| 1. |
- Elväng, Annelie, et al.
(författare)
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Sequencing of a Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus from Ixodes ricinus Reveals a Thermosensitive RNA Switch Significant for Virus Propagation in Ectothermic Arthropods
- 2011
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Ingår i: Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. - : Mary Ann Liebert Inc. - 1530-3667 .- 1557-7759. ; 11:6, s. 649-658
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a flavivirus with major impact on global health. The geographical TBEV distribution is expanding, thus making it pivotal to further characterize the natural virus populations. In this study, we completed the earlier partial sequencing of a TBEV pulled out of a pool of RNA extracted from 115 ticks collected on Torö in the Stockholm archipelago. The total RNA was sufficient for all sequencing of a TBEV genome (Torö-2003), without conventional enrichment procedures such as cell culturing or suckling mice amplification. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the genome of TBEV has been sequenced directly from an arthropod reservoir. The Torö-2003 sequence has been characterized and compared with other TBE viruses. In silico analyses of secondary RNA structures formed by the two untranslated regions revealed a temperature-sensitive structural shift between a closed replicative form and an open AUG accessible form, analogous to a recently described bacterial thermoswitch. Additionally, novel phylogenetic conserved structures were identified in the variable part of the 3′-untranslated region, and their sequence and structure similarity when compared with earlier identified structures suggests an enhancing function on virus replication and translation. We propose that the thermo-switch mechanism may explain the low TBEV prevalence often observed in environmentally sampled ticks. Finally, we were able to detect variations that help in the understanding of virus adaptations to varied environmental temperatures and mammalian hosts through a comparative approach that compares RNA folding dynamics between strains with different mammalian cell passage histories.
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| 2. |
- Eriksson, Sofia, et al.
(författare)
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Current distribution of older and deciduous forests as legacies from historical use patterns in a Swedish boreal landscape (1725–2007)
- 2010
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Ingår i: Forest Ecology and Management. - : Elsevier BV. - 0378-1127 .- 1872-7042. ; 260:7, s. 1095-1103
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We combine historical maps and satellite derived data to reconstruct the development of a Swedish boreal landscape over the past 300 years. The aim is to understand legacies from past use patterns in present-day forest composition and consequences for conservation objectives from a landscape perspective. We analyze landscape development in cross-tabulation matrixes, building change trajectories. These trajectories are tested in linear models to explain the distribution of present-day landscape composition of coniferous, mixed, and deciduous forests >110 years. Of 49 tested change trajectories, 11 showed a significant association. Associations for mixed and coniferous forests were similar and linked to characteristics such as forest continuity, which characterized the studied landscape. Deciduous older forests did not show any association to forest continuity but were more likely to occur on areas that specifically shifted from forests with grazing in the 1720s to open impediment (likely indicating low tree coverage) in the 1850s. There were large shifts and spatial redistribution in ownerships over time. Use patterns and legacies varied between small- and large-scale ownership categories as well as within small-scale categories. The legacies found in the study indicate a complex origin of heterogeneous landscape elements such as older deciduous forests. Additionally, the origin of the legacies indicates a potential need to diversify conservation management based on the influence of past use patterns. Despite large inconsistencies in historical and contemporary data we argue that this type of analysis could be used to further understand the distribution of landscape elements important for conservation objectives.
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| 3. |
- Eriksson, Sofia, et al.
(författare)
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Historical perspepctives on landscape representation and forest composition in Woodland Key Habitats compared to formally protected forest in boreal Sweden
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Habitats of Swedish conservation interests are in general small and fragmented following the extensive and intensive forest management history. This study covering 71 000 ha of boreal Sweden investigates how history influences present-day distribution and composition of forests identified as high conservation value habitats and how they are protected. We also investigated if the habitat criteria used to describe reservations differed between reservation types and if habitat criteria were associated with the size of Woodland Key Habitats. The results show strong effects from historical ownership and historical forest type on the probability of an area being set aside as formally protected or as voluntary protected Woodland Key Habitats. We also found that both formal reservations and Woodland Key Habitats primarily cover coniferous forest in the age interval 70-110 years but not the presumably most valuable oldest coniferous category >110 or deciduous forests, which are as common in reservations as in other areas. Old deciduous forests (>110 years) are significantly more rare in formal reservations compared to the forest matrix. When viewed in a context of fragmentation and edge effects the results underline the importance of evaluating reserved areas and Woodland Key Habitats in a wider temporal and larger spatial perspective to optimize conservation management efforts. Maximal representation and biodiversity can be better achieved if new reservations are chosen to represent different ownership and forest history, and if they are selected in a landscape context related to present reservations and the present surrounding production forest.
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| 4. |
- Eriksson, Sofia, et al.
(författare)
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Interactions between historical forest composition and ownership affect present composition of older forest in boreal Sweden
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In this study we reconstruct forest composition during the 1860s for a 71000 ha area in southern boreal Sweden. The aim is to show how historical ownership and associated anthropogenic disturbances act as a source of heterogeneity in the present-day distribution and composition of coniferous and deciduous forest within the commercial production forest. We use older (>110 years) and mature (70-110 years) forest as response variables in generalized linear models with a binominal error distribution. The explanatory variables include size of zone, historical type of ownership zone (village, company, and farm), amount of forest, and forest type. We focus in particular on investigating effects from interacting explanatory variables. The significant statistical associations in the study indicate that patterns of deciduous and coniferous older patches differ, and that deciduous patches differ in relation to age interval. The oldest deciduous patches, for example, are today more likely on areas that had deciduous cover also in the past and stood on forestland managed by farmers, but less likely on the same habitat managed by companies. We show that there are strong effects on present forest composition from historical ownership and forest composition. We argue that by including local data on past ownership combined with knowledge on use patterns management could be better adapted to local landscape dynamics compared to the application of overly generalized patterns or models of boreal dynamics that excludes interactions with management.
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| 5. |
- Juell-Skielse, Gustaf, et al.
(författare)
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Modes of collaboration and expected benefits of inter-organizational E-government initiatives : A multi-case study
- 2017
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Ingår i: Government Information Quarterly. - : Elsevier. - 0740-624X .- 1872-9517. ; 34:4, s. 578-590
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Collaboration among governmental organizations has been regarded as essential for realizing benefits of e-government investments. Inter-organizational collaboration on e-government can appear in several forms and can aim at varying types of benefits. However, few if any studies have delved deeper into analysis of how chosen forms of collaboration might relate to targeted e-government benefits. This article studies five cases of how contemporary acquisitions and implementations of digital archiving systems have been launched through five modes of collaboration (autonomous, standardization, framework agreement, consortium, and central service organization) among organizations in the Swedish public sector. Our analysis reveals that whereas the target system, digital archive in our case, stays similar, expected benefits vary. The article contributes by elaborating the concept of mode of collaboration that identifies typical benefits justifying a choice of a particular collaboration form on e-government development and describing the five modes in more detail based on a multi-case study. The article also outlines fourteen related propositions of the correlation between the collaboration modes and expected benefits to be verified by further research.
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| 6. |
- Lönn, Carl-Mikael, 1980-
(författare)
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An m-Government Solution for Complaint and Problem Management : Designing a Solution for Government 2.0
- 2014
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Licentiatavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In recent years emphasis has been placed on opening up governments and empowering and engaging citizens in governmental activities: this view of e-government is referred to as government 2.0. Government 2.0 focuses on governments becoming more transparent, accessible, and responsive, and on governments promoting increased collaboration and participation. There is also an increasing demand from citizens to interact and gain access to government services through mobile devices. Adopting mobile and wireless technology within the public sector is referred to as mobile government (m-government) and this new phenomenon is expected to become an important part of the development of e-government. By combining government 2.0 and m-government, The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the research community envisages benefits and calls for action within this field.This research answers this call, and addresses the research problem of how to design an m-government solution for complaint and problem management that enables government 2.0. Challenges that inhibit Swedish municipalities from adopting and utilizing such a solution are also identified in this research.Citizens in Sweden can submit complaints and problems concerning a community, such as broken streetlights, to municipalities. By enabling complaints and problems to be reported through mobile devices it facilitates reporting at the point and time of discovery of the issue. Complaint and problem reporting is therefore a suitable m-government service. The m-government solution for complaint and problem management was designed and evaluated within a research project. This compilation thesis builds on and communicates research performed within the research project. By following a design science research methodology, the complaint and problem management solution is designed and evaluated. The solution (Munizapp) comprises a mobile application (app) and an integration platform (ePlatform). The app is the front-end that enables citizens to report complaints and problems to municipalities. The ePlatform facilitates seamless two-way communication between the app and back-end case management system in municipalities. A theoretical evaluation shows that the solution has functionalities that enable all aspects of government 2.0. Additional evaluations indicate evidence of citizens finding the solution valuable and easy to use. There is willingness among municipalities to adopt and utilize the designed m-government solution, but there are challenges that inhibit them from realizing the full potential of the solution. The challenges identified in this research are described and related to business process management and to government 2.0. Future research should investigate how to overcome these challenges.
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| 7. |
- Lönn, Carl-Mikael, et al.
(författare)
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Configurable Process Models for the Swedish Public Sector
- 2012
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Ingår i: Advanced Information Systems Engineering. - Cham : Springer Berlin/Heidelberg. - 9783642310942 - 9783642310959 ; , s. 190-205
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Process orientation and e-services have become essential in revitalizing local government. Although most municipalities oer similar services there is little reuse of e-services or underlying process models among municipalities. Congurable process models represent a promis- ing solution to this challenge by integrating numerous variations of a process in one general model. In this study, design science is used to de- velop a congurable process model to capture the variability of a num- ber of dierent processes. The results include a validated congurable process model for social services, a benets analysis and directions for future development. Although the results are perceived useful by munic- ipal ocials, there are several challenges to be met before the benets of congurable process models are fully utilized.
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| 8. |
- Lönn, Carl-Mikael, et al.
(författare)
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Core Aspects for Value Co-Creation in Public Sector
- 2015
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Ingår i: AMCIS 2015 Proceedings. - : Association for Information Systems. - 9780996683104
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- There is a great potential for creating public value by engaging and getting citizens to collaborate together with governments in public activities. E-government and open government enable citizens and governments to collaborate and (co)-create value that benefit both parties, but there are factors inhibiting value to be co-created and realized in the public sector. Research on value co-creation has been mainly focused on the private sector and on positive outcomes and hence it is not enough knowledge of how to make value co-creation successful in the public sector. Drawing from previous research and data gathered during the design of open government services in two different research projects in Sweden, this research proposes core aspects for public value co-creation and identifies inhibitors for its realization. This paper thereby expands the knowledge on value co-creation and depicts that public value co-creation connects the fields of value co-creation, e-government and open government.
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| 9. |
- Lönn, Carl-Mikael, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
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Designing an m-government solution : enabling collaboration through citizen sourcing
- 2016
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the European Conference on Information Systems (ECIS 2016). - : Association for Information Systems.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- By combining openness with m-government, OECD and the research community envisage benefits, and action is called for within this field. The objective of this paper is to answer these calls and address the research question How to design a citizen-sourcing m-government solution to facilitate collaboration between governments and citizens? An instantiation of a complaint and problem management solution is designed and evaluated using design science. The solution (named Munizapp) comprises a mobile application (app) and an integration platform (ePlatform). The app is the front-end for citizens, enabling them to report complaints and problems to municipalities. The ePlatform facilitates seamless two-way communication between the app and back-end case management system in municipalities. Different evaluation activities have been carried out that proved the enabling features of the solution for facilitating collaboration. Usability evaluation and knowledge gained through the research process provides new knowledge to citizen sourcing and e government theory. One example is the need to expand citizen sourcing frameworks to also include stakeholders other than citizens and governments as well as the need to explicate value co-creation between all stakeholders touched by the solution. The paper ends with suggestion for future research that focus on stakeholder analysis and value co-creation.
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| 10. |
- Lönn, Carl-Mikael, 1980-
(författare)
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E-Government Collaboration in the Swedish Public Sector : Multiple Studies on Collaboration Facilitators and Collaboration Modes
- 2016
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Collaboration in the public sector is imperative to achieve e-government objectives such as improved efficiency and effectiveness of public administration and improved quality of public services. Collaboration across organizational and institutional boundaries requires public organizations to share e-government systems and services through for instance, interoperable information technology and processes. Demands on public organizations to become more open also require that public organizations adopt new collaborative approaches for inviting and engaging citizens in governmental activities.E-government related collaboration in the public sector is challenging, however, and collaboration initiatives often fail. Public organizations need to learn how to collaborate since forms of e-government collaboration and expected outcomes are mostly unknown. How public organizations can collaborate and the expected outcomes are thus investigated in this thesis by studying multiple collaboration cases on the acquisition and implementation of a particular e-government investment (digital archive). This thesis also investigates how e-government collaboration can be facilitated through artifacts. It is done through a case study, where objects that cross boundaries between collaborating communities in the public sector are studied, and by designing a configurable process model integrating several processes for social services. By using design science, this thesis also investigates how an m-government solution that facilitates collaboration between citizens and public organizations can be designed.The thesis contributes to literature through describing five different modes of interorganizational collaboration in the public sector and the expected benefits from each mode. It also contributes with an instantiation of a configurable process model supporting three open social e-services and with evidence of how it can facilitate collaboration. This thesis further describes how boundary objects facilitate collaboration between different communities in an open government design initiative. It contributes with a designed mobile government solution, thereby providing proof of concept and initial design implications for enabling collaboration with citizens through citizen sourcing (outsourcing a governmental activity to citizens through an open call). This thesis also identifies research streams within e-government collaboration research through a literature review and the thesis contributions are related to the identified research streams. This thesis gives directions for future research by suggesting that future research should focus further on understanding e-government collaboration and how information and communication technology can facilitate collaboration in the public sector. It is suggested that further research should investigate m-government solutions to form design theories. Future research should also examine how value can be co-created in e-government collaboration.
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