Journal Staff

Studien undersöker om annonsering av nyemissioner genererar en onormal avkastning på svenska aktiemarknaden. Studiens avsikt är även att ge bättre förståelse för i vilken grad faktorer som bolagsstorlek och emissionsbelopp påverkar den onormala avkastningen. Undersökningen är av kvantitativ art och genomförs med hjälp av en eventstudie. För att besvara undersökningen beräknas den onormal avkastningen vid annonsering om nyemission. Resultatet visar att bolag som annonserar om nyemission genererar negativ onormal avkastning på eventdagen. Det går inte att säkerställa om bolagsstorleken kan vara en förklarande faktor till den onormala avkastningen. Däremot föreligger ett samband mellan emissionsbeloppet i förhållande till marknadsvärdet och dess påverkan på den onormala avkastningen. Studiens slutsats är att annonsering av nyemissioner genererar en negativ onormal avkastning i samband med att nyheten blir publik

Fruits of knowledge

This report is focused on marketing opportunities for small-scale mango farmers in the Nyanza Province in Kenya. Kenya is a large horticultural producer in the world. Horticulture is an important income for a large share of the rural population in Kenya but profitability is low due to inefficiencies in marketing systems and poor infrastructure. The conditions for growing mango in the Nyanza Province are very beneficial and there are two harvesting seasons. Mango offers good income opportunities for small-scale farmers in the Nyanza Province. The aim of this study is to identify marketing conditions that will enable prospering business for small-scale mango farmers in the Nyanza Province, Kenya. The method for answering the research questions was to conduct a case study in Kenya. The data collection consisted of interviews with small-scale mango farmers, Field Officers at the Vi Agroforestry, and experts at organizations involved in the topic. This case study is based on a literature review of marketing strategies for mango production in Kenya and it focuses on the farmers’ opportunities. The analysis in this report aims to make use of existing theories in structuring empirical facts to better understand a complex phenomenon and the chosen theories in this case are marketing strategy in an institutional context combined with theories about cooperatives. Key results from the interviews are that mango production is a profitable business and all respondents were positive towards growing mango, even though there are many challenges. The main conclusion of this study is that the most suitable marketing strategy for the small-scale farmers in Nyanza is to collaborate with each other and different organizations. Collaborations bring many advantages for the farmers such as gathering of financial resources, knowledge, and information, stronger bargain power, access to larger markets, and increased profits. Mango production in the Nyanza Province holds great potential both for the local and the global market. Although, the development is at an early stage and the focus today should be to increase the production and establish working partnerships to be competitive in the long run.Denna rapport inriktar sig på marknadsmöjligheter för småskaliga mangobönder i Nyanza Provinsen i Kenya. Kenya är en viktig producent av hortikulturella produkter och hortikultur är en viktig inkomstkälla för en stor del av landsbygdsbefolkningen. Lönsamheten är dock låg till följd av ineffektiva marknadssystem och dåligt fungerande infrastruktur. Förutsättningarna för att odla mango i Nyanza är mycket fördelaktiga och mangon kan skördas två gånger om året. Vidare erbjuder mango goda möjligheter till ökad inkomst för småskaliga bönder i Nyanza. Denna studie syftar till att identifiera marknadsförhållanden som möjliggör framgångsrik affärsverksamhet för småskaliga mangobönder i Nyanza Provinsen i Kenya. Metoden som använts för att besvara forskningsfrågorna är en fallstudie vilken har genomförts i Kenya. Datainsamlingen gjordes i Kenya och bestod av intervjuer med småskaliga mangobönder, Field Officers anställda av Vi Skogen samt experter på ämnet och organisationer involverade i produktion och marknadsföring av mango. Böndernas möjligheter är fokus för denna fallstudie som baseras på en litteraturstudie av marknadsstrategier för mangoproduktion i Kenya. Analysen syftar till att strukturera empiriska fakta med hjälp av existerande teoretiska modeller för att bättre förstå ett komplext fenomen. Den valda teoretiska modellen sätter marknadsstrategier i ett institutionellt sammanhang. Även teorier om kooperativ används i rapporten. Ett viktigt resultat från intervjuerna är att mangoproduktion är lönsamt och samtliga respondenter var positiva till att odla mango även om svårigheterna är många. Den huvudsakliga slutsatsen är att den mest lämpliga marknadsstrategin för småskaliga mangobönder i Nyanza är att samarbeta med varandra och med organisationer. Sådana samarbeten för med sig många fördelar, det ger bönderna möjlighet att samla sina finansiella resurser och de kan dela med sig av kunskap och information. Samarbeten ger också bönderna en starkare förhandlingsposition, tillgång till större marknader samt ökad lönsamhet. Det finns stor potential för mangoproduktion i Nyanza, både för lokala och globala marknader. Utvecklingen är dock på ett tidigt stadium och idag bör fokus ligga på att öka produktionen och etablera partnerskap. På så sätt kan bönderna bli långsiktigt konkurrenskraftiga

Abundance and Distribution of Enteric Bacteria and Viruses in Coastal and Estuarine Sediments—a Review

The long term survival of fecal indicator organisms (FIOs) and human pathogenic microorganisms in sediments is important from a water quality, human health and ecological perspective. Typically, both bacteria and viruses strongly associate with particulate matter present in freshwater, estuarine and marine environments. This association tends to be stronger in finer textured sediments and is strongly influenced by the type and quantity of clay minerals and organic matter present. Binding to particle surfaces promotes the persistence of bacteria in the environment by offering physical and chemical protection from biotic and abiotic stresses. How bacterial and viral viability and pathogenicity is influenced by surface attachment requires further study. Typically, long-term association with surfaces including sediments induces bacteria to enter a viable-but-non-culturable (VBNC) state. Inherent methodological challenges of quantifying VBNC bacteria may lead to the frequent under-reporting of their abundance in sediments. The implications of this in a quantitative risk assessment context remain unclear. Similarly, sediments can harbor significant amounts of enteric viruses, however, the factors regulating their persistence remains poorly understood. Quantification of viruses in sediment remains problematic due to our poor ability to recover intact viral particles from sediment surfaces (typically <10%), our inability to distinguish between infective and damaged (non-infective) viral particles, aggregation of viral particles, and inhibition during qPCR. This suggests that the true viral titre in sediments may be being vastly underestimated. In turn, this is limiting our ability to understand the fate and transport of viruses in sediments. Model systems (e.g., human cell culture) are also lacking for some key viruses, preventing our ability to evaluate the infectivity of viruses recovered from sediments (e.g., norovirus). The release of particle-bound bacteria and viruses into the water column during sediment resuspension also represents a risk to water quality. In conclusion, our poor process level understanding of viral/bacterial-sediment interactions combined with methodological challenges is limiting the accurate source apportionment and quantitative microbial risk assessment for pathogenic organisms associated with sediments in aquatic environments

Occurrence of virulence genes associated with diarrheagenic pathotypes in Escherichia coli isolates from surface water

Escherichia coli isolates (n=300) collected from six sites in subtropical Brisbane, Australia, prior to and after storm events were tested for the presence of 11 virulence genes (VGs) specific to diarrheagenic pathotypes. The presence of eaeA, stx, stx, and ehxA genes specific for the enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) pathotype was detected in 56%, 6%, 10%, and 13% of isolates, respectively. The VGs astA (69%) and aggR (29%), carried by enteroaggregative (EAEC) pathotypes, were frequently detected in E. coli isolates. The enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) gene bfp was detected in 24% of isolates. In addition, enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC) VG ipaH was also detected in 14% of isolates. During dry periods, isolates belonging to the EAEC pathotype were most commonly detected (23%), followed by EHEC (11%) and EPEC (11%). Conversely, a more uniform prevalence of pathotypes, EPEC (14%), EAEC (12%), EIEC (10%), EHEC (7%), and ETEC (7%), was observed after the storm events. The results of this study highlight the widespread occurrence of potentially diarrheagenic pathotypes in the urban aquatic ecosystems. While the presence of VGs in E. coli isolates alone is insufficient to determine pathogenicity, the presence of diarrheagenic E. coli pathotypes in high frequency after the storm events could lead to increased health risks if untreated storm water were to be used for nonpotable purposes and recreational activities

Antimicrobial Resistance, Virulence Factors and Genetic Diversity of Escherichia coli Isolates from Household Water Supply in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Background: Unsafe water supplies continue to raise public health concerns, especially in urban areas in low resource countries. To understand the extent of public health risk attributed to supply water in Dhaka city, Bangladesh, Escherichia coli isolated from tap water samples collected from different locations of the city were characterized for their antibiotic resistance, pathogenic properties and genetic diversity. Methodology/Principal Findings: A total of 233 E. coli isolates obtained from 175 tap water samples were analysed for susceptibility to 16 different antibiotics and for the presence of genes associated with virulence and antibiotic resistance. Nearly 36% (n = 84) of the isolates were multi-drug(≥3 classes of antibiotics) resistant (MDR) and 26% (n = 22) of these were positive for extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL). Of the 22 ESBL-producers, 20 were positive for blaCTX-M-15, 7 for blaOXA-1-group(all had blaOXA-47) and 2 for blaCMY-2. Quinolone resistance genes, qnrS and qnrB were detected in 6 and 2 isolates, respectively. Around 7% (n = 16) of the isolates carried virulence gene(s) characteristic of pathogenic E. coli; 11 of these contained lt and/or st and thus belonged to enterotoxigenic E. coli and 5 contained bfp and eae and thus belonged to enteropathogenic E. coli. All MDR isolates carried multiple plasmids (2 to 8) of varying sizes ranging from 1.2 to >120 MDa. Ampicillin and ceftriaxone resistance were co-transferred in conjugative plasmids of 70 to 100 MDa in size, while ampicillin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline resistance were co-transferred in conjugative plasmids of 50 to 90 MDa. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis revealed diverse genetic fingerprints of pathogenic isolates. Significance: Multi-drug resistant E. coli are wide spread in public water supply in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Transmission of resistant bacteria and plasmids through supply water pose serious threats to public health in urban areas

Expression of Colonization Factor CS5 of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) Is Enhanced In Vivo and by the Bile Component Na Glycocholate Hydrate

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is an important cause of acute watery diarrhoea in developing countries. Colonization factors (CFs) on the bacterial surface mediate adhesion to the small intestinal epithelium. Two of the most common CFs worldwide are coli surface antigens 5 and 6 (CS5, CS6). In this study we investigated the expression of CS5 and CS6 in vivo, and the effects of bile and sodium bicarbonate, present in the human gut, on the expression of CS5. Five CS5+CS6 ETEC isolates from adult Bangladeshi patients with acute diarrhoea were studied. The level of transcription from the CS5 operon was approximately 100-fold higher than from the CS6 operon in ETEC bacteria recovered directly from diarrhoeal stool without sub-culturing (in vivo). The glyco-conjugated primary bile salt sodium glycocholate hydrate (NaGCH) induced phenotypic expression of CS5 in a dose-dependent manner and caused a 100-fold up-regulation of CS5 mRNA levels; this is the first description of NaGCH as an enteropathogenic virulence inducer. The relative transcription levels from the CS5 and CS6 operons in the presence of bile or NaGCH in vitro were similar to those in vivo. Another bile salt, sodium deoxycholate (NaDC), previously reported to induce enteropathogenic virulence, also induced expression of CS5, whereas sodium bicarbonate did not

Presence and viability of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) in aquatic environments

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is one of the major causes of diarrhoea among children in developing countries and in travelers to these regions. The bacteria are spread via contaminated water and food, and surface and drinking water in developing countries has been found to harbor these organisms. The standard methods for detection of ETEC include culturing and subsequent detection of ETEC enterotoxins by ELISA or the corresponding genes by PCR or DNA-DNA hybridisation. Identification of ETEC based on culturing of specimens may be unsuitable when analysing water samples for ETEC since it has been shown that enteric bacteria that enter the stressful environment of water can convert to a dormant, so called “viable but non-culturable” (VBNC) state. In this thesis we have developed a real-time PCR assay with primers against the enterotoxin genes of ETEC for detection and quantification of ETEC bacteria in different types of water samples. The assay was proven to be highly specific for ETEC and allow detection of as few as three bacteria. The sensitivity was found to be considerably higher compared to phenotypic methods when analysing water samples from an endemic area in Bangladesh, where 67 % of the samples were positive for ETEC with the real-time PCR assay compared to 15 % based on culturing followed by toxin detection with ELISA. The survival of ETEC bacteria was evaluated in sea- and freshwater microcosm experiments. Clinically isolated ETEC strains were incubated in the different water types for 12 weeks and the morphology, culturability and expression of virulence factors and housekeeping genes were studied over time. We could show that the ETEC bacteria remained intact and expressed virulence and housekeeping genes, despite the fact that all strains in seawater and one of the strains in freshwater were non-culturable in vitro using standard culturing media. It was also shown that ETEC was ingested by and survived in mussels at different temperatures indicating that consumption of contaminated seafood might be a route of infection for ETEC. To show that the VBNC ETEC from the water microcosms were potentially viable the different strains were used to infect infant mice. Results showed that all strains from the seawater microcosms and one of six strains from freshwater were able to regain their culturability in mice suggesting that VBNC forms of ETEC present in water may be infectious. These results may be of importance for public health since previously used diagnostics based on culturing methods cannot detect VBNC forms of the bacteria and hence the risk of getting infected with ETEC might have been underestimated

Dansen med Självet : en jungiansk analys av Mevlevi-ordens dansritual

Min uppsats är en jungiansk analys av Mevlevi-orderns dansritual. Min C-uppsats, Den dansande imaginationen, behandlade dansterapi utifrån den jungianska psykologins teorier och analysen av dansritualen är en fortsättning på temat om dans som ett redskap i den terapeutiska processen. Syftet med min uppsats är att utifrån den jungianska psykologins teorier få en fördjupad förståelse för den psykiska process som ritualen återspeglar. Min frågeställning är följande: Vilken psykologisk innebörd får Mevlevi-orderns dansritual om jag analyserar den utifrån den jungianska psykologins teorier? Jag har analyserat utifrån arketypteorin och teorin om individuationsprocessen som innebär en fortgående psykisk växt som leder fram till mötet med en gudomlig inre själskärna, Självet. Forskningsmetoden jag har använt mig av är en hermeneutisk textanalys och texten jag har analyserat är Friedlanders redogörelse för dansritualen. Jag har använt mig av amplifikationsmetoden i min analys vilket innebär att jag dragit paralleller till symboliskt material för att tydliggöra och fördjupa förståelsen för dansritualen. Jag har analyserat ritualen i dess helhet eftersom varje del i ritualen har sin specifika betydelse och bidrar till dess psykologiska innebörd. Genom att analysera dansritualen utifrån Jungs teorier får ritualen den psykologiska innebörden av en individuationsprocess som leder fram till upplevelsen av Självet som den centrala och organiserande arketypen i psyket. I dansritualen får dansaren en konkret fysisk upplevelse av ett skeende som har en inre psykologisk motsvarighet och genom denna upplevelse finns en möjlighet att medvetandegöra omedvetet material

Nynäshamn's Student nation

Even though the site close to Nynäsgård commuter train station is potentially a juncture where people can meet, it's a suprisingly desert place. Backlura ”miljonprogramsområde”, other residential areas and small-scale industries can be found nearby. Those living in Backlura wishes for a place to meet, especially the youths. A building holding space for a bike workshop and an activity house may meet those needs and additionally activate the space for everyone. On the ground floor one finds the bike workshop, a café and a small area for the commuters to wait while staying warm. The first and second floor is the activity house, devoted to the youths and the public. At these floors one can find a room for presentations, a big space with seating assemblies, the Tik Tok room where youths can connect their cellphones and watch videos together, and more quiet rooms such as meeting rooms, studios and a room for reading and writing. The staff has their own space and paths in which they move within the building. The rounded shape of the building originated from an idea of movement, and additionally, it provides an efficient way of inviting people coming from all directions.Trots att platsen vid Nynäsgårds pendeltågsstation är en potentiell knutpunkt för människor att mötas är den förvånansvärt öde idag. I anknytning till platsen finns Backlura miljonprogramsområde, andra bostadsområden samt småindustrier. De boende i Backlura önskar en plats att mötas på, speciellt ungdomarna som bor där. En byggnad som rymmer plats för cykelverkstad och aktivitetshus skulle kunna möta det behovet och aktivera platsen för alla. På entréplanet finns cykelverkstaden, ett kafé och ett litet utrymme för pendlare att värma sig på. På plan ett och två finns aktivitetshuset, både för ungdomar och allmänheten. Här finns ett rum för presentationer, ett stort utrymme med gradänger för att umgås i, Tik Tok-rummet där ungdomar kan koppla in sin mobil och se på videos, men också mer slutna rum såsom mötesrum, ateljéer och rum för att läsa och skriva. Personalen har egna rum och vägar att röra sig genom byggnaden och de olika personalgrupperna möts under dagen, t ex i det gemensamma pentryt. Byggnadens rundade former kom dels av en idé om rörelse som både ett aktivitetshus och cykelverkstad står för, men är också ett effektivt sätt att bjuda in människor som kommer från alla väderstreck