18101 research outputs found
Sort by
Certifying of food manufacture at Åland : a quantitative study
Get PDFKunskapen om hur lång tid, vad för ansträngning, vilken teknik och insikt som krävs för att producera mathantverksprodukter är liten. Innan industrialiseringen producerades alla produkter för hand och inom närområde. I dagens samhälle på Åland och Finland blir allt fler livsmedelsprodukter importerade. Mat är inte längre ett hantverk utan processas storskaligt med många tillsatta ämnen. Certifiering av mathantverk behövs för att urskilja industriella produkter från mathantverk. Finlands mathantverksförening har skapat en certifiering för alla mathantverkare i Finland och på Åland. Certifieringsarbetet på Åland startades i samband med denna studiegenom intervjuer och genom informationsspridning via olika kanaler. Eftersom certifieringen är nystartad innebär det att arbetsmetoden för certifiering behöver justeras. Justeringar i ansökningsformulär och eventuella justeringar i regelverk kan också behöva diskuteras i framtiden. En uppgift som bägge mathantverksföreningarna behöver arbete med är synlighet och informationsspridning om vad mathantverk är men också vad certifieringen innebär. Huvudsyftet med arbetet var att kvantitativt undersöka hur många produkter som ansökte om certifiering inom tidsspannet 29 mars- 1 maj 2023, i samarbete med föreningen Mathantverk på Åland. Utöver den kvantitativa mätningen finns det kvalitativa delar som hanteras i arbetet. Certifieringsutskottet från Mathantverk i Finland bearbetade ansökningarna där tre företag ansökte om certifieringen för nio olika produkter. Ingen av företagens produkter blev godkända i första skedet.The knowledge about the time, the amount of effort, which technique, and insight required to produce artisanal food is limited. Before the industrialization, all products were handmade and locally produced. Today in Åland and Finland an increasing number of products are imported. Food products are no longer hand crafted but processed on a large scale and sometimes with plenty of additives. Certification of artisanal food is necessary to distinguish industrial products from hand crafted ones. The association “Mathantverkarna in Finland” has created a certification for all food artisans in Finland and Åland. The certification on Åland started with this study through interviews and information dissemination. Since the certification is newly established, it means that the certification process needs to be adjusted. Adjustments in the application forms and possible modifications in the regulations may also be needed to discuss in the future. Both associations need to work on the visibility and dissemination of information about what handmade food is, as well as what the certification entails. The main objective for this work was to quantitatively investigate how many products would apply for the certification between March 29 and May 1, 2023 in collaboration with the association “Mathantverk on Åland”. Qualitative aspects were also included in the work. The certification committee from Finland association process the applications and three companies from Åland applied for the certification with nine different products. However, none of these products were approved in the initial stage. Since the certification idea is new, adjustment of the certification process e.g., the application development and potential revisions of the regulations are needed
The value of company - individual and paired novel object tests on alpacas
Get PDFIn this ethological study a novel object test was conducted on a total of 38 alpacas on a farm located on the island Gotland, in Sweden. The novel object tests, where an animal is presented with an foreign object, were performed individually on 14 animals and in pairs with 20 animals. The alpacas that performed the paired tests were accompanied by an individual that was of the highest rank in the herd or an the oldest individual in the herd. Five females were accompanied by the oldest female, five females were accompanied by the female of highest rank and the same line-up was conducted on the males. In all the tests only 44% of the animals sniffed the object. In the paired tests 60% of the animals sniffed the novel object whereas in the individual tests only 21% did. In the paired tests where animals were accompanied by an alpaca of highest age, twice the number of animals sniffed the object compared to those accompanied by an alpaca of highest rank. Males sniffed the novel object more compared to females. The results are from a small sample yet show a variation between the individual animals. However, more studies need to be conducted on this unique species to expand the data. Novel object tests are of an importance in today's modern animal husbandry due to the amount of novelty that animals are bound to encounter
Correlation between Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) of reindeer pasture plants : Korrelation mellan Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) och smältbarhet av renbetesväxter i vomvätska in vitro (VOS)
Get PDFRenen livnär sig på många olika betesväxter och den följer växtfenologins utveckling under barmarkssäsongen, vilket resulterar i högkvalitativt foderintag. Levande växtbiomassa kan uppskattas på landskapsnivå genom att använda vegetationsindex som värderar vegetation utifrån spektrala mätningar. Det finns indikationer på att dessa index även korrelerar med kvalitativa faktorer i växter. Denna studie syftade till att undersöka korrelationen mellan Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) och smältbarhet av renbetesväxter i vomvätska in vitro (VOS). NDVI beräknades från multispektrala bilder tagna med en drönare. Växtprover för analysen klipptes för hand från totalt 18 provrutor (0,5 m x 0,5 m), insamlade på renbetesmark i Malå sameby, Sverige. Provtagningsplatserna placerades i försök att fånga vegetationen på fem olika områden: tre myrar, ett kalhygge och en vall. Resultatet av denna studie visar ingen korrelation (r =0,25; p =0,27) när alla växttyper inkluderas i en regressionsanalys. Det finns däremot en måttlig korrelation (r =0,41; p =0,13) mellan NDVI och VOS av renbetesväxter då endast provrutor med högst andel gräs, halvgräs och örter inkluderas. Detta kan vara en indikation på att det finns en variation i korrelationen beroende av växttyp. Vidare forskning behövs för en bättre förståelse av sambandet samt möjliga effekter av vegetationstyp, säsong eller fuktighetsgrad.Reindeer feed on a large variety of pasture plants and it follows the development of plant phenology during the bare ground season, which results in high quality forage intake. Live plant biomass can be estimated on a landscape-scale by using vegetation indices that value vegetation based on spectral measurements. There are indications that these indices also correlate with qualitative factors in plants. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) of reindeer pasture plants. NDVI was calculated from multispectral images taken with a drone. Plant samples for the analysis were cut by hand from a total of 18 sampling plots (0.5 m x 0.5 m), collected on reindeer pasture in Malå reindeer herding community, Sweden. The sampling plots were deployed to capture the vegetation at five different areas: three mires, a clear-cut forest area and a ley. The result of this study shows no correlation (r =0.25; p =0.27) when all plant types are included in a regression analysis. In contrast, there is a moderate correlation (r =0.41; p =0.13) between NDVI and IVOMD in reindeer pasture plants when only plots with the highest proportion of grasses, semi-grasses and herbs are included. This may be an indication that there is a variation in the correlation depending on plant type. Further research is needed for a better understanding of the relationship and possible effects of vegetation type, season or degree of soil moisture
Comparison of Gap-Cutting and Clear-cutting Management and Their Ecosystem Services : a Simulation Study
Get PDFForests as a natural ecosystem provide many functions and services that contribute to livelihood. Moreover, to provide multifaceted services, the forest management strategy employed is vital in establishing desired ecosystem services. Thus, this study weighed up gap-cutting and clear-cutting management and their ecosystem services in a Scots pine stands in southern Sweden. The method used in this study was the simulation of old and new forest stands with the Standwise Heureka decision support system application. Three treatments were examined. First is the gap-cut with five years cutting intervals, next is the gap-cut with fifteen years intervals, and the last is the clear-cut with which the gaps were compared. The study analysed the profitability of the stands with respect to land expectation value (LEV), growth in terms of the mean annual increment (MAI), and the ecosystem services that the stand structures can provide in terms of diameter variations. The results show that the Land expectation value of gap-cut with five years interval at a 3% interest rate does not differ from clear-cut. In contrast, there is much difference in the gap-cut of fifteen years intervals.
Furthermore, the growth performance of the treatments differed significantly, where the MAI of clear-cut was the highest and ranged between 6.5 to 8.75 m3 ha-1yr-1 and that of gap-cuts 4.2 to 6.0 m3ha-1yr-1, respectively. The diameter variation in gap-cut management was higher than that of clear-cut, and the 15-year interval resulted in higher diameter variation than the 5-year interval gap cut. This indicates that gap-cutting, especially the 15-year interval gaps, may provide more ecosystem services than clear-cut management. Thus, this study elucidates possible ecosystem benefits associated with the forest structure that each management type could produce in southern Sweden
Forest regeneration and edge effects
Get PDFAs continuous cover forestry is an ongoing topic in todays forest debate, questions are raised about eventual issues connected to the management. It is known that seedling performance can be poor near the edge of harvested areas, and around retained trees. This is a critical issue in transitioning toward continuous cover forestry. In the current thesis, seedling abundance and biomass was
quantified as a function of the distance to overstory trees after gap-cutting. The gaps had been either planted, planted and scarified, or left as untreated controls. In each gap, sample plots (2m radius) were laid out at distances -10 m (outside the gap, under canopy), 3 m, 10 m and 20 m.
Incoming radiation and soil moisture was also measured in each gap. Seedling foliar nitrogen and isotopic analyses (13C/12C and 15N/14N ratio) were also performed to investigate potential causes of observed patterns. Results showed a clear reduction of growth (94%) at the edge compared to the center of the gaps. Proximity to edge-trees had negative effect on both seedling density and biomass, irrespective of treatment. Nitrogen concentration and 15N/14N was lower along the gap edge, while 13C/12C showed the opposite. No signs of light and soil moisture as limiting factors for seedlings growth could be observed. The results implied that competition for nutrients, mainly N,
from retained edge-trees was restraining seedlings. The results also indicated presence of a Nsource accessible for center-seedlings but not edge-seedlings, which could be decomposing mycorrhizal mycelium
Ekologi & estetik
Get PDFEkologisk dagvattenhantering, ED, är ett högaktuellt område där det i dag sker en enorm utveckling. Då jag började skriva denna uppsats, 2009/2010, var läget ett helt annat. Jag var frustrerad och förskräckt över att det fanns så mycket kunskap men så lite vilja att arbeta med dessa frågor “på riktigt”. Sedan dess har jag hunnit arbeta som landskapsarkitekt i 12 år och fått uppleva denna positiva utveckling i projekten.
Syftet med denna uppsats är att öka kunskapen och medvetenheten kring de ekologiska och estetiska aspekterna av ED i bostadsmiljö och på så vis bidra till utvecklingen mot ett mer hållbart samhälle.
Arbetet utreder frågan om huruvida ekologisk dagvattenhantering kan vara både ekologiskt hållbar och estetiskt tilltalande och hur dessa aspekter förhåller sig till varandra. Måste man välja det ena framför det andra, eller kan de till och med förstärka varandra?
För att undersöka detta redovisas först ekologisk dagvattenhantering och dess olika metoder, fördelar, problem och möjligheter. Vidare utreds begreppet god design och en rad aspekter fastställs som kriterier för att utvärdera en design. Fokus ligger på ekologisk dagvattenhantering i bostadsmiljö. Tre referensprojekt där ett öppet dagvattensystem har anlagts i bostadsmiljö studeras utifrån designkvaliteterna och deras förhållningssätt till begreppen ekologi och estetik.
Slutligen appliceras dessa kunskaper och teorier på ett bostadsområde Steningehöjden i Sigtuna kommun. Där fanns vid arbetets start en grund med gestaltning för hela området, ett tydligt koncept och målbild att utgå från. Jag arbetade vidare utifrån det genom att lägga till ett lager till den ambitiösa målbilden om den ekologiskt hållbara trädgårdsstaden. Ett öppet dagvattensystem med många olika nivåer och kvaliteter, där en rad olika metoder som studerats i teoridelen kunde användas för att skapa det komplexa system som visat sig vara det absolut mest effektiva ur ett ekologiskt perspektiv. Även ur det estetiska perspektivet kunde jag använda det öppna systemets kvaliteter till att skapa en tilltalande och variationsrik bostadsmiljö.
Slutsatsen blev att det är möjligt att låta ekologi och estetik samverka och till och med förstärka varandra i ett större perspektiv, men att det i de specifika valen av metod och gestaltningsgrepp kan finnas vissa motsättningar mellan det synliga, gestaltade vattnet och de ekologiska vinsterna med att låta fördröjning, rening och infiltration ske på naturens premisser.
Uppsatsens resonemang uppmuntrar även till att använda dessa tankesätt kring ekologisk dagvattenhantering för att vidga perspektiven kring vad som är möjligt att åstadkomma i projekten, nu och i framtiden.Sustainable stormwater management is a very current topic where in recent years there has been, and seemingly continues to be, significant development taking place in the field of today´s landscape architecture. At the point of time of commencing writing this essay, in 2009/2010 the situation was very different. In the face of growing environmental concerns at the time, it was frustrating that even though the knowledge and theories regarding sustainable stormwater management were readily available, few of these were converted into practice on a larger scale. Now, after twelve years of working as a landscape architect there has been tremendous growth in this area. We consider stormwater management in new ways, use open solutions, and take a more sustainable approach in all projects which puts this essay in a new context.
The aim of this essay is to increase awareness and spread knowledge about sustainable stormwater management and the ecological and aesthetic aspects of it; thereby contributing to a more sustainable development of our cities.
This essay elaborates on the topic whether it is possible to find a solution where stormwater systems are designed with ecology and aesthetics as equal parts that improve on and enrich each other, or whether they are to be considered in isolation of each other, or at best a balance between the two where both aesthetics and ecology are compromised rather than complementing each other.
Firstly, the essay describes the background and elaborates on why sustainable stormwater management is so important. Further describing different methods and techniques of sustainable stormwater management and how they are used. Also, the term “good design” is investigated, and a number of aspects are established as criteria in order to evaluate a design, focusing on sustainable stormwater management in residential areas.
Furthermore, three projects where studied in how they succeeded in creating a design that is of both ecological and aesthetical value. Hence analysing how they met the design criteria and how the ecological and aesthetic aspects of sustainable stormwater management relate to each other at each site.
The last part of the scope of work is further developing a program for sustainable stormwater management in the residential area of Steningehöjden in Sigtuna. At the onset of this project, there already existed a design for the entire area. Based on the original concept, a proposal was defined on how to integrate the stormwater into the design in a way that would emphasize the concept and design ideas of the original design as well as generating more value to the residents of Steningehöjden in the form of more pleasing aesthetics, as well as enhancing the environmental efficiency.
The conclusion from these studies is that it is possible to create a design with ecology and aesthetics as two equal components and even enable them to complement each other in a way that further enhances the design and functionality of the stormwater management system. However, through specific choices of methods and design there may be certain contradictions between water as a visible design feature and the ecological gains of natural purification, delay, and infiltration.
This essay encourages the use of this mindset in sustainable stormwater management to broaden the perspective of what is possible to accomplish in projects today and in the future
Mildly nutritious or mild and nutritious
Get PDFRecent studies on the dietary habits of the Swedish population show that only 30% reaches the recommended levels of dietary fibres. As a high fiber intake is associated with health benefits and a decrease in the risk of developing lifestyle disease, there may be a need for new types of fibre and wholegrain products.
Phenols are present in all plant-based food with the main function to protect the plant though it also affects their appearance, taste, and smell. Previous studies have found that the usage of low phenolic white varieties of wheat in wholegrain products results in baked goods with a lighter colour and a milder taste. Although not as extensively tested, studies also indicates that low phenolic rye may be used to produce whole grain bread without the characteristic dark colour and bitter taste of rye.
This study focused on analysing whole grain bread baked with white wheat and rye verities. The aim of the study was to investigate whether it is possible to produce a wholegrain bread with sensory properties more similar to those of white bread but with a fibre content of wholegrain bread. Colour was analysed with a colorimeter, texture with a texture analysis and dough behaviour was analysed through mixing time. A discrimination test was done with consumers to test the flavour of the bread.
Results suggests that usage of low phenolic white rye and wheat varieties may be an opportunity to create breads with characteristics of refined white bread. A lighter and more yellow tone was measured in the bread baked with white wheat graham flour and white rye flour, and this combination could therefore be promising for further research.En nationell studie av svenskars kostvanor visar att endast 30 % av befolkningen når upp till de rekommenderade halterna för intag av fibrer och fullkorn. Då höga intag av dessa visat sig ha hälsofördelar så som minskad risk för livsstilssjukdomar kan det behövas en ny typ av fiber och fullkornsprodukter.
Fenoler finns i alla växter med funktionen att skydda växten, vilket de bland annat gör med hjälp av pigment och ämnen som påverkar utseendet och smak på växten. Tidigare studier gjorda på vita vetesorter med lågt pigmentinnehåll har visat att just dessa typer lämpar sig bra i fullkornsprodukter då det ger en mildare smak och ljusare färg. Gällande råg finns det inte lika många studier. Det har dock visat sig att vit råg är lovande för att producera ljusare fullkornsbröd utan den karaktäristiska bittra rågsmaken.
Denna studie som gjorts i samarbete med Polarbröd har fokuserat på att utreda vilken effekt vitt fullkornsrågmjöl och vitt fullkornsvetemjöl har på brödets sensoriska profil. Färgmätning, texturanalyser samt ett diskrimineringstest gjordes. Resultaten visar att vit råg och vitt vete har potential att producera mildare och ljusare fullkornsbröd. Bland annat uppmättes en ljusare och varmare färg för bröd bakat med en kombination av vit råg och vitt vete
Fysiologiskt svar under terrängmomentet i fälttävlan
Get PDFI tävlingsgrenen fälttävlan är terrängdelen det som bedöms som mest fysiologiskt ansträngande för hästarna. Syftet med denna undersökning är att ta reda på det fysiologiska svaret under en träning på terrängmomentet i fälttävlan. Undersökningen ska redogöra för hur de svenska ekipagen fungerar i den fysiologiska ansträngningen under träning jämfört med tidigare studier som visar den fysiologiska ansträngningen i tävling, samt att jämföra terrängens disciplin med de andra vanliga disciplinerna dressyr och hoppning. Med frågeställningen av denna undersökning kan det genom tester påvisas att terrängdelen i fälttävlan är mer fysiologiskt ansträngande jämfört med tidigare studier från dressyrdelen och hoppdelen? Hur är det fysiologiska svaret under träning i terräng jämfört med tidigare studier i tävling?
Vid undersökningen användes det sju fälttävlansekipage. Innan mätningarna så deltog hästarna på en terrängträning, under mätningarna hoppade hästarna en terrängbana på 800 m. Banan reds två gånger i två olika tempon. Första rundan i ett lugnare tempo och andra rundan i ett högre tempo. Efter de två rundorna reds hästen i nedvarvning i cirka 4 minuter. För mätning av hjärtfrekvensen användes Polar hjärtfrekvensmätare. Blodproven analyserades med en The Edge laktatmätare. Tre blodprov togs från varje ekipage direkt efter varje runda av banan och efter nedvärmningen.
Resultatet visar att hjärtfrekvensen och laktaten var högre i runda 2 jämfört med runda 1, medan i runda 3 som var nedvarvning hann det inte bli någon större förändring i hjärtfrekvensen och laktatvärdena jämfört med runda 2.
Studiens slutsats visar att terrängen gav ett högre hjärtfrekvens- och laktatvärden jämförd med studierna av disciplinerna hoppning och dressyr. Slutsatsen för terrängträningen jämförd med tävlingen, visar att träningen är mer fysiologiskt ansträngande jämfört med tävling på samma nivå, men vid högre tävlingsnivå gav det ett högre resultat och detta beror på hästarnas nivå.In three day eventing, the cross-country part is what is judged to be the most physiologically strenuous for the horses. The purpose of this study was to find out the physiological response during a training on the terrain part in the Cross-Country. The survey will report on how the Swedish crews work in the physiological effort during training compared to previous studies that show the physiological effort in competition and to compare the terrain discipline with the other common disciplines dressage and jumping. With the question of this study, can it be shown by tests that the terrain part in the field competition is more physiologically strenuous compared to previous studies from the dressage part and the jumping part? How is the physiological response during training in terrain compared to previous studies in competition?
In the survey, Seven Cross-Country crews were used. All horses jumped a terrain course of 800 m. The course was ridden twice at different paces. Heart rate and lactate levels were measured. From the results of the study and compared with other studies, you can see that the terrain gave a higher heart rate and lactate values compared to jumping and dressage. Thus can be ascertained that Cross-Country is more physiologically strenuous, with the exception compared with competition in the terrain, shows that the training gave a higher result in the physiological effort compared to a competition at the same levels. But in competitions for higher levels, the result of the survey were lower, it depends on the horses´ levels
Characterisation of resistance in wheat to Fusarium Head Blight complex
Get PDFThe plant pathobiome is described as a set of microorganisms that interact with each other and with the plant biotic environment to influence disease progress. Recent studies have led to the realisation that a disease in a plant is not always associated with single organisms rather is a result of complex interactions between various taxa, the host, and the environment. In this study, we investigated the
pathobiome composition of diseased wheat kernels as well as the role of host genotype in determining the assembly of the Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) disease complex. For this purpose, we isolated Fusarium spp. from infected wheat spikes and conducted infection assays on wheat to observe the interaction within the FHB complex, as well as the possible role of the plant genotype in disease progression. The outcome suggested that complex interactions occur within the FHB complex, as well as between the complex and the wheat genotype to cause disease. Hence, the plant
genotype has a role in how the communities within the pathobiome interact to cause disease
Antibodies in non-vaccinated dogs
Get PDFRabies is a viral, zoonotic disease caused by a rhabdovirus. Most rabies cases occur in wild animals
such as bats, foxes, raccoons, and skunks, however, any mammal can get the infection. 99% of all
human cases are caused by bites from rabid dogs. Vaccination of dogs is the most effective way to
prevent rabies in people. Each year, approximately 55,000 people die from rabies, and more than
95% of these mortalities take place in Asia and Africa.
According to previous research, rabies is 100% fatal once clinical symptoms have shown. However,
studies have now shown apparently healthy, non-rabies vaccinated dogs, other domestic animals,
and other wild mammals seropositive for rabies in Brazil, Kenya, Nigeria, Haiti, and the US among
other countries.
This study was conducted in Bolikhamsai province, Vientiane province, and Vientiane capital in
Laos. Rabies antibody levels in apparently healthy and non-rabies-vaccinated dogs were
investigated in order to identify dogs that may have been exposed to the rabies virus and survived.
Our study found 35.6% seropositivity for rabies antibodies in Laos, which is a noticeably higher
percentage than in an earlier study in Laos where they found 23.7% seropositivity (Fogelberg 2020).
The results are also significantly higher compared to other studies in Kenya, Nigeria, and Haiti
where they found 20%, 16.1%, and 9.3% seropositivity, respectively (Wosu & Anyanwu 1990;
Kitala et al. 2001; Smith et al. 2019).
When using the lab method for rabies antibodies, there is no way of knowing if these antibodies
derive from rabies infection or rabies vaccination. If the measured antibodies in this study do derive
from a previous rabies infection and not rabies vaccination, this means that there are many dogs in
Laos that survive rabies infection, many more than previously thought.
Even though this study does not provide absolute proof, it contributes to the research on rabies and
its serological responses. In conclusion, further research and work need to be done both in Laos and
more importantly, in other countries. This is to receive a deeper understanding of the serological
levels of rabies antibodies in apparently healthy and non-rabies-vaccinated dogs, and therefore
continue to challenge the previous belief that rabies is a 100% deadly disease once clinical symptoms
have shown