927 research outputs found

    Training of Standardbred horses : a survey at five Swedish trotting trainers

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    Den varmblodiga travhästen tävlar i hastigheter upp mot 50 kilometer i timmen. Under ett lopp förväntas hästarna springa flera kilometer med en maximal hjärtfrekvens. Den moderna travhästen har ett effektivt rörelsemönster, som är framavlad så att den ska kunna springa i höga hastigheter. Det innebär att några av den moderna travtränarens uppgift är att utveckla hästarnas kardiovaskulära och muskuloskeletala förmågan. Ett verktyg för att utvärdera och kontrollera träningsintensitet och träningsmängd är en hjärtfrekvensmätare, vilket mäter hjärtfrekvens, hastighet samt distans under träning. Informationen kring verksamma travtränares träningsmetoder-, distanser- samt hjärtfrekvens vid träning av varmblodiga travhästar har varit begränsad. Syftet med studien var att kartlägga träning av varmblodiga travhästar i A-träning. Totalt 32 varmblodiga travhästar ingick i kartläggningen. Hästarna var i träning hos fem travtränare. Dessa hästar tränade två hög intensiva träningspass i veckan. Under dessa högintensiva träningspass användes två hjärtfrekvensmätare hos varje tränare på några av deras hästar, under totalt tre veckors tid. Hjärtfrekvensmätarna samlade in information så som distanser, hästarnas hjärtfrekvens under hela träningen samt hastigheten vid träning. Resultatet visade att hästarna arbetade med varierande träning beroende på kön. Hastigheten i träning skiljde sig åt beroende på kön, där stona tränade i långsammare hastigheter än hingstarna (9 m/s respektive 11 m/s). Den maximala hjärtfrekvensen i träning skiljde sig också åt beroende på kön, där hingstarna hade en högre maximal hjärtfrekvens vid träning än ston och valacker. Hos hingstarna var den maximala hjärtfrekvensen i träning 231spm medan valacker hade 224 spm och ston 220 spm. Det fanns ingen signifikant skillnad i hastighet, distans eller hjärtfrekvens över 180- respektive 200 spm under träning beroende på ålder hos hästarna. Hjärtfrekvensen varierade beroende på val av träningsmetod. Vid träning i backe tränade hästarna under längst tid med en hjärtfrekvens över 180 spm i jämförelse med träning på bana/rakbana samt tryckvagn. Hastigheten under träning var signifikant lägre vid träning med tryckvagn i jämförelse med övriga träningsmetoder.During a race, the Swedish Standardbred can run up to 50 kilometers per hour. They are expected to trot several kilometers with a maximum speed and heart rate. Breeding of standardbred horses has reached a level where the horses can run at faster speeds than before, the primary goal for the trainer is therefore to achieve a well-developed cardiovascular capacity. A heart rate monitor measures heart rate, speed and distance during training. Today there is a lack of information regarding training of Standardbred horses in Sweden. The purpose of this study was therefore to survey the training of Standardbred horses trained by professional horse trainers. A total of 32 horses participated in the study, trained by five different trainers. The horses trained a program of high intensity training two times a week. Heart rate monitors were used during every high intensity session for a total period of three weeks. Information was collected such as distances during training, heart rates over 180 and 200 bpm (beats per minute) and speed. The result showed that the horses were trained different depending on gender. The mares trained on slower velocities than stallions (9 m/s in compared to 11 m/s). There was a difference between stallions, mares and geldings on maximum heart rate during training. The maximum heart rate during training of stallions was 231 bpm, geldings had a maximum heart rate of 224 bpm and mares had a heart rate of 220 bpm. There was no significant difference between age of the horses when it came to trained distance and heart rates over 180 bpm and 200 bpm. Heart rates varied depending on training method. Training uphill generated an increase of the time horses trained with a heart rate over 180 bpm (compared to training on a race track or with a heavier speedcart). When it came to velocity in training there was a significant difference between training methods. Resistance training (with a heavier speedcart) generated lower speeds in comparison to the other training methods. It turned out that all trainers, trained their horses with a heart rate over 200 bpm regardless of training method

    Electrical stimulation of lamb carcasses with respect to meat quality

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    Syftet med denna litteraturstudie var att ta reda på hur elstimulering (ES) av lammslaktkroppen påverkar köttkvalitetsparametrar och vilka effekter vi kan förväntas se på köttkvalitet, samt om det skulle vara intressant att använda ES vid slakt av lamm i Sverige. Sverige importerar idag cirka 70 % av det lamm- och fårkött som konsumeras vilket väcker frågan om hur det inhemska lammköttet kan göras mer konkurrenskraftigt för att minska importen. Vid sammanställning av litteratur framkommer att lammköttskvaliteten påverkas av faktorer så väl före som efter avlivning och antalet köttkvalitetsparametrar för att beskriva lammköttskvaliteten är många. Fokuset inom forskningen handlar bland annat om att jämföra pH-sänkning, skärmotstånd, färg och sensorisk bedömning av lammkött. Elstimulering visar sig påskynda pH-sänkningen så att lammslaktkroppen kan kylas ned fortare. Även ES oberoende av voltstyrka påskyndar pH-sänkningen och visade på lägre skärmotstånd, ökad sensorisk kvalitet och i några studier även ökad färg. Utifrån de lästa studierna i detta arbete skulle ES kunna användas på svenska slakterier för att öka mörheten på svenskt lammkött.The purpose of this literature review was to find out how electrical stimulation (ES) of the lamb carcass affects meat quality parameters and what effects that can be expected to see on meat quality, and whether it would be interesting to use ES when slaughtering lamb in Sweden. Today Sweden imports about 70 % of the lamb and sheep meat consumed, which raises the question of how the Swedish lamb can be made more competitive to reduce import. A compilation of literature shows that the quality of lamb meat is affected by factors before and after slaughter and the number of meat quality parameters to describe the quality of lamb meat are many. However, the focus in research, among other, is to comparing pH reduction, shear force, color and sensory assessment of lamb meat. Electrical stimulation is found to accelerate the pH lowering so that lamb carcasses can cool down faster. ES, regardless of voltage, accelerates the pH reduction and lowered the share force, increased sensory quality and in some studies also increased color. Based on the studies read in this work, ES cold be used in Swedish abattoir to increase tenderness in Swedish lamb

    Better wound healing in calves held with their mother? : wound healing and salivary cortisol after disbudding in dairy calves with long suckling period

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    Ett flertal studier indikerar på ett samband mellan social interaktion och snabbare sårläkning hos olika djurslag. Social support kan även sänka kortisolnivåer i samband med en stressad situation. Fysisk kontakt mellan ko och kalv kan därför potentiellt bidra till bättre sårläkning och lägre kortisolnivåer hos kalven efter avhorning. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka ifall sårläkning och koncentration av salivkortisol efter avhorning skiljer sig mellan mjölkraskalvar i grupp med respektive utan sina mammor. Försökskalvarna (n=16) hölls med sina mammor i grupp med andra ko- och kalvpar, och kontrollkalvarna (n=16) hölls i grupp med varandra. Kalvarna avhornades vid 14–20 dagars ålder och såren i respektive grupp mättes under de fyra nästkommande veckorna. Salivprover för analys av kortisol togs i försöksgruppen (n = 9) respektive kontrollgruppen (n = 9) vid fyra tidpunkter: 24 timmar före samt 4, 27 och 48 timmar efter avhorning. Ingen statistisk skillnad mellan grupperna kunde fastslås avseende procentuell förändring i sårdiameter fyra veckor efter avhorning (p = 0,056), men försökskalvarna hade en påfallande större sårreduktion än kontrollkalvarna. Inga statistiska skillnader förelåg mellan grupperna avseende salivkortisol vid 24 timmar före avhorning (p = 0,748), inte heller 4 (p = 0,736), 27 (p = 0,150) eller 48 (p = 0,719) timmar efter avhorning. Detta indikerar indirekt att den iögonfallande skillnaden i sårläkning mellan grupperna inte berodde på skillnader i kortisolnivåer efter avhorning.Several studies indicate a relationship between social interaction and faster wound healing in different species. Social support can also have an inhibitory effect on cortisol levels in the context of a stressful situation. Physical contact between cow and calf can therefore potentially contribute to a better wound healing and lower cortisol levels in calves after disbudding. The aim of this study was to investigate if wound healing and salivary cortisol levels after disbudding are different in dairy calves held in groups with or without their mothers. Test calves (n=16) were held with their biological mothers in group with other cow-calf pairs, and control calves (n=16) were held in group with each other. Disbudding was performed on calves aged 14–20 days and the wounds in each group were measured during the next four weeks. Saliva samples were collected for cortisol analysis at four different times: 24 hours before, followed by 4, 27 and 48 hours after disbudding. No significant difference was found between the groups regarding percentual difference in wound diameter after four weeks (p = 0,056), but the wounds in test calves had a notable greater reduction than wounds in control calves. No statistical differences were found between groups regarding salivary cortisol at 24 hours before (p = 0,748), neither 4 (p = 0,736), 27 (p = 0,150) or 48 hours (p = 0,719) after disbudding. These results indirectly indicate that the notable difference in wound healing between the groups was not due to differences in cortisol levels after dehorning

    Komplikationer under anestesi hos hundar med kroppsvikt under 5 kg

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    Risken för anestesi- eller sederingsrelaterad död beräknas vara omkring 0,17 % hos hundar. I en studie har kroppsvikt under 5 kg visat sig bidra till nästan åtta gånger större risk för anestesirelaterad död jämfört med högre kroppsvikt. Studier som förklarar den ökade risken hos hundar under 5 kg är få. Denna studie har därför undersökt komplikationer under anestesi hos hundar med kroppsvikt under 5 kg. Hypotesen var att totalantalet komplikationer under anestesi är högre hos hundar under 5 kg än hundar över 20 kg och att hundar under 5 kg har ökad risk för hypotermi, hypoglykemi, reflux, regurgitation och aspiration. Studien har också undersökt faktorer som skulle kunna påverka kroppstemperaturen, blodglukosnivå, pH i esofagus och pH i trakea. Studien utfördes på SLU Universitetsdjursjukhuset i Uppsala under september och oktober 2020. Inklusionskriterierna var ålder över 1år, ASA-status 1–2 och kroppsvikt under 5 kg eller över 20 kg. I studien ingick arton hundar. Inga statistiskt signifikanta skillnader sågs avseende ålder, body condition score, anestesi- och operationstider, fastetider och medetomidindos mellan grupperna. Totalantalet komplikationer under anestesin skiljde sig inte mellan grupperna. En lägre kroppstemperatur registrerades under anestesi och under uppvak hos hundar under 5 kg trots mer användning av passiv och aktiv uppvärmning. Hos hundar med kroppsvikt under 5 kg var intervallet av rektaltemperatur i samband med anestesi mellan 34,9–39,4 °C och för hundar över 20 kg var intervallet mellan 36,1–39,1 °C. Återandningsgrad hade en positiv korrelation med vikt. Återandningsgrad och inandningsgasens temperatur var högre under anestesins senare delar hos större hundar jämfört med mindre hundar. Efter 90 minuters anestesi sågs en positiv korrelation mellan inandningsgastemperatur i anestesisystemet och kroppstemperatur samt återandningsgrad. Ingen korrelation kunde ses mellan kroppstemperatur och rumstemperatur eller temperatur under patienten. Hypoglykemi registrerades inte hos hundar under 5 kg, istället hade de högre blodglukosnivåer jämfört med hundar över 20 kg. Intervallet för blodglukos hos hundar under 5 kg var 3,8–13,9 mmol/L och hos hundar över 20 kg var motsvarande intervall 2,8–8,9 mmol/L. Ingen korrelation kunde ses mellan blodglukosnivåer och preoperativ fastetid, preoperativ stress, medetomidindos, stress under uppvak eller vokalisering under uppvak. En hund med kroppsvikt över 20 kg uppvisade pH värde i esofagus förenliga med reflux. Inga hundar i studien uppvisade regurgitation eller aspiration. Däremot sågs ett signifikant lägre pH i trakea hos hundar under 5 kg. Det fanns inga skillnader mellan grupperna avseende esofagus-pH. Ingen korrelation sågs mellan preoperativ fastetid och pH i esofagus eller trakea. En lägre kroppstemperatur hos hundar under 5 kg under anestesi i denna studie skulle kunna förklaras av deras stora kroppsyta i förhållande till kroppsmassa, lägre återandningsgrad som leder till lägre gastemperatur i anestesisystemet och större totalvolym intravenös vätsketerapi i förhållande till kroppsvikt. Högre glukosnivåer hos hundar under 5 kg skulle möjligtvis kunna förklaras av smärtrelaterad stressrespons eller hypotermi. Att inga hundar under 5 kg uppvisade reflux, regurgitation eller aspiration skulle kunna bero på lågt antal hundar i studien och låg upptäcktsgrad. Konklusion I denna pilotstudie har faktorer identifierats som skulle kunna ha betydelse för patientens säkerhet under anestesi men det förklarar inte den högre dödligheten hos hundar under 5 kg som beskrivs i litteraturen. Skillnader har identifierats mellan små och stora hundar avseende kroppstemperatur, återandningsgrad, blodglukosnivåer och pH i trakea. Fler studier krävs för att utvärdera betydelsen och orsak till komplikationerna som sågs i ökad frekvens hos hundarna under 5 kg.Studies in dogs have shown a 0,17 % risk of anesthesia and sedation related death. Dogs with body weight less than 5 kg have almost eight times higher risk to die in anesthesia related death than larger dogs. The causes of the higher risk are unknown. This study estimates the frequency of complications during anesthesia in dogs with a body weight less than 5 kg. The hypothesis is that dogs less than 5 kg shows hypothermia, hypoglycemia, reflux, regurgitation and aspiration more frequent than bigger dogs. The study also examines factors that could affect body temperature, blood glucose levels, pH in the esophagus and pH in the trachea. The study was performed at the SLU University Animal Hospital in Uppsala during September and October 2020. Eighteen anesthesia sessions were registered. The inclusion criteria were dogs older than 1 year, ASA score 1-2 and body weight less than 5 kg or over 20 kg. No statistically significant differences between the study groups were seen regarding age, body condition score, anesthesia time, surgery time, fasting time and medetomidine dose. No significant differences in number of complications were documented in this study between the study groups. A lower body temperature was recorded in dogs less than 5 kg during anesthesia and the first postoperative 60 minutes even if the small dogs used more heating devices. The interval of rectal temperature in the dogs less than 5 kg was between 34,9-39,4 °C and for dogs over 20 kg was 36,1-39,1 °C. The rebreathing level had a positive correlation with body weight. The level of rebreathing and air temperature in the anesthesia circuits was higher in dogs over 20 kg. After 90 minutes anesthesia a positive correlation could be seen between air temperature in the anesthesia circuits and body weight and the level of rebreathing. No correlation could be seen between body temperature and room temperature or temperature beneath the patient. No hypoglycemia was recorded in dogs less than 5 kg, instead higher blood glucose levels were registered in dogs less than 5 kg. The interval of blood glucose levels in dogs less than 5 kg was 3,8-13,9 mmol/L and for dogs over 20 kg 2,8-8,9 mmol/L. No correlation could be seen between blood glucose levels and preoperative fasting time, preoperative stress, dose of medetomidine, postoperative stress and postoperative vocalization. One dog with body weight over 20 kg hade pH in the esophagus that coincides with reflux. No dog in the study showed regurgitation or aspiration. A significant lower pH in the trachea was seen in dogs less than 5 kg but there were no differences between pH in the esophagus along the study groups. No correlation was seen between preoperative fasting time and pH in trachea or esophagus. A lower body temperature in dogs less than 5 kg during anesthesia could be a result of their larger body surface area in relation to their body mass, lower temperature of the inspired gas and higher volume of intravenous fluid therapy in relation to their body weight. Higher blood glucose levels in dogs less than 5 kg could possibly be a result of pain triggered stress and hypothermia. The factor that no dogs less than 5 kg showed reflux, regurgitation or aspiration could be related to the small number of dogs in the study and a low rate of detection. Conclusion This pilot study has found some factors that might be of importance for the safety during anesthesia. But it cannot explain the higher frequency of anesthesia related deaths in dogs less than 5 kg that has been reported in the literature. Some factors that differ between the study groups in this study material has been found. Differences between small and bigger dogs have been seen regarding body temperature, rebreathing level, blood glucose levels and pH in the trachea. More studies would be needed to show the importance and reason of the complications seen more frequently in dogs less than 5 kg in this study

    User satisfaction in mandatory use IS environments

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    A significant part of IS systems implemented today introduce a mandatory use environment for their users, where daily tasks and responsibilities are dependent on or even impossible without the use of a specific system. This paper focuses on examining the relevance, importance and potential effects of user satisfaction in these kinds of environments, with the purpose of contributing to this previously somewhat sub-prioritized area of mandatory use environments within the contexts of user satisfaction. We began with building a theoretical basis linking the fields of technology acceptance, user satisfaction, frustration, and IS sabotage. Furthermore we applied the theoretical framework on a real world scenario in order to examine these phenomena and hoping to identify them within an implemented environment. In our research we have collected qualitative empirical data from both end users and management in a storage facility, which had recently transitioned to a mandatory use voice-controlled system. Amongst our findings we discovered evidence suggesting that user satisfaction does not play as vital a role in mandatory use environments, as it does in voluntary environments. This evidence suggests that the system examined was highly integrated into the daily work at the warehouse, and thus it was hard to distinguish between job satisfaction and user satisfaction. Because of this and the incentive bonus system that existed, we suggest that the users were never really dissatisfied, which further reduced the need for management to consider user aspects of the new system

    Usability and Sociability Oriented Design of a Virtual Meeting Place - a user centered approach to web application design

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    Cow and calf together : a study of wound healing, pain behaviours and growth in milk breed calves housed with their mother

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    Frågeställningen i den här studien var om sårläkning och uppvisande av smärtrelaterade beteenden efter avhorning påverkas av sociala faktorer. Sammanlagt 9 försöks- och 13 kontrollkalvar avhornades när de var 2,5–6 veckor gamla. Försökskalvarna hölls med sin mamma, i grupp tillsammans med de andra försökskalvarna och deras mammor. Kontrollkalvarna hölls i ensamboxar. I samband med avhorning mättes och fotograferades alla kalvars avhorningssår och dessa följdes sedan upp med nya mätningar och foton en gång per vecka under 4 veckor. Kalvarna observerades även vid 2, 4, 6, 24 och 48 timmar efter avhorning, varvid smärtrelaterade beteenden registrerades. De smärtrelaterade beteenden som mättes var huvudskakningar och huvudgnuggningar. Kalvarnas dagliga tillväxt från 1 dag innan till 3 dagar efter avhorning noterades även med avsikt att undersöka om skillnad mellan försöks- och kontrollgruppen förelåg. Genomgång av litteratur på området visar att stimulans och social interaktion kan påverka sårläkning positivt. Andra studier har visat att ökad smärta i samband med avhorning på kalvar ger minskad tillväxt. I den här studien sågs skillnader i sårläkning mellan försöks- och kontrollkalvar (p < 0,001) och försökskalvarna läkte sina sår snabbare. Vid tidpunkterna 6 respektive 48 timmar efter avhorning fanns även skillnader i antal huvudskakningar (p < 0,001 resp. p = 0,007) och det observerades överlag ett ökat antal huvudgnuggningar i kontrollgruppen, även om ingen statistiskt säkerställd skillnad kunde fastställas. Ingen skillnad i tillväxt i samband med avhorningen kunde uppmätas mellan grupperna i den här studien.The aim of this study was to evaluate whether wound healing and pain related behaviours after dehorning is affected by social factors. In total 22 calves were studied during the time around dehorning, when they were 2.5–6 weeks old. They were given two treatments, cow and calf kept together (n = 9) in a group with other calf-mother pairs and calves kept in individual pens (n = 13). Immediately after dehorning, the wounds were measured which was followed up by new measurements once a week for 4 weeks, and the size of each wound was compared to the size it had directly after dehorning. Each time, photographies of each wound were also taken. At 2, 4, 6, 24 and 48 hours after dehorning, behavioural pain related responses were also recorded. The pain behaviours recorded were head shakes and head rubbing. Daily growth, from one day before to three days after dehorning, was also recorded to evaluate if the two treatments could affect growth differently. Previous studies have showed that stimulating factors and social interaction can affect wound healing in rodents in a positive way, and that increased pain associated with dehorning decreases daily growth. In this study, there was a difference in wound healing between the two treatment groups, and the calves kept together with their mothers had a faster wound healing (p < 0.001). There were also differences between the average number of head shakes that the two groups performed. Calves that had access to their mother performed less head shakes at 6 and 48 hours after dehorning (p < 0,001 and p = 0,007). Generally, there were also a larger number of head rubs among calves that were individually housed, but no statistical difference could be measured in this study. No differences in growth in connection with the dehorning could be measured between the groups

    Design and Evaluation - Streamlining the handling of R&D projects

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    Agile software development promotes process adaptability throughout the life cycle of a project. A project is often broken down into smaller tasks and each task involves a cross-functional team working with all functions. There are many different agile methods, which focus on different aspects of the software development life cycle. Two of these agile methods are Kanban and Scrum, which focus on managing software projects. The basic unit of development with Scrum are the sprints, which are a specific duration. Each sprint demands planning tasks to be solved beforehand and an estimated commitment of tasks for the sprint goal. To help the team to estimate how much work they can do in a future sprint, a collection of historical velocity data is needed. This is often done by drawing the sprints in a chart to visualize the data. To help the teams to stay on track during each sprint, other charts can provide visibility of their on-going process. The key for success in Kanban is to visualize the workflow to improve the process. A Kanban board is often used in combination with different types of charts and tables. The aim of this Master thesis was to explore a combination of different charts and tables to increase the efficiency in R&D projects for agile development. This was done by creating and evaluating a prototype and then measuring the usability of it. The first prototype was developed and then tested on the actual target group at a company. The participants evaluated the tool and suggested the further development of the prototype. The final prototype was then developed based on the first one. A usability test was conducted on a potential target group, which haven’t used similar tools before. The results from the prototype were then evaluated. In both the first and the second tests, usability and efficiency were in focus. The conclusion of the final usability test was that there was a high level of usability although the tool was custom made for projects using Kanban and Scrum. The tool also demanded some basic level of knowledge to make it usable
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