant control variables does not change this result. Furthermore we find that political participation has significant interaction effects with both income and education. Paper II develops a regression discontinuity (RD) design to estimate the causal effect of political party power on the placement of refugee immigrants in Swedish municipalities. That Swedish municipalities have a proportional election system puts forward specific challenges for using a RD design, which this paper will provide solutions to. The identification strategy is based on the idea that a specific party getting one more seat or not in the municipal council can be considered as good as random if the party is close to a seat change. Even though this paper only looks at Swedish data the method could be applied to other countries with proportional election systems. The results of the paper show that the political party power has a large effect on the placement of refugee immigrants in Swedish municipalities