Alien Registration- Kilbride, Joseph A. (Portland, Cumberland County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/22199/thumbnail.jp

Alien Registration- Kilbride, Joseph A. (Portland, Cumberland County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/22199/thumbnail.jp

A cross sectional study of the prevalence, risk factors and population attributable fractions for limb and body lesions in lactating sows on commercial farms in England

Background: Lesions on sows' limbs and bodies are an abnormality that might impact on their welfare. The prevalence of and risks for limb and body lesions on lactating sows on commercial English pig farms were investigated using direct observation of the sows and their housing. Results: The prevalence of lesions on the limbs and body were 93% (260/279) and 20% (57/288) respectively. The prevalence of limb and body lesions was significantly lower in outdoor-housed sows compared with indoor-housed sows. Indoor-housed sows had an increased risk of wounds (OR 6.8), calluses (OR 8.8) and capped hock (OR 3.8) on their limbs when housed on fully slatted floors compared with solid concrete floors. In addition, there was an increased risk of bursitis (OR 2.7), capped hock (OR 2.3) and shoulder lesions (OR 4.8) in sows that were unwilling to rise to their feet. There was a decreased risk of shoulder lesions (OR 0.3) and lesions elsewhere on the body (OR 0.2) in sows with more than 20 cm between their tail and the back of the crate compared with sows with less than 10 cm. Conclusion: The sample of outdoor housed sows in this study had the lowest prevalence of limb and body lesions. In lactating sows housed indoors there was a general trend for an increased risk of limb and body lesions in sows housed on slatted floors compared with those housed on solid concrete floors with bedding. Sows that were less responsive to human presence and sows that had the least space to move within their crates had an additional increased risk of lesions

An epidemiological study of foot, limb and body lesions and lameness in pigs

A cross sectional study of 103 indoor and outdoor British pig farms was carried out in 2003-2004. Over 12,000 pigs aged from 3 days up to multiparious breeding sows were examined. Prevalence of foot, limb and body lesions and lameness was recorded using clear case definitions. Detailed data were also collected on the pen or paddock that the pigs were housed in with particular reference to the floor design, material and condition. Associations between prevalence of disease and the environment the pig was housed in were analysed using multilevel regression models. Post-mortem examination of a small sample of foot and limb lesions was carried out to better understand the pathology. There was a lower prevalence of body and limb lesions in pigs of all ages, and foot lesions in preweaning piglets, housed outdoors compared with indoors. However, there was little difference in the prevalence of foot lesions and lameness in gilts and pregnant sows kept indoors compared with outdoors. In most pigs housed indoors, there was a trend for an increased risk of limb and body lesions and lameness in pigs housed on hard and slatted floors compared with solid concrete floors with bedding. Although, in contrast to this the prevalence of wounds on the limbs in piglets was lower on slatted floors compared with solid concrete floors. The associations between foot lesions and indoor floor type varied with the age of the pig and the type of lesion. In piglets, sole bruising was associated with housing on slatted floors while sole erosion was associated with housing on solid concrete floors without bedding. In gilts and sows, heel flaps were associated with housing on slatted floors while toe erosion was associated with solid floors with deep bedding. In conclusion, this study has provided the most accurate estimates of the prevalence of foot, limb, body lesions and lameness in the English pig herd to date and generated useful hypotheses regarding the aetiology of these lesions. To further understand this topic cohort and intervention studies are now needed

Stepped vitrification technique for human ovarian tissue cryopreservation

The advantage of stepped vitrification (SV) is avoiding ice crystal nucleation, while decreasing the toxic effects of high cryoprotectant concentrations. We aimed to test this method for human ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Ovarian cortex was taken from 7 fertile adult women. Samples were subjected to an SV protocol performed in an automatic freezer, which allowed sample transfer to ever higher concentrations of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as the temperature was reduced. Histological evaluation of the vitrified-warmed tissue showed large numbers of degenerated follicles after 24 hours of in vitro culture. We therefore evaluated DMSO perfusion rates by X-ray computed tomography, ice crystal formation by freeze-substitution, and cell toxicity by transmission electron microscopy, seeking possible reasons why follicles degenerated. Although cryoprotectant perfusion was considered normal and no ice crystals were formed in the tissue, ultrastructural analysis detected typical signs of DMSO toxicity, such as mitochondria degeneration, alterations in chromatin condensation, cell vacuolization and extracellular matrix swelling in both stromal and follicular cells. The findings indicated that the method failed to preserve follicles due to the high concentrations of DMSO used. However, adaptations can be made to avoid toxicity to follicles caused by elevated levels of cryoprotectants.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) 2016/22947-

Hormone replacement therapy for women with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Background: There is conflicting information about the impact of the menopause on glycaemic control amongst women with type 1 diabetes. Some menopausal women with type 1 diabetes are treated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) but the effects of this treatment have, to date, not been established.Objectives: To assess the effects of HRT for women with type 1 diabetes mellitus.Search methods: We searched The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsycINFO from their inception to June 2012. The last search was run for all databases on 18 June 2012.Selection criteria: We selected randomised controlled trials or controlled clinical trials that involved peri‐ or postmenopausal women with type 1 diabetes undergoing HRT as an intervention.Data collection and analysis: Two researchers independently applied the inclusion criteria to the identified studies and assessed risk of bias. Disagreements were resolved by discussion or by intervention by a third party. Descriptive analysis was conducted for the review.Main results: Ninety‐two publications were screened. No studies met the inclusion criteria exclusively but one study that included both type 1 and type 2 diabetes participants was considered. This randomised clinical trial (RCT) compared HRT (N = 27) with placebo (N = 29) over 12 months. The outcome measures were cardiovascular risk factors, including lipid profile, glycaemic control, blood pressure and body weight. No significant differences between placebo and HTR were detected. Patient‐important outcomes like all‐cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, diabetic complications or health‐related quality of life were not investigated.Authors' conclusions: There is a lack of evidence around the use of HRT in women with type 1 diabetes. The one study that has been undertaken in this area is underpowered. More RCTs are required in the area to examine the impact of HRT on glycaemic control and cardiovascular outcomes.https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD008613.pub2pubpub

Spasticity: The role of physiotherapy

This article discusses the role and aims of physiotherapy in the treatment and management of spasticity. For effective rehabilitation, physiotherapists need to be able to analyse any deviations from normal movement and use a variety of interventions in order to maximise their potential for improvement

Feral populations of Brassica oleracea along Atlantic coasts in western Europe

EAM was funded by a University of Glasgow Lord Kelvin Adam Smith PhD studentship; UZI was funded by a NERC Independent Research Fellowship (NE/L011956); CAC is supported by the BBSRC (BB/P004202/1); KAM utilized equipment funded by the Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund (WT097835MF), Wellcome Trust Multi‐User Equipment Award (WT101650MA), and BBSRC LOLA award (BB/K003240/1). Part of the work was supported by a British Society for Plant Pathology summer studentship, and grants from the Botanical Research Fund, and the Blodwen Lloyd Bins trust funded through the Glasgow Natural History Society.There has been growing emphasis on the role that crop wild relatives might play in supporting highly selected agriculturally valuable species in the face of climate change. In species that were domesticated many thousands of years ago, distinguishing wild populations from escaped feral forms can be challenging, but reintroducing variation from either source could supplement current cultivated forms. For economically important cabbages (Brassicaceae: Brassica oleracea), “wild” populations occur throughout Europe but little is known about their genetic variation or potential as resources for breeding more resilient crop varieties. The main aim of this study was to characterize the population structure of geographically isolated wild cabbage populations along the coasts of the UK and Spain, including the Atlantic range edges. Double-digest restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing was used to sample individual cabbage genomes, assess the similarity of plants from 20 populations, and explore environment–genotype associations across varying climatic conditions. Interestingly, there were no indications of isolation by distance; several geographically close populations were genetically more distinct from each other than to distant populations. Furthermore, several distant populations shared genetic ancestry, which could indicate that they were established by escapees of similar source cultivars. However, there were signals of local adaptation to different environments, including a possible relationship between genetic diversity and soil pH. Overall, these results highlight wild cabbages in the Atlantic region as an important genetic resource worthy of further research into their relationship with existing crop varieties.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

High-level inhibition of mitochondrial complexes III and IV is required to increase glutamate release from the nerve terminal

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The activities of mitochondrial complex III (ubiquinol-cytochrome <it>c </it>reductase, EC 1.10.2.2) and complex IV (cytochrome <it>c </it>oxidase EC 1.9.3.1) are reduced by 30-70% in Huntington's disease and Alzheimer's disease, respectively, and are associated with excitotoxic cell death in these disorders. In this study, we investigated the control that complexes III and complex IV exert on glutamate release from the isolated nerve terminal.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Inhibition of complex III activity by 60-90% was necessary for a major increase in the rate of Ca²⁺-independent glutamate release to occur from isolated nerve terminals (synaptosomes) depolarized with 4-aminopyridine or KCl. Similarly, an 85-90% inhibition of complex IV activity was required before a major increase in the rate of Ca²⁺-independent glutamate release from depolarized synaptosomes was observed. Inhibition of complex III and IV activities by ~ 60% and above was required before rates of glutamate efflux from polarized synaptosomes were increased.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results suggest that nerve terminal mitochondria possess high reserves of complex III and IV activity and that high inhibition thresholds must be reached before excess glutamate is released from the nerve terminal. The implications of the results in the context of the relationship between electron transport chain enzyme deficiencies and excitotoxicity in neurodegenerative disorders are discussed.</p