Hva motiverer til frivillig arbeid på livsgledehjem? En kvalitativ studie

Frivillighet i eldreomsorgen er et politisk satsningsområde som det etterlyses mer forskning om. Det samme gjelder sertifiseringsordningen Livsgledehjem, som er et systemverktøy som tilbys norske kommuner for å kunne gi et mer helhetlig tilbud til eldre på sykehjem og på bo og servicesenter. Livsglede for eldre sin sertifiseringsprosess har som mål å se den enkelte og ivareta de kulturelle, sosiale og åndelige behov på lik linje med primærbehovene ernæring, fysisk stell og pleie. For å nå målene er frivillig innsats viktig. Etter litteraturgjennomgang fant jeg lite forskning på motivasjonsfaktorer for frivillig arbeid i eldreomsorgen. Da jeg ser motivasjonsfaktorer som relevant for utvikling av frivillig arbeid i eldreomsorgen var dette tema jeg valgte å undersøke.submittedVersio

Host and microbe determinants that may influence the success of S. aureus colonization

Staphylococcus aureus may cause serious skin and soft tissue infections, deep abscesses, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, pneumonia, and sepsis. S. aureus persistently colonizes 25–30% of the adult human population, and S. aureus carriers have an increased risk for infections caused by the bacterium. The major site of colonization is the nose, i.e., the vestibulum nasi, which is covered with ordinary skin and hair follicles. Several host and microbe determinants are assumed to be associated with colonization. These include the presence and expression level of bacterial adhesins, which can adhere to various proteins in the extracellular matrix or on the cellular surface of human skin. The host expresses several antimicrobial peptides and lipids. The level of β-defensin 3, free sphingosine, and cis-6-hexadecenoic acid are found to be associated with nasal carriage of S. aureus. Other host factors are certain polymorphisms in Toll-like receptor 2, mannose-binding lectin, C-reactive protein, glucocorticoid-, and vitamin D receptor. Additional putative determinants for carriage include genetic variation and expression of microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules and their interaction partners, as well as variation among humans in the ability of recognizing and responding appropriately to the bacteria. Moreover, the available microflora may influence the success of S. aureus colonization. In conclusion, colonization is a complex interplay between the bacteria and its host. Several bacterial and host factors are involved, and an increased molecular understanding of these are needed

Use of balanced scorecard in the police department

Dybdebasert master, 120 studiepoeng.Formålet med denne masteravhandlingen er å undersøke bruken av balansert målstyring i politietaten. I oppgaven er Upper Echelon perspektivet samt betingelsesteori, benyttet i et forsøk på å forklare hva som gjør at noen benytter balansert målstyring og andre ikke. Avhandlingen besvarer følgende problemstilling: «I hvilken grad brukes balansert målstyring i politietaten, og hvilke faktorer påvirker bruken?» For å besvare problemstillingen har det blitt gjennomført en kvantitativ studie, i form av en spørreundersøkelse. Spørreundersøkelsen ble sendt til administrasjonssjefer og økonomisjefer i 27 politidistrikter og fem særorganer. Totalt 26 politidistrikter og særorganer besvarte undersøkelsen. Resultatene fra spørreundersøkelsen dannet så grunnlag for først å se på hvor utbredt bruken av balansert målstyring var, deretter for å se hva som påvirket bruken. For å diskutere det sistnevnte benyttet vi oss av Upper Echelon perspektivet og betingelsesteori, hvor vi ved hjelp av blant annet karakteristika ved økonomi- og administrasjonssjefene kunne forklare hvilke faktorer som påvirket bruken. Resultatene fra avhandlingen tyder på at balansert målstyring blir brukt blant lederne hos flere politidistrikter og særorganer i politietaten. På en skala fra 1 til 5 viste resultatene fra spørreundersøkelsen at gjennomsnittlig uttalt bruk av balansert målstyring, var like i overkant av 3. Videre tyder resultatene på at karakteristika ved lederne som alder og antall år med høyere utdanning, har signifikant sammenheng med bruken av balansert målstyring. Det samme gjelder for i hvor stor grad distriktene og særorganene er ekstrovert. Disse funnene underbygger tidligere forskning. De andre variablene som ble testet, ansiennitet, erfaring fra privat sektor, kjønn og størrelse, bidro i mindre grad til å forklare bruken av balansert målstyring i politiet. Dette er verken med på å underbygge eller svekke tidligere forskning, da resultatene av tidligere forskning på området som har inkludert disse variablene har spriket. Studien indikerer at bruken av Upper Echelon perspektivet er relevant innen politiet, da administrasjonssjefer og økonomisjefer har god kjennskap samt stor påvirkningskraft på politidistriktets og særorganets valg av styringsverktøy.Abstract (engelsk sammendrag) The purpose of this dissertation was to study the use of balanced scorecard in the Norwegian police department. The Upper Echelon perspective and condition theory have been used in an attempt to explain what makes someone use balanced scorecard, and others not. The study answers the following question: «To what extent is balanced scorecard in the police department used and what factors affect the use?» To answer the study question, a quantitative approach was applied, by using a questionnaire. A questionnaire was sent to chief economists and heads of administration in 27 police districts and 5 specialized agencies. A total of 26 police districts and special agencies responded to the questionnaire. The results of the questionnaire were first used to describe general use of balanced scorecard, and then to assess determinants of the use. In order to discuss the latter, we used the Upper Echelon perspective and condition theory. Here we could explain which factors affected the use, using among other things, the characteristics of the administration- and finance managers. The findings of this study indicate that balanced scorecard is being used by leaders of several police districts and special agencies in the police department. On a scale between 1 and 5, the average stated use of balanced scorecard was slightly over 3. Furthermore, the results indicate that the characteristics of managers, such as age and number of years of higher education have a significant effect on the use of balanced scorecard. The same applies to the extent to which the districts and special agencies are extroverted. These findings support existing literature. The other variables tested, experience from the private sector, gender and size of the district or agency, contributed less to explain the use of balanced scorecard in the police department. This does not substantiate or impair previous research, as the previous research in the field that have included these variables has showed several different results. The study indicates that the use of the Upper Echelon perspective in the police department is relevant. This is because administration- and financial managers have sound knowledge of and great influence on, which management tools the police district and the specialized agency choose to use

Chitosan-based delivery system enhances antimicrobial activity of chlorhexidine

Infected chronic skin wounds and other skin infections are increasingly putting pressure on the health care providers and patients. The pressure is especially concerning due to the rise of antimicrobial resistance and biofilm-producing bacteria that further impair treatment success. Therefore, innovative strategies for wound healing and bacterial eradication are urgently needed; utilization of materials with inherent biological properties could offer a potential solution. Chitosan is one of the most frequently used polymers in delivery systems. This bioactive polymer is often regarded as an attractive constituent in delivery systems due to its inherent antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and wound healing properties. However, lipid-based vesicles and liposomes are generally considered more suitable as delivery systems for skin due to their ability to interact with the skin structure and provide prolonged release, protect the antimicrobial compound, and allow high local concentrations at the infected site. To take advantage of the beneficial attributes of the lipid-based vesicles and chitosan, these components can be combined into chitosan-containing liposomes or chitosomes and chitosan-coated liposomes. These systems have previously been investigated for use in wound therapy; however, their potential in infected wounds is not fully investigated. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether both the chitosan-containing and chitosan-coated liposomes tailored for infected wounds could improve the antimicrobial activity of the membrane-active antimicrobial chlorhexidine, while assuring both the anti-inflammatory activity and cell compatibility. Chlorhexidine was incorporated into three different vesicles, namely plain (chitosan-free), chitosan-containing and chitosan-coated liposomes that were optimized for skin wounds. Their release profile, antimicrobial activities, anti-inflammatory properties, and cell compatibility were assessed in vitro. The vesicles comprising chitosan demonstrated slower release rate of chlorhexidine and high cell compatibility. Additionally, the inflammatory responses in murine macrophages treated with these vesicles were reduced by about 60% compared to non-treated cells. Finally, liposomes containing both chitosan and chlorhexidine demonstrated the strongest antibacterial effect against Staphylococcus aureus. Both chitosan-containing and chitosan-coated liposomes comprising chlorhexidine could serve as excellent platforms for the delivery of membrane-active antimicrobials to infected wounds as confirmed by improved antimicrobial performance of chlorhexidine

Exploring differentially expressed genes of Staphylococcus aureus exposed to human tonsillar cells using RNA sequencing

Background - The nose and the throat are the most predominant colonizing sites of Staphylococcus aureus, and colonization is a risk factor for infection. Nasal colonization is well described; however, we have limited knowledge about S. aureus throat colonization. The main objective of this study was to explore differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in S. aureus throat isolate TR145 exposed to human tonsil epithelial cells (HTEpiC) by using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and pathway analysis. DEGs in S. aureus at 1 or 3 hours (h) interaction with its host were explored. Results - S. aureus was co-cultured in absence and presence of tonsillar cells at 1 or 3 h. Over the 3 h time frame, the bacteria multiplied, but still caused only minor cytotoxicity. Upon exposure to tonsillar cell line, S. aureus changed its transcriptomic profile. A total of 508 DEGs were identified including unique (1 h, 160 DEGs and 3 h, 78 DEGs) and commonly shared genes (1 and 3 h, 270 DEGs). Among the DEGs, were genes encoding proteins involved in adhesion and immune evasion, as well as iron acquisition and transport. Reverse transcription qPCR was done on selected genes, and the results correlated with the RNA-seq data. Conclusion - We have shown the suitability of using HTEpiC as an in vitro model for investigating key determinants in S. aureus during co-incubation with host cells. Several DEGs were unique after 1 or 3 h exposure to host cells, while others were commonly expressed at both time points. As their expression is induced upon meeting with the host, they might be explored further for future targets for intervention to prevent either colonization or infection in the throat

Den standhaftige tinsoldat: om musikk som aktiviserings- og inkluderingsverktøy

Journal home page at https://tidsskriftetspecialpaedagogik.dk/.I denne artikkelen ser forfatterne på, hvordan både musikk- og inkluderingsbegrepet kan forstås i utvidet forstand, og hvordan denne tenkningen kan bidra til å skape gode aktiviserings- og inkluderingsverktøy på en måte som fremmer reell deltakelse for personer i alle aldergrupper og med ulike utfordringer. Forfatterne arbeider som henholdsvis førstelektor og universitetslektor ved det helsevitenskapelige fakultetet ved UiT-Norges arktiske universitet. Begge har gjennom flere år hatt spesiell interesse for å se på hvordan en kan hjelpe mennesker med spesielle behov til å oppleve likeverdighet

Hvem holder masken?

Source at https://danskhandicapforbund.dk/da/handicap-nyt/#gsc.tab=0Forfatterne til denne artikel arbejder på UiT-Norges arktiske universitet på instituttet for omsorg. Omsorgsuddannelsen er en særlig norsk helse- og socialfaglig uddannelse, som har fokus på enkelt individers udfordringer og muligheder. Uddannelsen har et humanistisk grundsyn

Reminisensøyeblikket

Frivillig innsats er politisk satsningsområde i eldreomsorgen. I denne artikkelen utforskes betingelser for å oppnå motivasjon hos refleksive frivillige med mål om å beholde de som en viktig ressurs i eldreomsorgen. Det legges spesielt vekt på betydningen av å kartlegge de frivilliges interesser og speile de med personer med demens sine interesser. På den måten kan det legges til rette for at det kan oppstå reminisensøyeblikk, som kan gi særlig motivasjon for videre frivillig innsats. Gjennom innovasjonsmodellen for økt frivillighet fokuseres det på betydningen av kartlegging, planlegging, utførelse, dokumentasjon, evaluering og oppdatering av ulike aktivitetstiltak. Dette gjelder både for refleksive frivillige og beboere på livsgledehjem. Konsekvensen av å ikke arbeide systematisk og målrettet, kan være at gløden hos refleksive frivillige forsvinner, og at de kan miste motivasjon til å fortsette som frivillige. Livsglede for eldre (LFE) har utviklet livsgledesirkelen. Det er en modell som omhandler personsentrert omsorg og hvordan det legges til rette for at den enkelte beboers interesser på sykehjem skal ivaretas. Med basis i denne modellen har vi utviklet innovasjonsmodellen for økt frivillighet, som viser hvordan personsentrert frivillighet kan gi økt livsglede og motivasjon for refleksive frivillige som er knyttet til livsgledehjem.Voluntary efforts are a political focus area in the elderly. This study aims to answer the question of: How to facilitate a moment of reminiscence that can rise and contribute as a motivational factor for voluntary efforts in joy of life homes? In order to achieve inner motivation and be able to retain volunteers in the care sector, it is essential that the interests of the volunteers are mapped out and mirrored with the residents’ interests. When planning for activities based on similarities, a moment of reminiscence can arise. The study’s main findings point to a “win-win” situation between the volunteers and residents through golden reminiscence moments that motivate further voluntary efforts. Through the innovation model for increased volunteering, the focus lies within the importance of mapping, planning, execution, documentation, evaluation and updating of various activity measures, both in relation to the reflective volunteers and residents of life joy homes. The organization Joy of life for the elderly (LFE) has developed the circle of joy of life. This model deals with person-centred care, where arrangements are made for the individual resident`s interests in nursing homes to be safeguarded. Based on this model, we have developed the concept of person-centred volunteering as well as the innovation model for increased volunteering, which deals with what can provide joy of life and motivation for reflective volunteers in joy of life homes

Transcriptome profiling of staphylococcus aureus associated extracellular vesicles reveals presence of small RNA-cargo

Bacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs) have a vital role in bacterial pathogenesis. However, to date, the small RNA-cargo of EVs released by the opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus has not been characterized. Here, we shed light on the association of small RNAs with EVs secreted by S. aureus MSSA476 cultured in iron-depleted bacteriologic media supplemented with a subinhibitory dosage of vancomycin to mimic infection condition. Confocal microscopy analysis on intact RNase-treated EVs indicated that RNA is associated with EV particles. Transcriptomic followed by bioinformatics analysis of EV-associated RNA revealed the presence of potential gene regulatory small RNAs and high levels of tRNAs. Among the EV-associated enriched small RNAs were SsrA, RsaC and RNAIII. Our finding invites new insights into the potential role of EV-associated RNA as a modulator of host-pathogen interaction. Introductio