Arc expression and protein-protein interactions in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. Exercise- and novelty-induced changes in Arc, BDNF, and PS1 expression and Arc PS1 interaction in APP/PS1 and WT mice

The overarching goal of this project was to help elucidate how some of the molecular mechanisms behind memory and learning differ between healthy brains and those with neurodegenerative diseases, specifically by studying changes involving the immediate early gene Arc, believed to be an essential regulator of synaptic plasticity. Expression of Arc protein, BDNF, and PS1 in the frontal cortex of APP/PS1 and WT mice housed in standard or enriched environments was compared using Western blotting. The results indicated that Arc expression did not differ significantly between the groups, BDNF expression was higher in mice housed in enriched environments, and PS1 expression was higher in the APP/PS1 mice, likely as a result of expressing a mutant PS1 protein in addition to the endogenous. Further, the project was concentrated on optimization of a co-immunoprecipitation protocol with the objective to study differences in the interaction between Arc and PS1 in APP/PS1 and WT mice. Application of the protocol to frontal cortex tissue from the two strains of mice housed in standard or enriched environments indicated no statistically significant difference in amount of immunoprecipitated Arc and PS1 among the groups of mice, moreover, results suggested that robust co-immunoprecipitation of PS1 with Arc or vice versa requires a continued optimization process.Masteroppgave i biomedisinMAMD-MEDBIBMED39

Handlingsrammer og handlingsrom i kunst og handverksfaget

Artikkelen ser på to ulike undervisningsopplegg der faglærarstudentar i kunst og handverk arbeidde med installasjonar. Utifrå nokre konkrete eksempel blir det belyst korleis forståingar, tilnærmingar og arbeidsmåtar som er opparbeida i kunst og handverksfagets undervisningspraksis medverka i studentanes skapande prosessar. Innan ei sosiokulturell ramme ser eg på tilnærmingar og arbeidsmåtar som reiskap. Sjølv om tilnærmingar eller arbeidsmåtar ikkje er reiskap i fysisk forstand, har dei likevel materielle sider og materielle konsekvensar. For kva handlingar ein er i stand til å førestille seg, til å vurdere eller sikte mot, altså det handlingsrommet ein orienterar seg i, vil ha ein samanheng med dei forståingane og arbeidsmåtane ein disponerer. Slike forståingar bygger på tradisjonar og mønster og desse fekk ei betyding når studentane skulle arbeide skapande med sine installasjonar. Nøkkelord: Institusjonelle mønster, samtidskunstnarisk literacy, handlingsrom, isenesetting av prosessa

The pub: an expanded office. A qualitative study on Norwegian female employees’ experiences with English work-related drinking culture

AIM The aim of this study is to explore how Norwegian female employees experience work-related alcohol use in British working life using cultural analysis. DESIGN Explorative design with strategic population; in-depth interviews with eight female Norwegian employees working in London, in addition to field observation in two typical ‘after-work’ pubs in London. The data was analysed through bricolage: themes and subthemes were identified and Hall’s theory of high- and low-context cultures and Bourdieu’s concepts of capital and field were applied. RESULTS The pub appeared to be a significant arena for Norwegian female employees in London to adapt to British working culture and work-related drinking. Four main themes emerged: (1) Breaking the code in communication at work, (2) Adjusting to English office ‘etiquette’ through pub visits, (3) Adhering to pub rules and developing strategies, and (4) Balancing after-work pub culture and family obligations. CONCLUSION Navigating British pub culture demands cultural awareness to maintain one’s work-related position and career progress, including balancing gender-specific expectations and contextual drinking culture.publishedVersio

Characterization of untranslated regions of the salmonid alphavirus 3 (SAV3) genome and construction of a SAV3 based replicon

Salmonid alphavirus (SAV) causes disease in farmed salmonid fish and is divided into different genetic subtypes (SAV1-6). Here we report the cloning and characterization of the 5'- and 3'- untranslated regions (UTR) of a SAV3 isolated from Atlantic salmon in Norway. The sequences of the UTRs are very similar to those of SAV1 and SAV2, but single nucleotide polymorphisms are present, also in the 3' - conserved sequence element (3'-CSE). Prediction of the RNA secondary structure suggested putative stem-loop structures in both the 5'- and 3'-ends, similar to those of alphaviruses from the terrestrial environment, indicating that the general genome replication initiation strategy for alphaviruses is also utilized by SAV. A DNA replicon vector, pmSAV3, based upon a pVAX1 backbone and the SAV3 genome was constructed, and the SAV3 non-structural proteins were used to express a reporter gene controlled by the SAV3 subgenomic promoter. Transfection of pmSAV3 into CHSE and BF2 cell lines resulted in expression of the reporter protein, confirming that the cloned SAV3 replication apparatus and UTRs are functional in fish cells