A project in renewable fuels: A study of the catalytic activity of sulfated H-Ni-Mo catalyst on ZrO2 support in the LtL-process, and development of ESI-MS method for biooils

Examining the effect of a hydrogenated Ni-Mo catalyst on a zirconia support for the LtL-process and an attempt at developing a method for ESI-MS analysis of the biooils produced. Biofuels produced from lignocellulosic materials have the potential to serve as a good substitute or supplement to the fuels produced from conventional sources. The chemical similarity between biooil and conventional oil also allows for the potential production of a wide range of platform chemicals. The utilization of the carbohydrates in the lignocellulosic biomass is near commercialized, but 1/3 of the biomass consists of the component lignin. Lignin-to-liquid is a termochemical solvolysis process that utilizes formic acid as a hydrogen donor to depolymerize and deoxygenize the lignin polymers. The oxygen content of the oils produced by lignin-to-liquid is generally higher than that of conventional oils, reducing the quality of the oil. Further oimprovement of the process can be obtained using catalysts to increase hydrogenation and oxygen removal. The hydrogenated Ni-Mo catalyst on a zirconia support was tested for catalytic activity in the range 300-380 ºC and 2-10 hours reaction time. A good experimental result is characterized by high yield and H/C-ratio, and a low O/C-ratio. The yield of the catalyzed experiments was higher than the uncatalyzed, as well as the H/C-ratio. The O/C-ratio was higher for the catalyzed experiments. Characterization of the oils was done by GC-MS, GPC and elemental analysis. The development of an ESI-MS method for analysis of the oils was attempted. No method was successfully developed to allow for ionization of the compounds in the mixture not containing nitrogen.MAMN-KJEMKJEM39

An Abrupt Transition to Digital Teaching—Norwegian Medical Students and Their Experiences of Learning Output during the Initial Phase of the COVID-19 Lockdown

Norwegian universities closed almost all on-campus activities on the 12 March 2020 following a lockdown decision of the Norwegian government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Online and digital teaching became the primary method of teaching. The goal of this study was to investigate how the transition to digital education impacted on medical students enrolled at the University of Bergen (UiB). Key points were motivation, experience of learning outcomes, and fear of missing out on important learning. Using an online questionnaire, students were asked to evaluate the quality of both lectures and taught clinical skills and to elaborate on their experience of learning output, examination, and digital teaching. Answers from 230 students were included in the study. Opinions on the quality and quantity of lectures offered and their experience of learning output varied based on gender, seniority and the amount of time spent on part time jobs. Students at UiB were generally unhappy with the quality of teaching, especially lessons on clinical skills, although both positive and negative experiences were reported. Securing a satisfying offer of clinical teaching will be important to ensure and increase the student experience of learning output in the time ahead.publishedVersio

Foreldresamarbeid med minoritetsspråklege foreldre i barnehagen

Tal frå Utdanningsdirektoratet viser at andelen av minoritetsspråklege barn i barnehagen stig. I 2019 var det 52300 minoritetsspråklege barn i norske barnehagar. Det er ein auke på 2,7 prosent frå 2018. Totalt er det 19 prosent av barn i norske barnehagar som er minoritetsspråklege. Dei siste 10 åra er andelen minoritetsspråklege barn i barnehagar nesten dobla (Utdanningsdirektoratet, 2020). Det vil også seie at det vert fleire minoritetsspråklege foreldre i barnehagen som dei tilsette må kunne forholde seg til. "Barnehagens samfunnsmandat er, i samarbeid og forståelse med hjemmet, å ivareta barnas behov for omsorg og lek og fremme læring og danning som grunnlag for allsidig utvikling" (Utdanningsdirektoratet, 2017, s. 7). For at det skal bli eit godt samarbeid mellom tilsette og foreldre er det viktig med god kommunikasjon. Dette kan bli ein utfordring dersom språket står i vegen. I temahefte om språkleg og kulturelt mangfald står det at det er viktig at personalet utviklar gode arbeidsmåtar for kommunikasjon mellom barn og vaksne som ikkje delar det same språket (Gjervan, 2006, s. 37). Sand informerer at det er om lag 150-200 minoritetsspråk som er representert i Noreg i dag. Det som er felles med alle dei minoritetsspråklege er at dei har eit anna språk enn norsk som sitt første språk (Sand, 2008, s. 109). Temaet foreldresamarbeid med minoritetsspråklege foreldre blir derfor meir aktuelt i dagens samfunn, då minoritetsspråklege barn aukar i norske barnehagar. Eg valde dette tema fordi eg meiner foreldresamarbeid er spanande og interessant. Eg har også gjennom min erfaring synest at foreldresamarbeid kan vere litt vanskeleg. Eg vil derfor lære meir om dette slik at eg kan bli tryggare på tema. Det er i tillegg eit tema som blir meir aktuelt, då det blir fleire minoritetsspråklege foreldre i dei norske barnehagane. I rammeplan for barnehagens innhald og oppgåver frå 2011 I møte med foreldre med minoritetsspråklig bakgrunn har barnehagen et spesielt ansvar for at foreldrene har mulighet til å forstå og gjøre seg forstått i barnehagen. Å møte foreldre fra ulike kulturer, både innen det norske samfunnet og fra andre land, krever respekt, lydhørhet og innsikt. Dette forutsetter at personalet er bevisste og tydelige i egen yrkesrolle og trygge på egen kompetanse (Utdanningsdirektoratet, 2011, s. 15). Eg vil i denne oppgåva sette fokus på kommunikasjonen mellom tilsette og minoritetsspråklege foreldre. Kva er det som gjer kommunikasjonen god? Kva er det som skal liggje til rette for god kommunikasjon? Eg vil undersøke kva tilsette og minoritetsspråklege foreldre kan gjere for å skape god kommunikasjon med kvarandre. Mitt val av tema vil hjelpe meg å få meir kunnskap om korleis tilsette arbeider med å skape den gode kommunikasjonen med minoritetsspråklege foreldre. Min problemstilling er: Kva skapar ein god kommunikasjon mellom tilsette og minoritetsspråklege foreldre?publishedVersionBHBAC392

Iron Source Preference and Regulation of Iron Uptake in Cryptococcus neoformans

The level of available iron in the mammalian host is extremely low, and pathogenic microbes must compete with host proteins such as transferrin for iron. Iron regulation of gene expression, including genes encoding iron uptake functions and virulence factors, is critical for the pathogenesis of the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. In this study, we characterized the roles of the CFT1 and CFT2 genes that encode C. neoformans orthologs of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae high-affinity iron permease FTR1. Deletion of CFT1 reduced growth and iron uptake with ferric chloride and holo-transferrin as the in vitro iron sources, and the cft1 mutant was attenuated for virulence in a mouse model of infection. A reduction in the fungal burden in the brains of mice infected with the cft1 mutant was observed, thus suggesting a requirement for reductive iron acquisition during cryptococcal meningitis. CFT2 played no apparent role in iron acquisition but did influence virulence. The expression of both CFT1 and CFT2 was influenced by cAMP-dependent protein kinase, and the iron-regulatory transcription factor Cir1 positively regulated CFT1 and negatively regulated CFT2. Overall, these results indicate that C. neoformans utilizes iron sources within the host (e.g., holo-transferrin) that require Cft1 and a reductive iron uptake system

A chemical genetic screen reveals a role for proteostasis in capsule and biofilm formation by Cryptococcus neoformans

Pathogenic microorganisms employ specialized virulence factors to cause disease. Biofilm formation and the production of a polysaccharide capsule are two important virulence factors in Cryptococcus neoformans, the fungal pathogen that causes meningoencephalitis. Here, we show that the bipolar disorder drug lithium inhibits formation of both virulence factors by a mechanism involving dysregulation of the ubiquitin/proteasome system. By using a chemical genetics approach and bioinformatic analyses, we describe the cellular landscape affected by lithium treatment. We demonstrate that lithium affects many different pathways in C. neoformans, including the cAMP/protein kinase A, inositol biosynthesis, and ubiquitin/proteasome pathways. By analyzing mutants with defects in the ubiquitin/proteasome system, we uncover a role for proteostasis in both capsule and biofilm formation. Moreover, we demonstrate an additive influence of lithium and the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib in inhibiting capsule production, thus establishing a link between lithium activity and the proteasome system. Finally, we show that the lithium-mimetic drug ebselen potently blocks capsule and biofilm formation, and has additive activity with lithium or bortezomib. In summary, our results illuminate the impact of lithium on C. neoformans, and link dysregulation of the proteasome to capsule and biofilm inhibition in this important fungal pathogen

Warren E. Kronstad Honorary Symposium : February 18, 1999

Published June 2000. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalo

Transcripts and tumors: regulatory and metabolic programming during biotrophic phytopathogenesis [version 1; referees: 3 approved]

Biotrophic fungal pathogens of plants must sense and adapt to the host environment to complete their life cycles. Recent transcriptome studies of the infection of maize by the biotrophic pathogen Ustilago maydis are providing molecular insights into an ordered program of changes in gene expression and the deployment of effectors as well as key features of nutrient acquisition. In particular, the transcriptome data provide a deeper appreciation of the complexity of the transcription factor network that controls the biotrophic program of invasion, proliferation, and sporulation. Additionally, transcriptome analysis during tumor formation, a key late stage in the life cycle, revealed features of the remodeling of host and pathogen metabolism that may support the formation of tremendous numbers of spores. Transcriptome studies are also appearing for other smut species during interactions with their hosts, thereby providing opportunities for comparative approaches to understand biotrophic adaptation

Adenylyl Cyclase Functions Downstream of the Gα Protein Gpa1 and Controls Mating and Pathogenicity of \u3ci\u3eCryptococcus neoformans\u3c/i\u3e

The signaling molecule cyclic AMP (cAMP) is a ubiquitous second messenger that enables cells to detect and respond to extracellular signals. cAMP is generated by the enzyme adenylyl cyclase, which is activated or inhibited by the Gα subunits of heterotrimeric G proteins in response to ligand-activated G-protein-coupled receptors. Here we identified the unique gene (CAC1) encoding adenylyl cyclase in the opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. The CAC1 gene was disrupted by transformation and homologous recombination. In stark contrast to the situation for Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in which adenylyl cyclase is essential, C. neoformans cac1 mutant strains were viable and had no vegetative growth defect. Furthermore, cac1 mutants maintained the yeast-like morphology of wild-type cells, in contrast to the constitutively filamentous phenotype found upon the loss of adenylyl cyclase in another basidiomycete pathogen, Ustilago maydis. Like C. neoformans mutants lacking the Gα protein Gpa1, cac1 mutants were mating defective and failed to produce two inducible virulence factors: capsule and melanin. As a consequence, cac1 mutant strains were avirulent in animal models of cryptococcal meningitis. Reintroduction of the wild-type CAC1 gene or the addition of exogenous cAMP suppressed cac1 mutant phenotypes. Moreover, the overexpression of adenylyl cyclase restored mating and virulence factor production in gpa1 mutant strains. Physiological studies revealed that the Gα protein Gpa1 and adenylyl cyclase controlled cAMP production in response to glucose, and no cAMP was detectable in extracts from cac1 or gpa1 mutant strains. These findings provide direct evidence that Gpa1 and adenylyl cyclase function in a conserved signal transduction pathway controlling cAMP production, hyphal differentiation, and virulence of this human fungal pathogen

Spring grains : western Oregon -- west of Cascades [2000]

Revised April 1983. Reprinted January 2000. Facts and recommendations in this publication may no longer be valid. Please look for up-to-date information in the OSU Extension Catalog: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalo