Quantum gravity phenomenology at the dawn of the multi-messenger era—A review

The exploration of the universe has recently entered a new era thanks to the multi-messenger paradigm, characterized by a continuous increase in the quantity and quality of experimental data that is obtained by the detection of the various cosmic messengers (photons, neutrinos, cosmic rays and gravitational waves) from numerous origins. They give us information about their sources in the universe and the properties of the intergalactic medium. Moreover, multi-messenger astronomy opens up the possibility to search for phenomenological signatures of quantum gravity. On the one hand, the most energetic events allow us to test our physical theories at energy regimes which are not directly accessible in accelerators; on the other hand, tiny effects in the propagation of very high energy particles could be amplified by cosmological distances. After decades of merely theoretical investigations, the possibility of obtaining phenomenological indications of Planck-scale effects is a revolutionary step in the quest for a quantum theory of gravity, but it requires cooperation between different communities of physicists (both theoretical and experimental). This review, prepared within the COST Action CA18108 “Quantum gravity phenomenology in the multi-messenger approach”, is aimed at promoting this cooperation by giving a state-of-the art account of the interdisciplinary expertise that is needed in the effective search of quantum gravity footprints in the production, propagation and detection of cosmic messengers.publishedVersio

E16 Rørvik-Vik. Registrering av friluftsliv og vurdering av sårbarhet

Det er gjennomført en registrering av friluftslivet i influensområdet for ny planlagt E 16 på strekningen Rørvik-Vik. Området har regional, lokal og bolignær verdi for friluftslivet. Viktige friluftsinteresser er blant annet fiske, krepsing, båtutfart og bading. Skogområdene nyttes til turgåing og andre allmenne friluftsaktiviteter. Det er også gjort en sårbarhetsvurdering, dvs en vurdering av hvilke områder/aktiviteter som vil være sårbare for den type inngrep som en vegutbygging representerer. Områder med stor sårbarhet er i første rekke knyttet til de offentlige og private friluftsområdene, strandsoner av god kvalitet, viktige ressursområder for fiske og områder med spesielle (landskapsmessige) opplevelsesverdier

E18 mellom Festningstunnelen og Ekebergtunnelen. Detalj- og reguleringsplan, etappe 1. Vannkvalitet og hensyn til naturmiljøet

Aas-Jakobsen A

A bioeconomic model for estimating the benefits of acid rain abatement to Salmon fishing: a case study in South West Scotland

The United Kingdom, under the Large Combustion Plant Directive of the European Community, is committed to cutting sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions by 60% of 1980 levels by the year 2003. In order to justify this action and to support new decisions on further emission reductions, policy makers require knowledge of the economic benefits of abatement. Benefit estimates for the recovery of freshwater fish populations present difficulties since the effect of reduced acid deposition on environmental processes is complex and because fishery records are often inadequate or absent. This paper predicts the economic benefits of acid rain abatement to the rod and line salmon fishery of Galloway, South West Scotland. It achieves this by linking output on long term changes in water chemistry and fish population status from MAGIC, a process based catchment model for acidification, with catch and market value data. Predicted increases in the market value of the fishery are presented and the role of the model in economic analysis of environmental policy discussed

Planning of an Integrated acidification study and survey on acid rain impacts in China. Final report

The PIAC-project has been a multidisciplinary survey on acid rain in China. One goal has been to document effects of airborne acidifying compounds on vegetation, soil, soil- and surface- water and aquatic biota. Other goals have been to exchange knowledge between Chinese and Norwegian scientists, as well as visiting research sites in highly polluted areas in China and evaluating their need of support in a future collaborative monitoring and research program. Besides doing field measurements, we have collected samples at more than 20 sites in three areas in China, i.e. Chongqing, Guiyang and Guangzhou. Data from this survey may also be used in the RAINS-Asia model work, where more data are needed to validate and improve this model. Our survey documents negative effects of air pollution on all ecosystem levels investigated. The air concentration of sulfur in the urban and nearby areas is very high. The concentration of volatile organic compounds is generally high, which means that intcreased NOx emissions in coming years may create increasing O3 problems. Reduced photosynthetic activity in some plants is documented, as well as soil and surface water acidification. Aquatic biota also reflects the acidification status of the surface waters investigated. However, the degree of damage in these regions is difficult to assess, since too few sites are incorporated in the survey. Surface water acidification is currently not a major enviromental problem in China and will presumably not become one during the next decades. This report also contains a status report about acidification in China (in Appendix A) as well as a proposed framework for a monitoring program based on Norwegian experiences (in Appendix D)

The ACTN3 R577X polymorphism is associated with inflammatory myopathies in a Mexican population

Background: The ACTN3 gene encodes the fast muscle protein a-actinin-3. The ACTN3 R577X polymorphism is a premature stop codon and results in absence of a-actinin-3 in 577XX homozygotes. The aim of this study was to determine the ACTN3 genotype in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs). Methods: We performed ACTN3 genotyping on 27 patients with dermatomyositis (DM), 10 with polymyositis (PM), and 85 healthy subjects. Muscle enzyme levels of creatine phosphokinase (CPK), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were recorded at the time of diagnosis and recruitment. Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and the allele frequency was analysed. Results: A total of 36% of healthy subjects had the ACTN3 577XX polymorphism (a-actinin-3 deficiency), 18% had the 577RR (homozygous wild type) genotype, and 46% 577RX (heterozygous). In DM/PM, 70% had the ACTN3 577XX polymorphism, 6% RR, and 24% RX [odds ratio (OR) 4.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.67-10.33, p < 0.001]. In healthy subjects, the R allele was present in 41% and the X allele in 59% compared to 18% and 82%, respectively, in the IIM group (OR 3.21, 95% CI 1.57-6.66, p < 0.001). Thus, the ACTN3 577X allele seemed to increase the risk of developing IIM, and DM in particular, although this was not related to severity of expression of the phenotype. Conclusions: The ACTN3 577X allele appeared to increase the risk of developing IIM; 70% of IIM patients were deficient in a-actinin-3. By contrast, ACTN3 577XX patients seemed to have less severe disease as reflected in lower muscle enzyme levels. � 2012 Taylor & Francis on license from Scandinavian Rheumatology Research Foundation