Latest news with #Bergen
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
The European city with one of the world's most scenic train rides and Viking-themed bars
KNOWN as the 'Gateway to the Fjords', the Norwegian city of Bergen is the ideal starting point for exploring these natural wonders. But stunning landscapes are just one of the many things Norway's second biggest city has to offer. 5 5 With almost 1,000 years of history to discover, a picturesque harbour and a thriving cultural scene, it's a great spot for an active city break. WHY SHOULD I GO? Surrounded by seven mountains and tucked between two fjords, breathtaking views wait around every corner in Bergen. There are dozens of hiking trails to suit all abilities taking you to remote woodlands or vantage points which offer panoramic views of the city. For those wanting a more relaxed ride, a cable car can take you to the top of Mount Ulriken — the tallest in the area, at 2,110ft above sea level — in five minutes, while Mount Fløyen can be reached by funicular railway. As the birthplace of composer Edvard Grieg, Bergen is also a hit with music lovers. His former home at Troldhaugen is now a living museum, with a concert hall hosting regular classical performances. STREETS MADE FOR WALKING? Absolutely. At the centre of Bergen is its historic wharf and UNESCO World Heritage Site Bryggen, a series of colourful wooden buildings that were once the most important trade centre in Northern Europe for exporting dried fish. Now, if you take a stroll around the cobbled streets you will find an array of quirky gift shops, cafes and bars, as well as the vibrant Bryggen Nightclub. But the city still embraces its roots with its famous outdoor fish market, as well as an indoor site selling seafood, fish and vegetables all year round. Don't tire your legs out until you've visited the KODE Art Museum showcasing the Nordic region's finest crafts. Martin Lewis gives travel advice about checking your passport ANYTHING FOR THE BUCKET LIST? The one-day Norway In A Nutshell tour is a must (£183pp, see showcasing the best of this country's breathtaking nature. The carefully curated experience begins early, taking you straight from the city centre through more than 60 miles of wild mountain terrain on the Bergen Railway. 5 You will change at Myrdal station to ride on the Flåm railway — one of the most scenic routes in the world, with views of deep ravines, tumbling waterfalls and green valleys from the carriage windows. Then, the icing on the cake is hopping on board a relaxing two-hour electric fjord cruise — exploring the beautiful Nærøyfjord with its towering peaks, small hamlets and hanging valleys. WHERE SHOULD I EAT? At the top of Mount Ulriken is the Skyskraperen restaurant, which serves up traditional Nordic food surrounded by nature. Inspired by the changing weather, the reservations-only restaurant offers seasonal lunch and dinner menus showcasing local produce. 5 A three-course lunch menu costs from £73pp featuring dishes like grilled trout and cauliflower or duo of beef with potato gnocchi. Hungry hikers can also stop by the drop-in cafe for a more affordable light bite. Or for holidaymakers wanting a taste of the city's past, Bryggen Tracteursted offers a traditional Norwegian dining experience — including its famous stockfish — in one of the oldest and best-preserved wooden structures in the harbour district. FANCY A DRINK? Bergen is home to a mix of stylish, modern bars and old pubs. But those wanting a more unique experience should be sure to grab a pint of locally brewed lager from Ægir at the Flåmsbrygga Hotel. 5 The micro-brewery serves around 40 different beers and it also has a small distillery on site that produces its own aquavit, gin, vodka and mead. The interior of the pub is inspired by Norse mythology, with a nine-metre high fireplace surrounded by dragons' heads and driftwood walls, while the outside is reminiscent of a stave church. WHERE SHOULD I STAY? For good value accommodation right in the centre of the city, look no further than the 3H Magic Hotel Korskirken. Situated close to the harbour, you can stroll to Bryggen in just minutes. The funky rooms have a space-like look to them with curved furniture and pops of neon-yellow.
Medscape
2 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Deep Learning Aids Diagnosis of Chronic Pancreatitis
A deep learning (DL)–based model achieved a high accuracy in pancreas segmentation for patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) and healthy individuals, a new study finds. The model showed robust performance across diverse scanning protocols and anatomic variations, although its accuracy was affected by visceral fat area and pancreas volume. METHODOLOGY: Researchers developed a DL-based tool using the neural network U-Net (nnU-Net) architecture for the automated segmentation of retrospectively collected CT scans of the pancreas of healthy individuals and of patients with CP. Scans were obtained from one hospital each in Aalborg (n = 373; 223 patients with CP and 150 healthy individuals) and Bergen (n = 97 patients with CP), along with an online dataset from the National Institutes of Health (NIH; n = 80 healthy individuals). The tool was validated and tested using internal and external datasets, and its performance was compared with manual processing done by radiologists using the Sørensen-Dice index. The tool's performance was examined for potential correlation with factors including visceral fat area at the third lumbar level, pancreas volume, and CT scan parameters. TAKEAWAY: The tool demonstrated strong performance with mean Sørensen-Dice scores of 0.85 for the Aalborg test dataset, 0.79 for the Bergen dataset, and 0.79 for the NIH dataset. Sørensen-Dice scores were positively correlated with visceral fat area across datasets (correlation coefficient [r], 0.45; P < .0001) and with pancreas volume in the Aalborg test dataset (r, 0.53; P = .0002). < .0001) and with pancreas volume in the Aalborg test dataset (r, 0.53; = .0002). CT scan parameters had no significant effect on model performance. The tool maintained accuracy across diverse anatomic variations, except in cases with severe pancreatic fat infiltration. IN PRACTICE: "This study presents a novel AI [artificial intelligence]–based pancreas segmentation model trained on both healthy individuals and CP [chronic pancreatitis] patients, demonstrating consistent and robust performance across internal and external test datasets that vary in patient characteristics and scanner parameters. The model has the potential to significantly enhance the efficiency and accuracy of pancreas segmentation in clinical practice and research, particularly for CP patients with complex anatomical features," the authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Surenth Nalliah, Radiology Research Center, Department of Radiology, Aalborg University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark. It was published online on May 14 in European Journal of Radiology . LIMITATIONS: Comprehensive hyperparameter optimisation was not performed due to computational constraints. Additionally, architectures beyond nnU-Net and other segmentation methods were not explored. Post hoc visualisation methods were not studied. Small sizes of datasets could have hindered model performance, and cases of severe pancreatic fat infiltration were not included. DISCLOSURES: Funding information was not provided for this study. One author reported receiving financial support from Health Hub, founded by the Spar Nord Foundation.
Bloomberg
6 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
DNB Sells Active Fund Manager Holberg to Norwegian Billionaire
DNB Bank ASA 's investment banking unit sold its stake in active fund manager Holberg to Kistefos AS, the investment company of Norwegian billionaire Christen Sveaas, for an undisclosed amount. The Bergen, Norway-based Holberg has about 36 billion kroner ($3.6 billion) under management in its bond and share funds. The transaction is expected to be finalized during the third quarter after customary regulatory approvals, according to an emailed statement Monday.
The Guardian
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Folk, fiddles and foot-stomping: how gen Z rebooted old-school Norwegian music
Folk music is having a resurgence in Norway spurred by a reclamation of the genre among generation Z. Norwegian folk music, which until recently was largely restricted to the countryside, has been gaining traction across Norwegian cities with sweaty club nights appealing to a younger audience. Playing a central role in the revival is Tuvas Blodklubb, a monthly event at Riksscenen, the national centre for traditional folk music and dance in Oslo, which attracts hundreds of people every month and tours around the country. Similar folk music clubs have since started in other cities including Bergen, Trondheim and Tromsø. Musician Tuva Syvertsen started Tuvas Blodklubb, which she describes as 'Norway's, probably the Nordic region's, and maybe even the world's first pure folk music nightclub', seven years ago with the aim of opening up the kinds of experiences she was having at folk music festivals to more people, particularly among the LGBTQ+ community. Inspired by Oslo's techno music scene, she wanted to make folk music less 'stiff' and create an event that attracted younger people. 'I wanted to have a place that you could go and get wasted and dance to folk music on a Saturday,' said Syvertsen, 41, who is in the band Valkyrien Allstars. 'So that's what we did.' Part of its gen Z appeal, she believes, is the sense of rootedness it offers in an uncertain world. 'Young people feel that the world is unsteady as it is and they seek something real, something warm and close to them. So maybe that has something to do with it,' she said. Norwegian folk music, which dates back hundreds of years, is played using traditional instruments including Norway's national instrument, hardingfele (the hardanger fiddle), bukkehorn (an instrument made from a goat's horn) and langeleik (a stringed instrument similar to a dulcimer). The Sámi vocal tradition of joiking, which for a long time was banned in schools as a result of racist assimilation policies by the Norwegian government, is also being revitalised by younger generations and artists such as Marja Mortensson, 30, gaining mainstream recognition. The Sámi people are the Indigenous population of Sápmi, a region covering northern Finland, Russia, Norway and Sweden, who have been subjected to widespread discrimination. 'As long as you know the tradition it's very important that joiking also lives in popular music or where young people listen to music because that's how traditional music will live on and be passed on to younger generations,' she said. It is especially important, she added, to have spaces for traditions to live where people can be exposed to traditional folk music. 'It gives you some kind of strength to know your own music tradition,' she said. Dance is a big part of the Tuvas Blodklubb nights. Before each club night, Syvertsen puts on sessions to teach people the basics beforehand, which she said are also 'packed with young people that want to learn'. Many young clubbers, she said, are not used to dancing to live music, but with folk music the interplay between musician and dancer is key. 'An actual person sitting there playing for you, that is way different to dancing to a DJ. It's much more sensitive. Not on the dance itself but in the chemistry between the dancers and the musicians, that's really essential.' As well as booking live performers and DJs from around the world, she has a house DJ, DJ Sissyfus, who plays electronic music and makes remixes of old folk music recordings. Sometimes she also books singers who sing along to fiddle tunes. 'We put microphones under the stage so it's just the sound of the voice and the foot-stomping. It's really amazing,' she said. They also have folk music karaoke sessions. In the future Syvertsen hopes to take the event to cities outside of Norway such as London or Berlin. 'This [club night] is extremely exotic for Norwegians, so I guess it would work just as well somewhere else,' she said. Syvertsen, who plays the hardanger fiddle and grew up with folk music, said a big part of her own fascination comes from the power of a single instrument and its survival over so many hundreds of years. 'There is something about those melodies and those stories that are so still so relevant,' she said.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Endurance Bio Inc. Announces Selection of T-168 for Neuro-SysMed's SLEIPNIR Platform Trial in Parkinson's Disease
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Endurance Bio Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapies for neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases, today announced that its compound, T-168, has been selected for testing on the SLEIPNIR clinical trial platform for Parkinson's disease (PD), an academic, investigator-led initiative at the Neuro-SysMed Centre of Excellence for clinical treatment research in neurology, in Bergen, Norway. SLEIPNIR is a pioneering, multi-arm, Phase 2a, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial platform designed to rigorously assess target penetration and engagement of candidate therapies in early-stage clinical development for PD. SLEIPNIR will operate through iterative cycles of trials, each of which will test three independent treatments versus a shared placebo group. Based on state-of-art fluid and neuroimaging biomarker analyses, treatments will be nominated for advancing to larger trials assessing clinical efficacy. In this manner, SLEIPNIR allows to prioritize therapies with verified brain penetration and biological activity for further development. SLEIPNIR is supported by Cure Parkinson's, the Norwegian Parkinson's Research Fund and the Norwegian Parkinson's Association. T-168 was chosen for its novel mechanism of action, which involves upregulation of PGC-1α and TFEB to restore mitochondrial and lysosomal function, key processes implicated in the pathophysiology of PD and other neurodegenerative diseases. This approach directly addresses the urgent need for new therapeutic strategies in PD, where more than 70 randomized clinical trials have failed to deliver a compound capable of halting disease progression. Professor Charalampos Tzoulis, MD, PhD, Director of the Neurodegeneration Program of the Neuro-SysMed Center and Professor of Neurology at Haukeland University Hospital and the University of Bergen, stated: 'Endurance Bio's T-168 stands out as a highly promising compound in clinical development for PD and other neurodegenerative disorders. Its mechanism, which upregulates PGC-1α and TFEB to restore mitochondrial and lysosomal function, addresses fundamental disease processes. By including T-168 in the SLEIPNIR platform trial, we aim to rigorously evaluate its potential to influence key-disease mechanisms in the patient brain. A positive outcome from this trial will directly nominate T-168 for testing of clinical efficacy in a Phase 2b/3 trial and bring new hope to patients worldwide'. Frederic Godderis, CEO of Endurance Bio Inc., added: 'We are excited to collaborate with Professor Tzoulis and his team to unlock the therapeutic potential of PGC-1α and TFEB upregulation for patients with Parkinson's disease. The SLEIPNIR study will be instrumental in advancing the clinical development of T-168 in PD and other neurodegenerative diseases. This partnership represents a significant step forward in our mission to deliver transformative treatments to patients'. PD is one of the most common and debilitating brain diseases. It affects approximately 10 million people globally. The SLEIPNIR trial is expected to set a new standard for early-phase clinical research in PD by prioritizing therapies with robust biological rationale and measurable target engagement. About Endurance Bio Inc. Endurance Bio Inc. is a California-based clinical-stage biotech company developing orally bioavailable small molecules that restore mitochondrial and lysosomal health by upregulating PGC-1α and TFEB, master regulators of cellular metabolism. Founded on discoveries from Dr. Edgar Engleman at Stanford University, Endurance Bio's lead compound, T-168, is in clinical Phase 2, with additional assets in preclinical development. The mechanism of action has demonstrated broad therapeutic potential not only in neuroscience, but also in metabolic, cardiovascular, and inflammatory disease areas. Endurance Bio is seeking partners and investors to advance its innovative pipeline. This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding investigational therapies and clinical research. Actual results may differ due to risks and uncertainties inherent in drug development. CONTACT: Media: contact@ in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
