This paper explores a model for self-assessment of purchasing maturity in large companies. The author adapts contemporary purchasing theory and further enhances existing tools and procedures to create a survey based instrument for maturity measurementThe paper also explores potential methodological challenges associated with conducting a more extensive study of purchasing maturity via the proposed model. A preliminary study is made and the learnings discussed.The preliminary findings of the survey indicate that the purchasing maturity varies with industry. The purchasing function average score was found to be 3,4 out of 6 with samples spread across the whole spectra ? agreeing with previous theories stating that the purchasing maturity is highly varied between different industries..

Growth models are very useful tools for forestry to predict growth and yield. With growth models and optimising tools you can manage forest stands in a way that maximize benefit and income. There are three major types of growth models. Stand models; stage structured models and single-tree models. The most advanced models give the most accurate forecasts.

There are two species of potato cyst nematode (PCN), the yellow, Globodera rostochiensis, and the white, Globodera pallida. Each of them can appear in different pathotypes. These are separated by testing the nematode ability to multiply on a number of potato cultivars with different resistance properties. The aim of this project was to examine the virulence of Swedish and foreign PCN populations and to compare two test methods. Biotests are today the only available tests used to study virulence.

Vectors based on lentivirus backbones have revolutionized our ability to transfer genesinto many cell types. Lentiviral vectors integrate into the chromatin of target cells and do not transfer any viral genes causing vector replication. Both of these features arecommonly used in gene therapy and have been used clinically in individuals sufferingfrom cancer, infections and genetic diseases. It has been discovered that T-cells can be genetically modified to be used as effective weapons against cancer: therefore virus mustbe produced to deliver the gene of interest into the T-cells. In this project, lentiviralvectors have been produced to transfer the gene coding for a chimeric antigen receptor(CAR) which is directed to CD19 on B-cells.

The aim of this study was to explore and describe how four teachers work with literacy in preschool and grade one, ages 6 and 7. The aim was also to explore the progression of reading and writing as well as the collaboration between teachers in preschool and grade one. The study has a qualitative approach and data was collected through observations and interviews. The findings indicate that teachers in preschool have similar activities and approach to what guides the work. Regarding teachers in grade one it shows that they both are working with reading and writing in a varied way.

The paper aims to find out how staff and users at two public libraries and one Internetcafeuse Internet. The purpose has been to find out what they find and how they use the informa­tion they retrieve. The studies are based on eight longer interviews with the staff and 33 shorter with the users, who also were observed for a week. The paper includes a background chap­ter about Internet, search tools and the studied places. The following chapters are about pre­vious research, our survey and a discussion with the results, literature and our opinion.We have found out that Internet is usually used for information retrieval.

The purpose of this essay has been to seek understanding of how young people in high school and adult education experience the use of educational media tools in teaching. Examples of questions submitted material has been: What are the positive and negative experiences of ICT in the classroom?The essay is of a qualitative nature, in which five students were interviewed about their experiences of ICT in the school environment. The result is analyzed from a sociocultural perspective and from an inward-student perspective.The results showed that students felt that it was difficult to absorb many of the ICT facilities as sources of knowledge in the school environment. Due to lack of quality in teaching material and difficulties of the pupils to sort out the important information of the injected..

We live in a society where the technology has an enormous role in our lives. The average age of using digital tools among Swedish people is down to a very young age. In the recent period of time there has been much debate about tablets and their use in preschools. The aim of this study is to examine the preschool teachers experiences and perceptions of tablet use and how the implementation of the tablets benefits the school activities. What is central to this research is not how kids use the tablet, but how educators are using the tablet device as supplement for children?s development.

Millions of preselected progeny have been born since the development of The Beltsville Sperm Sexing Technology 1986. The method is based on flow cytometry and sorting is done on the basis of DNA difference of the X- and Y-chromosomes. Preselection of progeny provides an opportunity to obtain genetic gain and increased production as well as increased animal welfare and decreased environmental impact. However, the method is associated with low fertility, high costs and uncertainty whether the sorting process contributes to DNA damage and thereby results in genetically impaired progeny. Today, sex sorted sperm is only commercially available in the bovine industry, due to the fact that bull sperm is more suitable for selection than sperm from other species.

Purpose: my aim was to explore ways that teachers can support students with dyslexia and what/ which tools some teachers / special education teachers use to facilitate students.Method: I used a quantitative method by interviewing some regular teachers and special education teachersResults: In my study, I learned how some teachers can support students by reading loud to them; a main task for the teachers could be to create the love of reading for the students. That task was reinforced by students' self-image..

Counter-Strike has established itself as one of the most popular computer gaming phenomenon the last decade with a major online community and loyal fan base. Within the world of e-sports it has also become one of the most lucrative games to compete in. In order to keep up with the competition it has always been important to use the best hardware available for the task. This thesis is about these tools that gamers use to play - gaming gear - and how pro gamers train to increase their chances of winning. We investigate various factors that might be important in their choice of gaming gear when they play, and how they train to use these artifacts more efficiently to get maximum performance.

This thesis aims to propose a plausible design and construction of the lost gable pediments of the Glassworks Villa in F?glavik, anno 1875. Through a combination of building inspections, photo analysis and 3D modeling, the researcher utilizes the combined results to digitally recreate the decoration that once adorned the gothic revival villa's gable, to serve as basis for its actual reconstruction. The study further highlights the use of modern technological tools, such as 3D modeling software, to further enhance the understanding of historical architectural elements. The researcher also emphasizes the challenges and considerations involved in preserving and reconstructing historical architectural details for future conservation endeavors..

This essay aims to investigate a rare method of marking up timber before hewing it. The method for marking up timber is by eyesight, where visual judgment and the use of a broad axe are the tools employed. The broad axe is driven through the bark and exposes the inner bark in a straight line. The method is described by a craftsperson dating back to the 1930s. There is a lack of information regarding the method.

The purpose of this essay was to review the literature and describe the patophysiology, diagnosis, microscopic and macroscopic appearance of aortic body tumors in dogs. The tumors originate from the chemoreceptor organs situated at the base of the heart. The chemoreceptor organs are neuroendocrine cells responsible for surveillance of changes in e.g. the blood pH. Aortic body tumors are rare and represent 7 % of the total cases of primary cardiac tumors in canines.

The ability to tackle NP-hard problems has been greatly extended by the introduction of Metaheuristics (see Blum & Roli (2003)) for a summary of most Metaheuristics, general problem-independent optimisation algorithms extending the hill-climbing local search approach to escape local minima. One of these algorithms is Iterated Local Search (ILS) (Lourenco et al., 2002; Stützle, 1999a, p. 25ff), a recent easy to implement but powerful algorithm with results comparable or superior to other state-of-the-art methods for many combinatorial optimisation problems, among them the Traveling Salesman (TSP) and Quadratic Assignment Problem (QAP). ILS iteratively samples local minima by modifying the current local minimum and restartinga local search porcedure on this modified solution. This thesis will show how ILS can be implemented for MSA.