Improving sea surface temperature in a regional ocean model through refined sea surface temperature assimilation

Infrared (IR) and passive microwave (PMW) satellite sea surface temperature (SST) retrievals are valuable to assimilate into high-resolution regional ocean forecast models. Still, there are issues related to these SSTs that need to be addressed to achieve improved ocean forecasts. Firstly, satellite SST products tend to be biased. Assimilating SSTs from different providers can thus cause the ocean model to receive inconsistent information. Secondly, while PMW SSTs are valuable for constraining models during cloudy conditions, the spatial resolution of these retrievals is rather coarse. Assimilating PMW SSTs into high-resolution ocean models will spatially smooth the modeled SST and consequently remove finer SST structures. In this study, we implement a bias correction scheme that corrects satellite SSTs before assimilation. We also introduce a special observation operator, called the supermod operator, into the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) four-dimensional variational data assimilation algorithm. This supermod operator handles the resolution mismatch between the coarse observations and the finer model. We test the bias correction scheme and the supermod operator using a setup of ROMS covering the shelf seas and shelf break off Norway. The results show that the validation statistics in the modeled SST improve if we apply the bias correction scheme. We also find improvements in the validation statistics when we assimilate PMW SSTs in conjunction with the IR SSTs. However, our supermod operator must be activated to avoid smoothing the modeled SST structures on spatial scales smaller than twice the PMW SST footprint. Both the bias correction scheme and the supermod operator are easy to apply, and the supermod operator can easily be adapted for other observation variables

Nyanser av vold? Unge jenters erfaringer i voldelige kjæresterelasjoner

Artikkelen analyserer unge jenters erfaringer i voldelige kjæresterelasjoner preget av grov voldsutøvelse. I artikkelen analyseres et kvalitativt materiale som består av elek-troniske innlegg skrevet av unge jenter på ulike spørre- og rådgivingsspalter på inter-nett. Det gjøres bruk av et diskursanalytisk rammeverk for å forstå hvordan jentene konstruerer mening ut fra sine erfaringer. Analysene viser at jentene gir sine erfaringer mening ved å nyansere hvordan volds-erfaringene kan forstås. Nyansene omhandler særlig tre aspekter; definisjoner av vold, grenser for vold og ikke minst ansvar for vold. Nyansene av vold forstås som uttrykk for alternative subjektposisjoner som gir rom for andre måter å forstå og håndtere den volden jentene blir påført av sine kjærester

Simulering av ventetid og effektivitet i sykehus - Separate eller kombinerte avdelinger for akutte og elektive pasienter

Mange sykehus opplever uønskede strykninger av elektive operasjoner fordi øyeblikkelig hjelp pasienter må prioriteres. Den elektive pasienten henvises til venting til det igjen er ledig kapasitet. Skjerming av sykehusenes elektive virksomhet er derfor et tilbakevendende tema i den helsepolitiske debatten. I denne artikkelen diskuterer vi fordeler og ulemper med skjerming av elektiv virksomhet med utgangspunkt i resultatene fra en simuleringsmodell. Modellsimuleringene er gjort med det norskutviklede dataprogrammet Powersim Constructor (versjon 2.5). En kombinert avdeling som både behandler akutte og elektive pasienter forventes å ha kortere ventetider og mindre overtidsbruk enn en løsning med separat akutt og separat elektiv avdeling. Bakgrunnen for dette er at større fleksibilitet i den kombinerte avdelingen i ressursbruk i behandling av elektive og akutte pasienter oppnår høyere gjennomsnittlig kapasitetsutnyttelse. I den kombinerte avdelingen står pasientene i fare for å bli strøket av programmet på operasjonsdagen siden de konkurrerer med akutte pasienter om kapasitet. Som kompensasjon for denne ulempen får de kortere ventetid i ordinær kø før behandling. Resultatene tyder på at skjerming av elektiv virksomhet i seg selv ikke er så gunstig som antatt siden den samlede kapasitetsutnyttelsen for begge avdelinger blir mindre enn ved den kombinerte avdelingen. Imidlertid kan separate avdelinger medføre muligheter for effektivisering av den elektive virksomheten som igjen vil kunne bidra til kortere ventetider.Venteliste; sykehus; kirurgi; systemdynamikk; pasientstrømmer; øyeblikkelig hjelp

Unlocking the potential for achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 – “Zero Hunger” - in Africa: Targets, strategies, synergies and challenges

Background: The UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 (‘Zero Hunger’) aims to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030. Thus, a range of different strategies are needed to facilitate the achievement of SDG 2 to overcome challenges and enable synergies between various SDG targets. Objective: The aim of this review is to highlight Africa’s progress toward SDG 2, including targets, strategies, synergies and challenges. Methods: We scrutinized published research articles in peer-reviewed journals, UN reports and in-country Africa reports (between 2015 and 2020) that were relevant to the current topic. Results: Several hunger indicators are showing slow progress or even deterioration in Africa. The prevalence of undernourishment in the general population was 19.1% in 2019 and is expected to increase to 25.7% by 2030. Improvements in child stunting in several regions in Africa are slow, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where about 34% of under-fives were stunted in 2012 and 31% in 2019. In Eastern Africa, stunting prevalence decreased from 38% in 2012 to 34% in 2019. Major drivers of hunger are poor governance and state fragility, war and conflicts, increasing inequality, weak economic development, climate change, biodegradation – and now lately the Covid 19 pandemic – factors that all increase food insecurity. Conclusion: Africa is off track to reach SDG – ‘Zero Hunger’ – by 2030. Current efforts and progress are insufficient. Africa must champion the SDG agenda on a national, regional and global level to facilitate synergies to unlock the potential for reaching ‘Zero Hunger’ throughout the continent.publishedVersio

Ca(2+)-mediated activation of ERK in hepatocytes by norepinephrine and prostaglandin F(2α): role of calmodulin and src kinases

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that several agents that stimulate heptahelical G-protein coupled receptors activate the extracellular signal regulated kinases ERK1 (p44(mapk)) and ERK2 (p42(mapk)) in hepatocytes. The molecular pathways that convey their signals to ERK1/2 are only partially clarified. In the present study we have explored the role of Ca(2+) and Ca(2+)-dependent steps leading to ERK1/2 activation induced by norepinephrine and prostaglandin (PG)F(2α). RESULTS: Pretreatment of the cells with the Ca(2+) chelators BAPTA-AM or EGTA, as well as the Ca(2+) influx inhibitor gadolinium, resulted in a partial decrease of the ERK response. Furthermore, the calmodulin antagonists W-7, trifluoperazine, and J-8 markedly decreased ERK activation. Pretreatment with KN-93, an inhibitor of the multifunctional Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, had no effect on ERK activation. The Src kinase inhibitors PP1 and PP2 partially diminished the ERK responses elicited by both norepinephrine and PGF(2α). CONCLUSION: The present data indicate that Ca(2+) is involved in ERK activation induced by hormones acting on G protein-coupled receptors in hepatocytes, and suggest that calmodulin and Src kinases might play a role in these signaling pathways

Validity of self-reported myocardial infarction and stroke in regions with Sami and Norwegian populations: The SAMINOR 1 Survey and the CVDNOR project

Published version. Source at http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012717 Objective: Updated knowledge on the validity of self- reported myocardial infarction (SMI) and self-reported stroke (SRS) is needed in Norway. Our objective was to compare questionnaire data and hospital discharge data from regions with Sami and Norwegian populations to assess the validity of these outcomes by ethnicity, sex, age and education. Design: Validation study using cross-sectional questionnaire data and hospital discharge data from all Norwegian somatic hospitals. Participants and setting: 16 865 men and women aged 30 and 36–79 years participated in the Population-based Study on Health and Living Conditions in Sami and Norwegian Populations (SAMINOR) 1 Survey in 2003–2004. Information on SMI and SRS was available from self-administered questionnaires for 15 005 and 15 088 of these participants, respectively. We compared this information with hospital discharge data from 1994 until SAMINOR 1 Survey attendance. Primary and secondary outcomes: Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value and κ. Results: The sensitivity and PPV of SMI were 90.1% and 78.9%, respectively; the PPV increased to 93.1% when all ischaemic heart disease (IHD) diagnoses were included. The SMI prevalence estimate was 2.3% and hospital-based 2.0%. The sensitivity and PPV of SRS were 81.1% and 64.3%, respectively. The SRS prevalence estimate was 1.5% and hospitalisation- based 1.2%. Moderate to no variation was observed in validity according to ethnicity, sex, age and education. Conclusions: The sensitivity and PPV of SMI were high and moderate, respectively; for SRS, both of these measures were moderate. Our results show that SMI from the SAMINOR 1 Survey may be used in aetiological/analytical studies in this population due to a high IHD-specific PPV. The SAMINOR 1 questionnaire may also be used to estimate the prevalence of acute myocardial infarction and acute stroke

Risk assessment of "other substances" – L-aspartic acid. Opinion of the Panel on Nutrition, Dietetic Products, Novel Food and Allergy of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety

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Risk assessment of "other substances" – L-threonine. Opinion of the Panel on Nutrition, Dietetic Products, Novel Food and Allergy of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety

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