The Research Council of Norway

The role of antioxidants in pediatric eye health remains an underexplored area, particularly in the prevention and management of refractive errors. According to the World Health Organization, refractive errors are the leading cause of visual impairment among children globally, with myopia being the most prevalent and significant contributor. Oxidative stress and ocular hypoxia are key factors in myopia development and progression. Vision impairment resulting from myopia and associated ocular diseases can have profound consequences, affecting educational performance, psychosocial development, and daily activities. Antioxidant supplementation has been proposed as a potential strategy to counteract the effects of reactive oxygen species and support ocular health. This literature review examines the therapeutic potential of antioxidants-vitamin A, vitamin D, lutein, crocetin, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium- in mitigating myopia progression. Despite their promising protective effects, the clinical impact of these supplements remains a subject of debate. While experimental studies have demonstrated beneficial outcomes, further large-scale randomized controlled trials are necessary to establish their efficacy and determine optimal dosing for clinical application.

Sápmi refers to the traditional territory of the Indigenous Sámi people, encompassing northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula. Although extensive biodiversity data from this region are available through the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), the Indigenous origins, cultural context, and associated stewardship responsibilities remain almost entirely unacknowledged in the infrastructure. This lack of contextualization limits the interpretability of species records and obscures how observations relate to long-standing practices of land use, ecological relationships, and traditional knowledge systems have shaped human–environment interactions in Sápmi over generations.This study explores how Sámi interests, priorities, and governance can be integrated more effectively into GBIF’s data ecosystem in ways consistent with both FAIR and CARE principles. By examining biodiversity items that hold cultural significance for Sámi communities, we assess the current visibility of Sámi names, taxonomies, and knowledge within GBIF-mediated data and identify where these dimensions are absent or poorly represented. We also analyze metadata needs related to cultural context, including traditional nomenclature, provenance, relationships to seasonal cycles, ecological interactions, and the role of knowledge holders in shaping species understanding.A key focus is evaluating mechanisms that could enable Sámi authority, responsibility, and control over data linked to their territories. We investigate the potential application of Local Contexts notices and labels within GBIF, assessing how such tools might help communicate community expectations, governance protocols, and restrictions on sensitive knowledge. In addition, we explore technical approaches for associating cultural metadata with existing and future GBIF datasets while preserving community consent, protecting Indigenous rights, and maintaining data integrity.The study also examines the feasibility of mobilizing new Sámi datasets, including those containing elements of traditional knowledge, and identifies the governance conditions necessary for their ethical inclusion within GBIF-supported infrastructures. Through this work, we aim to articulate a model for respectful, reciprocal, and community-informed data mobilization in Sápmi. The resulting framework seeks to support Sámi data sovereignty, improve the cultural fidelity of biodiversity data, and offer an adaptable pathway for other Indigenous communities engaging with global biodiversity data infrastructures.

The world faces unprecedented pressure to develop appropriate tools and policies for a sustainable energy future. Though science suffers from a burden of proof, it has thus far proved true to different predictions on human-induced climate change impacts. The call to transition from sole dependence on fossil fuels to drive human civilization is alarming. Science, technology, and international climate policies provide some promising steps toward a practical net-zero economy path. Policies, innovations, and technologies play a critical role in supporting the energy transition agenda toward a sustainable future. The recent innovations in technology and business models that embrace the adoption of alternative energy sources are impressive, where the use of renewable and alternative energy sources such as solar and wind are gaining traction. Awareness of the importance of adopting a suitable energy future is on the rise, with private investors beginning to push companies to change; countries worldwide are adopting various measures to a just transition, essentially adopting policies to embrace a low-carbon economy. Amid all the positive indications of the global community to embrace a sustainable energy future, the challenge of replacing fossil fuels, which are thus far the cheap, versatile, and dependable energy source, is prevalent. Appropriate policies will need to be adopted so that there will be a just transition embracing the principle of leaving no one behind. To keep up with the pace of the global social economic dynamics, countries will have to embrace strategies that mix different options tailored in local conditions while keeping abreast with the global dynamics. This paper reviews the roles of appropriate policies and technological advancement to support a sustainable energy future.

The Maximum Weight Independent Set problem is a fundamental NP-hard problem in combinatorial optimization with several real-world applications. Given an undirected vertex-weighted graph, the problem is to find a subset of the vertices with the highest possible weight under the constraint that no two vertices in the set can share an edge. An important part of solving this problem in both theory and practice is data reduction rules, which several state-of-the-art algorithms rely on. However, the most complicated rules are often not used in practice since the time needed to check them exhaustively becomes infeasible. In this work, we introduce two main results. First, we introduce several new data reduction rules and evaluate their effectiveness on real-world data. Second, we use a machine learning screening algorithm to speed up the reduction phase, thereby enabling more complicated rules to be applied. Our screening algorithm consults a Graph Neural Network oracle to decide if the probability of successfully reducing the graph is sufficiently large. For this task, we provide a dataset of labeled vertices for use in supervised learning. We also present the first results for this dataset using established Graph Neural Network architectures. Our experimental evaluation shows that with our preprocessing technique, we can reduce instances to within one percent of what is possible using the full set of reduction rules exhaustively, while being four times faster for the reductions that undergo early screening.

Energy is central to socio-economic development. The use of fossil fuels dominates the global energy sector that supports the economy. With increased advocacy to address climate change impacts, the global South struggles to strike a balance between fast-tracking economic growth through investing in fossil fuels, a low-cost and versatile energy source, and the so-called clean but intermittent and hard-to-dispatch sources like solar and wind. Dependence on imported fuels to support economic activities has subjected sub-Saharan Africa to fall prey to global fuel price volatility, affecting local economies. This study explores how countries in Sub-Saharan Africa can navigate this energy trilemma by designing and developing policies that consider the essential sustainability pillars, including the environment, economy, and social aspects. The study found that global dynamics have forced countries to resort to a pathway that guarantees the security of supply; the move towards renewable energy is central to global discussions in a sustainable future. At the same time, countries across the globe are hesitant to completely phase out the use of fossil fuels due to the essential attributes that need to be added to renewable energy. Sub-Saharan Africa prioritises achieving universal access to energy and securing the security of supply with low cost of services. Increasingly, countries find that dealing with energy security requires addressing climate change concerns. The study provides practical recommendations for policy directions, including undertaking strategic reforms, creating task forces, investing in research, building local capacity, and forging strategic partnerships.

The population in the areas neighboring the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS) in the eastern region of Kazakhstan faces increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Previous research has not explored gene polymorphisms related to CVD in this population. Therefore, the present study examines the prevalence of six CVD-associated genotypes in three generations exposed to SNTS radiation. The genotyping of ApoE Leu28 → Pro, AGT Met174 → Thr, AGT Met235 → Thr, eNOS T786 → C, PON1 Gln192 → Arg, and EDN 1 Lys198 → Asn was performed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The present study encompassed a cohort of 218 participants with a familial history of arterial hypertension and/or carotid artery disease spanning at least three generations. The analysis unveiled significant disparities in the prevalence of ApoE Leu28 → Pro, eNOS T786 → C, and PON1 Gln192 → Arg genotypes across different generations. Furthermore, a substantial variation in the distribution of the eNOS T786 → C genotype was observed between individuals of Kazakh and Russian ethnicities. Nevertheless, no significant discrepancies were detected in the frequencies of the investigated genotypes between genders. Further research in this area is warranted to enhance the understanding of the genetic factors contributing to CVD in the population exposed to radiation from the SNTS. Specifically, future studies should broaden the scope of genetic polymorphisms investigated and include representatives of healthy individuals who have not been exposed to radiation as controls.

Agricultural biochemistry is crucial for enhancing crop production in enhancing crop production and sustainability, focusing on understanding biochemical processes that underpin plant growth, nutrient utilization, and resilience to environmental stresses. This review explores the critical role of biochemistry in sustainable agriculture, particularly in the context of soil health, nutrient cycling, pest management, and crop genetic improvements. With the increasing challenges posed by climate change, population growth, and environmental degradation, there is an urgent need for sustainable farming practices that enhance crop productivity without compromising environmental integrity. This article examines the biochemical mechanisms behind nutrient uptake, the role of enzymes in plant metabolism, and the interplay between soil microbiota and plant health. Furthermore, the integration of biotechnology into agricultural practices offers promising solutions, including the development of genetically modified crops that are more efficient in nutrient use and resistant to pests and diseases. The review also highlights the importance of biochemical strategies in reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture, such as optimizing the use of fertilizers and pesticides. Emphasis is placed on the biochemical pathways involved in nitrogen fixation, photosynthesis, and plant stress responses, which are essential for developing sustainable crop production systems. Through a comprehensive analysis of recent advancements in agricultural biochemistry, this paper aims to provide valuable insights into how biochemistry can contribute to more sustainable, efficient, and resilient agricultural systems. The research indicates that by optimizing biochemical processes and leveraging technological innovations, it is possible to achieve a balance between high agricultural yields and environmental conservation, thereby promoting long-term food security.

The relationship between the levels of essential elements and various aspects of well-being in environmentally exposed populations still needs to be better understood. The present study aims to investigate the potential connections between serum concentrations of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and quality of life (QoL) in environmentally exposed populations in Kazakhstan. The present study involved 1881 nominally healthy individuals aged 18-52 years who were permanent residents of Abay, Borodulikha, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kurchum, Uralsk, Aksay, and Berezovka settlements. These settlements were selected to represent different types of environmental exposure: radioactive fallout from the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS), non-ferrous metallurgy, and the condensate gas field, compared to environmentally unexposed territories. The Russian version of the SF-36 questionnaire was used to assess the participants' quality of life. Serum Ca levels were measured using colorimetry with O-cresolphthalein, and serum Mg concentrations were measured using colorimetry with xylidyl blue. Both elevated and decreased serum Ca levels were more frequently observed in the environmentally exposed populations. The prevalence of hypermagnesemia was highest among residents near the condensate gas field. Environmentally exposed populations residing near the SNTS and in Ust-Kamenogorsk exhibited lower scores in some QoL domains. In contrast, people near the condensate gas field showed comparable or even higher QoL scores than the control population. Only serum Mg demonstrated a significant association with the average QoL scores, while Ca did not show such an association. These findings have important implications for public health interventions.

Peripeti © Peripeti og forfatterne TEMAREDAKTION Erik Exe Christoffersen, Laura Schultz, Solveig Gade og Jens Christian Lauenstein Led REDAKTION Erik Exe Christoffersen (ansvarshavende), Janicke Branth, Falk Heinrich, Mads Thygesen, Thomas Rosendal Nielsen, Birgitte Hesselaa, Laura Schultz, Solveig Gade, Michael Eigtved, Jens Christian Lauenstein Led og Jeppe Sejer Sørensen (PR). Layout: Christian Brink Christensen og Mads Thygesen Omslag: The Democ rac y (Foto: Das Beckwerk) Tryk: Werks Offset Oplag: 500 ISSN: 1604-0325 REDAKTIONSADRESSE Peripeti Afdeling for Dramaturgi Institut for Æstetiske Fag, Aarhus Universitet, Langelandsgade 139, DK - 8000 Århus C. E-mail: aekexe@hum.au.dk BESTILLING OG ABONNEMENT peripeti@hum.au.dk Abonnement (to numre): 120 kr. Løssalg 75 kr. Internet: http://www.dramaturgi.au.dk/forskning/publikationer/peripeti Peripeti udgives af Afdeling for Dramaturgi (Aarhus Universitet) i samarbejde med Teatervidenskab (Københavns Universitet) og Dramatikeruddannelsen (Aarhus Teater) Tidsskriftet udgives med støtte fra Forskningsrådet for Kultur og Kommunikation. Alle temaartikler gennemgår et peer review. Peripeti udkommer to gange om året. Planlagte udgivelser: Teatralitet (forår 2007), Teatertekster (efterår 2007). Tidligere udgivelser: 1) Jon Fosse, 2) Why a Theatre Laboratory?, 3) Ny dansk dramatik, 4) Dogme og dramaturgi, 5) Henrik Ibsen.