Brage NMBU
Not a member yet
19188 research outputs found
Sort by
Nutritional Profiling of Plant-Based Animal Product Alternatives and Their Animal-Based Counterparts: A Comparative Analysis Using the Nutri-Score and the NewTools-Score
Get PDFAbstract
BACKGROUND: Front-of-pack nutrition labels play an important role in improving population diets. The Norwegian dietary guidelines encourage plant-based (PB) foods. It is important to evaluate how the Nutri-Score and the Norwegian-revised Nutri-Score (the NewTools-Score) classify plant-based animal product alternatives (PBAPAs) to their animal-based (AB) counterparts, to ensure consumers are guided towards the healthiest options.
AIM AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS: To assess whether the Nutri-Score and the NewTools-Score capture important differences in nutritional composition between PBAPAs and their AB counterparts, by examining differences in nutrient content, evaluating the distribution of the Nutri-Score and the NewTools-Score, and analysing correlations with the NRF11.3-Index to identify limitations in how the systems reflect nutritional quality.
METHODS: 197 products were included, of which 38% were PB. Nutritional compositions and score distributions were evaluated and visualized using descriptive statistics. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to assess correlations.
RESULTS: PBAPAs and their AB counterparts showed significantly different nutrient profiles with PB products generally having less favourable profiles. Overall, this was reflected in the distributions of the Nutri-Score and the NewTools-Score. Strong correlations were observed with the NRF11.3-Index, indicating that both systems capture nutritional quality in these products. Discrepancies were observed, particularly for fortified PB milk.
DISCUSSION: Lack of fortification in several PB products was a major nutritional limitation. Missing values for key nutrients in several products made the nutritional content difficult to evaluate. The small sample size call for cautious interpretation of the results.
CONCLUSION: The Nutri-Score and the NewTools-Score appear to reflect nutritional quality in PBAPAs and their AB counterparts reasonably well, though some discrepancies were identified. Further research is needed to validate these findings
Agricultural value chain development to enhance market participation and food security for smallholder farmers in Malawi : a case study assessing elements of ‘The Sustainable Food Systems for Rural Agriculture Transformation and Resilience (TRANSFORM) Program’
Get PDFThis thesis has examined the pros and cons of initiatives aimed at increasing food security and market linkages for smallholder farmers in Malawi. To achieve the objective, this paper references the 2024 biannual TRANSFORM report as a source of examples for such initiatives. It applies secondary sources for discussion, along with two theoretical frameworks: Value Chain Development and Food Security. Given Malawi's persistent challenges with poverty and slow development, particularly among smallholder farmers, it is vital to investigate the pros and cons of activities aimed at mitigating these challenges. Specific initiatives examined include the implementation of agricultural technologies and aspects of financial empowerment. These activities exhibit multiple positive attributes, but the longevity of the results may fall short due to systemic barriers.B-D
The on farm emergency slaughter procedure of peripartum cattle and its effect on animal welfare
No full textNødslaktordningen er unntatt fra hygieneregelverket i EU og er en særnorsk ordning i Norge som innebærer at dyr som har vært utsatt for en uforutsett hendelse, kan avlives på stedet og likevel gå inn i slakteprosessen. Denne ordningen ble etablert for å sikre at disse dyrene fortsatt kan benyttes til menneskemat, selv om de ikke blir avlivet inne på et slakteri. Denne ordningen er nøye regulert av Mattilsynet gjennom en veileder som beskriver kriteriene for nødslakt, med fokus på mattrygghet og dyrevelferd. Før nødslakt kan utføres, må en godkjent, feltpraktiserende veterinær gjennomføre en ante mortem kontroll og utstede et nødslaktsertifikat, som dokumenterer dyrets tilstand og erklærer det som klinisk frisk og egnet til menneskekonsum. Etter at dyret er slaktet, utføres en post mortem kontroll av Mattilsynet når slaktet ankommer slakteriet. Det er kun dyr som ikke er egnet til transport av dyrevelferdsmessige årsaker som går til nødslakt.
I denne oppgaven ønsker vi å undersøke og diskutere nødslaktordningen i lys av dyrevelferdsloven, som fastslår at dyr har en egenverdi og skal beskyttes mot unødvendige påkjenninger og belastninger. Vi vil spesielt se på om velferden til storfe rundt kalving blir nedprioritert på grunn av nødslaktordningen, som er en viktig del av norsk husdyrhold for kjøtt og melk. I tillegg ønsker vi å se på hvordan det kan påvirke produksjonsdyrveterinærene å stå i nødslaktordningens etiske dilemmaer alene over lengre tid, og om dyrepleiere kan ha en større rolle i produksjonsdyrnæringen for å bedre dyrevelferden.The on farm emergency slaughter regulations in Norway entail that animals which have been subjected to an unforeseen event can be euthanized and bled out on-site, and have been established to ensure that these animals can still be used for human consumption. This procedure is carefully regulated by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) through a guideline that describes the criteria for emergency slaughter, with a focus on food safety and animal welfare. Before an on-farm emergency slaughter can be carried out, a veterinarian must conduct an ante-mortem inspection and issue an emergency slaughter certificate, documenting the animal's condition and declaring it fit for human consumption. After the animal is slaughtered and arrives at the slaughterhouse, a post-mortem inspection is performed by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. Only animals that are unfit for transport due to animal welfare reasons are subjected to on-farm emergency slaughter.
In this thesis, we aim to examine and discuss the emergency slaughter regulations in light of the Animal Welfare Act, which states that animals have intrinsic value and must be protected from unnecessary stress and strain. We will especially look at whether the welfare of cattle around calving is being deprioritized due to the emergency slaughter regulations. We will also look at how these ethical dilemmas affect big animal veterinarians over time, and how veterinary nurses could have a bigger part of the livestock industry to improve the animal welfareB-DY
Horrendous Coffee Prices and Climate Finance Conflicts - A Framing Analysis of COP29 News in Germany
Get PDFClimate change is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century, it is a recurring topic in the news and essential to be talked about to work on mitigation and adaptation measures. Climate change communication therefore plays a relevant part in those processes, including the public in the processes and ensuring support for climate policies for a sustainable future and empowering people to engage in climate action themselves. News media like newspapers or TV play an especially vital role as the most popular information providers of the broad public but is increasingly leaning towards polarization and tabloidization while fighting challenges like fake news, news fatigue and the rapid changes in news reporting. This study examines the framing of news reports about COP29 in 2024 as an example of how climate change is communicated and framed in mass media by conducting a framing analysis of three major German online newspapers and connecting the results to existing research in this field. The prevailing theme in the news was climate finance, mostly framed as conflict- and actor-based with a negative sentiment applied, supporting existing results in media and climate change communication research and helping to gain a deeper understanding of current trends in the media
Exploring the Ethyl Ester Oil as a Novel Dietary Supplement: Effects on Performance, Body composition, and Health in Atlantic salmon
Get PDFThe Norwegian aquaculture industry is committed to increase the use of sustainable and locally produced novel feed ingredients. One such effort aims to utilize the novel ethyl ester (EE) oil, a side stream product formed when producing omega-3 concentrates from fish oil. EE oil contains relatively high amounts of saturated fats and some omega-3 fatty acids (FA), which makes it a valuable lipid source that can complement modern plant-based feeds for Atlantic salmon. This research aims to provide new knowledge about suitable inclusion levels of EE oil in A. salmon diets. EE oil was investigated at six different inclusion levels: 0%, 4%, 12%, 20%, 28%, and 35% of total fat content in the diet. Experimental fish with an average initial weight of 11 grams were fed these diets for 40 days until they reached a size of approximately 31-34 grams in freshwater at 12℃. Major findings of this study showed that dietary EE oil at varying inclusion percentages didn’t negatively affect the specific growth rate. The total fat content of the liver, mid-intestine, and whole body (WB) remained nearly the same across experimental groups. Whereas, increasing dietary EE oils significantly increased the percentage of SFA, 16:0, the percentages of the MUFA, 18:1 n-9, and PUFA, 18:2n-6, reduced in tissues and WB across groups, reflecting dietary compositions. Interestingly, EPA and DHA percentages in tissues and WB were higher in the groups fed the highest EE oil, although the dietary EPA and DHA content was the same. Moreover, increasing levels of dietary EE oil resulted in increased fat levels in feces, primarily due to increased SFA 16:0 content, suggesting reduced digestibility of SFAs. However, the level of MUFAs and PUFAs in feces showed a comparatively smaller increase. In liver, gene expression analysis showed significant upregulation in key lipid metabolic genes (fatp, cd36, cpt1, apob, srebp1) and antioxidant genes (sod, cat) at intermediate doses of EE oil, while at higher doses, lower expression of these genes was observed. Gene expression results from the mid-intestine showed considerable individual variation among fish, leading to a few significant effects on gene expression. Tissue histology showed no signs of lipid accumulation in the liver, no changes in intestinal fold/enterocyte height, inflammatory markers, and mucous cells count. Serum analysis indicates a decrease in ASAT and ALAT levels at the highest EE oil group compared to the control. Overall, the results suggest that the EE oil presents a promising opportunity for the aquaculture industry to incorporate this new oil in salmon diets. This study showed that EE oil up to 35% can be added to fish feed without negatively impacting growth rates and health markers in A. salmon. Nevertheless, it's important to balance more the dietary saturated and unsaturated FA content in salmon diets to avoid impacts related to reduced saturated FA digestibility in the fluctuating seawater temperature in future trials
Calling and Genotyping Structural Variants in Landrace Pigs Using Low-Depth Long-Read Sequencing: Testing the Limits
Get PDFThis master's thesis is based on data from the CAUSATIVE project at CIGENE, a research initiative to improve breeding strategies in Landrace pigs and Norwegian Red cattle in collaboration with the Norwegian breeding companies Norsvin and Geno.
Long read sequencing has dramatically enhanced the ability to detect structural variants (SVs), defined as genetic variants of 50 base pairs or more, which can have substantial phenotypic effects in livestock. However, the high cost of long-read sequencing has led to increased interest in how reduced sequencing data and, therefore, reduced sequencing costs affect the accuracy of SV detection and genotyping. This master's project investigates this by down-sampling a sequenced Landrace pig genome into datasets with progressively less sequencing data/ lower read depths. The study was divided into two main parts: SV detection and SV genotyping.
By comparing down-sampled datasets to the full dataset sequenced to 70x read depth (used as a truth set), the results showed that SV detection rates declined with decreasing read depth, with a particularly steep drop below 15x. In contrast, the number of additional, falsely detected SVs at lower depths remained relatively stable. Simulating replicate datasets at the same read depth revealed that although overall detection performance was similar, the specific SVs identified varied more across replicates at lower depths, highlighting increased variability in SV detection with reduced data.
SV genotyping was assessed using a de novo method and a method based on genotyping known SVs from the 70x dataset, called force calling. The force calling approach enabled more SVs to be genotyped, particularly at lower depths (5x to 15x), but it came with a trade-off. While more genotypes matched those in the 70x dataset, incorrect genotypes also increased compared to the de novo approach. Overall, lower read depths led to higher genotyping errors, mirroring the challenges observed in SV detection.
Moreover, the study highlights that SV detection and genotyping accuracy vary across SV types, sizes, and chromosomal locations, offering a more nuanced understanding of how read depth affects structural variant analysis.
The findings from this project underscore the limitations of excessive read depth reduction, particularly below 15x, while also suggesting the potential for moderate cost-saving strategies without major sacrifices in performance
Flyktige organiske forbindelsers avgassing fra byggematerialer i tre : effekt på inneluftkvalitet
Get PDFIn the last 30 years, there has been a global trend towards the increased adoption of modern timber building materials such as Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT), glulam, and wood fiber-based insulation in the construction industry. This shift reflects a growing international recognition of wood building materials’ numerous environmental benefits, including carbon sequestration, which contributes to mitigation of global warming. However, the widespread use of wood has introduced challenges related to indoor air quality (IAQ) due to wood’s innate emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
This PhD project aimed to enhance the understanding of VOC emissions from various wood building materials and evaluate IAQ in modern timber dwellings. The study identified a range of new VOCs emitting from wood, with furfural and α,β substituted aldehydes emerging as compounds of highest concern due to their short-term negative health impacts. Other VOCs evaluated did not pose a risk of immediate health impact, but their potential long-term effects, particularly in energy-efficient buildings, warrant further investigation.
The project also assessed IAQ within Norwegian elementary school classrooms constructed with CLT. The findings revealed mostly low VOC concentrations, except for furfural and (E)-2-octenal. These results have implications for the global discussion on balancing sustainable construction with IAQ.
Additionally, the potential of Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIR) as a tool for predicting VOC emissions from wood surfaces was explored, highlighting its potential and limitations.
In conclusion, the PhD project emphasized the importance of including a broader range of VOCs in routine analysis and of understanding the effect of wood building materials’ use-phase activities on VOC emission and reactions. The study's findings contribute to the dual global efforts towards sustainable construction
materials and maintaining healthy indoor environments.De siste 30 årene har byggebransjen skiftet mot økt bruk av trematerialer som krysslimt tre (KLT), limtre og trefiberisolasjon. Dette skiftet reflekterer en global enighet om trematerialers miljøfordeler, inkludert karbonsekvestrering og redusert klimagassutslipp. Imidlertid har økt bruk av tre også introdusert utfordringer knyttet til inneluftkvalitet på grunn av flyktige organiske forbindelser (VOC) som slippes ut fra treoverflater.
Dette PhD-prosjektet hadde som mål å forbedre forståelsen av VOC avgassing fra ulike byggematerialer i tre og vurdere inneluftkvalitet i moderne trebygg. Prosjektet identifiserte flere nye VOC-er, hvor furfural og α,β-substituerte aldehyder viste seg å være mest bekymringsfulle på grunn av kortsiktige negative helseeffekter. De resterende VOC-ene introduserte ikke risiko for negative helseeffekter, men deres potensielle langsiktige effekter, spesielt i energieffektive bygninger, krever videre undersøkelse.
Prosjektet vurderte også inneluftkvaliteten i klasserom i norske barneskoler med synlig KLT til stede. Funnene viste for det meste lave VOC-konsentrasjoner, med unntak av furfural og (E)-2-octenal. Disse resultatene har implikasjoner for den globale diskusjonen om balansen mellom bærekraftig bygging og inneluftkvalitet.
Prosjektet inkluderte også en utforskning av bruk av en rask og noninvasiv metode, FT-NIR, for å predikere VOC-avgassing fra byggematerialer i tre og konkluderte viktigheten av global standardisering i evalueringen og håndteringen av avgassing.
Dette doktorgradsprosjektet satte lys på behovet for å inkludere flere VOCer i rutineanalyser og for bedre forståelse av effekten av byggs bruksfase på avgassing og fotokjemiske reaksjoner. Funnene i prosjektet bidrar til den todelte globale innsatsen for en mer bærekraftig byggebransje med tanke på lavere klimagassutslipp og å garantere god inneluftkvalitet i fremtidens bygg.PAR
Effekten av samspillsverktøy og evaluering av samarbeid i samspillsfasen
Get PDFSamspill har de siste tiårene fått økt oppmerksomhet som gjennomføringsmodell i norsk byggebransje, særlig i komplekse prosjekter. Samspillsprosjekter skiller seg fra tradisjonelle entrepriseformer ved å legge større vekt på samarbeid, tillit og tidlig involvering. Likevel er det fortsatt uklart hvordan samspillsverktøy påvirker samarbeidet i praksis, og hvordan slike prosjekter evaluerer og forbedrer teamarbeidet underveis i samspillsfasen.
Denne studien benytter kvalitativ forskningsmetode, og inkluderer ti semistrukturerte intervjuer med aktører fra tre caseprosjekter: Gjesdal helsehus, Hoffsveien 1D og Filipstad Brygge. I tillegg er det utført dokumentstudier tilknyttet caseprosjektene, og en omfattende litteraturstudie. Studien undersøker bruken av samspillsverktøyene; onboarding, workshops, samlokalisering, konflikthåndteringsplan, kommunikasjonsplan og sosiale tiltak. Hensikten med oppgaven er å belyse hvordan disse virker i praksis, og hvilken effekt de har på samarbeidet, samt se på hvordan det legges til rette for evaluering og forbedring av team.
Resultatene viser at onboarding, workshops og samlokalisering har stor betydning for relasjonsbygging, kommunikasjon og beslutningstaking i teamet. Spesielt onboarding og samlokalisering trekkes frem som avgjørende for å senke terskelen for kommunikasjon og konfrontasjon, og styrker eierskapet til prosjektet. Onboarding benyttes i alle prosjektene, mens samlokalisering ofte begrenses av økonomiske hensyn. Workshops viser fortsatt et uforløst potensial, ettersom de i liten grad benyttes i praksis. Konflikthåndtering- og kommunikasjonsplan ble ikke benyttet, men dialogverktøyet K2, som står for konstruktiv kommunikasjon, ble løftet frem i ett av prosjektene. Det avdekkes at verktøy må være godt planlagt og forankret for å ha reell effekt, og at hverken verktøy eller kontraktsform alene sikrer godt samarbeid. Når det gjelder evaluering og forbedring av teamarbeid underveis i samspillsfasen, peker denne studien på klare muligheter for forbedring. Kun ett av prosjektene benyttet seg av strukturert og systematisk vurdering, SPGR. Funnene viser ulik tilnærming til evaluering av enkeltdeltakere, men at felles gjennomgang av hva i samarbeidet som fungerer og hva som må forbedres, er tiltak som kan gjøre prosjekthverdagen bedre. Fremtidig forskning bør se på hvordan samspillsverktøy og teamevaluering faktisk påvirker prosjektutfall over tid.
Nøkkelord: Samspill, byggeprosjekt, samspillsfase, samspillsverktøy, samarbeid, tillit, relasjonsbygging, kommunikasjon, evaluering og forbedring.In recent decades, partnering has gained increased attention as a project model in the Norwegian construction industry, particularly in complex projects. Collaborative contracts differ from traditional procurement models by placing greater emphasis on cooperation, trust, and early involvement. Nevertheless, it remains unclear how collaborative tools influence teamwork in practice and how such projects evaluate and improve team performance during the collaboration phase.
This study employs a qualitative research approach, including ten semi-structured interviews with participants from three case projects: Gjesdal helsehus, Hoffsveien 1D og Filipstad Brygge. Additionally, document analysis related to the case projects and an extensive literature review were conducted. The study investigates the use of collaborative tools such as onboarding, workshops, co-location, conflict management plans, communication plans, and social initiatives. The purpose is to explore how these tools function in practice, how they affect collaboration, and how teams are evaluated and supported for improvement.
The findings show that onboarding, workshops, and co-location play a significant role in building relationships, communication, and decision-making within the team. Onboarding and co-location are seen as crucial for lowering the threshold for communication and confrontation, and for strengthening project ownership. Onboarding was used in all projects, while co-location was often limited by economic constraints. Workshops still show untapped potential, as they are rarely used in practice. Conflict and communication plans were not implemented, but the dialogue tool K2, constructive communication, was highlighted in one of the projects. The study reveals that tools must be well planned and anchored to be effective, and that neither tools nor contract models alone guarantee good collaboration. When it comes to team evaluation and improvement during the collaboration phase, the study points to a clear potential for development. Only one project used structured and systematic assessment, SPGR. While attitudes toward individual evaluation varied, shared reflections on what works in the collaboration and what can be improved were seen as measures that could enhance the daily work environment. Future research should examine how collaborative tools and team evaluation affect project outcomes over time.
Keywords: Partnering, construction project, partnering phase, partnering tools, collaboration, trust, relationship building, communication, evaluation and improvement
Plasticity in Diel Activity Patterns of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) at Northern Latitudes: Across Intense Changes in Daylight Levels
No full textUnderstanding when animals are active is essential to comprehend their ecology fully, since time represents a vital, yet often overlooked, axis of a species’ ecological niche. Diel activity patterns are among the most direct manifestations of this temporal niche in wildlife. However, in northern ecosystems, where daylight swings from near-constant daylight to near-constant darkness, there is limited knowledge about how wildlife adjusts their diel activity under shifting photoperiods. This is even more true when these changes coincide with anthropogenic pressures and different biological seasons. Therefore, I investigated the diel activity of red deer (Cervus elaphus) over an entire year on an island off the coast of Norway using a camera trap setup. Overall, red deer exhibited a clear and synchronized bimodal activity pattern — peak early and later in the day — across all demographics. However, in winter, when darkness dominates, diel activity becomes more evenly distributed patterns over 24 hours and increasingly nocturnal, with this shift emerging at the hunting onset. Additionally, these patterns varied by sex, age, and behavior, revealing high plasticity in red deer diel activity, driven by both light regimes and anthropogenic disturbances. Therefore, integrating temporal dynamics into conservation and management has the potential to mitigate problematic interactions between red deer and humans in northern regions, especially during periods of extended darkness (i.e., winter). Management needs to consider more continuous deer activity over a 24-hour cycle under decreasing daylight by regulating human access or implementing traffic regulations (e.g., reduced maximum speed) to reduce conflict and disturbance risks.Understanding when animals are active is essential to comprehend their ecology fully, since time represents a vital, yet often overlooked, axis of a species’ ecological niche. Diel activity patterns are among the most direct manifestations of this temporal niche in wildlife. However, in northern ecosystems, where daylight swings from near-constant daylight to near-constant darkness, there is limited knowledge about how wildlife adjusts their diel activity under shifting photoperiods. This is even more true when these changes coincide with anthropogenic pressures and different biological seasons. Therefore, I investigated the diel activity of red deer (Cervus elaphus) over an entire year on an island off the coast of Norway using a camera trap setup. Overall, red deer exhibited a clear and synchronized bimodal activity pattern — peak early and later in the day — across all demographics. However, in winter, when darkness dominates, diel activity becomes more evenly distributed patterns over 24 hours and increasingly nocturnal, with this shift emerging at the hunting onset. Additionally, these patterns varied by sex, age, and behavior, revealing high plasticity in red deer diel activity, driven by both light regimes and anthropogenic disturbances. Therefore, integrating temporal dynamics into conservation and management has the potential to mitigate problematic interactions between red deer and humans in northern regions, especially during periods of extended darkness (i.e., winter). Management needs to consider more continuous deer activity over a 24-hour cycle under decreasing daylight by regulating human access or implementing traffic regulations (e.g., reduced maximum speed) to reduce conflict and disturbance risks
Guided By The Light: Attempt at sorting GFP-positive cells to enrich for knock-out cells
Get PDFWhile many methods exist for delivering CRISPR components to various cell cultures, transfection using Cas9 and gRNA in a ribonucleotide complex seems to be the most efficient in salmonid cells. The results, however, will be a mix of successful and non-successful gene
edited cells, which can cause trouble when analysing the phenotypic changes of the edit. If the guide is efficient, the main cause is variable efficiency of the transfection itself. Using a Cas9 enzyme coupled to GFP (green fluorescent protein) can enable sorting of the cells using
FLOW cytometry. This method has never been tried using the newly developed coho salmon fibroblast cell line (CSFL-1), and the aim of this thesis is to test and optimize cell sorting post gene editing of the itgb4 gene, with Cas9-GFP in CSFL-1.
The chosen method for cell transfection was electroporation, followed by FLOW cytometry. After successfully transfecting the cells, they were selected for sorting by FLOW cytometry based on their confluency 2- and 5-days post transfection, and approximately 500 000 cells were desirable for sorting. The FLOW cytometer divided the cells in two categories: cells
with, and cells without GFP. To assess the efficiency of the editing, DNA extraction and Sanger-sequencing were later performed. The remaining cells post FLOW cytometry were resown in wells in order to establish an itgb4 knock-out CSFL-1 cell line. In addition, we measured how long after transfection the GFP was detectable in the cells, and whether or not
the cells were viable post FLOW sorting.
Only two parallels from sorting were produced, both from day 2, and in each of these, 80 and 99% percent of the cells were sorted as GFP-negative, respectively. Results from sequencing also vary a lot, indicating unsuccessful sorting due to a high percentage of knock-outs found
in the GFP-negative category, and 0% in the GFP-positive category. Additionally, none of the samples survived post FLOW cytometry. The results from this study have large disparities, both within the study itself, and compared to other similar studies. This makes it difficult to draw any significant conclusions from this project alon