Using information and communication technology for human development: Comparing strategies

In the last 20 years, applications of lnformation and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have impacted on the economics of the industrialised world. In today\u27s information society , information and knowledge are essential to social and economic development. However, not everyone has access to ICI sand the information they may provide. There is concern that existing inequities of income, knowledge, skills and measures of social development may increase as a result of a growing digital divide both between and within countries. There is an ongoing discussion within the international community about whether ICTs may play a significant role in human development. This study contributes to that discussion. This study evaluates the aims and outcomes of two of the ICT projects sponsored by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) in developing countries, the SchoolNet Namibia project and the ICT project for the public universities of Nicaragua and two of the ICT projects sponsored by the Australian government in rural Australia, the Outback telecentre network Inc. project and the Networks For You program. The study is qualitative and uses a multiple-case study approach wherein selected ICT projects are evaluated in terms of whether they lead to human development. The strategies concerning lCT for such development by the Swedish and Australian governments arc compared both their similarities and differences

Analys av virkeskvalitet i gallringsfri granskog i Dalby

Granen är ett av Sveriges viktigaste trädslag och har stor efterfrågan från industrin. Granen sköts vanligtvis med trakthyggesbruk med markberedning och plantering som föryngringsmetod, med röjning och ett flertal gallringar innan slutavverkning. Problematik kring gran i samband med gallring involverar främst stormskador och rotröta. Alternativa skötselmetoder för att minska detta är bland annat gallringsfritt skogsbruk som enligt flera studier skulle minska risken för dessa. Denna studie utfördes i ett försök i Skryllegården utanför Dalby i Skåne. Skötselmetoderna som använts i försöket var konventionell skötsel av gran med gallring (K) och gallringsfri metod med endast en hård slutröjning till ca 1000 stammar/ha (S). Fyra block inventerades med avseende på skogliga beståndsdata och externa kvalitetsegenskaper. Resultatet visade på en signifikant högre volym och grundyta i det gallringsfria alternativet, stamantal och andel döda stående träd var också betydligt högre. Det fanns inga signifikanta skillnader på egenskaper som grövsta kvist, antal kvist, grenvarvsavstånd, grenvinkel, lutning, krokighet, och defekter. Det var dock en signifikant skillnad på kronhöjd varav medel i den konventionella gallringen var 11,5 m och i den gallringsfria 14,7 m. Indelning i fyra kvalitetsklasser visade på ett signifikant högre antal träd i den bästa klassen i den konventionella gallringen. En ekonomisk analys indikerade något högre netto och nuvärde i den gallringsfria metoden. Eftersom skillnaden på produktivitet, kvalitetsegenskaper och ekonomi inte var anmärkningsvärd så kan gallringsfritt vara ett gångbart alternativ för att sköta granskog om det minskar risken för stormskador och rotröta. Den största nackdelen kan vara bristen på virke från gallringar då detta efterfrågas från industrin.Spruce is one of the Sweden’s most important tree species with a great demand from the forest industry. Currently spruce is usually managed with the clear-cutting method with soil preparation and planting as a regeneration method, followed by pre-commercial thinning and thinnings before final felling. Problems concerning spruce during thinning involve risks from storm damages and root rot. A management without thinnings has been considered as an alternative method to reduce the mentioned risks. This study intends to investigate the influence of two management methods on external wood quality parameters in the experiment in Skryllegården outside of Dalby in Skåne. Two management methods were used in thisstudy i.e. conventional thinning of spruce (K) and non-thinning (S) where the stand was precommercially thinned to 1000 stems/ha. Four blocks were measured for general growth data and external quality traits. The results showed a significantly higher volume and basal area in the non-thinned stands. Stem number and proportion of standing dead wood were also higher in the S method. There were no significant differences between used methods in quality parameters such as thickest branch, number of branches, distance between whorls, branch angle, occurrence of leaning trees, crookedness classes, and occurrence of quality defects e.g. spike knots. However, there was a significant difference in the green crown height. The mean of the green crown height was 11.5 m and 14.7 in the K and S methods, respectively. All trees were classified into four quality classes and there were a significantly higher number of the best quality trees in the K method. An economic analysis indicated slightly higher net and netpresent-value (NPV) of the S method. Since the difference in productivity, quality characteristics and economics were not significant, the non-thinning method might be a good alternative to manage spruce if it reduces the risk of storm damage and root rot. The greatest disadvantage may be a lack of wood from thinning which the forest industry demands. Keywords: spruce, thinning, non-thinning, wood-quality, quality parameter

Jämförelse av nuvärden vid manuell och mekaniserad plantering i södra och norra Sverige

Mekaniserad skogsplantering introducerades i Sverige på 1960-talet, och idag används främst Brackes planteringsaggregat av bland annat av Södra och Norra skogsägarna. Plantering med Brackes planteringsaggregat ger vissa fördelar jämfört med manuell plantering, såsom ökad överlevnad gentemot högläggning och ökad överlevnad och tillväxtökning gentemot harvning. Den här studien jämförde följande tre planteringssystem; manuell plantering med harvning; manuell plantering med intermittent högläggning; samt mekaniserad plantering. Data för tre olika föryngringssystem insamlades och jämfördes med hjälp av nuvärdesanalys för att se eventuella fördelar och nackdelar ur ett skogsekonomiskt perspektiv. Dessa system antogs ha olika systemkostnader och antal planterade plantor med olika överlevnadsgrader och tillväxttakter i ungskogsfasen vilket möjliggjorde en nuvärdesanalys på data från ett skötselprogram simulerat i Heureka PlanWise. Mekaniserad plantering gav högst nuvärde i södra Sverige över en hel omloppstid, detta till stor del för att arbetskostnaden för manuell plantering är relativt hög vilket ger det mekaniserade systemet en fördel. I norra Sverige visade det sig att manuell plantering med intermittent högläggning gav en marginell fördel gentemot manuell plantering med harv, detta för att plantor och arbetskostnad där fortfarande hålls till ett lågt pris. Med en ökad höjdtillväxt mot harvning och ökad överlevnad mot både harv och högläggning finns argument för att fortsätta med mekaniserad plantering. Om det är möjligt att öka produktivitet och minska maskinkostnader så blir fördelarna med Brackes planteringsaggregat större.Mechanized tree planting was introduced in Sweden during the 1960s.Today mechanized tree planting is primarily performed by Södra and Norra skogsägarna. Mechanized planting with the Bracke device offers some advantages, such as increased survival and growth compared to manual planting with disc-trenching and increased survival compared to spot mounding as a scarification method. This study compared the following three planting systems: manual planting after disc-trenching; manual planting after spot mounding; and mechanized planting. Data for these three different regeneration systems were collected and compared using net present value (NPV) analysis to see possible advantages and disadvantages from the forest economic perspective. These systems were assumed to have different attributes and effects on the regeneration result. To perform the NPV analysis, data was taken from a silviculture program simulated in Heureka PlanWise. Mechanized planting showed the highest NPV in southern Sweden over an entire rotation period; this because of the high labor cost of manual planting in southern Sweden, which gave the mechanized system an advantage. In northern Sweden, it was found that manual planting with spot mounding was best; it showed a marginal advantage over disc-trenching, because of the relatively low cost of seedlings and manual planting in northern Sweden. With its increased height growth compared to disc-trenching and its increased survival compared to both disc-trenching and spot mounding, there are arguments for continuing with mechanized planting. If it is possible to increase productivity and reduce machine costs, the economic advantages of mechanized tree planting with the Bracke planting device will increase

”Legalize it!” En diskursanalys av debatten om cannabislegalisering i vissa dagstidningar under perioden 2000-2014.

The aim of this study was to investigate how the issue of the legalization of cannabis has been presented and changed over time (2000-2014) in the newspapers Aftonbladet, Svenska Dagbladet and Dagens Nyheter. More specifically, we aimed to investigate the pros and cons that have occurred, the different presentations of cannabis that we have observed and how the meaning of the word legalization looked like. We have limited our sample to three national newspapers including two morning papers and a tabloid. We have used a qualitative approach in the form of discourse analysis where, through an eclectic approach integrated concepts from critical discourse analysis and discourse theory. The main results we have found has been the development of the concept of legalization which initially involved a total legalization and total ban and later on a much more nuanced picture where the legalization of restrictions become prominent. We have also been able to discern that the image of cannabis during the time period become more normalized where more and more countries have chosen to legalize with restrictions. We could in our study identify that alcohol was a frequent argument for legalization and against legalization, further, could we in the end of our study identify the still legal drug spice as a strong argument for the legalization of cannabis because it is significantly harmful

Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy for adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome : a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES: Few treatments have been able to effectively manage pediatric irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (Internet-CBT) based on exposure for abdominal symptoms is effective for adult IBS. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Internet-CBT based on behavioral exposure for adolescents with IBS. METHODS: Adolescents with IBS fulfilling the Rome III criteria were randomized to either Internet-CBT or a wait-list control. The Internet-CBT was a 10-week intervention where the main component was exposure to IBS symptoms by reduction of avoidance of abdominal symptoms and instead stepwise provocation of symptoms. The primary outcome was total score on Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale for IBS (GSRS-IBS). Secondary outcomes included adolescent- and parent-rated quality of life and parent-rated gastrointestinal symptoms. Difference between groups was assessed from pretreatment to posttreatment and the Internet-CBT group was also evaluated at 6 months after treatment completion. RESULTS: A total of 101 adolescents with IBS (13-17 years of age) were included in this study. Dropout rates were low (6%) and all randomized patients were included in intent-to-treat analyses based on mixed effects models. Analyses showed a significant larger pretreatment to posttreatment change on the primary outcome GSRS-IBS (B=-6.42, P=0.006, effect size Cohen's d=0.45, 95% confidence interval (0.12, 0.77)) and on almost all secondary outcomes for the Internet-CBT group compared with the control group. After 6 months, the results were stable or significantly improved. CONCLUSIONS: Internet-CBT based on exposure exercises for adolescents with IBS can effectively improve gastrointestinal symptoms and quality of life.Jane and Dan Olsson foundation, 4-1559/2013Kempe-Carlgrenska foundationRuth and Richard Julin foundation, 2012Juli0048Ishizu Matsumurais DonationMajblomman foundationBengt Ihre research fellowshipBengt Ihre foundation, SLS-331861The Samariten foundationThe Swedish society of medicine, SLS-331681, SLS-410501VärkstadststiftelsenGadelius foundationSwedish Research Council, 521-2013-2846Regional agreement on medical training and clinical research between Stockholm County Council and Karolinska Institutet, 20130129Accepte

N-way modeling for wavelet filter determination in Multivariate Image Analysis

Additional information may be found in the online version of this article at the publisher’s web site[EN] When trying to analyze spatial relationships in image analysis, wavelets appear as one of the state-of-the-art tools. However, image analysis is a problem-dependent issue, and different applications might require different wavelets in order to gather the main sources of variation in the acquired images with respect to the specific task to be performed. This paper provides a methodology based on N-way modeling for properly selecting the best wavelet choice to use or at least to provide a range of possible wavelet choices (in terms of families, filters, and decomposition levels), for each image and problem at hand. The methodology has been applied on two different data sets with exploratory and monitoring objectives. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.This research work was partially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness under the project DPI2011-28112-C04-02.Prats-Montalbán, JM.; Cocchi, M.; Ferrer Riquelme, AJ. (2015). N-way modeling for wavelet filter determination in Multivariate Image Analysis. Journal of Chemometrics. 29:379-388. https://doi.org/10.1002/cem.2717S37938829Prats-Montalbán, J. M., de Juan, A., & Ferrer, A. (2011). Multivariate image analysis: A review with applications. Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems, 107(1), 1-23. doi:10.1016/j.chemolab.2011.03.002Liu, J. J., & MacGregor, J. F. (2007). On the extraction of spectral and spatial information from images. Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems, 85(1), 119-130. doi:10.1016/j.chemolab.2006.05.011Liu, J. J., & MacGregor, J. F. (2006). Estimation and monitoring of product aesthetics: application to manufacturing of «engineered stone» countertops. 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Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems, 84(1-2), 3-8. doi:10.1016/j.chemolab.2006.04.019Engelbrektsson, J., Abrahamsson, K., Breitholtz, J., Nicholas, M., Svensson, O., Wikström, H., & Josefson, M. (2010). The impact of Mexican hat and dual-tree complex wavelet transforms on multivariate evaluation of image texture properties. Journal of Chemometrics, 24(7-8), 454-463. doi:10.1002/cem.1285Liu, J. J., & MacGregor, J. F. (2005). Modeling and Optimization of Product Appearance:  Application to Injection-Molded Plastic Panels. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 44(13), 4687-4696. doi:10.1021/ie0492101Mallet, Y., Coomans, D., Kautsky, J., & De Vel, O. (1997). Classification using adaptive wavelets for feature extraction. IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, 19(10), 1058-1066. doi:10.1109/34.625106Henrion, R. (1994). N-way principal component analysis theory, algorithms and applications. 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Designing the appearance of environmentally sustainable products

The study presented in this paper uses a mathematical model to measure the degree in which a product will be perceived as environmentally friendly from its physical attributes. A model based on genetic algorithms and neural networks was developed to predict the judgement of the users about environmental friendliness of different tables. Opinions of real users about a large set of tables were used to train the model. The results of the study suggest that, using this procedure in advanced stages of product design process, designers can determine the set of product's physical attributes that best convey the idea of environmentally sustainable to the customer. The analysis of the obtained model allows establishing how different product's attributes influence users' perception. From these results, the utilization of users' affective response models to design the appearance of environmentally sustainable products is discussed.Diego-Mas, JA.; Poveda Bautista, R.; Alcaide Marzal, J. (2016). Designing the appearance of environmentally sustainable products. Journal of Cleaner Production. 135(1):784-793. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.06.173S784793135