NORCE Research Archive
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Sidestrømmer i trevareindustrien
Get PDFUtnyttelsen av sidestrømmer blant medlemsbedriftene til Tre på Agder er kartlagt ved hjelp av en spørreundersøkelse. Materialrester og avkapp går i dag hovedsakelig til forbrenning. Kvalitet trekkes fram som en viktig grunn for den lave graden av materialgjenvinning. Flertallet av bedriftene vurderer at økt gjenbruk av sidestrømmer er aktuelt i framtiden. Tilgang på materiale, samt riktig pris og kvalitet er de viktigste faktorene for å realisere dette potensialet. Det er også et stort potensial for økt bruk av norske råvarer av videreforedlet tre dersom slike råvarer blir tilgjengelig.Sidestrømmer i trevareindustrienpublishedVersio
Workplace gender composition and sickness absence: A register-based study from Sweden
Get PDFAims: This study aimed to examine the association between gender composition in the workplace and sickness absence days during a one-year period. Methods The study population was drawn from the Northern Swedish Cohort (wave 3; 2007) by Statistics Sweden and consisted of all participants belonging to a specific workplace (n=837) as well as all co-workers at the workplace of the participants (n=132,464; 67,839 women and 64,625 men). Exposure was the gender composition of the workplace, and outcome was cumulative sickness absence days (⩾90 days or not) during 2007, provided through a link to the Database for Health Insurance and Labour Marked Studies of Statistics Sweden. Covariates were gender, age, educational level and branch of industry from the same data source. We performed descriptive analyses and multivariable regression analyses. Results: Workers in extremely female-dominated workplaces had a significantly higher risk of cumulative sickness absence days (⩾90 days) compared with gender-equal workplaces (fully adjusted odds ratio (OR)=1.27; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09–1.48), whereas those working in extremely and moderately male-dominated workplaces had a significantly lower sickness absence risk (OR=0.62 and 0.66, respectively). Stratified by gender, the higher absence risk at female-dominated workplaces was fully explained by variation in branches of industry. Women working in extremely male-dominated workplaces had a significantly lower absence risk (OR=0.75), as did men working in moderately male-dominated workplaces (OR=0.78). Conclusions: Workplaces dominated by women had a significantly higher risk of days lost to sickness absence compared to gender-equal workplaces. Stratified by gender, this higher risk was explained by branch of industrypublishedVersio
Mentoring for inclusion: A scoping review of the literature
Get PDFThis article explores and summarizes the characteristics and findings in Norwegian research on mentoring for inclusion, using a scoping literature review. Mentoring matches younger or less experienced individuals with non-parental mentors to provide support and promote skills, personal development, and/or attainment of specific goals, such as employment. Searches were conducted in databases and in grey literature, with 19 publications included in our final analyses. The included publications encompass various approaches to organizing mentoring: by public sector organizations such as NAV and by non-public organizations (ideal organizations, social entrepreneurships). Over half of the mentoring programs in the included publications had immigrants or individuals with minority backgrounds as target groups. Nearly all the included publications assessed program results, concluding that mentoring generally achieved its (often broadly defined) objectives and/or that participants were satisfied. Notably, a robust assessment of the effects of mentoring remains an area for future inquiry. The included studies provide valuable insights into mentoring for supporting welfare state institutions in inclusion of vulnerable groups. Mentoring represents an individualized and flexible approach with the potential to supplement public services. Based on the findings, future directions for research on mentoring in the welfare state context are discussed.publishedVersio
Marginalized iterative ensemble smoothers for data assimilation
Get PDFData assimilation is an important tool in many geophysical applications. One of many key elements of data assimilation algorithms is the measurement error that determines the weighting of the data in the cost function to be minimized. Although the algorithms used for data assimilation treat the measurement uncertainty as known, it is in many cases estimated or set based on some expert opinion. Here we treat the measurement uncertainty as a hyperparameter in a fully Bayesian hierarchical model and derive a new class of iterative ensemble methods for data assimilation where the measurement uncertainty is integrated out. The proposed algorithms are compared with the standard iterative ensemble smoother on a 2D synthetic reservoir model.publishedVersio
Are null segregants new combinations of heritable material and should they be regulated?
Get PDFThrough genome editing and other techniques of gene technology, it is possible to create a class of organism called null segregants. These genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are products of gene technology but are argued to have no lingering vestige of the technology after the segregation of chromosomes or deletion of insertions. From that viewpoint regulations are redundant because any unique potential for the use of gene technology to cause harm has also been removed. We tackle this question of international interest by reviewing the early history of the purpose of gene technology regulation. The active ingredients of techniques used for guided mutagenesis, e.g., site-directed nucleases, such as CRISPR/Cas, are promoted for having a lower potential per reaction to create a hazard. However, others see this as a desirable industrial property of the reagents that will lead to genome editing being used more and nullifying the promised hazard mitigation. The contest between views revolves around whether regulations could alter the risks in the responsible use of gene technology. We conclude that gene technology, even when used to make null segregants, has characteristics that make regulation a reasonable option for mitigating potential harm. Those characteristics are that it allows people to create more harm faster, even if it creates benefits as well; the potential for harm increases with increased use of the technique, but safety does not; and regulations can control harm scaling.publishedVersio
Sources, Composition, and Export of Particulate Organic Matter Across British Estuaries
Get PDFEstuaries receive and process a large amount of particulate organic carbon (POC) prior to its export into coastal waters. Studying the origin of this POC is key to understanding the fate of POC and the role of estuaries in the global carbon cycle. Here, we evaluated the concentrations of POC, as well as particulate organic nitrogen (PON), and used stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes to assess their sources across 13 contrasting British estuaries during five different sampling campaigns over 1 year. We found a high variability in POC and PON concentrations across the salinity gradient, reflecting inputs, and losses of organic material within the estuaries. Catchment land cover appeared to influence the contribution of POC to the total organic carbon flux from the estuary to coastal waters, with POC contributions >36% in estuaries draining catchments with a high percentage of urban/suburban land, and <11% in estuaries draining catchments with a high peatland cover. There was no seasonal pattern in the isotopic composition of POC and PON, suggesting similar sources for each estuary over time. Carbon isotopic ratios were depleted (−26.7 ± 0.42‰, average ± sd) at the lowest salinity waters, indicating mainly terrigenous POC (TPOC). Applying a two-source mixing model, we observed high variability in the contribution of TPOC at the highest salinity waters between estuaries, with a median value of 57%. Our results indicate a large transport of terrigenous organic carbon into coastal waters, where it may be buried, remineralized, or transported offshore.publishedVersio
Modell for simulering av velferds- og boligbehov i kommunene
Get PDFFramover er det forventet å skje store endringer i den demografiske sammensetningen i de fleste kommuner. Dette skaper nye utfordringer mht. kommunenes tjenestetilbud og befolkningens bistandsbehov. Ulike aldersgrupper har også ofte ulike boligpreferanser og -behov. Det er utviklet et todelt modellverktøy i Excel til hjelp for kommuner i analysearbeidet og planleggingen. Modellen søker å synliggjøre de utfordringer kommunene vil møte framover både mht. befolkningens bistandsbehov og behov for bolig. Rapporten dokumenterer fase 3 i et prosjekt hvor vi samarbeider med kommunene Alver i Vestland fylke, og Tysvær og Gjesdal i Rogaland. Rapporten inneholder eksempler fra kommunene og beskrivelse av datamodellen.publishedVersio
Status of Foam as a Liquid Blocking Agent in Porous Media: A Review
Get PDFAbstract This article summarizes the state-of-the-art knowledge gained from field observations and laboratory studies regarding foam as a liquid controlling agent in porous media. Being the least explored property of foam, its effect and potential have often been overlooked or simply ignored. The aim with this review is therefore to demonstrate the abilities that foam could have to block, reduce, delay, suppress, or divert water flow in porous media. As a liquid controlling agent in porous media, foam has potential for industrial processes that involve fluid injections or fluid withdrawals in porous geological formations, such as improved/enhanced oil recovery (IOR/EOR), matrix-stimulation treatments, underground storage of CO2, hydrogen, compressed-air or natural gas withdrawal, geothermal energy, and contaminated soil-groundwater remediation processes with unwanted aquifer impacts. Improving the water utilization factor and water management in these applications might result in tremendous energic, economic, and environmental incentives that are worth pursuing. Specific focus in this review is given to the post-foam water injection, which determines the ultimate stability and water-blocking capabilities of the foam treatment. Main parameters and mechanisms that can influence foam stability against water injection/intrusion after generation and placement are assessed and discussed. Unresolved issues are highlighted, which give recommendations for further research and field-scale operations. Keywords: water shut-off; water mobility control; porous media; foamStatus of Foam as a Liquid Blocking Agent in Porous Media: A ReviewpublishedVersio
Insights into the effects of anthropogenic activities on oil reservoir microbiome and metabolic potential
Get PDFMicrobial communities have long been observed in oil reservoirs, where the subsurface conditions are major drivers shaping their structure and functions. Furthermore, anthropogenic activities such as water flooding during oil production can affect microbial activities and community compositions in oil reservoirs through the injection of recycled produced water, often associated with biocides. However, it is still unclear to what extent the introduced chemicals and microbes influence the metabolic potential of the subsurface microbiome. Here we investigated an onshore oilfield in Germany (Field A) that undergoes secondary oil production along with biocide treatment to prevent souring and microbially induced corrosion (MIC). With the integrated approach of 16 S rRNA gene amplicon and shotgun metagenomic sequencing of water-oil samples from 4 production wells and 1 injection well, we found differences in microbial community structure and metabolic functions. In the injection water samples, amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) belonging to families such as Halanaerobiaceae, Ectothiorhodospiraceae, Hydrogenophilaceae, Halobacteroidaceae, Desulfohalobiaceae, and Methanosarcinaceae were dominant, while in the production water samples, ASVs of families such as Thermotogaceae, Nitrospiraceae, Petrotogaceae, Syntrophaceae, Methanobacteriaceae, and Thermoprotei were also dominant. The metagenomic analysis of the injection water sample revealed the presence of C1-metabolism, namely, genes involved in formaldehyde oxidation. Our analysis revealed that the microbial community structure of the production water samples diverged slightly from that of injection water samples. Additionally, a metabolic potential for oxidizing the applied biocide clearly occurred in the injection water samples indicating an adaptation and buildup of degradation capacity or resistance against the added biocide.publishedVersio
Habitatkartlegging i Norddalselva i Fjord kommune i 2021
Get PDFDenne rapporten sammenstiller resultater av en habitatkartlegging utført av NORCE LFI i Norddalselva i Fjord kommune våren 2021. Hele anadrom strekning ble kartlagt. Norddalselva er relativt stri på hele anadrom strekning. Kanalisering og erosjonssikring har gjort elven enda striere, redusert anadromt areal og forringet fiskehabitat. Det er bra med skjul for ungfisk, men få og små gyteplasser. Mangel på gytehabitat er derfor habitatflaskehalsen for laks og sjøørret i Norddalselva. For å bedre gyteforholdene i vassdraget anbefales det å utvide elveløpet fire steder. Dette vil gi mer vanndekket areal og øke sannsynligheten for at gytegrus legger seg på egnede gyteplasser. Det foreslås også å lede mer vann inn i to sideløp og å reetablere kantvegetasjonen langs elven. I tillegg anbefales det at to terskler i øvre del av elven vedlikeholdes ved behov, for å opprettholde gyteplassene disse har skapt.publishedVersio