Crude Oil Density Prediction Improved by Multiblock Analysis of Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry, Fourier Transform Infrared, and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Data.

Crude oils are among the world's most complex organic mixtures containing a large number of unique components and many analytical techniques lack resolving power to characterize. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry offers a high mass accuracy, making a detailed analysis of crude oils possible. Infrared (IR) spectroscopic methods such as Fourier transform IR spectroscopy (FT-IR) and near-IR, can also be used for crude oil characterization.

Using machine learning-based variable selection to identify hydrate related components from FT-ICR MS spectra.

The blockages of pipelines caused by agglomeration of gas hydrates is a major flow assurance issue in the oil and gas industry. Some crude oils form gas hydrates that remain as transportable particles in a slurry. It is commonly believed that naturally occurring components in those crude oils alter the surface properties of gas hydrate particles when formed.

Biodegradation of oil spill dispersant surfactants in cold seawater.

While biodegradation of chemically dispersed oil has been well documented, only a few studies have focused on the degradation of the dispersant compounds themselves. The objective of this study was to determine the biodegradation of dispersant surfactants in cold seawater, relevant for deep sea or Arctic conditions. Biotransformation of the surfactants dioctyl-sodium sulfosuccinate (DOSS), Tween 80, Tween 85, and α/β-ethylhexylsulfosuccinate (EHSS, expected DOSS hydrolysis product) in the commercial dispersants Corexit 9500, Dasic Slickgone NS and Finasol OSR52 were determined.

Multiple-stressor effects in an apex predator: combined influence of pollutants and sea ice decline on lipid metabolism in polar bears.

There is growing evidence from experimental and human epidemiological studies that many pollutants can disrupt lipid metabolism. In Arctic wildlife, the occurrence of such compounds could have serious consequences for seasonal feeders. We set out to study whether organohalogenated compounds (OHCs) could cause disruption of energy metabolism in female polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from Svalbard, Norway (n = 112).

Anti-microbial and cytotoxic 1,6-dihydroxyphenazine-5,10-dioxide (iodinin) produced by Streptosporangium sp. DSM 45942 isolated from the fjord sediment.

Phenazine natural products/compounds possess a range of biological activities, including anti-microbial and cytotoxic, making them valuable starting materials for drug development in several therapeutic areas. These compounds are biosynthesized almost exclusively by eubacteria of both terrestrial and marine origins from erythrose 4-phosphate and phosphoenol pyruvate via the shikimate pathway. In this paper, we report isolation of actinomycete bacteria from marine sediment collected in the Trondheimfjord, Norway.

Iodinin (1,6-dihydroxyphenazine 5,10-dioxide) from Streptosporangium sp. induces apoptosis selectively in myeloid leukemia cell lines and patient cells.

Despite recent improvement in therapy, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is still associated with high lethality. In the presented study, we analyzed the bioactive compound iodinin (1,6-dihydroxyphenazine 5,10-dioxide) from a marine actinomycetes bacterium for the ability to induce cell death in a range of cell types. Iodinin showed selective toxicity to AML and acute promyelocytic (APL) leukemia cells, with EC50 values for cell death up to 40 times lower for leukemia cells when compared with normal cells.

Large scale MALDI-TOF MS based taxa identification to identify novel pigment producers in a marine bacterial culture collection.

A challenge in the rational exploitation of microbial culture collections is to avoid superfluous testing of replicas. MALDI-TOF MS has been shown to be an efficient dereplication tool as it can be used to discriminate between bacterial isolates at the species level. A bacterial culture collection of more than 10,000 heterotrophic marine bacterial isolates from sea-water surface layers of the Norwegian Trondheimsfjord and neighbouring coastal areas has been established.

Long-term serotonin administration leads to higher bone mineral density, affects bone architecture, and leads to higher femoral bone stiffness in rats.

New evidence suggests a control of bone mass by the central nervous system. We have previously shown that functional serotonin receptors are present in bone cells and that serotonin stimulates proliferation of osteoblast precursor cells in vitro. In the present study we investigated the effects of serotonin on bone tissue in vivo.

Long-term serotonin administration induces heart valve disease in rats.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether rats dosed with serotonin develop changes similar to those seen in human carcinoid heart disease.

Methods And Results: Ten Sprague-Dawley rats were given serotonin injections subcutaneously once daily for 3 months; controls were given saline. A long-lasting hyperserotoninemia with a >10-fold increase in both platelet-poor plasma and dialysate from the femoral muscles appeared.