Comparative absorption and tissue distribution of 14C-benzo(a)pyrene and 14C-phenanthrene in the polar cod (Boreogadus saida) following oral administration

Published version. Source at http://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-015-1816-7.The Arctic is an important sink for organic pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) long-range transported from industrial regions. With the retreat of sea ice and increasing anthropogenic activities such as the oil and gas industries, local sources of PAHs are expected to increase both through operational and accidental discharges. There is a need to increase our knowledge concerning the uptake and distribution of organic pollutants, in particular PAHs, to evaluate the risk these toxic compounds may represent for Arctic species. The absorption and tissue distribution of 14C-benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and 14C-phenanthrene (Phen) were studied in the polar cod (Boreogadus saida), a key Arctic species. After a single oral dose of BaP (1.15 ± 0.36 mg/kg fish) or Phen (0.40 ± 0.12 mg/kg fish), corresponding to 0.12 ± 0.03 mCi/kg fish, the tissue distribution was followed through 30 days by means of whole-body autoradiography and liquid scintillation counting of liver and bile. For both compounds, radiolabeling was mainly present in the bile and the intestines throughout the study period. Phen-derived radioactivity, however, appeared to be more systemically distributed compared to BaP. Furthermore, a far higher amount of irreversibly bound BaP-derived radioactivity was present in the intestinal mucosa compared to Phen, indicating a more extensive formation of reactive intermediates from the former compared with the latter. Liquid scintillation counting confirmed that radioactivity was present in the liver at all time points for both groups although the levels were low in the BaP group. These results strongly indicated that both compounds and/or their metabolites undergo enterohepatic circulation

Effects of integrated grassland renewal strategies on annual and perennial weeds in the sowing year and subsequent production years

Appropriate weed control measures during the renewal phase of temporary grasslands are critical to ensure high yields during the whole grassland lifecycle. The aim of this study was to determine which integrated grassland renewal strategy can most effectively control annual weeds in the sowing year and delay perennial weed re-establishment. Four split-plot trials were established at three sites dominated by Rumex spp. along a south-north gradient in Norway. The annual and perennial weed abundance was recorded during the sowing year and two or three production years. Main plots tested seven renewal strategies: 1. Spring plowing, 2. Spring plowing+companion crop (CC), 3. Summer cut+plowing, 4. Summer glyphosate+plowing, 5. Summer glyphosate+harrowing, 6. Late spring glyphosate+plowing, 7. Fall glyphosate+spring plowing+CC. Strategies 1–4 were tested in all four trials, strategy 5 in three trials, strategy 6 in two trials and strategy 7 in one trial. Plowing was performed at 20–25 cm depth, rotary harrowing at 15 cm depth, and glyphosate was applied at 2160 g a.i. ha-1. CC was spring barley (Hordeum vulgare). Subplots tested selective herbicide spraying (yes/no) in the sowing year. Results showed that effects of renewal strategies were often site-specific and differed between the sowing year and production years. Spring renewal resulted in higher perennial weed abundance than summer renewal in two out of four trials (by 3 and 12 percentage points, over all production years), and glyphosate followed by harrowing drastically increased Rumex spp. in one out of three trials (by 18 percentage points over all production years). CCs only significantly reduced perennial weed abundance in one trial (by 8 percentage points over all production years). In comparison, the selective herbicides had a strong effect on annual and perennial weeds in the sowing year in all trials. Selective herbicides reduced the weed cover from 32% to 7% cover, and averaged over the production years and sites, the perennial weed biomass fraction was 6 percentage points lower where herbicides had been applied. We conclude that while the tested renewal strategies provided variable and site-specific perennial weed control, selective herbicides were effective at controlling Rumex spp. and other perennial dicot weeds in the first two production years.publishedVersio

Long-term patterns of adherence to medication therapy among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Denmark:The importance of initiation

Poor adherence to medication therapy among type 2 diabetes patients is a clinical challenge. We aimed to determine which factors are associated with the three phases of long-term adherence to medication: initiation, implementation and discontinuation in a register-based study.Adherence to six medicine groups (metformin, sulfonylureas, acetylsalicylic acid, thiazide diuretics, renin angiotensin system inhibitors, and statins) were analysed among 5,232 patients with type 2 diabetes at a tertiary referral hospital during 1998-2009. Rate-ratios of initiation of treatment, recurrent gaps in supply of medication, and discontinuation of treatment were analysed using Poisson regression.Poor initiation rather than poor implementation or discontinuation was the main contributor to medication nonadherence. Polypharmacy was a risk factor for slower initiation of treatment for all six medicine groups (rate ratio ranging 0.79 95%CI [0.72-0.87] to 0.89 95%CI [0.82-0.96] per already prescribed medicine), but once patients were in treatment, polypharmacy was not associated with recurrence of gaps in supply of medication, and polypharmacy was associated with lower risk of discontinuation (rate ratio ranging 0.93 95%CI [0.86-1.00] to 0.96 95%CI [0.93-0.99] per prescribed medicine). Other identified risk factors for slow initiation, poor implementation, and discontinuation were diabetes duration, younger age, and Turkish/Pakistani origin.This study showed that a risk factor does not necessarily have the same association with all three elements of adherence (initiation, implementation and discontinuation), and that efforts supporting patients introduced to more complex drug combinations should be prioritized

Reliability and validity of the Norwegian child and parent versions of the DISABKIDS Chronic Generic Module (DCGM-37) and Diabetes-Specific Module (DSM-10)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>International guidelines on type 1 diabetes advocate routine screening of health-related quality of life (HRQOL). DISABKIDS questionnaires are the first instruments developed across cultures and nations to provide age-appropriate measures of HRQOL in children with chronic diseases. DISABKIDS includes a Chronic Generic Module 37 (DCGM-37) and disease-specific modules. The purpose of this study was to examine reliability and validity of the Norwegian versions of the DISABKIDS questionnaires in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The DCGM-37 and the Diabetes Specific Module-10 (DDM-10) were translated into Norwegian using standard forward-backward translation. Eight to 19 year old children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes scheduled for routine follow-up at three diabetic clinics in Norway and one of their parents were invited to complete the DCGM-37 and the DDM-10. Internal consistency was determined using Cronbach's alpha. Results were compared with those of the Child Health Questionnaire Children Form-87 (CHQ-CF87) and Child Health Questionnaire Parent Form-50 which are established generic questionnaires. DISABKIDS results were related to age, gender, duration of diabetes, mode of insulin delivery and metabolic control. Clinical data were obtained from the Norwegian Childhood Diabetes Registry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of 198 eligible child-parent dyads, 103 (52%) completed the questionnaires. Mean age was 13.6 (2.6), range 8-19 yrs, 52% were boys. Cronbach's alpha was > 0.70 for all the DISABKIDS sub-scales except two (physical ability and social inclusion). There were moderate to high correlations (0.65-0.81) between the DISABKIDS scales and mental/emotional sub-scales of CHQ-CF87. Increasing age and higher HbA1c were significantly associated with reduced HRQOL scores. Parents tended to score their child's HRQOL lower than the children/adolescents themselves.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The study shows that the DISABKIDS instruments are applicable to a Norwegian childhood diabetes population. They seem to be a relevant supplement to other clinical indicators in medical practice and research.</p

Deltamethrin resistance in the salmon louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Krøyer): Maternal inheritance and reduced apoptosis

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Yield predictions of timothy (Phleum pratense L.) in Norway under future climate scenarios

The perennial forage grass timothy (Phleum pratense L.) is the most important forage crop in Norway. Future changesin the climate will affect growing conditions and hence the yield output. We used data from the Norwegian Value for Cultivation and Use testing to find a statistical prediction model for total dry matter yield (DMY) based on agro-climatic variables. The statistical model selection found that the predictors with the highest predictive power were growing degree days (GDD) in July and the number of days with rain (&gt;1mm) in June–July. These predictors together explained 43% of the variability in total DMY. Further, the prediction model was combined with a range of climate ensembles (RCP4.5) to project DMY of timothy for the decades 2050–2059 and 2090–2099 at 8 locations in Norway. Our projections forecast that DMY of today’s timothy varieties may decrease substantially in South-Eastern Norway, but increase in Northern Norway, by the middle of the century, due to increased temperatures and changing precipitation patterns