Examining paraphilia and emotional regulation with Norwegian speaking adults

Exploration of paraphilia has become an interesting topic for researchers the latest years. Norway lacks sufficient research on paraphilia. Current literature has shown distinct sex differences with men reporting more interest in paraphilia than women. Emotional regulation is suggested from research as a plausible psychological factor that could affect paraphilia. We started a collaboration with SIFER to explore paraphilia and emotional regulation from a non-clinical Norwegian-speaking sample. Two questionnaires were administered: The Paraphilia Scale and DERS-18. Data material was collected through an online study. 313 participants (N = 114 males, 191 females) took part in our study with age from 18 to over 50 years old. To simplify our analysis, The Paraphilia Scale was divided into 13 themes. Findings indicate evident sex differences when looking at paraphilic interests. Masochism and Sadism were the two most popular paraphilic themes for both male and female participants. The least popular themes were found to be Pedohebephilia and Zoophilia. The following paraphilic themes demonstrated sex differences: Biastophilia, Cro/Urophilia, Exhibitionism, Fetishism, Frotteurism, Pedohebephilia, Sadism, Somnophilia and Voyeurism. Male participants reported higher interest on these paraphilic themes. There were no sex differences when only assessing paraphilic behaviors. The relationship between paraphilic interests and paraphilic behaviors showed correlations that were moderate to strong on Biastophilia, Eroticized Gender, Masochism, Sadism, Telephone Scatologia and Voyeurism. The two questionnaires provide evidence showing only one significant association between emotional regulation and paraphilic interests. Implications of our results for research and clinical purposes on The Paraphilia Scale and DERS-18 are discussed

Intervention in international practicum in the Global South

Teacher education programmes need to be more internationally oriented, according to national education policy in Norway. Moreover, all teacher education institutions must develop a strategy to meet this aim. International practicum, which sends student teachers for practicum abroad, has become popular. The aim is to enhance students’ intercultural competence. Until recently, it was commonly believed that immersing student teachers in an unfamiliar culture would develop students’ intercultural competence. Our research findings are in accordance with those of many other studies: immersing students in another culture does not automatically mean that they become interculturally competent: Some of the students in our study have learned to appreciate the difference between cultures and have opened up their minds and increased their acceptance of differences. However, others have come back home more certain than ever of the superiority of their own culture. In this paper we discuss to what extent intercultural competence and global awareness were promoted during an international practicum programme.publishedVersio

Evaluation of a novel 3-pipe solution for hydronic heat distribution in passive-house standard apartment buildings

The energy efficiency of new buildings in Norway has been steadily improved over the last decades, but with less heating, hydronic heating systems have adversely increased in price. Lessening electric power consumption in new buildings is an important part of the government’s plan to de-carbonize, in which hydronic heating is a suitable alternative for direct electric heating. In this regard, a developer claimed to have found a potential cost-efficient hydronic solution in terms of investment cost. This solution is based on two measures, using the Domestic Hot Water (DHW) circulation loop to cover both DHW demand as well as space heating demand in the building, and significantly reducing the number of heat emitters. In this work, we studied the possible benefits and the issues associated with this solution and performed an analysis based on the following accounts, i) the distribution system, ii) indoor climate, iii) energy demand/consumption, iv) hygienic security. A newly finished apartment complex located in central Oslo is chosen for this purpose. Two apartments and the central heating are examined by inspection, experimental measurements, and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. The distribution system is examined to confirm the alleged cost efficiency with a simplified cost calculation based on the BIM-model and the documentation provided by the developers. We estimated an additional cost of 67 NOK per square meter in comparison to direct electrical heating. The end user could also financially benefit from using less expensive district heating. Using fan-coils as main heat emitter in each apartment was found to produce satisfactory indoor climate, however, in one apartment it was found that poor planning sabotaged its intended function which negatively affected indoor climate. Additionally, we found a lack of measures to protect the DHW from Legionella-growth, which is a violation of Norwegian building code TEK17.publishedVersio

Monitoring variables affecting positron emission tomography measurements of cerebral blood flow in anaesthetized pigs

Abstract Background Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of anaesthetized pig brains is a useful tool in neuroscience. Stable cerebral blood flow (CBF) is essential for PET, since variations can affect the distribution of several radiotracers. However, the effect of physiological factors regulating CBF is unresolved and therefore knowledge of optimal anaesthesia and monitoring of pigs in PET studies is sparse. The aim of this study was therefore to determine if and how physiological variables and the duration of anaesthesia affected CBF as measured by PET using [15O]-water in isoflurane–N2O anaesthetized domestic female pigs. First, we examined how physiological monitoring parameters were associated with CBF, and which parameters should be monitored and if possible kept constant, during studies where a stable CBF is important. Secondly, we examined how the duration of anaesthesia affected CBF and the monitoring parameters. Results No significant statistical correlations were found between CBF and the nine monitoring variables. However, we found that arterial carbon dioxide tension (PaCO2) and body temperature were important predictors of CBF that should be observed and kept constant. In addition, we found that long-duration anaesthesia was significantly correlated with high heart rate, low arterial oxygen tension, and high body temperature, but not with CBF. Conclusions The findings indicate that PaCO2 and body temperature are crucial for maintaining stable levels of CBF and thus optimizing PET imaging of molecular mechanisms in the brain of anaesthetized pigs. Therefore, as a minimum these two variables should be monitored and kept constant. Furthermore, the duration of anaesthesia should be kept constant to avoid variations in monitoring variables

Startle-respons til bilder av genuine og falske ansiktsuttrykk

Ansiktsuttrykk er en viktig del av den nonverbale kommunikasjonen mellom mennesker og det er derfor mange som forsøker å øke vår forståelse av dem gjennom forskning. For å forstå ansiktsuttrykkenes betydning i menneskers sosiale liv har man blant annet utforsket hvordan de tolkes og brukes, samt hvilke emosjonelle responser de utløser. I vår studie ble startle-responsen anvendt som en indeks for emosjonell aktivering til sinte, glade og nøytrale ansiktsuttrykk. Seksten deltakere ble rekruttert til å delta i studien. Under eksperimentet fikk de presentert 40 bilder av ulike ansiktsuttrykk samtidig som de hørte høye og plutselige startle-utløsende lyder gjennom et headset. Etter eksperimentet ga hver deltaker sin subjektive vurdering av valens, aktivering og genuinitet til hvert enkelt bilde. Bilder som er vanlig å bruke i studier på ansiktsuttrykk stammer fra bildebaser som inneholder standardiserte bilder av modeller som er blitt instruert til å vise gitte emosjoner. For å undersøke påvirkningen av opplevd genuinitet valgte vi derfor å inkludere egne bilder hentet fra internett i tillegg til bilder hentet fra kjente bildebaser. Bildesamlingen brukt i denne studien består av ni selvvalgte bilder og 23 bilder hentet fra bildebaser, i tillegg til åtte nøytrale bilder. Vårt hovedfunn var en signifikant interaksjon mellom Deltakerkjønn og Emosjon. Dette tyder på at kvinnelige og mannlige deltakere responderer forskjellig til ulike emosjonelle uttrykk. Videre tyder funnene våre på at den opplevde genuiniteten i emosjonelle uttrykk har en betydning for startle-responsen de utløser

Evaluation of fungicide and biological treatments for control of fungal storage rots in sugar beet, 2014

Preventing sucrose losses in storage is important to the economic viability of the sugar beet industry. In an effort to establish additional measures for reducing sucrose losses in storage, ten fungicide and/or biological treatments were evaluated on sugar beet roots in a commercial sugar beet storage building for their ability to limit fungal growth on roots harvested 2 Oct. Six of the treatments were applied as a direct spray to roots, but two treatments were applied as a cold fog and two others were applied as a thermal fog. The treated eight-beet root samples were arranged in a randomized complete block design with 6 replications on top of the commercial sugar beet pile inside a storage building. Roots were evaluated for fungal growth, root rot, weight loss, and sucrose reduction. Fungal growth on the root surface ranged from 0 to 58% depending on the rating date and treatment. After 136 days in storage, root rot ranged from 4 to 34%, weight loss ranged from 7.5 to 10.2%, and sucrose reduction ranged from 17 to 33%. The treatments that reduced rot and sucrose reduction the most were Phostrol, Propulse, and Stadium applied as direct sprays and Propulse as a cold fog. Thus, the results indicate that several of the fungicides evaluated have the potential to protect roots from fungal rot in sugar beet storage piles, which could lead to considerable economic benefit for the sugar beet industry

Residual Effects of Fresh and Composted Dairy Manure Applications on Potato Production

Potato growers in Idaho and other dairy producing regions often grow potatoes on fields that have had a history of fresh and composted manure applications. Growers remain uncertain of the impacts that previous manure applications will have on tuber yield and quality, as well as diseases, physiological disorders, and contamination by human pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli. The focus of this study was to determine the long term effects of manure, compost, and chemical phosphorus (P) fertilizer applications on tuber yields, tuber quality, nutrient uptake, tuber disorders and diseases, and soil nutrient concentrations. Russet Burbank potatoes were grown in 2008 and 2009 on plots that had received dairy manure, dairy compost, P fertilizer, or no P source (control) at the same target P rate in 2003, 2004, and 2005. Compared with the P fertilizer treatment, applications of manure and/or compost significantly increased total yields, soil potassium (K), soil nitrate (NO3-N), early season petiole P, and late season petiole K in at least one year of the two-year study. There were no significant differences between P fertilizer, manure, and compost treatments on soil test P, late season petiole P, early season petiole K, E. coli populations on tuber surfaces, common tuber diseases and disorders, and tuber quality. Based on our findings, tuber yields significantly increased three years after applications of fresh and composted dairy manure, while tuber diseases, disorders, and quality were not affected

Navigating overgrazing and cultural values through narratives and participatory mapping : a socio-cultural analysis of sheep grazing in the Faroe Islands

Long-term livestock grazing has shaped landscapes, biodiversity, societies, cultures, and economies in the North Atlantic over time. However, overgrazing has become a major environmental sustainability challenge for this region, covering the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Scotland. The objective of this study was to elicit narratives and spatial patterns of local people's management preferences for sheep grazing in the Faroe Islands through a socio-cultural lens. We collected data via a Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS) survey with an open question about hopes and concerns for sheep management in the Faroe Islands and a mapping exercise for expressing spatial preferences for sheep management. Four distinct narratives emerged from a qualitative analysis of responses to the open question (n = 184): (1) Sustainable sheep management, (2) Nature without sheep, (3) Sheep as part of Faroese culture, and (4) Sheep as nuisance. Visual inspection of narrative-specific maps with locations where either no or fewer sheep were preferred indicated that sheep management is not simply a 'sheep vs. no sheep' issue but embedded in a more nuanced consideration of the place of sheep in the landscape and society. For example, for some residents sheep-farming is not a commercial enterprise but a social activity and local source of food. Our combined methodological approach using qualitative and spatial data can help researchers in other fields identify the interplay between place-specific areas of grazing management concern and socio-cultural values, enabling more targeted land-use management policies or plans.Peer reviewe