to the sides of this body

This is a written reflection on the performance and process of making "to the sides of this body" together with Marlene Bonnesen during our MA in Dance

Acid leaching of gneisses in southern Norway : an evaluation of H2O2 oxidation testing for the determination of the acid-producing potential of sulphide-rich rocks

The amphibolite- to granulite- facies gneisses exposed in southern Norway are causing environmental problems as they produce an acidic solution with high metal content when exposed to the atmosphere. As such, these rocks are commonly referred to as “acid-producing gneisses”. This has, for example, led to problems with fish dying in nearby streams and rivers. Therefore, a guide was created for how the acid-producing gneiss should be managed and characterised. The guide "Retningslinjer for tiltak i områder med syredannende gneis " by the Project Group for Control of Sulphurous Runoff in Agder, known as the Agder Method, which is currently used. The Agder method involves a three-step assessment: degree of weathering, sulphur (S) content, and temperature change after 25 minutes when hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been added (H2O2 test). Experiments using the H2O2 test indicate that the Agder method leads to false classification of acid-producing gneiss. Consequently, acid-producing rocks have been placed in non-approved landfills, and non-acid-producing rocks have been placed in approved landfills with obviously environmental and financial consequences. The rationale behind the H2O2 test is that the exothermic oxidation of sulphide minerals, such as pyrite, releases heat. In the Agder method, the threshold values are set at 0.7 °C, i.e. a rock is not acid-producing of ΔT25min 0.7 °C the rock is potentially acid-producing. However, acid leaching from a rock is not only caused by sulphide minerals, but also by jarosite, which does not react exothermically with H2O2. In addition, H2O2 may also react exothermally with other minerals that do not produce any acid whatsoever. In this study, I investigate how secondary minerals, with a particular focus on iron oxides, could contribute to the false classification of the acid-producing potential. The “single NAG test” method was also tested to compare the relevance of measuring NAG pH vs. temperature upon H2O2 oxidation. Three gneiss samples and various mixtures of pure mineral phases, including pyrite (sulphide), ferrihydrite (Fe hydroxide), and quartz (inert), were selected for laboratory tests. The tests performed included the single NAG test with temperature logging, the Agder H2O2 method, paste pH and oxalate extraction of Fe oxides. The main findings are that ferrihydrite and pyrite alone react exothermically, but when ferrihydrite and pyrite are mixed, the exothermic reaction is inhibited. This shows that in natural rock, where Fe oxides and sulphide minerals can be expected to coexist, the temperature response to H2O2 does not provide a reliable indication of sulphide oxidation potential. Experiments were carried out to remove Fe oxides prior to the H2O2 test. For all gneiss samples tested, oxalate extracted samples changed the temperature reaction pattern to smaller temperature increases. The single NAG test was also tested and gave results that were in agreement with the reliable column leaching tests performed by Lindum AS. Based on the findings in this study, it can be concluded that there is an urgent need for a change in the current guideline for the characterisation of gneiss in southern Norway in order to avoid further environmental and related financial damage. I recommended that the Agder H2O2 test is replaced by the AMIRA single NAG method.Amfibolitt- til granulitt gneisene i Sør-Norge skaper miljøproblemer når de eksponeres til atmosfæren. Dette gjør at de produserer sur avrenning med et høyt metallinnhold. Disse gneisene blir ofte omtalt som «syredannende gneiser». Den sure avrenningen har blant annet ført til problemer med fiskedød i nærliggende bekker og elver. Derfor ble det laget en veileder for hvordan syredannende gneis skal håndteres og karakteriseres. Veilederen «Retningslinjer for tiltak i områder med syredannende gneis» av Prosjektgruppen for kontroll av svovelholdig avrenning i Agder, kalt Agder metoden, er den som brukes i dag. Agder metoden innebærer en tretrinnsvurdering: forvitringsgrad, innhold av svovel (S), og temperaturendring ved 25 minutter etter tilførsel av hydrogenperoksid (H2O2). Forsøk med H2O2 testen tyder på at Agder metoden fører til feilklassifisering av syredannende gneiser. Dette har ført til at syredannende gneis ikke blir deponert og rene gneiser blir deponert, som fører til miljømessige og økonomiske konsekvenser.M-MILJ

When methods matter : disagreement between multiplex qPCR and metagenomic shotgun sequencing in defining the resistome of canine fecal samples

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat to humans and animals. It is of great importance to study and monitor the spread of AMR. This thesis intends to characterize the resistome in 35 canine fecal samples with bioinformatic tools using acquired shotgun metagenomic sequence data, and to compare the resistome results to those obtained using an extended multiplex qPCR method used in an earlier study. Fecal samples collected by dog owners for the HUNT-One Health project in addition to blank samples and mocks was analyzed. FastQC, MultiQC and Trim Galore were used for quality control and trimming of sequence data. AMRPlusPlus with MEGARes was used for AMR gene detection and resistome analysis. Only 8,2% of the AMR genes detected by qPCR were also detected in the metagenomic shotgun sequencing data. There were also AMR detections in the resistome that were not detected using qPCR as the corresponding detections accounted for 22,8% of the total detections made with the metagenomic shotgun sequencing data. Various factors such as extraction and detection method, sequencing depth, and different starting material could explain some discrepancy observed between the qPCR and resistome analysis. This master study does however tell a cautionary tale that resistome results vary depending on analysis method chosen, and that care should be taken when interpreting such results, especially if just one method is used. It would be valuable to have more starting material, increased sequence depth and use multiple resistome pipelines/databases in an effort to describe the “true” resistome better, as well as investigating taxonomic classification to study the bigger picture in the canine fecal microbiota.M-K

Design of tumor-specific immunotherapies using dendritic cells - effect of bromelain on dendritic cell maturation

Immunotherapy using dendritic cells (DC) has shown promising results in clinical trials, but few relevant successes are recorded. Therefore, the choice of an appropriate DC population is critical for the outcome of this treatment. The DC used today in immunotherapy are often matured with a cytokine cocktail consisting of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and PGE2. These cells have deficits in their cytokine production, and also their migratory capacity in vivo needs improvement. After being introduced to bromelain and the effect it has shown on glioma cells, a curiosity about how it would affect DC maturation awoke. Bromelain is a pineapple stem extract that has been clinically used in adjuvant cancer treatment for a long time. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of bromelain on DC maturation. Immature monocyte derived DC were stimulated for 24 h with different concentrations of bromelain and compared to cells stimulated with the cytokine cocktail. The phenotype of the generated cell populations was investigated by flow cytometry. Moreover, the phosphorylation patterns of MAP kinase proteins and AKT, in addition to nuclear RelB expression, were examined by Western blot. The migratory capacity of the generated DC populations was analyzed in a chemotaxis assay toward CCL19, and IL-12p70 production was determined by ELISA. The T cell stimulatory capacity of the generated DC populations was investigated by a mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Bromelain treated DC showed a concentration dependent upregulation of maturation markers and co-stimulatory molecules. However, they had a less mature phenotype compared to DC stimulated with the cytokine cocktail. Phosphorylation patterns of MAP kinase proteins and AKT obtained from Western blotting indicated that bromelain stimulated DC were more similar to immature cells. Nuclear RelB expression of bromelain stimulated DC was lower compared to cytokine cocktail treated DC but higher compared to immature DC. All bromelain concentrations used in this study resulted in increased IL-12p70 secretion by DC compared to cytokine cocktail treated cells and immature DC. The chemotaxis assay revealed that nearly the same number of DC migrated without a chemokine gradient and the MLR revealed that bromelain stimulated DC can induce proliferation of allogeneic T cells comparable to DC treated with the cytokine cocktail. Although bromelain stimulated DC seem to be less mature than DC treated with the cytokine cocktail, they did produce more IL-12p70. Since lack of IL-12 secretion is one of the drawbacks of using the cytokine cocktail, bromelain might be used as an additional stimulus, in combination with other stimuli during generation of DC used in immunotherapy

Maturation of monocyte derived dendritic cells with OK432 boosts IL-12p70 secretion and conveys strong T-cell responses

Background: Design of tumour specific immunotherapies using the patients’ own dendritic cells (DC) is a fast advancing scientific field. The functional qualities of the DC generated in vitro are critical, and today’s gold standard for maturation is a cytokine cocktail consisting of IL-1b, IL-6, TNF-a and PGE2 generating cells lacking IL- 12p70 production. OK432 is an immunotherapeutic agent derived from killed Streptococcus pyogenes that has been used clinically to treat malignant and benign neoplasms for decades. Methods: In this study, we analysed the effects of OK432 on DC maturation, DC migration, cytokine and chemokine secretion as well as T-cell stimulatory capacity, and compared it to the cytokine cocktail alone and combinations of OK432 with the cytokine cocktail. Results: OK432 induced a marked up-regulation of CD40 on the cell surface as well as a strong inflammatory response from the DC with significantly more secretion of 19 different cytokines and chemokines compared to the cytokine cocktail. Interestingly, secretion of IL-15 and IL-12p70 was detected at high concentrations after maturation of DC with OK432. However, the OK432 treated DC did not migrate as well as DC treated with cytokine cocktail in a transwell migration assay. During allogeneic T-cell stimulation OK432 treated DC induced proliferation of over 50 percent of CD4 and 30 percent of CD8 T-cells for more than two cell divisions, whereas cytokine cocktail treated DC induced proliferation of 12 and 11 percent of CD4 and CD8 T-cells, respectively. Conclusions: The clinically approved compound OK432 has interesting properties that warrants its use in DC immunotherapy and should be considered as a potential immunomodulating agent in cancer immunotherapy

Diet analysis of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) post-smolts after the ecological regime shift in the Northeast Atlantic

Transition from freshwater to saltwater presents multiple challenges for anadromous Atlantic salmon, and survival during this critical life-stage is thought to influence adult population abundance. Despite this, the role of feeding, which influences growth and therefore survival, is poorly studied. Here, we analyzed the diet of 580 post-smolts captured in four Norwegian fjords in 2018 and 2019. Post-smolt diet mainly consisted of fish larvae (Teleostei), krill (Euphasiidae), planktonic amphipods, and insects. However, diet varied among fjords and years. For example, post-smolts in Altafjord in northern Norway displayed a higher frequency of fish larvae in their diet compared to post-smolts from fjords in western Norway, although this effect was less clear in 2019 than in 2018. Post-smolts consuming fish larvae and/or krill displayed substantially higher feeding ratios, and these fish were on average 0.52 cm longer. This observation underpins results from earlier studies suggesting that consumption of fish larvae is important for marine growth and ultimately survival. The dietary observations reported here may therefore have implications for spatial and temporal patterns in Atlantic salmon marine survival rates in this region. Furthermore, we did not detect any clear differences in diet between post-smolts analyzed here in comparison with post-smolts collected in the same region approximately 20 years earlier. As there has been a well-documented ecological regime shift in the Northeast Atlantic between the present and earlier studies, we conclude that it has not had a large impact on post-smolt feeding conditions within Norwegian fjords. Diet Fish larvae Coastal ecosystem Migration EstuarypublishedVersio

Næringsklyngens innflytelse på risikovillighet

Denne bacheloroppgaven har som hensikt å redegjøre for hvordan ulike elementer hentet fra klyngeteori påvirker en klyngebedrifts risikovillighet. For å besvare dette har vi valgt problemstillingen: “Hvordan påvirkes bedriftens risikovillighet av sentrale elementer hentet fra klyngeteori?” En definisjon av næringsklynger blir blant annet gitt av Reve og Sasson (2012): ”En næringsklynge er en kritisk masse av bedrifter i ulike deler av verdikjeden (eller verdinettverket og verdiverkstedet) lokalisert i samme region. Hensikten er å dele felles innsatsfaktorer, utnytte felles kunnskapsgrunnlag og lære av hverandres erfaringer.”. Vi har undersøkt i hvilken grad elementene kompetansedeling, nettverkstillitt, rivalisering og samarbeid påvirker risikovilligheten til bedriftene i Oslo EdTech klyngen. Undersøkelsen har en eksplorativ tilnærming og bygger på semi-standardiserte dybdeintervjuer med 6 informanter. For å belyse problemstillingen vår har vi valgt å bruke teori fra blant annet Michael E. Porter, Torger Reve og Erik W. Jacobsen, som alle er sentrale innenfor forskning på næringsklynger. Vi vil presentere grunnleggende teori om klynger, Porters diamantmodell, sosial kapital, bedriftens risikovillighet og sentrale elementer hentet fra klyngeteori. Videre i oppgaven presenterer vi valg av metode, våre informanter og deres synspunkter, ulike faktorer og i hvilken grad disse faktorene påvirker bedriftens risikovillighet, før vi diskuterer likheter og ulikheter opp mot hverandre. Funnene i undersøkelsen viser sammenheng mellom teori og praktisk bruk, og vi ser at elementene i teorien er gjennomgående viktig for klyngeaktørene. Videre drøfter vi disse funnene for å besvare problemstillingen. Til sist presenteres konklusjon og en evaluering av oppgaven

Health-related quality of life from 20 to 32 years of age in very low birth weight individuals : a longitudinal study

Background Preterm birth with very low birth weight (VLBW, birth weight < 1500 g) is associated with health problems later in life. How VLBW individuals perceive their physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is important to understand their putative burden of disease. Previous studies have shown mixed results, and longitudinal studies into adulthood have been requested. This study aimed to investigate differences in HRQoL between preterm VLBW and term born individuals at 32 years of age, and to study changes in HRQoL from 20 to 32 years. Methods In a geographically based longitudinal study, 45 VLBW and 68 term born control participants completed the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) at 32 years of age. Data from three previous timepoints was also available (20, 23 and 28 years of age). The SF-36 yields eight domain scores as well as a physical and a mental component summary. Between-group differences in these variables were investigated. We also performed subgroup analyses excluding individuals with disabilities, i.e., cerebral palsy and/or low estimated intelligence quotient. Results At 32 years of age, the physical component summary was 5.1 points lower (95% confidence interval (CI): 8.6 to 1.6), and the mental component summary 4.1 points lower (95% CI: 8.4 to - 0.3) in the VLBW group compared with the control group. For both physical and mental component summaries there was an overall decline in HRQoL from 20 to 32 years of age in the VLBW group. When we excluded individuals with disabilities (n = 10), group differences in domain scores at 32 years were reduced, but physical functioning, bodily pain, general health, and role-emotional scores remained lower in the VLBW subgroup without disabilities compared with the control group. Conclusion We found that VLBW individuals reported lower HRQoL than term born controls at 32 years of age, and that HRQoL declined in the VLBW group from 20 to 32 years of age. This was in part, but not exclusively explained by VLBW individuals with disabilities.Peer reviewe