Discrimination of cod otolith shapes by two different Fourier methods

In this thesis we have applied Fisher’s discrimination method to cod samples to discriminate between cod originating from the coastal cod stock and cod originating from the arctic cod stock. The discrimination is based on Fourier coefficients extracted from cod otolith contours. We have optimized and compared two different Fourier methods of extracting these coefficients. These methods are evaluated and compared in terms of discrimination results and robustness

Kultur og identitet i merkevarer - Freia Melkesjokolade, et stort stykke Norge.

Som markedsføringsstudenter fremstår det som interessant for oss å få en dypere forståelse samt innsikt i hva som gjør et merke mer populært enn et annet. Merkeverdi og merkevarebygging er viktig for å kunne henge med i et marked som er preget av kontinuerlig utvikling. Man er tvunget til å tenke nytt, gjøre noe til sitt eget og ikke minst skille seg ut for å få avkastning. Man skal være unik. Respekten for merker som får det til, år etter år, er her tilgrunnleggende for vårt utgangspunkt. Et eksempel på en slik merkevare er Freia, her med sin melkesjokolade. Siden etableringen av Freia i 1906 har markedsførere i over et århundre basert seg på samme tilnærming – sjokoladen er norsk. Vår problemstilling lyder derfor: Hva gjør koblingen til det norske med Freia Melkesjokolade som en merkevare? For å komme til grunn i dette har vi valgt å forske rundt temaene brand management, forbruk og identitet, samt kultur. Vi har bevisst tatt utgangspunkt i Merkevarehjulet, gjengitt i Blichfeldts bok Merkevarebygging for administrerende direktører (2003), og gjennomgående brukt denne som en rød tråd under utarbeidelsen. Spesielt var den til hjelp i forberedelsen av vår intervjuguide, våre spørsmål baserer seg i stor grad på denne. For å få en holistisk tilnærming på vårt tema og vår problemstilling har vi valgt å benytte oss av kvalitativ metode. Dette begrunnet med at våre spørsmål omfatter meninger og synspunkt som vi mente på best mulig måte ville framkomme ved utførelse av dybdeintervjuer. Vi hadde dermed mulighet til å fremkalle assosiasjoner og meningsbegrunnelser vi ellers ikke ville fått ved utførelsen av kvantitative undersøkelser. Vi opererte med et jevnt kjønnsfordelt utvalg på 10 personer. Vi valgte å fordele informantene inn i to kategorier, henholdsvis privat og offentlig høyskole. Dette med et bakenforliggende mål om å oppdage eventuelle forskjeller og likheter innenfor temaet. Våre funn indikerer et nært slektskap mellom nordmenns og Melkesjokoladens identitet. Det viser seg på bakgrunn av våre intervjuer at vi definerer oss gjennom Melkesjokoladens verdier. Informantenes opplevde fordeler av produktet er at det er sosialt akseptert å spise Freia Melkesjokolade, den fungerer som et identitetsbærende produkt som kjennetegner nordmenn. Sjokoladens rutete utseende forenkler muligheten til å dele, og bidrar til å innlemme produktet i sosiale relasjoner

Cross-national time trends in adolescent mental well-being from 2002 to 2018 and the explanatory role of schoolwork pressure

Purpose: Previous research has shown inconsistent time trends in adolescent mental well-being, but potential underlying mechanisms for such trends are yet to be examined. This study investigates cross-national time trends in adolescent mental well-being (psychosomatic health complaints and life satisfaction) in mainly European countries and the extent to which time trends in schoolwork pressure explain these trends. Methods: Data from 915,054 adolescents from 36 countries (50.8% girls; meanage = 13.54; standard deviationage = 1.63) across five Health Behaviour in School-aged Children surveys (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018) were included in the analyses. Hierarchical multilevel models estimated cross-national trends in adolescent mental well-being and schoolwork pressure. We also tested whether schoolwork pressure could explain these trends in mental well-being. Results: A small linear increase over time in psychosomatic complaints and schoolwork pressure was found. No change in life satisfaction emerged. Furthermore, there was large cross-country variation in the prevalence of, and trends over time in, adolescent mental well-being and schoolwork pressure. Overall, declines in well-being and increases in schoolwork pressure were apparent in the higher income countries. Across countries, the small increase in schoolwork pressure over time partly explained the increase in psychosomatic health complaints. Conclusions: Our findings do not provide evidence for substantial declines in mental well-being among adolescents. Yet, the small increase in mental well-being and increases in schoolwork pressure appear to be quite consistent across high-income countries. This calls for the attention of public health professionals and policy-makers. Country differences in trends in both adolescent mental well-being outcomes and schoolwork pressure were considerable, which requires caution regarding the cross-national generalization of national trends

Social support, stress, health, and academic success in Ghanaian adolescents: A path analysis

The aim of this study is to gain a better understanding of the role psychosocial factors play in promoting the health and academic success of adolescents. A total of 770 adolescent boys and girls in Senior High Schools were randomly selected to complete a self-report questionnaire. School reported latest terminal examination grades were used as the measure of academic success. Structural equation modelling indicated a relatively good fit to the posteriori model with four of the hypothesised paths fully supported and two partially supported. Perceived social support was negatively related to stress and predictive of health and wellbeing but not academic success. Stress was predictive of health but not academic success. Finally, health and wellbeing was able to predict academic success. These findings have policy implications regarding efforts aimed at promoting the health and wellbeing as well as the academic success of adolescents in Ghana. © 2014 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents

Central Nervous System Changes in Pediatric Heart Failure: A Volumetric Study

Autonomic dysfunction, mood disturbances, and memory deficits appear in pediatric and adult heart failure (HF). Brain areas controlling these functions show injury in adult HF patients, many of whom have comorbid cerebrovascular disease. We examined whether similar brain pathology develops in pediatric subjects without such comorbidities. In this study, high-resolution T1 brain magnetic resonance images were collected from seven severe HF subjects age (age 8–18 years [mean 13]; left ventricular shortening 9 to 19% [median 14%]) and seven age-matched healthy controls (age 8–18 years [mean 13]). After segmentation into gray matter (GM), white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), regional volume loss between groups was determined by voxel-based morphometry. GM volume loss appeared on all HF scans, but ischemic changes and infarcts were absent. HF subjects showed greater CSF volume than controls (mean ± SD 0.30 ± 0.04 vs. 0.25 ± 0.04 l, P = 0.03), but total intracranial volume was identical (1.39 ± 0.11 vs. 1.39 ± 0.09 l, P = NS). Regional GM volume reduction appeared in the right and left posterior hippocampus, bilateral mid-insulae, and the superior medial frontal gyrus and mid-cingulate cortex of HF subjects (threshold P < 0.001). No volume-loss sites appeared in control brains. We conclude that pediatric HF patients show brain GM loss in areas similar to those of adult HF subjects. Substantial changes emerged in sites that regulate autonomic function as well as mood, personality and short-term memory. In the absence of thromboembolic disease and many comorbid conditions found in adult HF patients, pediatric HF patients show significant, focal GM volume loss, which may coincide with the multiple neurologic and psychological changes observed in patients with HF

Co-rumination buffers the link between social anxiety and depressive symptoms in early adolescence

Objectives: We examined whether co-rumination with online friends buffered the link between social anxiety and depressive symptoms over time in a community sample. Methods: In a sample of 526 participants (358 girls; Mage = 14.05) followed at three time points, we conducted a latent cross-lagged model with social anxiety, depressive symptoms, and co-rumination, controlling for friendship stability and friendship quality, and adding a latent interaction between social anxiety and co-rumination predicting depressive symptoms. Results: Social anxiety predicted depressive symptoms, but no direct links between social anxiety and co-rumination emerged. Instead, co-rumination buffered the link between social anxiety and depressive symptoms for adolescents with higher but not lower levels of social anxiety. Conclusions: These findings indicate that co-rumination exerted a positive influence on interpersonal relationships by diminishing the influence from social anxiety on depressive symptoms over time

Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review

In a meta-analysis, Julianne Holt-Lunstad and colleagues find that individuals' social relationships have as much influence on mortality risk as other well-established risk factors for mortality, such as smoking