Internalizing negative environmental impacts from wind power production: Coasian bargaining, offsetting schemes and environmental taxes

On the one hand, wind power production is necessary for decarbonizing the electricity sector. On the other hand, we risk replacing one environmental problem with other environmental problems, that is, stopping climate change in exchange with increased loss of pristine land and biodiversity. The present paper provides a novel contribution to the literature on how to regulate the development of wind power plants (WPPs). Current regulation is largely based on a concession system, where both environmental taxes and offset schemes are left unexplored. We develop a theoretical model of WPP development with offsets and environmental taxes. We show that if additional loss of pristine nature and biodiversity is acceptable at some monetary price, establishing an offset market for WPP development and combining it with an environmental tax will be socially desirable. In fact, this solution is preferable to both only having an environmental tax or only having a compulsory offset market. However, if no more loss of pristine land and biodiversity can be tolerated, compulsory and complete offsetting should be the norm. We look at two restoration projects in Norway and evaluate to what extent they could have been used as offsets for a recent WPP development in Norway. We conclude that they can, but an offset scheme demands good measurement methods and regulations to ensure equivalence in the values of ecosystem services lost and gaine

Identification and comparison of food management in public sector nursing homes in Norway

Master's thesis in International Hospitality ManagementThe Norwegian government has in recent years increased their focus on challenges regarding elderly care in municipalities nationwide, this is due to the increase and the expected further increase in the population aged 60 or above. The food served at facilities for elderly care across the nation has been a heated topic of discussion, not only by relatives of residents at these facilities, but also in the media, for years. In order to create a foundation for further research, this thesis will focus on three institutions who all are supplied with food who is made using the production method cook-cool. This production method has been widely debated, yet little research on how management, leaders and routines affect this dinner preparation method has been carried out. Eight different leaders from three different institutions for elderly care in a Norwegian municipality was interviewed focusing on the food production method, management, routines, and leadership. A survey was also distributed to the employees at these institutions, where they responded to different statements and scenarios. There was a high level of agreement between the employees who are dissatisfied with the production method. Yet, the leaders did not show any very negative or positive attitudes towards cook-cool. The distance between the leaders and the employees were evident, and could also be seen in the lack of control procedures in the different institutions

Kvinnelege innsette sine historier : Om å mangle anerkjenning

Denne oppgåva handlar om åtte kvinnelege innsette sine historier om sine liv. Studien byggjer på empiri frå samtaler med desse kvinnene. Ønsket om å snakke med innsette kvinner var tufta på statistikk som viser kor liten del av dei innsette i fengsel som er kvinner, og på antakinga om at dette kunne gjere kvinnene sine forteljingar til eit interessant forskingsfelt. For å kunne seie noko generelt om dei åtte kvinnene sine bakgrunnar, går eg gjennom tidlegare forsking som eg ser som relevant for oppgåva sitt tema. Her legg eg særleg vekt på kvantitative levekårundersundersøkingar om innsette, men dreg også inn anna kvalitativ og kvantitativ forsking gjort i inn- og utland om innsette kvinner sine levekår og livssituasjonar. For å setje kvinnene sine forteljingar inn i ein større samanhang, nyttar eg meg av sosialfilosofen Axel Honneth sin anerkjenningsteori. Honneth legg stor vekt på rolla anerkjenning spelar for individ si utvikling av sjølvforhold. Mangel på anerkjenning kan gjere det vanskeleg å oppnå sjølvforholda sjølvtillit, sjølvakting og sjølvverdsetjing, noko som ifølgje Honneth er essensielt for å kunne realisere seg sjølv og såleis leve eit godt liv. Vidare koplar eg Honneth si vektlegging av kor viktig ”mora” er for born sine fyrste leveår for å kunne utvikle det grunnleggande sjølvforholdet sjølvtillit, til nokre teoretiske bidrag om kjønna forventingar som vert stilt til kvinner som at dei skal vere andre-, familie- og omsorgsorienterte. Analysen tek for seg kvinnene sine historier, og ser dei i lys av tidlegare forsking og teori. I det fyrste analysekapittelet ser eg kvinnene sine forteljingar om sine bakgrunnar og levekår ut frå temaa oppvekst, utdanning, arbeid, rusbruk, helse og familieforhold. Kvinnene fortel i større eller mindre grad om vanskelege forhold frå deira bakgrunnar, som foreldre med rusproblem, flytting til fosterheim, og mishandling. Eg vel difor å kalle dette kapittelet for "negativ overlast" I det andre analysekapittelet søkjer eg å vise at negativ overlast fører til "negativt utfall", som eg kallar dette kapittelet. Eg byrjar med å setje søkjelys på episodar som kvinnene fortel om som synest å vere vendepunkt i deira liv. Nokre av vendepunkta handlar om kvinnene sitt fyrste møte med narkotika, andre handlar om mishandling, medan andre igjen handlar om hendingane som førte til at dei fekk sin fyrste fengselsstraff. Vidare ser eg på kva type lovbrot som kvinnene sit fengsla for, og kva dei fortel om eigen og andre sin kriminalitet, før eg avrundar med å sjå på negative følgjer som fengsling kan føre med seg, som skamkjensle og kvinnene sitt syn på seg sjølv som ofre eller gjerningspersonar. I det tredje analysekapittelet ser eg først på kvinnene sine historier i lys av Honneth sin teori om anerkjenning. Gjennom å lytte til kvinnene sine forteljingar, stod Honneth sine tankar om kjærleik, rettar og solidaritet, samt sjølvtillit, sjølvakting og sjølvverdsetjing, fram som ein teori som kunne bidra til å forklare kvifor kvinnene si negative overlast førte til negative utfall. Dette kapittelet kallar eg for ”mangel på anerkjenning” av di det er anerkjenning nokre av kvinnene ser ut til å mangle. Kapittelet vert avrunda med nokre av kvinnene sine forteljingar om den gode mor, og den gode hjelpar. Desse forteljingane vert sett opp mot dei teoretiske bidraga om kjønna forventingar stilt til kvinner, som forventingen om at kvinner skal vere omsorgspersonar

Temporale og romlige sedimentasjonstrender i en distal-glasial innsjø, gjennom Den Lille Istid

The sedimentation processes in an arctic distal-glacier fed lake Jægervatn (3 m. a.s.l.), located in northern Norway, has been studied by means of core analysis in addition to quaternary mapping of the catchment area of Jægervatn. The cores consist of six HTH - sediment cores (JVS104 - JVS604) and one longer piston core (JVP203), retrieved along a south - north oriented transect in the lake covering ~2000 m. The physical properties of the lacustrine sediments have been examined including visual log, X-ray, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), magnetic susceptibility (MS), frequency and temperature susceptibility (χbulk, 293K and 77K), loss on ignition (LOI), water content (WC), dry bulk density (DBD) and grain size distribution. The main focus was to study the temporal and spatial distribution of sediments in Jægervatn and assess to what extent the observed patterns could be related to glacial and extra-glacial activity. Based on result from the laboratory methods a sedimentation model for Jægervatn has been developed. The analysis of the cores have recognized two dominating sedimentary units in Jægervatn; unit B which is dominated by paraglacial processes and unit A which is dominated by glacial activity. Unit B was deposited during the Medial Warm Period" (MWD), whereas Unit A was deposted during the Little Ice Age (LIA). The latter period started in 1490 AD and lasted until 1920AD in the study area, possibly with two separate advances occurring around 1660 AD and 1830 AD, respectively. A third unit is also revealed and has been deposited during marine environments when Jægervatn was connected to fjord settings. The Equilibrium-line-altitude (ELA) lowering during the LIA was 57m, but even so it lead to over a trippeling of the sedimentation rate as recorded in Jægervatn, although the spatial pattern was much the same as during earlier periods.GEO350MASV-GEO

Use of Off-Label Drugs and Nutrition Supplements among Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Norway

Background and Objectives. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a lethal neurodegenerative disease, characterized by gradual paralysis and muscle atrophy. Riluzole, the only approved treatment in Norway, increases mean survival by 3–6 months. The use of off-label medications and nutritional supplements is common in other serious conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia. The aims of this study were to investigate to what extent Norwegian ALS patients use supplements and off-label medications and whether this is related to their health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL). Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional questionnaire study was performed, where 41 ALS patients reported their use of off-label treatments, as well as self-perceived HRQOL using the RAND-12 questionnaire. Results. A majority of respondents used riluzole. Of the 41 respondents, 18 (43.9%) reported use of off-label medications and 18 (43.9%) used nutritional supplements. Low-dose naltrexone was the most commonly used off-label medication, whereas vitamins accounted for most of the nutritional supplements. The respondents’ RAND-12 component scores were significantly lower than those of the general population. Low-dose naltrexone and vitamin B were associated with a better physical component score. Conclusions. Most of the respondents in our study adhere to the recommended treatment protocols, as less than half of them reported using off-label medications or nutritional supplements against ALS. Positive correlations between physical HRQOL and use of low-dose naltrexone or vitamin B were demonstrated. These results warrant further investigations.publishedVersio

Paradoxical sinus deceleration during dobutamine stress echocardiography: case series and review of the literature

Background: Dobutamine stress echocardiography is an established diagnostic modality for assessing myocardial ischaemia in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. Dobutamine infusion causes dose-dependent increase in heart rate and contractility. However, in some cases, it induces paradoxical sinus deceleration, whose underlying mechanism and clinical significance are not fully understood. Case summary: We present episodes of paradoxical sinus deceleration observed during dobutamine stress echocardiography in six (four males and two females) patients and described its patterns of occurrence and clinical and echocardiographic characteristics. Discussion: Paradoxical sinus deceleration occurred mostly at maximal dobutamine infusion was accompanied with a decline in blood pressure and resolved spontaneously following cessation of dobutamine infusion. Individuals experiencing paradoxical sinus deceleration had in common abnormal left ventricle geometry but differed with regard to age, sex, and cardiometabolic risk factors.publishedVersio

Assessment of a land-locked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) population as a potential genetic resource with a focus on long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis

The natural food for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in freshwater has relatively low levels of omega-3 (n-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), whereas post-smolt salmon in seawater have a diet naturally rich in n-3 LC-PUFA. Land-locked salmon such as the Gullspång population feed exclusively on freshwater type lipids during its entire life cycle, a successful adaptation derived from divergent evolution. Studying land-locked populations may provide insights into the molecular and genetic control mechanisms that determine and regulate n-3 LC-PUFA biosynthesis and retention in Atlantic salmon. A two factorial study was performed comparing land-locked and farmed salmon parr fed diets formulated with fish or rapeseed oil for 8 weeks. The land-locked parr had higher capacity to synthesise n-3 LC-PUFA as indicated by higher expression and activity of desaturase and elongase enzymes. The data suggested that the land-locked salmon had reduced sensitivity to dietary fatty acid composition and that dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) did not appear to suppress expression of LC-PUFA biosynthetic genes or activity of the biosynthesis pathway, probably an evolutionary adaptation to a natural diet lower in DHA. Increased biosynthetic activity did not translate to enhanced n-3 LC-PUFA contents in the flesh and diet was the only factor affecting this parameter. Additionally, high lipogenic and glycolytic potentials were found in land-locked salmon, together with decreased lipolysis which in turn could indicate increased use of carbohydrates as an energy source and a sparing of lipid

Design and development of a display device for Lippmann plates

Semester project to design and develop a display device for use at Musée de l’Elysée to display Lippmann plates. Display platform and light fixtures designed to obtain the full spectrum of Lippmann plates