Live birth following in vitro maturation of oocytes retrieved from extracorporeal ovarian tissue aspiration and embryo cryopreservation for 5 years.

Objective: To report a live birth after in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes retrieved from extracorporeal ovarian tissue aspiration in the setting of fertility preservation.

Design: Observational study.

Setting: Academic center.

Methylmercury biomagnification in an Arctic pelagic food web.

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic element that enters the biosphere from natural and anthropogenic sources, and emitted gaseous Hg enters the Arctic from lower latitudes by long-range transport. In aquatic systems, anoxic conditions favor the bacterial transformation of inorganic Hg to methylmercury (MeHg), which has a greater potential for bioaccumulation than inorganic Hg and is the most toxic form of Hg. The main objective of the present study was to quantify the biomagnification of MeHg in a marine pelagic food web, comprising species of zooplankton, fish, and seabirds, from the Kongsfjorden system (Svalbard, Norway), by use of trophic magnification factors.

Absence of the inflammasome adaptor ASC reduces hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in mice.

Pulmonary hypertension is a serious condition that can lead to premature death. The mechanisms involved are incompletely understood although a role for the immune system has been suggested. Inflammasomes are part of the innate immune system and consist of the effector caspase-1 and a receptor, where nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) is the best characterized and interacts with the adaptor protein apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase-recruitment domain (ASC).

Small-molecule activation of SERCA2a SUMOylation for the treatment of heart failure.

Decreased activity and expression of the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA2a), a critical pump regulating calcium cycling in cardiomyocyte, are hallmarks of heart failure. We have previously described a role for the small ubiquitin-like modifier type 1 (SUMO-1) as a regulator of SERCA2a and have shown that gene transfer of SUMO-1 in rodents and large animal models of heart failure restores cardiac function. Here, we identify and characterize a small molecule, N106, which increases SUMOylation of SERCA2a.

Current status, between-year comparisons and maternal transfer of organohalogenated compounds (OHCs) in Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) from Bjørnøya, Svalbard (Norway).

High levels of organohalogenated compounds (OHCs) have been found in Arctic char from Lake Ellasjøen at Bjørnøya (Svalbard, Norway) compared to char from other arctic lakes. The first aim of the study was to investigate the OHC status, contaminant profile, and partitioning of OHCs between muscle and ovary tissue in spawning female char from the high-polluted Lake Ellasjøen and the low-polluted Lake Laksvatn. The second aim was to investigate if OHC levels in muscle tissue have changed over time.

Bone morphogenetic protein 4 inhibits insulin secretion from rodent beta cells through regulation of calbindin1 expression and reduced voltage-dependent calcium currents.

Aims/hypothesis: Type 2 diabetes is characterised by progressive loss of pancreatic beta cell mass and function. Therefore, it is of therapeutic interest to identify factors with the potential to improve beta cell proliferation and insulin secretion. Bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) expression is increased in diabetic animals and BMP4 reduces glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS).

A Voxel-by-Voxel Comparison of Deformable Vector Fields Obtained by Three Deformable Image Registration Algorithms Applied to 4DCT Lung Studies.

Background: Commonly used methods of assessing the accuracy of deformable image registration (DIR) rely on image segmentation or landmark selection. These methods are very labor intensive and thus limited to relatively small number of image pairs. The direct voxel-by-voxel comparison can be automated to examine fluctuations in DIR quality on a long series of image pairs.

Lack of collagen VIII reduces fibrosis and promotes early mortality and cardiac dilatation in pressure overload in mice.

Aims: In pressure overload, left ventricular (LV) dilatation is a key step in transition to heart failure (HF). We recently found that collagen VIII (colVIII), a non-fibrillar collagen and extracellular matrix constituent, was reduced in hearts of mice with HF and correlated to degree of dilatation. A reduction in colVIII might be involved in LV dilatation, and we here examined the role of reduced colVIII in pressure overload-induced remodelling using colVIII knock-out (col8KO) mice.

Characterization of AhR agonists reveals antagonistic activity in European herring gull (Larus argentatus) eggs.

European herring gull (Larus argentatus) eggs from two Norwegian islands, Musvær in the south east and Reiaren in Northern Norway, were screened for dioxins, furans, and dioxin-like and selected non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and subjected to non-target analysis to try to identify the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists, responsible for elevated levels measured using the dioxin responsive chemically activated luciferase expression (DR-CALUX) assay. Eggs from Musvær contained chemically calculated toxic equivalent (WHO TEQ) levels of between 109 and 483 pg TEQ/g lw, and between 82 and 337 pg TEQ/g lw was determined in eggs from Reiaren. In particular PCB126 contributed highly to the total TEQ (69-82%).

Secretoneurin is a novel prognostic cardiovascular biomarker associated with cardiomyocyte calcium handling.

Background: Secretoneurin (SN) levels are increased in patients with heart failure (HF), but whether SN provides prognostic information and influences cardiomyocyte function is unknown.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the merit of SN as a cardiovascular biomarker and assess effects of SN on cardiomyocyte Ca(2+) handling.

Methods: We assessed the association between circulating SN levels and mortality in 2 patient cohorts and the functional properties of SN in experimental models.

Syndecan-4 is a key determinant of collagen cross-linking and passive myocardial stiffness in the pressure-overloaded heart.

Aims: Diastolic dysfunction is central to the development of heart failure. To date, there is no effective treatment and only limited understanding of its molecular basis. Recently, we showed that the transmembrane proteoglycan syndecan-4 increases in the left ventricle after pressure overload in mice and man, and that syndecan-4 via calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) promotes myofibroblast differentiation and collagen production upon mechanical stress.

Brain abnormalities in bipolar disorder detected by quantitative T1ρ mapping.

Abnormal metabolism has been reported in bipolar disorder, however, these studies have been limited to specific regions of the brain. To investigate whole-brain changes potentially associated with these processes, we applied a magnetic resonance imaging technique novel to psychiatric research, quantitative mapping of T1 relaxation in the rotating frame (T1ρ). This method is sensitive to proton chemical exchange, which is affected by pH, metabolite concentrations and cellular density with high spatial resolution relative to alternative techniques such as magnetic resonance spectroscopy and positron emission tomography.

Effect of diet, location and sampling year on bioaccumulation of mercury, selenium and cadmium in pelagic feeding seabirds in Svalbard.

Hepatic concentrations of mercury (Hg), selenium (Se) and cadmium (Cd) were determined in black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) and little auks (Alle alle) from two fjords in Svalbard (Kongsfjorden; 78°57'N, 12°12'E and Liefdefjorden; 79°37'N, 13°20'E). The inflow of Arctic and Atlantic water differs between the two fjords, potentially affecting element accumulation. Trophic positions (TP) were derived from stable nitrogen isotope ratios (δ(15)N), and stable carbon isotope ratios (δ(13)C) were assessed to evaluate the terrestrial influence on element accumulation.

Pilot cluster randomized controlled trials to evaluate adoption of water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions and their combination in rural western Kenya.

In preparation for a larger trial, the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Benefits pilot study enrolled 72 villages and 499 subjects in two closely related randomized trials of WASH interventions in rural western Kenya. Intervention households received hardware and promotion for one of the following: water treatment, sanitation and latrine improvements, handwashing with soap, or the combination of all three. Interventions were clustered by village.

The homeostatic chemokine CCL21 predicts mortality in aortic stenosis patients and modulates left ventricular remodeling.

Background: CCL21 acting through CCR7, is termed a homeostatic chemokine. Based on its role in concerting immunological responses and its proposed involvement in tissue remodeling, we hypothesized that this chemokine could play a role in myocardial remodeling during left ventricular (LV) pressure overload.

Methods And Results: Our main findings were: (i) Serum levels of CCL21 were markedly raised in patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS, n = 136) as compared with healthy controls (n = 20).

CRFR1 activation protects against cytokine-induced β-cell death.

During the development of diabetes β-cells are exposed to elevated concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines, TNFα and IL1β, which in vitro induce β-cell death. The class B G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs): corticotropin-releasing factor receptor 1 (CRFR1) and CRFR2 are expressed in pancreatic islets. As downstream signaling by other class B GPCRs can protect against cytokine-induced β-cell apoptosis, we evaluated the protective potential of CRFR activation in β-cells in a pro-inflammatory setting.

Rex (encoded by DVU_0916) in Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough is a repressor of sulfate adenylyl transferase and is regulated by NADH.

Although the enzymes for dissimilatory sulfate reduction by microbes have been studied, the mechanisms for transcriptional regulation of the encoding genes remain unknown. In a number of bacteria the transcriptional regulator Rex has been shown to play a key role as a repressor of genes producing proteins involved in energy conversion. In the model sulfate-reducing microbe Desulfovibrio vulgaris Hildenborough, the gene DVU_0916 was observed to resemble other known Rex proteins.

Toxic and essential elements changed in black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) during their stay in an Arctic breeding area.

Seasonal fluctuations in mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and selenium (Se) concentrations were studied in black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) from Kongsfjorden, Svalbard (79°57'N, 12°12'E). Element concentrations were determined in muscle and liver tissue in kittiwakes collected in May, July and October 2007. Stable isotopes of carbon (δ(13)C) and nitrogen (δ(15)N) were analysed in muscle tissue to calculate trophic position (TP) and examine the possible influence of carbon source on element accumulation.

Inhibition of beta cell growth and function by bone morphogenetic proteins.

Aims/hypothesis: Impairment of beta cell mass and function is evident in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. In healthy physiological conditions pancreatic beta cells adapt to the body's increasing insulin requirements by proliferation and improved function. We hypothesised that during the development of diabetes, there is an increase in the expression of inhibitory factors that prevent the beta cells from adapting to the increased need for insulin.

IL-18 neutralization during alveolar hypoxia improves left ventricular diastolic function in mice.

Aim: In patients, an association exists between pulmonary diseases and diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricle (LV). We have previously shown that alveolar hypoxia in mice induces LV diastolic dysfunction and that mice exposed to hypoxia have increased levels of circulating interleukin-18 (IL-18), suggesting involvement of IL-18 in development of diastolic dysfunction. IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP) is a natural inhibitor of IL-18.