Wind power in Norway: What are the driving forces behind local opposition?

Dybdebasert master, 120 studiepoeng. Spesialisering økonomistyring.Denne studien omhandler drivere av lokal motstand mot vindkraft i Norge. Vi har særlig ønsket å se nærmere på hvordan lokal motstand oppstår og hva slags drivere som er relevante for lokal motstand. Forskningen er basert og gjennomført med kvalitativ metode der vi har benyttet eksplorativt forskningsdesign. Vi har gjennomført datainnsamlingen via semistrukturerte dybdeintervjuer med utvalg bestående av aktive opponenter og motstandere uten aktiv rolle i vindkraftprosjekter. Basert på litteraturgjennomgangen har vi identifiserte sju drivere som utpekte seg som relevante for at motstand oppstår, henholdsvis: lokal involvering, lokalt eierskap, tillit til beslutningstakere, økonomisk kompensasjon, helserisiko, Not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) og natur og stedstilhørighet. Studien viser at driverne litteraturen identifiserer, i stor grad også er begrunnelser for motstanden til våre informanter. Tre relaterte argumenter peker seg spesielt ut her, nemlig lokal involvering, som informantene oppfatter som involvering uten reell innflytelse, manglende tillit til beslutningstakerne og natur og stedstilhørighet. I datagrunnlaget fra våre informanter fant vi imidlertid i tillegg to andre sentrale drivere som pekte seg ut. Ingen av disse er funnet i den eksisterende litteraturen. Den første er oppfatningen av at eksisterende vannkraft ikke er utnyttet godt nok og et kost/nytte-perspektiv. I et kost/nytte-perspektiv pekes det på at dersom en tar med både produksjonen av vindturbiner og de store konsekvenser for natur, flora og fauna vil miljøregnskapet for vindkraftutbyggingen bli negativ. Som nevnt ble ingen av disse to driverne identifisert gjennom litteraturgjennomgangen, men vi fant likevel at disse var av avgjørende betydning for våre informanters motstand mot vindkraftutbygging. Funn som er gjort gjennom denne studien bør være av interesse for nasjonale og lokale beslutningstakere innenfor vindkraft og utbyggere av vindkraft. I framtidig forskning vil det være interessant å gjennomføre mer kvalitativ forskning, men der en innhenter data fra både tilhengere og motstandere av vindkraft. Dette vil gi en mer utfyllende innsikt i dette høyst aktuelle problemkomplekset, som i våre dager bokstavelig talt er «i vinden».Engelsk sammendrag (Abstract) This study looks at driving forces behind local opposition to wind power in Norway. We specifically wanted to investigate how local opposition arise, and the relevant driving forces for local opposition. The research is based on and performed with a qualitative method where we have used exploratory research design. We have collected data via semi-structured in-depth interviews with a selection of active opponents without an active role in wind power projects. Based on review of literature, we have identified seven driving forces which stood out as relevant for creating opposition: local involvement, local ownership, trust in decision-makers, financial compensation, health risk, Not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY), and nature and local identity. The study shows that the driving forces identified by the literature are to a large extent also reasons for our informants opposition. Three related arguments stand out, nature and local identity, local involvement, which the informants see as involvement without real influence, and lack of trust in decision- makers. However, in the data from our informants, two other central driving forces also stood out. Neither of these have been found in the existing literature. The first is the view that existing hydroelectric power has not been sufficiently utilised, and the second is a cost-benefit perspective. In a cost-benefit perspective the issue is that if we include both production of wind turbines and the large consequences for nature, flora and fauna, the environmental impact with wind power development will be negative. As already mentioned, neither of these two driving forces were found in reviewing the literature, but we still found that these were significant for our informants resistance to wind power development. The finds in this study should be of interest to national and local decision-makers in wind power, and for developers of wind power. It would be interesting in future research to perform more qualitative research, but with data collection from both supporters and opponents of wind power. This will give a more complete insight in this highly relevant and complex problem and could show how the wind is blowing

Carbapenem resistance determinants acquired through novel chromosomal integrations in extensively drug-resistant pseudomonas aeruginosa

Two novel blaDIM-1- or blaIMP-1-containing genomic islands (GIs) were discovered by whole-genome sequence analyses in four extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from inpatients at a tertiary hospital in Ghana. The strains were of sequence type 234 (ST234) and formed a phylogenetic clade together with ST111, which is recognized as a global high-risk clone. Their carbapenem resistance was encoded by two Tn402-type integrons, In1592 (blaDIM-1) and In1595 (blaIMP-1), both carrying complete tni mobilization modules. In1595 was bound by conserved 25-bp inverted repeats (IRs) flanked by 5-bp direct repeats (DRs) associated with target site duplication. The integrons were embedded in two GIs that contained cognate integrases and were distinguished by a lower GC content than the chromosomal average. PAGI-97A (52.659 bp; In1592), which encoded a P4-type site-specific integrase of the tyrosine recombinase family in its 3′ border, was integrated into tRNA-Pro(ggg) and bracketed by a 49-bp perfect DR created by 3′-end target duplication. GIs with the same structural features, but diverse genetic content, were identified in 41/226 completed P. aeruginosa genomes. PAGI-97B (22,636 bp; In1595), which encoded an XerC/D superfamily integrase in its 5′ border, was inserted into the small RNA (sRNA) PrrF1/PrrF2 locus. Specific insertions into this highly conserved locus involved in iron-dependent regulation, all leaving PrrF1 intact, were identified in an additional six phylogenetically unrelated P. aeruginosa genomes. Our molecular analyses unveiled a hospital-associated clonal dissemination of carbapenem-resistant ST234 P. aeruginosa in which the XDR phenotype resulted from novel insertions of two GIs into specific chromosomal sites

Horizontal plasmid transfer among klebsiella pneumoniae isolates is the key factor for dissemination of extended-spectrum β-lactamases among children in Tanzania

Increased knowledge about the role of horizontal gene transfer is key to improve our understanding of the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in human populations. We therefore studied the dissemination of the blaCTX-M-15 extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL) gene in Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates obtained from stool samples from hospitalized children and healthy controls below 2 years of age in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from August 2010 to July 2011. We performed Illumina whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to characterize resistance genes, multilocus sequence type (MLST), plasmid incompatibility group (Inc), and plasmid MLST of 128 isolates of K. pneumoniae with blaCTX-M-15 recovered from both healthy and hospitalized children. We assessed the phylogenetic relationship using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based analysis and resolved the sequences of five reference plasmids by Oxford Nanopore technology to investigate plasmid dissemination. The WGS analyses revealed the presence of a blaCTX-M-15-positive IncFIIK5/IncR plasmid with a highly conserved backbone in 70% (90/128) of the isolates. This plasmid, harboring genes encoding resistance to most β-lactams, aminoglycosides, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and chloramphenicol, was present in phylogenetically very diverse K. pneumoniae strains (48 different MLSTs) carried by both hospitalized and healthy children. Our data strongly suggest widespread horizontal transfer of this ESBL-carrying plasmid both in hospitals and in the general population. IMPORTANCE - Horizontal spread of plasmids carrying multiple resistance genes is considered an important mechanism behind the global health problem caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. Nevertheless, knowledge about spread of plasmids in a community is limited. Our detailed molecular analyses of K. pneumoniae isolated from hospitalized and healthy children in Tanzania disclosed an epidemic spread of a resistance plasmid. In this study population, we revealed horizontal plasmid transfer among K. pneumoniae as the key factor for dissemination of ESBLs. Traditional outbreak investigation and surveillance focus on the spread of bacterial clones, and short-read sequencing can result in erroneous plasmid composition. Our approach using long-read sequencing reveals horizontal gene transfer of antimicrobial resistance, and therefore has a potential impact on outbreak investigations and approaches to limit spread of AMR

Investigating the mobilome in clinically important lineages of Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis

Background: The success of Enterococcus faecium and E. faecalis evolving as multi-resistant nosocomial pathogens is associated with their ability to acquire and share adaptive traits, including antimicrobial resistance genes encoded by mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Here, we investigate this mobilome in successful hospital associated genetic lineages, E. faecium sequence type (ST)17 (n=10) and ST78 (n=10), E. faecalis ST6 (n=10) and ST40 (n=10) by DNA microarray analyses. Results: The hybridization patterns of 272 representative targets including plasmid backbones (n=85), transposable elements (n=85), resistance determinants (n=67), prophages (n=29) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-cas sequences (n=6) separated the strains according to species, and for E. faecalis also according to STs. RCR-, Rep_3-, RepA_N- and Inc18-family plasmids were highly prevalent and with the exception of Rep_3, evenly distributed between the species. There was a considerable difference in the replicon profile, with rep17/pRUM, rep2/pRE25, rep14/EFNP1 and rep20/pLG1 dominating in E. faecium and rep9/pCF10, rep2/pRE25 and rep7 in E. faecalis strains. We observed an overall high correlation between the presence and absence of genes coding for resistance towards antibiotics, metals, biocides and their corresponding MGEs as well as their phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility pattern. Although most IS families were represented in both E. faecalis and E. faecium, specific IS elements within these families were distributed in only one species. The prevalence of IS256-, IS3-, ISL3-, IS200/IS605-, IS110-, IS982- and IS4-transposases was significantly higher in E. faecium than E. faecalis, and that of IS110-, IS982- and IS1182-transposases in E. faecalis ST6 compared to ST40. Notably, the transposases of IS981, ISEfm1 and IS1678 that have only been reported in few enterococcal isolates were well represented in the E. faecium strains. E. faecalis ST40 strains harboured possible functional CRISPR-Cas systems, and still resistance and prophage sequences were generally well represented. Conclusions: The targeted MGEs were highly prevalent among the selected STs, underlining their potential importance in the evolution of hospital-adapted lineages of enterococci. Although the propensity of inter-species horizontal gene transfer (HGT) must be emphasized, the considerable species-specificity of these MGEs indicates a separate vertical evolution of MGEs within each species, and for E. faecalis within each ST

Fra lokalt til nasjonalt utbrudd av Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Utbrudd som rammer flere sykehus, krever god koordinering. Folkehelseinstituttets rolle i dette arbeidet bør styrkes, og vi trenger bedre systemer for utbruddsovervåking, rask tilgang til genteknologiske verktøy samt metoder for mikrobiologiske undersøkelser av miljø og utstyr.Outbreaks affecting several hospitals require good coordination. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health's role in this work should be strengthened, and we need better systems for monitoring outbreaks, rapid access to genetic engineering tools and techniques for microbiological examinations of equipment and the environment

Countrywide outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in hospitals caused by premoistened non-sterile washcloths, Norway, 2021-2022

Source at https://www.fhi.no/I november 2021 ble Folkehelseinstituttet varslet om at tre intensivpasienter hadde dødd av blodbaneinfeksjon med bakterien Pseudomonas aeruginosa ved Universitetssykehuset Nord-Norge i Tromsø i løpet av kort tid. De hadde identiske isolater forenlig med et klonalt utbrudd. Helgenomsekvensering viste at det var en ny sekvenstype, ST3875, som ikke har vært påvist i Norge eller andre land. Nye tilfeller uten epidemiologiske sammenhenger, ble etter hvert funnet i flere andre sykehus, noe som indikerte en felles smittekilde. Den 17. januar 2022 var det påvist utbruddstilfeller i tre av fire helseregioner, og det ble 19. januar erkjent som et nasjonalt utbrudd. FHI overtok da koordinering av utbruddsarbeidet, og 20. januar ble det etablert en Sentral utbruddsgruppe med fagpersoner fra alle helseregionene. Den 21. januar var det 23 tilfeller i 9 sykehus i 3 regioner. Kasusdefinisjonen var en person med laboratoriebekreftet P. aeruginosa ST3875 fra oktober 2021 i sykehus i Norge, uavhengig av avdeling. Etter systematiske laboratorieundersøkelser av over 300 produkter påviste Oslo Universitetssykehus 18. mars 2022 utbruddsbakterien i pre-fuktede engangs vaskekluter av merket Oasis BedBath Unperfumed produsert i Lancashire, England. Sykehusene sluttet umiddelbart å bruke produktene. Vaskeklutene er definert som et kosmetisk produkt, og Mattilsynet er tilsynsmyndighet. Mattilsynet avdekket at produsenten og importøren ikke hadde full oversikt over produksjonslinjene og hvilke produkter som var forurenset. Det ble også avdekket at P. aeruginosa var blitt påvist i produkter under den interne kvalitetskontrollen i september 2021, uten at produktene var blitt stanset. Den 14. april tilbakekalte den engelske produsenten Vernacare produktene fra markedet både i Norge og internasjonalt. Per 14. juni 2022 omfattet utbruddet 388 tilfeller i 40 sykehus. Gjennomsnittsalder var 68 år og median alder 70 år (interkvartilområde 59- 79 år). Flertallet (63 %) av tilfellene var menn, og seks sykehus rapporterte Pseudomonas som sterkt medvirkende årsak til død hos totalt 8 tilfeller. Til sammen hadde 15 % av tilfellene ST3875 i blodkultur, 21 % i luftveier, 38 % i urin, 19 % i sår og 7 % i andre prøvematerialer, noe som tydet på flere mulige inngangsporter for bakterien. Antall nye tilfeller falt raskt etter at kilden var identifisert, og bruk av produktet ble stoppet i sykehus

Blodlipider og ferritin blant ungdomsskoleelever i Finnmark

Jeg undersøker lipid- og ferritinnivåene blant ungdomsskoleelever, 13-14 år, i Kirkenes, Øst-Finnmark, og sammenlikner med tidligere funn i samme fylke, som har høy mortalitet av hjerte- og karsykdommer, samt høyt kolesterolnivå. Oppgaven tar sikte på å undersøke om nivået av disse variablene har endret seg over en periode på 15-20 år, i tråd med kolesterolnivået blant voksne i Finnmark. Det gjøres en enkel kostholds- og livsstilsundersøkelse for å prøve å relatere disse til funn i blod. Man fant at totalkolesterolet var minket, i tråd med nivået for voksne i Finnmark. Vedr ferritinnivået var det færre med lave/nesten tomme jernlagre enn tidligere. Videre fant man at det fortsatt er tradisjonelle risikofaktorer for hjerte- og karsykdommer, spesielt når det gjelder lavt inntak av fisk og lite fysisk aktivitet. Det var tidligere 12 % med BMI > 28, som indikerer overvekt/fedme, mens det ikke var noen deltakere i denne undersøkelsen med en så høy BMI. Antall med totalkolesterol>5,2 mmol/L, som anses som høyt i denne årsklassen, har minket, fra 25 % på begynnelsen av 1990- tallet til 6,9 % i denne undersøkelsen

Resistive expressions in preschool children during peripheral vein cannulation in hospitals: a qualitative explorative observational study

Background Children may resist common medical procedures, and this may lead to the use of restraint. This can be challenging to all of the involved parties, but empirical research is scarce on children’s expressions during these procedures. Methods To explore preschool children’s resistive expressions during peripheral vein cannulation we video recorded and performed an in-depth analysis of naturally occurring situations with six newly hospitalized preschool children. Results Fourteen attempts of peripheral vein cannulation were recorded. A typology of resistive expressions was developed consisting of: protest, escape, and endurance. During the expression of protest, the children showed an insistent attitude where they were maintaining their view. The expression of escape was when children were panicked, avoiding hands of adults when being approached. When expressing endurance the children were stiff, motionless and introverted. Less physical restraint is required during endurance, but children still appear to refuse participation. Conclusions We identified three types of resistive expressions that can be used to better understand the individual child and inform clinical judgment in challenging procedural situations. This knowledge can help to sensitize health care providers in their attempt to arrange for children’s participation