Medium-term exposure of the North Atlantic copepod Calanus finmarchicus (Gunnerus, 1770) to CO2-acidified seawater: effects on survival and development

The impact of medium-term exposure to CO2-acidified seawater on survival, growth and development was investigated in the North Atlantic copepod Calanus finmarchicus. Using a custom developed experimental system, fertilized eggs and subsequent development stages were exposed to normal seawater (390 ppm CO2) or one of three different levels of CO2-induced acidification (3300, 7300, 9700 ppm CO2). Following the 28-day exposure period, survival was found to be unaffected by exposure to 3300 ppm CO2, but significantly reduced at 7300 and 9700 ppm CO2. Also, the proportion of copepodite stages IV to VI observed in the different treatments was significantly affected in a manner that may indicate a CO2-induced retardation of the rate of ontogenetic development. Morphometric analysis revealed a significant increase in size (prosome length) and lipid storage volume in stage IV copepodites exposed to 3300 ppm CO2 and reduced size in stage III copepodites exposed to 7300 ppm CO2. Together, the findings indicate that a pCO2 level ≤2000 ppm (the highest CO2 level expected by the year 2300) will probably not directly affect survival in C. finmarchicus. Longer term experiments at more moderate CO2 levels are, however, necessary before the possibility that growth and development may be affected below 2000 ppm CO2 can be ruled out.© Author(s) 2013. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License

Uønskede effekter ved kjeveortopediske retainere. En systematisk litteraturoversikt og kliniske sjekkpunkter for allmenntannlegen

Kjeveortopedisk behandling med fast apparatur avløses gjerne av en retensjonsfase med uklar tidsbegrensning. Selv om limte retensjonstråder har en velbegrunnet hensikt i å motvirke uønsket residiv, er det grunn til å stille spørsmål ved oppfølging og mulige bivirkninger. Hovedmålet med denne systematiske oversikten var derfor å undersøke om faste kjeveortopediske retainere gir uønskede effekter og foreslå kliniske sjekkpunkter for allmenntannlegen. Et systematisk litteratursøk ble gjennomført etter fastsatte kriterier i databasene MEDLINE, Cochrane Library (inkludert Central), Embase, Web of Science og SveMed+. Nøkkelinformasjon ble presentert med utgangspunkt i PICO, mens kvalitative vurderinger ble gjennomført med tilpasset Newcastle-Ottawa scale og Cochrane’s Collaboration’s tool. Totalt 16 studier (13 kohortstudier, 3 randomiserte studier) møtte alle kriteriene for å bli inkludert. Etter bruk av retainere viste elleve studier periodontale utfall, med tendens til økt plakk-, gingvitt- og tannsteinsdannelse, tre studier påviste ulike biomarkører, og to studier uventede endringer i tannstilling. Klinikere bør være spesielt oppmerksomme på hygieneutfordringer og utilsiktet kraftpåvirkning ved faste retainere. Flere kvalitetsstudier med tilstrekkelig oppfølging er nødvendig. Tydelige, oppdaterte sjekklister er viktig for å håndtere komplikasjoner og sikre god rollefordelingen mellom tannlege og kjeveortoped.publishedVersio

A Scoping Review of Cerebral Doppler Arterial Waveforms in Infants

Cerebral Doppler ultrasound has been an important tool in pediatric diagnostics and prognostics for decades. Although the Doppler spectrum can provide detailed information on cerebral perfusion, the measured spectrum is often reduced to simple numerical parameters. To help pediatric clinicians recognize the visual characteristics of disease-associated Doppler spectra and identify possible areas for future research, a scoping review of primary studies on cerebral Doppler arterial waveforms in infants was performed. A systematic search in three online bibliographic databases yielded 4898 unique records. Among these, 179 studies included cerebral Doppler spectra for at least five infants below 1 y of age. The studies describe variations in the cerebral waveforms related to physiological changes (43%), pathology (62%) and medical interventions (40%). Characteristics were typically reported as resistance index (64%), peak systolic velocity (43%) or end-diastolic velocity (39%). Most studies focused on the anterior (59%) and middle (42%) cerebral arteries. Our review highlights the need for a more standardized terminology to describe cerebral velocity waveforms and for precise definitions of Doppler parameters. We provide a list of reporting variables that may facilitate unambiguous reports. Future studies may gain from combining multiple Doppler parameters to use more of the information encoded in the Doppler spectrum, investigating the full spectrum itself and using the possibilities for long-term monitoring with Doppler ultrasound

Metal binding proteins and antifreeze proteins in the beetle Tenebrio molitor: a study on possible competition for the semi-essential amino acid cysteine

In their natural environment animals are confronted by both physical (eg. extreme temperatures, desiccation) and chemical stressors (e.g. pollutants). Stress may be defined as a condition that is evoked in an organism by one or more environmental factors that bring the organism near to or over the edges of its ecological niche (van Straalen 2003). Various defence systems exist to cope with different forms of stress and restore homeostasis. Often, production of various proteins or enzymes are involved in these defence systems (Korsloot et al. 2004). Since an organism’s resources may be considered to be limited, the ability to restore homeostasis depends on the severity of the different forms of stress it experiences. It has been proposed that pollutants present in the environment may alter the ability to respond to climatic stressors like e.g. low temperature, desiccation (Holmstrup 2002). This work deals with the possible consequences of combined stress from metal exposure and low temperature in cold hardy insects. Many of these insects produce so called antifreeze proteins that protect them from lethal freezing. Metallothioneins are metal binding proteins that are considered to be important in detoxification when animals are exposed to metals. Metallothioneins and most forms of antifreeze proteins from insects are known to contain unusually high amounts cysteine. Cysteine is considered to be semi-essential, since it must be derived from the essential amino acid methionine (Choen 2004). Induction of one of these two types of proteins may potentially deplete the cysteine pool and thus reduce the capacity to produce the other type. Alternatively, the animals might have evolved other structures to avoid a potential competition for cysteine. The purpose of the present work was to explore these possible scenarios

Metal binding proteins and antifreeze proteins in the beetle Tenebrio molitor: a study on possible competition for the semi-essential amino acid cysteine

In their natural environment animals are confronted by both physical (eg. extreme temperatures, desiccation) and chemical stressors (e.g. pollutants). Stress may be defined as a condition that is evoked in an organism by one or more environmental factors that bring the organism near to or over the edges of its ecological niche (van Straalen 2003). Various defence systems exist to cope with different forms of stress and restore homeostasis. Often, production of various proteins or enzymes are involved in these defence systems (Korsloot et al. 2004). Since an organism’s resources may be considered to be limited, the ability to restore homeostasis depends on the severity of the different forms of stress it experiences. It has been proposed that pollutants present in the environment may alter the ability to respond to climatic stressors like e.g. low temperature, desiccation (Holmstrup 2002). This work deals with the possible consequences of combined stress from metal exposure and low temperature in cold hardy insects. Many of these insects produce so called antifreeze proteins that protect them from lethal freezing. Metallothioneins are metal binding proteins that are considered to be important in detoxification when animals are exposed to metals. Metallothioneins and most forms of antifreeze proteins from insects are known to contain unusually high amounts cysteine. Cysteine is considered to be semi-essential, since it must be derived from the essential amino acid methionine (Choen 2004). Induction of one of these two types of proteins may potentially deplete the cysteine pool and thus reduce the capacity to produce the other type. Alternatively, the animals might have evolved other structures to avoid a potential competition for cysteine. The purpose of the present work was to explore these possible scenarios.PhD i biologiPhD in Biolog

Ocean acidification ameliorates harmful effects of warming in primary consumer

Climate change-induced warming and ocean acidification are considered two imminent threats to marine biodiversity and current ecosystem structures. Here, we have for the first time examined an animal's response to a complete life cycle of exposure to co-occurring warming (+3°C) and ocean acidification (+1,600 μatm CO2), using the key subarctic planktonic copepod, Calanus finmarchicus, as a model species. The animals were generally negatively affected by warming, which significantly reduced the females’ energy status and reproductive parameters (respectively, 95% and 69%–87% vs. control). Unexpectedly, simultaneous acidification partially offset the negative effect of warming in an antagonistic manner, significantly improving reproductive parameters and hatching success (233%–340% improvement vs. single warming exposure). The results provide proof of concept that ocean acidification may partially offset negative effects caused by warming in some species. Possible explanations and ecological implications for the observed antagonistic effect are discussed

What is known about the LGBTQ perspective in child welfare services: A scoping review

Sexual and gender minorities, for example, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, are overrepresented in the child welfare system and an increasing number of LGBTQ people are becoming foster parents. The objective of this scoping review is to provide an overview of the existing empirical research on the practices of child welfare services towards LGBTQ individuals (i.e., youth, carers and foster parents). The review followed the methodology framework outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The electronic databases MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed and Idunn were searched to identify studies appropriate for inclusion. There were 45 studies that met the inclusion criteria; 24 concerned LGBTQ youth, 10 encompassed foster parents, while nine had the service perspective as the primary focus. The studies originated from the USA (k = 34), the UK (k = 6), Australia (k = 2) and the Netherlands (k = 1). Of the included studies, 28 were qualitative, 14 were quantitative, and three studies used mixed method approach. The findings indicate that LGBTQ youth are overrepresented in the child welfare system and that LGBTQ youth and foster parents often face stigma and discrimination. The results reveal a gap in the current knowledge about social workers' attitudes, knowledge and experiences regarding working with LGBTQ individuals

What is known about the LGBTQ perspective in child welfare services: A scoping review

Sexual and gender minorities, for example, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, are overrepresented in the child welfare system and an increasing number of LGBTQ people are becoming foster parents. The objective of this scoping review is to provide an overview of the existing empirical research on the practices of child welfare services towards LGBTQ individuals (i.e., youth, carers and foster parents). The review followed the methodology framework outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The electronic databases MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed and Idunn were searched to identify studies appropriate for inclusion. There were 45 studies that met the inclusion criteria; 24 concerned LGBTQ youth, 10 encompassed foster parents, while nine had the service perspective as the primary focus. The studies originated from the USA (k = 34), the UK (k = 6), Australia (k = 2) and the Netherlands (k = 1). Of the included studies, 28 were qualitative, 14 were quantitative, and three studies used mixed method approach. The findings indicate that LGBTQ youth are overrepresented in the child welfare system and that LGBTQ youth and foster parents often face stigma and discrimination. The results reveal a gap in the current knowledge about social workers' attitudes, knowledge and experiences regarding working with LGBTQ individuals.publishedVersio

What is known about the LGBTQ perspective in child welfare services: A scoping review

Sexual and gender minorities, for example, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, are overrepresented in the child welfare system and an increasing number of LGBTQ people are becoming foster parents. The objective of this scoping review is to provide an overview of the existing empirical research on the practices of child welfare services towards LGBTQ individuals (i.e., youth, carers and foster parents). The review followed the methodology framework outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The electronic databases MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Science, PubMed and Idunn were searched to identify studies appropriate for inclusion. There were 45 studies that met the inclusion criteria; 24 concerned LGBTQ youth, 10 encompassed foster parents, while nine had the service perspective as the primary focus. The studies originated from the USA (k = 34), the UK (k = 6), Australia (k = 2) and the Netherlands (k = 1). Of the included studies, 28 were qualitative, 14 were quantitative, and three studies used mixed method approach. The findings indicate that LGBTQ youth are overrepresented in the child welfare system and that LGBTQ youth and foster parents often face stigma and discrimination. The results reveal a gap in the current knowledge about social workers' attitudes, knowledge and experiences regarding working with LGBTQ individuals

Variation in MHC genotypes in two populations of house sparrow (Passer domesticus) with different population histories

Small populations are likely to have a low genetic ability for disease resistance due to loss of genetic variation through inbreeding and genetic drift. In vertebrates, the highest genetic diversity of the immune system is located at genes within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Interestingly, parasite-mediated selection is thought to potentially maintain variation at MHC loci even in populations that are monomorphic at other loci. Therefore, general loss of genetic variation in the genome may not necessarily be associated with low variation at MHC loci. We evaluated inter- and intrapopulation variation in MHC genotypes between an inbred (Aldra) and a relatively outbred population (Hestmannøy) of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in a metapopulation at Helgeland, Norway. Genomic (gDNA) and transcribed (cDNA) alleles of functional MHC class I and IIB loci, along with neutral noncoding microsatellite markers, were analyzed to obtain relevant estimates of genetic variation. We found lower allelic richness in microsatellites in the inbred population, but high genetic variation in MHC class I and IIB loci in both populations. This suggests that also the inbred population could be under balancing selection to maintain genetic variation for pathogen resistance