Nord University

The granuloma serves not only as a physical barrier to restrict the dissemination of intracellular pathogens but also functions as a complex immune microenvironment. However, the bioenergetics and regulatory mechanisms maintaining this architecture remain elusive in vertebrates. Here, integrating multi-tissue transcriptomics, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), ultrastructural imaging, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in a largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)-Nocardia seriolae infection model, we resolved the metabolic and functional landscape of the granuloma. We found that across multiple tissues (head kidney, spleen, liver, kidney), the host initiates a synchronized transcriptional program that promotes macrophage differentiation into specialized epithelioid macrophages (E-Macs). Notably, E-Macs concurrently upregulated specific transporters and metabolic enzymes (e.g., laao, slc6a8), as well as oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glycolysis genes, accompanied by mitochondrial proliferation. Functionally, E-Macs shifted from a pro-inflammatory to an immunoregulatory and pro-survival phenotype, characterized by high expression of protease inhibitors (e.g., csta) and anti-apoptotic factors (e.g., bcl2l14, ywhag1). Comparative analysis in zebrafish confirmed these metabolic and regulatory signatures are evolutionarily conserved. In conclusion, this study reveals a host survival strategy of immune regulation underpinned by metabolic adaptation, providing novel perspectives for controlling chronic granulomatous diseases in aquaculture.

• Addresses the case of a pilot project of autonomous buses in the Arctic • Theoretical basis is an extension of the Unified Theory of Acceptance (UTAUT2) • Informants prefer a human driver but are intrigued by autonomous navigation • Can be accepted by citizens, and knowledge and experience can reduce scepticism • Safety under winter conditions is of particular importance for the Arctic context The development of autonomous public transport has gained increasing attention, with user acceptance emerging as a critical factor for successful implementation. While existing studies have largely examined determinants such as safety, perceived usefulness, and demographic factors, they remain dominated by technology-oriented and model-driven approaches, often overlooking contextual influences. This gap is explored by focusing on how the Arctic context shapes citizens’ perceptions and acceptance of autonomous public transport. Drawing on the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) and a qualitative case study of autonomous bus trials in Bodø, Northern Norway — the first above the Arctic Circle — our findings reveal that Arctic conditions fundamentally reframe key acceptance constructs to consider. Citizens assess autonomous transport through reliability, local maintenance, and human oversight, while real-world exposure transforms abstract fears into tangible concerns. With these findings, the study contributes to existing literature by contextualizing UTAUT2 and broadens the understanding of socio-technical acceptance in extreme environments. Awareness of these factors can aid policymakers in successfully implementing autonomous buses as part of the transport system with particular attention to the context.

In their final semester, nursing students write a bachelor's thesis, aiming to master academic writing and data analysis. Although supervision has been well researched, little evidence is available on how nursing students experience learning qualitative analysis by participating in digital workshops. To explore and describe the experiences of nursing students as they learn qualitative analysis in a digital workshop setting. This study employed a case study design. Data were collected through surveys and field notes and analyzed using thematic analysis based on Braun and Clarke's methodology. The study involved 53 bachelor's students and took place at a mid-sized Norwegian university between 2021 and 2023. Based on the students' experiences with preparation, content, and the learning environment, the results of the current study reveal aspects of their 'learning path.' The students' own preparations and efforts facilitated the acquisition and sharing of knowledge, which in turn motivated progress in both their own and their peers' writing processes. The students' 'learning path' is characterized by a starting point, progression, learning process, and motivation. This study highlights how digital group supervision supports bachelor's degree students' learning of qualitative analysis, emphasizing the importance of preparation, peer collaboration, and supervisor guidance. Structured, flexible digital workshops are found to enhance analytical skills and confidence, underscoring the importance of integrating research methodology into nursing education.

The red seaweed Palmaria palmata is a promising source for alternative proteins. Development of mild and novel biorefinery approaches are needed for green processes yielding functional proteins. Process intensification using ultrasound-assisted unit operations can be an effective strategy to circumvent current seaweed biorefinery challenges, in particular limited protein extraction yields. In this research, first, effects of acoustic cavitation (AC) during ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) were studied using a multifactorial design of experiments for total protein and R-phycoerythrin (RPE) extraction from P. palmata. Secondly, novel enzyme-assisted high-frequency ultrasonic extraction (EAUE) was developed following the same approach and responses. Contrary to the traditional acoustic cavitation process, this intensification strategy allows a milder extraction of proteins from the recalcitrant P. palmata harnessing combined effects of acoustic irradiation and enzymes. Validation experiments showed the robustness of developed models. Maximum RPE yields were 2.6mg/gdw for both approaches. However, maximum total protein extraction efficiencies were 13.6% when applying acoustic cavitation and increased to 36.0% under high-frequency acoustic irradiation together with the Viscozyme® L enzyme preparation. Moreover, intensification phenomena were observed during EAUE and an increased extraction yield in comparison to traditional enzymatic processes (EAE). We hypothesize the synergistic effect observed is due to acoustic fields improving cell wall disentanglement and enhancing enzyme-substrate interactions. The present study provides insights into the use of ultrasound for protein extraction of P. palmata and introduces, to the best of our knowledge, for the first time EAUE as process intensification strategy of seaweed biorefinery processes.

The worldwide acceleration of digital transformation in healthcare underscores the need for professionals to continuously adapt and sustain robust digital health competence, shaped not only by individual characteristics and institutional environments but also by broader social, cultural, and geopolitical factors. This study aimed to identify distinct clusters of digital health competence among healthcare professionals across 19 diverse countries and regions, and to examine the factors influencing the development and distribution of these competence clusters. A cross-sectional international survey study was conducted between 2023 and 2024, using a validated survey instrument measuring digital health competence and its influencing factors. Data were collected from healthcare professionals in 19 countries and regions (n=6440; n=5945 used for this study), following a harmonised protocol with shared demographic templates and instruments. K-means cluster analysis was employed to derive digital competence profiles, with comparative analyses conducted to investigate associations between the identified clusters and individual characteristics (e.g., age, education, professional experience). Five distinct clusters of digital health competence were identified: (1) Beginners, (2) Developing Professionals, (3) Emerging Users, (4) Proficient Practitioners, and (5) Pioneers. Higher competence clusters (4 and 5) were associated with younger age, higher education, hospital-based work, and stronger perceived support from management, organisational structures, and colleagues. In contrast, lower-performing clusters reported limited digital engagement and minimal support. Perceived leadership influence, particularly managerial commitment to digital change, was a key differentiator across clusters. The findings demonstrate substantial variation in digital health competence across healthcare professionals internationally. Cluster-specific strategies, such as targeted upskilling, peer mentoring, and leadership engagement, are needed to address competence gaps. The results provide a foundation for policy development and workforce training frameworks aimed at strengthening digital readiness in global healthcare systems. Future research should explore longitudinal competence development and evaluate targeted interventions.

This case report discusses a diagnosis of conjunctival Kaposi sarcoma in a male patient aged 26 years with a history of advanced HIV infection who presented with a painless red conjunctival nodule.

Abstract Background Strategic leadership—including guiding, supporting, and directing staff—is a critical determinant of successful technology implementation. Having tech champions is a recommended measure for leaders to support staff adoption of technology in their everyday practice. However, there is limited research on leaders’ perspectives on tech champions’ role as a strategic measure in technology implementation processes. This study aimed to explore healthcare leaders’ strategic perspectives on tech champions’ role in technology implementation processes in municipal healthcare. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten healthcare leaders in municipal healthcare, representing six Norwegian municipalities. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis based on Braun and Clarke’s (2022) descriptions. Results The analysis of municipal healthcare leaders’ strategic perspectives on tech champions’ role in technology implementation revealed three interrelated themes: 1) leading the technology implementation process, 2) strategically allocating staff resources, and 3) seeking specific qualities in tech champions. Conclusions Healthcare leaders’ perspectives on tech champions are based on considerations regarding the type of technology, leaders’ own capacity and competences and those of their staff, and individual champion competencies. Tech champions are perceived as healthcare leaders’ representatives, performing transformative leadership roles without dedicated time, compensation, or job descriptions.

Purpose Attracting a vibrant customer base of service providers and users requires sharing economy firms to possess cognitive legitimacy. However, much of the literature focuses on the strategies that Western sharing economy firms use to build cognitive legitimacy. This study centres on non-Western sharing economy firms and addresses the unanswered question of how such firms build cognitive legitimacy. Design/methodology/approach The study is exploratory and utilises data from 13 sharing economy firms originating and operating in Kenya. Primary data were collected through a combination of 16 in-depth, face-to-face interviews and were complemented by secondary data. Findings The findings reveal that the contextual dynamics prevalent in the Kenyan context, such as unorthodox customer niches, high competition, and informality, trigger the need to devise context-specific cognitive legitimation strategies, such as offline community infusion, hybridisation, formalisation, and resolving incumbent mishaps. These strategies complement each other. Originality/value The paper contributes to the literature on cognitive legitimacy, the sharing economy, and entrepreneurship in context by adopting a contextualised approach to understanding the cognitive legitimation strategies of sharing economy firms. This contextualised approach has largely been neglected in the literature.

Population genetic diversity (GD) is essential for long-term adaptation of wild species to changing environments. Humans have eroded ~10% of global GD, a silent crisis undermining food security, health and climate resilience. Effective population size Ne is a genetic parameter crucial for monitoring GD, understanding evolutionary processes and designing conservation strategies as it impacts the rate of random genetic drift, inbreeding, and adaptive potential. The “proportion of populations within species with Ne above 500” (Ne500) is an indicator endorsed by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework that can be calculated from DNA-based or proxy data. Our aims are (1) to develop best practices for estimating Ne when genetic data is available, and (2) to operationalize this indicator via FAIR workflows to facilitate its reporting to the CBD. We intend to improve the estimation of Ne by accounting for life-history traits (LHT) such as longevity and reproductive strategies. We implemented an existing LHT-based categorization framework based on demographic matrices across a wide range of taxa. This allowed us to select DNA datasets from a subset of 18 European species across the main categories of the LHT framework, thus covering a large range of evolutionary histories and biological characteristics. We estimated genetic Ne and other population genetic metrics for 195 populations across the 18 species, and explored their variation across the LHT framework. We observed a large variation of Ne estimates across LHT categories, including populations with Ne below and above 500. We showed a negative relationship between Ne and population-specific divergence across a large proportion of LHT categories. We discuss situations where genetic or genomic data offer clear advantages over proxy data for reporting the Ne500 indicator, and we highlight the practical challenges of reliably estimating Ne in natural populations, particularly when spatial and age structures interact.We are currently implementing operational workflows for end-users to compute Ne500 from a representative set of populations on the Galaxy-Ecology platform. These workflows infer genetic clusters to help with delimiting populations and control the effect of genomic data quality on Ne estimates.

Abstract Dry forests play a significant role in carbon sequestration and storage, biodiversity conservation and soil moisture regulation. The indirect ecosystem services provided by the forests are often undervalued due to the lack of a proper valuation system. Traditionally, the economic valuation of forests has primarily focused on direct use values, which only represent a fraction of the real value of forest ecosystem services. This study aims to assess the values of woody species diversity, carbon stock, and soil moisture using emergy valuation method. In addition, it seeks to evaluate forest sustainability and compare emergy based values among the different forest types in Hugumbirda dry Afromontane Forest in Tigray, Ethiopia. The forest was stratified into Mixed Natural Forest (MNF), Mixed Plantation (MP), Juniperus procera Plantation (JP), and Cupressus lusitanica Plantation (CP) forest types. Then, data on woody species diversity and carbon stock estimation were collected from 60 randomly selected 20 m * 20 m plots. A total of 300 soil samples were collected from these plots for soil moisture content determination. Woody species richness was calculated using diversity indices, and carbon stock was estimated using an allometric equation specifically developed for dry Afromontane forests in the study region. Sustainability was assessed using emergy indices and ratios. The results showed significant differences ( P < 0.05) in carbon stock, soil moisture content, and species richness emergy among the forest types. The MP forest type showed a significantly higher ( P < 0.05) emergy of carbon stock compared to the other forest types. The MNF showed significantly higher ( P < 0.05) emergy of moisture content than the MP and CP forest types. The emergy of species richness, cumulative emergy, and emdollars of the MNF were significantly higher than the other three forest types ( P < 0.05). These findings highlight that MNF type demonstrates better tree species richness, indicating strong potential for their sustainability and ecological resilience. Therefore, conserving mixed natural forests is recommended to enhance biodiversity, ecosystem resilience, and sustainable resource value for long-term environmental and community benefits.