From Infology to Artificial Science

This paper studies the ideas of two actors in the Scandinavian field of Information Systems development. It analyzes the writings of Börje Langefors and Bo Dahlbom in the 1980s and 1990s, and focuses on their collaboration resulting in the publication of Langefors’ Essays on Infology. Langefors was at that time honored as the founder of the information systems discipline in Scandinavia, but had also been criticized by several authors in the field. Dahlbom was a philosopher who had ventured into information systems development in the late 1980s. At the brink of the 1980s significant changes in both computer technology and Western society were evident. Computer technology saw a development from mainframe computing towards networked computing, as well as the advent of the home computer and the beginnings of the internet. Western societies changed significantly in the same period. I analyze the writings of Langefors using Paul N. Edwards concept of the cybernetic paradigm as a framework. Taking this as my starting point, I investigate whether the two writers can be said to operate within the cybernetic paradigm. Furthermore I interpret their theories along two axes. One seeing a shift from modernity to post-modernity, and one seeing a shift from humanism to post-humanism. I argue that both Langefors and Dahlbom can be understood as part of a cybernetic paradigm, although not univocally. Langefors can largely be interpreted as a product of Swedish post-war modernity, while Dahlbom related to a “postmodern condition” in Lyotard’s terms. As well as investigating the two authors as actors in the information systems development field, I investigate whether their theories also could be read as philosophy. I take Louis Althusser's notion of “the spontaneous philosophy of scientists” as my starting point for this discussion. I argue that Langefors and Dahlbom can be understood as philosophers from two different perspectives. Langefors took his experiences as a practitioner and generalized them into philosophy, while Dahlbom wanted to bring philosophical reflection to the practice of systems development. Finally, I ask what motivated Dahlbom and Langefors, two very different theorists with very different backgrounds, to collaborate. My findings indicate that Dahlbom was partly motivated by his intention of developing a “new informatics” in Sweden, and saw Langefors as an inspiration for this project. Both of the authors were motivated by seeing common adversaries in the information systems development field

Voss bibliotek som møteplass : en sammenlignende studie med bybibliotek

Denne oppgaven er en sammenlignende studie, som undersøker hvordan bibliotek på et mindre tettsted fungerer som møteplass i forhold til tidligere funn i bybibliotek, hovedsakelig i PLACE-prosjektet. Voss bibliotek er valgt ut som studieobjekt fordi det nylig ble samlokalisert med kulturskole og språkopplæring for innvandrere. Studien omfatter observasjoner og intervju av brukere på Voss bibliotek i 2011. Analysen bruker konsepter fra sosial teori, med vekt på Loflands (1998) teori om omgangformer mellom mennesker i det offentlige rom. Funnene viser at biblioteket i større grad enn i bybibliotek, fungerer som sosial arena mellom kjente. I mindre grad enn i bybibliotek blir biblioteket brukt til instrumentelle aktiviteter. Samlokaliseringen har ført til at bruken av biblioteket i stor grad påvirkes av funksjon som venterom og oppholdssted for elever ved kulturskole og språkopplæring. Biblioteket har en viktig rolle som offentlig sfære, som integrasjonsarena og som lokal samfunnsaktør. Studien anbefaler at det forskes på hvilke konsekvenser samlokalisering har for bibliotek som møteplass og for bibliotekets rolle i lokalsamfunnet.This thesis forms a comparative study with previous research from city libraries, mainly from the PLACE project, and looks at how the library functions as a meeting place and social arena in a smaller local community. Voss library was chosen as a research object due to recently being reopened and housed together with the local arts school for children and the Norwegian language school for immigrants. The research in the thesis is based on observations and interviews conducted in 2011. The analysis uses concepts from social theory with a special focus on Lofland’s (1998) theory on relational forms between people in public spaces. The findings show that to a larger extent than in city libraries Voss library is used as a social arena between acquaintances and friends, and to a lesser extent for instrumental activities. The library’s placement together with the two local institutions has resulted in that the library as a meeting place is influenced to a great extent by its function as a waiting room for pupils attending the schools. The study also shows that the library has an important function as a public realm, an integration arena and as an actor in the local community. This thesis thus recommends that further research is being done to look at consequences joint locations with different actors have for the library as a meeting place and the library’s role in the community.Master i bibliotek- og informasjonsvitenska

Microbial colonization and alteration of basaltic glass

International audienceMicroorganisms have been reported to be associated with the alteration of the glassy margin of seafloor pillow basalts (Thorseth et al., 2001, 2003; Lysnes et al., 2004). The amount of iron and other biological important elements present in basalts and the vast abundance of basaltic glass in the earth's crust, make glass alteration an important process in global element cycling. To gain further insight into microbial communities associated with glass alteration, five microcosm experiments mimicking seafloor conditions were inoculated with seafloor basalt and incubated for one year. Mineral precipitations, microbial attachment to the glass and glass alteration were visualized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the bacterial community composition was fingerprinted by PCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) in combination with sequencing. SEM analysis revealed a microbial community with low morphological diversity of mainly biofilm associated and prosthecate microorganisms. Approximately 30 nm thick alteration rims developed on the glass in all microcosms after one year of incubation; this however was also seen in non inoculated controls. Calcium carbonate precipitates showed parallel, columnar and filamentous crystallization habits in the microcosms as well as in the sterile controls. DGGE analysis showed an alteration in bacterial community profiles in the five different microcosms, as a response to the different energy and redox regimes and time. In all microcosms a reduction in number of DGGE bands, in combination with an increase in cell abundance were recorded during the experiment. Sequence analysis showed that the microcosms were dominated by four groups of organisms with phylogenetic affiliation to four taxa: The Rhodospirillaceae, a family containing phototrophic marine organisms, in which some members are capable of heterotrophic growth in darkness and N2 fixation; the family Hyphomicrobiaceae, a group of prosthecate oligotrophic organisms; the genus Rhizobium, N2 fixating heterotrophs; and the genus Sphingomonas, which are known as bio-film producing oligotrophs. Although no bioalteration of glass could be confirmed from our experiments, oligotrophic surface adhering bacteria such as the Sphingomonas sp. and Hyphomicrobium sp. may nevertheless be important for bioalteration in nature, due to their firm attachment to glass surfaces, and their potential for biofilm production

Hvor går den rettslige grensen for hva foreldre kan dele om egne barn i sosiale medier?

Tema for denne oppgaven er foreldres eksponering av barn i sosiale medier gjennom deling av informasjon i form av tekst, bilder og video. Problemstillingen i oppgaven er: Hvor går den rettslige grensen for hva foreldre kan dele av informasjon, bilder og film om egne barn i sosiale medier. Oppgaven søker dermed å belyse hva som er gjeldende rett på dette området, og om det er behov for ny lovgivning på gjeldende rettsområde.MasteroppgaveJUS399MAJUR-2MAJU

Susceptibility and pathology in juvenile atlantic cod gadus morhua to a marine viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus isolated from diseased rainbow trout oncorhynchus mykiss

The first known outbreak caused by a viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) strain of genotype III in rainbow trout occurred in 2007 at a marine farm in Storfjorden, Norway. The source of the virus is unknown, and cod and other marine fish around the farms are suspected as a possible reservoir. The main objective of this study was to test the susceptibility of juvenile Atlantic cod to the VHSV isolate from Storfjorden. As the pathology of VHS in cod is sparsely described, an additional aim of the study was to give a histopathological description of the disease. Two separate challenge experiments were carried out, using both intra peritoneal (ip) injection and cohabitation as challenge methods. Mortality in the ip injection experiment leveled at approximately 50% three weeks post challenge. Both immunohistochemical and rRT-PCR analysis of organs sampled from diseased and surviving fish confirmed VHSV infection. No VHSV was detected in the cohabitants. The results indicate that Atlantic cod has a low natural susceptibility to this VHSV genotype III strain. One of the most extensive pathological changes was degeneration of cardiac myocytes. Immunohistochemistry confirmed that the lesions were related to VHSV. In some fish, the hematopoietic tissue of spleen and kidney showed degeneration and immunostaining, classical signs of VHS, as described in rainbow trout. Positive immunostaining of the capillaries of the gills, suggests this organ as a useful alternative when screening for VHSV.publishedVersio

Interactive effects of dietary protein/lipid level and oil source on growth, feed utilisation and nutrient and fatty acid digestibility of Atlantic salmon

Although the use of fish meal (FM) and fish oil (FO) has been extensive in Atlantic salmon culture, there is a growing need for less reliance on these commodities. Moreover, it is crucial for the aquafeed industry to optimise the use of dietary protein and to improve the protein utilisation in salmon diets. The interactive effects of the dietary protein/lipid level and rapeseed oil (RO) inclusion on growth, feed utilisation, nutrient and fatty acid (FA) digestibility and whole body chemical composition of large Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.), reared at summer water temperatures (11.6 °C), were investigated in a ten week feeding trial. The fish (initial weight 2053 g) were fed six isoenergetic diets in a factorial design containing 350 g kg−1/350 g, kg−1, 330 g kg−1/360 g kg−1, 290 g kg−1/380 g kg−1 of protein/lipid for high protein (HP), medium protein (MP) and low protein (LP) diets, respectively. At all protein/lipid levels the oil source was either FO or RO (60% of the added oil). At the end of the trial the final weights ranged from 3340–3664 g and the FCR from 0.99– 1.10. The protein level did not affect significantly any of the growth parameters but the oil source had a significant effect on final weight, specific growth rate (SGR) and thermal growth coefficient (TGC), showing improved growth with RO inclusion. This could be explained by the significantly higher lipid digestibility of the fish fed the diets containing RO (86.1 vs. 92.2%) which was probably affected by the diet FA composition; the apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of saturated FA, and to a lesser extent of unsaturated FA and especially monoenes, was improved by RO inclusion. The protein ADC was significantly affected by the protein level indicating a higher ADC for the HP diets compared to the LP (80.1 vs. 77.7%, respectively). Regarding the whole body composition, moisture was significantly affected by both factors, the fat content was significantly affected only by the oil source, while significant interactions were shown for the protein content. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that low protein/high lipid diets can be used with no negative effects on the growth, FCR and chemical composition of Atlantic salmon reared at high water temperatures. Moreover, the replacement of FO with RO can enhance the growth of the fish as well as the nutrient and FA digestibility of the diets

Lesions of the biliary system in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

Gallbladders with mucosal outpouchings (diverticula) were found in a population of Atlantic salmon farmed in sea water. Soft tissue calcification affected the skin, skeletal muscle and gut, as identified by histological observations. In addition, inflammation of muscle and intestinal tissue and lymphocytic and fibrous reaction were present in the liver. The general fish population was characterized by poor growth and unspecified mortalities. Here we describe the observed lesions and discuss them in the light of the general health status of the population.Lesions of the biliary system in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)publishedVersio