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Crustal Heterogeneity Onshore Central Spitsbergen: Insights From New Gravity and Vintage Geophysical Data
Full text linkGravity data provide constraints on lateral subsurface density variations and thus provide crucial insights into the geological evolution of the region. Previously, gravity data from the Norwegian Arctic archipelago of Svalbard comprised an onshore regional gravity database with coarse station spacing of 2–20 km, offshore gravity profiles acquired in some fjords, airborne gravity, and satellite altimetry. The sparse regional point-based onshore coverage hampered the direct integration of gravity data with seismic profiles acquired onshore Svalbard in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In April 2022, we acquired gravity data at 260 new stations along seven profiles from western to eastern Spitsbergen, with a cumulative length of 329 km. The profiles were acquired directly along selected seismic profiles and provide much closer station spacing (0.5–2 km) compared to the regional inland grid (2–20 km) acquired in the late 1980s (total number of onshore stations: 1,037). Having processed the data, we compared the first-order density trends of our new data with the legacy regional grid. The new gravity data are consistent with the regional data, imaging a gravity low in the western part of the area underlying a foreland basin and a gravity high in the northwestern part of the area likely associated with a basement high or denser basement. We compare the new and vintage gravity using maps and profiles, linked to the known major tectonic features such as major basinal axes and fault zones, as well as other geophysical data sets including seismics and magnetics
Deep learning-assisted two-dimensional transperineal ultrasound for analyzing bladder neck motion in women with stress urinary incontinence
Full text linkBackground - No universally recognized transperineal ultrasound parameters are available for evaluating stress urinary incontinence. The information captured by commonly used perineal ultrasound parameters is limited and insufficient for a comprehensive assessment of stress urinary incontinence. Although bladder neck motion plays a major role in stress urinary incontinence, objective and visual methods to evaluate its impact on stress urinary incontinence remain lacking.
Objective - To use a deep learning–based system to evaluate bladder neck motion using 2-dimensional transperineal ultrasound videos, exploring motion parameters for diagnosing and evaluating stress urinary incontinence. We hypothesized that bladder neck motion parameters are associated with stress urinary incontinence and are useful for stress urinary incontinence diagnosis and evaluation.
Study Design - This retrospective study including 217 women involved the following parameters: maximum and average speeds of bladder neck descent, β angle, urethral rotation angle, and duration of the Valsalva maneuver. The fitted curves were derived to visualize bladder neck motion trajectories. Comparative analyses were conducted to assess these parameters between stress urinary incontinence and control groups. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were employed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of each motion parameter and their combinations for stress urinary incontinence.
Results - Overall, 173 women were enrolled in this study (82, stress urinary incontinence group; 91, control group). No significant differences were observed in the maximum and average speeds of bladder neck descent and in the speed variance of bladder neck descent. The maximum and average speed of the β and urethral rotation angles were faster in the stress urinary incontinence group than in the control group (151.2 vs 109.0 mm/s, P=.001; 6.0 vs 3.1 mm/s, P
Conclusions - A system utilizing deep learning can describe the motion of the bladder neck in women with stress urinary incontinence during the Valsalva maneuver, making it possible to visualize and quantify bladder neck motion on transperineal ultrasound. The speeds of the β and urethral rotation angles and duration of the Valsalva maneuver were relatively reliable diagnostic parameters
Stable spirocyclic nitroxide spin labels
Full text linkNitroxides are a class of organic radicals that exhibit remarkable stability under ambient conditions due to kinetic, thermodynamic, and electronic factors. Their unpaired electron and stability render nitroxides valuable as probes and polarisation transfer agents in spectroscopy and imaging techniques. In particular, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy extensively utilizes nitroxides as spin labels for structural biology applications. These applications require high stability in reducing biological environments and favourable relaxation properties. Both reduction stability and relaxation parameters are heavily influenced by the nitroxide structure, specifically the nature of the substituents at the quaternary α-positions and the nitroxide ring itself. Whilst spirocyclic groups on the nitroxide scaffold provide the latter, such systems are not inherently resistant to reducing conditions. The research presented in this thesis aimed to enhance the stability of spirocyclic nitroxides through various structural modifications and apply these stable probes to investigate protein structures using EPR methods. We conducted comprehensive synthetic, conformational, and kinetic analyses of a diverse panel of spirocyclic nitroxide scaffolds, accompanied by an investigation of their relaxation parameters. We developed three practically applicable spin labels and successfully applied them in protein spin labelling. Recent experiments have demonstrated that these novel spirocyclic spin labels are promising candidates for future use in in-cell EPR measurements.Nitroksider er en klasse organiske radikaler som er usedvanlig stabile under normale betingelser på grunn av kinetiske, termodynamiske og elektroniske faktorer. Det uparede elektronet og stabiliteten til nitroksider gjør dem nyttige som prober og polariseringsoverføringsagenter i spektroskopi og avbildningsteknikker. Særlig elektron paramagnetisk resonansspektroskopi (EPR) gjør utstrakt bruk av nitroksider som spinnmerker i anvendelser innen strukturbiologi. Disse anvendelsene krever høy stabilitet i reduserende biologiske miljøer og gunstige relakseringsegenskaper. Både stabilitet mot reduksjon og relakseringsparametre blir sterkt påvirket av strukturen til nitroksider, spesielt egenskapene til substitutentene på de kvaternære α-posisjonene og selve nitroksidringen. Mens spirosykliske substituenter på nitroksidringen gir det sistnevnte, er ikke slike systemer i seg selv motstandsdyktige mot reduserende betingelser. Forskningen presentert i denne avhandlingen hadde som mål å forbedre stabiliteten til spirosykliske nitroksider gjennom ulike modifikasjoner av strukturen deres, og anvende disse stabile probene for å undersøke proteinstrukturer ved bruk av EPR-metoder. Vi gjennomførte grundige syntetiske, konformasjonelle og kinetiske analyser av et variert panel av spirosykliske nitroksid-strukturer, sammen med en undersøkelse av relakseringsparametrene deres. Vi utviklet tre praktisk brukbare spinnmerker og anvendte dem med suksess til spinnmerking av proteiner. Nylig gjennomførte eksperimenter har vist at disse nye spirosykliske spinnmerkene er lovende kandidater for fremtidig bruk i intracellulære EPR-målinger
What are end-users’ needs and preferences for a comprehensive e-health program for type 2 diabetes? – A qualitative user preference study
Full text linkIntroduction - Type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevalence is rising, which imposes a significant burden on individuals, healthcare systems, and economies worldwide. Lifestyle factors contribute significantly to the escalating incidence of T2D. Consequently, there is an increasing need for interventions that not only target at-risk populations for prevention but also empower individuals with T2D to achieve better self-management and possibly attain remission through sustained lifestyle modifications. Technological tools may improve health outcomes compared to traditional in-person care, and can include registration of important health parameters, provide follow-up and support, and enhance self-management. The aim of this study was to receive feedback from end-users to inform the development of a comprehensive e-health program focusing on lifestyle modification in pre-diabetes and T2D.
Methods - During eight focus group meetings, sixteen adults with pre-diabetes or T2D from all over Norway informed the study about needs and preferences for an e-health program, including essential functionalities and design choices. A questionnaire and paper prototyping were used to complement the discussions in the focus group meetings.
Results - Lack of necessary diabetes knowledge was common, and education was considered essential for improved self-management. Essential functionalities included registration and overview of several health parameters, long-term follow-up and coaching through communication platforms within the program, automatic data transfer from different devices such as blood glucose monitors and smartwatches, and educational courses. To ensure end-users’ satisfaction with the program and increase motivation for long-term usage, the participants rendered tailoring of desired functionalities and content as crucial.
Conclusion - Based on the findings, a list of recommendations was created, containing the most crucial functionalities and features to include when developing e-health and/or m-health tools for people with pre-diabetes and T2D. Future work should include health care personnel to explore their needs and preferences, and ways such an e-health program may enhance patient interaction without increasing workload and resource use
Drawing Sovereignty: The Museum Work of Sámi Artist Ánddir Ivvár Ivvár/Iver Jåks
Full text linkFrom the first part of the 1950s until the mid-1980s, the Sámi artist Ánddir Ivvár Ivvár/Iver Jåks (1932–2007) played an influential role in the making of exhibitions displaying Sámi culture and art, both in a Norwegian and Sámi museum context. This article examines Jåks museum work with a specific focus on his drawings of Sámi objects from museum collections, duodji in Northern Sámi. The author argues that Jåks’ methodological application of drawing contributed to the development of a visual imagery deeply rooted in a Sámi way of thinking, seeing, and doing. Consequently, the article shows that Jåks’ museum work can be read as an act of doing sovereignty through the act of drawing
Investigating Carbon, Nutrient and Methane Dynamics in Proglacial Lakes: Study Design and Objectives for the Southwestern Greenland Campaign
Full text linkPresentation at the annual meeting for GReAT – Geoscience Research Academy of Tromsø, 28.02.2025, Tromsø, NorwayMethane, a potent greenhouse gas, is increasingly recognized to be emitted from newly deglaciated environments, particularly in the Arctic, yet due to data scarcity these sources remain underrepresented in global methane budgets. Deglaciation leads to the expansion of proglacial terrains, driving the formation of an increasing number of proglacial lakes worldwide, especially in Greenland. Small to medium sized glacial lakes, formed through (post-) glacial processes, typically contain organic-poor minerogenic sediments and exhibit relatively low diffusive and ebullitive methane emissions compared to other types of Arctic lakes. However, recent evidence from Southwest (SW) Greenland suggests that glacier-fed lakes may produce disproportionally high methane ebullition fluxes compared to glacial lakes that are hydrologically disconnected from glacial meltwaters. It is hypothesized that glacially derived sediments and meltwaters influence the biogeochemistry of glacier-fed lakes, altering methane production dynamics. From March 31st to April 22nd, 2025, field sampling will be conducted in the ice-marginal terrain near Kangerlussuaq, SW Greenland. The study will involve lake sediment coring, geo- and hydrochemical analysis and gas measurements to investigate carbon sources, microbial communities and nutrient cycling in relation to methane production in proglacial lake environments. As the number of glacier-fed lakes continue to increase, there is a growing need to understand methane emissions from these systems. The findings of this research are expected to identify key drivers of methane production, reduce uncertainties in global methane budgets, and improve predictions of the potential significance of methane emissions from proglacial lakes as deglaciation continues
Unifying heterogeneous hyperspectral databases for in vivo human brain cancer classification: Towards robust algorithm development
Full text linkBackground and objective - Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and early and accurate detection is crucial to improve patient outcomes. Differentiating between healthy and diseased brain tissue during surgery is particularly challenging. Hyperspectral imaging, combined with machine and deep learning algorithms, has shown promise for detecting brain cancer in vivo. The present study is distinguished by an analysis and comparison of the performance of various algorithms, with the objective of evaluating their efficacy in unifying hyperspectral databases obtained from different cameras. These databases include data collected from various hospitals using different hyperspectral instruments, which vary in spectral ranges, spatial and spectral resolution, as well as illumination conditions. The primary aim is to assess the performance of models that respond to the limited availability of in vivo human brain hyperspectral data. The classification of healthy tissue, tumors and blood vessels is achieved through the utilisation of different algorithms in two databases: HELICoiD and SLIMBRAIN.
Methods - This study evaluated conventional and deep learning methods (KNN, RF, SVM, 1D-DNN, 2D-CNN, Fast 3D-CNN, and a DRNN), and advanced classification frameworks (LIBRA and HELICoiD) using cross-validation on 16 and 26 patients from each database, respectively.
Results - For individual datasets,LIBRA achieved the highest sensitivity for tumor classification, with values of 38 %, 72 %, and 80 % on the SLIMBRAIN, HELICoiD (20 bands), and HELICoiD (128 bands) datasets, respectively. The HELICoiD framework yielded the best F1 Scores for tumor tissue, with values of 11 %, 45 %, and 53 % for the same datasets. For the Unified dataset, LIBRA obtained the best results identifying the tumor, with a 40 % of sensitivity and a 30 % of F1 Score
The Karasjok Case and its Significance for the Legal Survey in Finnmark
Full text linkOn the final day of spring 2024, the Supreme Court of Norway ruled in the Karasjok case, affirming the Finnmark Estate’s ownership rights. The Grand Chamber’s decision, passed by a narrow 6 to 5 margin, underscored divisions surrounding national property law, international Indigenous law, legal history, and Sámi customary law, which received less attention than usual in Norwegian case law.
This article explores the judgment’s impact on the ongoing legal survey in Finnmark. While the ruling emphasizes national property law, it disappoints those seeking clear guidelines for future surveys. The Court’s differing opinions and explicit refusal to address potential ownership rights for individuals, village communities, or Sámi siidas create ample space for both legal disputes and further analysis. The author presents four possible outcome scenarios.
Additionally, the significant minority opposing the application of ilo Convention No. 169 adds to the uncertainty regarding international law’s role in the survey process
Variation in cancer treatment of elderly patients in Norway - Geographic, socioeconomic, and impact of timing
Full text linkThe risk of developing cancer increases with age, and the number of new cancer cases is expected to rise among the elderly due to an aging population, posing significant challenges to the health care system. This thesis investigated: (i) geographic and socioeconomic variations in curative treatment and choice of treatment modality for elderly patients with high-risk prostate cancer; (ii) geographic and socioeconomic variations in the provision of adjuvant chemotherapy for elderly patients with stage III colon cancer; and (iii) the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy timing on 5-year survival. The analyses were carried out using individual-level data from mandatory health and administrative registries with national and complete coverage. Multilevel logistic regression was used to examine geographic and socioeconomic variations, and Cox hazards regression was used to investigate overall survival according to the timing of adjuvant chemotherapy. The studies found geographic and socioeconomic variations in cancer treatment to elderly patients. Elderly prostate cancer patients with lower income and education levels were less likely to receive curative treatment. Similar disparities were observed in adjuvant chemotherapy provision for colon cancer patients. Additionally, elderly patients living alone were less likely to receive treatment compared to those living with a cohabitant. The research also found that initiating adjuvant chemotherapy during weeks 7–10 after resection did not increase mortality risk compared to starting within the first 6 weeks, suggesting potential flexibility in treatment timing beyond national guidelines. This thesis highlights significant disparities in cancer treatment influenced by place of residence and socioeconomic factors, underscoring the need for targeted interventions to ensure equitable healthcare for elderly patients across different regions and socioeconomic groups.Risikoen for kreft øker med alderen, og antallet nye krefttilfeller forventes å stige, spesielt blant eldre, på grunn av en aldrende befolkning. Dette utgjør en betydelig utfordring for helsevesenet. Denne avhandlingen undersøkte: i) geografisk og sosioøkonomisk variasjon i kurativ behandling og behandlingsvalg blant eldre med høyrisiko prostatakreft; ii) variasjon i anbefalt adjuvant kjemoterapi for eldre med stadium III tykktarmskreft; iii) effekten av tidspunktet for oppstart av adjuvant kjemoterapi på 5-års overlevelse hos eldre pasienter. Analysene er basert på landsdekkende registerdata av høy kvalitet. Multilevel logistisk regresjon ble brukt for å undersøke geografiske og sosioøkonomiske variasjoner, mens Cox-regresjon ble brukt for å vurdere overlevelse i forhold til tidspunktet for adjuvant kjemoterapi. Studiene avdekket geografisk variasjon i både kurativ behandling og behandlingsvalg for eldre med høyrisiko prostatakreft, samt i adjuvant kjemoterapi for eldre med stadium III tykktarmskreft. Sosioøkonomiske forskjeller ble også funnet, der prostatakreftpasienter med lavere inntekt og utdanning fikk mindre kurativ behandling. Tilsvarende resultater ble observert for adjuvant kjemoterapi til tykktarmskreftpasienter. Eldre som bodde alene hadde lavere odds for å motta behandling enn de som bodde med en partner. Oppstart av adjuvant kjemoterapi i uke 7–10 etter reseksjon var ikke knyttet til økt dødelighet sammenlignet med oppstart innen de første 6 ukene. Funnene antyder en mulig fleksibilitet i tidspunktet for oppstart av adjuvant kjemoterapi i forhold til nasjonale retningslinjer. Avhandlingen avdekker betydelige forskjeller i kreftbehandling for eldre, både ut fra bosted og sosioøkonomi, og understreker behovet for tiltak for å sikre likeverdig helsetilbud til eldre kreftpasienter på tvers av geografiske regioner og sosioøkonomiske grupper
Aija Macāne. Stone Age Companions: Humans and Animals in Hunter-Gatherer Burials in North-Eastern Europe
Full text linkMacānes doctoral dissertation sets out to examine the diversity in humananimal relationships amongst hunter-gatherers in north-eastern Europe. The empirical basis for the investigation is the animal remains from burials in three different areas (Latvia, Sweden, and Russia) covering the eight to the third millennium BCE