Genetic ontogeny of pancreatic enzymes in Labrus bergylta larvae and the effect of feed type on enzyme activity and gene regulation

In the later years increased interest in the use of Labrus bergylta (ballan wrasse) as a cleaner fish on Salmo salar (Atlantic salmon) has caused the emergence of commercial farming of L. bergylta. In order to cultivate such a species, knowledge about its digestive physiology and its nutritional requirements is important, especially in larvae. It has therefore been suggested that a thorough investigation of digestive enzymes related to the pancreas in larvae could be valuable. There were two separate aims of the study. A descriptive part regarding the ontogeny of genes coding for pancreatic enzymes in larvae prior to metamorphosis were performed. Here, the aim was to investigate the effect of age on the relative expression of genes which are related to pancreatic digestion of proteins (trypsin), lipids (Cyp7 A1, BAL, sPLA2 1B) and carbohydrates (amylase, chitinase). Larvae were sampled from the age of 2–55 dph in weekly intervals. In addition to this, an experimental part was performed where the aim was to investigate the effect of different diets on pancreatic enzyme activity in the larvae. We also wanted to investigate the possibility of exogenous enzyme contribution by rotifers (B. plicatilis). Samples of successfully weaned larvae were compared to rotifer fed larvae, including larvae with no gut content. A sample of enriched rotifers was analyzed for comparison. Enzyme activity assays were performed on trypsin, neutral lipase, sPLA2, amylase and chitinase. Our results suggest a consistent feed- dependency in larval L. bergylta at a transcriptional level, where rotifers somehow stimulate upregulation and the formulated feed has the opposite effect. The regulation of BAL was the only exception, where an upregulation was observed as a result of weaning both in the ontogeny series and the experimental part. We did not observe an effect of diet on enzyme activities of neutral lipase, chitinase and sPLA2 in the experimental part. Trypsin and amylase activity assays showed a trend towards a higher activity in rotifer fed larvae, but these values were below the manufacturers LOD (limit of detection).Master i Havbruksbiologi - Generell havbruksbiologiMAMN-HAVHAV39

Cybersecurity Mindfulness in the Age of Mindless AIs: Investigating AI Assistants Impact in High-Reliability Organizations

The Focus: The focus of this Master Thesis is to investigate how AI tools, such as Large Learning Models (LLMs), impact cybersecurity operations in organizations that are regarded as highly reliable. To understand the impacts of AI tools on such operations, we also need to understand the nature of AI tools, their context of use and the experience of users that rely on them. Research Approach: This thesis is structured around two different methods of investigation. First a systematic literature review was conducted, where related articles was found in different databases, i.e. Google Scholar, Web of Science and the Basket of Eight publications. After this a Qualitative study was conducted where a multiple case study with interviews and random sampling was utilized. A total of 8 informants were interviewed for this study, each lasting ~30 minutes where the questions were based on the findings from the literature. Findings: From the literature it became clear that AIs, while better than humans in many things such as analyzing Big Data, intrusion detection and other pattern recognition activities, does bring with it many difficulties to the individual and the organization. AIs and LLMs are prone to making you develop an overreliance on them where you accept their answers because of your own biases, while the information itself might be fundamentally wrong or even deceitful. This phenomenon is called AI Hallucination and is vital to understanding an AIs effect on individuals. The literature highlighted that when using any tool, it was important to realize that the AI tool is simply a machine and might be wrong, question everything and do not accept any information at face value. Quite simply, think things through. LLMs have a problem with transparency, it is impossible to know its ‘reasoning’ behind the information it provides. This fact is supported by both the literature and the interviews themselves. Overreliance, hallucination, cultivating the wrong kind of trust and lack of transparency all lead to an individual acting mindless who takes the information as true. While they have been deceived by trusting something that essentially is untrustworthy or at the very least should have been looked more into. Implication: The practical implications for this study is that an organization, especially if it is of high reliability should carefully identify measures to avoid the negative impact of AI Assistants when used in day-to-day work in cybersecurity operations

Cybersecurity Mindfulness in the Age of Mindless AIs: Investigating AI Assistants Impact in High-Reliability Organizations

The Focus: The focus of this Master Thesis is to investigate how AI tools, such as Large Learning Models (LLMs), impact cybersecurity operations in organizations that are regarded as highly reliable. To understand the impacts of AI tools on such operations, we also need to understand the nature of AI tools, their context of use and the experience of users that rely on them. Research Approach: This thesis is structured around two different methods of investigation. First a systematic literature review was conducted, where related articles was found in different databases, i.e. Google Scholar, Web of Science and the Basket of Eight publications. After this a Qualitative study was conducted where a multiple case study with interviews and random sampling was utilized. A total of 8 informants were interviewed for this study, each lasting ~30 minutes where the questions were based on the findings from the literature. Findings: From the literature it became clear that AIs, while better than humans in many things such as analyzing Big Data, intrusion detection and other pattern recognition activities, does bring with it many difficulties to the individual and the organization. AIs and LLMs are prone to making you develop an overreliance on them where you accept their answers because of your own biases, while the information itself might be fundamentally wrong or even deceitful. This phenomenon is called AI Hallucination and is vital to understanding an AIs effect on individuals. The literature highlighted that when using any tool, it was important to realize that the AI tool is simply a machine and might be wrong, question everything and do not accept any information at face value. Quite simply, think things through. LLMs have a problem with transparency, it is impossible to know its ‘reasoning’ behind the information it provides. This fact is supported by both the literature and the interviews themselves. Overreliance, hallucination, cultivating the wrong kind of trust and lack of transparency all lead to an individual acting mindless who takes the information as true. While they have been deceived by trusting something that essentially is untrustworthy or at the very least should have been looked more into. Implication: The practical implications for this study is that an organization, especially if it is of high reliability should carefully identify measures to avoid the negative impact of AI Assistants when used in day-to-day work in cybersecurity operations

Experiments with different subsoiling methods on soils with poor plant growth at Rakkestad and Nannestad - Effects on soil physical properties, cereal grain yield and pulling force

Jordpakking er sett på som et problem og regnes som en av grunnene til at avlingsnivået har stagnert i norsk kornproduksjon. Jordløsning er et alternativ til å utbedre dette, men er omdiskutert fordi tidligere forsøk med jordløsning har hatt varierende effekt. I masteroppgaven, som er en del av forskningsprosjektet Agropro, har det blitt undersøkt om jordløsning kan være med å øke avlingene i norsk kornproduksjon. Det har blitt anlagt to forsøksfelt med jordløsning. I Rakkestad (sandig silt m. organisk materiale) ble jordløsning utført høst og vår med Dalbo Ratoon med skråstilte løsnetinder ned til 40 cm dybde. Om våren ble den ene delen av feltet pløyd og det andre harvet. Det ble sådd bygg (Hordeum vulgare), hvete (Triticum aestivum) og havre (Avena sativa). De jordfysiske målingene viste få signifikante utslag. Jordløsning høst og vår kombinert med vårpløying ga en signifikant reduksjon i gjennomsnittlig kornavling. Jordløsning kombinert med vårharving ga en tendens til økning i kornavling. Jordløsningen ser ut til å ha hatt en dreneringseffekt, der årsaken til dårlig vekst tidligere kan ha vært dårlig dreneringsevne. Jordløsneren kan ha fungert mer som en torpedoplog (mole drain) og bidratt til bedre drenering ved å lede vannet til grøftene. I Nannestad (siltig lettleire) ble jordløsning om høsten utført med Dalbo Ratoon med skråstilte løsnetinder og Kverneland CLE jordløsner med vinger ned til 35 og 45 cm dybde. Våren etter ble feltet vårarbeidet enten med plog (20 cm) eller stubbharv (12-15 cm). I tillegg til ordinær pløying ble plogen påmontert sålebrytere enten Økoskjær (12 cm) eller Løsnetinde (19 cm) på den først plogkroppen. De skal bryte opp plogsålen og løsne opp jorden like under plogsjiktet. Jordløsning om høsten gav en signifikant økning i luftpermeabilitet. Det ble funnet en signifikant økning i drenerbart porevolum for Løsnetinden sammenlignet med vårpløying og vårharving. Det ble ikke funnet signifikante forskjeller i kornavling, men ved jordløsning om høsten ned til 35 cm ga både Dalbo Ratoon og Kverneland CLE bedre avlinger sammenlignet med løsning med samme utstyret ned til 45 cm dybde. Sålebryting med Løsnetinden ga en vesentlig avlingsøkning sammenlignet med vårharving, vårpløying og vårpløying med Økoskjæret. Det ble funnet visuelt spor etter sålebryterne om våren et år etter at jordløsningen ble gjennomført. Jordløsnerene her ser ut til å ha brutt opp den tette og pakkede jorden. Det ble gjort et forsøk på verifisering av jordpakking (CVT) mot drenerbart porevolum ved 50 cm dreneringssug (-50 hPa, AC=5 % v/v) og mettet vannledningsevne (Ks = 10 cm x d-1). I Rakkestad korrelerer modellen dårlig med avlingsnivå. I Nannestad ser det ut til å være noe bedre sammenheng, men modellen har sine svakheter og bør ta høyde for trykkfasthet. Det ble gjennomført trekkraftmålinger av de ulike redskapene med unntak av Dalbo Ratoon. Økoskjær og Løsnetinde påmonter plog økte trekkraftbehovet med 18 og 25 % sammenlignet med en plogkropp. Kverneland CLE hadde et trekkraftbehov per arbeidsorgan som var 33 % høyere en plogkropp. Det spesifikke trekkraftbehovet, som er kraften fordelt på det bearbeidede arealet, for plog (72,0 kN/m2) økte det ved montering av Økoskjær (78,2 kN/m2) og Løsnetinde (84,2 kN/m2). Det laveste spesifikke trekkraftbehovet ble registrert for Kverneland CLE (41,4 kN/m2).Soil compaction is regarded as a problem and is considered as one of the reasons that yield levels have stagnated in Norwegian cereal production. Subsoiling is an alternative to rehabilitate the soil, but it is controversial because previous experiments with subsoiling have shown varying results. This master thesis is part of the research project AGROPRO. The possibilities of subsoiling as a solution to increase yields in Norwegian cereal production were investigated. Two field trials with subsoiling have been conducted during over a two year period (2013-2015). At Rakkestad (silty loam with organic matter) subsoiling was performed in autumn and spring with a Dalbo Ratoon with slanted legs to a depth of 40 cm. In spring one part of the field was spring ploughed and the other part spring harrowed. Barley, wheat and oats were sown. The soil physical measurements showed few significant impacts. Subsoiling both autumn and spring combined with spring ploughing resulted in a significant reduction in mean grain yield. Subsoiling when combined with spring harrowing showed a tendency of increased yield. Subsoiling seems to have improved drainage of the soil, where the reason for poor plant growth may previously have been poor drainage capacity. The subsoiler seems to have functioned more like a mole plough and improved the effect of the drainage system. At Nannestad (silty loam) subsoiling was carried out in the autumn with a Dalbo Ratoon with slanted legs and a Kverneland CLE conventional subsoiler with wings to a depth of 35 and 45 cm. In the following spring the field was ploughed (20 cm) or stubble cultivated (12- 15 cm). In addition to ordinary ploughing, plough mounted subsoilers were used, either Eco share (12 cm) or Loosening tine (19 cm) on the first plough body. Their function was to break up the plough pan and loosen the soil just below the plough pan. Subsoiling in the autumn resulted in a significant increase in air permeability. A significant increase in airfilled porosity was shown for the Loosening tine compared with ploughing and spring harrowing. There were no significant differences in grain yield, but the subsoiling in the autumn at a 35 cm depth resulted in higher yields for both Dalbo Ratoon and Kverneland CLE compared to subsoiling with the same equipment at a depth of 45 cm. Breaking the plough pan with the Loosening tine gave a non-significant increase in yield compared with spring harrowing, spring ploughing and spring ploughing with Eco share. Visual traces were observed in the plough pan in spring following subsoiling. Subsoiling seems to have broken up the dense and compacted soil. There was made an attempt to verify soil packing (CVT) against air capacity (-50 hPa AC=5 % v/v) and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks = 10 cm x d-1). At Rakkestad the model correlated poorly with grain yield. At Nannestad there is a better correlation, but the model has its weaknesses. Penetration resistance should be included to improve the model. An experiment investigating the pulling force of the different implements with the exception of the Dalbo Ratoon was conducted. Mounting the Eco share and Loosening tine on the plough increased the pulling force with 18 and 25%. Kverneland CLE had a pulling requirement per working organ which was 33% higher than the plough body. The specific draft requirement is the force distributed to the tilled area. The specific draft requirement of the plough (72.0 kN/m2) increased by mounting an Eco share (72.0 kN/m2) or a Loosening tine (78.2 kN/m2). The lowest specific draft requirement was measured for Kverneland CLE down to 35 cm (41.4 kN/m2).M-P

Complete response to anti-interleukin-5 biologics in a real-life setting:results from the nationwide Danish Severe Asthma Register

BACKGROUND: Phase III regulatory trials show that anti-interleukin (IL)-5 biologics efficiently reduce exacerbations and the use of maintenance oral corticosteroids (mOCS) in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. However, patients eligible for these trials differ significantly compared with real-life severe asthma populations. Therefore, our aim was to explore efficacy in a real-life setting. The Danish Severe Asthma Register (DSAR) is a complete, nationwide register that comprises all Danish patients on biological therapy for severe asthma. METHODS: This prospective study identified patients in the DSAR who were complete responders to anti-IL-5 biologics after 1 year of treatment. A complete response was defined as resolution of the parameter setting the indication, i.e. recurrent exacerbations and/or use of mOCS. RESULTS: A total of 289 out of 502 (58%) patients were complete responders to anti-IL-5 biologics after 12 months. Complete responders had greater improvements in forced expiratory volume in 1 s and Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) score compared with noncomplete responders (Δ 210 versus 30 mL; p<0.0001 and Δ −1.04 versus −0.68; p=0.016, respectively). A complete response was predicted by age at onset, less severe disease at baseline (i.e. no mOCS and lower ACQ score) and higher blood eosinophils. CONCLUSIONS: More than half of Danish patients treated with anti-IL-5 biologics for severe asthma achieve a complete response to treatment, thereby becoming free from asthma exacerbations and the need for mOCS. Complete responders also achieved superior effects on lung function and symptoms compared with noncomplete responders

Anti-parasite treatment and blood biochemistry in raptor nestlings

Author's accepted version (postprint).We investigated the effects of parasite removal on various blood clinical–chemical variables (BCCVs). BCCVs are indicators of health, reflecting, e.g., homeostasis of liver, kidney function, and bone metabolism. The study was conducted in Norway on chicks of two predatory birds: White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla (L., 1758)) and Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis (L., 1758)). Chicks were treated against both endoparasites (internal parasites) and ectoparasites (external parasites). We treated against ectoparasites by spraying nests with pyrethrins. Within nests, chicks were randomly treated with either an antihelminthic medication (fenbendazole) or sterile water (controls). Treatment against either ectoparasites or endoparasites led to higher levels of the bone and liver enzyme alkaline phosphatase. Bilirubin levels were lower when treated against ectoparasites, whereas bile acids were higher. Anti-endoparasite treatment led to higher creatinine levels. In Northern Goshawks, treating against endoparasites led to higher urea levels and lower potassium levels. Treatment against ectoparasites increased uric acid and urea levels and reduced bilirubin levels and protein:creatinine ratios. In conclusion, anti-parasite treatments led to changes in several BCCVs, suggesting differences in nutrient absorption and physiological state of chicks that are possibly related to the costs of parasitism, but maybe also to the parasite treatment itself.acceptedVersio

Quark Gluon Plasma an Color Glass Condensate at RHIC? The perspective from the BRAHMS experiment

We review the main results obtained by the BRAHMS collaboration on the properties of hot and dense hadronic and partonic matter produced in ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions at RHIC. A particular focus of this paper is to discuss to what extent the results collected so far by BRAHMS, and by the other three experiments at RHIC, can be taken as evidence for the formation of a state of deconfined partonic matter, the so called quark-gluon-plasma (QGP). We also discuss evidence for a possible precursor state to the QGP, i.e. the proposed Color Glass Condensate.Comment: 32 pages, 18 figure

Pressor therapy in acute ischaemic stroke: an updated systematic review

Background Low blood pressure (BP) in acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) is associated with poor functional outcome, death, or severe disability. Increasing BP might benefit patients with post-stroke hypotension including those with potentially salvageable ischaemic penumbra. This updated systematic review considers the present evidence regarding the use of vasopressors in AIS. Methods We searched the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, EMBASE and trial databases using a structured search strategy. We examined reference lists of relevant publications for additional studies examining BP elevation in AIS. Results We included 27 studies involving 1886 patients. Nine studies assessed increasing BP during acute reperfusion therapy (intravenous thrombolysis, mechanical thrombectomy, intra-arterial thrombolysis or combined). Eighteen studies tested BP elevation alone. Phenylephrine was the most commonly used agent to increase BP (n = 16 studies), followed by norepinephrine (n = 6), epinephrine (n = 3) and dopamine (n = 2). Because of small patient numbers and study heterogeneity, a meta-analysis was not possible. Overall, BP elevation was feasible in patients with fluctuating or worsening neurological symptoms, large vessel occlusion with labile BP, sustained post-stroke hypotension and ineligible for intravenous thrombolysis or after acute reperfusion therapy. The effects on functional outcomes were largely unknown and close monitoring is advised if such intervention is undertaken. Conclusion Although theoretical arguments support increasing BP to improve cerebral blood flow and sustain the ischaemic penumbra in selected AIS patients, the data are limited and results largely inconclusive. Large, randomised controlled trials are needed to identify the optimal BP target, agent, duration of treatment and effects on clinical outcomes.acceptedVersio