The Scandinavian Small-for-Gestational Age (SGA) pregnancy and birth cohort – A source to continual insight into fetal growth restriction and long term physical and neurodevelopmental health in mother and offspring

Human in utero growth restriction (IUGR) is associated with an increased risk for perinatal mortality and morbidity among newborns and infants. To pursue this challenge, a Request For Proposals (RFP) was issued in 1983 by The U.S. Epidemiology and Biometry Research Program at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). A consortium was set up at the universities and university hospitals in Trondheim, Bergen (Norway) and Uppsala (Sweden) and was funded by the NICHD to conduct the Scandinavian Successive Small-for-Gestational Age (SGA) pregnancy and birth outcome study. The study design included a comprehensive biobank with maternal and cord serum samples, placental tissue, and a multitude of data collected from interviews, questionnaires, and clinical examinations.  The SGA cohort study involved 6,354 Caucasian pregnant women in the three study sites who expected their second or third child from 1986-88. The study women were screened in early second trimester and mothers who had an increased risk to deliver a smaller than expected newborn were followed in detail through the second half of pregnancy and at birth. Selected children were screened several times through their first and up to five years of age. Moreover, a highly selected subgroup in Trondheim has been followed at 14, 19, and 26 years’ age.  Almost thirty years later, we have searched the body of scientific publications that originated from this cohort study in an attempt to assess if and to what extent the main aims and objectives were achieved and to summarize the overall outcomes. The SGA cohort has resulted in close to 100 published papers in peer reviewed journals and some 40 graduate and undergraduate degrees. Risk factors of SGA, like maternal smoking, low prepregnancy weight and education attainment, and a previous SGA birth outcome were confirmed. Conversely, no totally new and unknown risk factors were identified. Serial ultrasound measures have enabled a distinction between SGA with restricted and normal intrauterine growth, and has further indicated that being born SGA is mainly a problem in combination with IUGR. Further, the consequences of IUGR are more pronounced at adolescence and young adulthood than at five years of age.  An increased understanding of the pathogenesis of different categories of growth restriction is essential to recognize and diagnose IUGR properly, and to reduce the perinatal mortality and morbidity from SGA. Moreover, SGA is a significant predictor at follow-up of the child. An up to date biobank has ensured the quality of data and biological samples, and has been crucial for the outcome of the entire SGA study. It continues to be a valuable resource in future research

Personalledelse i kunnskapsorganisasjoner

Alle virksomheter har et ”input” i form av ”råvarer”. Bedriften foredler råvarene og skaper et produkt med merverdi. I kunnskapsorganisasjoner er råvaren kompetanse, som enten er nedfelt i medarbeidernes hoder eller i de strukturer og mønstre som virksomheten består av. Å forvalte kompetanse for å skape kunnskap som produkt, er og vil i framtida være, en stor andel av verdiskapningen. I denne oppgaven bruker jeg observasjon som metodologisk tilnærming for å reflektere rundt hva som er de viktigste redskapene for en kunnskapsleder i ledelsesutøvelsen. Med utgangspunkt i ledelsesparadigmet ”endringsledelse” og min egen definisjon på ledelse, nemlig at ”ledelse er kunnskaping” fokuserer jeg innledningsvis på barrierer som står i veien for nettopp ervervelse og deling av kunnskap. Videre i oppgaven fremhever jeg de personalpolitiske virkemidlene som kunnskapslederens bestvirkende redskaper. Blant de mange personalpolitiske virkemidler synes kompetansebygging, motivasjon, uformell kommunikasjon, team og tillit å være sentrale elementer i tunge kunnskapsorganisasjoner. Mine observasjoner er i noen grad understøttet med relevant ledelsesteorier, særlig er begrunnelsen for å velge fokusområdet ”personalpolitikk” som hovedtema, begrunnet ut fra kunnskapsorganisasjonenes særegenheter. Avslutningsvis gir jeg på bakgrunn av drøftingsdelen i oppgaven en anbefaling til kunnskapsledere om hvordan de bør lede og forvalte vitenskapsmedarbeidere

Invasive properties of cancer - a treatment target? : In vitro studies in human prostate cancer cell lines

Dr.philos.Dr.philos

The regional research biobank of central Norway - "One biobank, many collections" :

The term biobank is used to designate a systematized collection of biological specimens, often restricted to specimens of human origin (1). Population biobanks, which mainly receive blood samples from large cohorts, have their value primarily in an epidemiological setting, as they are especially useful in identifying causative agents and risk factors, the practical scope of which is prevention. Clinical research biobanks, which contain samples from patients, are often established ad hoc, as part of a particular research project, aimed at shedding light on disease mechanisms and factors determining the course of disease, their practical scope being mainly to improve diagnosis and treatment. In the central part of Norway, we have established one clinical research biobank which is meant to serve the whole region. In this paper we will describe the background for this rather unusual construction, the principles which have governed its organisation and policy, and the results which we have achieved so far. Finally we discuss a couple of issues which open perspectives into the future

The Scandinavian small-for-gestational age (SGA) pregnancy and birth cohort – A source to continual insight into fetal growth restriction and long term physical and neurodevelopmental health in mother and offspring

Human in utero growth restriction (IUGR) is associated with an increased risk for perinatal mortality and morbidity among newborns and infants. To pursue this challenge, a Request For Proposals (RFP) was issued in 1983 by The U.S. Epidemiology and Biometry Research Program at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). A consortium was set up at the universities and university hospitals in Trondheim, Bergen (Norway) and Uppsala (Sweden) and was funded by the NICHD to conduct the Scandinavian Successive Small-for-Gestational Age (SGA) pregnancy and birth outcome study. The study design included a comprehensive biobank with maternal and cord serum samples, placental tissue, and a multitude of data collected from interviews, questionnaires, and clinical examinations. The SGA cohort study involved 6,354 Caucasian pregnant women in the three study sites who expected their second or third child from 1986-88. The study women were screened in early second trimester and mothers who had an increased risk to deliver a smaller than expected newborn were followed in detail through the second half of pregnancy and at birth. Selected children were screened several times through their first and up to five years of age. Moreover, a highly selected subgroup in Trondheim has been followed at 14, 19, and 26 years’ age. Almost thirty years later, we have searched the body of scientific publications that originated from this cohort study in an attempt to assess if and to what extent the main aims and objectives were achieved and to summarize the overall outcomes. The SGA cohort has resulted in close to 100 published papers in peer reviewed journals and some 40 graduate and undergraduate degrees. Risk factors of SGA, like maternal smoking, low prepregnancy weight and education attainment, and a previous SGA birth outcome were confirmed. Conversely, no totally new and unknown risk factors were identified. Serial ultrasound measures have enabled a distinction between SGA with restricted and normal intrauterine growth, and has further indicated that being born SGA is mainly a problem in combination with IUGR. Further, the consequences of IUGR are more pronounced at adolescence and young adulthood than at five years of age. An increased understanding of the pathogenesis of different categories of growth restriction is essential to recognize and diagnose IUGR properly, and to reduce the perinatal mortality and morbidity from SGA. Moreover, SGA is a significant predictor at follow-up of the child. An up to date biobank has ensured the quality of data and biological samples, and has been crucial for the outcome of the entire SGA study. It continues to be a valuable resource in future research

RNA-Integrity and 8-Isoprostane Levels Are Stable in Prostate Tissue Samples Upon Long-Term Storage at −80°C

Sampling of prostate tissue (n = 97) was performed in conjunction with planned radical prostatectomies, in collaboration with Biobank1®. The tissue used in this study was collected during the period 2003-2016, quickly frozen, and kept at -80°C until assayed in 2018. RNA extraction was performed with two different protocols (miRNeasy and mirVana™), and RNA quality was determined by measuring the RNA Integrity Number (RIN). The level of isoprostanes is widely recognized as a specific indicator of lipid peroxidation both in vitro and in vivo. The level of 8-isoprostane was measured because it is the main oxidation product of arachidonic acid, the most abundant phospholipid fatty acid. The level of 8-isoprostane was measured using enzyme immunoassay. There was no statistically significant difference in yield between the samples isolated with the mirVana protocol compared to the miRNeasy protocol. Average RIN was 2.8 units higher with the mirVana extraction protocol compared to the miRNeasy protocol (p < 0.001). For miRNeasy extractions, RINs were 7.1 for prostatectomies in 2005-2007 and 6.2 for those in 2018 (p < 0.001). For mirVana extractions, the difference in RIN score between the two groups regarding years of collection was not statistically significant. There was no significant increase in the levels of 8-isoprostane between the 2005-2007 samples and the 2018. The conclusion is that there is no oxidation of phospholipids with increasing storage time up to 15 years

In utero exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, micro-RNA profiles, and fetal growth: a pilot study protocol

Background: The developing fetus is particularly vulnerable to the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Molecular fingerprints of EDCs can be identified via microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles and may be etiologically implicated in the developmental origin of disease (DOHaD). Methods/design: This pilot study includes pregnant women at high risk (smoking at conception), and low risk (non-smoking at conception) for SGA birth (birthweight Expected impact of the study for Public Health: Results from this pilot study will inform the development of a larger cohort wide analysis, and will impact the current state of knowledge in the fields of public health, epigenetics, and the DOHaD

In utero exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, micro-RNA profiles, and fetal growth: a pilot study protocol

Background: The developing fetus is particularly vulnerable to the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Molecular fingerprints of EDCs can be identified via microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles and may be etiologically implicated in the developmental origin of disease (DOHaD). Methods/design: This pilot study includes pregnant women at high risk (smoking at conception), and low risk (non-smoking at conception) for SGA birth (birthweight<10th percentile for gestational age). We have randomly selected 12 mothers (3 high-risk SGA birth, 3 low-risk SGA birth, 3 high-risk non-SGA birth, 3 low-risk non-SGA birth), with EDC measurements from gestational week 17. All offspring are female. We aim to test the stability of our samples (maternal serum, cord blood, placenta tissue), observe the differential expression of miRNA profiles over time (gestational weeks 17, 25, 33, 37, birth), and study the consistency between maternal EDC measures and miRNA expression profiles across our repeated measures. Expected impact of the study for Public Health: Results from this pilot study will inform the development of a larger cohort wide analysis, and will impact the current state of knowledge in the fields of public health, epigenetics, and the DOHaD