Multiagent Rollout with Reshuffling for Warehouse Robots Path Planning

Efficiently solving path planning problems for a large number of robots is critical to the successful operation of modern warehouses. The existing approaches adopt classical shortest path algorithms to plan in environments whose cells are associated with both space and time in order to avoid collision between robots. In this work, we achieve the same goal by means of simulation in a smaller static environment. Built upon the new framework introduced in (Bertsekas, 2021a), we propose multiagent rollout with reshuffling algorithm, and apply it to address the warehouse robots path planning problem. The proposed scheme has a solid theoretical guarantee and exhibits consistent performance in our numerical studies. Moreover, it inherits from the generic rollout methods the ability to adapt to a changing environment by online replanning, which we demonstrate through examples where some robots malfunction

Multi-decadal changes in tundra environments and ecosystems: Synthesis of the International Polar Year-Back to the Future Project (IPY-BTF).

Understanding the responses of tundra systems to global change has global implications. Most tundra regions lack sustained environmental monitoring and one of the only ways to document multi-decadal change is to resample historic research sites. The International Polar Year (IPY) provided a unique opportunity for such research through the Back to the Future (BTF) project (IPY project #512). This article synthesizes the results from 13 papers within this Ambio Special Issue. Abiotic changes include glacial recession in the Altai Mountains, Russia; increased snow depth and hardness, permafrost warming, and increased growing season length in sub-arctic Sweden; drying of ponds in Greenland; increased nutrient availability in Alaskan tundra ponds, and warming at most locations studied. Biotic changes ranged from relatively minor plant community change at two sites in Greenland to moderate change in the Yukon, and to dramatic increases in shrub and tree density on Herschel Island, and in sub-arctic Sweden. The population of geese tripled at one site in northeast Greenland where biomass in non-grazed plots doubled. A model parameterized using results from a BTF study forecasts substantial declines in all snowbeds and increases in shrub tundra on Niwot Ridge, Colorado over the next century. In general, results support and provide improved capacities for validating experimental manipulation, remote sensing, and modeling studies

Transient Expression of Hemagglutinin Antigen from Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H7N7) in Nicotiana benthamiana

The influenza A virus is of global concern for the poultry industry, especially the H5 and H7 subtypes as they have the potential to become highly pathogenic for poultry. In this study, the hemagglutinin (HA) of a low pathogenic avian influenza virus of the H7N7 subtype isolated from a Swedish mallard Anas platyrhynchos was sequenced, characterized and transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. Recently, plant expression systems have gained interest as an alternative for the production of vaccine antigens. To examine the possibility of expressing the HA protein in N. benthamiana, a cDNA fragment encoding the HA gene was synthesized de novo, modified with a Kozak sequence, a PR1a signal peptide, a C-terminal hexahistidine (6×His) tag, and an endoplasmic retention signal (SEKDEL). The construct was cloned into a Cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV)-based vector (pEAQ-HT) and the resulting pEAQ-HT-HA plasmid, along with a vector (pJL3:p19) containing the viral gene-silencing suppressor p19 from Tomato bushy stunt virus, was agro-infiltrated into N. benthamiana. The highest gene expression of recombinant plant-produced, uncleaved HA (rHA0), as measured by quantitative real-time PCR was detected at 6 days post infiltration (dpi). Guided by the gene expression profile, rHA0 protein was extracted at 6 dpi and subsequently purified utilizing the 6×His tag and immobilized metal ion adsorption chromatography. The yield was 0.2 g purified protein per kg fresh weight of leaves. Further molecular characterizations showed that the purified rHA0 protein was N-glycosylated and its identity confirmed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In addition, the purified rHA0 exhibited hemagglutination and hemagglutination inhibition activity indicating that the rHA0 shares structural and functional properties with native HA protein of H7 influenza virus. Our results indicate that rHA0 maintained its native antigenicity and specificity, providing a good source of vaccine antigen to induce immune response in poultry species

Evaluation of River Restoration Measures: Interstitial Habitat Variables and Salmon Hatching Rates as Indicators of Success

River ecosystems are some of the most complex ecosystems on Earth, characterized by a highly heterogenous environment which is able to sustain a disproportionally high level of biodiversity in relation to the area of which they occupy. However, anthropogenic activities are encroaching on the highly diverse riverine landscape, threatening freshwater biodiversity. Species with complex life cycles involving migrations between marine and freshwater environments are disproportionally threatened. One such species is the Atlantic salmon, which now is at historically low population levels. Restoration efforts are being made to restore degraded river ecosystems and strengthen salmonid populations. However, the response from salmonids and other organisms used as indicators for restoration success are inconclusive or lacking. Additionally, evaluation of restoration success lacks standardized procedures and tools for monitoring. Habitat variables have been shown to be robust indicators when assessing restoration success. This study attempts to asses restoration success using an accessible and user-friendly tool which can be used for measurements of both biotic and abiotic variables. Salmon eggs were planted in the riverbed at potential spawning grounds, from where hyporheic water was extracted to measure physicochemical habitat variables which are critical to salmon embryos. The results indicate that the functionality of available spawning habitats in the study area is adequate in both restored and non-restored sections. Habitat variables displayed spatial variation but were not more favorable at restored sites compared to non-restored sites. Similarly, egg hatching rate varied spatially but not between restored and non-restored sites. The apparent lack of response to the restoration efforts in the study area is likely due to a combination of factors such as biased site selection, limited sampling period and a lack of comparable pre-restoration values. This highlights the need of defined restoration goals, a robust monitoring plan and criteria for evaluation of restoration success. Nevertheless, the method used in this study can be applied to measure biotic and abiotic variables and may add to the toolbox for assessing restoration success. This will hopefully contribute to new insights for monitoring and evaluation of restoration success in other projects

Populationsdynamiska och strukturella långtidstrender hos den anadroma öringen i Dalälven, Älvkarleby

Den anadroma öringen i Östersjöns avrinningsområde uppnår inte tillfredsställande status och uppskattningsvis upprätthålls ungefär hälften av populationerna med kompensationsodling. En av dem är Dalälvens anadroma öring som numer har sitt reproduktionsområde vid Älvkarleby, ca 10 km uppströms älvmynningen till Östersjön. Där finns även ett vattenkraftverk som innebär ett definitivt vandringshinder för Dalälvens migrerande arter. Vid Älvkarleby bedriver SLU Aqua forskning på öring och lax, samt ansvarar för kompensationsodlingen av Dalälvens anadroma öring. Tack vare det långvariga kompensationsodlingsprogrammet finns långa tidsserier innehållandes populationsdynamiska och strukturella data om populationen i Dalälven. I denna studie beskrivs långtidstrender i detta data, och med hjälp av statistiska metoder identifieras potentiella påverkansfaktorer. Resultaten visar att studieperioden kännetecknas av kraftiga populationsdynamiska fluktuationer, och temperatur identifierades som en stark påverkansfaktor.Anadromous trout populations in the Baltic Sea area are in a less than optimal state and about half of the populations are maintained by hatchery-reared trout. One of the populations spawns near Älvkarleby of river Dalälven, about 10 km upstream of the estuary in the Baltic Sea. A hydroelectric dam located in the same area blocks the routes of migratory species. SLU Aqua operates the cultivation of trout native to river Dalälven and conducts research at the research center in Älvkarleby. Owing to the long-term cultivation in river Dalälven, long time-series containing population-specific data is available. Based on the collected data, this study describes long-term trends in the trout population native to river Dalälven and tries to identify potential factors effecting these by using statistical methods. The results show that the study period is characterized by large fluctuations in population dynamics, and that temperature is a major influencing factor

A question about questions : How teachers’ questioning makes it possible to learn about the students’ ways of understanding the content taught in mathematics and science

This thesis reports results from a study that focuses on how teachers can learn about their students’ learning in mathematics and science. Current perspectives on learning are positioned in terms of the acquisition and participation metaphor. A third metaphor, the constitutive metaphor, is proposed and elaborated as an alternative for the current study. The theoretical framework draws upon and tries to further inform phenomenography and the ”theory of variation”. The empirical material was generated from audio-taped classroom interactions and follow-up interviews. With the aid of concrete examples, teachers were probed on their understandings of selected parts of the interaction observed. The results are described in terms of variant and invariant aspects of possible learning objects for the teacher. I pay particular attention to what the students possibly focus upon, and how they deal with the focused content in three different zones – the topical, the conceptual and the procedural zone. The outcome of the study is discussed in relation to teachers’ knowledge. Pedagogical content knowing is scrutinised and a complementary perspective where teachers’ knowledge is viewed as constituted by different contextualisations of the subject matter is used to illustrate the interdependency of content as a discipline, content as taught in school and content as understood by students. The result shows that teachers have, relatively speaking, small possibilities of making distinctions within the conceptual zone. In mathematics the topical zone dominates the interaction, in science the procedural. In other words, in mathematics the teachers mainly open for possibilities to learn, if their students remember facts and procedures; in science how they perform presentations and experiments. In both areas possibilities to make distinctions on qualities in how the students understand the content handled are rather small. The most important finding of the study is: In order to make distinctions in relations to other persons’ ways of understanding something, this something must be kept invariant and acts of knowing must be allowed to vary in relation to the invariant object of knowing

Institutionella faktorer, globala överenskommelser och dess samband med företagens hållbarhetsprestation : En studie om korruption, regleringskvalitet och Parisavtalet

Titel: Institutionella faktorer, globala överenskommelser och dess samband med företagens hållbarhetsprestation - En studie om korruption, regleringskvalitet och Parisavtalet Nivå: Examensarbete på grundnivå (kandidatexamen) i ämnet företagsekonomi Författare: Josefin Emanuelsson och Jonas Lantto Handledare: Jan SvanbergDatum: 2023 – maj Syfte: Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur länders korruption, regleringskvalitet och Parisavtalet påverkar bedömningen av företagens hållbarhetsprestation. Företagens hållbarhetsprestation har fått ett ökat inflytande för deras legitimitet i samhället. ESG-betyget är både en signal utåt för företagens intentioner och ansvar men är även under kritik för att förenkla ett komplext problem. Tidigare forskning visar att faktorer såsom korruption och regleringskvalitet påverkar företagens hållbarhetsarbetet. Studien vill testa dessa faktorer samt undersöka om det globala Parisavtalet har verkat som en yttre påtryckning för företagens hållbarhetsprestationer.  Metod: Studien har ett positivistiskt synsätt med en tvärkulturell, longitudinell forskningsdesign. Sekundärdatan är inhämtad från Refinitiv, Swiss Economic Institute, The World Bank, samt Worldwide Governance Indicator. Datan bearbetas och analyseras i statistikprogrammet SPSS. Urval består av 772 noterade företag från 23 länder inom Europa med ESG-betyg inrapporterade 2014-2019.  Resultat och slutsats: Studien visar att korruption och regleringskvalitet har ett negativt samband med prestationsbedömningar. Studien bidrar till att visa att ESG-betyg är en legitim strategi för företag att visa sig konkurrenskraftiga efter ratificeringen av Parisavtalet. Studien finner att utvecklingen av helhetsbetyget ESG samt pelaren G har accelererat. Studien finner att E, S och de lågpresterande företagen utvecklas positivt.  Examensarbetets bidrag: Denna studie undersöker hur institutionella faktorer och hur Parisavtalets påverkar företagens hållbarhetsprestation. De flesta av de tidigare studierna har fokuserat på mängden hållbarhetsredovisning istället för hållbarhetsprestation och denna studie bidrar till att bredda forskningsområdet kring hållbarhet och effekterna av reglering. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Studien föreslår att göra fler undersökningar kring politiska överenskommelser samt följa pelarnas utveckling efter Parisavtalet. Kommer E och S att börja accelerera när implementeringarna av G förankras i organisationerna? Nyckelord: ESG-betyg, hållbarhetsprestation, institutionella faktorer, korruption, regleringskvalitet, Parisavtal och Europa.Title: Institutional factors, global agreements, and their connection with sustainable performance - A study about corruption, regulator quality and the Paris Agreement Level: Student thesis, final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business Administration Authors: Josefin Emanuelsson and Jonas LanttoSupervisor: Jan SvanbergDate: 2023 - may Aim: The aim of the study is to examine how a country’s corruption and regulator quality and the Paris Agreements affects the judgment upon the companies sustainability performance. The importance of companies sustainability performances has increased for their legitimacy in society. The ESG-score has become both a signal for the companies intentions as well as responsibility, but has also received criticism for simplifying a complex problem. Earlier research shows that factors like corruption and regulator quality affect the sustainability actions. This study wants to test these factors and if the global Paris Agreements has had an external effect on the performance. Method: The study has a positivism-philosophical approach with a cross-cultural, longitudinal research design. The secondary data is obtained from Refinitiv, the Swiss Economic Institute, the World Bank and the Worldwide Governance Indicator. The data is processed and analysed in the statistical program SPSS. The selection consists of 772 listed companies from 23 countries within Europe with ESG ratings reported in 2014-2019. Results and conclusions: The study shows that corruption and regulator quality have a negative correlation with the companies sustainability performances. The study finds that ESG-scores are a legitimacy strategy to show competitiveness after the ratification of the Paris Agreements. The study finds that the development of the total ESG-score and the G-pillar has accelerated. The study also shows that the E-, S-pillar and low performing companies have a continued positive development. Contribution of the thesis: This study addresses the effects on firm-level ESG-performance based on the differences in the country-level variables corruption and regulatory quality. In addition, this study also examines the effects of the Paris agreements. Prior studies have mostly focused on the connection between country-level variables and ESG-disclosure and this study contributes to broadening the research area regarding sustainability and the effects of regulation. Suggestions for future research: Future studies should examine the further development of the different pillars post the Paris agreements and the possible effects on firm ESG-performance in case of any new global agreements.Key words: ESG-Score, ESG-performance, institutional factors, corruption, regulatory quality, Paris Agreements and Europe. Key words: ESG-Score, ESG-performance, institutional factors, corruption, regulatory quality, Paris Agreements and Europe

Institutionella faktorer, globala överenskommelser och dess samband med företagens hållbarhetsprestation : En studie om korruption, regleringskvalitet och Parisavtalet

Titel: Institutionella faktorer, globala överenskommelser och dess samband med företagens hållbarhetsprestation - En studie om korruption, regleringskvalitet och Parisavtalet Nivå: Examensarbete på grundnivå (kandidatexamen) i ämnet företagsekonomi Författare: Josefin Emanuelsson och Jonas Lantto Handledare: Jan SvanbergDatum: 2023 – maj Syfte: Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur länders korruption, regleringskvalitet och Parisavtalet påverkar bedömningen av företagens hållbarhetsprestation. Företagens hållbarhetsprestation har fått ett ökat inflytande för deras legitimitet i samhället. ESG-betyget är både en signal utåt för företagens intentioner och ansvar men är även under kritik för att förenkla ett komplext problem. Tidigare forskning visar att faktorer såsom korruption och regleringskvalitet påverkar företagens hållbarhetsarbetet. Studien vill testa dessa faktorer samt undersöka om det globala Parisavtalet har verkat som en yttre påtryckning för företagens hållbarhetsprestationer.  Metod: Studien har ett positivistiskt synsätt med en tvärkulturell, longitudinell forskningsdesign. Sekundärdatan är inhämtad från Refinitiv, Swiss Economic Institute, The World Bank, samt Worldwide Governance Indicator. Datan bearbetas och analyseras i statistikprogrammet SPSS. Urval består av 772 noterade företag från 23 länder inom Europa med ESG-betyg inrapporterade 2014-2019.  Resultat och slutsats: Studien visar att korruption och regleringskvalitet har ett negativt samband med prestationsbedömningar. Studien bidrar till att visa att ESG-betyg är en legitim strategi för företag att visa sig konkurrenskraftiga efter ratificeringen av Parisavtalet. Studien finner att utvecklingen av helhetsbetyget ESG samt pelaren G har accelererat. Studien finner att E, S och de lågpresterande företagen utvecklas positivt.  Examensarbetets bidrag: Denna studie undersöker hur institutionella faktorer och hur Parisavtalets påverkar företagens hållbarhetsprestation. De flesta av de tidigare studierna har fokuserat på mängden hållbarhetsredovisning istället för hållbarhetsprestation och denna studie bidrar till att bredda forskningsområdet kring hållbarhet och effekterna av reglering. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Studien föreslår att göra fler undersökningar kring politiska överenskommelser samt följa pelarnas utveckling efter Parisavtalet. Kommer E och S att börja accelerera när implementeringarna av G förankras i organisationerna? Nyckelord: ESG-betyg, hållbarhetsprestation, institutionella faktorer, korruption, regleringskvalitet, Parisavtal och Europa.Title: Institutional factors, global agreements, and their connection with sustainable performance - A study about corruption, regulator quality and the Paris Agreement Level: Student thesis, final assignment for Bachelor Degree in Business Administration Authors: Josefin Emanuelsson and Jonas LanttoSupervisor: Jan SvanbergDate: 2023 - may Aim: The aim of the study is to examine how a country’s corruption and regulator quality and the Paris Agreements affects the judgment upon the companies sustainability performance. The importance of companies sustainability performances has increased for their legitimacy in society. The ESG-score has become both a signal for the companies intentions as well as responsibility, but has also received criticism for simplifying a complex problem. Earlier research shows that factors like corruption and regulator quality affect the sustainability actions. This study wants to test these factors and if the global Paris Agreements has had an external effect on the performance. Method: The study has a positivism-philosophical approach with a cross-cultural, longitudinal research design. The secondary data is obtained from Refinitiv, the Swiss Economic Institute, the World Bank and the Worldwide Governance Indicator. The data is processed and analysed in the statistical program SPSS. The selection consists of 772 listed companies from 23 countries within Europe with ESG ratings reported in 2014-2019. Results and conclusions: The study shows that corruption and regulator quality have a negative correlation with the companies sustainability performances. The study finds that ESG-scores are a legitimacy strategy to show competitiveness after the ratification of the Paris Agreements. The study finds that the development of the total ESG-score and the G-pillar has accelerated. The study also shows that the E-, S-pillar and low performing companies have a continued positive development. Contribution of the thesis: This study addresses the effects on firm-level ESG-performance based on the differences in the country-level variables corruption and regulatory quality. In addition, this study also examines the effects of the Paris agreements. Prior studies have mostly focused on the connection between country-level variables and ESG-disclosure and this study contributes to broadening the research area regarding sustainability and the effects of regulation. Suggestions for future research: Future studies should examine the further development of the different pillars post the Paris agreements and the possible effects on firm ESG-performance in case of any new global agreements.Key words: ESG-Score, ESG-performance, institutional factors, corruption, regulatory quality, Paris Agreements and Europe. Key words: ESG-Score, ESG-performance, institutional factors, corruption, regulatory quality, Paris Agreements and Europe

Maskeringsförbud : Fördelar och nackdelar

Med hjälp av litteraturstudier har vi försökt skapa en övergripande bild av maskeringsförbudets fördelar och nackdelar. I ett teroiravsnitt förklarar vi två olika gruppprocesser, med de-individation och de-humanisering vill vi visa hur gruppen kan påverka individen att inte ta ansvar över sina handlingar och på så sätt öka frekvensen och graden av grovt våld på brotten. De fördelar med maskeringsförbudet som vi presenterar i vårt arbete är bland annat att polisen får ett verktyg att förebygga ordningsstörningar, människor känner sig tryggare och vågar utnyttja sin rättighet att demonstrera, där fokus kommer att hamna på budskapen inte våldsamheterna. Lyckas polisen med att förebygga bråk kommer det innebära stora ekonomiska vinningar för enskilda, näringsidkare och försäkringssbolag

Kundinvolvering i Tjänsteutveckling : En studie av uppfattningar och metoder inom SL

Tjänstesektorn utgör idag över 70 % av BNP i Sverige (the world bank group.org, 2005), vilket innebär att tjänster är en viktig del i Sveriges ekonomi. Dock är misslyckandegraden hög när nya tjänster skall introduceras. En tänkbar orsak till detta är att företagen inte lyckas hitta de latenta behoven deras kunder har. Det finns tankar inom forskarvärlden att dessa skulle kunna hittas genom att involvera kunden i tjänsteutvecklingsprocessen (se till exempel Sandén 2007). I dagsläget är forskningen inom kundinvolvering vid tjänsteutveckling dock begränsad. Denna uppsats kommer att behandla kundinvolvering i tjänsteutvecklingen. Syftet med uppsatsen består av två delar, varav det första är att beskriva hur AB Storstockholms lokaltrafik (SL) ser på, tillämpar och definierar kundinvolvering vid tjänsteutveckling. Den andra delen av syftet består i att undersöka om SL använt sig av någon annan kundinvolveringsmetod än de som finns representerade i teorin rörande kundinvolvering vid tjänsteutveckling. Vi har i denna uppsats valt att genomföra en kvalitativ undersökning baserad på delvis strukturerade intervjuer. Vi anser oss kunna se att SL:s syn på kunders medverkan vid utveckling av tjänster överlag är positiv, men att de inte klart definierat vad kundinvolvering innebär. De metoder de använt sig av för att involvera sina kunder i projekt Vagn 2000 kan, i kombination med varandra, ses som en kundinvolveringsmetod, men inte som någon ny sådan. Vi kan också se att kunderna i huvudsak varit involverade i de senare faserna av utvecklingsprocessen samtidigt som det i teorin finns bäring för att kunderna kan involveras i samtliga faser. Vi anser att involveringen skall ske i så många steg som möjligt. Om företagen kan stämma av sina tankar om nya tjänster mot vad kunderna vill ha, så kan de troligtvis snabbare styra om resurser från projekt som kunderna inte tror påtill de som kunderna vill ha.Today in Sweden the service sector consists of more than 70% of GDP, hence services have become an important part of the Swedish economy. However, when new services are introduced they are often accompanied with a high degree of failure. One cause to this may be that the company does not find the latent need the customer have. There are ideas in the research community that these could be found by involving the customer in the service development (see e.g. Sandén 2007). Today the research in customer involvement in service development is limited. This thesis concerns costumer involvement in service development. The purpose of the thesis consists of two separate parts; the first describes how AB Storstockholms lokaltrafik (SL) view, applies and define costumer involvement in service development, the second, is to investigate if SL has used any other method than the ones represented in theory concerning customer involvement in service development. We have in this thesis chosen to perform a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews. We conclude that SL´s overall view on customer involvement in service development is positive, however they have not clearly defined what customer involvement means. The methods they have used to involve their customer in a project called Vagn 2000 can combined together be viewed as a costumer involvement method, even though not a new one. We can also see that the customer mainly have been involved in the late phases of the service development process, whereas in theory the costumers is recommended to be involved in all phases. Our opinion is that the customer should be involved in as many phases as possible. If the companies could adapt their objectives to the customer need, they could probably direct their resources from projects that are not supported by the customer into projects supported by them