The Importance of Industry-, Country- and Global Factors for the Return on Technology Stocks

We investigate to what degree return on technology stocks are affected by industry-, country- and global factors. Furthermore, the analysis is extended to look deeper into the industry factors by examining what the exposure of technology stocks to industry-specific shocks is caused by. In previous studies, the aim has been to try to determine whether industry-, country- or global effects are the most prominent for international stock returns; however, the technology industry has not yet been thoroughly investigated. There are 27 countries included in the analysis, from both developed and emerging markets. The years investigated are 1990-2015 and include returns from a technology index and an equity index for each country, a global technology index and a global equity index. The results show that industry-, country- and global effects exist in the technology industry. Moreover, high-technology export is found to have a significantly positive impact on the exposure to industry-specific shocks, whereas the dot-com crisis had a negative impact on the exposure. These results are important for forming an optimally diversified portfolio that includes technology stocks, when diversifying across industries and countries

Adapting to changes in the supply chain – Challenges to re-defining the supply chain for increased customer orientation and product innovation within the paper packaging industry

Supply chains are no longer to be regarded as linear constructs with definite starting and ending points, but as systems, or wholes that are to be customer driven rather than product driven. But however easy it sounds in theory industries are struggling to re-invent or re-comprehend existing business models. This paper aims to describe and identify organizational challenges to re-defining the supply chain for increased customer orientation and product innovation. The findings are based on one case study within the paper packaging industry. In conclusion four challenges are identified: Domineering Perspectives, Tools and Processes, Strategy and strategic decision and Implementation approach. Educator and practitioner summary It is important for academia and practice to recognize the organizational challenges to re-inventing or re-comprehending assumptions, models and tools existing in business and in theory. Using a multi-theoretical approach allows for a more holistic perspective and increased understanding of the different aspects at play when initiating and implementing change

Transmission of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria from mother to infant

The bacteria in our intestine affect us in many different ways, for example, they protect us against other harmful microorganisms, produce essential vitamins and they are also though to affect our immune system. Allergies and other immunological diseases are very common in developed countries compared with developing countries. This has given rise to the hygiene hypothesis, which suggests that less exposure to microorganisms increases the risk of developing immunological diseases. Therefore some bacteria might decrease the risk of developing allergies. People, living according to an anthroposophic lifestyle have been seen to have less prevalence of allergies. By living according to this lifestyle they eat lots of fermented food which sometimes contains bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, have limited use of antibiotics etc. These characteristics may be important factors why anthroposophic individuals have less prevalence of developing allergies. Through this study, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria were analyzed in fecal samples from 16 mothers and their infants to see if there were any similarities between mother and child and if the infant get colonized with the mothers’ fecal lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. The anthroposophic lifestyle was also investigated, comparing anthroposophic infants with infants being sensibilized. The amount of bacteria was calculated by using culturing techniques and the bacteria were typed through rep-PCR. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes was also done on a few lactobacilli and bifidobacteria to identify which species that were transferred. The results indicated that the infants did have more bifidobacteria and lactobacilli than their mother but that there was high variation between the samples. The results from rep-PCR showed that there occurred transmission from the mother to her infant. But that the infants’ microbiota is very unstable and that these bacteria from the mother only in some cases persist over time and are able to establish in the infants microbiota. No clear difference was seen between infants living according to an anthroposophic lifestyle and infants being sensibilized. The results from the sequencing showed that the species which was the most common Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium among the samples were Lactobacillus rhamnosus/paracasei and Bifidobacterium longum

Influence of two different caregiving styles during separation and reunion in dogs

A child’s attachment style and a caregiver’s caregiving style influences and matches each other. Attachment behaviours’ main goal is to seek proximity and security from the caregiver. Attachment styles are often observed in an attachment test, where the attachments system is activated by a strange or challenging situation, for example separation. From this test four different attachment styles have been characterised. It has been suggested that a human’s caregiving style influences a dog’s behaviour. In this study the behaviour of twelve dogs was observed and heart rate was measured during separation from and reunion with two handlers with different caregiving styles (secure and disorganised). The handlers interacted with the dogs according to their caregiving style during 15 interaction days. Observations of behaviour and heart rate were made at interaction day 1, 7 and 15 in order to investigate change in the dog’s response over time. Results showed that when reunited with the secure handler both the dog and handler initiated more contact over time. This might be due to the dog and the secure handler synchronising their behaviour, as the relationship developed. No difference in heart rate or behaviours during separation could be found. The dogs tended to look more at and spend more time close to the disorganised handler. However, if the dog did it on its own free will or forced to do it by the actions of the handler is hard to say. It can also be a sign of vigilance behavior toward the disorganised handler. During reunion on day one with the secure handler, the dogs explored more. This cannot be explained by an attachment style, but rather the handler’s behavior where the secure handler allowed the dogs to explore more. The dogs explored more on day one, perhaps because the environment was new and they felt a bigger need to explore. The dogs sat down more with the disorganised handler, which might be a sign of passive stress coping. The dogs jumped more during reunion with the secure handler. When the dog stood with its front paws on the handler it counted as jumping. This was tolerated more by the secure handler, which might have influenced the results. In reunion with the insecure handler the dogs showed more lip licking and had their tail behind their legs more. This might be due to stress and fear, but lip licking can also be a sign of excitement in general and is not necessarily negative. This study can be used to work for more stable relationships between dog and human. Where the dog is not stressed and the owner has a positive and soothing effect on the dog. The behaviour of the dogs in this study was influenced by the handler’s behaviour. I therefore suggest that future studies in this field include observations of both the dogs and the handler’s behaviour

Technical solutions and management to improve pen hygiene in buildings with growing-finishing pigs

Flera faktorer ligger till grund för god djurhållning, varav en av dessa är boxhygien. Förutom den dagliga tillsynen och grundläggande skötseln av grisarna, kan hygienen i grisboxarna påverkas av bland annat ventilation, värme/kyla och foder. Om grisen hade haft tillgång till vatten och lera under varma förhållanden hade den vältrat sig i detta för att få en kylningseffekt när vattnet avdunstar. Istället lägger de sig i blöt gödsel och urin för att få samma effekt, men det är mindre hygieniskt. Grisarna blir smutsiga, men även boxarna, då grisarna gärna gödslar och urinerar på liggplatsen när det är varmt i stallet. Problem med grisarnas boxhygien kan också uppträda på natten, när det bildas kallras på grisarnas liggplats. Detta gör att grisarna ändrar liggbeteende för att undvika drag. Boxhygienen kan i sin tur påverka hur grisarna mår och till viss del även deras tillväxtkurva. Som grisproducent är det viktigt att grisarna är friska och mår bra. Detta leder till minskade kostnader för producenten samt ökad välfärd och bättre tillväxtkurva för grisarna. Syftet med litteraturstudien är att komma fram till ett eller flera sätt att uppnå en bättre boxhygien i svenska slaktgrisstallar. Detta då den svenska grisen inte får ha en box där golvet består av endast spalt, vilket annars är tillåtet i de flesta länder i EU och många studier görs på grisar med endast eller delvis spaltgolv utan strömedel. Materialet som används i litteraturstudien har bestått av tvärvetenskapliga artiklar, rapporter, tidskrifter, information från myndigheter och lagstiftning. Dessa har sökts och insamlats från internet och genom olika databaser. Resultaten från litteraturstudien visar att om grisarna utfodras med torrt foder bidrar detta till bättre boxhygien jämfört med blötfoder. En rektangulär långtrågsbox främjar till bättre boxhygien än en tvärtrågsbox, men även fasta skivor mellan boxarna ger renare boxar än om grisarna kan interagera mellan boxarna. Inomhusklimatet bör vara mellan 15-20°C i ett slaktgrisstall för större grisar och ventilationen kan bidra till viss kyleffekt vid varma förhållanden beroende på hur tilluften är placerad och riktad. Ett kylsystem i golvet kan göra att grisarna mår bättre under varma dagar och får då bättre foderomsättning och viktuppgång. Detta då det kallare underlaget på liggytan kan leda bort grisens överskottsvärme. Grisen har då inte samma behov av att lägga sig på den gödseldränerande spalten för att kyla ner sig när temperaturskillnaden minskar mellan det fasta golvet och spalten och ett duschsystem kan ge extra svalka vid varma perioder när vattnet avdunstar från huden. Den svenska lagstiftningen ger våra grisar större rörelsefrihet än övriga grisar i Europa, med större plats att ligga helt utsträckta mot underlaget när det är riktigt varmt. Det optimala kylsystemet i ett slaktgrisstall borde vara ett klimatsystem med neutraltrycksventilation som kan både kyla och värma tilluften efter behov. Detta skulle ge bättre luftkvalitet under hela året, både för grisarna och för grisskötaren.Several factors are the basis for good animal husbandry, and one of these factors is pen hygiene. In addition to the daily supervision and basic care of the pigs, the hygiene in the pig pens are, among other things, affected by ventilation, heating/cooling and feed. If the pig has access to water and mud during hot conditions, it would certainly wallow in this in order to achieve a cooling effect when water evaporates. Instead they wallow in wet manure and urine to provide the same effect, but this is less hygienic. The pigs get dirty but also pen hygiene get worse when pigs defecate and urinate on the lying area under warm conditions. Problems with pen hygiene can also occur at night, when the air form cold draft on the pigs' lying area. This results in that the pigs change lying behavior to avoid drafts. Pen hygiene can in turn affect how pigs are feeling and their growth rate. As the pig producer, it is important that the pigs are healthy and doing well. This leads to reduced costs for the producer and increased welfare and better growth rate for the pigs. The purpose of this study is to come up with one or more ways to achieve a better pen hygiene in buildings with Swedish growing-finishing pigs. The Swedish pig may not have a pen where the lying area is made of only slatted floor, which otherwise is permitted in most of the EU countries and many studies done on pigs are on fully or partially slatted floors with no bedding material. The material used in the literature consisted of interdisciplinary articles, reports, journals, information from authorities and legislation. These have been collected from the internet and through various databases. The results of the literature show that if the pigs are fed with dry feed the pen hygiene gets better compared to when pigs are fed with wet feed. A rectangular pen with feeding along the inspection corridor leads to better pen hygiene than pens with the feeding trough placed in an angle of 90 ° to the inspection alley. But also solid walls between pens contribute to cleaner pens than pens where pigs can interact. The indoor climate should be between 15-20°C in buildings with heavier growing-finishing pigs and ventilation could contribute to a cooling effect in hot conditions depending on how the supply air is located and directed. A cooling system in the floor allows the pigs to feel better during hot days which leads to better feed conversion and weight gain. This due to transport of excess heat to the solid floor. When the temperature gap between the solid floor and the slatted area decrease, the pig's need to cool down on the slatted area is reduced. A fogging system during increasing temperatures, can provide a cooling effect when the water evaporates from the skin. The Swedish legislation gives the Swedish pig’s greater freedom of movement than other pigs in Europe, with greater space to lie fully on their side when it is really hot. The optimal cooling system in a building for growing-finishing pigs would be a neutral pressure ventilation system combined with a climate technic that can both cool and heat the supply air, when needed. This would improve air quality throughout the year, both for pigs and pig keeper

Adolescents’ and young people’s needs and preferences for support when living with a parent with life-threatening cancer: a grounded theory study

Background: Living with a parent facing life-threatening illness and losing a mom or dad at a young age can cause both short- and long-term health problems. Without satisfactory support, adolescents’ and young people are at risk of developing low self-esteem, behavioural difficulties (e.g., anger and aggression), long-term illness or premature death caused by severe mental illness, substance abuse, self-harm and suicide attempts. The aim of this study was to explore adolescents’ and young people’s needs and preferences for support as they live with a parent with life-threatening cancer. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 10 respondents (17–24 years) in Norway and Sweden. Data were analysed through grounded theory according to Charmaz. Results: Adolescents’ and young peoples’ needs and preferences for support were described through the main category ‘To feel safe and secure and to be prepared’ and further broken down into five subcategories ‘Relationships in the immediate family—balancing support and protection’; ‘The social network—support and normalcy in a carefully selected group’; ‘Maintaining everyday life—challenges in school and working life’; ‘The right support at the right time—competence, trust and continuity in meeting health care professionals’; and ‘Support outside the home—an opportunity for full transparency’. Conclusion: Adolescents’ and young peoples’ preferences for support when living with a parent facing life-threatening illness are individual and unique, but they share a common need to feel safe and secure and to be prepared. Adolescents and young people express that they primarily want support from parents and friends, but they also want support from health care professionals, especially in situations when the ill parent becomes worse. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance for health care professionals to identify the most vulnerable adolescents and young people by mapping their social networks and paying extra attention to their needs for support when there is deterioration in the parent’s illness state. This study also highlights the importance for health care professionals to establish a good relationship with adolescents and young people to meet their needs and preferences for support. In addition, information and support are needed in a timely manner and adapted to the life-threatening ill parent’s illness state and individual’s needs and preferences to optimise preparedness.publishedVersio

Adolescents’ and young people’s needs and preferences for support when living with a parent with life-threatening cancer: a grounded theory study

Background Living with a parent facing life-threatening illness and losing a mom or dad at a young age can cause both short- and long-term health problems. Without satisfactory support, adolescents’ and young people are at risk of developing low self-esteem, behavioural difficulties (e.g., anger and aggression), long-term illness or premature death caused by severe mental illness, substance abuse, self-harm and suicide attempts. The aim of this study was to explore adolescents’ and young people’s needs and preferences for support as they live with a parent with life-threatening cancer. Methods Qualitative interviews were conducted with 10 respondents (17–24 years) in Norway and Sweden. Data were analysed through grounded theory according to Charmaz. Results Adolescents’ and young peoples’ needs and preferences for support were described through the main category ‘To feel safe and secure and to be prepared’ and further broken down into five subcategories ‘Relationships in the immediate family—balancing support and protection’; ‘The social network—support and normalcy in a carefully selected group’; ‘Maintaining everyday life—challenges in school and working life’; ‘The right support at the right time—competence, trust and continuity in meeting health care professionals’; and ‘Support outside the home—an opportunity for full transparency’. Conclusion Adolescents’ and young peoples’ preferences for support when living with a parent facing life-threatening illness are individual and unique, but they share a common need to feel safe and secure and to be prepared. Adolescents and young people express that they primarily want support from parents and friends, but they also want support from health care professionals, especially in situations when the ill parent becomes worse. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance for health care professionals to identify the most vulnerable adolescents and young people by mapping their social networks and paying extra attention to their needs for support when there is deterioration in the parent’s illness state. This study also highlights the importance for health care professionals to establish a good relationship with adolescents and young people to meet their needs and preferences for support. In addition, information and support are needed in a timely manner and adapted to the life-threatening ill parent’s illness state and individual’s needs and preferences to optimise preparedness.publishedVersio

Arbetsterapeuters beskrivning av terapeutisk relation

Bakgrund: Personer med nedsatt kommunikationsförmåga kan uppleva svårigheter att bli förstådda. För att underlätta kommunikation kan alternativ och kompletterande kommunikation [AKK] användas. Trots AKK kan missförstånd uppstå, vilket kan medföra svårighet att skapa relationer. Inom arbetsterapi behöver arbetsterapeuten skapa terapeutisk relation med klienten. Med terapeutisk relation möjliggörs arbete som leder till nya möjligheter i klientens liv. Syfte: Var att undersöka hur arbetsterapeuter, inom daglig verksamhet, arbetar med och beskriver innebörden och betydelsen av terapeutisk relation, med klienter som använder AKK. Metod: Kvalitativ ansats med induktivt tillvägagångssätt användes. De semistrukturerade intervjuerna genomfördes med en intervjuguide och utfördes i södra Skåne, våren 2012. Intervjuerna analyserades med en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat: Det framkom elva underkategorier indelade i tre huvudkategorier, att främja terapeutisk relation, att samarbeta och att uppnå ett gemensamt kommunikationssätt. Slutsats: Studien visar ett samband i arbetsterapeutens arbete mellan terapeutisk relation, samarbete och kommunikation

Metropolitan foodscapes with multifunctional land use

Multifunctional land use in and around cities is becoming increasingly important to meet many sustainability objectives of today. Due to today's rapid urbanisation, a division has been developed between urban and rural areas, which in turn has resulted in a gap between producers and consumers. The aim of this thesis is to find solutions on how to create multifunctional land use in peri-urban areas and integrate urban and rural land in order to reduce the gap between farmers and the city dwellers. Planners need to recognize the multifunctional character of peri-urban zones and there is a need to change from single-use to more flexible mixed-use areas. Mixed land use, with the inclusion of agriculture, close to cities has been proved to support the local market and contribute to shorter food chains. Urban consumers purchasing directly from farmers has also been proved to enhance the urban-rural relationship. This thesis focuses on a design proposal of a multifunctional foodscape in a peri-urban area including food production, education and recreation. The concept Farmer’s Garden and its guiding principles are implemented on a site located on the city edge to Schiedam, in the Metropolitan Region of Rotterdam-The Hague (MRDH). The design proposal serves as an inspiration of what functions and activities could be used to transform peri-urban areas into more multifunctional areas as well as what design elements could be used to contribute to the experience of food. It also exemplifies how peri-urban areas could function as transition zones between urban and rural landscapes. In order to understand the preconditions and potentials of this thesis' specific context, an empirical pre-study was conducted to gain knowledge about the production landscapes of MRDH. The foodscapes in focus for this thesis is urban farming in Rotterdam, dairy farming in Midden-Delfland and greenhouse horticulture in Westland. The thesis also presents theories and concepts related to the subject including agriculture, multifunctional land use and local food. The paper also includes the notion of foodscape, food hub and Edible Forest Garden