Search Results (25)

The paper analyses physico-chemical and geotechnical characteristics of four Scandinavian sensitive soils formed under different environmental depositional conditions, with the main aims to contribute to the knowledge of sensitive soils and assess the potassium sorption capacity among the investigated soils, as a basic characteristic to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with KCl and to analyse potassium migration in such soils. The results show that, although the chemical composition of the four soils is very similar, their sensitivity is significantly different. The correlation from literature linking the specific surface, mineralogy, and plasticity in sensitive clays of Eastern Canada, was found to be qualitatively valid for the investigated Scandinavian sensitive clays, too. The highest value of the sensitivity index among the tested soils was found to be related to the lowest cation exchange capacity and to a limited amount of amorphous minerals. These characteristics contribute to explaining the highly sensitive behaviour of that soil affecting the structure formation during the deposition stage. The potassium sorption capacity has been experimentally investigated through batch tests specifically performed on the sensitive soils, as the first step to quantify the maximum sorption capacity and identify the main factors affecting it. The maximum potassium sorption capacity was always lower than that estimated by the cation exchange capacity, and it increased with the cation exchange capacity, plasticity index, and activity of the soils, as well as with the amount of phyllosilicates and amorphous minerals. Full article

Background: Scandinavian education systems are recognized as being particularly inclusive. Nevertheless, an inclusive approach to education risks adopting a patronizing attitude that silences the voices of the very people who should be included. To discuss the role of epistemic justice in inclusion, we investigated current knowledge about the epistemic injustice experienced by students from immigrant backgrounds in Scandinavia; teacher perceptions of those students; and whether such perceptions influence student–teacher interactions. Do these perceptions lead to disparities? Method: A literature review was conducted focused on studies about the Nordic countries; teacher perceptions of students from immigrant backgrounds aged 6–16; and student–teacher interaction. The corpus included papers in English and the Nordic languages. Eight papers were included and rated by two independent authors. Results: The findings show that teacher perceptions of students from immigrant backgrounds influence student–teacher interaction in both verbal and non-verbal ways. The negative perceptions that teachers held of students from immigrant backgrounds led to experiences of epistemic injustice and epistemic exclusion. The literature provided no information on disparities in special needs education or assessment. Conclusions: Due to the limited literature on this topic, further research needs to be undertaken in order to fully understand experiences of epistemic injustice in schools. Further research into why students from immigrant backgrounds feel excluded and why they are lagging behind is also required. Full article

The fidelity of a maritime simulator refers to how realistic the representation of a vessel and its environment look, behave, and feel in real life. Despite the benefits of using simulators in maritime training and education, there is a lack of understanding of different debates on whether higher levels of fidelity translate into better training outcomes. Therefore, to investigate and summarise what is known about maritime simulator fidelity, we conducted a systematic literature review on the maritime simulator-based training literature from 2005 to 2021. We performed bibliometric, authorship, and content analyses of thirty-six references, including white and grey literature. The results show that simulator fidelity is divided into physical and functional fidelity. While the former includes the ergonomics layout of the bridge, visual system, vessel manoeuvrability, and hydrographic modelling, the latter involves training program design, simulator session design, and the role of the instructor. The results reveal that there is no prevalent tradition in the literature, a low number of citations, and the references are dispersed among many publications, authors, and institutions. Despite the fact that the prevalence of studies employing high-fidelity simulators can positively impact training, most of the studies are based on subjective evaluation, if any evidence is provided, and were produced by Scandinavian and European institutions and researchers. To address these limitations, we propose a research agenda containing three recommendations. Full article

Due to inherent variability arising from unpredictable geological depositional and post-depositional processes, the geotechnical parameters of Laflamme sea clay deposits remain highly uncertain. This study aims to develop and apply a methodology to assess the uncertainties of geotechnical parameters using statistical distributions for a landslide-prone Saguenay Lac-Saint-Jean (SLSJ) region. We used the measured physical and mechanical parameters of Laflamme Sea clays of various locations in the SLSJ region to characterize the geotechnical parameters in a representative manner. Goodness-of-fit tests assign each physical and mechanical parameter a distribution function for their descriptive analysis. We found that the quality of these tests is significantly influenced by outliers. The detected outliers in the dataset considerably impact the distribution type and the uncertainties of the specific geotechnical parameter. Subsequently, appropriate distribution functions for each parameter were assigned after treating the outliers. The derived coefficient of variability values for the SLSJ region were significantly high in comparison to the literature with cone penetration test data being only the exception. Finally, the results indicated that the uncertainties of geotechnical parameters of the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region marine clays are high as compared to Scandinavian clays and are relatively comparable to other eastern Canadian clays. Full article

Medieval Scandinavian Studies started emerging as a discipline in the 19th century, at a time when Old Norse literature had become an important source both for the reconstruction of an alleged Germanic worldview, and the substantiation of national political claims. Scholars in the early 20th century consolidated this view, and thereby even coined public ideas of a Germanic past that became influential in the reception of the Middle Ages in general. To the present day, the popular fascination with these Middle Ages thus is strongly informed by Old Norse sources, and a wealth of recent adaptations seem to perpetuate this view. However, the same sources, as well as earlier scholarship, are used by extremist groups to substantiate populist and racist claims. Scholars in Medieval Scandinavian Studies find themselves at the intersection of these conflicting and yet connected spheres of appropriation. Their task to take a stance in this situation is all the more challenging as the international field struggles with cutbacks of budgets, study programs, and institutes. The present special issue seeks to bring together current opinions on this ambivalent state. Full article

The practical implementation of the goals of smart sustainable cities has different forms. This paper explores an example of the Danish smart city Aarhus, through which the so-called ‘Scandinavian third way’ of smart city development is being proposed. The foundations of the ‘third way’ are directly derived from the Scandinavian tradition of cooperation; it is supposed to be an alternative to the more commercial American model and the more centrally-controlled Asian tradition. The paper aims to identify how the Scandinavian collaborative model has influenced the process of developing the smart city Aarhus, to analyse the proposed ‘Scandinavian third way’ of smart city development, and finally to assess its applicability in other urban centres. To achieve these goals, the method of literature analysis and a case study along with qualitative analysis of existing data and individual in-depth interviews with decision makers and observers of political life were applied. As the results show, the Scandinavian tradition of governance and political decision-making present in Denmark is not without significance for the functioning form of the smart city of Aarhus. Its foundations have been adopted by the Aarhus municipality in the implementation of its smart city activities, creating a unique modern city management model. Full article

The concept of the Smart City is the answer for the majority of the challenges of an increased rate of urbanization. However, the implementation of the ideas of the Smart City faces some difficulties. It is a necessity to correspond to the sustainability pillars and the decisive role of the population in all processes, and correspondently the necessity to comprehend what factors influence the decision-making process. The research goal of this paper is to analyze the factors determining the decision of the population of multi- and one-family houses to sort waste. The data were collected via population survey of the Vidusdaugavas region of Latvia and semi-structured interviews of municipal councils’ representatives. Both parties—population and authorities—have mentioned the existence of more negative factors of waste sorting in their life than positive ones. For authorities, the most important externalities of waste sorting have an economic nature, while, for citizens, the factors of convenience are not less important than costs. The problem was considered from the position of municipal authorities and the local population, and the identification of problems and misunderstanding is a possibility to start effective communication between the two parties. Moreover, the analysis of the literature has shown that Scandinavian countries and west European countries, which started their way towards implementing smart sustainable cities significantly earlier than Latvia, had the same stages. The most important factor for constructing a smart sustainable city is the changing the way of thinking of population. Full article

Aims: This systematic review examines the association between maternal lifestyle, diet and physical activity, and epigenetic changes in the offspring. Methods: A literature search was conducted using multiple science databases: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library, on 10 March 2021. RCT and Cohort studies in English or Scandinavian languages were included. Exposure variables included diet, lifestyle, meal patterns or physical activity. Studies using dietary supplements as exposure variables were excluded. Outcome variables included were DNA methylation, microRNA or histone changes in placenta, cord blood or offspring. Two independent authors screened, read and extracted data from the included papers. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB2) and The Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) Cohort Study Checklist were used to assess risk of bias in the included studies. A qualitative approach was employed due to heterogeneity of exposures and results of the studies. Results: 16 studies and 3617 participants were included in the final analysis. The exposure variables included physical activity, carbohydrate, low glycemic index diet, added sugar, fat, Mediterranean diet and pro-inflammatory diet. The outcome variables identified were differences in DNA methylation and microRNA. Most studies described epigenetic changes in either placenta or cord blood. Genes reported to be methylated were GR, HSD2, IGF-2, PLAG1, MEG-3, H19 and RXRA. However, not all studies found epigenetic changes strong enough to pass multiple testing, and the study quality varied. Conclusion: Despite the variable quality of the included studies, the results in this review suggest that there may be an association between the mother’s lifestyle, diet and level of physical activity during pregnancy and epigenetic changes in the offspring. Full article

The capabilities of the people, processes, and technology are important factors to consider when exploring continuous use to create value. Multiple perceptions and attitudes towards self-service systems lead to various usage levels and outcomes. With complex analytical structures, organizations need a better understanding of IS value and users’ satisfaction. Incompatibility reduces the purpose of self-service analytics, decreasing its value and making it obsolete. In a qualitative, single case study, 20 interviews in a major digital Scandinavian marketplace were explored using the expectation–confirmation theory of continuous use to explore the mechanisms influencing the sustainability of self-service value. Two main mechanisms were identified: the personal capability reinforcement mechanism and the environment value reinforcement mechanism. This study contributes to the post-implementation and continuous use literature and self-service analytics literature and provides some practice implications to the related industry. Full article

This article presents a quantitative review of non-wood forest products (NWFPs) at the regional scale in Europe. A text mining approach was applied to titles, abstracts, and keywords extracted from articles in the Scopus database. Different investigations, such as concept mapping and specificity analyses of textual corpus, were performed. Our search yielded a massive number of NWFP-related papers. Specifically, research was distributed in different countries, being more prevalent in the Mediterranean and Scandinavian contexts. Several NWFPs were analyzed, with mushrooms, resin, cork, and other forest fruit being the most common ones. Local socioeconomic improvement was one of the major aspects investigated in scientific literature. The proposed methodology applies specific scripts that can be updated, and the output of the present research can be compared with that of the future works. For instance, interest trends of products and methods can be investigated, and gap analyses performed. Finally, the potential implications of this review for researchers and stakeholders are discussed. Full article

Organizational ambidexterity is widely recognized as necessary for the economic sustainability of firms operating in the financial sector. While the management literature has recognized several forms of ambidexterity, the relationship between them and their relative merits remain unclear. By studying a process of implementation of ambidextrous capabilities within a large Scandinavian financial firm, we explore the role of top-down reforms and bottom-up reactions in determining the development of sector-specific innovative capabilities. We find that blended ambidexterity follows naturally from the attempt to correct the tensions arising from harmonic ambidextrous blueprints. The resulting blended practice appears to be closely related to the reciprocal model of ambidexterity, which appears to be a necessity rather than a choice, for large firms attempting to develop innovative capabilities. Consequently, we suggest to re-interpret current taxonomies of ambidexterity not as alternative blueprints, but rather as stages in a long-term process of transition. Full article

In the midst of continuous changes in working life, finding a way to balance organizational demands and the needs of employees has become an important task. This task has highlighted the significance of agency and social interaction, as influencing factors that can enhance people’s potential to meet new learning tasks. In the Scandinavian and Finnish contexts, research institutions, in cooperation with work organizations, have developed practical methods to promote agency and learning at work. The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of two different workplace development methods, identity (ID) training, and participatory action research (PAR) using dialogue forums if combined and applied as a two-level approach. The study asks what the characteristics of these methods are in general and if there are any key characteristics that could support their combined application. The research question is answered by a qualitative descriptive analysis of the literature on organizations, agency, and applications of the methods. The results shed light on and emphasize the intertwining characteristics of the methods. The research concludes with the hypothesis—to be tested in further research—that the methods are necessary for each other and recommends a preliminary investigation on the prevailing organizational culture, as a resource for organization-specific modifications. Full article

This paper advocates for a blue comparative literature that uses the view from the sea to provide new axes for comparison. Roy Jacobsen’s De usynlige (The Unseen, 2013) and Sarah Moss’s Night Waking (2011) explore subsistence lives on small islands in the northern Atlantic at different moments in the past, when inhabitants were dependent on the sea for food and transport. By looking at them together, as texts linked by their engagement with the physical world of the northern Atlantic, the two novels show how marginal populations on small islands can represent a space for the imagination of the human past and future in the Anthropocene. Full article

Previously published literature has identified a few predictors of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after bariatric surgery. However, performance of the predictive models was not evaluated rigorously using real world data. To find better methods for predicting prognosis in patients after bariatric surgery, we examined performance of the Bayesian networks (BN) method in predicting long-term postoperative HRQoL and compared it with the convolution neural network (CNN) and multivariable logistic regression (MLR). The patients registered in the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Registry (SOReg) were used for the current study. In total, 6542 patients registered in the SOReg between 2008 and 2012 with complete demographic and preoperative comorbidity information, and preoperative and postoperative 5-year HROoL scores and comorbidities were included in the study. HRQoL was measured using the RAND-SF-36 and the obesity-related problems scale. Thirty-five variables were used for analyses, including 19 predictors and 16 outcome variables. The Gaussian BN (GBN), CNN, and a traditional linear regression model were used for predicting 5-year HRQoL scores, and multinomial discrete BN (DBN) and MLR were used for 5-year comorbidities. Eighty percent of the patients were randomly selected as a training dataset and 20% as a validation dataset. The GBN presented a better performance than the CNN and the linear regression model; it had smaller mean squared errors (MSEs) than those from the CNN and the linear regression model. The MSE of the summary physical scale was only 0.0196 for GBN compared to the 0.0333 seen in the CNN. The DBN showed excellent predictive ability for 5-year type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia (area under curve (AUC) = 0.942 and 0.917, respectively), good ability for 5-year hypertension and sleep apnea syndrome (AUC = 0.891 and 0.834, respectively), and fair ability for 5-year depression (AUC = 0.750). Bayesian networks provide useful tools for predicting long-term HRQoL and comorbidities in patients after bariatric surgery. The hybrid network that may involve variables from different probability distribution families deserves investigation in the future. Full article

Research has shown that low openness and low transparency in the process of recruitment of new (associate) professors put women at a systematic disadvantage. Examples include professorships awarded by direct invitation (as opposed to job calls); contexts where nominally open job calls routinely get only one applicant; and procedural rules that allow the filtering out of qualified applicants without sharing the grounds of the decision with the candidates. We investigated one decade (2007–2017) of hiring of new (associate) professors in one Faculty at the largest university in Norway, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) (n = 79). The Faculty is a highly gender-equal setting, in that the share of women among associate professors has been >40% for over a decade. We found (1) a high share (about 40%) of women among applicants, maintained among winners; (2) a very sporadic use of direct invitations (two in a decade) and no sign that their use advantages men; (3) no nominally ‘open’ job calls with only one applicant; (4) no disadvantage for women when the pool of applicants is small; (5) no systematic filtering out of women when low-transparency internal formal preselection procedures are used because of organizational contingencies (e.g., a high number of applicants). We found an overall high degree of openness in the selection procedure when compared to other Scandinavian and Western European studies. Contrary to our expectations (based on the relevant literature), we found no link between low openness in the selection process and gender inequality in the outcome. The latter finding must be interpreted in context. We conclude that the overall good gender balance locally is an antidote to the potential biasing effect of low-openness and low-transparency procedures, so long as such procedures are used only exceptionally, and their use is clearly tied with organizational contingencies. At the same time, we found no indication that low-openness and low-transparency procedures systematically advantage women. Full article