GROWING MEDIA FOR ORGANIC TOMATO PLANTLET PRODUCTION

The choice of growing media and the strategy of application of organic fertilizers is considered one of the largest challenges for production of organic tomato plantlets for transplanting. We have measured the growth and the ability of young tomato plantlets to extract plant nutrients from an organic growing media. Plants were grown in 0.45L pots. Plant nutrition were either entirely based on the mineral nutrients, available from the organic growing media or based on a combination of nutrients from the organic growing media and fertigation with water-soluble organic fertilizers during plantlet production. The first results shows that plant dry weigth and uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium was reduced in the organic growing media compared to the control, peat based growing media, but the results also indicate a possibility for optimizing the suggested organic growing media in order to increase the nutrient acquisition and utilization efficiency of the plants. Improved organic growing media can supply most of the necessary plant nutrients needed for the plant, limit the need for supplementary fertilisation, and be an alternative to conventional production with inorganic fertilizers

Ischemic stroke in a general population: Time trends in incidence, case fatality and the impact of risk factors.

The papers of this thesis are not available in Munin. Paper I: Vangen-Lønne, A. M., Wilsgaard, T., Johnsen, S. H., Carlsson, M., Mathiesen, E. B.: “Time trends in incidence and case fatality of ischemic stroke: The Tromsø study 1977–2010”. Available in Stroke 2015, 46: 1173–1179. Paper II: Vangen-Lønne, A. M., Wilsgaard, T., Johnsen, S. H., Løchen, M. L., Njølstad, I., Mathiesen, E. B.: “Declining incidence of ischemic stroke: What is the impact of changing risk factors? The Tromsø study 1995–2010”. Available in Stroke. 2017;48: 544–550. Paper III: Vangen-Lønne, A. M., Ueda, P., Gulayin, P., Wilsgaard, T., Mathiesen, E. B., Danaei, G.: «Hypothetical interventions to prevent stroke: An application of the parametric g-formula to a healthy middle-aged population”. (Manuscript).About 80-85% of all strokes are due to reduced blood flow to the brain (ischemic strokes). Lack of knowledge regarding time trends in incidence and case fatality of ischemic stroke in Norway represented a main motivation for this study. Data from the Tromsø Study, following >40,000 attendees from six surveys through 2012, provided an excellent opportunity to reveal time trends of ischemic stroke and assess the potential mechanisms behind these trends in a general population. We found that the overall age- and sex adjusted incidence of ischemic stroke declined with 27% from 1995–2012 in persons aged ≥30 years. The time trends differed by age, with increasing incidence in women aged 30-49 years, a non-significant rising trend among men 30–49 years, and declining incidence in women aged 50–74 and men aged 65–74 years. In men 50–64 and among those ≥75 years, the ischemic stroke incidence in 2012 did not differ from the incidence two decades earlier. The age-adjusted 30-days case fatality decreased in men aged 30-84 years but not in women or in attendees ≥85 years. Overall, the combined changes in seven cardiovascular risk factors (systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL, daily smoking, physical activity, diabetes and body mass index) accounted for 57% (95% CI: 28–100) of the decrease in ischemic stroke incidence from 1995–2012, with decrease in average blood pressure and decline in smoking prevalence as the most important contributors. The increasing diabetes prevalence contributed negatively to the decline in ischemic stroke risk. Using the parametric g-formula, we could hypothetically apply joint interventions and assess the subsequent stroke risk. We found that a feasible joint hypothetical intervention on systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, weight, physical activity, smoking and alcohol intake would reduce the 18-year stroke risk in our population by 19% (1995–2012). A combination of more intensive interventions would reduce the estimated 18-years stroke risk by 55%. Blood pressure reduction and quitting smoking significantly reduced the risk when applied separately

Koens fysiologiske status og indflydelse heraf på produktion og sundhed omkring kælvning afhængig af foderniveau og næringsstofforsyning

Selvforsyning er ikke et regelkrav, men i tråd med det økologiske nærhedsprincip, dvs. at arbejde mest muligt i lukkede næringsstofkredsløb og dermed en fodring baseret på udelukkende hjemmeavlede fodermidler dyrket inden for bedriftens eget arealgrundlag. Det nuværende regelsæt har en minimumsgrænse for grovfodertildeling: 60% af tørstof i den daglige ration, dog 50% af tørstof til køer mindre end 3 måneder fra kælvning. I forbindelse med regelsættet er der imidlertid en række spørgsmål vedrørende dyrenes sundhed og produktion. På den baggrund er der gennemført forsøg med det formål at belyse produktion og metabolske parametre for tre typer 100% økologiske rationer baseret på korn, rapsfrø og kløvergræs dyrket på et givent areal pr. ko

På egen hånd. Avstandsstrategier og autentisitet i Seattle-undergrunnen

Denne avhandlingen tar for seg et subkulturelt miljø i Seattle i USA, og baserer seg på feltarbeid utført der, våren 2014. Studiet spør hva DIY (do-it-yourself) betyr for de involverte aktørene i dagens situasjon og hvordan denne ideologien uttrykkes i praksis. Subkulturer og betydningen de har, både fra et analytisk perspektiv og i et emisk et, har gjennomgått flerfoldige endringer gjennom de siste tiår. Disse endringene preger den sosiale organiseringen av slike miljøer og hvordan aktørene involvert i de konstituerer sine identiteter. En sentral variabel i etterkrigstidens subkulturer og helt opp til dagens situasjon er hva jeg kaller avstandsstrategier. Simultant konstruerer disse strategiene grenser til andre miljøer og et kollektivt fellesskap innad i subkulturen. Gjennom å se på disse avstandsstrategiene tar avhandlingen for seg hvordan DIY-miljøets aktører plasserer seg selv i marginale posisjoner på siden av det det konforme musikalske landskapet i søket etter det autentiske uttrykket. I tillegg rettes det fokus mot den historiske utviklingen forskningen på subkulturer har hatt siden de såkalte Chicago- og Birmingham-skolene sto som de mest sentrale institusjonene i dette forskningsfeltet. I motsetning til flere av samtidas forskere på subkultur, argumenterer denne avhandlingen for en fortsatt relevans for bruken av både subkultur og konformitet. I de analytiske delene av avhandlingen vil sentrale elementer ved miljøets sosiale modell belyses, i tillegg til hvordan aktørenes medlemskap opprettholdes gjennom et resiprositetsprinsipp. Analysen vil mot slutten også peke på to paradokser ved DIY-ens natur, i forhold til både autentisitetsidealet og aversjonen miljøet viser mot såkalt «hipness»

Characteristics and outcomes of patients who did not respond to a national spine surgery registry

Background Loss to follow-up may bias outcome assessments in medical registries. This cohort study aimed to analyze and compare patients who failed to respond with those that responded to the Norwegian Registry for Spine Surgery (NORspine). Methods We analyzed a cohort of 474 consecutive patients operated for lumbar spinal stenosis at four public hospitals in Norway during a two-year period. These patients reported sociodemographic data, preoperative symptoms, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), numerical rating scales (NRS) for back and leg pain to NORspine at baseline and 12 months postoperatively. We contacted all patients who did not respond to NORspine after 12 months. Those who responded were termed responsive non-respondents and compared to 12 months respondents. Results One hundred forty (30%) did not respond to NORspine 12 months after surgery and 123 were available for additional follow-up. Sixty-four of the 123 non-respondents (52%) responded to a cross-sectional survey done at a median of 50 (36–64) months after surgery. At baseline, non-respondents were younger 63 (SD 11.7) vs. 68 (SD 9.9) years (mean difference (95% CI) 4.7 years (2.6 to 6.7); p= <0.001) and more frequently smokers 41 (30%) vs. 70 (21%) RR (95%CI)=1.40 (1.01 to 1.95); p=0.044. There were no other relevant differences in other sociodemographic variables or preoperative symptoms. We found no differences in the effect of surgery on non-respondents vs. respondents (ODI (SD)=28.2 (19.9) vs. 25.2 (18.9), MD (95%CI)=3.0 ( -2.1 to 8.1); p=0.250). Conclusion We found that 30% of patients did not respond to NORspine at 12 months after spine surgery. Non-respondents were somewhat younger and smoked more frequently than respondents; however, there were no differences in patient-reported outcome measures. Our findings suggest that attrition bias in NORspine was random and due to non-modifable factors

Incidental dural tears associated with worse clinical outcomes in patients operated for lumbar spinal stenosis

Study design: Retrospective cohort study. Objective: Incidental dural (ID) tear is a common complication of spine surgery with a prevalence of 4-10%. The association between ID and clinical outcome is uncertain. Former studies found only minor differences in Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). We aimed to examine the association of ID with treatment failure after surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Methods: Between 2007 and 2017, 11,873 LSS patients reported to the national Norwegian spine registry (NORspine), and 8,919 (75.1%) completed the 12-month follow-up. We used multivariate logistic regression to study the association between ID and failure after surgery, defined as no effect or any degrees of worsening; we also compared mean ODI between those who suffered a perioperative ID and those who did not. Results: The mean (95% CI) age was 66.6 (66.4-66.9) years, and 52% were females. The mean (95% CI) preoperative ODI score (95% CI) was 39.8 (39.4-40.1); all patients were operated on with decompression, and 1125 (12.6%) had an additional fusion procedure. The prevalence of ID was 4.9% (439/8919), and the prevalence of failure was 20.6% (1829/8919). Unadjusted odds ratio (OR) (95% CI) for failure for ID was 1.51 (1.22-1.88); p < 0.001, adjusted OR (95% CI) was 1.44 (1.11-1.86); p = 0.002. Mean postoperative ODI 12 months after surgery was 27.9 for ID vs. 23.6 for no ID. Conclusion: We demonstrated a significant association between ID and increased odds for patient-reported failure 12 months after surgery. However, the magnitude of the detrimental effect of ID on the clinical outcome was small.publishedVersio

PKCα expression is a marker for breast cancer aggressiveness

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms are potential targets for breast cancer therapy. This study was designed to evaluate which PKC isoforms might be optimal targets for different breast cancer subtypes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In two cohorts of primary breast cancers, PKCα levels correlated to estrogen and progesterone receptor negativity, tumor grade, and proliferative activity, whereas PKCδ and PKCε did not correlate to clinicopathological parameters. Patients with PKCα-positive tumors showed poorer survival than patients with PKCα-negative tumors independently of other factors. Cell line studies demonstrated that PKCα levels are high in MDA-MB-231 and absent in T47D cells which proliferated slower than other cell lines. Furthermore, PKCα silencing reduced proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells. PKCα inhibition or downregulation also reduced cell migration <it>in vitro</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>PKCα is a marker for poor prognosis of breast cancer and correlates to and is important for cell functions associated with breast cancer progression.</p

Chronic Kidney Disease from Polyvinylpyrrolidone Deposition in Persons with Intravenous Drug Use

Background and objectives Persons with intravenous drug use have a higher risk of developing CKD compared with the general population. In Norway, deposits of polyvinylpyrrolidone have been observed in kidney biopsies taken from persons with opioid addiction and intravenous drug use since 2009. Polyvinylpyrrolidone is an excipient commonly used in pharmaceuticals, and the polyvinylpyrrolidone deposits observed in these patients were caused by intravenous injection of a specific oral methadone syrup containing very high molecular weight polyvinylpyrrolidone. Here, we present the clinicopathologic findings from 28 patients with CKD associated with polyvinylpyrrolidone deposition in the kidney. Design, setting, participants, & measurements The 28 patients and their kidney biopsies were included when polyvinylpyrrolidone deposition was recognized, either retrospectively or at the time of diagnostic evaluation. Biopsies were taken between 2009 and 2016. We collected laboratory parameters and clinical data from digital patient charts. For each kidney biopsy, the glomerular volume, extent of polyvinylpyrrolidone deposition, and tubulointerstitial area with tubular atrophy were assessed quantitatively. Results All patients (mean age: 37 years) had CKD (mean eGFR: 33 ml/min per 1.73 m2) and normal urine protein or non-nephrotic–range proteinuria. Biopsies showed moderate to severe tubular atrophy (mean extent: 65%) and interstitial infiltrates of vacuolated macrophages containing polyvinylpyrrolidone (mean share of biopsy area: 1.5%). Underperfused and ischemic glomeruli were common findings. In 22 samples, ultrastructural investigation revealed polyvinylpyrrolidone-containing vacuoles in the mesangial or endothelial cells of glomeruli. At the last follow-up, most patients had stable or improved eGFR. Two patients had developed kidney failure and underwent hemodialysis. Conclusions Intravenous injection of a specific oral methadone syrup caused polyvinylpyrrolidone deposition in the kidney in persons with opioid addiction and intravenous drug use. Kidney biopsy findings suggested an association between polyvinylpyrrolidone deposition and tubular atrophy.acceptedVersio

Return to Work after Surgery for Cervical Radiculopathy: A Nationwide Registry-based Observational Study

Study Design - An observational multicenter study. Summary of Background Data - Return to work (RTW) is increasingly used to assess the standard, benefit, and quality of health care. Objective - The aim of this study was to evaluate sick leave patterns among patients undergoing surgery for cervical radiculopathy and identify predictors of successful RTW using two nationwide databases. Materials and Methods - Data from the Norwegian Registry for Spine Surgery (NORspine) and the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration were linked on an individual level. We included patients between 18 and 60 years of age registered in NORspine from June 2012 through December 2019 that were temporarily out of the labor force for medical reasons at the time of surgery. We assessed types and grades of sickness benefits before and after surgery and conducted logistic regression analyses. Results - Among 3387 patients included in the study, 851 (25.1%) received temporary benefits one year before surgery. The proportion of recipients increased steadily towards surgery. Postoperatively the medical benefit payment decreased rapidly, and half of the patients had already returned to work by four months. The rate of RTW reached a plateau at one year. By the end of the third year, 2429 patients (71.7%) had returned to work. The number of sick days, categorized as 90 or less, during the year before surgery had the most powerful association with RTW at two years (odds ratio: 4.54, 95% CI: 3.42–6.03, P Conclusion - RTW after cervical radiculopathy surgery occurs primarily during the first year. The strongest predictor of RTW was fewer sick days before surgery. The clinical improvement after surgery had a lesser impact