Electricity Export or Industrial Development? An Analysis of Optimal Economic and Climate Smart Usage of the Norwegian electricity Surplus in 2030.

Masteroppgave i fornybar energiDet er i denne oppgaven sett på ulike anvendelser for bruk av et fremtidig kraftoverskudd i 2030 i Norge. Forventingen om et kraftoverskudd baserer seg på resultater fra relevant litteratur. Da avveiingen mellom hvor store reduksjoner i CO2-utslipp og hvor god lønnsomhet som kan oppnås for ulike anvendelser av elektrisitet, er problemstillingen formulert på følgene måte: «Hvilken fremtidig bruk av elektrisitet i en situasjon med høyt kraftoverskudd, vil føre til lavest mulig klimabelastning og høyest lønnsomhet i år 2030?». Det er sett på følgende anvendelser av elektrisitet: krafteksport, aluminiumproduksjon og elektrifisering av Utsirahøyden. Prisutviklingen i kvotemarkedet EU ETS påvirker både lønnsomheten og CO2-reduksjonene for disse anvendelsene og er derfor inkludert i analysen. Det er benyttet en arkimedisk målprogrammeringsmodell for å besvare problemstillingen. Som optimaliseringskriterier i modellen er CO2-reduskjoner og lønnsomhet benyttet. Det er undersøkt to scenarioer med 25 TWh kraftoverskudd, men med ulik kvotepris. Scenario 1: 250 kr/tonn CO2. Scenario 2: 676 kr/tonn CO2. Det er gjort analyser for å finne den optimale vektingen av kriteriene som samlet gir den høyeste måloppnåelsen. Det optimale vektingen er videre brukt for å finne ut hvilke anvendelser som først prioriteres. Resultatene fra analysen viser at den optimale vektingen av kriteriene for scenario 1 gir en fordeling på 5 TWh for krafteksport og 20 TWh for aluminiumproduksjon. Det oppnås en reduksjon i CO2-utslipp på 8,7 millioner tonn CO2 og en lønnsomhet på 2,8 milliarder kroner. Aluminiumproduksjon prioriteres høyest. I scenario 2 er fordelingen 20 TWh for krafteksport og 3,3 TWh for aluminiumproduksjon og 1,7 TWh for elektrifisering. Det oppnås en reduksjon i CO2- utslipp på 6 millioner tonn CO2 og en lønnsomhet på 3,3 milliarder kroner. Elektrifisering prioriteres høyest for denne vektingen. Stor usikkerhet i datamaterialet og forenklinger som følger av de forutsetningene som er gjort medfører at resultatet ikke bør vektlegges for mye. De trendene som observeres er desto mer interessant. Hvilket perspektiv som legges til grunn for CO2-reduksjoner er også viktig, samt de fordelingseffektene som inntreffer for den lønnsomheten som oppnås.M-FORN

Hvilke rettslige virkemidler sikrer allmennhetens tilgang i fortettings- og transformasjonsområder

Oppgaven omhandler rettslige virkemidlene for å sikre allmennhetens tilgang til fortettings- og transformasjonsområder. Både offentligrettslige og privatrettslige virkemidler, samt virkemidler som kombinerer begge, gir kommunen handlingsrom til å sikre denne tilgangen. Oppgaven er delt i to deler. Den første delen kartlegger de ulike virkemidlene. Den andre delen har som formål å vise hvordan disse virkemidlene faktisk sikrer allmennhetens tilgang i praksis. Friluftsloven spiller en viktig rolle ved å sikre ferdsel og opphold gjennom allemannsretten, også i områder som blir fortettet eller transformert. Kommunen har et betydelig ansvar gjennom sin arealplanlegging i henhold til plan- og bygningsloven, herunder reguleringsplaner, for å sikre at områder er tilgjengelige for allmennheten. I tillegg kan utbyggingsavtaler brukes til å sikre at områdene blir utviklet og tilrettelagt ved å pålegge utbyggere å bekoste dette helt eller delvis. Et annet virkemiddel er bruken av tinglyste erklæringer, spesielt når tilgang til områdene ikke er klart definert i arealformålet. Det er en rettsoppfatning om at enkelte av plan- og bygningslovens arealformål i seg selv, sikrer allmennhetens tilgang. Herunder særlig arealformålet «grønnstruktur». Etter å ha gjort grundig analyse av forarbeider og lovens ordlyd, er det lite som taler for dette. Det var utgangspunktet for tilsvarende arealformål i den tidligere loven. Ifølge lovens forarbeider er det fortsatt det vanlige utgangspunkt, men må presiseres gjennom bestemmelser. Oppgaven konkluderer dermed med at de er rom og behov for presisering av lovens bestemmelse, § 12- 5 nr. 3.This master thesis discusses the legal means to ensure the public's access to densification and transformation areas. Both through public law means and private means, as well as means that combine both, give the municipality scope to secure this access. The assignment is divided into two parts. The first part maps the various instruments, while the second part aims to show how these means actually ensure public access in practice. The Open Space Act plays an important role by ensuring movement and residence through the right of access, also in areas that are being densified or transformed. The municipality has a significant responsibility through its spatial planning in accordance with the Planning and Building Act, including the preparation of zoning plans, to ensure that areas are accessible to the general public. In addition, development agreements can be used to ensure that the areas are developed and facilitated by requiring developers to pay for this in whole or in part. Another tool is the use of registered declarations, especially when access to the areas is not clearly defined in the area purpose. It is a legal opinion that certain of the Planning and Building Act's spatial purposes in themselves ensure public access. Including,in particular,the area purpose "green structure". After carrying out a thorough analysis of the preparatory work and the wording of the law, there is little to support this. That was the starting point for corresponding land purposes in the previous law. According to the drafters of the law, it is still the usual starting point,but must be specified through regulations. The assignment thus concludes that there is room and need for clarification of the Act's provision, § 12-5 no. 3

Towards a Framework of Authentication and Authorization Patterns for Ensuring Availability in Service Composition

During the past decade, the telecommunication environment has evolved from single operator featuring voice services to multi-operator featuring a range of different types of services. Services are being provided today in a distributed manner in a connectionless environment requiring cooperation of several components and actors. This report focuses on the incremental means to ensure access to services for authorized users only by composing authentication and authorization patterns and services. We propose a novel framework of authentication and authorization patterns for securing access to services for authorized users only, and we demonstrate how the patterns can be dynamically composed with services using a policy-driven approach

Luftfartstilsynets implementering av nytt regelverk - vellykket mot alle odds?

Masteroppgave i luftsfartsledelse (MBA) - Nord universitet 201

Low myocardial energetic efficiency is associated with increased mortality in aortic stenosis

Objectives In hypertension, low myocardial energetic efficiency (MEEi) has been documented as an integrated marker of metabolic and left ventricular (LV) myocardial dysfunction. We tested the predictive performance of MEEi in initially asymptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) patients free from diabetes and known cardiovascular disease. Methods Data from 1703 patients with mostly moderate AS enrolled in the Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis study followed for 4.3 years was used. MEE was calculated from Doppler stroke volume/([heart rate/60]) and indexed to LV mass (MEEi). The threshold value for MEEi associated with increased mortality was identified in generalised additive model with smoothing splines. Covariables of MEEi were identified in logistic regression analysis. Outcome was assessed in Cox regression analysis and reported as HR and 95% CI. Results MEEi <0.34 mL/s per gram was associated with increased cardiovascular mortality (n=80) (HR 2.53 (95% CI 1.50 to 4.28)) and all-cause mortality (n=155) (HR 1.74 (95% CI 1.20 to 2.52)) (both p<0.01). The association was independent of confounders of low MEEI (<0.34 mL/s per gram) identified in multivariable logistic regression analysis, including more severe AS, higher body mass index, lower LV midwall shortening and ejection fraction and presence of hypertension. Comparison of the Cox models with and without MEEi among the covariables demonstrated that MEEi significantly improved the prognostic yield (both p<0.01). Conclusions In patients with initially asymptomatic AS, low MEEi was associated with clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors, lower LV myocardial function and subsequent increased mortality during 4.3 years follow-up, independent of known prognosticators.publishedVersio

Identification of Novel Inhibitors of Dietary Lipid Absorption Using Zebrafish

Pharmacological inhibition of dietary lipid absorption induces favorable changes in serum lipoprotein levels in patients that are at risk for cardiovascular disease and is considered an adjuvant or alternative treatment with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins). Here we demonstrate the feasibility of identifying novel inhibitors of intestinal lipid absorption using the zebrafish system. A pilot screen of an unbiased chemical library identified novel compounds that inhibited processing of fluorescent lipid analogues in live zebrafish larvae. Secondary assays identified those compounds suitable for testing in mammals and provided insight into mechanism of action, which for several compounds could be distinguished from ezetimibe, a drug used to inhibit cholesterol absorption in humans that broadly inhibited lipid absorption in zebrafish larvae. These findings support the utility of zebrafish screening assays to identify novel compounds that target complex physiological processes

Large animal models of cardiovascular disease

The human cardiovascular system is a complex arrangement of specialized structures with distinct functions. The molecular landscape, including the genome, transcriptome and proteome, is pivotal to the biological complexity of both normal and abnormal mammalian processes. Despite our advancing knowledge and understanding of cardiovascular disease (CVD) through the principal use of rodent models, this continues to be an increasing issue in today's world. For instance, as the ageing population increases, so does the incidence of heart valve dysfunction. This may be because of changes in molecular composition and structure of the extracellular matrix, or from the pathological process of vascular calcification in which bone-formation related factors cause ectopic mineralization. However, significant differences between mice and men exist in terms of cardiovascular anatomy, physiology and pathology. In contrast, large animal models can show considerably greater similarity to humans. Furthermore, precise and efficient genome editing techniques enable the generation of tailored models for translational research. These novel systems provide a huge potential for large animal models to investigate the regulatory factors and molecular pathways that contribute to CVD in vivo. In turn, this will help bridge the gap between basic science and clinical applications by facilitating the refinement of therapies for cardiovascular disease. Copyright (c) 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Myocardial Blood Flow Reserve Is Impaired in Patients With Aortic Valve Calcification and Unobstructed Epicardial Coronary Arteries

Background: Although calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is associated with coronary atherosclerosis, it is not known whether early CAVD is associated with coronary microcirculatory dysfunction (CMD). We sought to investigate the relationship between myocardial blood flow reserve (MBFR) - a measure of CMD, and early CAVD. We also determined whether this relationship was independent of coronary artery disease (CAD) and hs-CRP, a marker of systemic inflammation. Methods: 183 patients with chest pain and unobstructed coronary arteries were studied. Aortic valve calcification score (AVCS), coronary total plaque length (TPL), and coronary calcium score were quantified from multislice CT. MBFR was assessed using vasodilator myocardial contrast echocardiography. Hs-CRP was measured from venous blood using a particle-enhanced immunoassay. Results: Mean(±SD) participant age was 59.8(9.6) years. Mean AVCS was 68(258) AU, TPL was 15.6(22.2) mm, and median coronary calcification score was 43.5AU. Mean MBFR was 2.20(0.52). Mean hs-CRP was 2.52(3.86) mg/L. Multivariable linear regression modelling incorporating demographics, coronary plaque characteristics, MBFR, and inflammatory markers, demonstrated that age (β=0.05, 95%CI:0.02,0.08, P=0.007), hs-CRP (β=0.09, CI:0.02,0.16, P=0.010) and diabetes (β=1.03, CI:0.08,1.98, P=0.033), were positively associated with AVCS. MBFR (β=-0.87, CI:-1.44,-0.30, P=0.003), BMI (β=-0.11, CI:-0.21,-0.01, P=0.033), and LDL (β=-0.32, CI:-0.61,-0.03, P=0.029) were negatively associated with AVCS. TPL and coronary calcium score were not independently associated with AVCS when included in the regression model. Conclusion: Coronary microvascular function as determined by measurement of myocardial blood flow reserve is an independent predictor of early CAVD. This effect is independent of the presence of coronary artery disease and also systemic inflammation

The Role of Imaging in Measuring Disease Progression and Assessing Novel Therapies in Aortic Stenosis

Aortic stenosis represents a growing health care burden in high-income countries. Currently, the only definitive treatment is surgical or transcatheter valve intervention at the end stages of disease. As the understanding of the underlying pathophysiology evolves, many promising therapies are being investigated. These seek to both slow disease progression in the valve and delay the transition from hypertrophy to heart failure in the myocardium, with the ultimate aim of avoiding the need for valve replacement in the elderly patients afflicted by this condition. Noninvasive imaging has played a pivotal role in enhancing our understanding of the complex pathophysiology underlying aortic stenosis, as well as disease progression in both the valve and myocardium. In this review, the authors discuss the means by which contemporary imaging may be used to assess disease progression and how these approaches may be utilized, both in clinical practice and research trials exploring the clinical efficacy of novel therapies