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Binge as a Break: Exhaustion, Neuroticism and the Turn to Binge-Watching Behavior
Get PDFMed økende arbeidsbelastning på tvers av ulike yrker er det viktig å forstå hvordan folk håndterer stress etter arbeidstid. Denne oppgaven undersøker hvordan arbeidsbelastning og utmattelse kan påvirke seriefråtsing, og om personlighetstrekket nevrotisisme modererer disse forholdene. Med utgangspunkt i Job Demands-Resources modellen og Uses and Gratification teorien, antok vi at høy arbeidsbelastning ville føre til økt daglig utmattelse, som igjen ville kunne forutsi mer seriefråtsing særlig hos personer med høy nevrotisisme. Ved bruk av et 10-dagers daglig dagbok design rapporterte deltakerne daglig om arbeidsbelastning, energinivå, TV-bruk og nevrotisisme som ble målt ved oppstart. Analysene viste ingen signifikante sammenhenger mellom arbeidsbelastning, utmattelse og seriefråtsing. Overraskende nok svekket nevrotisisme sammenhengen mellom utmattelse og seriefråtsing. Disse funnene utfordrer ideen om mediebruk som en universell restitusjonsstrategi, og antyder at personer med høy nevrotisisme kan unngå seriefråtsing til fordel for andre restitusjonsstrategier. Studien fremhever kompleksiteten i daglig restitusjonsatferd og viktigheten av individuelle forskjeller i hvordan folk reagerer på arbeidsrelatert stress. Praktiske implikasjoner peker mot økt bevissthet rundt behovet for restitusjon og viktigheten av å tilpasse mestringsstrategier til individuelle profiler. Funnene bidrar til en mer nyansert forståelse av balansen mellom arbeid, fritid og stressrelatert fritids atferd
Antecedents and Consequences of Self-Respect in Norwegian Youth: A Correlational Study Among High School Students in Norway
Get PDFSelf-respect, as defined by Honneth (1996), is viewing oneself as a person with equal rights as others. However, this definition of self-respect has received limited attention in psychological research. Emerging research on this topic suggests that repeatedly experiencing discrimination can undermine self-respect. Thus, those who have faced gender discrimination may struggle to internalize high levels of self-respect. While a higher level of self-respect is linked to stronger endorsement of human rights and greater assertiveness. Since, self-respect involves perceiving oneself as equals to others, it may also be associated with lower levels of negative attitudes towards other groups (e.g., sexism). The present study therefore aimed to investigate if previous experiences of gender discrimination are related to self-respect, and if self-respect relates to sexist attitudes among Norwegian adolescents. To investigate this, we conducted a cross-sectional study in Norwegian high schools. Our sample consisted of 203 boys (Mage = 17.03, SD = 0.29) and 247 girls (Mage = 17.07, SD = 0.35). The result show that women reported experiencing more past gender discrimination than men, and this discrimination mediated the relationship between gender and self-respect. However, self-respect was not related to sexism. Instead, gender itself was the strongest predictor of sexist attitudes, with men endorsing sexism more than women. These findings will be discussed in light of how reducing discriminatory experiences may contribute to the development and maintenance of self-respect.
Key Words: gender discrimination, self-respect, ambivalent sexis
Feilsøkingsoppgaver og deres effekt på elevers argumentasjonskompetanse - En kvantitativ studie for å undersøke feilsøkingsoppgavers innvirkning på elevers matematiske kompetanse
Get PDFDette forskningsprosjektet undersøker hvordan arbeid med feilsøkingsoppgaver påvirker elevers matematiske argumentasjonskompetanse øvrige matematiske kompetanseområder. Forskningsprosjektets bakgrunn er en observasjon av programmering som et stadig mer relevant og prominent fag i norsk grunnskole. Videre er teknologien i det norske samfunnet under stadig utvikling, og det stilles nye og høyere krav til hva elever skal kunne etter deres skoleløp. Oppgaven benytter et teoretisk rammeverk med utgangspunkt i matematisk kompetanse slik definert av Kilpatrick et al. (2001). Begrepet er undersøkt fra tre matematiske aspekt – matematisk kunnskap, matematisk bevis og argumentasjon og matematisk problemløsning. Teorien legger også til grunne for et analyseverktøy oppgaven utarbeider for å undersøke datamaterialet fra forskningen. Forskingen baseres også på tidligere et forskningsprosjekt av Safadi og Hawa (2023) som undersøker matematisk kunnskap i lys av feilsøkingsaktiviteter. Forskningsprosjektet er utformet på bakgrunn av et pragmatisk forskningssyn kombinert med et kritisk realistisk kunnskapssyn. Studien har tatt i bruk en kvasieksperimentell forskningsstrategi med et pre-post-test-design, og benytter en kvantitativ forskningsmetode. Forskningsprosjektets implementering er preget av diskrepanser fra forskningsprosjektets originale utforming som har preget forskningens resultater. Likevel presenterer forskningen funn ved hjelp av analyseverktøy og deskriptiv statistikk som indikerer på at elevers arbeid med feilsøkingsoppgaver fører til økning i antall elever som svarer på oppgaver som forutsetter matematisk argumentasjonskompetanse – og viser også til at arbeidet med feilsøkingsoppgaver fostrer naiv empirisme. Videre drøfter oppgaven hvorvidt en slik fostring av naiv empirisme får konsekvenser for elevenes utvikling av generaliseringsevne
Effektive metoder for å redusere lekkasjer i Ullensvang kommunes vannforsyningsnett
Get PDFUllensvang kommune står overfor betydelige utfordringer knyttet til lekkasjer i vannforsyningsnettet, med et estimert vanntap på over 48 prosent. Dette representerer både store økonomiske kostnader og en unødvendig miljøbelastning. Masteroppgaven undersøker årsakene til lekkasjene og foreslår en helhetlig og trinnvis tiltaksstrategi som kombinerer moderne teknologi, driftsoptimalisering og organisatoriske tiltak. Målet er å redusere lekkasjetapet på en bærekraftig og praktisk gjennomførbar måte.
Oppgaven innledes med en teoretisk og litteraturbasert gjennomgang av lekkasjebegrepet, samt en analyse av nasjonale og internasjonale anbefalinger og erfaringer fra blant annet Danmark, Nederland og Storbritannia. Dette danner grunnlaget for en vurdering av hvilke teknologier og metoder som egner seg best for Ullensvang kommune. Det drøftes hvordan moderne løsninger som akustiske sensorer, trykksensorer, smarte vannmålere og IoT-teknologi kan forbedre lekkasjedeteksjonen betydelig sammenlignet med tradisjonelle metoder. Samtidig vurderes gravefrie metoder som CIPP-rehabilitering og bruk av trykkstyring som kostnadseffektive tiltak i områder med høy risiko.
På bakgrunn av denne gjennomgangen utarbeides en langsiktig strategi for lekkasjereduksjon fordelt på fire faser frem til 2042. Den første fasen i 2025 fokuserer på forberedelser og prosjektering, blant annet gjennom tilstandskartlegging, prioritering av risikosoner, planlegging av rørfornyelse, anskaffelse av digitale verktøy og etablering av en lekkasjegruppe. Fase en, som dekker årene fra 2026-2028, retter seg mot de mest kritiske områdene og innebærer utskifting av gamle rør, installasjon av trykkreduksjonsventiler, oppstart av digital overvåking og innføring av smarte vannmålere hos 10 prosent av abonnentene hvert år. I fase to, som er mellom 2029-2032, skaleres fornyelsesarbeidet opp med årlig utskifting av to prosent av ledningsnettet, full digitalisering av forbruksdata, sanntidsanalyse av vannbalanse og utvidelse av sensorbruken for bedre presisjon i lekkasjelokaliseringen. Den siste fasen, fra 2032-2042, har som mål å sikre kontinuitet i arbeidet gjennom vedlikehold av infrastruktur og datanettverk, etablering av interkommunale samarbeidsformer og pilotering av nye teknologier som kunstig intelligens, droner og satellittovervåking.
Oppgaven inneholder også en analyse av kommunens ledningsnett, som viser at gamle metallrør og høyt systemtrykk er blant hovedårsakene til lekkasjene. En kost-nytte-analyse anslår de årlige direkte lekkasjekostnadene til 1,5 millioner kroner. En reduksjon i lekkasjeandelen til 25 prosent vil kunne gi en netto årlig innsparing på rundt 2,5 millioner kroner, samtidig som klimagassutslippene reduseres med over 1 200 tonn CO₂ som følge av redusert vannproduksjon og anleggsaktivitet.
En avsluttende SWOT-analyse viser at den foreslåtte strategien er både robust og gjennomførbar, med høy grad av fleksibilitet og tilpasningsevne. Den helhetlige og lokalt tilpassede tilnærmingen vurderes å ha betydelig overføringsverdi til andre små og mellomstore kommuner i Norge som står overfor lignende utfordringer knyttet til lekkasjer i vannforsyningssystemet.Ullensvang Municipality faces significant challenges related to leakages in its water supply network, with an estimated water loss of over 48 percent. This represents both substantial economic costs and an unnecessary environmental burden. This master’s thesis investigates the causes of these leakages and proposes a comprehensive and phased action strategy that combines modern technology, operational optimization, and organizational measures. The aim is to reduce water loss in a sustainable and practically feasible manner.
The thesis begins with a theoretical and literature-based review of the concept of leakage, along with an analysis of national and international recommendations and experiences from countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. This forms the basis for assessing which technologies and methods are best suited for Ullensvang Municipality. It is discussed how modern solutions, such as acoustic sensors, pressure sensors, smart water meters, and IoT technology can significantly improve leakage detection compared to traditional methods. At the same time, trenchless methods such as CIPP rehabilitation and the use of pressure management are considered cost-effective measures in high-risk areas.
Based on this review, a long-term strategy for leakage reduction is developed, divided into four phases extending to 2042. The first phase, in 2025, focuses on preparation and planning, including condition assessments, risk-based prioritization, renewal planning, procurement of digital tools, and the establishment of a leakage response team. Phase one, covering the years 2026–2028, targets the most critical areas and includes the replacement of old pipes, installation of pressure reduction valves, initiation of digital monitoring, and the rollout of smart water meters to 10 percent of households annually. In phase two, between 2029–2032, the renewal work is scaled up with the annual replacement of two percent of the pipe network, full digitization of consumption data, real-time analysis of water balance, and expansion of sensor deployment for more accurate leakage localization. The final phase, from 2032–2042, aims to ensure continuity through maintenance of infrastructure and data networks, the establishment of intermunicipal collaboration, and piloting of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, drones, and satellite monitoring.
The thesis also includes an analysis of the municipality's pipeline network, revealing that aging metal pipes and high system pressure are among the main causes of leakage. A cost-benefit analysis estimates the annual direct leakage costs at NOK 1.5 million. A reduction in leakage share to 25 percent could yield a net annual saving of around NOK 2.5 million, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 1,200 tons of CO₂ due to decreased water production and construction activity.
A final SWOT analysis shows that the proposed strategy is both robust and feasible, with a high degree of flexibility and adaptability. The comprehensive and locally adapted approach is considered to have significant transferability to other small and medium-sized municipalities in Norway that face similar challenges related to water supply system leakage
Antifouling Efficacy on S. epidermidis of Nano-Au Surfaces Functionalized with Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)-Tethered Antimicrobial Peptides
Get PDFCationic antimicrobial peptides (cAMPs) kill bacteria in solution by membrane lysis; however, translating cAMPs into a covalently attached antibacterial coating is challenging since it remains unclear how the specifics of the conjugation impact the antifouling efficacy. Furthermore, studies have typically assessed cAMP coatings with a high and homogeneous surface coverage, although this may be difficult to implement in practice of the materials commonly used in medicine. Herein, we investigate the antifouling efficacy of fractional surface coatings made from poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-tethered cAMPs presented on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) deposited onto surfaces. For all tested cAMPs, the antifouling efficacy increases exponentially with the 2D surface coverage of the coating. However, although the cAMPs have a similar primary sequence and display similar potency against Staphylococcus epidermidis in solution, the cyclic peptide is much more potent after tethering to the AuNPs than the linear counterparts. The attachment of the cyclic cAMPs also led to an unexpected shrinkage of the modified PEG-brush by more than 50%, indicating a restricted mobility of the tethering PEG chains. The shrinkage increased the closeness of the peptide on the AuNP and may thus enable cooperative actions of the grafted cAMPs such as the formation of nanosized peptide clusters that were previously found to enhance cAMP potency in solution. These findings pave the way for antibacterial coatings that cover only a subfraction of a material while remaining active in a clinical setting
Cyber Security Risks in Norwegian Agriculture and the Influence on National Food Security
Get PDFThis master’s thesis investigates how cybersecurity risks in the Norwegian agricultural sector influence national food security and self-sufficiency, and what strategies can be implemented to address these challenges. This study adopts a qualitative approach, relying on in-depth interviews with informants from three key groups in the agricultural value chain: farmers and producers, researchers and experts, and agricultural technology providers. The thesis identifies weaknesses in the increasingly digital agricultural sector, revealing a notable disparity in cybersecurity standards across different parts of the value chain. While larger organizations and IT suppliers tend to implement comprehensive security protocols, farms and smaller organizations often lack sufficient cybersecurity measures.
The findings indicate that Norwegian agriculture has undergone significant digitization, which has improved efficiency but also introducing new risks. Digital tools such as milking robots, feeding-, and reporting systems have become essential for daily operations, making the sector more vulnerable to cyber threats. The study also highlights the absence of clear contingency plans and the lack of defined responsibilities across the value chain as critical factors. The thesis categorizes the impact of cyber-attacks on food security into three levels: the micro level which concerns the individual farm or producer; the meso level, which involves larger, socially critical organizations, and the macro level which pertains the national food supply capacity. Past incidents, such as the 2021 cyber-attack on Nortura, illustrate how disruptions to critical organizations can destabilize the entire value chain and temporary reduce national food supply.
The thesis concludes that cybersecurity threats represent a growing and serious risk to Norway’s food security and its ability to achieve self-sufficiency during crisis. This is particularly concerning given the country’s already limited degree of self-sufficiency. The thesis emphasizes the need for improved contingency planning and stronger security protocols across all segments of the agricultural value chain. By addressing the conflict between digitization and food security, this study contributes to the broader literature on critical infrastructure and risk management and underscores the importance of balancing technological advancements with robust cybersecurity measures to protect domestic food security
“They were sort of in the room with me”: a qualitative study about callers’ experience of video streaming during medical emergency calls
Get PDFBackground During the recent years, emergency services in several countries have integrated video streaming
into medical emergency calls, and research on the topic has gained increased focus. Video streaming during medical
emergency calls may change dispatcher’s perspective of the call and can be a helpful tool for supervising bystanders’
first aid. Little research exists, however, about the caller’s perspective of video streaming during a medical emergency
call. With this study, we explore the caller’s experiences with video streaming.
Methods The study is a qualitative interview study. During a period of five weeks, we recruited respondents
from the region of Oslo who had called the medical emergency number 113 and where video streaming had been
used by the dispatcher during the call. We conducted 14 semi-structured individual interviews, in-person or digitally
on Zoom/Teams, from October to December 2023. The interviews were transcribed verbatim, and we analyzed them
drawing on Malterud’s systematic text condensation.
Results Our material was sorted into three category headings: Increased sense of safety, the unexpected option
of video streaming, and emotional discomfort. Most respondents felt comforted knowing that the dispatcher could
see and assess the situation visually. Several were also positively surprised that video streaming was an option during the call. Some respondents however felt increased stress during the call due to video streaming. Other respondents reflected on the societal taboo of filming ill or injured persons.
Conclusion Most respondents experienced video streaming as a positive addition to the medical emergency call
and felt comforted knowing that the dispatcher could see the situation. Knowledge of the integration between video
streaming and basic communication in a call is nonetheless of great importance, as to not increase stress experienced
by the caller. The dispatcher should be sensitive for how the caller will handle video streaming for each call
Shellfish and shorebirds from the East-Asian Australian flyway as bioindicators for unknown per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances using the total oxidizable precursor assay
Get PDFPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have gained significant global attention due to their extensive industrial use and harmful effects on various organisms. Among these, perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are wellstudied, but their diverse precursors remain challenging to monitor. The Total Oxidizable Precursor (TOP)
assay offers a powerful approach to converting these precursors into detectable PFAAs. In this study, the TOP
assay was applied to samples from the East Asian-Australian Flyway, a critical migratory route for millions of
shorebirds. Samples included shellfish from China’s coastal mudflats, key stopover sites for these birds, and blood
and liver samples from shorebirds overwintering in Australia. The results showed a substantial increase in
perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) across all sample types following the TOP assay, with the most significant increases in shorebird livers (Sum PFCAs increased by 18,156 %). Intriguingly, the assay also revealed unexpected increases in perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs), suggesting the presence of unidentified precursors. These
findings highlight the need for further research into these unknown precursors, their sources, and their ecological
impacts on shorebirds, other wildlife, and potential human exposure. This study also provides crucial insights
into the TOP assay’s strengths and limitations in studying PFAS precursor dynamics in biological matrices
A Novel Protocol for Reconstructing Depositional Histories of Anthropogenic, Sedimentary Records: the Case of the Holocene-Deep Kirkhellaren Cave Deposits in Coastal Arctic Norway
Get PDFThis paper presents a novel protocol for reconstructing formation processes of archaeological
depositional sequences, applied to Holocene-wide cave deposits located on a remote coastal
island in Arctic Norway as a case study. Extensive GPR surveying is correlated with geochemical
analysis and in situ environmental deposit monitoring for sedimentary fingerprinting and
forecasting of future preservation of organic remains. Subsurface deposit characteristics are
integrated with a high-precision, laser-based 3D-reconstruction of the cave, enabling triangulation
with historic photos and local informant knowledge that facilitate modeling and quantification of
erosional history. The results showcase detrimental depletion of critical organic heritage,
accelerated by the removal of protective surface layers after the A.D. 1930s. Critically, subsurface
deposits are trending towards overshooting a threshold for accelerated in situ degradation. The
results act as a direct validation of the methodology. Measures for future protection of similar
archaeological deposits are discussed and an outline of the general applicability of the protocol
The Organizational challenges of municipal call centers as a health service in Norway- A multiple case study
Get PDFBackground - To maintain sustainability in the health care system, technology such as social alarms and sensors has been implemented in people’s homes with the goal of increasing independent living for elderly and multimorbid health care recipients. When implementing technology, someone needs to monitor and answer the alarms and calls, which is often coined ‘telecare’. Many countries have organized telecare service in call centers, which in the health care domain is a service innovation. This study aims to research how call centers in Norway were organized, what services they offered, and what challenges they faced.
Method - This was an explorative study, using multiple case methodology. The study included five call centers, covering approximately 60 municipalities across Norway. 11 interviews with 15 informants, holding a variety of positions, such as managers, assistant managers, health personnel, technicians, advisors, and subject coordinators, call center observations and document studies were conducted. The data was analyzed inductively, and empirical literature as well as a framework for service innovation were used as theoretical perspectives.
Results - Four types of organizational structures of call centers were identified: 1) call center combined with emergency room; 2) call center combined with other technology; 3) call center combined with ambulant team and 4) call center combined with an advisory department. One factor for innovation success has been identified as market conditions which are expected to be increasing, whilst the study identified several challenges, for example the complexity of stakeholders. Based on different stakeholder worldviews, the various methods of innovation and organization have led to a variation in services.
Conclusions - Stakeholders with different worldviews, service innovation strategies and municipal autonomy have influenced how the call centers have developed in different directions. They are still in a service innovation phase, implementing new services and technology. The call centers appeared to be ‘caught between a rock and a hard place’ – situated between health and social care, but slowly moving towards acute and contingency services, that is, from telecare towards telehealth