A packaging cost model for Ericsson AB

Problem Definition: Ericsson wants to increase their focus on reducing the total cost of packaging for the company in the whole world. They want to create a simple calculation model that can calculate the total packaging cost and compare different packaging solutions (country, freight, packaging, and product) in order to find the most cost effective packaging solution. This will facilitate the development of future packaging and also reduce the company's total costs relating to the supply chain. Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to create a calculation model which makes it possible to compare a couple of packaging solutions, this will finally show the total cost of the packaging. The calculation model is supposed to be able to handle different transport modes, different destinations and different kinds of packaging solutions, and it should also be ?factory? independent. Methodology: There was a pre-existing problem that should be solved, as such, the approach of the thesis will be problem-solving. The authors will first collect empirical information. Once this research is done, theories will be presented based on the empirical information. Finally an analysis will be conducted. This approach is called inductive approach. Qualitative data is collected through structured and semi-structured interviews, written literature and observations made by the authors. Conclusion: The calculation model will be helping Ericsson with their cost reduction regarding existing and new packaging solutions. All the six cost parameters can be followed through the whole calculation model to see how the areas change depending on which parameters that are changed. It is easy to use the calculation model and the total cost will be presented in both figures and diagrams to make it even more clear for the user. The calculation model is meant to be used by Ericsson's packaging engineers, and the calculation model can be used globally. There are only a few parameters that need to be changed for the user in China compared to Sweden. Ericsson needs to involve more than one supplier for their packaging material, in order to reduce the purchasing price. Packaging engineers should use their competence more by constructing the packaging, and not letting the supplier do all the work

Violence against women and the risk of fetal and early childhood growth impairment: a cohort study in rural Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether different forms of family violence against women were associated with impaired size at birth and early childhood growth. METHODS: A substudy embedded into a community-based food and micronutrient supplementation trial (MINIMat) of pregnant women in rural Bangladesh included a 2-year follow-up of the 3164 live-born children of participating women. Anthropometric data were collected from birth up to 24 months of age, and converted to WHO growth standard SD scores. Size at birth and early childhood growth were assessed in relation to women's exposure to physical, sexual and emotional violence and the level of controlling behaviour in the family. RESULTS: Fifty per cent of all women reported a lifetime experience of some form of family violence. The mean birth weight was 2701 g, 30% were low birth weight (<2500 g), mean birth length was 47.8 cm (17.5%, <or=2 SD) and at 24 months of age 37% were underweight and 50% of the children were stunted. Exposure to any form of violence was negatively associated with weight and length at birth and weight-for-age and height-for-age SD scores at 24 months of age, as well as a change in weight and height SD score from birth to 24 months of age (p<0.05, adjusted for potential confounders). CONCLUSIONS: Violence against women was associated with an increased risk of fetal and early childhood growth impairment, adding to the multitude of confirmed and plausible health consequences caused by this problem

Stories of pre-war, war and exile: Bosnian refugee children in Sweden.

While standardized questionnaires produce counts of isolated events, a semi-structured interview derives a story, a complex narrative in time and place. Ninety Bosnian refugee children and adolescents (ages 1-20), resettled in Sweden, were assessed in a semi-structured clinical interview designed to identify and offer support to children at risk. A family-child account of traumatic exposure was analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. Type-stories or clusters of experience were identified for three distinct periods: prior to war, during war, and after war in exile. The extent of trauma-stress exposure during each of these periods proved unrelated. Pre-war experience presented as preponderantly good and safe. Differences in child exposure during war and exile could be understood in relation to identifiable socio-demographic factors; particularly ethnic background, social class, child age and family size. Further, the stories derived cast light on the equity of Swedish refugee reception, exposing both egalitarian and discriminatory tendencies

Probing galaxy evolution through the internal colour gradients, the Kormendy relations and the Photometric Plane of cluster galaxies at z~0.2

We present a detailed analysis of the photometric properties of galaxies in the cluster \A2163B at redshift z~0.2. R-, I- and K-band structural parameters, (half light radius r_e, mean surface brightness _e within r_e and Sersic index n) are derived for N~60 galaxies, and are used to study their internal colour gradients. For the first time, we use the slopes of optical-NIR Kormendy relations to study colour gradients as a function of galaxy size, and we derive the Photometric Plane at z~0.2 in the K band. Colour gradients are negligible at optical wavelengths, and are negative in the optical-NIR, implying a metallicity gradient in galaxies of ~0.2 dex per radial decade. The analysis of the Kormendy relation suggests that its slope increases from the optical to the NIR, implying that colour gradients do not vary or even do become less steep in more massive galaxies. Such a result is not simply accomodated within a monolithic collapse scenario, while it can be well understood within a hierarchical merging framework. Finally, we derive the first NIR Photometric Plane at z~0.2, accounting for both the correlations on the measurement uncertainties and the selection effects. The Photometric Plane at z~0.2 is consistent with that at z~0, with an intrinsic scatter significantly smaller than the Kormendy relation but larger than the Fundamental Plane.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figures, A&A in pres

Global Properties of the Rich Cluster ABCG 209 at z~0.2. Spectroscopic and Photometric Catalogue

This paper is aimed at giving an overview of the global properties of the rich cluster of galaxies ABCG 209. This is achieved by complementing the already available data with new medium resolution spectroscopy and NIR photometry which allow us to i) analyse in detail the cluster dynamics, distinguishing among galaxies belonging to different substructures and deriving their individual velocity distributions, using a total sample of 148 galaxies in the cluster region, of which 134 belonging to the cluster; ii) derive the cluster NIR luminosity function; iii) study the Kormendy relation and the photometric plane of cluster early-type galaxies (ETGs). Finally we provide an extensive photometric (optical and NIR) and spectroscopic dataset for such a complex system to be used in further analyses investigating the nature, formation and evolution of rich clusters of galaxies. The observational scenario confirms that ABCG 209 is presently undergoing strong dynamical evolution with the merging of two or more subclumps. This interpretation is also supported by the detection of a radio halo (Giovannini et al. 2006) suggesting that there is a recent or ongoing merging. Cluster ETGs follow a Kormendy relation whose slope is consistent with previous studies both at optical and NIR wavelengths. We investigate the origin of the intrinsic scatter of the photometric plane due to trends of stellar populations, using line indices as indicators of age, metallicity and alpha/Fe enhancement. We find that the chemical evolution of galaxies could be responsible for the intrinsic dispersion of the Photometric Plane.Comment: 39 pages, 17 figures, MNRAS in pres

Effects of a community-based approach of food and psychosocial stimulation on growth and development of severely malnourished children in Bangladesh: a randomised trial.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Psychosocial stimulation (PS) and food supplementation (FS) improve development of malnourished children. This study evaluates the effects of a community-based approach of PS and FS on growth and development of severely malnourished children. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Severely underweight hospitalised children aged 6-24 months (n = 507) were randomly allocated on discharge to five groups: (i) PS, (ii) FS, (iii) PS+FS, (iv) clinic-control and (v) hospital-control. PS included play sessions and parental counselling on child development. This was done at each fortnightly follow-up visit, that is, every second week, for 6 months at community clinics. FS included distribution of cereal-based food packets (150-300 kcal/day) for 3 months. All groups received medical care, micronutrient supplementation, health-education and growth monitoring. Children's development was assessed using revised version of Bayley Scales of Infant Development at baseline and after 3 and 6 months of intervention. Anthropometry was measured using standard procedure. RESULTS: Comparing groups with any stimulation with those with no stimulation there was a significant effect of stimulation on children's mental development index (group*session interaction P = 0.037, effect size = 0.37 s.d.) and weight-for-age Z-score (group*session interaction P = 0.02, effect size=0.26 s.d.). Poor levels of development and nutritional status were sustained, however, due to their initial very severe malnutrition. There was no effect on motor development and linear growth. CONCLUSION: Children receiving any stimulation showed a significant benefit to mental development and growth in weight. More intensive intervention with longer duration is needed to correct their poor developmental levels and nutritional status

Photometric Properties of Galaxy Population in the Cluster EIS 0048-2942 at z~0.64

~Deep photometric data in the V-, R-, I-, z- and K-bands for the cluster of galaxies EIS 0048-2942 are used to investigate the properties of the galaxy populations at z~0.64 in a field of 2.5x2.5 Mpc^2. The sample of candidate cluster members (N = 171) is selected by the photometric redshift technique and is complete up to I=22.5. Galaxies were classified as spheroids and disks according to the shape of the light profile in the I-band, as parametrized by the Sersic index. In both optical and NIR, spheroids define a sharp colour-magnitude sequence, whose slope and zero points are consistent with a high formation redshift (z_f > 2). The disk population occupies a different region in the colour-magnitude diagram, having bluer colours with respect to the red sequence. Interestingly, we find some level of mixing between the properties of the two classes: some disks lie on the colour-magnitude sequence or are redder, while some spheroids turn out to be bluer. The spatial distribution of cluster galaxies show a clumpy structure, with a main over-density of radius ~0.5 Mpc, and at least two other clumps distant ~1 Mpc from the center. The various sub-structures are mostly populated by the red galaxies, while the blue population has an almost uniform distribution. The fraction of blue galaxies in EIS 0048-2942 is f_B=0.11 +/-0.07. This is much lower than what expected on the basis of the Butcher-Oemler effect at lower redshifts.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figures. A&A in pres

Metal artefact reduction for accurate tumour delineation in radiotherapy

Background and purpose: Two techniques for metal artefact reduction for computed tomography were studied in order to identify their impact on tumour delineation in radiotherapy. Materials and methods: Using specially designed phantoms containing metal implants (dental, spine and hip) as well as patient images, we investigated the impact of two methods for metal artefact reduction on (A) the size and severity of metal artefacts and the accuracy of Hounsfield Unit (HU) representation, (B) the visual impact of metal artefacts on image quality and (C) delineation accuracy. A metal artefact reduction algorithm (MAR) and two types of dual energy virtual monochromatic (DECT VM) reconstructions were used separately and in combination to identify the optimal technique for each implant site. Results: The artefact area and severity was reduced (by 48–76% and 58–79%, MAR and DECT VM respectively) and accurate Hounsfield-value representation was increased by 22–82%. For each energy, the observers preferred MAR over non-MAR reconstructions (p &lt; 0.01 for dental and hip cases, p &lt; 0.05 for the spine case). In addition, DECT VM was preferred for spine implants (p &lt; 0.01). In all cases, techniques that improved target delineation significantly (p &lt; 0.05) were identified. Conclusions: DECT VM and MAR techniques improve delineation accuracy and the optimal of reconstruction technique depends on the type of metal implant

A population-based cohort study of HRT use and breast cancer in southern Sweden

The overall tumour incidence and breast cancer incidence related to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were followed in a population-based cohort of 29 508 women, aged 25–65 when interviewed in 1990–92. By the end of the follow up in December 1999, there were 226 611 person-years of observation. A total of 1145 malignant tumours were recorded (expected 1166.6; SIR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.93–1.04). There was a small excess of breast cancer with 434 observed and 387.69 expected (SIR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.02–1.23). Among about 3 663 ever users of HRT, there was no increase in overall tumour incidence (SIR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.86–1.12) but a significant excess of breast cancer (SIR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.09–1.64) compared with never users (SIR = 1.07, 95% CI 0.96–1.19). Breast cancer increased with increasing duration of use and for 48–120 months use the SIR was 1.92 (95% CI 1.32–2.70). There was no significant interaction with family history of breast cancer although an independent additive effect was suggested between HRT use and family history. In a Cox regression model time to breast cancer in relation to duration of HRT use was analysed adjusting for age at menarche, age at menopause, age at first full term pregnancy, parity and age at diagnosis. A significantly higher risk was seen for longer duration of HRT use compared with never users. No increased risk is seen in women beyond 5 years after stopping HRT. There was no interaction between previous use of oral contraceptives and later HRT use. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.co