Can we improve maternal care in sows? Maternal behavioural traits important for piglet survival in loose-housed sow herds

Author's accepted version (post-print).This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Journal of Animal Science following peer review. The version of record Ocepek, M., Rosvold, E. M., Andersen-Ranberg, I. & Andersen, I. L. (2017). Can we improve maternal care in sows? Maternal behavioural traits important for piglet survival in loose-housed sow herds. Journal of Animal Science, 95(11), 4708-4717 is available online at: https://doi.org/10.2527/jas2017.1725.Available from 02/11/2018.acceptedVersio

Multi-trait genomic prediction in pigs using single and multistep methods based on the absorption of ungenotyped animals

acceptedVersio

Metabolic engineering of <i>Synechocystis </i>sp. PCC 6803 for production of the plant diterpenoid manoyl oxide

[Image: see text] Forskolin is a high value diterpenoid with a broad range of pharmaceutical applications, naturally found in root bark of the plant Coleus forskohlii. Because of its complex molecular structure, chemical synthesis of forskolin is not commercially attractive. Hence, the labor and resource intensive extraction and purification from C. forskohlii plants remains the current source of the compound. We have engineered the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to produce the forskolin precursor 13R-manoyl oxide (13R-MO), paving the way for light driven biotechnological production of this high value compound. In the course of this work, a new series of integrative vectors for use in Synechocystis was developed and used to create stable lines expressing chromosomally integrated CfTPS2 and CfTPS3, the enzymes responsible for the formation of 13R-MO in C. forskohlii. The engineered strains yielded production titers of up to 0.24 mg g(–1) DCW 13R-MO. To increase the yield, 13R-MO producing strains were further engineered by introduction of selected enzymes from C. forskohlii, improving the titer to 0.45 mg g(–1) DCW. This work forms a basis for further development of production of complex plant diterpenoids in cyanobacteria

A case-only approach for assessing gene-sex interaction in human longevity

As one aspect of the complex feature of longevity, gene-sex interaction plays an important role in influencing human life span. With advances in molecular genetics, more studies aimed at assessing gene-sex interaction are expected. New and valid statistical methods are needed. In this paper, we introduce a nontraditional approach, the case-only design, which was originally proposed for assessing gene and disease associations, to detect gene-sex interaction in human longevity. Applications of this method to data collected from centenarian studies show that it can produce consistent results as compared with results obtained from case-control and other approaches. Important features of the application in human longevity studies are highlighted and discussed. Since centenarians constitute a special population representing successful ageing, the easily applicable case-only approach will be an important tool for screening potential major genes that contribute to human longevity. (AUTHORS)

Management routines influencing piglet survival in loose-housed sow herds

Author's accepted version (post-print).Piglet mortality is still a significant welfare and ethical matter in pig production, as well as an economical challenge for the farmer. Most of the mortality occurs early after farrowing, and previous studies have shown that the farm's management routines, especially around farrowing, are important factors to reduce it. When sows are loose-housed at farrowing and in the following lactation period, it puts higher demands on management input from the farmer to keep piglet mortality low. The objective of this study was to assess the importance of different management routines around the time of farrowing, and other farm qualities for piglet survival in loose-housed herds. To study risk factors for herd piglet mortality, a cross-sectional field survey was carried out in Norway in the year 2013, and included 52 commercial herds with hybrid LY sows (Norwegian Landrace x Swedish Yorkshire). The farms were visited once, and the farmers answered a questionnaire about their management practices. The outcome was the average herd pre-weaning mortality in the years of 2012–2013. To include as many management factors as possible into the multivariable linear regression model, we generated a new variable based on 4 management routines: 3 routines at farrowing (presence at 80–100% of the farrowings, drying newborn piglets, and practice split suckling), and one concerning farmer´s contact with the sows. This variable was called “Management type” (M), and were divided into 4 categories with increasing effort; M1 herds without any of the 4 mentioned routines, M2 had contact with sows >2 times per day, M3 performed the 3 routines at farrowing, and M4 combined the high sow contact and the 3 routines. The predicted values of mean herd piglet mortality for M1, M2, M3 and M4 were 20.1%, 17.0%, 16.2% and 13.3% respectively. The farmer's increased management effort was associated with lower piglet mortality (P<0.05). The farmer's effort at critical times together with systematic and important routines, and having frequent contact with the sows, makes a huge difference for piglet survival. The farmers are credited for this work by having lower piglet mortality as a result.acceptedVersio

Pårørende til demente. En spørgeskemaundersøgelse om deres helbred og behov

Demens er en alvorlig sygdom, der fører til svigtende hukommelse og ændret adfærd. Personer med demens har derfor behov for støtte til den daglige omsorg og pleje (1) - en omsorg og pleje, der ofte varetages både af familien og den kommunale ældrepleje. En undersøgelse har vist, at ca. 85% af de demente bor i eget hjem, hvoraf ca. 55% modtager hjemmepleje (2). Mange pårørende til demente (ægtefæller, børn/svigerbørn, børnebørn, fjernere slægtninge eller nærtstående venner) påtager sig ofte en meget stor plejemæssig opgave ved enten at være samboende eller ved at have en regelmæssig og tæt kontakt til den demente. I de kommende årtier, hvor de yngre generationer bliver mindre, samtidig med, at ældrebefolkningen vokser, må det formodes at der bliver en øget andel af ældre med demenssygdom samt et øget behov for offentlig finansieret ældrepleje. Pårørende til demente er ofte en vigtig ressource i pleje- og omsorgsindsatsen for hjemmeboende demente. Udenlandske undersøgelser af pårørende, som er omsorgsgivere til demente, har vist, at såvel den dementes sygdom som den pårørendes rolle som omsorgsgiver, påvirker den pårørende negativt: De pårørende giver oftere udtryk for dårligt fysisk helbred, manglende overskud, stress og isolation, ligesom de oftere udviser symptomer på angst og depression end personer på samme alderstrin i den generelle befolkning (3-5). Pårørende, som er samboende med og omsorgsgivere til demente (ex. ægtefæller og samlever), udviser højere grad af depression og angst end ikke-samboende (ex. børn og børnebørn) i forbindelse med plejeog omsorgsgivning (6-8). Kvindelige ægtefæller til demente klager hyppigere over depressive symptomer, mens mandlige ægtefæller hyppigere klager over angst (9). Et godt socialt netværk hos den pårørende, uanset relation til den demente, synes at mindske belastningen (10). Undersøgelsen Undersøgelsen er en tværsnitsundersøgelse gennemført blandt pårørende til demente personer, som var hjemmeboende eller indflyttet på plejehjem maks. 6 måneder før undersøgelsestidspunktet. Pårørende blev defineret som nuværende eller tidligere ægtefælle/samlever, søskende, børn, børnebørn, svigerbørn eller nære venner til den demente. Da der ikke findes registeroplysninger på pårørende til demente, er deltagerne rekrutteret fra 3 forskellige rekrutteringssteder.Center for Anvendt Sundhedstjenesteforskning og Teknologivurdering (CAST), SD