Photoreduction and validation of haem?ligand intermediate states in protein crystals by in situ single-crystal spectroscopy and diffraction

Powerful synergies are available from the combination of multiple methods to study proteins in the crystalline form. Spectroscopies which probe the same region of the crystal from which X-ray crystal structures are determined can give insights into redox, ligand and spin states to complement the information gained from the electron-density maps. The correct assignment of crystal structures to the correct protein redox and ligand states is essential to avoid the misinterpretation of structural data. This is a particular concern for haem proteins, which can occupy a wide range of redox states and are exquisitely sensitive to becoming reduced by solvated electrons generated from interactions of X-rays with water molecules in the crystal. Here, single-crystal spectroscopic fingerprinting has been applied to investigate the laser photoreduction of ferric haem in cytochrome c′. Furthermore, in situ X-ray-driven generation of haem intermediates in crystals of the dye-decolourizing-type peroxidase A (DtpA) from Streptomyces lividans is described

Lokalmatentreprenører i Norge : casestudier av vellykket praksis for markedsutvikling og læring i nettverk

Local food has been compared to a "quiet culinary revolution" in Norway, one initiated by a governmental strategy more than 20 years ago. The aim was to provide more local specialtiesꟷ"food and drink products with a defined origin and local identity or with distinct qualities based on recipes, processes or tradition" (Norwegian Food Foundation, 2019)ꟷin the Norwegian market. Since then, local food and drinks have attracted a substantial number of farm-based food entrepreneurs, contributing to value creation and market sales of 11.5 billion NOK in 2022 (Norwegian Food Foundation, 2022). The food sector in Norway is a highly competitive market due to high tolls and taxes, efficiency-focused prominent industry actors, and only three dominating grocery chains controlling the national market (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2020). Local food, therefore, provides an intriguing option for customers who value variety. The interest from customers, producers, and policymakers is therefore growing in both direct-to-consumer markets and the grocery market (Low et al., 2015). In these past 20 years of local food, many new direct-to-consumer markets have been introduced, like the farmers' markets, farm shops, Internet sales, REKO rings (REKO is short for the Swedish “Reja l Konsumtion”, a direct-sales channel based on social media), and gourmet food stores, where local food entrepreneurs can utilize direct customer contact to build unique relationships (Milford et al., 2021). Many researchers have targeted the progress of local food in the Norwegian market as an interesting phenomenon, studying customer preferences and adoption, supply chain parameters, and governmental policy or sales channels (e.g., Bentsen & Pedersen, 2020; Dreyer et al., 2016; Halkier et al., 2017; Milford et al., 2021; Skallerud & Wien, 2019). However, little is known about the activities or practices used by local food entrepreneurs to build their businesses, develop innovative food specialties, and enter the market. The thesis contributes to the field of rural entrepreneurship through a practice-based perspective. Its main contribution is its development and expansion of theoretical frameworks on farm-based entrepreneurship. The thesis draws upon several theoretical lenses to study and identify successful practices for entrepreneurial activity in local food farm-based businesses. More specifically, the thesis aims to improve researchers’ understanding of how local food entrepreneurs utilize their place specific farm-based resources, become food producers, and learn to build a market for their unique products. Three branches of entrepreneurship literature will be explored to enhance our understanding of this topic: social entrepreneurial learning, entrepreneurial marketing, and entrepreneurial orientation/market-driving. Three research papers appended to the thesis address this further, using local food and farm-based businesses in Norway as the research context for discussion of a range of theoretical and applied topics in entrepreneurship literature. The first paper contributes to the social entrepreneurial learning literature by advancing a community learning perspective for farm-based entrepreneurs who build businesses based on their local farm resources. It identifies social learning mechanisms and learning outcomes for the individual entrepreneur. The second paper contributes to entrepreneurial marketing literature by identifying market development practices used by entrepreneurs in a farm-based micro-business context. The third paper contributes to the market-driving literature by identifying pioneering practices leading to market expansion. Further, this thesis demonstrates that policy, society, and academic institutions can support entrepreneurial activity and improve practitioners’ learning within an industry. The three papers are: Paper 1, Informal social learning dynamics and entrepreneurial knowledge acquisition in a micro food learning network, focuses on the social perspectives on entrepreneurial learning by considering the informal learning dynamics and outcomes in a facilitated learning network targeting farm-based businesses within the local food industry. This research builds new theoretical and empirical knowledge on the contributions of a facilitated learning network as a community of inquiry to support entrepreneurial knowledge acquisition. A single embedded case study was chosen as the research design, focusing on the Competence Network for Local Food Production (the facilitated learning network) with 12 farm-based food entrepreneurs within meat production as the embedded units. The units represented different experiences and frequencies of interaction with the facilitated learning network. The founder-managers from the embedded units were interviewed, reflecting on their learning from others. Findings show that informal regulating mechanisms for knowledge sharing influence social entrepreneurial learning. Enabling a community of inquiry to develop within the learning network increased the knowledge acquisition, and potential learning outcomes, for the individual entrepreneur. A conceptual framework was developed to show informal knowledge-sharing mechanisms and the local food entrepreneurs' entrepreneurial knowledge acquisition in a community of inquiry. Paper 2, The farm-based entrepreneur's marketing mix: a case study from the local food sector, explores the market creation practices of farm-based entrepreneurs in the local food sector. A multiple case study with 11 successful farm based entrepreneurs from 10 micro-businesses in Norway was chosen to conduct in depth retrospective interviews with the founder-managers. We found that the farm based entrepreneurs used slightly different entrepreneurial marketing practices depending on their purpose to transfer or transform their farms. A framework: the farm-based entrepreneur’s marketing mix (FEMM) was developed. The practices described using FEMM (person, purpose, practices, and process) can be used to illustrate how local food entrepreneurs create and expand the markets for their unique products. Paper 3, Micro-businesses in the driver’s seat: a qualitative study of market driving practices in the food sector, marks the fact that food micro-businesses (farm-based food entrepreneurs), despite their resource constraints, manage to drive markets using market-driving practices. They build new product categories in the competitive grocery market and thus contribute to market expansion with their innovative local food products. In a multiple case study, four pioneering food micro businesses within the Norwegian local food sector were analyzed, building on in depth interviews with the individual founder-managers. We found that food micro businesses can disrupt the grocery market using pioneering market-driving practices by taking significant personal risks and following their passion, being innovative, and creating passionate unique value propositions. Local food entrepreneurs proactively and perseveringly build new categories in the grocery market, not necessarily outcompeting the larger industry but instead expanding the market by providing customers with unique local food products. The study offers a novel attempt to explore and conceptualize market-driving practices in a micro-business context. A framework for market-driving practices in the local food sector was developed. Based on the identified practices in the three papers, an interesting dynamic interrelationship between social entrepreneurial learning, entrepreneurial marketing, and entrepreneurial orientation/market-driving literature was observed. All seemed to contribute in various ways to the successful community learning and market practices of the local food entrepreneurs. This underlines the fact that there is no “one size fits all” recipe for local food entrepreneurs’ market success but that the entrepreneurs must learn, work and collaborate along several dimensions and apply a variety of practices in order to succeed.Lokalmat har blitt sammenlignet med en "stille kulinarisk revolusjon" i Norge, initiert av en statlig strategi for mer enn 20 år siden. Målet var å tilby flere lokale matspesialiteter i det norske markedet: «mat- og drikkeprodukter med en lokal identitet, særegen opprinnelse eller spesielle kvaliteter knyttet til produksjonsmetode, tradisjon eller historie» (Norwegian Food Foundation, 2019). Siden den gang har lokalmat og drikke nådd et betydelig antall gårdsbaserte matentreprenører, og i 2022 bidro disse til en verdiskaping og omsetning på over 11,5 milliarder NOK (Norwegian Food Foundation, 2022). Den norske matsektoren representerer et sterkt konkurranseutsatt marked på grunn av høye tollbarrierer, skatter og avgifter, en matindustri med stort fokus på kostnadsbesparelser og effektivisering, og kun tre dominerende dagligvarekjeder som kontrollerer det nasjonale markedet (OECD, 2020). Lokalmat representerer derfor et spennende alternativ for kunder som verdsetter større produktmangfold. Interessen for lokalmat, med hensyn til økt salg i direktesalgskanaler og i dagligvaremarkedet, er derfor økende hos forbrukere, aktører i matindustrien og politikere (Low et al., 2015). I løpet av de siste tjue årene har lokalmat ført til flere nye direktesalgskanaler, som bondens marked, gårdsmatbutikker, internettsalg, REKO-ringer1 og delikatessebutikker, hvor lokalmatentreprenører kan bruke den direkte kundekontakten til å bygge unike relasjoner (Milford et al., 2021). Forskere har tidligere studert lokalmatfenomenet med hensyn til kundepreferanser, logistikk og distribusjon, ulike salgskanaler og politikkutforming (f.eks. Bentsen & Pedersen, 2020; Dreyer et al., 2016; Halkier et al., 2017; Milford et al., 2021; Skallerud & Wien, 2019). Det er imidlertid lite kunnskap om hvilke aktiviteter eller praksiser som brukes av lokale matentreprenører når de etablerer sin virksomhet, utvikler innovative matspesialiteter eller markedsretter sine produkter. Denne avhandlingen bidrar til forskningen på ruralt entreprenørskap gjennom å ta et praksisbasert perspektiv. Hovedbidraget er utvikling og utvidelse av teoretiske rammeverk for entreprenørskap innen landbrukssektoren. Avhandlingen tar i bruk flere teoretiske linser for å studere og identifisere suksessfulle praksiser ved den entreprenørielle aktiviteten i lokalmatbedrifter. Spesifikt tar avhandlingen sikte på å øke forskernes forståelse av hvordan lokalmatentreprenører utnytter sine områdespesifikke og gårdsbaserte ressurser, blir lokalmat produsenter og lærer seg å markedsrette sine unike produkter. Tre grener av entreprenørskapslitteraturen vil bli utforsket: sosial entreprenøriell læring, entreprenøriell markedsføring og entreprenøriell orientering/markedsdrivende («market-driving» på engelsk). Tre forskningsartikler vedlagt i denne avhandlingen vil utdype dette nærmere ved å benytte flere teoretiske, og anvendte, aspekter fra entreprenørskapslitteraturen, og ved å bruke lokalmat og norske mikrobedrifter som forskningskontekst. Den første artikkelen bidrar til litteraturen om sosial entreprenøriell læring ved å studere et læringsfellesskap for gårdsbaserte entreprenører som bygger en virksomhet basert på sine lokale gårdsressurser, identifisere sosiale læringsmekanismer og læringsutbytte for den enkelte entreprenør. Artikkel to bidrar til entreprenøriell markedsføringslitteratur ved å identifisere markedsutviklingspraksiser brukt av entreprenører i en mikrobedriftskontekst. Artikkel tre bidrar til litteraturen om markedsutvikling ved å identifisere banebrytende praksiser som fører til nye markedsmuligheter. Videre bidrar denne studien til bedre forståelse av at politikk, samfunn og akademiske institusjoner kan tilrettelegge for entreprenøriell aktivitet og bidra til kunnskapsutvikling for utøvere innen en bransje. De tre artiklene som er vedlagt denne avhandlingen er: Artikkel 1, Informal social learning dynamics and entrepreneurial knowledge acquisition in a micro food learning network, fokuserer på de sosiale perspektivene på entreprenøriell læring ved å vurdere den uformelle læringsdynamikken og -resultatene fra et tilrettelagt læringsnettverk rettet mot lokalmatbedrifter. Tolv gårdsbaserte entreprenører innen lokal kjøttproduksjon utgjorde analyseenhetene i en singel case studie, og eieren/entreprenøren i hver enkelt enhet ble intervjuet, der de reflekterte over sin egen læring fra andre. Vi fant ut at sosial entreprenøriell læring påvirkes av uformelle reguleringsmekanismer for kunnskapsdeling. Ved å gjøre det mulig for et utforskende fellesskap (Community of Inquiry) å utvikle seg innenfor læringsnettverket, økte kunnskapstilegnelsen og det potensielle læringsutbytte for den enkelte entreprenøren. Det ble utviklet et konseptuelt rammeverk som viser uformelle mekanismer for kunnskapsdeling og den enkelte lokalmatentreprenørs kunnskapsinnhenting i en Community of Inquiry. Artikkel 2, The farm-based entrepreneur's marketing mix: a case study from the local food sector, utforsker markedsrettingspraksisen til gårdsbaserte entreprenører innen lokalmatsektoren. En multippel case studie med 11 vellykkede, lokalmatentreprenører fra 10 mikrobedrifter i Norge ble valgt for å gjennomføre dybdeintervjuer med de respektive eierne. Vi fant ut at lokalmatentreprenørene brukte forskjellig entreprenøriell markedsføringspraksis avhengig av formålet, enten å videreføre eller å endre sin gårds produksjon. Et rammeverk, den gårdsbaserte entreprenørens markedsføringsmiks (FEMM), ble utviklet. Praksisen som beskrives ved bruk av FEMM (person, formål, praksis og prosess) kan brukes til å illustrere hvordan lokalmatentreprenører skaper, eller også utvider, markedet for sine unike produkter. Artikkel 3, Micro-businesses in the driver’s seat: a qualitative study of market-driving practices in the food sector, markerer det faktum at gårdsbaserte lokalmatbedrifter, til tross for ressursbegrensninger, klarer å påvirke markedet gjennom markedsdrivende praksiser. Slik etablerer de nye produktkategorier i det konkurranseutsatte dagligvaremarkedet og dermed bidrar til markedsekspansjon med sine innovative lokalmatprodukter. I en multippel case studie ble fire nyskapende mikrobedrifter innen norsk lokalmatsektor analysert basert på dybdeintervjuer med den enkelte eier og entreprenør. Vi fant ut at lokalmatbedrifter kan påvirke dagligvaremarkedet ved å bruke banebrytende markedsdrivende praksiser der de tar en betydelig personlig risiko og følger sin lidenskap, er innovative, og presenterer et emosjonelt og unikt verdiforslag. Lokalmatentreprenører er proaktive og utholdende i arbeidet med å skape nye kategorier i dagligvaremarkedet, og utkonkurrerer ikke nødvendigvis den større matindustrien, men utvider i stedet markedet ved å tilby kundene særegne lokalmatprodukter. Studien bidrar med et forsøk på å utforske og konseptualisere markedsdrivende praksiser i en mikrobedriftskontekst. Det ble utviklet et rammeverk for markedsdrivende praksiser i lokalmatsektoren. Basert på de tre artiklene ble det observert en interessant dynamisk sammenheng mellom sosial entreprenøriell læring, entreprenøriell markedsføring og entreprenøriell orientering/markedsdriving, der alle tre greiner av litteraturen så ut til å bidra til vellykket nettverkslæring og markedspraksis hos de lokale matentreprenørene. Dette understreker det faktum at det ikke finnes noen «one size fits all» oppskrift for lokale matentreprenørers markedssuksess, men at entreprenørene må lære, jobbe og samarbeide langs flere dimensjoner og anvende en rekke praksiser for å lykkes

Faktorer som påvirker utvalg av økologiske produkter i norsk dagligvare

Denne rapporten inngår som en del av Nofima’s leveranse til Landbruksdirektoratet i prosjektet «Produktutvikling av økologisk mat og drikke fra norsk jordbruk». Representanter fra norske dagligvarekjeder har blitt intervjuet om utvikling i markedet for økologiske produkter i Norge. De har blitt spurt om utvikling i etterspørsel og tilbud av økologiske produkter, barrierer i markedet for omsetning av økologiske produkter og mulige tiltak dersom man ønsker å øke omsetningen av økologisk mat. Resultatene viser at hvis man ønsker å øke omsetning av økologisk mat i Norge bør det defineres konkrete politiske mål/ambisjoner og det finnes potensiale i markedet for økt omsetning av frukt, grønt og meieriprodukter. Tiltak for økt bruk av økologisk mat innen storhusholdningssektor bør videreføres, det må jobbes med omdømmebygging og kvalitet, og man bør synliggjøre at økologiske prinsipper er positivt for et bærekraftig landbruk i Norge.Faktorer som påvirker utvalg av økologiske produkter i norsk dagligvarepublishedVersio

Europeans and Traditional Foods: Definition and Image from the Consumers' Perspective

This paper provides a consumer-driven definition of traditional food products (TFP) and investigates the image European consumers have about this food product category. Data were collected from representative consumer samples in six European countries, including Belgium, France, Italy, Norway, Poland and Spain, with a total sample size of 4,828 participants. European consumers define traditional foods as well-know products, products that one can eat very frequently, and products that were already eaten by grandparents. Although positive, association of TFP with naturalness and low processing is less pronounced. Sensory, health- and environment-related attribute perceptions contribute positively to the image of TFP, whereas perceived convenience, price, and availability contribute negatively to the TFP image. Finally, TFP are mainly pictured as foods that agree well with people who love national or regional cuisine, with people living in the countryside, equally so with men and women, though more so with families with children rather than singles or household without children. The empirical findings provide insights with particular relevance for TFP positioning, marketing communications around TFP and further development of the TFP market in Europe.Traditional food, Consumer, Europe, Demand and Price Analysis, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,

Informal social learning dynamics and entrepreneurial knowledge acquisition in a micro food learning network

his paper expands and contextualises social perspectives on entrepreneurial learning by considering the informal learning dynamics and outcomes in a facilitated learning network (FLN) targeting micro-entrepreneurs within the local food sector. This research builds new theoretical and empirical knowledge on the contributions of FLN as a community of inquiry (CoI) to support entrepreneurial knowledge acquisition. Our research strategy was a single embedded case study with the units of analysis consisting of 12 micro-firms within the local meat industry in Norway. In retrospective in-depth interviews, founder-managers reflected on their learning from others from participation in a local-food learning network. Three main themes emerged from our analysis, reflecting the informal regulating mechanisms for knowledge sharing and how entrepreneurs acquired new entrepreneurial knowledge: (1) cultural norms stabilising the community of inquiry, (2) engagement in the practices of others regulates access to community knowledge and (3) from community inquiry to individual entrepreneurial knowledge. Based on these themes, we built a conceptual framework showing informal knowledge-sharing mechanisms and the individual micro-entrepreneurs’ entrepreneurial knowledge acquisition in a CoI. Our study contributes to the research stream on social entrepreneurial learning and how learning from others in a CoI enhances entrepreneurial learning.acceptedVersio

Projective mapping based on choice or preference: an affective approach to projective mapping

This work explores a new affective approach to projective mapping, based on consumers' choices or preferences. Two sessions, one week apart, were performed with the same consumers, using whole bread as a case study. Overall liking ratings (OL) were gathered in blind conditions and samples were also profiled by a trained panel using generic descriptive analysis. Three projective mapping tests were performed in different scenarios. Consumers' categorization and product descriptions were explored when consumers based their positioning on the products' similarities and differences (analytical approach, “classic napping”) both in blind and informed conditions, and when consumers were focusing on their preference or choice (affective approach). The affective approach to projective mapping successfully revealed consumers' drivers of liking and choice from a holistic perspective, where consumers summarized their main drivers for categorizing products as they would do when choosing in real life situations, based on their preferences

Genetic Variation of an Odorant Receptor OR7D4 and Sensory Perception of Cooked Meat Containing Androstenone

Although odour perception impacts food preferences, the effect of genotypic variation of odorant receptors (ORs) on the sensory perception of food is unclear. Human OR7D4 responds to androstenone, and genotypic variation in OR7D4 predicts variation in the perception of androstenone. Since androstenone is naturally present in meat derived from male pigs, we asked whether OR7D4 genotype correlates with either the ability to detect androstenone or the evaluation of cooked pork tainted with varying levels of androstenone within the naturally-occurring range. Consistent with previous findings, subjects with two copies of the functional OR7D4 RT variant were more sensitive to androstenone than subjects carrying a non-functional OR7D4 WM variant. When pork containing varying levels of androstenone was cooked and tested by sniffing and tasting, subjects with two copies of the RT variant tended to rate the androstenone-containing meat as less favourable than subjects carrying the WM variant. Our data is consistent with the idea that OR7D4 genotype predicts the sensory perception of meat containing androstenone and that genetic variation in an odorant receptor can alter food preferences

The Reaction of a High‐Valent Nonheme Oxoiron(IV) Intermediate with Hydrogen Peroxide

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/91353/1/5472_ftp.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/91353/2/ange_201200901_sm_miscellaneous_information.pd