Background: Testing is imperative to validate the functionalities and safety of autonomous driving systems. Simulated scenario-based testing is commonly adopted for autonomous driving systems, which aims to construct various driving scenarios and validate the autonomous driving systems in simulation. Nevertheless, identifying relevant test scenarios, especially critical ones that expose hazards or

Currently, VR technology is increasingly being used in applications to enable immersive yet controlled research settings. One such area of research is expertise assessment, where novel technological approaches to collecting process data, specifically eye tracking, in combination with explainable models, can provide insights into assessing and training novices, as well as fostering expertise develo

Iterative algorithms are becoming more common in modern systems. This ranges from algorithms for communicationsystems receivers, machine learning, group testing, and various computation problems. The success of thesealgorithms lies in the ability to simplify computation by breaking down the system into components and exchangingmessages on graphs. The graph has the components as nodes and connectio

Studies show that genetics matter in who becomes a leader. However, we know little about the dynamic properties of the heritability of leadership emergence or how genetics might interact with environmental conditions to shape leadership emergence. We track leadership role occupancy at three time points among a cohort of 1,079 Danish twin pairs over ten years. Our results suggest that genetics matt

The globally increasing contents of microplastics (MP) in ecosystems have become a serious environmental problem with far-reaching and at present unpredictable consequences for both aquatic life and human well-being. Until recently, most research on MP focused on marine ecosystems. Research on the occurrence of MP has lately started to focus on freshwater environments. This comprehensive and criti

Physical activity is essential for health and well-being, as recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), which defines it as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. Recommended levels of physical activity vary depending on age, with children needing at least 60 minutes per day and adults requiring 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per

The current climate crisis is pressuring policymakers to outline what a post-fossil economy might entail. In Norway, many have pointed towards the salmon farming industry as a central part of the country’s green transition. At the same time, the industry has shifted towards increasing use of feed imports from Brazilian soy plantations - the second largest driver of deforestation in the country. Ex

China has established itself as the most important partner of many African countries. However, it is often labelled as a purely self-interested actor, who helps authoritarians stay in power. This thesis aims to enhance our understanding of the nature of China’s development finance through a two-step analysis. First, I investigate the allocation of Chinese aid to African countries, examining its re

Making live, single-celled organisms fluoresce Protist is a term for a type of organism that has a nucleus and is not an animal, plant or fungus. Most protists are single-celled and can be found in all types of environments across the planet. Protists are highly diverse and understudied, and researching protists directly from the environment has many challenges. One method for researching microbe

Groundwater is an essential resource for drinking water, food production, and industrial applications worldwide. Over-exploitation and pollution pose significant risks to groundwater sustainability. Groundwater models can be powerful tools for optimizing use, managing risks, and aiding decision making. For this purpose, models should assimilate pertinent data and quantify uncertainties in outcomes

This study analyzes the relationship between drought processes and crop yields in Moldova, together with the effects of possible future climate change on crops. The severity of drought is analyzed over time in Moldova using the Standard Precipitation Index, the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index, and their relationship with crop yields. In addition, rainfall variability and its re

Berries are a rich source of natural antioxidant compounds, which are essential to profile, as they add to their nutritional value. However, the complexity of the matrix and the structural diversity of these compounds pose challenges in extraction and chromatographic separation. By relying on multivariate curve resolution alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) ability to extract components from compl

Physical properties such as break resistance, chalkiness, and size dimensions are very important for grading rice quality. Today, most of the methods used for determining these properties are performed manually, making them both time-consuming and, to some extent, subjective, which, in turn, can affect the determination of rice quality and, thereby, the price. A collaborative study was conducted b

Pollination is a critical ecosystem service given its essential role in sustaining food production, while pollinating insects are declining worldwide. Pollination capacity can be estimated through direct indicators characterising pollinator communities. Pollinators need feeding and nesting resources, so their presence can also be estimated through indirect indicators characterising these resources