The danger and vulnerability associated with a preterm birth seem to be closely correlated with a dysfunction of the fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, whose maturation in the foal is without a doubt as delicate as it is important. Not only is this endocrine cascade vital for the foal in order to cope with neonatal stress, it also appears to be fundamental for the final fetal intrauterine maturation, as well as for the onset of foaling. Equine gestation exhibits some rather unique features, indicating a somewhat different significance of the endocrine changes associated with HPA maturation, compared to many other species. This hormonal cascade is rapid and confined to a narrow time during late gestation in the horse, and the risk of the foal completely missing it therefore becomes prominent. Induced parturition in the mare may be operated through uterotonic agents, which occasionally bring about premature foals. Desirable seems the ability to initiate equine labour while simultaneously enhancing fetal HPA maturation, as in humans and ruminants through perinatal glucocorticoid administration. However, similar treatment in the horse has resulted in various, sometimes fatal, outcomes. In the light of the distinctive features of equine gestation, difficulties are encountered following such administration of glucocorticoids and ACTH.

The aim for this paper has been to examine three textbooks designed for science education in upper secondary school in order to determine whether they convey any specific attitudes regarding what is considered to be ideal knowledge within the field of biology. The main focus has been to investigate if different types of design strategies have been used to emphasize certain values or attitudes and if this proves to be the case, how is this achieved specifically?                      For this purpose I have conducted several different qualitative linguistic analyses of the textbooks. The theoretical framework for the analyses lies within the main field of critical linguistics and more specifically in the context of systemic functional linguistics. The two main language models I have chosen to use for my investigations are functional grammar and multimodal text analysis.                      My results imply amongst other things that by conducting an overall assessment of the headlines in the textbooks a fair assessment can be made of which overall attitudes the books convey.

This paper constitutes graduate work at the Depart-ment of Urban and Rural Development at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. In this paper the urban structure of the million program suburb Husby in Stockholm is examined and what effect this structure has on social life in the area. The main objective of the study has been to, with the help of morphological analyses, examine how to create meeting places and make the Husby Park more accessiblefor the inhabitants in Husby. There has been a selection of analyses to ensure that Husby?s spatial relationship with surrounding suburbs as well as local spaces in the Husby Park is described.

This report summarizes the development of a calculation program estimating the profitability of converting a peak-load oil-fired boiler to pellets. To convert an oil-fired boiler to pellets a new fuel handling system must be designed. Changes also have to be made to some other components. Since there are many different techniques for transportation, storage and treatment of the fuel only the most interesting techniques from Swecos experience and interest were included in the study.The capacity of the different parts in the system was dimensioned based on the power of the boiler after conversion. To estimate prices, installed power and dimensions manufacturers and distributers were contacted.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to show models from the literature which can underlie appraisal and development in the real estate business of Gavlegårdarna.1. Gavlegårdarna should be able to use the study in their work with quality assurance off their services.2. Company?s in real estate business and other students should be able to use the study for an overview of quality models.Method: To collect data I chose to use a qualitative method based on the hermeneutic research method. The collected data was a result of literature and interviews.Result & Conclusion: From the literature there are two models that are suited for analyses of quality, that is the Housing quality model and the Gap model.

Ensåsengruvan is a mine situated within Ljusdals municipality in central Sweden. Themine was in use from 1984 to 1991 and has since been undergoing a remediation program. Mine tailings from sulfide rich ore is a potential environmental hazard due to its tendency to cause acid waters and heavy metal leakage. Lake Ensjön is situated one kilometer from the mine area. Due to the hydrological conditions it was not expected to receive inflowing water from the mining area.

The main part of the goats in the world is located in developing countries, whereas active breeding programs are mainly restricted to Northern America and Europe. Goat milk can be processed to several products and goat cheese is the main product. An organized breeding program is carried out in France and Norway but is not present in Sweden. Important selection traits for milk producing goats include milk, protein and fat yield along with protein and fat content. Functional traits have been more important the past years and they have large economic importance for the farmers.

Due to the growing wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) population in Sweden there has been an increase in wild boar related traffic accidents, damage on cropland, and conflicts regarding the management of the wild boar. Knowing what makes the wild boar reproduce and survive more or less successfully in different geographic areas is an important part of managing the population. According to previous studies the wild boars rate of increase varies from county to county. The aim of this study was to test, on the county scale level, if landscape composition and diversity as well as people and hunter densities might be the reason for this variation. The first hypothesis was that a big proportion of forests and cropland would increase the rate of increase.

Non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries is a serius and traumatic injury to the knee that is common in female soccer players and often force the player to quit or lower the level of activity because of lost stability in the knee or from fear to suffer  a new injury. Female soccerplayers have a higher risk than their male counterparts to get an ACL rupture and especially adolescent females have a high risk. The most common causes to a non-contact ACL rupture is side-cutting manuvers and landing after jumping. Every other player with an ACL rupture develops osteoarthritis within 10-15 years from the time of injuryResults: The higher risk for females to incur a ACL rupture is due to smaller intercondylar notch, they?re in the follicular or ovulatory phase of their menstrual cycle, increased knee laxity, dominance in the quadriceps muscles, flexion in hip and valgus movement in the knee.

This essay deals with how young adult literature describes and characterizes young homosexual men. Two novels are analyzed within a framework of queer theory and cultural studies. The focus is on how sociality enforces heteronormativity. The analyses of the novels investigate how the characters think of themselves and their sexuality, what their view of love and relationships are, and how their closest friends and parents react to their homosexuality..

VAV (Variable Air Volume) system has been studied in a newly constructed office-building. The goal for the study has been to evaluate how the ventilations system work in practice, if adjustments can be made to achieve an more energy efficient system and to evaluate if other alternative ventilation systems is to be preferred in the further.The degree project has been executed at Helenius Engineering Firm who is working with the environment, media systems, HVAC and energy in buildings. The building that has been studied is owned and operated by Akademiska hus.Literature studies, visits at site, inventory, review of system documentation, energy analyses, interviews, key figures, LCC, sand energy- and indoor climate simulations has been made to study the building. Where appropriate some tools from Six Sigma have also been used.How to achieve an energy efficient system and a pleasant indoor climate is studied with human health and well-being as base for the indoor climate requirements. Technical support systems such as ventilation systems have to be designed so that an acceptable indoor climate can be achieved.

The aim of this thesis was to analyse BARO WOOD AB:s timber measuring and quality sorting and to evaluate the analyse program Stockholmen. The purpose was to get a better understanding for the quality sorting made at BARO WOOD AB today, analyse differences in center board quality from logs with a good quality and logs with a bad quality, suggest new sorting criterias developed from analyses made with Stockholmen and to evaluate the program Stockholmen. All analyses are based on data gathered in a test sawing made at BARO WOOD AB in June and July 2002. The test sawing was made on four different diameter classes and every diameter class consisted out of A or M-grade logs, with a better quality, and B-grade logs with a lesser quality. The logs where sorted out with BARO WOOD AB:s existing quality criterias.

The purpose of this essay was to study whether the UN convention on the Rights of the child is implemented in the Swedish executory authority, in cases that include compulsory auction of property belonging to families with children, in the southern area of Sweden. I have especially focused on questions concerning whether civil servants work with child consequence analyses, whether they have been offered education in child competence at work, to what extent they have listened to and taken into account the child's own voice in the execution process, and finally to what extent civil servants have had contact with the social welfare committee.The study was based on qualitative telephone interviews with seven civil servants working with cases that comprise compulsory auction of property belonging to families with children.The conclusions of my study are that there exists no specific child perspective regarding the UN convention on the Rights of the child in the civil servants work regarding compulsory auction of property belonging to families with children. Neither do they work with child consequence analyses nor do they listen to what the child has to say in the execution process. The civil servants have not been offered any kind of education concerning child competence. Regarding contacts with the social welfare committee, the result shows that this is, in general, not based on systematic procedures..

The purpose of this study is to investigate? how a professional librarian can support the work with pupils, age six to twelve years, in their reading and linguistic development? how the conditions at the school have to be for this to become possible? what kind of attitudes the teachers have, and how they relate to the impact of a librarian for the pupils reading and linguistic development.The methods used are analyses of steering documents concerning school libraries and analyses of the means of the local school culture. The latter has been carried out by literature studies and through interviews of eight teachers and two school librarians. The result of the interviews showed a limited insight into how a professional librarian can support and assist teachers and pupils in the work with reading and linguistic development. They also showed the influence of existing traditions and local school culture for the use of a librarian?s services, and also how all the teachers, once they have become used to the services a librarian can provide, now find their support invaluable.

This paper constitutes graduate work at the Depart-ment of Urban and Rural Development at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. In this paper the urban structure of the million program suburb Husby in Stockholm is examined and what effect this structure has on social life in the area. The main objective of the study has been to, with the help of morphological analyses, examine how to create meeting places and make the Husby Park more accessiblefor the inhabitants in Husby. There has been a selection of analyses to ensure that Husby?s spatial relationship with surrounding suburbs as well as local spaces in the Husby Park is described.