Background: Folate is a water - soluble vitamin necessary for normal DNA synthesis among  other mechanisms. Folate deficiency can cause megaloblastic anemia resulting from abnormal erythrocyte d evelopment. At the Department of Clinical Chemistry, Linköping, analysis of folate is performed with Siemens ADVIA Centaur® XP which uses an immunochemical method with chemiluminimetric detection. Currently, the assay is conducted on serum, is poured off and frozen after 48 h and treated with light protection because folate is considered to be light sensitive.Methods: This study tested lithium heparin plasma for analysis of folate with Siemens ADVIA Centaur® XP with the aim to be able to perform a package of analyzes in anemia investigation from the same collection tube. Furthermore, the stability of folate was studied for up to 168 h and examined regarding light sensitivity.Results: Statistically significant higher values were obtained in the analysis of folate in lithium heparin plasma than folate in serum (p < 0,001).

The neo-classical conception of the market place does not provide a framework to account for ethical or moral action. As a result, the neo-classical model is unable to explain the impact of ethical and moral issues on business sustainability present in the modern economy. To address this limitation, this thesis investigates whether theories of ethics can help explain the motivations and actions of stakeholders within the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). In addition, the thesis explores whether theories of ethics are presented differently within aspects of the stakeholder model. Semi - structured interviews were conducted with various stakeholders within the CSR sector, including a NGO, a commercial firm and a CSR consultancy firm.

This study focuses on aspects of cult experiences, given by deconverted formermembers of closed religious movements. Their testimonies were published inbooks or interviews. The aims of the study were to understand the interactionbetween the religious group and its members, living in high tension towardsmainstream society and their testimonies of altered self-esteem during attraction,membership, deconversion and defection. The purpose was to understand how aperson´s self-esteem is affected by inner mechanisms of closed religiousmovements and how these experiences affects a persons identity. Another aspectwas whether there might be differences in altered self-esteem, between those whoenlisted as adults, and those who were born into the closed religious contexts.Social Identity Theory, Sigmund Freud´s and Carl Rogers models of personal egowere used as models of interpretations.

Adoption är ett av många sätt att bilda familj på, dock är det inte så vanligt i vårt samhälle. Då adoption inte är vanligt förekommande finns det inte heller mycket kunskap kring adoptionsprocessen därför har vårt syfte varit att undersöka vilka emotioner som uppkommer i adoptionsprocessen och hur dessa bearbetas både inom individen och i en gemenskap. Vårt syfte var att undersöka hur paren och den enskilda individen hanterar emotionerna som uppkommer i adoptionsprocessen men även hur normerna påverkar synen på adoptivföräldrar. Därefter ville vi även se hur den enskilda individen kunde genomgå denna process och om föräldragruppen hade någon betydelse. För att ta reda på detta utförde vi fyra solidariska intervjuer med fyra olika par som ingick i samma föräldragrupp.

The goal of this qualitative essay is to approach the knowledge of people who commit crimes. From a development psychology point of view, questions relating to childhood ang growth are some of the important subjects we choose to discuss. Our purpose is also to reveal the linkage between criminal behavior and different theories of the above mentioned perspective. To bridge the gap between the general and the individual, our survey was based on profound interviews with four inmates in prison. This offer an opportunity to capture the individual´s inner thoughts, feelings and experience about the criminal action.

Inbreeding has become a problem in some horse breeds. Studies show that it may lead to inbreeding depression which affects e.g. reproduction traits. In the wild there are mechanisms that make horses avoid mating with close relatives. When selection is done by humans this mechanism is removed and intensive breeding for a few traits, for example good racing results, can become a problem.

The purpose of this study was to find out how the responsible editors on a selection of Swedish newspapers react to a reproach from the Press Ombudsman. The method for this research was eight qualitative interviews with responsible editors on some of Sweden?s biggest newspapers, and also a few local newspapers.We based our results on the interviews and three theories ? media accountability, communicative action and consequence neutrality. We used these theories because we think that, put together they produce the most apt view of how media ethics is being handled in the printed press.We found out that in most cases a reproach doesn?t mean that much to a newspaper.

The purpose of this study is to understand school counselors knowledge and work with cyber bullying among students. Our study is based on the result from eight qualitative semi-structured interviews. These interviews were conducted with school counselors working at elementary and high school in the state of Kronoberg, Sweden. Our theoretical base is human services organizations, street level bureaucrats and acting space. Our study shows that school counselors have adopted cyber bullying in various ways which has an impact on their knowledge and systematical work regarding this question.

The author is active as a musician in the field of historically informed performance practice (HIP) which emanated from the 20th century early music movement. Studying of historical sources has a central role, but the problem of how interpretation and selection of source material is affected by art and music ideals of our time, is commonly acknowledged. Georg Joseph Vogler shows in a series of articles in "Betrachtungen der Mannheimer Tonschule" (1778-1781) how Stabat Mater by Pergolesi could, and in his opininon, should be improved. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how this source can be used from the standpoint of a performing musician: How can I use Vogler?s methods in my playing?The introduction problematizes Vogler?s action in relation to his time, and to ours.

Deontic Action Logic Multi Agent System (DALMAS) är en typ avmultiagentsystem där agenternas handlingar regleras av ett normativt system. Teorinför DALMAS bygger på deontisk logik, och normer i det normativa systemetuttrycks i termer av Kanger-Lindahls teori om normativa positioner. Syftet meddetta arbete är att försöka reda ut vilka eventuella fördelar ett normativt system kange samt hur man ska kunna skapa effektivt sådant. Går det att skapa ett normsystemsom kan lösa samma problem som ett konventionellt MAS löser? För att kunnajämföra de olika normsystemen har kriterier för hög effektivitet tagits fram.Testresultaten visar bl.a.

Those who have invested in apartments, i.e. tenant-ownership, within the city centre of Stockholm have gained a higher than expected return on investment due to a buoyant real estate market. During the latest twelve-month period, the prices have risen more than 20 per cent in the city of Stockholm, resulting in an increased wealth together with a higher debt burden among investors. The aim of this thesis is to investigate which factors determine the prices from a micro perspective, and to what extent. An attempt is particularly made to estimate the degree of capitalization of the monthly fees; a factor which has turned out to be important according to other studies; but also to construct pricing models in order to set target prices for apartments.

Many people perceive a division between an online world and the ?real? world outside of the World Wide Web. However, this view often leads to a reduced sense of importance ascribed to what takes place online, even though it affects life in very real ways. In our study we aim to explain the importance of how meaning is built in to sociomaterial compositions. By analyzing comment fields hosted by a Swedish IT-journal we illustrate how what is being said interplays with the technological platform in various ways.

We have done a qualitative and quantitative study about math problems on second­ary school students. The study is based on the diagnosis, treatment and training of teachers, about students who have math difficulties. The aim of this work is to obtain teachers ?perceptions about students? diagnosis, treatment / improvement and continuing education for students who have math difficulties. By having interviewed various teachers through surveys we have received answers to their concerns about the diagnosis, treatment and the importance of continuous training of teachers on students? mathematics difficulties.

With the farming methods of the past century the agricultural landscape has changed. This has led to the fact that many habitats and species have been significantly reduced. Sweden is committed to the preservation of biodiversity through various conventions and laws. In the EU's Common Agricultural Policy there are currently agro-environmental schemes, which were created as an instrument for reducing the negative impacts of agriculture on nature and environment. Within this system any farmer who perform environmental measures are financially compensated for this.

This thesis examines the underlying components that affect consumer behavior regarding organic food. The thesis theoretical framework is based on Ajzen and Fishbein?s The Theory of Reasoned Action combined with theories regarding involvement and routine purchases. The empirical material is based on a desk research with 19 research papers between the years 1994 till 2009 and sales statistics over organic food.  The thesis conclusion shows that the underlying components when looking at attitude towards conventional food are price, taste, expiration-date and healthfulness. While the components for involvement in organic food is the environment, personal health and supply.