The Arctic region appears as a pristine remote environment, yet there is increasing evidence that it is greatly impacted by pollution such as lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg). In this environment deposition of Hg has increased threefold since the last industrial revolution. In this study five cryosolic soil profiles within non-sorted circles (NSC) in the Abisko region, northwest of Sweden, has been analyzed to improve our understanding regarding how pollutants are distributed within such type of soil. The soil samples have been analyzed with the use of X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), for the measurements of the total concentrations of e.g. lead (Pb) and zirconium (Zr).

The study aims to investigate the feasibility of small-scale electricity production with solar electricity systems, also known as PV (photovoltaic) systems, in Australia. Due to the global warming, sustainable energy has in recent years become an increasingly important issue, both internationally and in Australia. With one of the largest dependencies on fossil energy sources in the world, the country's abundant solar radiation is a possible solution to this issue.Both the technical and the economic feasibility of small-scale PV systems were investigated. On the technological side, the electricity generation, distribution and consumption systems were studied. On the economical side, the parameters that drive the profitability of a PV investment were investigated.

Syftet med föreliggande undersökning var att identifiera faktorer som bidrog till känslan av "yrkesstolthet" hos anställda vid Försäkringskassan Dalarna inkluderande personalens tillfredsställelse med yrkesrollen. Sammanlagt 163 personer, 123 kvinnor och 40 män, från 25 till 66 år (X= 49,8 år) deltog i undersökningen. Denna genomfördes med hjälp av General Nordic Questionnaire for Psychological and Social Factors at Work (QPS Nordic) inkluderande 123 frågor samt 9 frågor gällande yrkesrollen. Frågorna besvarades väsentligen med hjälp av en 5-gradig skala av Likert-typ. Huvudresultatet uträknades med hjälp av Cronbachs Alpha, Principal Component Analysis och multipel regressionsanalys.

Following the accident at the nuclear power plant in Chernobyl in 1986, great volumes of137Cs were distributed over large parts of the former Soviet Union and Europe. Over Scotland,radiocaesium was deposited as wet deposition. Due to the relatively long physical half-life of30 years, there are still measurable activity concentrations in the natural environment. Thisstudy was made on two organic soils, Knockandy Hill and Rora Moss, situated in the easternpart of the central highlands of Scotland. At these two sites, studies on migration and transferbetween soil and plants were conducted.

Bovine milk is an excellent source of bioactive peptides. The bioactive peptides are in an inactive state in the protein and are released during enzymatic activity, e.g. during cheese ripening. Specific properties of bioactive peptides from ripened cheese has been reported, e.g. antihypertensive, antioxidative, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and mineral binding.

Stressrelaterade problem i arbetslivet anses vara den vanligaste orsaken till arbetsbesvär. Inomgruvsektorn kan ökad stress leda till psykiska symptom. Studien utgår från QPSNordic (GeneralNordic Questionnaire for Psychological and Social factors at work) + 34's enkätmaterial ochundersöker skillnad i skattning mellan en grupp anställda och entreprenörers (n=25) psykosocialaarbetsmiljö av relevans för stress. Analysen utgår från enkätmaterialets itemnivå. En signifikantskillnad påvisades där gruppen LKAB - anställda skattade högre inom kategorinorganisationskultur samt förutsägbarhet i arbetet och entreprenörsgruppen inom kategorinarbetskrav.

During the past twenty years, the Swedish school systems have slowly changed to becomemore and more performance-driven. Private schools have been growing in general and, likeindependent schools and schools managed by municipalities, they profile themselves. Schoolsare becoming more performance and result-oriented, which has changed the roles of teachersin a dramatic way and is in general, still changing.By profiling students based on theirindividual performance, schools are able to help students identify themselves and their owngoals. The process of profiling is a slow one in which some teachers adapt more quickly thanothers, and one that is critical for other teachers to learn in order to keep up with the demandsof society.Schools, like ordinary businesses, are in constant competition with each other to keep up withthe newest and greatest models of teaching and to rank among the best in high achievements.Perhaps the downside of this modern school structure is that it is often difficult to have aschool where both school management and teachers see eye to eye. School management must heavily focus on the school?s results as a whole.

IT-information och kommunikation är medel att förbättra hälsan hos personer med psykiska funktionshinder. Mitt arbete handlar om att utforma en webblösning för människor med psykiska funktionshinder. Jag har genomfört intervjuer och en workshop. Jag har intervjuat både brukare och personer som tar hand om dem. Jag har engagerat brukare i min designprocess.

The aim for this study was to find out what strategies women use to not react against inequality and sexist prejudice. In the study I used a critical realistic approach through, primary, the social ontology presented by Margaret S. Archer. The study focus on both the women?s construction of femininity and their construction of masculinity and what directions it constitutes for the women?s social orientation.

The aim of this study was to enlighten social workers experiences of social networks direct influence in Swedish social services, and in which ways those influences are manifested. Some of the issues that are being explored in this study are: The separation of the private sphere and professional duties; boundaries and dual relationships that occurs inside social networks; the use of social networks as a control-instrument in authority exercise towards clients; and social networks arising impact on social work. The empirical material was collected with nine qualitative interviews with social workers stationed at different social service departments in a Swedish municipality. Also one qualitative e-survey was sent out to, and answered by four social workers with a managerial position in the same municipality.The results reveal that several informants have experienced different problematic situations involving clients within the social networks. This study shows that the informants are very restrictive with what information (text and pictures) they publish on their facebook-profiles, because of their position of authority and the awareness of the possibility of always being watched.

Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur rekryteringsprocessen vid anställning av chef går till samt vikten av organisatorisk och personlig matchning av chef och företag. Författarna är även intresserade av betydelsen av psykologiska kontrakt i rekryteringssammanhang. Studien är inriktad mot rekryteringsföretag specialiserade på chefsrekrytering som organisationsmässigt skiljer sig så mycket som möjligt från varandra för att få en bredare syn. Undersökningen har delats in i olika områden som består av rekryteringsprocessen, meriter och personlighet samt organisatorisk passform. Studien är utförd genom intervjuer på sju deltagande rekryteringsföretag belägna i Mälardalen.

Forskning har indikerat att individer med högt välbefinnande är bättre på att bemöta stress. Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka vilka faktorer som skiljer individer med högt välbefinnande från dem med lågt välbefinnande, samt om deltagarna med högt välbefinnande har en bättre förmåga att hantera stress samt balansera krav och kontroll. 184 personer, varav de flesta kvinnor, har fått fylla i Ryff Psychological Well-being scale, Perceived Stress Scale och Job Content Questionnaire för att mäta välbefinnande, upplevd stressnivå och balansen mellan krav och kontroll. Två grupper skapades, en med lågt (n=20) och en med högt välbefinnande (n=20). Det framkom att gruppen med lågt välbefinnande ansåg sig ha signifikant lägre kontroll än gruppen med högt välbefinnande (p=.015).

Title: Predictions and explanation models for bankruptcy in stock-companies ? A study of three failed Swedish companies Author: Tim Svanberg Supervisor: Emil Numminen Department: School of Management, Blekinge Institute of technology Course: Bachelor?s thesis in business administration, 10 credits Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to find explanation for bankruptcy with the help of prediction models. The purpose is also to add explanation by using Behavioral analysis Method: Quantitative research of bankruptcies using financial prediction models and qualitative study of psychological pitfalls. The study is deductive. Results: I found that it is possible to explain the bankruptcies using the prediction models. The behavioural perspective adds further explanation.

Bullying in workplaces has been a growing problem the last ten years. Anyone can be a victim or a bully. Either you are a leader or a worker a bullying situation can be activated. There is no difference between ages, line of business, education or the size of the firm. A person is defined as bullied if he or she is repeatedly subjected to negative acts in the workplace. However, to be a victim of such bullying one must also feel inferiority in defending oneself in the actual situation. Bullying often occurs when situations or conditions at the workplace are unsatisfactory. Employers are always responsible for the working environment at the workplace. Victims of bullying very often develop psychological stress. To prevent bullying you have to accept the fact that bullying exists. If the company has a clear policy against bullying and a plan for action if the problem occurs, it will be easier to handle the situation.

Regulations on the exhaust emissions of HD-diesel engines are becoming more and more stringent, and therefore, emission after-treatment systems are commonly used. These systems rely on catalytic conversion of NOx,CO , and HC emissions, and are thus dependant on temperature. At low load of the engine, exhaust temperatures are not sufficient for the after-treatment components. Therefore, means to increase the exhaust temperature while maintaining low emissions and fuel consumption are needed.The focus of this project has been to develop strategies for the lift profiles of exhaust and intake valves in the engine, with the goal to raise exhaust temperature in combination with low emissions and fuel consumption. The strategies have been tested in a single-cylinder research engine equipped with a hydraulic variable valve actuation system.