Male piglets have been castrated for centuries to avoid contamination of their meat with boar taint, a strongly unpleasant odour that makes the meat inedible. Today boar taint can be prohib-ited by vaccination against gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) using Improvac®. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of vaccination on growth performance and behaviour of vaccinated male pigs compared to surgically castrated male pigs. The effect of two feeding regimes, restricted (SLU-norm) and semi ad libitum, was also included in the study. At birth, pigs (n=206) were randomly allocated to the two treatment groups; surgically castrated and vaccination.

The RECK gene is a relatively new discovered gene with important implications for cancer research. The research has been primarily concentrated on the human gene with the ultimate aim to identify the invasive characteristics. Up regulated RECK is linked to significantly prolonged survival rates in patients with severe forms of malignancies. RECK is normally expressed in all cells of the body and has an important role in the balance between destructive and constructive features of the extracellular matrix. The RECK protein is a membrane-bound glycoprotein that inhibit matrix metalloproteinases which has the function of breaking down the ECM. There is a significant correlation between RECK gene expression and the formation of new vessels, presumably via the mediation of VEGF which is an important and powerful inducer of angiogenesis.

Modern milk production have come a long way when it comes to accommodating the nutritional and physiological needs of the animals, but unfortunately the behavioural and psychological needs of cows and heifers are often left unfulfilled. A long time for eating is beneficial for the digestion and also gives the cattle something to do and decreases the risks for developing abnormal behaviours. An important factor that influences eating- and ruminating time is the particle size of the roughage. The aim of the study was to find out if particle size influences the behaviour of dairy heifers, in particular with regard to eating behaviour and abnormal behaviours. The study was conducted at Uddetorp farm high school in Skara. Forty-two heifers of the breeds SR and SF were housed in 8 slatted floor pens.

This is a qualitative study with a descriptive approach. The main purpose with this study is to examine the view of prostitution and sex trade among Social worker students at Malmö Högskola. Our research questions are; To which extension and consideration is the view of male and female prostitutes divided? Is the view of the male and female sex buyer different among the students? How do the students explain and understand male and female prostitution? How do the students explain and understand the male and female sex buyer? To collect data and to be able to find out the students views and thoughts about the phenomenon we used focus groups with four to six students in each group. To categorize the material we used four topics; explanation/understanding models, the individuals behind the phenomenon, love/sex and intimacy, and the society?s responsibility.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka ungdomars uttryckta attityder gentemot alkoholrelaterade handlingar samt att ta reda på hur de upplever den subjektiva normen från föräldrarna. Frågeställningarna var: Vilken attityd uttrycker ungdomen gentemot alkoholrelaterade handlingar? Hur uppfattar ungdomen den subjektiva normen från föräldrar och vänner när det gäller alkoholrelaterade handlingar? Finns det något samband mellan ungdomens uttryckta attityd gentemot alkoholrelaterade handlingar och upplevelsen av föräldrarnas attityd gentemot alkoholrelaterade handlingar? Hur skiljer sig de uttryckta attityderna åt mellan ungdomarna beroende på kulturell bakgrund och kön? Den kvantitativa utgångspunkten valdes för studien och Theory of Planned Behaviour användes som teoretisk utgångspunkt. Resultatet visade att respondenterna uttrycker främst negativa attityder gentemot alkoholrelaterade handlingar. Respondenterna upplever en negativ subjektiv norm från föräldrarna.

Health and convenience trends dominate the food industry and retailing business of today. The health consciousness is spreading while appealing product attributes concerning taste and packaging also are increasingly important. At the same time, the competition is growing fierce in the Swedish market with hard discount formats and niche concepts who also are trying to provide the market with perishables. Therefore, the pressure to lower prices is increasing making economies of scale and rationalization progressively more important. In 2004, ICA launched private label meat packaged in a modified atmosphere. Consequently, many stores went from in-store cutting-up and packaging to selling centrally packaged and distributed meat. ICA is now developing a concept with fresh fish in modified atmosphere packages and needs to increase the knowledge about the market and the consumer.

In this paper the authors examine three questions: 1) Is stealth marketing messages posing as status updates on Facebook a more effective way of advertising than traditional web banners? 2) What impact has learning about stealth marketing practices in social media on consumer attitude and post purchase behaviour? And finally 3) Will different generations respond differently to these questions?Our findings show that stealth marketing in social media is not more effective than traditional web banners. Furthermore, the result indicates that when consumers find out about stealth marketing practices it will have a negative impact on future purchase intensions and brand image. Most consumers will also have strong feelings of being deceived, which could instigate harmful post purchase behaviour such as negative word-of-mouth and possibly, based on some earlier cases, boycotts.The result of our research shows that the brand perceptions and future purchase intentions of Generation Y, persons between 18 and 30 years of age, are affected in a less negative way than the brand perceptions and future purchase intentions of older generations when finding out about stealth marketing practices in social media. However Generation Y:s reaction is still negative and they do consider traditional web banners to be more credible than status updates on Facebook.

The purpose of this study was to explore the connection between substance abuse and completed/attempted suicide. Central questions were who the substance abusers who commit suicidal actions were. The study also tries to find out which factors that contributes to this behaviour and why it is so common amongst substance abusers. All from the point of view of three scientist and three persons working with treatment of addicts who were interviewed. The results of these interviews were analysed on an individual level with a psychological theory.

Syftet med uppsatsen är att öppna upp en diskussion kring frågan om huruvida ett företags pris- och outputstrategi och tillväxt påverkas av eller påverkar kapitalstrukturen i samma företag.Vi har utifrån en deduktiv ansats använt oss av både kvalitativ samt kvantitativ data.Vi har valt följande begrepp och teorier för att förklara sambanden mellan kapitalstruktur och strategi: Aggressiv och defensiv strategi, konservativ och offensiv strategi samt Limited liability, Predatory behaviour och Investment effect theory.Vi har genom kvantitativ data samlat in sekundärdata från respektive företags hemsida samt från deras årsredovisningar. Genom kvalitativa metoder har vi samlat in primärdata i form av telefonintervjuer.Våra resultat tyder på att det kan finnas ett samband mellan kapitalstrukturen och de aspekter av strategi som vi valt att undersöka. Dock kan vi inte dra några generella slutsatser då vår population är alltför liten. Vissa av de teorier som vi har byggt vår uppsats på behöver utvecklas för att passa på ett tillfredsställande sätt till detta problem..

The aim of this study was to examine how individuals who have left a criminal lifestyle may experience their present life. A symbolic interaction approach was the theoretical framework for this research. Qualitative interviews were conducted with seven individuals who have stated having had and left a criminal lifestyle. The results showed that how individuals experience their present life is highly dependent on individuals? own view of themselves as well as on how others view them.

In many regulated rivers, authorities have stocked hatchery salmon to compensate for loss of wild populations. However, hatchery fish have not always behaved as wild fish do, and stocking them has not always fully compensated for the loss of wild fish. The purpose of this study was to compare swimming behaviour in the river before spawning, the choice of spawning areas and body size between wild and hatchery-reared salmon in the river Klarälven. Salmon behaviour in the river before spawning was analyzed using radio telemetry. The salmon were caught at Forshaga power plant, radio-tagged and returned to Klarälven at Ekshärad, 107 km from the river?s mouth.

The Internet provides the common user with a variety of both traditional and non-traditional news sources, and a vast range of possibilities to contribute to the flow of information. By their participation in the production of information ordinary citizens can sometimes function as non-traditional news sources them selves and reach a potentially unlimited audience. The interactive nature of the Internet blurs the line between producers and consumers, and challenges traditional definitions of what counts as "news" as well as who qualifies as a "journalist". The main purpose of this thesis is to examine the potential consequences of this decentralization regarding the information behaviour of newspaper journalists and their perception of their professional role. The study consists of qualitative interviews with six journalists, employed by four of the leading Swedish newspapers, and a review of earlier research in the field.

The essay examines managers reflection after attending a leader development program. When examining their thoughts the author starts out from the assumption that leader development programs with reflecting elements can create reflection on management/leadership and the organisations management behaviour. The examination is done whit help of a case study on a company in the paint industry. To test the assumption the author uses a combination of questioners and interviews on eight managers who has finished a leader development program. The result is analysed by bringing forward the managers general assumptions an by finding relations between opinions on needs, existing norms and preferred management/leadership.

The aim of this essay is to examine three separate Swedish public libraries and their respective websites on the grounds of the usability sciences. I firstly had to summarize the main properties of the usability-field in order to gain an extended knowledge of its purposes and possible usage for today?s library systems. I was then able to apply the extended knowledge in the examination of the three library websites and the purpose of determining whether or not they were designed according to the standards set by the usability-sciences.Usability is a rather new science that deals with the dissection and examination of computer-based systems, in order to find the key components that make systems user-friendlier. With user needs being the main focus of its research, usability tries to meet all the different needs of the modern user and construct systems that are less system-centered and more user-centered.

Background: The consumers of today have the possibility to choose from a wide range of products and services. Consequently, the ability to differentiate the products is essential for the brand owners. If a brand owner does not manage to differentiate its product, it can be difficult to make the consumers realise the benefits of the product and convince them to buy it. One way to differentiate the product is to create a distinguished brand identity. However, it is not enough to create a strong brand identity, the brand owner must also be capable of communicating the brand identity successfully.