Genetic ontogeny of pancreatic enzymes in Labrus bergylta larvae and the effect of feed type on enzyme activity and gene regulation

In the later years increased interest in the use of Labrus bergylta (ballan wrasse) as a cleaner fish on Salmo salar (Atlantic salmon) has caused the emergence of commercial farming of L. bergylta. In order to cultivate such a species, knowledge about its digestive physiology and its nutritional requirements is important, especially in larvae. It has therefore been suggested that a thorough investigation of digestive enzymes related to the pancreas in larvae could be valuable. There were two separate aims of the study. A descriptive part regarding the ontogeny of genes coding for pancreatic enzymes in larvae prior to metamorphosis were performed. Here, the aim was to investigate the effect of age on the relative expression of genes which are related to pancreatic digestion of proteins (trypsin), lipids (Cyp7 A1, BAL, sPLA2 1B) and carbohydrates (amylase, chitinase). Larvae were sampled from the age of 2–55 dph in weekly intervals. In addition to this, an experimental part was performed where the aim was to investigate the effect of different diets on pancreatic enzyme activity in the larvae. We also wanted to investigate the possibility of exogenous enzyme contribution by rotifers (B. plicatilis). Samples of successfully weaned larvae were compared to rotifer fed larvae, including larvae with no gut content. A sample of enriched rotifers was analyzed for comparison. Enzyme activity assays were performed on trypsin, neutral lipase, sPLA2, amylase and chitinase. Our results suggest a consistent feed- dependency in larval L. bergylta at a transcriptional level, where rotifers somehow stimulate upregulation and the formulated feed has the opposite effect. The regulation of BAL was the only exception, where an upregulation was observed as a result of weaning both in the ontogeny series and the experimental part. We did not observe an effect of diet on enzyme activities of neutral lipase, chitinase and sPLA2 in the experimental part. Trypsin and amylase activity assays showed a trend towards a higher activity in rotifer fed larvae, but these values were below the manufacturers LOD (limit of detection).Master i Havbruksbiologi - Generell havbruksbiologiMAMN-HAVHAV39

Care of the dying – The last health service Diakonhjemmet hospital, 1897-2017 (Oslo, Norway)

Worl interRAI, Leuven, 3. - 5. februar 2020. Arrangør: interRAIWe studied death and dying in a 130 years period using RAI-LTCF retrospectively. At start, the doctors had few diagnostic aids. The standard of living and medical development gradually increased. Age 80+ at death, changed from 0-63%. However, it rarely seems easy to face death, despite better palliative care.submittedVersio

Predicting next day’s production in run-of-river hydropower plants using machine learning

This master thesis focuses on time series forecasting using machine learning to predict hourly production in run-of-river hydropower plants. As electrical energy cannot be easily stored, it must be produced and consumed at the same time. To balance production and consumption, power suppliers in Norway must report to Statnett their expected energy production for the following day. Run-of-river hydropower plants rely on the natural water flow in rivers and do not involve any storage. Therefore, the production must be estimated based on the prevailing weather and hydrological conditions. Accurate predictions are crucial to minimize imbalance fees and ensure grid stability. The main objective of this study is to enhance the accuracy of predictions compared to Småkraft AS’s current method. The study aims to answer three research questions related to the most significant time intervals for weather variables that affect production, the most important features for making predictions, and the model’s performance in various weather situations. Two of Småkraft’s power plants, Bjørgum power plant and Furegardane power plant, provide the data for testing three machine learning models: a random forest regressor, a multilayer perception neural network, and a long short-term memory neural network. Input data to the models include weather forecast and observational-based variables, along with engineered features such as accumulated rainfall and snowmelt. The study concludes that the long short-term memory neural network is the best model and outperforms the current method used by Småkraft at both locations. The findings suggest that machine learning models can significantly improve the accuracy of hydropower production forecasting, which can benefit hydropower plant operators as well as the stability of the electricity grid. One limitation of the model is that it requires years of historical data and consequently will not be suitable for newly established power plants. Future work could focus on using data from power plants with comparable location, production patterns, and climate to predict the production in the power plant of interest.Masteroppgave i energiENERGI399I5MAMN-ENE

Should the Norwegian Progress Party be considered as members of the Populist Radical Right Party Family? A Qualitative Analysis of the Authoritarian, Nativist and Populist Elements in the Norwegian Progress Party

This thesis started with a simple question that teased my interest, does Norway have a populist radical right party? Most European countries do, and the literature was unclear as to whether the Norwegian Progress Party (FrP) should be considered members of this party family. Therefore, the aim of this thesis is to clear the air with regards to the FrP and investigate whether this party is in fact a populist radical right party, based on the criterions of membership laid out by Mudde (2007), identified as the ideological features of authoritarianism, nativism and populism. I have chosen the methodological approach of qualitative content analysis to analyze whether the FrP should be considered a populist radical right party. I have analyzed official party documents, meaning the party’s website and their election manifestos, arguing that these documents constitute the core ideological features of this party. What I have found, and will argue throughout this thesis, is that the official party literature of the FrP contains enough evidence of the core ideological features of the Populist Radical Right to include the party in this party family.MasteroppgaveSAMPOL350MASV-SAP

Assessing the Impact of the Iberian Exception on Day-Ahead Prices in Spain : A Difference in Difference and Quantile Regression Approach

The energy crisis of 2021 and 2022 has had severe consequences for Europe. The skyhigh energy prices have reduced economic growth, created inflation, and increased GHG emissions. In an effort to tackle the record high prices, Spain and Portugal have been granted an exception by the EU to implement a cap on the price of gas used for generating electricity. The price cap, best known as the Iberian exception, has sought to limit the impact of volatile gas prices in the electricity market by decoupling the gas price from the electricity price. Within the context of the crisis, it is vital to assess whether the implemented measures have achieved their objectives. This thesis studies the Iberian exception's impact on day-ahead electricity prices in Spain. By estimating a difference in difference model, we find a causal effect of the Iberian exception on day-ahead prices, confirming that the instrument does reduce electricity prices. Furthermore, the results from our quantile regression models show that the gas cap has reduced electricity prices across the price distribution, and reduced price volatility. The results confirm a partial decoupling of the gas price and the electricity price, and the price reducing effect of the instrument is only evident in conjunction with the gas price. While our thesis provides evidence that the Iberian exception has been efficient in reaching its goal, it also highlights multiple adverse effects. The decoupling of gas and electricity prices has led to increased gas generation, alongside increased exports to France, thereby benefitting French consumers. Our analysis show that the Iberian exception can be considered a success in Spain. However, based on our results we do not recommend similar interventions in other European countries, as the adverse effects would exceed the benefits.nhhma

National arkivering af e-tidsskrifter og e-bøger i Danmark - nu eller aldrig?

De senere år har der været arbejdet intensivt med permanent adgang og adgang ved opsigelser til elektroniske tidsskrifter og bøger. Der er set på løsninger, rettigheder, forhandlet med forlag, været dialog med udlandet m.m. Nu nærmer det sig, at vi efter 20 år med elektroniske tidsskrifter kan træffe en beslutning om ”go” eller ”no go” til en national arkiveringsløsning i Danmark

Hospitalization in the last days of life - could it have been avoided?

Worl interRAI, Leuven, 3. - 5. februar 2020. Arrangør: interRAIWe assessed nursing home patient for five years, RAI-LTCF, 110 died, of those 14 were hospitalized. One has to distinguish between the chances for cure versus the start of the death process. The staff may reassure the relatives that optimal palliative care will be provided in the nursing home.submittedVersio