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Cultural activity and impact of extreme weather events revealed by ambient seismic noise and perspective on quick clay failure monitoring in Oslo, Norway
Get PDFThe study of urban seismic noise offers various approaches to monitor cities, from source identification to
structural investigations. We demonstrate its potential to monitor cultural activity and quick clay failure in
Oslo, Norway using low-cost seismic sensors. We identify train passages, a rock concert, construction blasts,
local earthquakes and a meteor. To retrieve seismic velocity variations in the near subsurface, we apply seismic
interferometry to three years of urban noise (1–4 Hz) recorded at four sensors, two in a quick clay risk
area. Despite urban noise variability, we obtain stable noise correlation functions using 1-day-stacks. The
extracted velocity variations reveal changes in the ground due to freezing and thawing as well as due to pore
pressure variations related to snowmelt and rainfall. Along with anti-correlation of velocity variations and pore
pressure, we observe hysteresis associated to the soil’s water retention under different moisture conditions,
which could provide insights into potential landslide hazard. A sharp velocity drop accompanying the heavy
rainfall associated with an extreme weather event is observed. All these observations give us insights to what
subsurface changes can be resolved and expected over longer time periods, which will allow us to identify
unusual and permanent changes, e.g., related to quick clay. Theoretical dispersion curve analysis shows that
lowering the velocity in a section of the sedimentary layer containing quick clay reduces surface wave velocities
within the frequency range of interest. These results suggest that measuring velocity variations at our study
site has the potential to detect quick clay instabilities
Empirical Study and Modelling of Sea-Spray Parameters for Robust Marine Icing Estimation
No full textSea-spray icing poses a significant risk to maritime operations in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, threatening the stability, safety, and efficiency of vessels and offshore structures. Current icing estimation models are constrained by limited data and are often tailored to specific vessels or structures. A critical challenge lies in accurately estimating spray flux, which is the amount of water available for freezing. While the freezing fraction is well-researched, spray flux estimation relies on field data that is challenging to collect due to extreme weather and the absence of standardized equipment.
This research addresses these limitations by focusing on the development of specialized equipment, collection of field data, and enhancement of estimation models. Two novel devices, the "SPRICE sea-spray collector" (a catching-type collector inspired by the cyclone separator principle) and the "SPRICE sea-spray sensor" (a high-resolution capacitive sensor), were developed to measure spray flux, frequency, and duration. These devices were tested at a fish farm in Northern Norway under real-world conditions, yielding valuable field data. Classical statistical and machine learning models were developed using this data to accurately estimate spray parameters, including spray frequency and duration, forming a more reliable foundation for spray flux estimation.
Additionally, to tackle the challenges of limited field data availability, synthetic data generation was explored using generative machine learning models, resulting in enhanced model robustness. This research demonstrates that the innovative equipment and data-driven approaches hold significant potential to improve the reliability of spray flux estimation, effectively addressing critical gaps in marine icing models. These advancements can contribute to improved safety and operational efficiency of maritime operations in cold regions.Sjøsprøyt-islegging utgjør en betydelig risiko for maritime operasjoner i Arktis og subarktiske områder, og truer stabiliteten, sikkerheten og effektiviteten til fartøy og offshore-strukturer. Eksisterende isleggingsmodeller er begrenset av utilstrekkelig data og er ofte tilpasset spesifikke fartøyer eller strukturer. En kritisk utfordring er nøyaktig estimering av sprøytfluks, som er mengden vann tilgjengelig for frysing. Selv om frysefraksjonen er godt utforsket, er estimering av sprøytfluks avhengig av feltdata som er utfordrende å samle inn på grunn av ekstreme værforhold og mangel på standardisert utstyr.
Denne forskningen adresserer disse begrensningene ved å fokusere på utvikling av spesialisert utstyr, innsamling av feltdata og forbedring av estimeringsmodeller. To nye enheter, "SPRICE sjøsprøytsamler" (en fangsttype samler inspirert av syklonseparatorprinsippet) og "SPRICE sjøsprøytsensor" (en høyoppløselig kapasitiv sensor), ble utviklet for å måle sprøytfluks, frekvens og varighet. Disse enhetene ble testet på et oppdrettsanlegg i Nord-Norge under reelle forhold, og ga verdifulle feltdata. Klassiske statistiske og maskinlæringsmodeller ble utviklet ved bruk av disse dataene for nøyaktig å estimere sprøytparametere, inkludert sprøytfrekvens og varighet, noe som dannet et mer pålitelig grunnlag for sprøytfluksestimering.
I tillegg, for å håndtere utfordringene knyttet til begrenset tilgjengelighet av feltdata, ble syntetisk datagenerering utforsket ved hjelp av generative maskinlæringsmodeller, noe som resulterte i forbedret modellrobusthet. Denne forskningen viser at det innovative utstyret og de data-drevne tilnærmingene har betydelig potensial til å forbedre påliteligheten av sprøytfluksestimering og effektivt adressere kritiske mangler i modeller for isleggingsprediksjon. Disse fremskrittene kan bidra til økt sikkerhet og operasjonell effektivitet i maritime operasjoner i kalde regioner
Lithology as a factor for the distribution of metals in stream sediments associated with sediment-hosted Cu deposits: a case study from the Alta-Kvænangen tectonic window, northern Norway
Get PDFThe Kåfjord area in northern Norway hosts numerous Cu deposits that were subjected to mining activities back in the nineteenth century. Relicts of the historical mining activity are still visible at several abandoned mines and associated mine waste disposal sites that may represent an environmental threat. The area was subjected to mining activities during the nineteenth century and abandoned mines and associated mine waste disposal sites still may represent a significant environmental threat. The Cu mineralization, found within the Paleoproterozoic Alta-Kvænangen Tectonic Window, primarily occurs as epigenetic sulfide-quartz-carbonate hydrothermal veins that crosscut the Kvenvik volcano-sedimentary complex and the overlying Storviknes sedimentary sequence. This study aims to determine the geochemical composition of stream sediments associated with the sediment-hosted Cu deposits and examine the role of host lithologies in the dispersion of elements associated with the deposits. Sediments from two streams and a river in the Kåfjord area were analyzed using phase and element analyses (aqua regia chemistry), complemented by a seven-step sequential extraction procedure. Results from Annaselva stream, draining Cu occurrences in the carbonate sediments of the Storviknes sequence, showed a significant positive correlation of Cu with mobile chalcophile elements (Pb, Zn, Ni, Tl, Hg, Ag, Sb, Bi) and lithophile elements (Sr, Ca, Ba, Al, K). In contrast, Brakkelva stream, draining the mafic volcanics of the Kvenvik complex, exhibited no statistically significant correlations between Cu and any of the analyzed elements. Møllneselva River, draining both lithologies, showed a strong Cu-Sc correlation, with principal component analysis indicating limited distinction between lithology-derived elements. These results did not completely align with statistical analysis outcomes highlighting the challenges of statistical data interpretation using a limited number of samples
The social aspect of sustainable development in language teaching and learning – Pre-service language teachers’ perceptions on multilingualism
Get PDFTackling climate change is the ultimate goal of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 2030 Agenda includes 17 sustainable development goals. The current Finnish core curriculum for basic education also stresses the importance of strengthening the role of basic education in building a sustainable future.
The data consists of pre-service language teachers’ responses to an online survey. 48 MA-level language students responded to the survey, and responses to an open-ended question was analysed qualitatively using content analysis. The responses were categorised into the following categories: 1) definition of multilingualism, 2) multilingualism as actions, and 3) use of language in relation to multilingualism.
Most participants considered multilingualism to be an individual characteristic. More than half of the respondents described a multilingual person as someone who knows at least two languages. Two-thirds of the participants emphasised that multilingualism involves the frequent use of multiple languages. According to the participants, multilingualism includes using languages fluently, in everyday life, frequently, actively, and officially. Overall, the participants seemed aware of the many forms of multilingualism, which equips them to support their students by using multilingual pedagogies, and thus promotes the sustainability goals set by the UN. However, more research is needed to examine the actual multilingual practices used in the classroom
Philip Tagg (22 February 1944–9 May 2024)
Get PDFThe editorial board of Popular Music was very saddened to hear of the death of our
esteemed friend and pioneer of Popular Music Studies, Philip Tagg. Here colleagues
and friends pay tribute to his life and legacy. RIP Philip
Key Drivers and Moderators for Organizational Ambidexterity and Long-Term Performance in SMEs
Get PDFThis doctoral thesis investigates some critical factors influencing the long-term survival, financial performance, and growth prospects of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), focusing on the role of organizational ambidexterity (OA) strategies. The concept of organizational ambidexterity refers to the ability of firms to balance two strategies; exploitation, which focuses on refining and optimizing existing operations, and exploration, which refers to seeking innovation and new opportunities to meet environmental changes and challenges. While OA strategies are recognized as essential for long-term success in larger firms, their relevance for SMEs remains debated. SMEs face unique challenges compared to larger firms, such as limited resources, hierarchical structures, and knowledge required to balance exploration and exploitation. Therefore, scholars caution against transferring insight from large firms to SMEs. Through three empirical studies appended as Papers 1-3, this thesis explores drivers and moderators for successfully pursuing OA strategies in SMEs and how these factors can influence these firms’ long-term performance.
Paper 1 is an explorative longitudinal qualitative case study presenting an SME group in Norway operating in two industries (salmon farming and purse seine fishing). By leaning on OA, knowledge management, and learning theories, this study examined how this group developed a successful OA strategy for long-term financial performance, survival, and volume growth. The study takes a microfoundation perspective to explore key internal drivers behind the group’s OA strategy. The empirical findings underscore the pivotal role of ambidextrous owner-managers in facilitating strategic realignment, structural adaptation, and knowledge management to enable the case group’s long-term performance. This study contributes to the strategy literature by proposing a tentative framework for theorizing how the identified key internal drivers can form a successful dynamic ambidextrous growth strategy in SMEs. Furthermore, the empirical findings support previous research indicating that SMEs, similarly to large firms, can benefit from adopting a dynamic OA strategy, provided they have certain key drivers in place.
Paper 2 examines the exploitation-exploration dilemma in the highly regulated Norwegian purse seine fishery. Using a deductive approach, a hypothesis was tested through a quantitative study to determine whether pelagic fishing vessels at the SBU level achieve performance and growth advantages by primarily exploiting existing resources or by adopting an OA strategy. This study leans on OA theory, the resource-based view (RBV), and institutional theory. It employs secondary data from a governmental databank offering data for more than 70% of the Norwegian purse seine fleet’s total population, spanning the years 2003 to 2017. The findings indicate that in highly regulated industries such as the Norwegian purse seine fleet, SMEs might benefit from choosing an exploitative strategy if their goal is to optimize financial performance. However, an OA strategy might be more beneficial if the aim is to increase volume growth.
Paper 3 investigates the impact of CEO and top manager succession on OA strategies in SMEs through the lens of OA theory, the knowledge-based view (KBV), the knowledge management perspective, and the resource-based view (RBV). This longitudinal study applies an exploratory, inductive multiple-case study approach. The findings indicate that the continuity of an OA strategy post-succession requires; (1) a clear strategic intent for OA before succession; (2) successors who have ambidextrous leadership abilities, the ability to acquire these skills, or the capability to build ambidextrous teams; (3) effective transfer of knowledge and networks; (4) appropriate organizational structures; and (5) a culture that supports OA. The study highlights similarities and differences between family and nonfamily firms, offering insights into how and why CEO succession can affect strategic continuity in SMEs. Further, this study presents a tentative theoretical framework that highlights some potential relationships influencing the continuity of an OA strategy during CEO succession.
This thesis contributes to the strategy field by providing new insights into the complexities of OA strategies in SMEs. By integrating empirical findings with theoretical perspectives, it offers a comprehensive discussion that deepens our understanding of how SMEs can effectively pursue OA strategies to achieve long-term performance. Further, by investigating the microfoundations of OA in SMEs through empirical investigations, this thesis emphasizes how individual actions and capabilities influence the organizational (macro) level of analysis. In addition to theoretical contributions, the thesis offers practical guidance for managers and policymakers seeking to enhance the long-term performance of SMEs. The findings suggest that an OA strategy’s effectiveness for SMEs varies depending on specific key drivers and moderating factors. This thesis concludes by discussing several limitations and suggestions for future research within this line of strategy research.Denne doktorgradsavhandlingen undersøker faktorer som kan ha avgjørende påvirkning på små og mellomstore bedrifters (SMB-er) evne til langsiktig overlevelse, finansielle resultater og vekstmuligheter, med et særlig søkelys på organisatorisk ambideksteritets (OA) strategier. OA refererer til bedrifters evne til å balansere to tilnærminger; utnyttelse, som handler om å optimalisere eksisterende virksomhet, og utvikling, som innebærer å søke innovasjoner og nye muligheter for å møte endringer i selskapers omgivelser. Selv om OA-strategier er anerkjent som viktige for større selskapers langsiktige suksess, er deres relevans for SMB-er fortsatt omdiskutert. SMB-er står overfor unike utfordringer sammenliknet med større selskaper når det gjelder å følge en OA-strategi. For eksempel har ofte SMB-er begrensede ressurser til å håndtere OA sammenliknet med større selskaper. I tillegg mangler de som oftest hierarkiske strukturer for å skille utnyttelse og utvikling i separate enheter, noe som kan føre til at balansen mellom disse aktivitetene kan være vanskelig. Forskere har derfor advart mot å overføre innsikt fra større selskaper direkte til SMB-er. Gjennom tre empiriske studier, presentert i artiklene 1-3, undersøker og drøfter denne avhandlingen nøkkeldrivere og moderatorer for en vellykket OA-strategi i SMB-er, og hvordan disse kan påvirke bedrifters langsiktige resultater.
Artikkel 1 er en kvalitativ casestudie av to SMB-er innen samme forretningsgruppe, som opererer innenfor lakseoppdrett og pelagisk ringnotfiske i Norge. Studien undersøker hvordan forretningsgruppen utviklet en vellykket OA-strategi, og hvordan denne strategien bidro til gruppens langsiktig økonomiske lønnsomhet, overlevelse og vekst. Ved hjelp av teorier om OA, kunnskapsledelse og læring, tok studien et mikroperspektiv for å undersøke nøkkeldrivere for å lykkes med denne strategien. De empiriske funnene fremhever betydningen av ambidekstre eier-ledere som har evnen til å tilpasse og endre strategi, organisasjonsstruktur og samtidig håndtere kunnskapsledelse effektivt for å sikre gruppens langsiktige overlevelse. Studien introduserer et tentativt rammeverk som viser hvordan disse nøkkeldriverne kan støtte en dynamisk ambidekster vekststrategi i SMB-er. Videre bekrefter funnene at SMB-er kan oppnå fordeler av OA-strategier, forutsatt at visse betingelser er oppfylt.
Artikkel 2 belyser dilemmaet mellom utnyttelse og utvikling i den sterkt regulerte norske ringnotflåten. Gjennom en kvantitativ deduktiv tilnærming ble en hypotese testet ved hjelp av empiriske sekundærdata fra en statlig databank, som inneholder fangstdata og økonomiske resultater for den norske ringnotflåten over en 15-årsperiode, fra 2003 til 2017. Målet med studien var å vurdere om pelagiske fiskefartøy på forretningsenhetsnivå kan oppnå bedre økonomiske resultater og vekst ved primært å utnytte eksisterende ressurser eller ved å følge en OA-strategi. Studien er forankret i OA-teori, ressursbaser teori (RBV) og institusjonell teori. Funnene tyder på at SMB-er i sterkt regulerte industrier kan optimalisere økonomiske resultater gjennom en utnyttelsesstrategi, mens en OA-strategi kan være mer hensiktsmessig for de som søker vekst og ekspansjon.
Artikkel 3 undersøker hvordan endringer i toppledelse kan påvirke OA-strategier i SMB-er, med søkelys på generasjons- og lederskifter. Dette flercasestudie bygger på OA-teori, kunnskapsbasert teori (KBV), kunnskapsledelsesperspektivet og RBV, og benytter en eksplorerende, induktiv tilnærming. Funnene indikerer at kontinuitet i OA-strategier etter ledelseskifte blant annet forutsetter: (1) en tydelig strategisk plan for å videreføre en OA-strategi i forkant av et ledelseskifte; (2) etterfølgere med ambidekstre ledelsesferdigheter, evne til å utvikle slike ferdigheter eller å etablere ambidekstre team; (3) effektiv overføring av kunnskap og nettverk; (4) organisatoriske strukturer som støtter en OA-strategi; og (5) en organisasjonskultur som fremmer OA. Studien belyser likheter og forskjeller mellom familieeide og ikke-familieeide selskaper, med søkelys på hvordan og hvorfor lederutskifting kan påvirke kontinuiteten av en OA-strategi i SMB-er. Den presenterer også en tentativ teoretisk modell som illustrerer mulige relasjoner og deres innvirkning på en OA-strategi gjennom lederskifter.
Denne avhandlingen bidrar til strategifeltet ved å utdype forståelsen av kompleksiteten i OA-strategier betydning for SMB-er. Gjennom en kombinasjon av empiriske funn og teoretiske perspektiver gir den innsikt i hvordan SMB-er kan anvende OA-strategier for å oppnå langsiktig suksess. Funnene fremhever hvordan handlinger på mikronivå, inkludert individers handlinger, kan påvirke resultatene på et organisatorisk makronivå. Avhandlingen tilbyr også praktiske råd til ledere og beslutningstakere som ønsker å forbedre SMB-ers langsiktige prestasjoner. Funnene antyder at en OA-strategis suksess i SMB-er vil variere basert på spesifikke nøkkeldrivere og modererende faktorer. Til slutt peker avhandlingen på dennes begrensninger og foreslår retninger for fremtidig forskning innenfor denne delen av strategifeltet
The Arctic Ocean in the Kinocene: A Kinopolitical Critique of the International Law of the Sea’s Relationship with Motion
No full textThe unprecedented manifestations of motion characterizing our times—propelled by rapid
technological advancements, environmental transformations, and increasing mobility of
humans and non-human beings across the planet—compel us to conceptualize the present
period as the Kinocene, the Era of Motion. As the Arctic Ocean emerges as a focal point of the
Kinocene, marked by ongoing rapid transformations in its socio-ecological systems and
simultaneously portrayed as a lucrative zone for increased motion with respect to future
opportunities in the region, there arises a critical need to evaluate the role of the international
law of the sea at the juncture of the Kinocene, specifically concerning its relationship with
motion in the Arctic Ocean space. Although the study of motion is often relegated to the realms
of physics and classical mechanics and remains underexplored in jurisprudence, the objective
of this dissertation is to provide a jurisprudential analysis of the normative and ontological
relationship between the law of the sea and motion in the Arctic Ocean. The dissertation
employs a kinopolitical lens through which to examine the various manners in which sovereign
states become concerned with the motion of the Arctic marine cryosphere and the associated
practices of motion by Arctic Indigenous peoples. Combining theoretical research within
critical legal geography and empirical legal research with the semi-nomadic Inughuit
communities of Avanersuaq, Northwest Greenland, the study illuminates how motion serves
both as an object of kinopolitical power and as a mechanism of resistance against such power,
thereby highlighting the critical tensions that emerge from the kinopolitical positioning of the
law of the sea in the Arctic Ocean.Bevegelse kjennetegner vår tid. Det manifesteres av raske teknologiske fremskritt,
transformasjoner av miljøet og økende mobilitet blant mennesker og ikke-menneskelige
vesener over hele planeten. Det driver oss til å konseptualisere inneværende periode som
kinocen (fra gresk «kinein» som betyr «bevegelse» og «kainos» som betyr «ny»), bevegelsens
æra. Polhavet trer frem som et fokus for kinocen, ettersom det er preget av pågående raske
transformasjoner i havets sosioøkologiske systemer. Samtidig blir Polhavet fremstilt som en
lukrativ sone for økt bevegelse når det gjelder fremtidige muligheter i regionen. Det oppstår
dermed et kritisk behov for å evaluere rollen til den internasjonale havretten i kinocen, spesielt
når det gjelder forholdet til bevegelse i Polhavet. Studier av bevegelse er ofte er henvist til
fysikk og klassisk mekanikk, og er lite utforsket i rettsvitenskap. Målet med denne
avhandlingen å gi en rettsvitenskapelig analyse av det normative og ontologiske forholdet
mellom havretten og bevegelse i Polhavet. Avhandlingen anvender et kinopolitisk teoretisk
utgangspunkt for å undersøke de ulike måtene suverene stater blir oppmerksom på bevegelse i
den arktiske marine kryosfæren og tilhørende bevegelsesmønstre hos arktiske urfolk. Ved å
kombinere teoretisk forskning innenfor kritisk juridisk geografi og empirisk juridisk forskning
hos de semi-nomadiske Inughuit-samfunnene i Avanersuaq, Nordvest-Grønland, belyser
studien hvordan bevegelse fungerer både som et objekt for kinopolitisk makt og som en
mekanisme for motstand mot slik makt. Studien fremhever dermed de kritiske spenningene som
trer frem fra den kinopolitiske posisjoneringen av havretten i Polhavet
Changes in Planktic Foraminiferal Distribution, Productivity, and Preservation in the Barents Sea During the Last Three Millennia
Get PDFPlanktic foraminifers are ubiquitous marine calcifiers sensitive to ocean biogeochemical and physical changes. Their fossil remains have thus been widely used for the reconstruction of past oceanographic and climatic changes. Here, we have investigated the distribution patterns of planktic foraminiferal species, their abundance, shell size, and preservation state in two sediment cores from the northern and southern Barents Sea during the last three millennia and compared them with a living assemblage from the water column. The study area covers the cold Arctic zone in the north and the warm boreal zone in the south. In the north, we found very low to almost zero abundances of fossil planktic foraminifers, mainly since c. 1300 Common Era (C.E.), and dominance by the polar species Neogloboquadrina pachyderma. In the south, higher abundances were found, where the taxa was dominated by the subpolar species Turborotalita quinqueloba, Globigerinita uvula and Neogloboquadrina incompta. The highest foraminiferal concentrations occurred in the transition phases between cold and warm periods, with a rapid decrease in abundance during the last two hundred years coinciding with the Industrial Revolution. The lack of planktic foraminifers since c. 1300 C.E. in the north and the consistently low %CaCO3 are attributed to CaCO3 dissolution in the sediment, possibly driven by the decomposition of total organic matter as suggested by high %TOC, high surface productivity, and the presence of solely agglutinated benthic foraminifers. Dissolution of CaCO3 muted the signals of paleoproductivity and paleoclimate in the north, while the southern site showed clear variability throughout the investigated time interval
Nucleic acids against biofilms: DNA nanoparticles as drug delivery systems for biofilm penetration, inhibition and eradication
Get PDFThe organization of microorganisms in biofilms presents an obstacle in antimicrobial therapy and a great burden to health care systems worldwide. The complex structural dynamics of biofilms, in which pathogens form dense cell clusters and produce a sticky matrix that surrounds them, creates a great challenge for biofilm eradication. Additionally, the ease of biofilm formation in diverse medical devices and human tissues (e.g. the skin) urgently calls for urgent alternative therapies. To address this, multiple nanoparticles have been used as drug delivery systems, in which compounds are encapsulated into nanocarriers to increase their antimicrobial activity. While various nanoparticles have been fabricated for this purpose using different materials, the use of DNA has been severely underexplored. Nucleic acid-based materials have demonstrated great potential in diverse biomedical fields, but few studies have been done to understand their specific interactions with biofilms. In this work, we initially focused on developing three different DNA-based nanoparticles, namely a tetrahedron DNA assembly (TDN), a micellar DNA structure (ssDNA micelles), and a chitosan-coated tetrahedron (TDN-Chit) with different physicochemical properties and evaluated their penetration and diffusion ability into Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms. We showed that all three assemblies penetrate the biofilms, albeit to different extents: the TDN and ssDNA micelles had lower penetration, but increased diffusion compared to the TDN-Chit. In addition, we showed how it is possible to load antimicrobial peptides in the micelles and lipid-coated TDN, resulting in strong biofilm penetration, inhibition, and eradication. Lastly, we demonstrated the cytocompatibility of the drug-loaded DNA-based nanocarriers in two skin cell lines. Overall, we showed how it is possible to advance drug delivery systems using oligonucleotides for antibiofilm therapy in topical applications.Organisering av mikroorganismer i biofilmer utgjør en hindring for antimikrobiell terapi og en stor byrde for helsevesenet verden over. De komplekse strukturelle dynamikkene i biofilmer, der patogener danner tette celleklynger og produserer en klebrig matriks som omgir dem, skaper en stor utfordring knyttet til utrydding av biofilmer. I tillegg fører hyppig dannelsen av biofilmer på ulikt medisinsk utstyr og i menneskelig vev (f.eks. huden) til et akutt behov for alternative terapier. For å imøtekomme behovet har flere nanopartikler blitt utprøvd som legemiddelleveringssystemer, der forbindelser innkapsles i nanobærere for å øke den antimikrobielle aktiviteten. Selv om ulike nanopartikler basert på forskjellige materialer har blitt fremstilt for dette formålet, har forskningen på DNA som bærematerial vært sterkt underrepresentert. Nukleinsyrebaserte materialer har vist stort potensial i ulike biomedisinske felt, men få studier har blitt gjort for å forstå deres spesifikke interaksjoner med biofilmer. I dette arbeidet fokuserte vi i utgangspunktet på å utvikle tre forskjellige DNA-baserte nanopartikler, nemlig en tetraedrisk DNA-struktur (TDN), en micellær DNA-struktur (ssDNA-miceller) og en kitosan-belagt tetraeder (TDN-Chit) med forskjellige fysiokjemiske egenskaper og evaluerte deres penetrerings- og diffusjonsevne i biofilmer dannet av Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Vi viste at alle tre strukturene penetrerte biofilmene, men i ulik grad: TDN og ssDNA-miceller hadde lavere penetreringsevne, men økt diffusjon sammenlignet med TDN-Chit. I tillegg viste vi hvordan det er mulig å inkorporere antimikrobielle peptider i miceller og lipidbelagt TDN, som resulterte i sterk biofilmpenetrering, -hemming og -utryddelse. Til slutt demonstrerte vi cytokompatibiliteten til de legemiddelholdige DNA-baserte nanobærerne i to hudcellelinjer. Samlet sett viste vi hvordan det er mulig å videreutvikle legemiddelleveringssystemer for antibiofilmterapi i topikale applikasjoner ved bruk av oligonukleotider
Institutional logics and soft budget constraints: a study of financial management practices at a public university faculty
Get PDFPurpose - This study explores why soft budget constraint (SBC) practices emerged and flourished within a Norwegian public university faculty, what drove and sustained these practices and their impact on financial discipline, resource allocation and efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach - Theories on institutional logic and SBC theory underpin the paper’s analysis. An explorative research design and document analysis methods were employed, analyzing three unrelated professional departments within one university faculty.
Findings - SBC practices were rooted in a dysfunctional department structure and centralized, non-transparent financial management. Competing institutional logic – academic, bureaucratic and business – drove the practices. Academic logic prioritized research over economic efficiency, while bureaucratic logic centralized financial decisions, shielding departments from accountability. Business logic, though present, was secondary, limiting its impact on monetary discipline.
Research limitations/implications - While SBC theory has traditionally been applied to state-owned enterprises, its application to academic institutions suggests that the concept has broader relevance across various organizational types. This extension enriches SBC theory by demonstrating how SBCs manifest in non-corporate entities, thus expanding our understanding of financial discipline and organizational efficiency in diverse settings. The study addresses interdisciplinary collaboration by highlighting the lack of synergies between academically unrelated departments with distinct operational models. It suggests that fostering interdisciplinary synergies is crucial for optimizing both research and educational outcomes. This has theoretical implications for organizational structure, offering a foundation for further exploration of how universities can be restructured to promote collaboration and efficiency across departments.
Practical implications - This research contributes to the literature on financial management in academic institutions by exposing misalignments between activity levels, such as student enrollment and resource allocations. It underscores the importance of aligning economic resources with institutional goals, offering a critical perspective on the need for more effective financial planning processes in higher education. The findings suggest that the sustainability of universities depends on governance structures that support transparent, accountable and goal-oriented resource management.
Social implications - The study illustrates how financial management practices driven by institutional logic influence SBC practices, impact faculty motivation and productivity, and induce interdepartmental conflicts. This ties into organizational behavior theories by revealing the intricate relationships between financial incentives, employee motivation and performance outcomes, particularly in public-sector educational institutions.
Originality/value - Unlike previous studies emphasizing external factors, this research focuses on internal organizational structures and cultural dynamics, offering a unique perspective on how SBC practices can persist in academic institutions