An investigation into the parasitic barnacle, Anelasma squalicola; prevalence, infection behaviour and effects on its host, Etmopterus spinax, in Lusterfjord, Norway.

Anelasma squalicola is a recently evolved parasite. Very little is known of its biology due to its normally low prevalence in deep sea lantern sharks (family: Etmopteridae), in which it is found embedded in the skin. A population of more heavily infected sharks (Etmopterus spinax) in Lusterfjord, Norway, has allowed for sampling by trawl, and subsequent observations and measurements of the parasite and host. The study shows that E. spinax has a heterogeneous population structure and potentially narrow home range, which likely affects prevalence and dispersal of A. squalicola. A. squalicola appears capable of infecting hosts regardless of size. It has high site specificity, which may be due to areas of the shark where the skin is easier to penetrate. It is most commonly found in pairs, which gives it an atypical intensity distribution. The data suggests the first individual to settle can attract partners to the same site, but this attraction does not result in more infections at other sites on the host. Attracting more than one partner appears to severely reduce their fecundity, which may imply a crowding effect. Infection did not affect liver mass or condition of hosts, but appears to prevent maturation in males. This study provides the most extensive parasitological description of A. squalicola to date, and reveals both a complex host population as well as a highly distinctive infection behaviour, which combined shape this parasite- host interaction.Master i BiologiMAMN-BIOBIO39

Samarbejde i skolen: En empirisk undersøgelse af, hvordan samarbejde tematiseres i kommunikationen i et kommunalt dansk skolesystem med fokus på, om og hvordan samarbejde bidrager til kobling mellem professionelles praksis og elevers læring

Afhandlingen præsenterer en kvalitativ empirisk undersøgelse af samarbejde i skolen. Det undersøges, hvordan samarbejde tematiseres i kommunikationen i et kommunalt dansk skolesystem med fokus på, om og hvordan samarbejde bidrager til kobling mellem professionelles praksis og elevers læring. Undersøgelsen inkluderer data fra 6 policy-dokumenter og 18 kvalitative forskningsinterviews, hvor forvalt ningschefer og -medarbejdere, skoleledere og lærere deltager. Afhandlingen konkluderer, at samarbejde bidrager til kobling mellem de professionelles praksis og elevers læring, når skoleledelse, ressourcepersoner og lærere sikres tilkoblingsmuligheder, ligesom både forvaltning, skoleledelse, ressourcepersoner og lærere bør garantere tilkoblingsduelighed i forhold ti organisationens dagsorden. Endvidere konkluderer jeg, at alle initiativer skal tilpasses, hvis intentionerne med dem skal opfyldes, og ethvert initiativ skal kobles til den praksis, som i forvejen kendetegner skolen. Det gælder endvidere, at samarbejde mellem forvaltning og skole, men også det indbyrdes samarbejde mellem skoleledelse, ressourcepersoner og lærere, med fordel kan initieres og formaliseres, hvis det skal bidrage til kobling mellem de professionelles praksis og elevers læring

Artifacts on Magnetic Resonance Imaging from Electronic Identification Enablement in Silicone Gel Implants Are Not Negligible

Breast implants filled with silicone gel are used worldwide for cosmetic reasons, or breast reconstruction following risk-reducing or therapeutic mastectomy. The importance of identifiable implants is undeniable. A recent development has been the labeling of the implants with a radio-frequency device micro responder chip (RFID). We examined a patient with silicone implants containing RFID chips with magnetic resonance imaging and were surprised by the artifacts caused by the RFID chip. We raise the question if the benefits of RFID-labeled silicone implants outweigh the drawbacks of magnetic resonance artifacts caused by the RFID chip itself.publishedVersio

Catches in abandoned snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) pots in the Barents Sea

During a 2018 retrieval cruise for abandoned snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) pots in the Barents Sea, approximately 8600 pots abandoned 1.5 years earlier were recovered. Forty-three percent of a subsample of 1000 pots contained snow crabs, with an average of three crabs per pot. Most of the crabs were alive (~98%) and dominated by large males. Pinch injuries and limb loss were common and tended to decline with increasing crab size. Reflex testing showed that the crabs were vital (i.e. the crabs moved their legs, chelipeds and maxillipeds when stimulated), which was supported by a relatively high meat content. However, energy reserves in the digestive glands (hepatopancreas reserves) were low, indicating overall energy deficiencies. Our results indicate considerable unaccounted mortality due to self-baiting, continued catch and cannibalism. The findings demonstrate that snow crab pots which are lost or abandoned in the Barents Sea fishery maintain huge potential for ghost-fishing impacts.publishedVersio

Increasing Terbinafine Resistance in Danish Trichophyton Isolates 2019–2020

Terbinafine resistance in Trichophyton species has emerged and appears to be increasing. A new EUCAST susceptibility testing method and tentative ECOFFs were recently proposed for Trichophyton. Terbinafine resistance and target gene mutations were detected in 16 Danish isolates in 2013–2018. In this study, samples/isolates submitted for dermatophyte susceptibility testing 2019–2020 were examined. Species identification (ITS sequencing for T. mentagrophytes/T. interdigitale species complex (SC) isolates), EUCAST MICs and squalene epoxidase (SQLE) profiles were obtained. Sixty-three isolates from 59 patients were included. T. rubrum accounted for 81% and T. mentagrophytes/T. interdigitale SC for 19%. Approximately 60% of T. rubrum and T. mentagrophytes/interdigitale SC isolates were terbinafine non-wildtype and/or had known/novel SQLE mutations with possible implications for terbinafine MICs. All infections with terbinafine-resistant T. mentagrophytes/interdigitale SC isolates were caused by Trichophyton indotineae. Compared to 2013–2018, the number of patients with terbinafine-resistant Trichophyton isolates increased. For T. rubrum, this is partly explained by an increase in number of requests for susceptibility testing. Terbinafine-resistant T. indotineae was first detected in 2018, but accounted for 19% of resistance (4 of 21 patients) in 2020. In conclusion, terbinafine resistance is an emerging problem in Denmark. Population based studies are warranted and susceptibility testing is highly relevant in non-responding cases

Infection with Pythium flevoense in a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) as a novel cause of dermatitis in marine mammals

The oomycete Pythium flevoense was diagnosed as the cause of dermatitis in a young adult female harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) that had been trapped in a pound net in a temperate saltwater environment. Disease from Pythium sp. infection-pythiosis-is infrequently diagnosed in humans, horses, dogs, cattle, and few other mammalian species. Pythiosis is typically associated with exposure to tropical or subtropical freshwater conditions, and typically caused by Pythium insidiosum. However, until now, pythiosis has been reported in neither marine mammals nor temperate saltwater conditions, and P. flevoense is not known as a cause of pythiosis in mammals. This porpoise developed generalised dermatitis despite treatment and euthanasia was necessary. Histopathological evaluation revealed a chronic active erosive dermatitis, with intralesional hyphae morphologically consistent with a Pythium sp. PCR analysis and sequencing of affected skin matched Pythium flevoense with a 100% similarity to the reference strain. Additional diagnostics excluded other pathogens. Based on this case report, P. flevoense needs to be considered as a mammalian pathogen. Furthermore, harbour porpoises and possibly other marine mammals may be at risk of infection with P. flevoense, and pythiosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of dermatitis in marine mammals.</p

Azole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus. The first 2-year's Data from the Danish National Surveillance Study, 2018-2020

BACKGROUND: Azole resistance complicates treatment of patients with invasive aspergillosis with an increased mortality. Azole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus is a growing problem and associated with human and environmental azole use. Denmark has a considerable and highly efficient agricultural sector. Following reports on environmental azole resistance in A. fumigatus from Danish patients, the ministry of health requested a prospective national surveillance of azole‐resistant A. fumigatus and particularly that of environmental origin. OBJECTIVES: To present the data from the first 2 years of the surveillance programme. METHODS: Unique isolates regarded as clinically relevant and any A. fumigatus isolated on a preferred weekday (background samples) were included. EUCAST susceptibility testing was performed and azole‐resistant isolates underwent cyp51A gene sequencing. RESULTS: The azole resistance prevalence was 6.1% (66/1083) at patient level. The TR(34)/L98H prevalence was 3.6% (39/1083) and included the variants TR(34)/L98H, TR(34) (3)/L98H and TR(34)/L98H/S297T/F495I. Resistance caused by other Cyp51A variants accounted for 1.3% (14/1083) and included G54R, P216S, F219L, G54W, M220I, M220K, M220R, G432S, G448S and Y121F alterations. Non‐Cyp51A‐mediated resistance accounted for 1.2% (13/1083). Proportionally, TR(34)/L98H, other Cyp51A variants and non‐Cyp51A‐mediated resistance accounted for 59.1% (39/66), 21.2% (14/66) and 19.7% (13/66), respectively, of all resistance. Azole resistance was detected in all five regions in Denmark, and TR(34)/L98H specifically, in four of five regions during the surveillance period. CONCLUSION: The azole resistance prevalence does not lead to a change in the initial treatment of aspergillosis at this point, but causes concern and leads to therapeutic challenges in the affected patients

Update 2016-2018 of the Nationwide Danish Fungaemia Surveillance Study:Epidemiologic Changes in a 15-Year Perspective

As part of a national surveillance programme initiated in 2004, fungal blood isolates from 2016–2018 underwent species identification and EUCAST susceptibility testing. The epidemiology was described and compared to data from previous years. In 2016–2018, 1454 unique isolates were included. The fungaemia rate was 8.13/100,000 inhabitants compared to 8.64, 9.03, and 8.38 in 2004–2007, 2008–2011, and 2012–2015, respectively. Half of the cases (52.8%) involved patients 60–79 years old and the incidence was highest in males ≥70 years old. Candida albicans accounted for 42.1% of all isolates and Candida glabrata for 32.1%. C. albicans was more frequent in males (p = 0.03) and C. glabrata in females (p = 0.03). During the four periods, the proportion of C. albicans decreased (p < 0.001), and C. glabrata increased (p < 0.001). Consequently, fluconazole susceptibility gradually decreased from 68.5% to 59.0% (p < 0.001). Acquired fluconazole resistance was found in 4.6% Candida isolates in 2016–2018. Acquired echinocandin resistance increased during the four periods 0.0%, 0.6%, 1.7% to 1.5% (p < 0.0001). Sixteen echinocandin-resistant isolates from 2016–2018 harboured well-known FKS resistance-mutations and one echinocandin-resistant C. albicans had an FKS mutation outside the hotspot (P1354P/S) of unknown importance. In C. glabrata specifically, echinocandin resistance was detected in 12/460 (2.6%) in 2016–2018 whereas multidrug-class resistance was rare (1/460 isolates (0.2%)). Since the increase in incidence during 2004–2011, the incidence has stabilised. In contrast, the species distribution has changed gradually over the 15 years, with increased C. glabrata at the expense of C. albicans. The consequent decreased fluconazole susceptibility and the emergence of acquired echinocandin resistance complicates the management of fungaemia and calls for antifungal drug development

På veien mot den finale eksklusjon : en systemteoretisk analyse av alderdom og død

Hvorvidt alderdom og død medfører inklusjon eller eksklusjon er oppgavens overodnede tema. Alderdom og død ble analysert og drøftet gjennom Niklas Luhmanns systemteori. I systemteorien er inklusjon og eksklusjon sentrale koder de autonome, autopoietiske systemene anvender når de skal innlemme eller utelukke mennesker. Dette betyr at inklusjon/eksklusjon må ses systemspesifikt. Tilsvarende utløser også alderdom og død ulike systemkommunikasjoner. I Luhmanns teori støter man så på et paradoks; "Eksklusjon integrerer langt sterkere enn inklusjon". Paradokset og mulige løsninger på paradokset er dermed blitt en del av oppgavens bidrag