The American Commitment to Public Propoganda

Random set based methods have provided a rigorous Bayesian framework and have been used extensively in the last decade for point object estimation. In this paper, we emphasize that the same methodology offers an equally powerful approach to estimation of so called extended objects, i.e., objects that result in multiple detections on the sensor side. Building upon the analogy between Bayesian state estimation of a single object and random finite set estimation for multiple objects, we give a tutorial on random set methods with an emphasis on multiple extended object estimation. The capabilities are illustrated on a simple yet insightful real life example with laser range data containing several occlusions.CADICSCUA

Långsiktsplanering med geografiska hänsyn

skogsföretagens långsiktigt strategiska planering sker idag i de flesta fall med Indelningspaketet (IPAK). För överföringen från strategisk till operativ och objektsorienterad planering finns ingen vedertagen rutin. Syftet med denna studie, som initierats och finansierats av SCA Forest and Timber, har varit att utveckla en rutin för långsiktig operativ planering. Kravet var att planeringsrutinen skulle vara kraftfull nog att implementeras på ett stort skogsinnehav, i detta fall ca 90'000 ha. Planeringsrutinen omfattar åtgärderna slutavverkning och gallring. I studien har också ingått att jämföra olika kriterier för prioritering av slutavverkningsavdelningar och betydelsen av val av sådant kriterie för resultatet av den operativa planeringsrutinen. För att prioritera avdelningar som skall slutavverkas, har 3 olika prioriteringskriterier beräknats för varje avdelning. l. Inoptimalförluster via regressionsfunktioner (Jonsson m.fl., 1993) 2. Inoptimalförluster via beräkningar på registervariabler (Larsson, 1994) 3. Tillväxtprocent beräknad via tillväxtfunktioner av Lindgren (1998). Prioriteringsordningarna baserat på vardera kriterie har därefter jämförts med varandra och med utfallet av den strategiska planeringen. Utvärderingen ger inget entydigt svar på kriteriernas användbarhet. På det undersökta materialet finns ingen signifikant skillnad i kriteriernas korrelation med den inoptimalförlust som beräknats i IPAK (inoptimalförlusten beräknad i IPAK betraktas som facit i studien). Inoptimalförlusten via regressionsfunktioner är svårbedömd då funktionerna bygger på jämförelsematerialet. Den operativa planeringsrutin som utarbetats skall resultera i åtgärdsförslag för de närmaste 10 åren, uppdelade i 5 tvåårsperioder. En modell är skapad som bygger på avdelnings-och åtgärdsvisa inoptimalförluster samt en sammanslagen kostnad för maskinflytt och vägunderhåll. Denna "vägöppningskostnad" består av kostnaden för maskinflytt med trailer samt underhåll av vägen till följd av att den används. Kostnaden genereras när ett avverkningslag flyttar till ett specificerat vägområde. Fler avverkningar inom samma område genererar ingen ny vägöppningskostnad förutsatt att avverkning sker; med samma maskinsystem (2 st) under samma period (5 st) under samma avverkningsäsong (4st per period) Syftet med formuleringen är att kunna väga förluster till följd av inoptimala åtgärder mot vinsterna vid geografisk koncentration. Modellens uppbyggnad gör den möjlig att optimera (kostnadsminimera) med linjär programmering. Arbetsområdets leveranskrav formuleras som restriktioner i modellen. Följande krav är specificerade; Totalvolym per period Gallringsandel, fördelad på tre olika gallringstyper (ung-, medelålders-och äldreskogsgallring. Volym inom tillåtet intervall per avverkningssäsong. Sortimentsvis jämna leveranser över perioderna. Minsta tillåtna uttag per avverkningssystem per period och avverkningssäsong Resultatet av urval med optimeringsmodellen visar att god koncentration kan erhållas under givna restriktioner. I de redovisade beräkningarna är koncentrationsvinsterna i form av lägre flytt-och väghållningskostnad upp till 10 gånger så stora som förlustema i form av ökade inoptimalförluster. Det finns således ett starkt incitament att ta geografisk hänsyn i den långsiktiga operativa planeringen. Ambitionen med den i studien utvecklade modellen är att den skall kunna tas i bruk inom SCA Forest and Timber. Efter vissa mindre förändringar kan modellen vara praktiskt tillämpbar och resultatet vara ett bra underlag för traktplanläggning i fält. De urval, baserade på olika prioriteringskriterie, som gjorts med modellen visar en större likhet än motsvarande urval gjort utan hänsyn till restriktioner. Skillnaden mätt i utvalda avdelningar är dock fortfarande stor vilket ställer krav på ytterligare utvärderingar av prioriteringskriteriet.Long-term strategical planning in Swedish forest campanies is usually carried out using the forest management-planning package (FMPP). However, for the transfer from strategical to operational planning there is no established routines. The purpose of this study has been to develop a routine dealing with operational planning; powerful enough to be implemented on a forestholding of approximately 180'000 acres (One management region at SCA Forest and Timber AB). The operational planning routine should include the logging treatment alternatives; final felling and thinning. The study also included a comparison between different criteria used for the ranking of campartments for final felling and the influence of the choice of such criteria upon the result of the operational planning routine. The study has been initiated and financed by SCA Forest and Timber. The ranking of campartments for final felling has been carried out in three different ways. l. Inoptimality losses calculated through linear regression on material from the strategical planning (Jonsson et. al, 1993). 2. Inoptimality losses through calculations on stand descriptions (Larsson, 1994). 3. Growth increment percentage, based on annual increment calculated through formulas presented by Lindgren (1998). The rankings based on these criteria has been campared with each other and with the result of the strategical planning carried out with the FMPP. The evaluation did not give a good indication of the usefulness of the criteria. When applied to the material used in this study, there is no clear indication of which criterion is best correlated with the inoptimality loss calculated by the FMPP. Inoptimality loss calculated according to Jonsson et. al. can not be directly campared as the comparison is carried out on the same material on which the farmula is based. The operational planning routine developed aims to produce a treatment suggestion for the next ten years. These ten years are divided into five 2-year periods. A mathematical model has been constructed which takes into account two major issues; Linoptimality loss for every campartment and treatment option (based on one of the three criteria listed above) 2. A combined cost for the moving of a loggingteam and the maintenance of the road system onto which it is moved. This cost is generated as a loggingteam moves into a defined area. Several logging activities within the same area do not increase this "road opening cost" on condition that logging is carried out; by the same logging team (2 logging teams). within the same 2-year period (periods). within the same logging season (4 per period) The model aims to weigh losses from inoptimal treatment of campartments against benefits from a geographical concentration. The model is optimizable (through minimisation of costs) with linear programming. The management region has an obligation of deliverance of raw materials to SCA industries, which has been taken into account in the model as restrictions on annual yield. The following restriction has been specified; Total volume per period Thinning percentage divided into three different thinning types depending on stand age. Total volume per logging season (specified as an interval). Even distribution of each specifled assortment over the periods ( specifled as an interval). Minimum workload per logging unit per period and logging season The results of the planning routine shows that the problem is solvable and that a reasonable geographical concentration is possible to achieve. In the results, the reduction of costs due to geographical concentration is roughly ten times as large as the increase in cost due to higher inoptimality. Obviously there is an incitement to concentrate logging activities when creating long-term operative plans. The objective of the developed planning routine was for it to be implemented at SCA Forest and Timber. Some improvement combined with a thorough evaluatlon of input data can make i t a useful tool in their forest management planning. It provides the base for detailed planning in short term planning. Selections of campartments for final felling based on different ranking criteria have also been done without restrictions for comparison purposes. The hypothesis was that restrictions would narrow the amount of possible solutions thus making solutions very similar irrespective of criteria used. The selections made by the planning routine show more similarity to each other than the comparison of the unrestricted selections. However, the difference between selections made by the planning routine is still considerably large, putting emphasis on the need for further evaluation of the criteria

”Now people will definitely talk!” En analys av förhandlingar rörande genus och sexualitet i BBC´s Sherlock (2010-)

This essay examines the TV series Sherlock (2010-) from a gender perspective. My main goal with this study was to see whether the TV series challenges the traditional notions on gender and sexuality and also behaviors connected to these categories. But also how at the same time it reminds us of and is influenced by heteronormative notions. To achieve this, I have been inspired by theories drawn from i.a. masculinity research and queer theory. During the process, I have intermittently tried to problematize my own relationship to the subject I have been studying. It would turn out that parts of the TV series could be perceived as norm breaking, while other parts reinforced traditional notions of gender and sexuality. Comic sequences concerning homosexuality and acting of various sexualities were some of the features that caught my interest. The results I came up to suggest that Sherlock is moving simultaneously in multiple directions. Breaking norms and traditional tendencies occur parallelly in the TV series and not seldom the spectator can choose one of these meanings

Comparing profitability of organic vs. conventional arable farming in Scania

Efterfrågan på ekologiska råvaror och produkter ökar årligen och det inhemska behovet överstiger utbudet. Arbetet visar på en fortsatt ökning av efterfrågan på ekologiska livsmedel i Sverige. Syftet med vårt examensarbete var att undersöka den ekonomiska skillnaden mellan två typer av odlingssystem i ekologisk odling, dels traditionell ekologisk etablering men också no-till etablering. No-till fungerar precis som direktsådd, men vid etablering i ett ekologiskt system sår man in en mellan- eller fånggröda mellan såraderna, vilka sedan fungerar som ogräsbekämpning. Dessa två etableringsmetoder skall sedan jämföras med dagens konventionella odlingssystem (strip-tillage). Det innebär kortfattat att marken endast bearbetas i den rad där utsädet ska placeras. Ytan mellan såraderna lämnas därmed orörd. Detta var en fallstudie som genomfördes på uppdrag av AB Gårdstånga Nygård, en växtodlingsgård i Flyingebygden, strax norr om Lund. Kalkylering har genomförts med största fokus på de två ekologiska etableringsmetoderna med växtföljden Vårkorn – Åkerböna – Höstvete – Raps – Höstvete. Sedan har de två växtföljdernas ekonomiska netto jämförts med gårdens nuvarande konventionella växtföljd netto. De två ekologiska etableringsmetoderna skiljer sig en del från varandra. Den för Sverige traditionella etableringen med flera jordbearbetningar för att utarma ogräset visade sig ha en högre etableringskostnad/hektar samt ett något lägre netto på samtliga grödor. No-till (direktsådd) som är tänkt att användas på AB Gårdstånga Nygård visade på ett högre netto, mycket tack vare en lägre etableringskostnad än det traditionella systemet. Med ett no-till system körs det mindre timmar i fält vilket dels ger en lägre bränsleåtgång, dels är mer miljövänligt. Det gör också att odlingen blir mindre känslig för ett högre bränslepris. Den goda prisbilden för ekologisk produktion möjliggörs genom att avsalupriset inte är direkt bundet till den internationella marknaden utan tillgång och efterfrågan inom Sverige styr prisbilden. Även miljöstöden bidrar till en större intäkt för ekologiskt producerade varor, exempelvis ger rapsen 2200 kronor/hektaret och år. I litteraturstudien beskrivs no-till systemet med dess för- och nackdelar, som är ett obeprövat system i Sverige. Det har inte tagits med någon känslighetsanalys gällande extra kostnader för att använda detta system som etableringsmetod. I litteraturstudien framgår att systemet ska kunna fungera väl i södra Sverige och författarna har därför utgått från det i kalkyleringen. Skördenivåer som används i kalkylerna är beräknat till 70 procent av en konventionell skörd i området vilket styrks genom efterforskning i litteraturstudien. Enligt Ulrik Lovang kan skördenivåerna uppgå till 90 procent av konventionell nivå vid en väl etablerad gröda vilket uppnåtts på gårdar i Östergötland. Målet med fallstudien är uppnått, kalkylerna visar på ett positivt netto vid omläggning av produktionen från konventionell till ekologisk odling. Både no-tillsystemet och det mer traditionella visar på att alla ekologiska grödor hade ett bättre ekonomiskt netto än AB Gårdstånga Nygårds konventionella system. Den enda grödan som inte kunnat jämföras är sockerbetor vilket i dagsläget inte kommer odlas ekologiskt.Demand for organic raw material and products are increasing annually, while domestic demand is increasing above supply (Ryegård CR, 2014). The research the report shows a continuing rise for organic food in Sweden. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the economic difference between the two types of cropping systems in organic farming, in comparison to today's conventional cropping systems (strip-tillage). This was a case study that was conducted on behalf of AB Gårdstånga Nygård, an arable farm in the Flying district, just north of Lund. Calculation Rings have been conducted with the greatest focus on two ecological establishment methods of crop rotation Spring barley - Field beans - Winter wheat - Rape - Winter wheat. After that the two rotations ' financial net are compared with the farm's current conventional crop rotation net. The two organic establishment methods differ somewhat from each other. The traditional establishment in Sweden with several soil processing to deplete the weed showed a higher establishment cost / hectare, and a slight decrease in net for all crops. No-till (direct sowing) that is meant to be used on AB Gårdstånga Nygård showed a higher net, thanks largely to a lower establishment cost than the traditional system. With a no-till system there will be less driving in the field and that resulting in lower fuel consumption. This system is both more environmentally friendly and to be less sensitive to higher fuel price. The favorable pricing of organic production in Sweden is made possible by a price not directly tied to the international market, but in Sweden the price is controlled by supply and demand. Also environmental support contributes to greater revenue for organically produced products, for example rape gives 2200 SEK / hectare and year. In our literature study the no-till system and its pros and cons are described, since it is an untested system in Sweden .We have not made any sensitivity analysis regarding additional costs for using this system as a production method. In the literature, it appears that the system can function well in southern Sweden and we have therefore assumed this in the calculation. Crop yields are estimated to be 70 percent of a conventional harvest in the area as evidenced by reading literature. According to the Swedish advisor, Ulrik Lovang who is famous for his work whit organic farming, harvest levels can reach 90 percent by conventional level for a well- established crop which farmers in Östergötland achieved. The calculations in this study show a net positive to shift production from conventional farming to organic. The new system they will try, and the more traditional shows that all organic crops had a better economic net than AB Gårdstånga Nygårds conventional systems. The only crop we have not been able to compare is sugar-beets which will not be grown organically in the current situation at AB Gårdstång Nygård farm

Variable contributions of seafloor communities to ecosystem metabolism across a gradient of habitat-forming species

The contributions of habitat-forming species to the biodiversity and ecosystem processes of marine and terrestrial ecosystems are widely recognized. Aquatic plants are considered foundation species in shallow ecosystems, as they maintain biodiversity and sustain many ecosystem functions such as primary production and respiration. Despite the increasing amount of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning experiments in seagrass habitats, the effects of benthic variability on ecosystem functioning are rarely investigated across spatially variable aquatic plant habitats. Here, we quantitatively link seasonal variability in seafloor metabolism (i.e. gross primary production and community respiration) with major benthic community components (i.e. microphytobenthos, aquatic plants and macrofauna) across a structural complexity gradient of habitat-forming species (in terms of shoot density and biomass), ranging from bare sand, to a sparse mixture of plants to a dense monospecific seagrass meadow. The increasing complexity gradient enhanced the magnitude of the relationships between benthic community and seafloor metabolism. The daily average seafloor metabolism per season at the bare site was similar to the sparse site, highlighting the role of microphytobenthos for seafloor metabolism in shallow unvegetated sediments. The contribution of the associated macrofauna to the seafloor respiration was similar to the aquatic plant community contribution. Infauna was the main macrofaunal component significantly explaining the seasonal variability of seafloor respiration. However, benthic community-metabolism relationships were stronger within the plant community than within the macrofauna community (i.e. steepest slopes and lowest p-values). Understanding these relationships are a priority since climate change and biodiversity loss are reducing habitat complexity around the world, jeopardizing valuable ecosystem functions and services.Peer reviewe

Samarbete mellan lantbruksföretag

Nowadays, cooperation is necessary and this study tries to illuminate the possibilities and problems about cooperation in fiction between 7 small/midsize farms in Skåne. Conventional Farming is done with grain and sugarbeets as specialization. Calculation of machine costs have been done and compared in the study, both for the farms in thorough and the fictitious operation companies. Business ratios as depreciation/ha, interest/ha and maintenance/ha have been calculated. In this essay we present a proposal about how a practical implementation can be done. In the proposal there is an example how the distribution of work can be done. Our study also shows that cooperation gives better opportunities if you want to continue doing conventional farming. The social part also has been treated. Many families are divided both physical and mental because of high charge of work. Cooperation gives possibilities to reduce the individual worktime.Samarbete ligger i tiden. I detta arbete försöker vi belysa möjligheter och problem vad gäller ett fiktivt samarbete mellan 7 små/medelstora lantbruk i Skåne. Gårdarna bedriver konventionell växtodling med inriktning på spannmål och sockerbetor. I fallstudien har beräkning av maskinkostnader gjorts och jämförts, både för de ingående gårdarna och för de fiktiva driftsbolagen. Nyckeltal såsom avskrivning/ha, ränta/ha samt underhåll/ha har beräknats. I arbetet ges förslag på hur ett praktiskt genomförande kan gå till. I detta förslag ingår t.ex. hur arbetsfördelningen kan ske. Vårt examensarbete visar också att samarbete ger bättre möjligheter om du vill fortsätta driva konventionell växtodling. Även den sociala delen har behandlats. Många familjer splittras (både fysiskt och psykiskt) bland annat på grund av för hög arbetsbelastning. I ett samarbete ges stora möjligheter att minska den individuella arbetstiden

Cholesterol-sensing liver X receptors stimulate Th2-driven allergic eosinophilic asthma in mice

Introduction: Liver X receptors (LXRs) are nuclear receptors that function as cholesterol sensors and regulate cholesterol homeostasis. High cholesterol has been recognized as a risk factor in asthma; however, the mechanism of this linkage is not known. Methods: To explore the importance of cholesterol homeostasis for asthma, we investigated the contribution of LXR activity in an ovalbumin- and a house dust mite-driven eosinophilic asthma mouse model. Results: In both models, airway inflammation, airway hyper-reactivity, and goblet cell hyperplasia were reduced in mice deficient for both LXR and LXR isoforms (LXR-/--/-) as compared to wild-type mice. Inversely, treatment with the LXR agonist GW3965 showed increased eosinophilic airway inflammation. LXR activity contributed to airway inflammation through promotion of type 2 cytokine production as LXR-/--/- mice showed strongly reduced protein levels of IL-5 and IL-13 in the lungs as well as reduced expression of these cytokines by CD4(+) lung cells and lung-draining lymph node cells. In line herewith, LXR activation resulted in increased type 2 cytokine production by the lung-draining lymph node cells. Conclusions: In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the cholesterol regulator LXR acts as a positive regulator of eosinophilic asthma in mice, contributing to airway inflammation through regulation of type 2 cytokine production