Boligprisutviklingen i Kristiansand : en analyse av boligprisindeksen til SSB og alternative indekser

Masteroppgave økonomi og administrasjon - Universitetet i Agder 2016Hensikten med denne oppgaven er å undersøke boligprisindeksen til Statistisk sentralbyrå på bakgrunn av boligomsetninger i Kristiansand i tidsperioden 2008-2015. Målet er å undersøke om estimeringsmetoden til SSB kan forandres slik at boligprisindeksen forbedres på et lavere regionalt nivå. Oppgavens problemstilling har følgende formulering: ”Har boligprisindeksen utviklet av Statistisk sentralbyrå forbedringspotensial på et lavere regionalt nivå?” Innledningsvis presenteres boligmarkedet i Norge. Det gis en oversikt over situasjonen i boligmarkedet og figurer som viser boligprisutviklingen siden årtusenskiftet. Deretter presenteres bakgrunnsinformasjon om Kristiansand, boligprisutviklingen i området og dens bydeler. I teoridelen gis det først en grunnleggende innføring i økonomiske teorier som senere benyttes i oppgaven. Deretter gis det en grundig innføring av estimeringsmetoden til Statistisk sentralbyrå. Den hedonistiske prisfunksjonen til SSB utledes og indeksformelen blir nøye gjennomgått. Avslutningsvis presenteres prismodellen og variablene SSB benytter. I neste del beskrives alternative estimeringsmetoder og forklaringsvariabler som skal undersøkes nærmere. Forskjellige regresjonsmodeller blir presentert og jeg utleder min prisfunksjon. Videre beskrives datainnsamlingsmetoden og valg av variabler til analysen. Deretter følger en beskrivelse av datarensingen og en presentasjon av det endelige datamaterialet som jeg skal benytte i undersøkselsen. I analysekapittelet har jeg undersøkte ulike regresjonsmodeller og påvirkning av forklaringsvariablene jeg ønsket å inkludere i prismodellen. På bakgrunn av analysen ble en dobbelt-logaritmisk regresjonsmodell valgt som en hensiktsmessig modell. Forklaringsvariablene jeg inkluderte viste seg å ha en sammenheng med omsetningsprisen og en positiv påvirkning på regresjonsresultatene. Jeg kunne derfor konkludere med at boligprisindeksen til SSB hadde forbedringsmuligheter på et lavere regionalt nivå

Numerical optimization of gene electrotransfer into muscle tissue

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Electroporation-based gene therapy and DNA vaccination are promising medical applications that depend on transfer of pDNA into target tissues with use of electric pulses. Gene electrotransfer efficiency depends on electrode configuration and electric pulse parameters, which determine the electric field distribution. Numerical modeling represents a fast and convenient method for optimization of gene electrotransfer parameters. We used numerical modeling, parameterization and numerical optimization to determine the optimum parameters for gene electrotransfer in muscle tissue.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We built a 3D geometry of muscle tissue with two or six needle electrodes (two rows of three needle electrodes) inserted. We performed a parametric study and optimization based on a genetic algorithm to analyze the effects of distances between the electrodes, depth of insertion, orientation of electrodes with respect to muscle fibers and applied voltage on the electric field distribution. The quality of solutions were evaluated in terms of volumes of reversibly (desired) and irreversibly (undesired) electroporated muscle tissue and total electric current through the tissue.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Large volumes of reversibly electroporated muscle with relatively little damage can be achieved by using large distances between electrodes and large electrode insertion depths. Orienting the electrodes perpendicular to muscle fibers is significantly better than the parallel orientation for six needle electrodes, while for two electrodes the effect of orientation is not so pronounced. For each set of geometrical parameters, the window of optimal voltages is quite narrow, with lower voltages resulting in low volumes of reversibly electroporated tissue and higher voltages in high volumes of irreversibly electroporated tissue. Furthermore, we determined which applied voltages are needed to achieve the optimal field distribution for different distances between electrodes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The presented numerical study of gene electrotransfer is the first that demonstrates optimization of parameters for gene electrotransfer on tissue level. Our method of modeling and optimization is generic and can be applied to different electrode configurations, pulsing protocols and different tissues. Such numerical models, together with knowledge of tissue properties can provide useful guidelines for researchers and physicians in selecting optimal parameters for <it>in vivo </it>gene electrotransfer, thus reducing the number of animals used in studies of gene therapy and DNA vaccination.</p

IT-revisjon : Revisors forhold til IT- og informasjonssystemer for regnskapsavleggelse

Masteroppgave revisjon og regnskap BE508 - Universitetet i Agder 2017I dag benytter de aller fleste virksomheter IT- og informasjonssystemer i sine forretningsprosesser. Derfor vil det bli et stort behov for revisorer med kompetanse innen ITog informasjonssystemer, sikkerhet og risiko ved IT. Formålet med vår masteroppgave er å belyse revisors forhold relatert til IT. Oppgavens problemstilling har følgende formulering: ”Hva gjør revisor for å forstå og håndtere risiko knyttet til IT- og informasjonssystemer relevant for finansiell rapportering?” Innledningsvis presenteres formålet med revisjon. Det gis en oversikt over revisjonsprosessen og tilknyttede begreper. Ved at vår masteroppgave handler om IT-revisjon gis det en innføring i utviklingen av IT-revisjon som eget fagområdet og vi viser til tidligere forsking. I teoridelen gis det en innføring i IT-revisjon og hva som menes med IT- og informasjonssystemer. Videre forklares det hvilken funksjon internkontroll har og hvilke oppgaver revisor har i forbindelse med å vurdere de ulike komponentene. Deretter utredes revisors risikovurdering av IT- og informasjonssystemer og hvordan IT-miljø utgjør en del av den interne kontrollen. Derfra går vi videre til å gi en beskrivelse av revisors håndtering og testing av IT- og informasjonssystemer. Kapittelet avsluttes med hvordan eventuelle svakheter ved IT- og informasjonssystemer kan påvirke revisors rapportering og kommunikasjon ved revisjonens slutt og selve revisjonsberetningen. I kapittelet om metode drøftes ulike datainnsamlingsmetoder og forskningsstrategier. Valg av metode blir presentert og vi utleder vår utvalgsstrategi og fremgangsmåte for rekruttering av intervjuobjekter. Videre forklares gjennomføring av datainnsamling og hvordan oppgaven kan knyttes til prinsippene validitet og reliabilitet. I kapittel fire gis det en presentasjon av funn og analyse. Analysen er delt opp i kategoriene: revisors forståelse av IT-miljø, revisors håndtering av IT-relaterte kontroller, rapportering og kommunikasjon ved kontrollsvakheter, samhandling mellom revisor og IT-revisor og muligheter og utfordringer for revisor i fremtiden. Her gjør vi rede for hvilke likheter og ulikheter som fremkommer blant våre informanter og vi drøfter eventuelle årsaker som kan føre til dette. Avslutningsvis oppsummerer vi funn og trekker konklusjoner, samt kommer med forslag til videre forsknin

Generalist Primary School Teachers’ Preferences for Becoming Subject Matter Specialists

Traditionally Australian primary school teachers have been viewed as generalists responsible for instruction across all content areas. Adopting self-determination theory as a lens, the aim of the study was to explore the extent to which generalist primary school teachers are interested in becoming subject matter specialists. Questionnaire data were collected from 104 early years primary school teachers. Findings suggest that two-thirds of these generalist teachers expressed an interest in specialising in either English, mathematics, and to a far lesser extent, science, such that they would be responsible for exclusively teaching this subject. Preferences for specialisation were based on teachers’ self-perceived content and pedagogical expertise and/ or their enjoyment of teaching in this content area. By contrast, the one-third of teachers who would choose to remain generalists referred to the value in a variety of teaching experiences, teaching from a whole child perspective and content integration. Implications for educational policy are discussed

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease symptoms and demographic factors as a pre-screening tool for Barrett's esophagus.

BACKGROUND: Barrett's esophagus (BE) occurs as consequence of reflux and is a risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma. The current "gold-standard" for diagnosing BE is endoscopy which remains prohibitively expensive and impractical as a population screening tool. We aimed to develop a pre-screening tool to aid decision making for diagnostic referrals. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A prospective (training) cohort of 1603 patients attending for endoscopy was used for identification of risk factors to develop a risk prediction model. Factors associated with BE in the univariate analysis were selected to develop prediction models that were validated in an independent, external cohort of 477 non-BE patients referred for endoscopy with symptoms of reflux or dyspepsia. Two prediction models were developed separately for columnar lined epithelium (CLE) of any length and using a stricter definition of intestinal metaplasia (IM) with segments ≥ 2 cm with areas under the ROC curves (AUC) of 0.72 (95%CI: 0.67-0.77) and 0.81 (95%CI: 0.76-0.86), respectively. The two prediction models included demographics (age, sex), symptoms (heartburn, acid reflux, chest pain, abdominal pain) and medication for "stomach" symptoms. These two models were validated in the independent cohort with AUCs of 0.61 (95%CI: 0.54-0.68) and 0.64 (95%CI: 0.52-0.77) for CLE and IM ≥ 2 cm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified and validated two prediction models for CLE and IM ≥ 2 cm. Both models have fair prediction accuracies and can select out around 20% of individuals unlikely to benefit from investigation for Barrett's esophagus. Such prediction models have the potential to generate useful cost-savings for BE screening among the symptomatic population

The influence of skeletal muscle anisotropy on electroporation: in vivo study and numerical modeling

The aim of this study was to theoretically and experimentally investigate electroporation of mouse tibialis cranialis and to determine the reversible electroporation threshold values needed for parallel and perpendicular orientation of the applied electric field with respect to the muscle fibers. Our study was based on local electric field calculated with three-dimensional realistic numerical models, that we built, and in vivo visualization of electroporated muscle tissue. We established that electroporation of muscle cells in tissue depends on the orientation of the applied electric field; the local electric field threshold values were determined (pulse parameters: 8 × 100 μs, 1 Hz) to be 80 V/cm and 200 V/cm for parallel and perpendicular orientation, respectively. Our results could be useful electric field parameters in the control of skeletal muscle electroporation, which can be used in treatment planning of electroporation based therapies such as gene therapy, genetic vaccination, and electrochemotherapy

Phenotyping heart failure patients for iron deficiency and use of intravenous iron therapy: data from the Swedish Heart Failure Registry.

AIMS: Iron deficiency (ID) is associated with poor prognosis regardless of anaemia. Intravenous iron improves quality of life and outcomes in patients with ID and heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). In the Swedish HF registry, we assessed (i) frequency and predictors of ID testing; (ii) prevalence and outcomes of ID with/without anaemia; (iii) use of ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) and its predictors in patients with ID. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used multivariable logistic regressions to assess patient characteristics independently associated with ID testing/FCM use, and Cox regressions to assess risk of outcomes associated with ID. Of 21 496 patients with HF and any ejection fraction enrolled in 2017-2018, ID testing was performed in 27%. Of these, 49% had ID and more specifically 36% had ID-/anaemia-, 15% ID-/anaemia+, 29% ID+/anaemia-, and 20% ID+/anaemia+ (48%, 39%, 13%, 30% and 18% in HFrEF, respectively). Risk of recurrent all-cause hospitalizations was higher in patients with ID regardless of anaemia. Of 1959 patients with ID, 19% received FCM (24% in HFrEF). Important independent predictors of ID testing and FCM use were anaemia, higher New York Heart Association class, having HFrEF, and referral to HF specialty care. CONCLUSION: In this nationwide HF registry, ID testing occurred in only about a quarter of the patients. Among tested patients, ID was present in one half, but only one in five patients received FCM indicating low adherence to current guidelines on screening and treatment

The effect of electroporation pulses on functioning of the heart

Electrochemotherapy is an effective antitumor treatment currently applied to cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors. Electrochemotherapy of tumors located close to the heart could lead to adverse effects, especially if electroporation pulses were delivered within the vulnerable period of the heart or if they coincided with arrhythmias of some types. We examined the influence of electroporation pulses on functioning of the heart of human patients by analyzing the electrocardiogram. We found no pathological morphological changes in the electrocardiogram; however, we demonstrated a transient RR interval decrease after application of electroporation pulses. Although no adverse effects due to electroporation have been reported so far, the probability for complications could increase in treatment of internal tumors, in tumor ablation by irreversible electroporation, and when using pulses of longer durations. We evaluated the performance of our algorithm for synchronization of electroporation pulse delivery with electrocardiogram. The application of this algorithm in clinical electroporation would increase the level of safety for the patient and suitability of electroporation for use in anatomical locations presently not accessible to existing electroporation devices and electrodes