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- Nguyen, THP, et al.
(författare)
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Antirheumatic therapy is associated with reduced complement activation in rheumatoid arthritis
- 2022
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Ingår i: PloS one. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 17:2, s. e0264628-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The complement system plays an important role in pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and might be involved in accelerated atherogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The role of complement activation in response to treatment, and in development of premature CVD in RA, is limited. Therefore, we examined the effects of methotrexate (MTX) and tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) on complement activation using soluble terminal complement complex (TCC) levels in RA; and assessed associations between TCC and inflammatory and cardiovascular biomarkers.MethodsWe assessed 64 RA patients starting with MTX monotherapy (n = 34) or TNFi with or without MTX co-medication (TNFi±MTX, n = 30). ELISA was used to measure TCC in EDTA plasma. The patients were examined at baseline, after 6 weeks and 6 months of treatment.ResultsMedian TCC was 1.10 CAU/mL, and 57 (89%) patients had TCC above the estimated upper reference limit (<0.70). Compared to baseline, TCC levels were significantly lower at 6-week visit (0.85 CAU/mL, p<0.0001), without significant differences between the two treatment regimens. Notably, sustained reduction in TCC was only achieved after 6 months on TNFi±MTX (0.80 CAU/mL, p = 0.006). Reductions in TCC after treatment were related to decreased C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and interleukin 6, and increased levels of total, high and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Similarly, baseline TCC was significantly related to baseline CRP, ESR and interleukin 6. Patients with endothelial dysfunction had higher baseline TCC than those without (median 1.4 versus 1.0 CAU/mL, p = 0.023).ConclusionsPatients with active RA had elevated TCC, indicating increased complement activation. TCC decreased with antirheumatic treatment already after 6 weeks. However, only treatment with TNFi±MTX led to sustained reduction in TCC during the 6-month follow-up period. RA patients with endothelial dysfunction had higher baseline TCC compared to those without, possibly reflecting involvement of complement in the atherosclerotic process in RA.
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- Andre, Beate, et al.
(författare)
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Coping Strategies of Norwegian Healthcare Professionals Facing Perinatal Death-A Qualitative Study
- 2019
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Ingår i: International Journal of Childbirth. - : SPRINGER PUBLISHING CO. - 2156-5287 .- 2156-5295. ; 9:3, s. 107-119
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIM: Perinatal death is often regarded as a critical incident for the healthcare personnel involved. How healthcare personnel respond to traumatic events in their work is a function of their level of awareness or exposure to the incident, as well as their genuine expectations, support, and trust. The aim of this study was to explore coping strategies of Norwegian healthcare professionals including midwifes, obstetricians, and assistant nurses when faced with perinatal death in a clinical setting. METHOD: Midwives, obstetricians, and assistant nurses in two public hospitals in Norway participated in an in-depth and semi-structured interview. The data was analyzed using Kvale's approach, which involves condensing and thematic analysis. FINDINGS: The results are divided into three categories with eight subcategories. Having the support of one's colleagues was described as an important factor for coping with these situations. Both immediate support in the situation and talking about their feelings later with colleagues were found to be important. Discussing and sharing responsibility were also mentioned. CONCLUSION: Informants in this study stated that talking with one another about the challenges they faced in these situations was important. Appropriate education and training programs, together with healthy coping and debriefing strategies must be implemented in maternity units.
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- Eilertsen, Mariann, et al.
(författare)
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Photoreception and transcriptomic response to light during early development of a teleost with a life cycle tightly controlled by seasonal changes in photoperiod
- 2022
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Ingår i: PLOS Genetics. - : Public Library of Science. - 1553-7390 .- 1553-7404. ; 18:12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Light cues vary along the axis of periodicity, intensity and spectrum and perception of light is dependent on the photoreceptive capacity encoded within the genome and the opsins expressed. A global approach was taken to analyze the photoreceptive capacity and the effect of differing light conditions on a developing teleost prior to first feeding. The transcriptomes of embryos and alevins of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) exposed to different light conditions were analyzed, including a developmental series and a circadian profile. The results showed that genes mediating nonvisual photoreception are present prior to hatching when the retina is poorly differentiated. The clock genes were expressed early, but the circadian profile showed that only two clock genes were significantly cycling before first feeding. Few genes were differentially expressed between day and night within a light condition; however, many genes were significantly different between light conditions, indicating that light environment has an impact on the transcriptome during early development. Comparing the transcriptome data from constant conditions to periodicity of white light or different colors revealed overrepresentation of genes related to photoreception, eye development, muscle contraction, degradation of metabolites and cell cycle among others, and in constant light, several clock genes were upregulated. In constant white light and periodicity of green light, genes associated with DNA replication, chromatin remodeling, cell division and DNA repair were downregulated. The study implies a direct influence of light conditions on the transcriptome profile at early developmental stages, by a complex photoreceptive system where few clock genes are cycling.
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- Hansen, I., et al.
(författare)
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Can a new electronic warning system prevent collisions between vehicles and semi-domestic reindeer?
- 2019
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Ingår i: Precision Livestock Farming '19. - : Organising Committee of the 9th European Conference on Precision Livestock Farming (ECPLF), Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre. - 9781841706542 ; , s. 268-271
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Collisions between vehicles and animals have increased in Norway and Europe over the last 40 years, causing economical losses as well as poor welfare for animals and people. In Norway 2 m high deer fences have been put up to prevent killings of semi-domestic reindeer at some limited road- and railway distances. However, these are very expensive and animal passages are needed. As a supplementary measure, an electronic system, aimed at warning the driver if reindeer are close to the road, was tested along the E6 main road at Saltfjellet, Norway, during March - April 2018. 235 female reindeer were equipped with radio transmitter collars (805.15.4 866 MHz). The animals were grazing in a collision exposed area at Saltfjellet. A total of 41 receivers were mounted on road sticks alongside the 4.5 km test distance. When a reindeer with transmitter was within 50 - 100 m proximity to a road stick, the receiver started blinking red. Saltfjellet reindeer herding district lost 15 reindeer in the test area from December 2017 until test start in February 2018. No reindeer were hit by cars during the test period. Nevertheless, 25% of the receivers became defective after a while, most possibly due to battery shortage. A new generation of transmitters and receivers was tested at Saltfjellet during December 2018 - April 2019. Preliminary results from this extended test are presented. We evaluate the electronic warning system as promising. However, improvements are needed in order to achieve optimal receiver and transmitter reliability in function.
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| 8. |
- Nguyen, THP, et al.
(författare)
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Antirheumatic therapy is not associated with changes in circulating N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide levels in patients with autoimmune arthritis
- 2021
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Ingår i: PloS one. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 16:6, s. e0253793-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Patients with autoimmune arthritis (AA) are at increased risk for impaired cardiac function and heart failure. This may be partly due to the effect of inflammation in heart function. The impact of antirheumatic drugs on cardiac dysfunction in AA remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to examine effects of antirheumatic treatment on serum N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in AA patients and its relationship to inflammatory markers.MethodsWe examined 115 patients with AA (64 rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 31 psoriatic arthritis and 20 ankylosis spondylitis) starting with methotrexate (MTX) monotherapy or tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) with or without MTX co-medication. NT-proBNP (measured in serum by ECLIA from Roche Diagnostics), and other clinical and laboratory parameters were evaluated at baseline, after 6 weeks and 6 months of treatment.ResultsNT-proBNP levels did not change significantly after 6 weeks and 6 months of antirheumatic therapy (pbaseline-6weeks= 0.939; pbaseline-6months= 0.485), although there was a modest improvement from 6 weeks to 6 months in the MTX only treatment group (median difference = -18.2 [95% CI = -32.3 to -4.06], p = 0.013). There was no difference in the effects of MTX monotherapy and TNFi regimen on NT-proBNP levels. The changes in NT-proBNP after antirheumatic treatment positively correlated with changes in C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Baseline NT-proBNP levels were related to baseline CRP and ESR levels, and some other established markers of disease activities in crude analyses.ConclusionCirculating levels of NT-proBNP were related to established inflammatory markers at baseline, and the changes in NT-proBNP after antirheumatic treatment were positively related to these markers. Nevertheless, antirheumatic therapy did not seem to affect NT-proBNP levels compared to baseline, even though inflammatory markers significantly improved.
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