HVL Open (Høgskulen på Vestlandet)
Not a member yet
14930 research outputs found
Sort by
Development of Specific Motor Skills through System Wall Bouldering Training: A Pilot Study
No full textThis study evaluated the effects of a five-week period of practicing specific climbing movements using a system wall on motor skills and bouldering performance compared to self-regulated, conventional bouldering. Thirteen advanced female boulderers (age: 24.5 ± 3.6 years, height: 166.9 ± 3.4 cm, and body mass: 63.4 ± 8.0 kg) were divided into an experimental group (n = 7) and a control group (n = 6). Both groups continued their normal training routines during the intervention, but the experimental group dedicated 30 minutes of their climbing time twice per week to practicing specific motor skills on a system climbing wall. Before and after the intervention, the participants attempted two boulder problems on the same wall. The performance was registered as the number of attempts to complete the boulder problems and as the highest hold reached within four attempts. Video recordings of climbers’ best attempts, capturing the highest hold reached from a perspective directly behind them, were analyzed by three independent experts. The analysis was conducted using a five-point scale across six categories of movement quality. Modest enhancements in certain motor skills and performance were evident in both groups, revealing no significant distinction between them. The results underscore the efficacy of incorporating system walls into the training routines of advanced female boulder climbers, but the absence of between-group differences highlights the significance of individual preferences when choosing between conventional and system wall bouldering.publishedVersio
Shadows of an Icebound Dream: Videovisualisering til Frozen Flowers
No full textRefleksjon av kunstfaglig forskningShadows of an Icebound Dream er videofremføring skapt som en visuell del av konserten Frozen Flowers, fremført ved Cornerteateret i Bergen, desember 2023. Shadows of an Icebound Dream er laget med tanke på denne konserten, og forholder seg til stykkets fem deler; vind, kjærlighet, redsel, latter og frosne blomster. Video-visualiseringen kan samtidig betraktes som et selvstendig, visuelt verk og er derfor gitt en egen tittel. Det ligger et betydelig utviklingsarbeid bak visualiseringene, de ulike komponentene, utprøving av teknikken og selve fremføringen. Her dreier det seg særlig om utforsking av samspillet mellom videoopptak og digitale 3D-modeller. Videoene som inngår i verket er skapt gjennom en prosess der ordinære, todimensjonale videoopptak er tatt i bruk for å skape tredimensjonale modeller, som danner grunnlag for å generere videolooper. 3D-modellene er uperfekte, og det visuelle uttrykket får dermed karakter av “glitch”. Videoene er av forskjellig lengde, utformet slik at de sømløst kan spilles gjentatte ganger, og skaper en loopestetikk. Dette gjør det mulig å kombinere videoene, som del av en live performance, sammen med et improvisert musikalsk uttrykk. En rekke videoer mikses sammen, og det visuelle uttrykket er dermed unikt for konserten, selv om materialet er planlagt og produsert på forhånd.KFF 202
The psychometric properties of the Pearlin Mastery Scale in persons living with restless legs syndrome
No full textIntroduction Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by an urge to move arms and legs, commonly combined with distress, pain and motor restlessness. It can cause fragmented sleep, daytime symptoms, and decreased quality of life. Pharmacological treatment can suppress symptoms, but not cure. When challenged with illness, people may turn to their inner psychological resources such as self-esteem and mastery. The Pearlin Mastery scale was developed to study stress and coping, is commonly used in people with chronic illnesses, however, not yet validated in people with RLS. Aim The aim was to test reliability and construct validity of the Pearlin Mastery Scale in persons with RLS. Methods A cross-sectional postal survey including the Pearlin Mastery Scale, Restless Legs Syndrome-6 Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Patient Health Questionnaire was sent out to members (n = 1500) of the national RLS association and 788 (52.5%) agreed to participate. Data were analyzed using classical test theory, Confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch measurement theory analysis. Hypothesis testing for construct validity was done by bivariate correlation analyses. Results Most respondents were women (65%), retired (71%) and had a mean-age of 70.8 years (SD 11.4). The 7-item version of the Pearlin Mastery Scale showed poor fit to the one factor model. After omitting the two positively worded items (i.e., item 4 and 6), the 5-item version was found to be unidimensional, with satisfactory internal consistency. However, all items showed considerable ceiling effects. No measurement variance was seen regarding age-groups or sex. Higher level of mastery was moderately correlated with less depressive symptoms but only weakly correlated to RLS-related sleep problems. Conclusion The 5-item version of the Pearlin Mastery Scale is suggested to be used in persons with RLS due to its acceptable psychometric properties. The instrument could be applied as an outcome measure for behavioral change interventions aiming to support mastery in RLS.publishedVersio
A narrative position analysis of asylum seekers' stories about waiting for their permit permission in Norway
No full textThis research aims to understand more about the consequences that living for many years without a residence permit in Norway can have for asylum seekers. As a narrative inquiry study, the research puzzle is asylum seekers in Norway without a resident permit. This article focuses on one family. The data material is collected with different methods, such as field talks, interviews, pictures, and messages on Messenger. The study uses narrative position analysis, and it analyses the narrated story on three different levels. The main results shows that the parents of the family tend to position themselves differently according to whether they are talking about the time before they fled, the time while fleeing or after the fled. When talking about the decision to flee, they present themselves as active subjects with high agency. They have the ability to take active decisions and play an essential role for the family’s life. The analyses reveal three different master narratives; being a parent, being a citizen of a community and being an asylum seeker. I conclude with thoughts about the waiting period as an asylum seeker, and I ask whether Norway respects and ensures human rights. Is the situation of long-term asylum seekers and the condition of the waiting period in different reception centers a form of national abuse of power?publishedVersio
Language at Stake in International Research Collaboration— Methodological Reflections on Team-Based and Time-Intensive Ethnography
No full textBased on experiences from multiple international research projects, spanning several decades and utilizing various forms of collaborative ethnographic approaches, this article aims to reflect on challenges and potentials regarding language and communication when researching across jurisdictions. Thematically, the research projects that we draw on in this paper, are concerned with aging and healthcare, while the primary focus of the paper remains on the methodological implications of conducting international, collaborative, and time-intensive ethnography. Moreover, the aim is to contribute to enhancing researchers’ awareness of and preparedness to meet and address such challenges in future research endeavors. The article discusses how English often serves as a lingua franca for Western-dominated international research collaborations, having implications for researchers and study participants alike, as well as the use of interpreters and potential linguistic pitfalls. In the article, we argue that attention and reflection on language and communication in research are significant for how collaboration in research transpires, the opted methodical choices, and, ultimately, for research quality, while often being under-appreciated. International ethnographic fieldwork requires thorough preparation and reflection to properly handle linguistic and cultural competencies, nuances, and understandings incorporated in the researchers, with subsequent consequences for research processes and outcomes.publishedVersio
Transformer-based land use and land cover classification with explainability using satellite imagery
No full textTransformer-based models have greatly improved Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) applications. Their revolutionary ability to analyze and extract key information has greatly advanced the field. However, the high computational cost of these models presents a considerable obstacle to their practical implementation. Therefore, this study aims to strike a balance between computational cost and accuracy when employing transformer-based models for LULC analysis. We exploit transfer learning and fine-tuning strategies to optimize the resource utilization of transformer-based models. Furthermore, transparency is the core principle of our methodology to promote fairness and trust in applying LULC models across various domains, including forestry, environmental studies, and urban or rural planning. To ensure transparency, we have employed Captum, which enables us to uncover and mitigate potential biases and interpret AI-driven decisions. Our results indicate that transfer learning can potentially improve transformer-based models in satellite image classification, and strategic fine-tuning can maintain efficiency with minimal accuracy trade-offs. This research highlights the potential of Explainable AI (XAI) in Transformer-based models for achieving more efficient and transparent LULC analysis, thereby encouraging continued innovation in the field.publishedVersio
Hormonal regulation of the phenotype into environmentally appropriate pace-of-life syndromes
No full textThe risk of predation is an important driver that tailors life histories in various ways. Using an evolutionary model based on hormonal control, we study how different predation regimes affect adaptive risk-taking and growth in fish populations. Growth, metabolism and foraging in the modelled fish are regulated by three simplified hormone functions: growth hormone, orexin, and thyroid hormone. A dynamic state-dependent optimization model finds optimal hormone profiles for adaptive growth strategies in juvenile fish. We consider a gradient from species where behaviour and metabolic activity have large consequences for risk (typically benthic and camouflaged species), to the opposite endpoint where behaviour may modify predation risk to a smaller degree (as in the pelagic). Along this gradient, the model predicts changes in the pace of life from slow to fast, enacted by up-regulation of the three hormone functions which in turn increase foraging and metabolism and change the priorities of energy reserves versus growth. Under all types of predation risk investigated, growth is faster when food availability is higher. Energy reserves are maintained primarily during periods of poor food availability and are used to accelerate growth during periods when food availability is high. The thyroid hormone function is up-regulated predominantly when food availability is high and has an important role in trade-offs balancing energetic gain and survival. At the individual time scale, the hormone system improves organismic flexibility and robustness. Over the phylogenetic time scale, hormone system adaptations have also restricted the phenotypic plasticity of individuals.publishedVersio
The effectiveness of a knowledge translation intervention on the implementation of NEWS2 in nursing homes, a pragmatic cluster RCT
No full textBackground Improving the uptake of relevant and reliable research is an important priority in long-term care to achieve sustainable and high-quality services for the increasingly older population. Aim The purpose was to assess the effectiveness of a tailored, adaptive and a multifaceted KT capacity program, relative to usual practice, on the implementation of National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2). Methods This study was carried out as a pragmatic cluster-randomized controlled trial. The capacity program consisted of an educational part to address implementation capacity gaps and a facilitation-upon-implementation part to address a relevant knowledge gap in nursing homes. A collective decision was made to address the challenge of early detection of clinical deterioration among nursing home residents, by implementing the (NEWS2) as clinical innovation. Public nursing homes in a Norwegian municipality (n = 21) with a total of 1 466 beds were eligible for inclusion. The study-period spanned over a 22-month period, including a 12-month follow-up. Data was extracted from the Electronic Patient Journal system and analyzed using multilevel growth model analysis. Results The intervention had a large effect on the use of NEWS2 among care staff in intervention nursing homes, compared to the control group (standardized mean difference, d = 2.42). During the final month of the implementation period, residents in the intervention group was assessed with NEWS2 1.44 times (95% CI: 1.23, 1.64) per month, which is almost four times more often than in the control group (mean = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.19, 0.57). During the follow-up period, the effect of the intervention was not only sustained in the intervention group but there was a substantial increase in the use of NEWS2 in both the intervention (mean = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.55, 1.96) and control groups (mean = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.27, 1.65). Conclusions This tailored implementation strategy had a large effect on the use of NEWS2 among care staff, demonstrating that integrated knowledge translation strategies can be a promising strategy to achieve evidence-based care in the nursing home sector.publishedVersio
Competition in the ‘body without organs’: an assemblage perspective on the UK’s fast train (HS2) cancellation
No full textIn this contribution, an investigation is made into the abandonment of a very large infrastructural investment by the UK government. It was the HS2 (High Speed 2) train ‘assemblage’ for the 345 miles from Leeds in the North to London. It occurred in the belief that such expenditure would ‘level-up’ the worsening regional economic disparities between the two regions and render the North (dubbed the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ by successive governments) ‘competitive’. In reality, there was no evidence in support of the idea that a faster rail service would have this effect. Critics realized London’s advantage could not be competed against. This was because its advantage as an unregulated ‘tax haven’ had been entrenched since even before William the Conqueror’s invasion in 1066. Our take on this débâcle is that it was caused by hubris on the part of successive governments, culminating in the growth of distrust between politicians and the people, including ‘experts’ who were singled out for special ministerial disdain. The analysis explores ‘assemblage’ theory and its psychological origins, in which desire has come to substitute for thought in the UK political arena. Accordingly, desire has been swallowed up by ‘competitiveness’, meaning mistakes were made due to hubris, narcissism and criminality because of the politics of ‘we know better’ on the part of the political élite. The cost of these mistakes was upwards of £36 billion for the biggest UK rail infrastructure project in a hundred years.publishedVersio
Introduction: Welfare State Capitalism, Universalism, and Social Reproduction in Scandinavia
Get PDFPublic long-term care services represent an interesting illustration of a particular and comprehensive type of commitment by the welfare state to its citizens. We discuss this commitment by situating it in the context of key themes in welfare state and feminist political economy research, central nodes in social policy, and formative developments in the Scandinavian countries. Our ambition is to advance a historical and multiscalar analysis and demonstrate how key tenets of the capitalist welfare state are changing in the shadow of the crisis in the relation between social reproduction and production.publishedVersio