This essay is a survey of thirteen user studies performed in the field of image retrieval. The purpose is to try to distinguish principles that should be kept in mind when wanting to make image databases available for a wide and varied group of users. The essay tries to answer two questions, namely: Are there any results in accordance among the different studies? What in the user studies should be considered when it comes to how content description, interface and functions for searching can be designed when creating systems for image retrieval? Each study is first reviewed on its own, and then a comparative analysis of all the studies is carried out. Derived from the result of this analysis, the conclusion is presented in the form of a row of suggestions to which aspects are to be suitably included in the design of image databases.

Africa is one of the regions most affected by climate change. However its forests are important carbon sinks for the whole world, and if recognised as a global public good, could be conserved and contribute to green house gas emission reductions. A global mechanism, Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation(REDD+) aims to help developing countries in reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, and enhancement of carbon stocks. REDD+ strategies may, however exclude local forest dependent communities from forests in order to conserve and maximise carbon stocks, thus having a severe impact on local livelihoods. Therefore, how local communities can participate and share benefits from REDD+ is a key concern.This study investigates how three forest dependent communities in the Nazinon forest, in Southwest Burkina Faso could financially benefit from a REDD+ project.

Denna rapport har undersökt hur interaktivitet, genom interaktiva barnböcker på mobila enheter med pekskärm, kan påverka engagemanget för läsande hos barn i tre till fem års ålder. Detta har gjorts genom att en interaktiv barnbok skapades och deltagande observationer sedan utfördes vid sex tillfällen på tre förskolor där barnen fick testa den utvecklade produkten. De deltagande observationerna kompletterades sedan med åsikter om digitalt lärande från förskollärare på respektive förskola genom semistrukturerade intervjuer.Resultatet från undersökningen visar på en tendens till att engagemanget hos barnen kan ökas genom att införa interaktivitet i barnböcker genom att leverera dessa på mobila enheter med pekskärm. Undersökningen är dock gjord i för liten skala samt att produkten och undersökningen innehåller för många brister för att kunna ställa upp en faktisk teori. Istället ställs en hypotes upp som skulle behöva testas vidare under längre tid och i en mer rigorös undersökning..

This thesis studies how readers of the electronic book (the e-book) use and perceive the electronic medium as a carrier of fiction. In this study it is assumed that fiction is mostly read in printed format. Therefore it is interesting to ask why some readers choose to read on screen. As there are all too few studies conducted on how readers perceive and use the e-book as a medium, this study aims to enrich an undeveloped research area. The study is based upon a qualitative questionnaire.

This essay concerns the site of Pompeii and its preservation. The aim is to investigate what causes the decay of the ruins, how to prevent it and what consequences the tourism has on the site. The material consists of interviews with three Swedish scientists who are currently working with documenting a block in Pompeii. The result reveals a large number of threats against the city, such as climate, tourism and an inadequate economy situation. Examples of solutions are more investments which can be used for restorations and reconstructions, and guards to prevent vandalism.

Marinediesel has, to meet there customers needs for a suitable sterndrive to powerboats, developed a prototype. The prototype is currently in the testing phase. The opportunity to test the sterndrive under load inside the workshop has not previously been possible. Until now the drive has been tested in a test bench without any load on the propeller axle. The prototype has also been tested under real conditions mounted on a boat.The idea with my thesis was to create a test bench that can run around the clock in order to be able to test things like wear and service intervals and other things that require that the test interval is long.

Energiarbete handlar inte bara om att energieffektivisera byggnaderna utan även om att skapa platser med god energi som gör att vi mår bra och vill vistas där. Vid energi- och miljöarbete där utemiljön är det centrala arbetsmaterialet kan man få fl era synergieffekter. Energi finns överallt. Det handlar inte bara om att gröna tak och väggar kan ha en isolerande funktion, utan på köpet får man mer funktionsanpassade utemiljöer som kan förbättra livsmiljön.Genom att klimatplanera, som innebär att vi på smarta sätt planerar utemiljön och använder oss av träd, buskar, klätterväxter, grönytor, dagvatt en och refl ekterandematerial kan vi minska behovet av energi egentligen utan att förändra vårt beteende. Däremot behöver vi dessutom ändra vårt beteende för att uppnå en större effekt av klimatplaneringen.

Knowledge in reproduction in the Swedish lynx (Lynx lynx) is important forseveral reasons. Situated on top of the food chain, lynxes may be at risk of beingexposed to environmental toxins that could have adverse effect on reproduction.The population of lynxes is today managed by restricted hunting which demandsknowledge about both the lynxes numbers and their reproduction. In addition,lynxes may function as indicators of climate change for instance if their season ofheat would be earlier or prolonged due to a warmer climate. Today?s knowledgein reproduction in Swedish lynx is mainly based on information gathered fromradio collared animals.

Climate and environmental issues is now high on the agenda. We live in a generation that must try to solve some major environmental problems. Buildings and habitations account for approximately 40 % of Sweden's total energy today. To reduce this figure, as needed, more research in the field of energy efficiency is required.This thesis concerns the heating of buildings. The load on district heating is heavy during certain times of the day.

The media arena is becoming more and more crowded by various brands and different commercial messages. At the same time, consumers learn how to screen marketing communication and their cognitive ad filters enable them to avoid message elaboration. Thus, new thinking and new communication executions are required in order to surprise the consumers and break through the clutter. In the present study, we have investigated how the choice of media affects attention, memory and several communication effects that the ad can generate in the short as well as in the long term. The study is conducted on a well-known brand within a low-involvement product category.

Syftet med en integrerad projekteringsprocess är att information tidigt skall tas fram och att projektörer skall kunna arbeta parallellt, exempelvis genom en gemensam BIM-modell. Revit och IDA Indoor climate an energy, även kallat IDA ICE, har i denna rapport visat sig vara två mycket effektiva verktyg som tillåter att information både kan tas fram, i form av energianalyser, men även kommuniceras digitalt med hjälp av så kallade IFC-exporter. Då projektörer får möjlighet att jobba i en gemensam modell kan de arbeta parallellt vilket innebär att information kan tillföras både tidigare och snabbare i projekteringsprocessen. I Revit kan arkitekten enkelt skapa olika utformningsförslag och jämföra dessa med avseende på energianvändning. Analyser från denna studie har visat att energisimuleringar i Revit kan användas för att utforska olika utformningsalternativ och därmed finna optimeringsmöjligheter med avseende på energi och inomhusmiljö.

This is a graduate work at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, The Department of Urban and Rural Development, Ultuna. The purpose of this paper has been to find out and describe principles for designing parks that offers good recreational and aesthetical values and require little amount of carbon dioxide emissions during their maintenance. The purpose has also been to see if it's possible to use city wastewater in some extent to assure the plants water supply and to find other means to make it less necessary to use purified water for watering. Recently made studies as well as older ones show how important green areas are in dense city structures both from a health and a climate perspective. Trees and other plants adsorbs different forms of air pollution and can also lower the temperature in the surrounding area through their transpiration.

Background: As a part of a national health control program, Statens VeterinärmedicinskaAnstalt performs diagnostics to screen flocks for certain pathogens causing high mortality,morbidity and/or serious economical losses. There are several viruses in the programincluding IBDV (infectious bursal disease virus), IBV (infectious bronchitis virus) and NDV(Newcastle disease virus). Method: 96 serum samples were collected from different poultryflocks in Sweden and analyzed by ELISA, which are currently used in the health controlprogram as well as by a commercial prototype of a multiplex immunoassay manufactured byLuminex Corp., which is currently under evaluation at the United States Department ofAgriculture USDA. This 4-plex assay detects antibodies for the three above-mentionedviruses as well as antibodies of avian reovirus. In the context of this study the ELISAs run inroutine diagnostics as well as a REO ELISA were used as the standard for comparison.Result: The antibody concentration in serum from vaccinated chickens was high while theantibody concentration level in serum from not vaccinated chickens was low.

The purpose with this thesis is to research what function the National Library Catalogue of Sweden (LIBRIS) has as an information resource for Chinese language material. How is LIBRIS used as an information resource seen from the point of view of a users specific language need. This will be exemplified through an empirical survey of three user groups with different prerequisites concerning their knowledge in Chinese. Group A were beginners and had studied Chinese for one year. Group B were advanced students who were studying their third year of Chinese.

Climate and environmental issues is now high on the agenda. We live in a generation that must try to solve some major environmental problems. Buildings and habitations account for approximately 40 % of Sweden's total energy today. To reduce this figure, as needed, more research in the field of energy efficiency is required.This thesis concerns the heating of buildings. The load on district heating is heavy during certain times of the day.