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Foreldres rolle gjennom en toppidrettskarriere
No full textForeldres betydning i unge utøvers idrettskarriere har fått økende oppmerksomhet i sosiologisk og offentligheten for øvrig, men forståelsen preges ofte av forenklede forestillinger om enten støtte eller press. Denne oppgaven undersøker hvordan tidligere toppidrettsutøvere selv erfarer foreldres involvering gjennom ulike faser av karrieren- fra introduksjon til idretten, via perioder med intensiv satsing, og frem mot avslutning. Målet har vært å nyansere bildet av foreldreinvolvering ved å belyse hvordan støtte, tilrettelegging og tilbaketrekning utspiller seg over tid, og i lys av ulik sosial bakgrunn. Studien bygger på et relasjonelt perspektiv, hvor foreldrerollen forstås som dynamisk og kontekstavhengig.
Datagrunnlaget består av kvalitative, semistrukturerte intervjuer med tidligere toppidrettsutøvere fra ulike idretter og sosiale bakgrunner. Det empiriske materialet er analysert med et sosiologisk blikk på klasse, relasjoner og overgangsfaser. Lareaus’ begreper «concerted cultivation» og «natural growth» har vært sentrale analytiske verktøy. Oppgaven undersøker ikke foreldrene direkte, men utøvernes egne fortellinger om foreldrestøtte – hvordan den ble erfart, hvilken form den tok, og hvilken betydning den fikk. Det sosiologiske ambisjonsnivået har vært å vise hvordan klasse, økonomiske ressurser og relasjoner påvirker idrettskarrierens utvikling, og hvordan foreldrerollen transformeres over tid.
Alternativ 1: Funnene i denne studien viser at foreldres rolle i en toppidrettskarriere endres over tid – fra aktiv tilrettelegging i starten, via praktisk og emosjonell støtte, til en mer tilbaketrukken tilstedeværelse. Det avgjørende er ikke hvor mye støtte som gis, men hvordan den tilpasses utøverens behov, utvikling og ambisjoner. Foreldre med høy kulturell og økonomisk kapital tilrettelegger ofte tidlig og strukturert for barnas idrettsdeltakelse, mens andre barn introduseres mer lekpreget, noe som viser hvordan klasse og familiens praksiser former inngangen til idretten. I etableringsfasen fortsetter foreldrene å spille en sentral rolle som praktiske og emosjonelle støttespillere, men informantene viser at denne støtten både kan styrke autonomi og samtidig skape press, avhengig av form og intensitet. Økonomisk støtte fra foreldre fremstår som avgjørende for kontinuitet i toppidrett, og utøvere fra mindre ressurssterke hjem må i større grad kompensere med sosial kapital og strategisk ressursmobilisering. Når karrieren nærmer seg slutten, trekker foreldre seg ofte tilbake, men deres tidligere investeringer kan fortsatt påvirke utøverens beslutningsrom gjennom lojalitetsbånd og indre forventninger.
Alternativ 2: Funnene i denne studien viser at foreldres rolle i en toppidrettskarriere endres over tid – fra aktiv tilrettelegging i starten, via praktisk og emosjonell støtte, til en mer tilbaketrukken tilstedeværelse. Det avgjørende er ikke hvor mye støtte som gis, men hvordan den tilpasses utøverens behov, utvikling og ambisjoner. I introduksjonen til idretten ble flere informanter introdusert gjennom foreldre med idrettsbakgrunn eller en aktiv livsstil i familien, hvor foreldrene spilte en sentral rolle som initiativtakere og tilretteleggere, ofte i tråd med Lareaus begrep om concerted cultivation. Informantene fra ressurssterke hjem opplevde økonomisk støtte som en selvsagt forutsetning for satsing, mens de med lavere økonomisk kapital måtte mobilisere sosial og symbolsk kapital, noe som førte til større usikkerhet og belastning. Beslutningen om å legge opp var ofte knyttet til ønsket om autonomi og økonomisk uavhengighet, og selv om foreldrene i liten grad var direkte avgjørende, bidro deres emosjonelle støtte og fravær av press til å legitimere valget og lette overgangsprosessen.MasteroppgavenSOS360MASV-SO
Infant Vitamin B12 Status and its Predictors – Cross-Sectional Baseline Results from an Ongoing Randomized Controlled Trial
No full textBackground
Vitamin B12 is a crucial micronutrient for infant growth and development.
Objective
The objective of this study was to describe vitamin B12 status in Norwegian infants aged 6–15 wk using multiple biomarkers and cut-off approaches, and to identify its predictors.
Methods
From November 2021 through August 2024, infants aged 6–15 wk and their mothers were recruited from public health clinics in Innlandet County, Norway, as part of an ongoing randomized controlled trial. Plasma cobalamin and methylmalonic acid (MMA) concentrations were analyzed among all infants in the cohort (n = 644), and total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations were analyzed in a subgroup (n = 358). The combined indicator for vitamin B12 status (cB12) was calculated by Fedosov’s equation. Low status was defined using multiple cut-off approaches. Potential predictors of infant vitamin B12 status were evaluated using regression models.
Results
Mean (standard deviation [SD]) infant age was 9.1 (1.8) wk. The median (interquartile range) concentrations were: cobalamin 242 (192, 322) pmol/L, tHcy 7.4 (6.2, 9.4) μmol/L, and MMA 0.34 (0.21, 0.77) μmol/L. The mean (SD) cB12 was −0.5 (0.7). Eight percent had cobalamin 6.5 μmol/L, 19% >10 μmol/L, and 4% >13 μmol/L. Sixty-four percent had MMA>0.26 μmol/L. Exclusively breastfed infants had 40% lower cobalamin and 30% higher tHcy compared with nonbreastfed infants. Partially breastfed infants had 21% lower cobalamin and 12% higher tHcy compared with nonbreastfed infants.
Conclusion
A substantial proportion of Norwegian infants have biochemical signs of low vitamin B12 status, given that the cut-offs were established in adults. Lower status was observed in partially and exclusively breastfed infants, compared with nonbreastfed infants. However, it is unclear whether these biomarker patterns have clinical significance. Further research is needed to determine consequences of low vitamin B12 biomarker concentrations in early infancy.publishedVersio
Exploring multistability in marine ecosystems: Insights from food web model dynamics
No full textThis review synthesizes the role of multistability in deterministic food web models of marine ecosystems, focusing on how structural features of ordinary differential equation (ODE) models give rise to multiple stable states. From an initial pool of 178 publications, we systematically selected 35 studies that explicitly report multistability in predator–prey and food web models. These were analyzed according to key structural components – such as functional responses, growth and mortality terms, nonlinearities, and network topologies – to identify the mechanisms underpinning the emergence of bistability, tristability, and higher-order multistability.
The reviewed models exhibit a wide range of attractor types, including equilibrium points, limit cycles, and chaotic attractors. Our analysis highlights the influence of non-monotonic functional responses, intraspecific competition, Allee effects, and time-scale separation in generating complex dynamics. Furthermore, we find that bifurcation analysis and numerical simulations are the primary tools used to characterize stability landscapes and attractor transitions.
Despite the advances in modeling techniques, the review reveals a significant gap between theory and empirical application. Most models are general in nature and seldom incorporate real-world species, parameterized data, or specific ecosystem structures. We discuss this gap and propose a collaborative modeling approach focused on keystone species and the development of a shared repository of food web models.
By categorizing multistable behaviors and clarifying their mechanistic origins, this review contributes towards a more robust theoretical foundation for understanding multistability in marine ecosystems.publishedVersio
Efficient construction of Markov state models for stochastic gene regulatory networks by domain decomposition
No full textBackground: The dynamics of many gene regulatory networks (GRNs) is characterized by the occurrence of metastable phenotypes and stochastic phenotype switches. The chemical master equation (CME) is the most accurate description to model such stochastic dynamics, whereby the long-time dynamics of the system is encoded in the spectral properties of the CME operator. Markov State Models (MSMs) provide a general framework for analyzing and visualizing stochastic multistability and state transitions based on these spectral properties. Until now, however, this approach is either limited to low-dimensional systems or requires the use of high-performance computing facilities, thus limiting its usability.
Results: We present a domain decomposition approach (DDA) that approximates the CME by a stochastic rate matrix on a discretized state space and projects the multistable dynamics to a lower dimensional MSM. To approximate the CME, we decompose the state space via a Voronoi tessellation and estimate transition probabilities by using adaptive sampling strategies. We apply the robust Perron cluster analysis (PCCA+) to construct the final MSM. Measures for uncertainty quantification are incorporated. As a proof of concept, we run the algorithm on a single PC and apply it to two GRN models, one for the genetic toggle switch and one describing macrophage polarization. By comparing the results with reference solutions, we demonstrate that our approach correctly identifies the number and location of metastable phenotypes with adequate accuracy and uncertainty bounds. We show that accuracy mainly depends on the total number of Voronoi cells, whereas uncertainty is determined by the number of sampling points.
Conclusions: A DDA enables the efficient computation of MSMs with quantified uncertainty. Since the algorithm is trivially parallelizable, it can be applied to larger systems, which will inevitably lead to new insights into cell-regulatory dynamics.publishedVersio
Forsvarlighet i kommunehelsetjenesten. En dokumentanalyse av hvordan forsvarlighetskravet forstås og anvendes i lokale retningslinjer, og i hvilken grad dette samsvarer med lovverk, tilsynsrapporter og nasjonale styringsdokumenter
No full textBakgrunn: Forsvarlighetskravet er et juridisk og faglig grunnprinsipp i helse- og omsorgstjenesten, men fremstår ofte som abstrakt og uklart i kommunal praksis. Utfordringen med å sikre forsvarlige tjenester forsterkes i møte med økt tjenestebehov, ressursknapphet og komplekse pasientforløp i korttidssykehjem.
Metode: Studien benytter kvalitativ dokumentanalyse. Datagrunnlaget består av nasjonale styringsdokumenter, lovverk, tilsynsrapporter og kommunale planer fra 42 av 43 kommuner i Vestland, samt interne styringsverktøy fra én utvalgt stor kommune, valgt for sin tilgjengelige og detaljerte dokumentasjon.
Resultat: Funnene viser at forståelsen av forsvarlighet ofte preges av økonomiske rammer og effektiviseringsmål. Kommunene peker på utfordringer som eldrebølge og personellmangel, og har iverksatt tiltak som velferdsteknologi, forbedret samhandling og kompetanseheving. Samtidig er det stor variasjon i hvordan forsvarlighet konkretiseres, og sammenhengen mellom tiltak og lovpålagte krav fremstår ofte som svak.
Konklusjon: Kommunene tolker og anvender begrepet forsvarlighet ulikt. Selv om begrepet sjelden omtales eksplisitt, fremgår det implisitt at statlige føringer og stortingsmeldinger fungerer som normative rammer, samtidig som kommunene har betydelig handlingsrom i valg av strategier og tiltak. Dette viser hvordan begrepet forsvarlighet fungerer som både styringsprinsipp og praktisk utfordring i kommunal helsetjeneste.Background: The requirement of sound professional practice (forsvarlighet) is a legal and professional cornerstone in the Norwegian health and care services, yet it often appears abstract and unclear in municipal practice. The challenge of ensuring adequate and safe services is further amplified by growing service demands, limited resources, and increasingly complex patient trajectories in short-term nursing homes.
Method: This study employs qualitative document analysis. The data material includes national policy documents, legislation, supervisory reports, and municipal health and care plans from 42 out of 43 municipalities in the Vestland region. In addition, internal governance documents from one selected large municipality were analyzed, chosen for its detailed and accessible documentation.
Results: Findings indicate that the understanding of forsvarlighet is often shaped by economic constraints and efficiency goals. Municipalities highlight challenges such as demographic ageing and healthcare workforce shortages, and have implemented measures including welfare technology, improved interprofessional collaboration, and competence development. However, there is significant variation in how forsvarlighet is operationalized, and the link between local initiatives and statutory requirements often appears weak.
Conclusion: Municipalities interpret and apply the concept of forsvarlighet differently. While the term is rarely addressed explicitly, it is implicitly clear that national guidelines and white papers serve as normative frameworks. At the same time, municipalities retain considerable autonomy in selecting strategies and specific measures. This reflects how the concept of forsvarlighet operates both as a principle of governance and as a practical challenge within municipal health services.Masteroppgave i helseledelse, kvalitetsforbedring og helse�konomi (EVU)HELVID650MATF-HEVI
Influence operation targeting norwegian parliamentary elections. An analysis of the state's ability to interfere wtih foreign influence operations in defence of democracy
No full textOppgåva tek føre seg tema som PST og Etterretningstenesta sitt høve til opplysingsinnhenting, sensur, straff, ugyldiggjering og omval av stortingsval, på bakgrunn av framandstatlege informasjonsbaserte påverknadsoperasjonar.Masteroppgave (70 sp) forskerlinjeJUS397MAJU
Enhancing image quality in fast neutron-based range verification of proton therapy using a deep learning-based prior in LM-MAP-EM reconstruction
No full textObjective. This study investigates the use of list-mode (LM) maximum a posteriori (MAP) expectation maximization (EM) incorporating prior information predicted by a convolutional neural network for image reconstruction in fast neutron (FN)-based proton therapy range verification. Approach. A conditional generative adversarial network (pix2pix) was trained on progressively noisier data, where detector resolution effects were introduced gradually to simulate realistic conditions. FN data were generated using Monte Carlo simulations of an 85 MeV proton pencil beam in a computed tomography-based lung cancer patient model, with range shifts emulating weight gain and loss. The network was trained to estimate the expected two-dimensional ground truth FN production distribution from simple back-projection images. Performance was evaluated using mean squared error, structural similarity index (SSIM), and the correlation between shifts in predicted distributions and true range shifts. Main results. Our results show that pix2pix performs well on noise-free data but suffers from significant degradation when detector resolution effects are introduced. Among the LM-MAP-EM approaches tested, incorporating a mean prior estimate into the reconstruction process improved performance, with LM-MAP-EM using a mean prior estimate outperforming naïve LM maximum likelihood EM (LM-MLEM) and conventional LM-MAP-EM with a smoothing quadratic energy function in terms of SSIM. Significance. Findings suggest that deep learning techniques can enhance iterative reconstruction for range verification in proton therapy. However, the effectiveness of the model is highly dependent on data quality, limiting its robustness in high-noise scenarios.acceptedVersio
‘I was ‘only’ seen as a birthing woman:’ the pregnancy, birth and postpartum experiences of women with refugee backgrounds in Norway
No full textBackground: Norway is recognised for its high-quality maternal healthcare. However, health equity has yet to be achieved. This study explored the experiences of women with refugee backgrounds during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum in Norway. We aimed to understand how the diversity of their backgrounds and current life circumstances, influenced the women’s health, well-being, and interactions with maternal healthcare services. The study focused on the perspectives of women whose needs have not been fully acknowledged in maternal healthcare services both at national and local levels.
Method: Consistent with our Feminist Participatory Action Research approach, we included multicultural doulas, women with lived experience of migration and giving birth in Norway, as co-researchers. We also collaborated with practitioners such as midwives and other relevant actors. We recruited and conducted qualitative interviews with ten women with refugee backgrounds who had given birth in Norway.
Results: Our findings revealed that the women’s intersecting identities were crucial in shaping their maternal healthcare needs during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. The structural inequities faced in maternal healthcare services during pregnancy such as lack of language and communication support, limited access to social support networks, and unfamiliarity with healthcare services were also apparent during birth and postpartum. Adjusting to a new country while raising children compounded these challenges, impacting experiences of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of adopting an intersectional approach to maternal healthcare, and not treating race, class, gender and migration experiences in isolation, but taking them into consideration when designing and implementing services. Our results suggest that current policies and services often overlook the specific needs of women with refugee backgrounds. To achieve true health equity in maternal healthcare services, policies should prioritize these women’s unique needs and experiences, ensure that services are adapted and properly funded, and that initiatives guarantee active participation and representation from women with refugee backgrounds.publishedVersio
Precision neuropsychology in the area of AI
No full textThis perspective paper introduces the term “precision neuropsychology” to reflect on an approach that integrates AI-driven assessment tools with traditional neuropsychological frameworks—an integration expected to become crucial in future clinical practice. The paper outlines the technological evolution from basic computerized testing to sophisticated machine learning applications that could enable clinicians to more accurately detect subtypes of neuropsychological conditions. Key opportunities include enhanced pattern recognition in traditional assessments (e.g., digital clock drawing), continuous monitoring of symptom fluctuations (e.g., Attention Deficit Disorder), and personalized assessment and treatment procedures based on individual needs (e.g., learning disorders). The paper also addresses critical implementation challenges: ethical considerations including algorithmic bias and data privacy; balancing quantitative AI analytics with qualitative clinical expertise to avoid reductionism; and developing new competencies for neuropsychologists to effectively integrate AI in their research and clinical work. By providing practical implementation guidelines while preserving holistic patient care, precision neuropsychology shows promise for enhancing both diagnostic accuracy and treatment efficacy in neuropsychological practice.publishedVersio
Selective Capacitated Open-Shop Scheduling: A mathematical model and metaheuristic approach
No full textThis thesis introduces the Selective Capacitated Open-Shop Scheduling Problem (SCOSSP), a combinatorial optimization problem that resembles the allocation of cruise ship tourists to attractions and determines a route for each group of tourists. The capacity of every attraction, the opening hours, and the distances from the ship are taken into account. In addition, the individual preferences of the tourists, required visit durations, and travel times between attractions are considered. The SCOSSP is then formulated as a mixed integer linear program and tested in an experiment to solve it exactly with the Gurobi Optimizer. An Adaptive Heuristic (AH) framework is presented and adapted to the problem. The performance of the framework is then compared against the solver on a set of artificial instances. The experiments conducted in this thesis show that AH finds acceptable solutions of high quality in a fraction of the time used by Gurobi.Masteroppgave i informatikkINF399MAMN-INFMAMN-PRO