Evaluation of the performance of two prediction models, the IrisPlex and the novel EC12 model, for eye colour predictions in a Norwegian population.

Biological material obtained from a crime scene is used to generate DNA-profile by typing short tandem repeat (STR) markers. However, if the STR-profile do not match the DNA profile of suspects or from a crime DNA database, the investigation can go towards typing markers that can estimate externally visible characteristics (EVCs). EVCs can function as a “biological witness” and thus aid a police investigation. In this work the IrisPlex prediction model and a novel prediction model, EC12, were evaluated in 521 samples from the Norwegian population. A PCR-SBE-CE assay amplifying the fourteen SNPs included in the two models was optimised at Section of Forensic Genetics, Copenhagen, Denmark before it was established at Centre of Forensic Genetics, Tromsø, Norway. IrisPlex showed high prediction accuracy for blue and brown eye colour (AUC-value of 0.84 and 0.94, respectively). However, the model did not perform good in prediction of intermediate eye colour (AUC-value of 0.6), which represented 24% of the Norwegian population and thus all these individuals were incorrectly predicted. Comparison of EC12 and an adjusted IrisPlex model (IP NO) showed a small increase in correct predictions from 72% to 75%, respectively. A higher prediction accuracy for all eye colours were observed for the EC12 model, with AUC-value of 0.84 (blue), 0.97 (brown) and 0.68 (intermediate), while IP NO obtained AUC-values of 0.81 (blue), 0.93 (brown) and 0.59 (intermediate). This increase may imply that the additionally SNPs included in this model has an improving effect on eye colour prediction. However, the prediction of intermediate eye colour was still not good, indicating the importance of further phenotypic investigation of this category

The Effect of Sustainability Commitment. Does joining a voluntary program change the behavior of a company?

This thesis explores the effect of joining a voluntary sustainability commitment, the UN Global Compact, on companies financial and emissions outcomes. To analyze our research questions, we have assembled an unbalanced data set and implemented a difference-indifferences analysis. The data in our thesis is collected from Thomson Reuters Eikon database, the CO2 emissions data from the Norwegian Environment Agency, and administrative information from the UN Global compact. A total of 410 Norwegian companies had joined the UN Global Compact from its inception in 2000 and until the end of 2022. From the financial performance data set from Eikon we have 13.558 observations, and from the emissions data set we have 5.370 observations. The interest in investigations of sustainability commitments and the effect on financial performance has seen an enormous growth in the last decade. Our study finds results evidence that sustainability commitment has a positive impact on stock price returns. This suggests that financial performance improves when joining the UNGC. We also find similar findings when we control for a balanced panel. The results from our analysis on emissions data gives us a contradictional effect compared to our original hypothesis. When we separated into two industries, however, this did not give any indication of reducing emissions after joining the UNGC. Rather the indications that some companies might have good intention when they commit but fail to implement new operation methods to reduce the emission levels of CO2. To understand the relationship between financial performance and social responsibility, we estimated a third analysis. From this analysis we see poor financial performance in the years before the company joins the UNGC. However, one year post treatment, we see a slightly positive effect on net income, which also increases in magnitude two years post treatment. For the third year after the company joined the UNGC we still see a positive effect on net income, but smaller in magnitude.submittedVersio

Det antas at Norge vil motta skip

Denne oppgaven tar for seg arbeidet rundt krigsskadeerstatningen etter andre verdenskrig angående den norske skipsflåten. Etter andre verdenskrig var den norske tonnasjen som hadde lidt de største tapene hvor over 60% av realkapitalen var tapt, og gjenreisningen av flåten stod som en av de viktigste postene etter krigen for Norges økonomi. Gjenreisnings arbeidet kom raskt i gang gjennom at staten, Notraship og rederne arbeidet sammen og store forsikringssummer ble utbetalt for skader på uteflåten. Likevel var ikke dette tilstrekkelig for å dekke de store tapene påført skipsflåten under krigen. Parallelt med gjenreisningen av flåten begynte norske myndigheter å jobbe med erstatningskravet mot Tyskland, for de skadene påført landet. Arbeidet med erstatningene begynte allerede i London før frigjøringen, hvor det ble nedsatt en egen komite for å arbeidet med kravet. Etter hjemkomsten og Potsdam-konferansens bestemmelser kom det frem at Tyskland skulle ilegges og gi fra seg hele handelsflåten sin. Noe som ble godt mottatt av norske myndigheter, og spisset kravet og taktikken mot skipsflåten. Med hjelp av tall fra SSB la norske myndigheter en plan om å skaffe seg så mye av den tyske handelsflåten som mulig. Ved forhandlingene i Paris-konferansen brukte den norske delegasjonen det store skipstapet Norge hadde lidt som begrunnelse for at Norge skulle få utbetalt skip. Gjennom en rekke med forhandlinger fikk den norske delegasjonen gjennom sitt syn på den tyske handelsflåten, samt fikk Norge tildelt en stor prosent andel av erstatningene Tyskland skulle betale. Noe som førte til at Norge fikk tildelt 10% av skipene som ble tatt ut av Tyskland, som deretter ble solgt videre til Norske redere for å hjelpe den norske tilstanden i skipsflåten.This master thesis is going in to the theme around the reparation claim against Germany from Norway, with focus on the shipping industry. After the war the tonnage was the part of Norwegian industry that had suffered the biggest war losses, having lost around 60% of its value. And getting the shipping industry back on its feet became one of the most important acts after the war. The work to get the industry back up started by the collaboration between the state, Notraship and the shipping companies. In the end huge amounts of money got paid through the insurance policies, but it was not sufficient to get the tonnage back to its prewar state. While the companies and the government worked on the insurance and other kinds of help for the tonnage, the work on the reparation claim against Germany was in full swing. This work had started in London even before the war was officially over, were a committee was working on the many questions around the reparation. After returning home from London and the Potsdam-conference had ended, it was decided that Germany was to forfeit its entire shipping industry. This was a welcome decision for the Norwegian government, who then decided to make the reparation claim favor ships. With the help from the statistical bureau and their collection of losses, the Norwegian government worked with the goal to get ships as payment from Germany. At the conference in Paris the Norwegian delegation used the ships losses as argument for ships as payment. Through long discussions and work the Norwegian delegation got a good amount of the reparation percentage, and 10% of the German ships. This resulted in Norway getting ships delivered after the war as reparation, that was sold to the Norwegian shipping companies to help the industry get back on its feet after the wa

Impact of Macroeconomic Factors on IPO Activity

Masteroppgave(MSc) in Master of Science in Business, Finance - Handelshøyskolen BI, 2023This thesis aims to examine the relationship between macroeconomic factors and IPO activity in the euro area from January 2000 to December 2022. By employing the Johansen test for cointegration, our analysis found evidence of two long-run equilibrium relationships between the macroeconomic factors and IPO activity. Moreover, the short- and long-run dynamics were examined using the Vector Error Correction model. Furthermore, variance decomposition and impulse response functions were applied to improve our understanding of the relative importance of shocks and the response patterns within the system. Eventually, the Granger causality test was employed to determine any potential causal relationship between the variables. Notably, our findings confirm a significant positive relationship between the stock market and IPO activity. However, we encountered limited statistical evidence to support a relationship between the long-term interest rate, industrial production, and market volatility, and IPO activity. Although market volatility demonstrates a closer connection to IPO activity compared to the longterm interest rate and industrial production, the statistical support for this relationship remains relatively weak

Fysiske og psykiske utfordringer knyttet til yrket som pop- og rock- musiker: En studie av destruktive og beskyttende faktorer knyttet til yrket

Denne studiens formål var å se nærmere på de fysiske og psykiske utfordringene som møter norske pop- og rock- musikere i deres arbeidshverdag. Samtidig hadde studien også et fokus på potensielt beskyttende faktorer som gjør at enkelte individer kan overleve i musikkbransjen og ha musikk som yrke. Siden dette er et lite studert felt i norsk sammenheng fantes det relativt lite litteratur på området. Det ble derfor utført 11 kvalitative intervju blant etablerte pop- og rock- musikere rundt om i Norges land. På bakgrunn av intervjuene kommer musikeryrket for våre informanter frem som et livsstilsyrke hvor de virker å fremme sin egen identitet igjennom musikk, og hvor alle deler av hverdagen påvirkes av dette. Informantene har uttrykt et brennende engasjement, dedikasjon og stå på vilje samt et konstant ønske om forbedring som fundamentalt for å lykkes og kunne bli værende i musikkbransjen. Måten informantene har beskrevet sitt eget yrke har gitt et klart inntrykk av jobbengasjement og hvor job engagement modeller som J D-R modellen har vist seg å være svært nyttig for denne studien. Utfordringene i yrket knytter seg i stor grad til en usikker økonomisk situasjon og konflikt mellom jobb og familiesituasjon, hvor det har blitt påpekt som viktig å skape seg rutiner i en kaostilværelse. Dette er også utfordringer som er blitt nevnt å gå løs på det psykiske, hvor dette kan vise seg å være hemmende for kreativiteten og den musikalske skapelsesprosessen. Av fysiske skader og utfordringer er både utmattelse i forhold til reising, ryggproblemer og slitasje på stemmebåndet nevnt. I denne studien har det vært en stor andel vokalister som har deltatt, og stemmeproblemer har her blitt nevnt både som en fysisk og en psykisk utfordring i forhold til at man hele tiden må passe på og ta vare på stemmen. Av beskyttende faktorer har sosial støtte av familie og bandkolleger blitt trukket frem som viktig for å kunne ha musikk som yrket. Sosial støtte på hjemmefronten har vist seg viktig for informantene i form av stressreduksjon, men også det å definere virkeligheten med tanke på prioriteringer og levesett. Ute på turné har bandkolleger vist seg å utfylle samme funksjon for flere av de andre informantene, men hvor turné og konsertene også har blitt en arena for konkurranse, måloppnåelse og formidling med publikum

Opplevelsen av hjem og hverdagsliv når man bor skredutsatt

I denne masteroppgaven utforsker jeg hvordan det påvirker hverdagslivet å bo på et skredutsatt sted og hvordan denne bosituasjonen endrer deres opplevelse av eget hjem. Norge er et land preget av høye fjell og lange fjorder. Historisk har de største naturkatastrofene i landet vært knyttet til skred og påfølgende flodbølger. I dag er det syv fjell i Norge som kontinuerlig overvåkes av NVE. Ett av disse er Mannen i Rauma kommune i Møre og Romsdal. Dette er et fenomen som har fått stor oppmerksomhet i både nasjonal og internasjonal media. Spesielt et svært aktivt parti av Mannen, Veslemannen, har siden 2014 fått svært mye oppmerksomhet. 05. september 2019 raste Veslemannen. Skredet nådde ikke bebyggelsen i faresonen. I perioden fra 2014 til raset gikk var det fem husholdninger som måtte evakuere hjemmene sine 16 ganger. Man kan anta at folk som opplever en så ekstrem situasjon vil være mer bevisst på sitt eget forhold til hverdagslivet og hjemmet enn de fleste andre. Denne kvalitative studien søker etter å belyse hvordan de utsatte under Veslemannen og Mannen forholder seg til hverdagslivet på stedet og eget hjem. Teorien som blir belyst i studien omhandler steds- og hjem-begrepet. Begge disse er komplekse og mangfoldige. Berg og Dales (2004, 2015) og Blunt og Dowlings (2006) bidrag er hovedkildene i det teoretiske rammeverket. Empirien er utviklet gjennom intervju med seks informanter. Forskningen viser at hverdagslivet til informantene i stor grad ble påvirket i perioden fra 2014 – 2019. I det de utsatte definerer som sine hjem ble hverdagen i stor grad preget av usikkerhet, frykt for evakuering og nedpakking. I de alternative boligene ble hverdagslivet svært påvirket. De hadde ikke en fast bolig å evakuere til og de måtte tilpasse hverdagslivet til de fasilitetene de fikk. I opplevelsen av eget hjem kommer det tydelig frem at alle føler en sterkere tilknytning til hjemmet etter denne perioden. Når det ble tydeliggjort for de utsatte at dette er et hjem de kanskje ikke får beholde ble det ekstra synlig at dette hjemmet er et essensielt sted for dem. Kunnskap om hvordan mennesker forholder seg til skred og skredfare sett i lys av sted og hjem er viktig i forståelsen av hvordan skred og skredfare kan påvirke sted og hjem.In this master thesis I explore how the everyday life is affected by living in a place where there is a danger of rockslides and how this living situation changes their experience of their own home. Norway is a country characterized by high mountains and long fjords. Historically the biggest natural disasters in the country has been related to rockslides and following tsunamis. There are seven mountains in Norway that are continuously being monitored by NVE. One of these are Mannen in Rauma municipality I Møre and Romsdal. This is a phenomenon that got much attention in both national and international media. Especially a very active section of Mannen, Veslemannen, have since 2014 received a lot of attention. On the 5’th of September in 2019 Veslemannen collapsed. The collapse did not reach any of the houses in the danger zone. In the period from 2014 till the rockslide collapsed there was five households that had to evacuate their homes 16 times. One can assume that people that experience an extreme situation like this is more conscious about their own relationship to the everyday life and their homes than most other. This qualitative study seeks to shed light on how the exposed under Veslemannen and Mannen relates to the everyday life on the place and their own home. The theory that is elucidated in the study is about the concepts of place and home. Both of these are complex and diverse. Berg and Dales (2004, 2015) and Blunt and Dowlings (2006) contributions are the main sources in the theoretical framework. The empirical data is developed through interviews with six informants. The research shows that the informants’ everyday life was greatly influenced in the period from 2014-2019. In what the vulnerable define as their homes everyday life was greatly characterized by uncertainty, fear of evacuation and packing. In the alternative dwelling everyday life was also greatly affected. They did not have a permanent dwelling to evacuate to and they had to adapt the everyday life to the facilities they were given. In the experience of their own home it is clear that everyone feels a stronger connection to the home after this period. When it was made clear to the vulnerable that this is a home they may not be able to keep it became extra visible that this home is an essential place for them. Knowledge of how people relate to rockslide and danger of rockslide in light of place and home is important in understanding how rockslides and danger of rockslide can affect place and home

The Legacy of Coordinative Practice: How the Mesh of Formal and Informal Articulation Work Through Time Affects a Shipyard in Transition

This article explores the balance, and the shift in balance, between technologies and practices that coordinate work. The empirical data stems from a primarily qualitative study of a Norwegian shipyard in a phase of transition, where new models of collaboration emerge due to changes in the company environment. The article highlights the interplay between formal and informal articulation work, as well as the role of coordinative IT artifacts in this regard. With this background, the findings show that the balance (between coordinative technologies and practices) shifts depending on circumstances. Thus, the more formal coordination gains importance as transitions increases the need for detailed instructions. The findings also show that the existing IT infrastructure (the legacy) lacks the granularity as a coordinative artifact to facilitate necessary change in the organizational work arrangement, and how the workers cope with such issues. Based on this, the paper provides insights into how articulation work and its sociomaterial aspects develops over time in the interplay of organizational and technological change (or lack thereof).publishedVersio

Physiological responses of reared sea bream (Sparus aurata Linnaeus, 1758) to an Amyloodinium ocellatum outbreak

Amyloodiniosis represents a major bottleneck for semi-intensive aquaculture production in Southern Europe, causing extremely high mortalities. Amyloodinium ocellatum is a parasitic dinoflagellate that can infest almost all fish, crustacean and bivalves that live within its ecological range. Fish mortalities are usually attributed to anoxia, associated with serious gill hyperplasia, inflammation, haemorrhage and necrosis in heavy infestations; or with osmoregulatory impairment and secondary microbial infections due to severe epithelial damage in mild infestation. However, physiological information about the host responses to A.ocellatum infestation is scarce. In this work, we analysed the proteome of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) plasma and relate it with haematological and immunological indicators, in order to enlighten the different physiological responses when exposed to an A.ocellatum outbreak. Using 2D-DIGE, immunological and haematological analysis and in response to the A.ocellatum contamination we have identified several proteins associated with acute-phase response, inflammation, lipid transport, homoeostasis, and osmoregulation, wound healing, neoplasia and iron transport. Overall, this preliminary study revealed that amyloodiniosis affects some fish functional pathways as revealed by the changes in the plasma proteome of S. aurata, and that the innate immunological system is not activated in the presence of the parasite.DIVERSIAQUA, Portugal [MAR2020]Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia [SFRH/BD/118601/2016]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Lean & Green: Aligning Circular Economy and Kaizen Through Hoshin Kanri

As organizations are moving towards a circular economy to enable a transition to more sustainable business practices, there is a need for knowledge on how companies can leverage the capabilities of the entire organization to reach this goal. In this paper, we present some preliminary but promising results from a single company that has adapted the use of Hoshin Kanri—a strategic management method often associated with lean which seeks to engage the whole organization in breakthrough improvements in Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost. The case company has over the last year experimented with including Sustainability (the term the company uses internally) targets in their Hoshin, to develop circular capabilities within the organization. We present a literature study on Circular Economy, Sustainability, Kaizen and Hoshin Kanri, which formed the basis for Action Learning Research interventions. We then compare the results from these interventions with the findings from the review. Finally, we discuss the implications of the results and point to further research.acceptedVersio