169 research outputs found
Aspects of automation of selective cleaning
Cleaning (pre-commercial thinning) is a silvicultural operation, primarily used to improve growing conditions of remaining trees in young stands (ca. 3 - 5 m of height). Cleaning costs are considered high in Sweden and the work is laborious. Selective cleaning with autonomous artificial agents (robots) may rationalise the work, but requires new knowledge. This thesis aims to analyse key issues regarding automation of cleaning; suggesting general solutions and focusing on automatic selection of main-stems. The essential requests put on cleaning robots are to render acceptable results and to be cost competitive. They must be safe and be able to operate independently and unattended for several hours in a dynamic and non-deterministic environment. Machine vision, radar, and laser scanners are promising techniques for obstacle avoidance, tree identification, and tool control. Horizontal laser scannings were made, demonstrating the possibility to find stems and make estimations regarding their height and diameter. Knowledge regarding stem selections was retrieved through qualitative interviews with persons performing cleaning. They consider similar attributes of trees, and these findings and current cleaning manuals were used in combination with a field inventory in the development of a decision support system (DSS). The DSS selects stems by the attributes species, position, diameter, and damage. It was used to run computer-based simulations in a variety of young forests. A general follow-up showed that the DSS produced acceptable results. The DSS was further evaluated by comparing its selections with those made by experienced cleaners, and by a test in which laymen performed cleanings following the system. The DSS seems to be useful and flexible, since it can be adjusted in accordance with the cleanersâ results. The laymenâs results implied that the DSS is robust and that it could be used as a training tool. Using the DSS in automatic, or semi-automatic, cleaning operations should be possible if and when selected attributes can be automatically perceived. A suitable base-machine and thorough research, regarding e.g. safety, obstacle avoidance, and target identification, is needed to develop competitive robots. However, using the DSS as a training-tool for inexperienced cleaners could be an interesting option as of today
A citical review of the calculation tool BIMitigation : possibilities and limitations in a user perspective
Detta arbete undersöker nyttan med BIMitigation, ett verktyg som berÀknar och visualiserar utslÀppen av vÀxthusgaser frÄn anlÀggningsprojekt. VÀxthusgasutslÀpp frÄn mÀnsklig aktivitet orsakar varmare temperaturer vilket i sin tur leder till stigande havsnivÄer och extremvÀder sÄsom skyfall och vÀrmeböljor (Masson-Delmotte et al. 2021:4). Sverige har för att motverka dessa klimatförÀndringar förbundit sig till att 2045 inte orsaka nÄgra nettoutslÀpp av vÀxthusgaser (Regeringskansliet 2017; Riksdagsförvaltningen 2017).
Bygg- och anlÀggningsbranschen stÄr för en femtedel av Sveriges vÀxthusgasutslÀpp och landskapsprojekt utgör ungefÀr en femtedel av hela branschen (Trafikverket 2022; Boverket 2023b). Det saknas incitament för att föreslÄ byggmetoder och byggmaterial med en mindre klimatpÄverkan (Boverket 2018:48). Till exempel kan ekologisk hÄllbarhet varken idag eller historiskt sett ses som ett avgörande försÀljningsargument (ibid.). Det gÄr dock att urskilja trender mot ett byggande med mindre utslÀpp av vÀxthusgaser. Till exempel Àr klimatdeklarationer för byggnader införda och samma deklarationer för landskapsprojekt samt grÀnsvÀrden för dessa deklarationer Àr under utredning (Boverket 2020c:11). BIMitigations syfte Àr att sÀnka klimatpÄverkan frÄn anlÀggandet av utemiljöer.
FrÄgestÀllning:
Vilka fördelar och nackdelar finns med att anvÀnda BIMitigation för att minimera vÀxthusgasutslÀppen frÄn anlÀggningsprojekt?
För att undersöka frÄgestÀllningen utfördes en komparativ fallstudie. TvÄ fall undersöktes och jÀmfördes med varandra, Kvarteret SkogsstjÀrnan dÀr BIMitigation har anvÀnts och Woodhouse Rosendal dÀr det inte har anvÀnts. Fallstudien bestod frÀmst av enkÀter av kvalitativ karaktÀr dÀr flera informanter i olika arbetsroller ur vartdera fall fick svara pÄ frÄgor.
Av enkÀterna framgick att BIMitigation kan anvÀndas för att minimera vÀxthusgasutslÀpp frÄn anlÀggningsprojekt. Det skapar en medvetenhet och underlÀttar klimatsmarta beslut inom projektet. De flesta informanter sÄg goda egenskaper hos verktyget men lyfte ocksÄ fram att större strukturella förÀndringar för att minska dess klimatpÄverkan krÀvs inom anlÀggningsbranschen. FörÀndringar sÄ som ekonomiska incitament och en branschstandard för klimatsmart anlÀggande.This thesis examines the utility of BIMitigation, a tool that calculates and visualizes the emissions of greenhouse gas from landscaping projects. Greenhouse gas emissions from human activities are causing warmer temperatures which in turn causes rising sea levels and extreme weather like heat waves and heavy downfalls (Masson-Delmotte et al. 2021:4). Sweden aim to counteract these climate changes and are bounded by law to not cause anu net emissions of greenhouse gas by the year of 2045 (Regeringskansliet 2017; Riksdagsförvaltningen 2017).
The Construction and landscaping industry is responsible for a fifth of Swedish emissions of greenhouse gas and the landscaping industry makes up about a fifth of those emissions (Trafikverket 2022; Boverket 2023). Thereâs a lack of economic incentives in the construction and landscaping industry for building with a lesser climate impact (Boverket 2018:42). For example, is it not and have never been a crucial selling point to build ecologically sustainable (ibid.).
There are indications that the Swedish construction and landscaping industry is becoming more concerned about its emissions. For example, climate declarations for buildings are introduced in the construction industry and similar declarations in landscaping and limits for the declarations are being investigated (Boverket 2020c:11). BIMitigation aims to mitigate climate impact from landscaping projects.
Problem statement
What role can BIMitigation play in minimizing greenhouse gas emissions from landscape projects?
To investigate the problem of the thesis a comparative case study was made. Two cases were investigated and compared, Kv. SkogsstjÀrnan where BIMitigation has been used and Woodhouse Rosendal where it has not. Multiple parties in different roles from each case have been questioned using surveys of qualitative character.
From the surveys it turned out that BIMitigation can be used to minimize greenhouse gas emissions from landscaping projects. It creates awareness and helps to make climate smart decisions within the project group. Most of the informants in the study like the tool but most of them also emphasize the importance of structural changes in the landscaping industry. Changes that might consist of economic incentives or other industry-exceeding regulations that premieres sustainable landscaping
Heat reducing green structures : how can green structures be used to ease the urban heat island effect?
Det hÀr arbetet undersöker gröna strukturer som ÄtgÀrd för att motverka vÀrmeöeffekten i svenska stÀder. VÀrmeöeffekten innebÀr att det urbana landskapets dygnsmedeltemperatur Àr högre Àn i omgivande ruralt landskap. Detta fenomen uppstÄr frÀmst genom de byggda elementens materialegenskaper och avsaknaden av kylande vegetation i staden. VÀrmeöeffekten bidrar till vÀrmerelaterad ohÀlsa hos stadens invÄnare och Àr ett potentiellt ökande problem i och med klimatförÀndringar, urbanisering och förtÀtningstrenden inom svensk stadsplanering.
I arbetet identifierades gröna strukturer med dokumenterade effekter pĂ„ den urbana vĂ€rmeön. För att exemplifiera hur och till vilken grad dessa gröna strukturer Ă€r möjliga att applicera i urban miljö applicerades de gröna Ă„tgĂ€rderna genom en skissartad gestaltning inom tvĂ„ omrĂ„den av olika stadstyp i Uppsala. Ă
tgÀrderna analyseras för att, i den grad det Àr möjligt, kvantifiera de vÀrmeö-reducerande effekterna. Arbetet lyfter ocksÄ fram viktiga synergieffekter frÄn de gröna strukturerna.This writing examines green structures as a measure to ease the heat island effect in Swedish cities. Heat island effect refers to the phenomena of higher average day temperature in cities compared to its surrounding rural landscape. This, foremost due to the heat-absorbing abilities of build materials and the lack of vegetation in the city. The heat island effect contributes to heat-related disease and is a potentially increasing problem because of climate changes, urbanization and the trend of densification in Swedish city planning.
The writing identified green structures with documented effects on the heat island effect. These measures were implied in a schematic design in two areas of different city-type in the city of Uppsala, Sweden. This, to exemplify how and to what extent green structures are possible to apply in the different areas. The measures are analysed to, in the most conceivable way, quantify de heat island reducing effects. The writing also points out important synergy effects of the green structures
Beyond transcription : a post-transcriptional role of 3D chromatin crosstalk in oncogene regulation
This thesis explores how stochastic chromatin fibre interactions, chromatin organization in the 3D nuclear architecture, and environmental signals collaborate to regulate MYC oncogene expression in human colon cancer cells. In Paper I, we employ the ultra-sensitive Nodewalk technique to uncover the dynamic and stochastic nature of chromatin networks impinging on MYC. The analyses revealed that the MYC interactome mainly consists of stochastic pairwise interactions between MYC and its flanking enhancers in two neighbouring topologically associated domains (TADs), which are insulated self-interacting genomic domains. The limits of Nodewalk were also pushed to enable the detection of interactions in very small cell populations, corresponding to the genomic content of ~7 cells. Comparing the frequency of interactions detected in such small input samples with ensemble interactomes of large cell populations uncovered that the enhancer hubs of the ensemble interactomes that appear to simultaneously interact with MYC likely represent virtual events, which are not present in reality at the single cell level. These data support a model where MYC interacts with its enhancers in a mutually exclusive way, with MYC screening for enhancer contacts, rather than the other way around.
Paper II provides a detailed understanding of a novel post-transcriptional mechanism of enhancer action on MYC expression. We have thus uncovered that the cancer-specific recruitment of the MYC gene to nuclear pores and ensuing rapid nuclear export of MYC transcripts - a process that increases MYC expression by enabling the escape of MYC mRNAs from rapid decay in the nucleus - require a CTCF binding site positioned within the colorectal oncogenic super-enhancer. Genetic editing by CRISPR-Cas9 was thus commissioned to establish two clones of human colon cancer cells with a mutated sequence in the OSE-specific CTCFBS. Comparing the mutant cells to the parental cell line, we uncovered that the WNT-dependent increase in the nuclear export rate of MYC transcripts was abrogated in the CTCFBS mutant clones, providing the first genetic evidence of super- enhancer-mediated gene gating in human cells. In line with this finding, the OSE-specific CTCFBS thus conferred a significant growth advantage to the parental colon cancer cells, compared to the mutant clones. Moreover, we found that WNT-dependent CCAT1 eRNA transcription is mediated by the OSE-specific CTCFBS that is required for recruitment of AHCTF1 to the OSE to mediate the positioning of the OSE to the nuclear periphery, enabling the subsequent facilitation of MYC mRNA export. A multistep molecular process including WNT signalling and the OSE-specific CTCFBS thus underlies the gene gating of MYC in human colon cancer cells, and could potentially be targeted for diagnostic or therapeutic uses.
In summary, this thesis explores the dynamics of the stochastic interactomes impinging on the MYC oncogene, and provides new insights on the role of 3D chromatin orchestration in the transcriptional regulation of MYC. Our analyses uncovered the molecular factors involved in the gene gating of MYC, and thus increase our understanding of tumour development. These findings could potentially be beneficial for future diagnostic approaches, or for targeted therapeutic strategies in the treatment of cancer
the specific needs of geriatric cats and how they are nursed at two small animal hospitals in Sweden
Som ett resultat av den stÀndigt ökande kunskapen och kompetensen inom djursjukvÄrden samt
mÀnniskors tilltagande engagemang och emotionella investering i sina sÀllskapsdjur förlÀngs
djurens liv alltmer. DÀribland kattens. Kattens omvÄrdnadsbehov i geriatrisk Älder och
nödvÀndigheten av eventuella anpassningar har studerats i endast en mindre omfattning, vilket Àr
problematiskt dÄ katter generellt anses dölja smÀrta och sjukdomssymptom. För att katter ska fÄ en
sÄ god vÀlfÀrd som möjligt under sitt allt lÀngre liv Àr det viktigt att bÄde djurhÀlsopersonal och
kattÀgare utbildas angÄende anpassade ÄtgÀrder för geriatriska katter. Syftet med detta
kandidatarbete inom djuromvÄrdnad var att undersöka specifika omvÄrdnadsbehov hos geriatriska
katter och hur omvÄrdnad samt rÄdgivning till geriatriska katters ser ut pÄ tvÄ svenska
smÄdjurssjukhus.
För att besvara frÄgestÀllningarna utfördes en litteraturstudie samt en intervjustudie med tvÄ
legitimerade djursjukskötare vid tvÄ smÄdjurssjukhus i Sverige. Resultatet frÄn intervjustudien
visade att geriatriska katters sÀrskilda omvÄrdnadsbehov inte tas i beaktning i lika stor utstrÀckning
som exempelvis kattungars omvÄrdnadsbehov vid en stationÀrvÄrdsavdelning. Respondenterna hade
inte tidigare reflekterat över just geriatriska katters omvÄrdnadsbehov och pÄ arbetsplatserna
saknades sÀrskilda rutiner och standardÄtgÀrder för omvÄrdnaden av geriatriska patienter. DÄ
djursjukhusen fokuserade mycket pÄ individanpassad omvÄrdnad upplevdes de dÀrigenom ÀndÄ
medvetna om de enskilda geriatriska patienternas behov och anpassade omvÄrdnaden dÀrefter.
I litteraturstudien hittades information om sjukdomar och hÀlsoproblem som Àldre katter ofta
drabbas av samt vilka anpassningar i hemmet som bör göras för att underlÀtta vardagen för den
geriatriska individen. Detta hade Àven respondenterna i intervjustudien en del kunskap om och
informationen om detta gavs i varierande omfattning som rĂ„d till Ă€garna. Ăverlag fanns det ingen
standardiserad rutin pÄ vare sig omvÄrdnad eller rÄdgivning gÀllande geriatriska katter pÄ de tvÄ
smÄdjurssjukhusen och respondenterna instÀmde i att en vetenskapsbaserad och enhetlig rutin för
samtliga i personalen troligen hade förbÀttrat omvÄrdnaden. Sammanfattningsvis konstaterades att
den geriatriska kattens omvÄrdnadsbehov Àr ett omrÄde som krÀver fortsatt forskning.
DjursjukvÄrden skulle troligen gynnas av standardiserade protokoll för att öka medvetenheten hos
bÄde djurhÀlsopersonal och djurÀgare för den geriatriska kattens sÀrskilda omvÄrdnadsbehov och för
att sÀkerstÀlla en likvÀrdig omvÄrdnad och rÄdgivning av dessa patienter.As a result of the constant increasing knowledge and competence in veterinary medicine as well as
peopleâs growing commitment and emotional investment in their pets, our animals now live
longer. Including cats. The specific needs of the geriatric cat have only been investigated to a small
extent, which is problematic since the cat is generally considered not to show signs of pain or
disease. To be able to give the cat as good life quality as possible during its extended lifetime, it is
important that both animal health personnel and cat owners are educated about the specific needs of
geriatric cats. The aim of this bachelorâs thesis in animal nursing was to investigate what specific needs cats develop in geriatric age as well as how they are being nursed and what kind of consulting
cat owners get from two Swedish small animal hospitals.
A literature review and an interview study with two veterinary nurses from two small animal
hospitals in Sweden were conducted. The result from the interview study showed that the specific
needs of geriatric cats are not taken into consideration to the same extent as for example the specific
needs of kittens in a stationary care unit. The specific needs of geriatric cats were not an aspect that
the respondents had reflected upon prior to the interview. However, the animal hospitals focused on
individualized care, and they appeared aware of the needs of the individual patients and adjusted the
care thereafter.
Information about diseases and health problems that geriatric cats often are affected by and how
the home environment should be adjusted to facilitate for the cat were found in the literature. That
was an area that the respondents in the interview study had some knowledge about and that was used
in the consulting of pet owners in varying extent. Overall, a standardized routine about nursing and
consulting for geriatric cats at the two small animal hospitals was lacking. The respondents did not
consider this as a problem, since they always adjusted the nursing to the needs of the individual
regardless of its age. However, they agreed upon that the nursing possibly would improve by a
science based and unitary routine followed by all personnel. This thesis indicates that the specific
nursing needs of the geriatric cat require further investigation. It can also be noted that the animal
health care could benefit from standardized protocols to raise the awareness of both animal health
personnel and animal owners of the specific nursing requirements of the geriatric cat, and to ensure
equal nursing and counseling of geriatric patients
Feromonbaserad inventering av eklevande lÄnghorningsarter i fem habitattyper i sydöstra Sverige
Det intensifierade skogsbruket under de senaste 70 Ă„ren tillsammans med det ökade uttaget av avverkningsrester s.k. GROT (grenar och toppar) för biobrĂ€nsleproduktion har lett till att ett flertal av Sveriges vedlevande insektsarter idag hotas av bristen pĂ„ död ved. GROT utgör ett viktigt födo- och föryngringssubstrat för en rad vedlevande arter vilka krĂ€ver kontinuerlig tillgĂ„ng till lĂ€mpligt substrat för sin existens. Denna studie undersökte förekomst av lĂ„nghorningsarterna Pyrrhidium sanguineum, Poecilium alni, P. pusillum, Plagionotus arcuatus och Xylotrechus antilope i fem olika ekmiljöer i sydöstra Sverige. Detta för att utvĂ€rdera dessa miljöers betydelse som habitat för arterna. JĂ€mförelser gjordes mellan behandlingslokaler dĂ€r skogliga Ă„tgĂ€rder nyligen utförts, kontrollomrĂ„den utan skogliga ingrepp (kantzonslokaler i utkanten av skogsbestĂ„nden och skuggiga lokaler inne i bestĂ„nden) och tvĂ„ typer av skyddade omrĂ„den (nyckelbiotoper och hotspotlokaler). Samtliga arter pĂ„trĂ€ffades inom alla habitattyper men behandling var för arterna P. sanguineum, P. alni, P. arcuatus och X. antilope den habitattyp som fĂ„ngade signifikant flest medelantal individer per lokal och dygn. Kantzonslokalerna fĂ„ngade ett signifikant större antal individer av P. arcuatus och P. alni Ă€n de skuggiga lokalerna och en likadan men ej signifikant trend syntes Ă€ven för P. sanguineum och X. antilope. JĂ€mförelsen mellan nyckelbiotop och skuggig visade en signifikant större fĂ„ngst av P. alni i den förstnĂ€mnda habitattypen. Hotspotlokalerna fĂ„ngade signifikant fler individer av P. arcuatus, P. alni och X. antilope Ă€n de skuggiga. Arterna gynnas av den rikliga tillgĂ„ngen till fĂ€rsk död ved pĂ„ behandlingslokalerna och dessa omrĂ„den lĂ€mpar sig vĂ€l som tillfĂ€lligt habitat för arterna. Men för att gynna arterna i ett lĂ„ngsiktigt tidsperspektiv sĂ„ att de skall kunna leva kvar i livskraftiga populationer i produktionsskogarna och i skyddade omrĂ„den, krĂ€vs en kontinuerlig tillförsel av fĂ€rsk död ved som helst Ă€r lokaliserade i ett öppet lĂ€ge med möjlighet för solljusinstrĂ„lning. Ă
tminstone en del av det GROT som bildas efter skogskötsel bör lÀmnas kvar tills dess att insekterna har klÀckt ut ur veden sÄ att det inte utgör en dödlig fÀlla. Arbetsinsatser bör Àven göras för att öppna upp igenvuxna skogsomrÄden sÄ att de utgör mer gynnsamma habitat för arterna. Studien utgör den första feromonbaserade inventeringen av arterna P. pusillum, X. antilope, P. alni och P. sanguineum i SmÄland och Blekinge och Àr Àven den första att inhÀmta feromonbaserad inventeringsdata om förekomsten av arterna X. antilope och P. pusillum i olika habitattyper. Framtida undersökningar rekommenderas att anvÀnda sig av feromonfÀllor dÄ de utgör enkla och effektiva verktyg för övervakning av specifika insektsarter i naturen.The intensification of forestry for the past seventy years, along with the increasing extraction of logging residues for biofuel production have led to a number of Swedish wood-dwelling species currently threatened by the lack of dead wood in the landscape. Fresh dead wood in the form of branches and tops are important food and rejuvenation substrates for a range of wood dwelling species that require continuous access to suitable substrate for their existence. This study examined the prevalence of the longhorn species Pyrrhidium sanguineum, Poecilium alni, P. pusillum, Plagionotus arcuatus and Xylotrechus antilope in five different oak areas in southeastern Sweden. The aim was to evaluate these environments importance as habitat for the species. Comparisons where made between treatments areas where forestry operations recently been conducted, control areas (edge zones on the edge of the forest stocks and shaded areas inside the stock) without forestry interventions, protected areas in the form of keybiotopes and hotspot areas. All species were found in all habitats, for the species P. sanguineum, P. alni, P. arcuatus and X. antilope the treatment was the habitat that caught significantly highest average number of individuals per locality and day. The edge zones caught a significantly greater number of individual of P. arcuatus and P. alni than the shady areas and a similar but non-significant trend was also seen for P. sanguineum and X. antilope. Comparing the keybiotopes and shaded areas showed a significantly higher catch of P. alni in the keybiotopes . The hotspot areas showed a significantly greater catch when compared with the shady areas for the species P. arcuatus, P. alni and X. antilope. The studied species appears to benefit from the abundant availability of fresh dead wood left after forest operations, these areas are well suited as a temporary habitat for the species. To enable viable populations in production forests and protected areas it is required a continuity of fresh dead wood in open areas. Some of the logging residue generated by forest management must be left until the insects have hatched out from the wood, so it doesnŽt pose an ecological trap. ItŽs also necessary to keep forest areas relatively open. The study is the first pheromone based inventory of the species P. pusillum, X. antilope, P. alni and P. sanguineum in SmÄland and Blekinge, and is also the first to obtain pheromone based inventory data of the existence of the species X. antilope and P. pusillum in different habitat types. Future investigations are strongly recommended to use pheromone traps as they are simple and effective tools for monitoring specific insect species in the wild
Att redovisa hÄllbarhet - Företags motiv till att hÄllbarhetsredovisa respektive att inte hÄllbarhetsredovisa
Syftet med denna uppsats var: att beskriva företags motiv till att hÄllbarhetsredovisa respektive att inte hÄllbarhetsredovisa, vilka vi kartlade genom intervjuer med utvalda företag inom telekombranschen. Analysen visade att vÄra tvÄ frÄgestÀllningar Àr komplexa och det föreligger sÄledes ett flertal motiv till varför företag vÀljer att redovisa hÄllbarhet eller inte. Vi har Àven kunnat utröna en korrelation mellan vÄra teorier och utvalda modeller som kan erbjuda en förklaring till ett företags agerande
Passivhusteknikens funktion i brukarskedet - en studie av inneklimat och energianvÀndning i skolor
Integrering av sociala risker i mindre kommuners risk- och sÄrbarhetsanalyser
The purpose of this report is to examine if social risks are an urban phenomenon or if it also occurs in smaller Swedish communities. Therefore, events in two small municipals were analyzed. The report also aims to examine if risk and vulnerability analysis is an appropriate tool for smaller municipals to work with social risks. The analysis shows that social risks are present also in smaller municipals and that they therefore should consider these in order to increase community safety. Further, the analysis shows that risk and vulnerability analyzes are partly a suitable tool for smaller municipals to work with social risks
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