General Monitoring of Observational Units in the Arctic Tundra

Climate change is going to change what we know about the arctic tundra. Patterns in the behavior of the wildlife that lives there are predicted to undergo a shift, and it will therefore be important to have reliable sources of empirical data, so that we can understand how these developments are playing out. The arctic tundra is remote and difficult to deploy sensing instruments on, and signal coverage is unreliable. Finding a way to monitor them reliably from a distance is needed. This thesis describes how a prototype for a Wireless Sensor Network was designed, implemented, and tested, with the aim of connecting Observational Units together in a local cluster, and cooperate amongst themselves to propagate monitoring data to external servers. The system was designed so that nodes can dynamically discover neighboring nodes within their range, and gossip knowledge about where sinks are in the network. Sinks are nodes which have managed to establish a link with an external server, and the paths to these sinks are spread across the network. Such that if only node in the entire cluster is a sink, then data from every node has a path outside of the cluster. Results from running validation shows that the implemented prototype func- tions as intended, but experiments have revealed apparent weaknesses. The number of paths which are shared in gossiping shows an exponential growth when the number of nodes in a cluster grows linearly. The experiments into bundling and monitoring-data propagation shows that combining data together causes a reduction in these types of transmissions by a factor equal to that of the number of data fragments which are combined, however the Partial Bundle Policy measure to increase throughput for fringe nodes has unexpected consequences. The prototype system works as intended per the design. We have found however that the system is not scalable due to the extent of the accumulated path knowledge. Suggestions for avenues to address this has been outlined in the discussion chapter. There is a need to explore how something similar to this prototype would look and perform in a real-life deployment on the arctic tundra

Assessing the effectiveness of if-then plans to facilitate increased fruit and vegetable intake in adults

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are prevalent, causing high rates of morbidity and mortality. A diet rich in fruit and vegetables are important in the prevention and management of NCDs. If-then plans is a planning strategy that could facilitate eating behaviour change by creating a mental link between a cue and a response in an “If…, then…”-structure. The aim was to investigate the effectiveness of if-then plans to facilitate increased fruit and vegetable intake in adults. The second objective was to investigate if the effectiveness of if-then plans is related to differences in sample population or planning factors. A systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis (REML) were conducted and reported (PRISMA 2020). Three databases were searched (Nov. 2022). Included studies were RCTs, testing the effect of if-then plans on fruit and/or vegetable intake in adults. Quality of the evidence was assessed with RoB 2 and GRADE. Ten studies were included. If-then plans had a small statistically significant effect (SMD(d) = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.37) on fruit and vegetable intake. There was not a statistically significant difference between subgroups (both ps > .05). The confidence in the evidence was graded to be of moderate quality

Influence of photoperiod on central appetite regulation in captive Svalbard rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta hyperborea)

The Svalbard rock ptarmigan displays a seasonal change of body mass as a selectively beneficial adaptation for survival in the high Arctic. This physiological change is sensitive to photoperiod (daylight duration in a 24h cycle) but little is known of the mechanism through which changes in photoperiod affects body mass in this species. We exposed winer adapted Sv. rock ptarmigan to a simulated lengthening natural photoperiod (NP), constant light (LL), and constant darkness (DD). As expected, increasing photoperiod rapidly reduced body mass (BM), likely as a consequence of increased activity which occurred without compensation of increased voluntary food intake (VFI). Expression of the thyroid hormone metabolising enzyme Dio2 was quantified within the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH), as an indicator of seasonal status. Similar to other seasonal models, Dio2 was stimulated by lengthening photoperiods and spontaneously induced by extended exposure to constant darkness. Expression of Dio2 was positively correlated with expression of NPY (a crucial appetite regulating peptide) within the Arcuate nucleus (ARC). Conversely, the expression profile of the closely associated orexigenic factor AgRP was correlated with BM, but not Dio2 levels. Expression of the satiety factor POMC was unaffected by photoperiodic changes. Collectively these data demonstrate that although photoperiod affects central gene expression in the Sv. Rock ptarmigan their expression does not directly dictate changes in VFI or BM. Instead, a more complicated pattern of appetite regulation emerges, processing photoperiodic and metabolic signals as well as seasonal behavioural changes in the Svalbard rock ptarmigan

Linguistic Repertoires: Modeling Variation in Input and Production: A case study on American Speakers of Heritage Norwegian

Heritage Norwegian in the American Midwest is documented through a corpus of recordings collected and compiled over a time span of 80 years, from Einar Haugen’s recordings in the 1940s via the CANS corpus up to the present-day in the authors’ own recordings. This gives an unprecedented opportunity to study how a minority language changes in a language contact situation, over several generations and under gradually changing circumstances. Since we also have thorough historical knowledge of the institutions and societal texture of these communities, this privileged situation allows us to trace the various sources of input available to the heritage speakers in these communities in different relevant time slots. We investigate how the quality and quantity of input at different times are reflected in the syntactic production of heritage speakers of the corresponding generational cohorts, focusing on relative ratios of specific word orders (topicalization and verb second, prenominal and postnominal possessive noun phrases) and productive morphosyntactic paradigms (tense suffixes of loan verbs). Utilizing a model of relations between input and output, receptive and productive competence, to show how input–output effects will accumulate throughout the cohorts, we explain the observed linguistic change in individuals and society.publishedVersio

SNPexp - A web tool for calculating and visualizing correlation between HapMap genotypes and gene expression levels

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Expression levels for 47294 transcripts in lymphoblastoid cell lines from all 270 HapMap phase II individuals, and genotypes (both HapMap phase II and III) of 3.96 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the same individuals are publicly available. We aimed to generate a user-friendly web based tool for visualization of the correlation between SNP genotypes within a specified genomic region and a gene of interest, which is also well-known as an expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>SNPexp is implemented as a server-side script, and publicly available on this website: <url>http://tinyurl.com/snpexp</url>. Correlation between genotype and transcript expression levels are calculated by performing linear regression and the Wald test as implemented in PLINK and visualized using the UCSC Genome Browser. Validation of SNPexp using previously published eQTLs yielded comparable results.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>SNPexp provides a convenient and platform-independent way to calculate and visualize the correlation between HapMap genotypes within a specified genetic region anywhere in the genome and gene expression levels. This allows for investigation of both cis and trans effects. The web interface and utilization of publicly available and widely used software resources makes it an attractive supplement to more advanced bioinformatic tools. For the advanced user the program can be used on a local computer on custom datasets.</p

A refined method to monitor arousal from hibernation in the European hamster

Background - Hibernation is a physiological and behavioural adaptation that permits survival during periods of reduced food availability and extreme environmental temperatures. This is achieved through cycles of metabolic depression and reduced body temperature (torpor) and rewarming (arousal). Rewarming from torpor is achieved through the activation of brown adipose tissue (BAT) associated with a rapid increase in ventilation frequency. Here, we studied the rate of rewarming in the European hamster (Cricetus cricetus) by measuring both BAT temperature, core body temperature and ventilation frequency. Results - Temperature was monitored in parallel in the BAT (IPTT tags) and peritoneal cavity (iButtons) during hibernation torpor-arousal cycling. We found that increases in brown fat temperature preceded core body temperature rises by approximately 48 min, with a maximum re-warming rate of 20.9℃*h-1. Re-warming was accompanied by a significant increase in ventilation frequency. The rate of rewarming was slowed by the presence of a spontaneous thoracic mass in one of our animals. Core body temperature re-warming was reduced by 6.2℃*h-1 and BAT rewarming by 12℃*h-1. Ventilation frequency was increased by 77% during re-warming in the affected animal compared to a healthy animal. Inspection of the position and size of the mass indicated it was obstructing the lungs and heart. Conclusions - We have used a minimally invasive method to monitor BAT temperature during arousal from hibernation illustrating BAT re-warming significantly precedes core body temperature re-warming, informing future study design on arousal from hibernation. We also showed compromised re-warming from hibernation in an animal with a mass obstructing the lungs and heart, likely leading to inefficient ventilation and circulation

Consequenses of increased rotation length as climate change mitigation

Globale klimaendringer er en av vår tids største miljøutfordringer. Global oppvarming i form av økt karbondioksidinnhold (CO2) i atmosfæren fører blant annet til økt gjennomsnittstemperatur på jorda og økt havnivå, som vil gi store konsekvenser over hele verden. Norge har etter regjeringens nye klimamelding av februar 2015 påtatt seg et 40 % utslippsreduksjon av klimagasser innen 2030 sammenlignet med nivået i 1990. I denne meldingen beskrives skog som et av de viktigste virkemidlene for å nå dette målet. Regulering av omløpstiden er en effektiv måte å forvalte skogens karbonbudsjett på. Selv om signalene fra regjeringen er positive til økt utnyttelse av skogressursen, er forpliktelsene til utslippsreduksjoner svært kraftige på kort sikt. Skogeierne skal ikke ta for gitt at det ikke kan bli innført konkrete klimatiltak også i skogbruket, og et av dem kan være å forlenge omløpstiden. I denne oppgaven ble konsekvensene av å la skogen stå over økonomisk hogstmodenhet i den hensikt å binde karbon undersøkt. Det er utført økonomiske beregninger rundt rånetto, total karbonbinding og sammenlignet kostnaden ved forlenget omløpstid med et økonomisk optimalt bestand gjennom grunn- og venteverdiberegninger. Resultatene viser at både volum pr. dekar, karbonmengde bundet i skogen ved hogsttidspunkt og ved langtidslagring i materialer økte med økende omløpstid. Den årlige tonnprisen for å lagre karbon i bestandet ved å utsette hogst ble redusert med økt omløpstid, sett bort i fra bestandet som står på kalkholdig, tørkesvak mark. Det var mer økonomisk kostnadseffektivt å binde karbon i alternativet med 20 års forlenget omløpstid i forhold til alternativene med kortere omløpstid.Global climate change is one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time. Global warming in terms of altered carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere leads to an increase in the mean temperature on earth and an increased sea level that could in turn lead to severe consequences all over the world. In a new report, the Norwegian government states that they have undertaken the task of reducing net emissions of greenhouse gases by 40 % by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. In this report forestry is claimed to be one of the most important instruments to reach this goal. Regulating the rotation length is an effective way to manage a forest' carbon budget. Even though the signals from the government are positive to an increased utilization of the forest resource, the commitment to the reduction levels is so ambitious that forest owners should not take for granted that measures to sequestrate carbon dioxide in forests not will be taken. One such measure could be to increase the rotation length of forest stands. In this paper I have examined the consequences of increasing the rotation length as a function of sequestrating carbon dioxide. I have done economical calculations on net income, total carbon sequestration and the cost of increased rotation length by comparing an economically optimal stand with different durations of increased rotation length. I found that both volume pr decare, carbon level sequestrated in the stand and in materials made from the saw timber increased by increasing rotation length. The yearly tonnage cost of sequestrating carbon by delaying the harvest time was reduced by increased rotation length. The only exception was the stand with increased rotation length and limestone ground, that had the highest yearly tonnage cost. It was more cost-effective to sequestrate carbon in the stand with increased rotation age of 20 years, than the alternatives with shorter rotation length

Competition at the Left Edge: Left-Dislocation vs. Topicalization in Heritage Germanic

The present work analyses left dislocation (LD) in Heritage German and Heritage Norwegian as a phenomenon of the left periphery of the clause. Fieldwork conducted from the 1940s through the 2010s shows both a robust maintenance of verb second (V2) and that pragmatically-conditioned copy left dislocation (CLD) occurs in complementary distribution with V2 in these heritage languages (HLs), and in ways that are consistent with the pre-immigration, homeland varieties. This study therefore unifies CLD and bare topic constructions (BTCs) under a single structure, in which the resumptive pronoun is either overt (CLD) or covert (BTC), with CLD being restricted to instances where there is either a pragmatic condition (e.g., emphasis, contrast, topic shift) or an interlocutor (e.g., narration). Infrequently, some speakers employ CLD in the absence of these conditions, where BTC would otherwise be expected. The authors propose that this change is motivated diachronically as the reanalysis of specifiers as heads, under the Avoid Silent Heads (ASH) principle (Eide 2011; cf. van Gelderen 2007), and consistent with the tendency for (heritage) speakers to prefer overt heads to covert ones (Polinsky 2018). Such change corresponds with the lexicalization of formerly pragmatically-conditioned XPs as obligatory heads.publishedVersio

Om verbplassering og verbmorfologi i amerikanorsk

Denne artikkelen undersøker tilhøvet mellom verbbøying og ordstilling i ein språkkontaktsituasjon der norsk er det eine språket og engelsk det andre. Meir spesifikt er datatilfanget henta frå fleire datasett med opptak av norskamerikanarar i den amerikanske Midtvesten, og opptaka spenner over 70 år og tre generasjonar. Dette gir høve til å studere korleis denne kontaktvarieteten endrar seg over tid med omsyn til dei fenomena som er tema i artikkelen. Artikkelen er slik eit bidrag til eit område av norsken som er lite utforska, men han tar òg mål av seg til å kaste lys over meir generelle problemstillingar innanfor språkkontakt, tospråklegheit, og den formalteoretisk retta lingvistikken under den retninga som vert omtala som “biolingvistikk”. Utgangspunktet vårt i denne artikkelen vil særleg vere å sjå på språkkontakt som eit mentalt fenomen, der kontakten primært skjer i sinnet til språkbrukaren.The study reported in this paper investigates the relationship between verbal inflectional paradigms and the robustness of the verb second rule (V2) in Norwegian dialects spoken in the American Midwest. The data come from five sets of recordings of informants speaking Norwegian as a heritage language. The recordings were made at three different times: 1940s, 1990s and 2010s. These data sets enable us to examine historical developments in the community’s heritage language with regard to inflection, word order and the potential relationship between the two. By using data from heritage speakers, our study also aims to shed light on what happens to the V2 rule(s) in a contact situation where the heritage language (here Norwegian) posits the V2 rule categorically and the dominant language (here American English, AmE) does not. Essentially, this paper considers language contact as a mental, more than a social, phenomenon.publishedVersio