Subfossil Records of the Arctic Fox (Alopex Lagopus) Compared to Its Present Distribution in Norway

We studied the prehistoric and historic distribution of arctic foxes in Norway by examining material and reports from archaeological excavations. A total of 44 arctic fox bones were found in 15 excavations, all of which were younger than 5000 years before present (B.P.). The majority of these sites was located within or close to the present distribution of arctic foxes. Additionally, 44 naturally deposited arctic fox bones were found in two excavations dated 36 000-28 000 and 13 000 B.P. respectively, indicating that the arctic fox also lived along the Norwegian coast in the Pleistocene. No arctic fox bone was dated to the period 9000-5000 B.P., and the species may have been rare or absent during this comparatively warm period. Since most bones (61%) were from the distal part of the limbs, the foxes may have been skinned elsewhere and transported to the site of deposition. Bones from red foxes were found in three excavations within the present distribution of arctic foxes, indicating that the arctic fox was relatively more abundant than red foxes during the late prehistoric and the historic periods in south Norway, but less abundant in north Norway.Key words: arctic fox, red fox, prehistoric and historic distributions, archaeological excavations, NorwayOn a étudié les distributions préhistorique et historique du renard arctique en Norvège, en examinant du matériel et des rapports provenant de fouilles archéologiques. Au total, 44 os de renard arctique ont été trouvés dans des fouilles effectuées sur 15 sites, et tous les os dataient de moins de 5000 ans avant le présent. La majorité de ces emplacements était située à l'intérieur ou près de la distribution actuelle du renard arctique. On a en outre trouvé 44 os de renard arctique déposés naturellement dans deux fouilles datées respectivement de 36 000 à 28 000 ans avant le présent et de 13 000 ans avant le présent, ce qui révèle que le renard arctique vivait aussi le long du rivage norvégien au cours du pléistocène. Aucun os de renard arctique n'a été daté de la période allant de 9000 à 5000 avant le présent et il est possible que l'espèce ait été rare ou absente au cours de cette période comparativement tempérée. Étant donné que la plupart des os (61 p. cent) proviennent de la partie distale des membres, il se peut que les renards aient été dépouillés ailleurs et transportés à l'emplacement où ils ont été déposés. On a trouvé des os de renard roux dans trois fouilles à l'intérieur de la distribution actuelle du renard arctique, ce qui révèle que ce dernier était relativement plus abondant que le renard roux en Norvège méridionale, à la fin de la période préhistorique et au cours de la période historique, mais moins abondant en Norvège septentrionale.Mots clés: renard arctique, renard roux, distributions préhistorique et historique, fouilles archéologiques, Norvèg

Measuring Financial Contagion by Local Gaussian Correlation

This paper examines financial contagion, that is, whether the cross-market linkages in financial markets increases after a shock to a country. We introduce the use of a new measure of local dependence (introduced by Hufthammer and Tjøstheim (2009)) to study the contagion effect. The central idea of the new approach is to approximate an arbitrary bivariate return distribution by a family of Gaussian bivariate distributions. At each point of the return distribution there is a Gaussian distribution that gives a good approximation at that point. The correlation of the approximating Gaussian distribution is taken as the local correlation in that neighbourhood. By examining the local Gaussian correlation before the shock (in a stable period) and after the shock (in the crisis period), we are able to test whether contagion has occurred by a proposed bootstrap testing procedure. Examining the Mexican crisis of 1994, the Asian crisis of 1997-1998 and the financial crisis of 2007-2009, we find some evidence of contagion based on our new procedure.Financial Contagion; Crisis; Gaussian Correlation

Radiocarbon dates of two musk ox vertebrae reveal ice-free conditions during late Marine Isotope Stage 3 in central South Norway

One of the most reliable proofs of terrestrial ice-free conditions within Stadials is the presence of terrestrial vertebrate fauna that require access to vegetation in the winter, for example sedentary birds such as Ptarmigans and herbivorous mammals in particular. The musk ox (Ovibos moschatus) is an example of the latter; modern-day distributions of this species are limited to areas with low snow accumulations. In this paper we discuss the discovery of musk ox bones in Norway. Recently obtained radiocarbon dates on this material demonstrate the presence of this species 41–35 cal kyr B.P. in southern Norway during late Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS3). Furthermore the dates have implications for the interpretation of climate and environmental conditions; indicating the existence of a small ice cap in the mountains and climate and vegetation supporting a large mammal fauna in South Norway at that time.publishedVersio

En samling blir til - om innsamling av hesteskjeletter ved Bergens Museum

I årene 1914–16 undersøkte professor Haakon Shetelig steinalderboplassen på Ruskeneset i Fana. Foruten oldsaker kom det for dagen et stort beinmateriale, både av fugl, fisk og pattedyr. Mer enn 5000 bein og beinfragmenter ble overlevert til styreren for museets zoologiske avdeling, professor August Brinkmann, til bestemmelse. Dermed var et unikt samarbeid mellom zoologi og arkeologi innledet, og med beina fra Ruskeneset ble grunnlaget for de osteologiske samlingene ved Bergens Museum lagt

Kongekrabbe, Paralithodes Camtschatica rapport frå forsøksfisket hausten 1997 - vinteren 1998

Forsøksfisket etter kongekrabbe i Finnmark, som ble utført av seks fartøyer i perioden oktober -97 til januar -98, ga data for utbredelse, størrelsesfordeling, kjønnsfordeling, fangstrater og bestandsvurdering av kongekrabben. I tillegg ble det utført sammenlignende forsøk mellom standard (konisk) teine og modifisert torsketeine. Bestandsestimatene for forsøksfisket ga fremdeles svært varierende resultater. Krabben har fortsatt sin hovedutbredelse i Varangerområdet. Fangstratene har vært stabile de tre siste årene - noe som bekrefter at en ikke har en sterk vekst i bestanden i kjerneområdet (Varanger). Modifiserte torsketeiner ga vesentlig høyere fangstrater og sterk seleksjon for store hannkrabber

Kongekrabbe, Paralithodes Camtschatica rapport frå forsøksfisket hausten 1997 - vinteren 1998

Forsøksfisket etter kongekrabbe i Finnmark, som ble utført av seks fartøyer i perioden oktober -97 til januar -98, ga data for utbredelse, størrelsesfordeling, kjønnsfordeling, fangstrater og bestandsvurdering av kongekrabben. I tillegg ble det utført sammenlignende forsøk mellom standard (konisk) teine og modifisert torsketeine. Bestandsestimatene for forsøksfisket ga fremdeles svært varierende resultater. Krabben har fortsatt sin hovedutbredelse i Varangerområdet. Fangstratene har vært stabile de tre siste årene - noe som bekrefter at en ikke har en sterk vekst i bestanden i kjerneområdet (Varanger). Modifiserte torsketeiner ga vesentlig høyere fangstrater og sterk seleksjon for store hannkrabber

Self-rated health (SRH) in young people and causes of death and mortality in young adulthood. A prospective registry-based Norwegian HUNT-study

Background: Self-rated health (SRH), which is frequently used in epidemiological research, has consistently been shown to be a strong predictor of morbidity and mortality, even after controlling for demographic, social and medical risk factors. However, less is known about the relationship between SRH and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in young adulthood. Objective: To investigate SRH in young people (13–35 years-old) as a predictor of all-cause mortality in young adulthood (deaths before age 54) and examine the associated causes of death. Methods: We used data from two large population-based cohort studies (N = 23,679): Young-HUNT1 (1995–1997, persons 13 to 20 years old, participation rate = 90%) and HUNT2 (1995–1997, persons 20 to 35 years old, participation rate = 70%). These data were linked to the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry up to 2014, and 247 deaths were identified. Other predictors we examined included age, gender, baseline smoking, physical activity and physical and mental disability. Results: Participants reporting ‘not so good’/‘poor’ SRH had approximately twice the risk of death compared to those reporting ‘good’ or ‘very good’ SRH at baseline. The association between low SRH and risk of death was attenuated when the models were adjusted for other predictors, but remained statistically significant. The causes of death differed somewhat between SRH levels. Most of the deaths for people reporting ‘very good’ SRH at baseline were mostly due to neoplasms (34%) and other external causes (30%). The causes of death were more varied for people reporting ‘not so good’/‘poor’ SRH, with suicide (23%), other external causes (21%) and other/unknown causes of death (17%) being the most frequent causes. Conclusion: SRH predicts all-cause mortality in young adulthood, with poor SRH being associated with death in young adulthood. The findings also indicate different causes of death for different SRH. This knowledge is important for identifying groups at risk for later disease, which can potentially be used to prevent morbidity in the adult population.publishedVersio

Vascular endothelial function assessed by flow-mediated vasodilatation in young adults born very preterm or with extremely low birthweight: A regional cohort study

Background: Preterm birth and low birthweight have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease in young adults. Endothelial dysfunction is established as an early marker for development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Previous studies of endothelial function in young adults born very preterm or with extremely low birthweight have, however, shown diverging results. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular disease as measured by vascular endothelial function in young adults born very preterm (<29 weeks of gestation) or with extremely low birthweight (<1,000 g), compared with term-born controls. Methods: This study included 50 young adults born very preterm or with extremely low birthweight and 49 term-born controls born in Norway in the periods 1982–1985, 1991–1992, and 1999–2000 at mean age 28 (±6) years. The endothelial function was assessed by ultrasound measured flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the right brachial artery. The arterial diameter was measured at baseline, after release of 5 min of occlusion, and after sublingual administration of nitroglycerine. FMD was reported as absolute and percentage diameter change from baseline and relative to nitroglycerine-induced dilatation. Results: The participants were mainly normal weight non-smokers, without hypertension, diabetes, or established cardiovascular disease. The cases and controls had mean blood pressure 112/71 (SD 12/9) and 112/69 (SD 11/8) mmHg, body mass index 24.0 (SD 4.2) and 24.4 (SD 4.5) kg/m2, and HbA1c 32.7 (SD 2.5) and 33.0 (SD 2.6) mmol/mol, respectively. For both groups, 4 (8%) were smokers. Mean FMD for the adults born very preterm or with extremely low birthweight was 0.17 mm (95% CI 0.14, 0.21) vs. 0.24 mm (95% CI 0.20, 0.28) for the controls (p = 0.01), corresponding to a percentage increase of 5.4% (95% CI 4.2, 6.6) and 7.6% (95% CI 6.2, 8.9), respectively (p = 0.02). The FMD relative to maximal nitroglycerine-induced dilatation was 20% and 31%, respectively (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Young adults born very preterm or with extremely low birthweight have significantly lower FMD compared with the term-born controls suggesting an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.publishedVersio

A preboreal elk (Alces alces L., 1758) antler from south-eastern Norway

In 1895 a shed elk antler was found in a mire on a farm near Fluberg, in Søndre Land municipality in south-eastern Norway. The antler was first radiocarbon dated in 2008 and yielded the age 9,100 ± 50 BP (8,340 – 8,250 BC), which is the oldest dated elk remain from Norway. Elk (Alces alces L., 1758) are a pioneer colonising species; they were already established south of the ice front in Denmark and southern Sweden in the Late Glacial period. This antler shows that the species had arrived in south-eastern Norway in the late Preboreal period. This could tie in with the earliest arrival of elk once the colonizing routes from southern Sweden were established 9,300-9,200 BP. The antler is clearly of the palmate morph, and strongly resembles elk antlers found in Denmark and southern Sweden from the Late Glacial and Early Holocene periods. This find also reveals that the vegetation at the end of the Preboreal period suited large herbivores such as elkpublishedVersio

Agreement of clinical assessment of burn size and burn depth between referring hospitals and burn centres: A systematic review

Background: The quality of burn care is highly dependent on the initial assessment and care. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the agreement of clinical assessment of burn depth and %TBSA between the referring units and the receiving burn centres. Methods: Included articles had to meet criteria defined in a PICO (patients, interventions, comparisons, outcomes). Relevant databases were searched using a predetermined search string (November 6th 2021). Data were extracted in a standardised fashion. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach for test accuracy was used to assess the certainty of evidence. The QUADAS-2 tool was used to assess the risk of bias of individual studies as ‘high’, ‘low’ or ‘unclear’. Results: A total of 412 abstracts were retrieved and of these 28 studies with a total of 6461 patients were included, all reporting %TBSA and one burn depth. All studies were cross-sectional and most of them comprising retrospectively enrolled consecutive cohort. All studies showed a low agreement between %TBSA calculations made at referring units and at burn centres. Most studies directly comparing estimations of %TBSA at referring institutions and burn centers showed a proportion of overestimations of 50% or higher. The study of burn depth showed that 55% were equal to the estimates from the burn centre. Most studies had severe study limitations and the risk of imprecision was high. The overall certainty of evidence for accuracy of clinical estimations in referring centres is low (GRADE ⊕⊕ОО) for %TBSA and very low (GRADE ⊕ООО) for burn depth and resuscitation. Conclusion: Overestimation of %TBSA at referring hospitals occurs very frequently. The overall certainty of evidence for accuracy of clinical estimations in referring centres is low for burn size and very low for burn depth. The findings suggest that the burn community has a significant challenge in educating and communicating better with our colleagues at referring institutions and that high-quality studies are needed.publishedVersio