Jamesiella scotica new to North America from USA, Alaska

Jamesiella scotica is reported new to North America from Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska. It was found on live and moribund leaves of the bryophyte Paraleucobryum longifolium on sea-shore rocks just above high tide line.

Lepraria lobificans (syn. L. santosii) and L. sylvicola new to northern Europe from Norway

The two lichen species Lepraria lobificans (syn. L. santosii) and L. sylvicola are reported new to northern Europa, based on collections from Western Norway and Northern Norway, respectively. The specimens were identified by morphology, thin-layer chromatography, and the DNA barcode marker. The common species currently named L. lobificans in Northern Europe should be named L. finkii.publishedVersio

A new species of Sagiolechia (Sagiolechiaceae) from Norway, with lirelliform ascomata and 1-septate ascospores

The new species Sagiolechia monoseptata is described from the northern boreal zone of Norway where it was found on a shaded siliceous rock under a boulder in a north-facing, small, steep scree. It is characterized by the pale greyish-green thallus, black, lirelliform ascomata, and 1-septate ascospores of (11–) 12–16 × (4–) 5–6 (– 7) µm, all features unique within the genus. Despite the unusual combination of morphological characters, phylogenetic analyses using nuLSU, mtSSU and RPB2 sequences place the new lichen in the genus Sagiolechia with full support.publishedVersio

Novel serum biomarkers and their association with measured and estimated GFR decline in the general population

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an increasing health problem globally, now affecting 8-13% of the world’s population. The prevalence of CKD increases dramatically with age because kidney function, as assessed by the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), declines with age. The rate of GFR loss varies significantly between individuals regardless of known risk factors. However, current kidney biomarkers are suboptimal at predicting those at high risk of accelerated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decline, especially when GFR is >60 ml/min/1.73m2. Thus, there is an unmet need to identify high-risk individuals or groups of people for early measures to delay or prevent CKD development. This thesis explores the relationship between baseline levels of 18 serum biomarkers and GFR decline over 5.6 and 11.0 years of follow-up in 1627 individuals in a healthy general middle-aged population, without cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, or diabetes at baseline. The GFR was measured (mGFR) using iohexol clearance at baseline and follow-up. We also investigated whether there are discrepancies in the relationship between the biomarkers and GFR decline when using the measured GFR or the commonly used estimated GFR (eGFR) from creatinine or cystatin C. Only one biomarker (MMP7) was independently associated with GFR decline independent of follow-up time, estimated or measured GFR, or how GFR decline was defined. MMP7 also predicted incident CKD and accelerated GFR decline beyond traditional CKD risk factors. Associations between the other proteins and GFR decline varied depending on whether the GFR was estimated or measured using iohexol. Thus, for some biomarkers, associations with eGFR decline may not be reproducible with mGFR. Results from studies on biomarkers for GFR decline, using eGFR and particularly eGFR from cystatin C, should be interpreted with caution

Edutainment and entrepreneurship : a field experiment on youth in Tanzania

The aim of our thesis is to examine an innovative way to educate people in developing countries about business training. This paper analyses whether the edutainment show Ruka Juu, broadcasted in Tanzania in the spring of 2011, has had an informational or inspirational impact on youth in Tanzania when it comes to entrepreneurship. We find that Ruka Juu has led to increased business knowledge for male viewers who have not watched similar shows before, indicating that the show has had an informational impact. In addition we find an inspiration to learn more about business related topics for females. If an edutainment show like Ruka Juu successfully can express its educational approach, it can help create employment opportunities in developing countries

The Sticta fuliginosa group in Norway and Sweden

A recent investigation demonstrated that Sticta fuliginosa (Hoffm.) Ach., as currently treated, includes four distinct species in Europe: Sticta fuliginosa s. str., S. fuliginoides Magain & Sérus., S. ciliata Tayl., and S. atlantica Magain & Sérus. This finding prompted us to revise material named S. fuliginosa from Norway and Sweden. It is demonstrated here that three species occur in Norway: S. fuliginosa s. str., S. fuliginoides, and S. ciliata. S. fuliginoides is the most widespread species, whereas S. fuliginosa occurs mostly along the coast and S. ciliata is very rare in the most oceanic parts of the western coast. In Sweden, only a single species of the group occurs, viz. S. fuliginoides. It was formerly found in scattered sites across the southern half of Sweden but has now disappeared from most of them. The basionym Sticta fuliginosa var. propagulifera Vain. ex H. Magn. is lectotypified and synonymized under S. fuliginoides.publishedVersio

Marchantiana asserigena, a genus and species new to Norway

Marchantiana asserigena is reported new to Norway from the south-west (counties Rogaland, Hordaland, Sogn og Fjordane, and Møre og Romsdal) at altitudes from near sea level to 393 m. It occurs on branches of trees and shrubs and has been found on 33 species of phorophytes (including two hybridigenous ones). Larix decidua was the phorophyte with most collections. Based on the present material M. asserigena seems to be widespread in urban and suburban areas and in the cultural landscape. It is likely that M. asserigena is more widely distributed in Norway than the presented material indicates. Due to the inconspicuous thallus, the diminutive apothecia, and its unusual ecology it is easily overlooked.publishedVersio

Akademiseringen av norsk folkemusikk, jazz og populærmusikk i Norge – the same story?

This article discusses whether comparable traits exist between the academising processes that have taken place within Norwegian folk music and popular music/jazz. A major similarity shared by the said types of music is the concern voiced against education in the field, because there often is a focus on what is rights or wrongs in education. One of the differences is that, when it comes to jazz, pop, rock education, all were established within already existing art music institutions, with the particular challenges this entails. As regards folk music part, this is the case only at one of the three Norwegian institutions offering folk music education on a large scale and at a high level. The remaining two were established as quite new independent academies, as a result of local and individual initiatives. The article also considers whether educational frames and a focus on what is ”right or wrong” in instruction can contribute to the creation of great art within the folk music genre

Patriarkalisme, velfærdspolitik og Brede Klædefabrik

Paternalism, Welfare Policy and the Cloth Mill at BredePaternalism was a widespread type of management in industry during the second half of the 19th century. It has been regarded both as a tradition originating in the pre-industrial era and as an innovative reaction to be emerging socialism. Paternalism has been defined as implying both a manager offering other material benefits in addition to the wage as such, and as a specific power relation permitting the manager to control the workforce even outside the workplace. Inspired by the German historians Thomas Welskopp and Hartmut Berghoff in this article "paternalism" signifies only the power relationship, while the system of material benefits other than wages is called "welfare policy". Welfare policy is a multi-purpose management strategy covering different target groups. Four functions are singled out: a) investments in local infrastructure benefit not only the workers but also the local community; b) by taking up normal community responsibilities for the workers the firm may secure its autonomy vis a vis the local authorities; c) by giving access to limited goods the firm may attract the best part of the available workforce; d) by conditioning the welfare goods on a work contract the firm may discipline and keep its actual workforce. The latter function is normally considered the most important, and during the second half of the 19th century this function was often identified with employers' fight against the labour unions. The other functions, however, help to explain why welfare policy was practised both before and after the breakthrough of the unions. The Brede Cloth Mill, situated at the Millstream north of Copenhagen was known as a paternalistic firm from the 1860s to around 1920. Quite a few paternalistic features remained until it closed down in 1956. The fact that paternalism continued at Brede for so many years after the creation of a labour union in 1898 and the general agreement between the unions and the employers' associations in 1899 has been explained by the isolated location of Brede. But if one considers the welfare benefits that were the most obvious expression of paternalism at Brede they fit easily into the abovementioned four functions of welfare policy. The welfare benefits are, accordingly, not tied to a specific era, on the contrary they may be present anytime when the managerial level attempts to attract, discipline and keep a workforce. Apart from the general observations it is worth noting that through the years 1880-1918 the welfare policy at Brede manifested itself in a single person, the German-born textile engineer Edmund Daverkosen who was the technical director. He showed himself able til live up to the role of a dynamic leader of a large firm as well as a dominant father figure to an entire local industrial community: the archetypical patriarch

Rekrutteringen til de utøvende musikkutdanningene i Norge

Published version of an article in the journal: Norsk tidsskrift for musikkforskning. Also freely available on the Internet: http://journal.uia.no/index.php/NTM/article/view/65The admission to the music performance programs in Norway is not coordinated. There are good reasons for that, but it also presents some challenges. An example of these is that there are no surveys at the national level of the changes over time in the number of applicants to the classical and popular music performance programs. The article contributes to new knowledge and insight in this area in that it explains and discusses the findings of three empirical studies in the 2000s, studies that provide the basis for answering the question: Is it in Norway today more applicants to the popular music educations than to the classical ones