Journal Staff

Background: Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) is a form of guided self-help that has been found to be effective for addressing several problems. The target for this type of therapy is usually restricted to one specific disorder. Tailoring the treatment widens the scope of ICBT in that it can address comorbid conditions directly. Objectives: The working, or therapeutic, alliance has been found to predict outcome in studies of face-to-face therapy. The extent to which these findings apply to ICBT is largely unknown. We therefore decided to find out whether the working alliance could predict outcome in tailored ICBT for anxiety disorders. Methods: Data were obtained from the treatment group (n=27) in a randomized controlled trial aiming to test the effects of tailored ICBT for anxiety disorders. The forthcoming study was designed to test the hypothesis that the working alliance measured both pre-treatment and early in treatment (week 3) can predict treatment outcome as measured by the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation–Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) in a heterogeneous group of patients with anxiety disorders (n=27). Results: Working alliance measured at week 3 into the treatment correlated significantly with the residual gain scores on the primary outcome measure (r=-.47, P=.019, n=25), while expected working alliance pre-treatment did not (r=-.17, P=.42, n=27). Conclusions: These results raise questions about the importance of working alliance in ICBT treatments, and suggest that the working alliance could be important in ICBT.Funding Agencies|Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research|2008-1145|</p

Sisustustuotteen suunnittelu yritykselle Muoto2

Tämän opinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli suunnitella sisustustuote lahtelaiselle muotoilu- ja puusepänalan yritykselle Muoto2. Suunniteltavan tuotteen tuli sopia yrityksen olemassa olevaan tuotevalikoimaan ja sen tuli olla valmistettavuudeltaan kannattava. Sisustustuote päätettiin rajata työn alkuvaiheessa seinänaulakon tai yksittäisen seinäkoukun suunnitteluun. Tuotteen suunnittelun lisäksi tavoitteena oli alustavasti suunnitella tuotteelle visuaalista ilmettä tuotekortin muodossa. Tutkimusmenetelminä työssä käytettiin esineanalyysia yrityksen nykyisistä piensisustustuotteista sekä vertailevaa tutkimusta markkinoilla olevista skandinaavista tyyliä ilmentävistä naulakoista ja ripustuskoukuista. Tämän lisäksi työ eteni toimintatutkimuksen omaisesti vaiheissa, tekemisen ja sen analysoinnin kautta. Opinnäytetyön tuloksena syntyi yrityksen tuotevalikoimaan sopiva seinäkoukku, joka toimii lisäripustusmahdollisuutena ollen samalla koristeellinen sisustuselementti. Seinäkoukulle syntyi myös graafinen ilme, joka näkyy tuotteesta kertovassa esitekortissa.The objective of the thesis was to design a decorative product for Muoto2, a Lahti-based company specialized in design and woodworking. The product should fit in with the company’s existing product range and it should also be relatively easily produced. At an early stage of the project the product was narrowed down to a coat rack or a coat hook. In addition to designing the product itself, the objective was to also design some visual material for the product, such as the looks of the product brochure. Background research was conducted to help the designing of the product. This was done by analysing the company’s current products and conducting comparative research for Scandinavian styled coat racks and hooks available on the market. In addition to item analysis and comparative research, the project was carried out in stages typical to action research, through action and evaluation. As a result of the thesis, a coat hook was designed, which compliments the company’s product catalogue. The coat hook offers additional storage while also functioning as a decorative element. A product brochure was also designed for the product as a part of the thesis

Betyg och bedömning i musik och slöjd.

Syfte och huvudfråga Syftet med uppsatsen är att belysa hur lärare i praktiska ämnen som musik och slöjd ställer sig till det målrelaterade betygsystemet när det gäller bedömning av elevers prestationsutveckling. Därtill undersöks hur dessa lärare ställer sig till förändringen av betygsystemet som eventuellt kommer att träda i kraft, och hur det i så fall skulle påverka deras undervisning och betygsättning. Metod och material Undersökningen genomfördes med hjälp av kvalitativa forskningsintervjuer där lärare från grundskolans senare år fick ge sin bild av det svenska betygsystemet, och dess eventuella förändringar. Dessa data kompletterades sedan med skriftliga källor och egna observationer. Resultat Undersökningen visar att det finns såväl skillnader som likheter mellan hur lärare i slöjd respektive musik undervisar, bedömer och betygsätter sina elever. En genomgående tendens är dock att alla tillfrågade lärare efterfrågar mer tid till dokumentation och diskussion lärare emellan om hur de nationella målen och kriterierna skall tolkas. När det gäller betygsättning och bedömning i praktiska ämnen ter sig denna uppgift ännu svårare då dessa enligt verksamma lärare är abstrakta ämnen, där tolkningar och kunskapssyn ser mycket olika ut från skola till skola. En större diskussion inom respektive ämne, både lokalt och nationellt, vore därför nödvändigt för att ge eleverna en så grundläggande och rättvis undervisning som möjligt. Betydelse för läraryrket Med utgångspunkt i vårt intervjumaterial efterfrågar vi ny forskning kring införandet av en ny betygsskala. Betygsberedningen bör vara väl förbered inför det stundande betygsskiftet, där mål och kriterier är noggrant och tydligt uppställda, och där tid måste avsättas för att lärare och andra personer som är verksamma inom skolväsendet får tid och möjlighet att sätta sig in i det nya systemet. Något som också är nödvändigt är att lärarkåren själva bidrar till den kringliggande debatt som pågår i samhället kring betyg och bedömning

Microbial community functioning at hypoxic sediments revealed by targeted metagenomics and RNA stable isotope probing

Microorganisms are instrumental to the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems and to the chemistry of the ocean due to their essential part in the cycling of the elements and in the recycling of the organic matter. Two of the most critical ocean biogeochemical cycles are those of nitrogen and sulfur, since they can influence the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins, primary productivity and microbial community structure. Oxygen concentration in marine environments is one of the environmental variables that have been largely affected by anthropogenic activities; its decline induces hypoxic events which affect benthic organisms and fisheries. Hypoxia has been traditionally defined based on the level of oxygen below which most animal life cannot be sustained. Hypoxic conditions impact microbial composition and activity since anaerobic reactions and pathways are favoured, at the expense of the aerobic ones. Naturally occurring hypoxia can be found in areas where water circulation is restricted, such as coastal lagoons, and in areas where oxygen-depleted water is driven into the continental shelf, i.e. coastal upwelling regions. Coastal lagoons are highly dynamic aquatic systems, particularly vulnerable to human activities and susceptible to changes induced by natural events. For the purpose of this PhD project, the lagoonal complex of Amvrakikos Gulf, one of the largest semi-enclosed gulfs in the Mediterranean Sea, was chosen as a study site. Coastal upwelling regions are another type of environment limited in oxygen, where also formation of oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) has been reported. Sediment in upwelling regions is rich in organic matter and bottom water is often depleted of oxygen because of intense heterotrophic respiration. For the purpose of this PhD project, the chosen coastal upwelling system was the Benguela system off Namibia, situated along the coast of south western Africa. The aim of this PhD project was to study the microbial community assemblages of hypoxic ecosystems and to identify a potential link between their identity and function, with a particular emphasis on the microorganisms involved in the nitrogen and sulfur cycles. The methodology that was applied included targeted metagenomics and RNA stable isotope probing (SIP). It has been shown that the microbial community diversity pattern can be differentiated based on habitat type, i.e. between riverine, lagoonal and marine environments. Moreover, the studied habitats were functionally distinctive. Apart from salinity, which was the abiotic variable best correlated with the microbial community pattern, oxygen concentration was highly correlated with the predicted metabolic pattern of the microbial communities. In addition, when the total number of Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) was taken into consideration, a negative linear relationship with salinity was identified (see Chapter 2). Microbial community diversity patterns can also be differentiated based on the lagoon under study since each lagoon hosts a different sulfate-reducing microbial (SRM) community, again highly correlated with salinity. Moreover, the majority of environmental terms that characterized the SRM communities were classified to the marine biome, but terms belonging to the freshwater or brackish biomes were also found in stations were a freshwater effect was more evident (see Chapter 3). Taxonomic groups that were expected to be thriving in the sediments of the Benguela coastal upwelling system were absent or present but in very low abundances. Epsilonproteobacteria dominated the anaerobic assimilation of acetate as confirmed by their isotopic enrichment in the SIP experiments. Enhancement of known sulfate-reducers was not achieved under sulfate addition, possibly due to competition for electron donors among nitrate-reducers and sulfate-reducers, to the inability of certain sulfate-reducing bacteria to use acetate as electron donor or to the short duration of the incubations (see Chapter 4). Future research should focus more on the community functioning of such habitats; an increased understanding of the biogeochemical cycles that characterize these hypoxic ecosystems will perhaps allow for predictions regarding the intensity and direction of the cycling of elements, especially of nitrogen and sulfur given their biological importance. Regulation of hypoxic episodes will aid the end-users of these ecosystems to possibly achieve higher productivity, in terms of fish catches, which otherwise is largely compromised by the elevated hydrogen sulfide concentrations

Maktgalna häxor och hänsynslösa psykopater: En studie av de antagonistiska karaktärerna Circe och Warner

This thesis is a study of two antagonistic characters: Circe from the Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray, and Warner from the dystopia about Juliette Ferrars by Tahereh Mafi. The two characters represent something new in young adult literature, since they, although they are both viewed as the villains of their stories, also have become very popular and loved by their readers. In this thesis I study Circe and Warner respectively as characters, to try to establish why they gain so much sympathy from the readers, in the quest of answering what that might say about the ethics of our time and how we view the concept of evil and evil deeds today. I also aspire to prove my hypothesis that sympathy for evil or morally ambigous characters comes from the fact that we as readers can, and also feel the need to, identify ourselves with these characters rather than with the heroic ones since we have grown tired of never being good enough

On the use of aerosol optical properties and satellite-retrieved trace gases in regional air quality modelling

The effects of anthropogenic pollutants in the lower atmosphere (troposphere) have been shown, historically and scientifically, to have a deleterious effect on both plant and animal life. Pollutants such as near-surface ozone and soot (black carbon) are two notorious examples with clear anthropogenic sources. Consequently, laws controlling emissions and future projections of air quality, especially around large cities worldwide, are critical to the vibrancy and sustainability of life.The main purpose of this thesis is to summarise two studies involving the regional chemical transport model MATCH and its simulations of carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3) and aerosols. The core question addressed in the first study is how the long-range transport representation of carbon monoxide and ozone can be evaluated. Simulating the long-range transport in regional models is important to get a well represented vertical distribution of the long lived (relative to modelling time and domain) species, a category to which the aforementioned gases belong. A methodology for evaluating lateral boundary conditions (LBCs) is tested for LBCs derived from the global EMEP MSC-W model. First, the method directly evaluates the LBCs at the model boundaries with satellite retrievals from MOPITT (CO) and OMI (O3). The second part of the method uses the new LBC to drive MATCH model. MATCH is compared to satellite-retrieved data from the AIRS sensor and ground based observations from the GAW-network. The method of evaluating LBCs highlights the need for better evaluation techniques, rather than only using a direct evaluation at the lateral boundaries. The use of combined ground-based and satellite measurements, especially close to the model boundaries, needs to be further exploited.A similar study, where aerosols concentrations fields are confronted with satellite retrievals, instead of trace gases, cannot be made without the use of an aerosol optics model. An optics model simulates the corresponding radiometric properties as retrieved from satellite measurements. Therefore, the focus of the second study involves the simulation of aerosol optical properties using a new, stand-alone, aerosol optics model. Simulated aerosol fields are provided by using MATCH. The new optics model simulates radiometric properties from particles whose morphology is based on more realistic assumptions. Special consideration is given to fractal aggregates of externally mixed soot and inhomogeneous internally mixed soot. The latter part mixes solid soot with liquid hydrophilic substances, where parts of the soot particle are confined as a solid spherical core and parts of the soot is mixed into a liquid phase coating of for example sulphate or nitrate. The simulations of the new optics model resulted in large impacts on the radiometric properties, comparable to the effects of using aerosol dynamics. This is an important finding since most climate and remote sensing applications, today, use rather coarse and simple models to retrieve aerosol optical properties

Characterization of mature T-cell leukemias by next-generation sequencing and drug sensitivity testing

Mature T-cell malignancies comprise a heterogeneous group of diseases with widely variable clinical courses, ranging from indolent, slowly progressing to rapidly progressing disease, leading to death. While some compounds have been found to be active in these diseases, much work remains to be done to characterize the disease entities genetically and molecularly and develop effective therapeutic options. Recent studies have found recurrent genetic mutations in the JAK/STAT pathway that contribute to the pathogenesis of T-LGL leukemia and PLL leukemia. The aim of this PhD project was to reveal new somatic mutations underlying different mature T-cell malignancies and further elucidate their functional impact on the pathogenesis of the disease. Furthermore, ex vivo drug screening of selected patient samples was applied in an effort to find clinically relevant drugs for the individual patient. In the first study, exome sequencing was applied to three STAT-mutation negative T-LGL leukemia patients to elucidate the molecular background of this subset of patients. Mutations in genes associated with either the STAT-pathway directly (such as PTPRT) or T-cell activation were observed in all patients. These novel mutations are potentially biologically relevant and are associated with a similar disease phenotype as that of patients with mutations in the STAT3 gene. In the second study, the exome sequencing of additional LGL leukemia patients revealed recurrent STAT3 mutations outside the hotspot SH2-domain. Further targeted amplicon sequencing of the entire STAT3 gene in a larger T-LGL cohort revealed mutations in the coiled-coil and DNA-binding domain present in 4% of patients. Similarly, in the third study, STAT5B mutations previously found to be rare in CD8+ LGL leukemia (2%) were discovered to be significantly over-represented in CD4+ cases (55%). For both studies, the activation and phosphorylation patterns of the new mutations were confirmed with functional assays. In the fourth study, T-PLL leukemia patient samples were screened with a drug sensitivity and resistance testing platform to elucidate drug sensitivity patterns. The patients were divided by selective sensitivities to HDAC, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, HSP90, and JAK inhibitors. Intriguingly, all T-PLL samples were sensitive to the CDK inhibitor SNS-032, which was shown to inhibit distal TCR signaling and points to a centrally disturbed cell cycle regulation. Furthermore, different classes of p53 activators showed T-PLL specific responses, indicating a previously unexplored targeted treatment for these patients. In combination with the drug responses, a targeted sequencing of known JAK/STAT mutations was applied together with gene expression profiling to molecularly characterize this rare disease. Strikingly, drug responses did not link to the presence of JAK/STAT mutations, TCL1A-activating translocations, or ATM deletion status, suggesting that screening for recurrent genetic biomarkers does not readily translate into applicable deductions on effective therapeutic strategies in T-PLL. However, the ex vivo drug response data enabled the discovery of new drug classes with potential efficacy in T-PLL.Mogna T-cells leukemier representerar en heterogen grupp av sjukdomar som har väldigt varierande kliniska uttryck, från kroniska, långsamt framskridande till snabbt framskridande sjukdomar med dödligt resultat. Vissa läkemedel är effektiva i behandlingen av dessa sjukdomar men mycket finns ännu att utforskas beaktande sjukdomarnas genetiska och molekylära bakgrund samt utvecklingen av effektivare behandlingsalternativ. Färska undersökningar har påvisat återkommande genetiska mutationer i JAK/STAT signaltransduktionsvägen som bidragande faktorer till T-LGL och T-PLL leukemiernas patogenes. Syftet med denna doktorsavhandling var att avslöja nya somatiska mutationer som orsakar dessa mogna T-cells leukemier och ytterligare klarlägga deras funktionella inverkan på sjukdomens patogenes. Dessutom utfördes ex vivo läkemedelstestning på utvalda patientprover i ett försök att hitta kliniskt relevanta läkemedel för individuella patienter. I det första delprojektet utnyttjades exomsekvensering av tre STAT-mutation negativa T-LGL leukemi patienter för att klarlägga den molekylära bakgrunden hos denna undergrupp av patienter. Mutationer i gener associerade direkt med STAT-signaleringsvägen eller T-cellernas aktivering observerades i alla patienter. Dessa tidigare okända mutationer är potentiellt biologiskt relevanta och associerade med liknande sjukdomsbild som patienter med STAT3 mutationer. I det andra projektet avslöjade exomsekvensering av ytterligare T-LGL leukemi patienter återkommande STAT3 mutationer utanför hotspot-området i SH2 domänet. Vidare inriktad amplikon sekvensering av hela STAT3 genen i en större grupp av T-LGL patienter avslöjade mutationer i olika domäner i 4% av patienterna. I den tredje undersökningen, hittades på liknande sätt STAT5B mutationer som förut funnits vara sällsynta i CD8+ LGL leukemi (2%) att vara överrepresenterade i CD4+ sjukdomsfall (55%). STAT5B mutationer kan därmed effektivt användas som ett diagnoskriterium för CD4+ fall av T-LGL leukemi. I båda projekten användes funktionella experiment för att bekräfta de nya mutationernas aktiverande och fosforylerande effekt. I det fjärde projektet testades T-PLL leukemi patientprover mot 300 läkemedel på en sensitivitet och resistans plattform för att klargöra T-PLL cellernas läkemedelskänslighet. Patienterna skildes åt av olika känsligheter för HDAC, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, HSP90 och JAK inhibitorer. Intressant nog var alla T-PLL prover känsliga för CDK-inhibitorn SNS-032, som bevisades kunna inhibera signalering via T-cell receptorn vilket antyder om en centralt rubbad reglering av cellcykeln i denna sjukdom. Också olika klasser av p53-aktiverande läkemedel visade T-PLL specifik effektivitet, vilket indikerar en tidigare outforskad riktad terapiform för denna patientgrupp. I kombination med läkemedelstestningen utfördes riktad sekvensering av kända JAK/STAT mutationer samt profilering av genuttryck för att karaktärisera denna sällsynta sjukdom molekylärt. Överraskande nog kunde läkemedelskänsligheter inte anknytas till närvaron av JAK/STAT mutationer, TCL1A-aktiverande translokationer eller ATM deletioner vilket antyder att undersökning av återkommande genetiska biomarkörer inte direkt kan översättas till lämpliga slutsatser om effektiva terapistrategier i T-PLL. Däremot kan ex vivo information om läkemedelskänslighet möjliggöra upptäckter av nya läkemedelsklasser med potentiell effekt för T-PLL patienter

The relationship between dividend policy and decision making

Den globala trenden för aktie har på de senaste åren drastiskt ökat. Forskare och medier påpekar att företag sätter aktieägare främst och företag delar därför ut rekordstora summor till sina aktieägare, så pass att de själva inte har finansiell möjlighet att investera i den egna verksamheten. Forskare menar även att under de senaste åren har utdelningar till aktieägare varit som högst, medan vinsterna varit som lägst. Detta är intressant, då resultatet från forskningsrapporten inte håller med enligt forskare och medier. Utan när företags lönsamhet ökar så ökar även aktieutdelningen, men när investeringar eller katastrofer inträffar är det företagen själva som avgör om de ska sänka utdelningen. Det är inget faktum att utdelning ska sänkas bara för att lönsamheten minskas under ett år. Oavsett så är företag intresserade av att tillfredsställa aktieägare och av den anledningen genomför utdelning. När beslut ska tas för utdelningspolicy är aktieägares synpunkter intressanta, men hur mycket inflyttande aktieägare har varierar från företag till företag. Det är många faktorer som påverkar beslutsfattandet, så som lönsamhetsperspektiv, investeringar, utvecklingspotential och aktieägarkrav. Vad som är mest centralt och gemensamt för dessa tre perspektiv, är att de till en viss del är beroende av aktieägarvärdet. För att företag enklare ska kunna ta beslut finns det olika beslutsstödsystem att tillämpa, Corporate Social Responsibiliy och den Samhällsekonomiska kalkylen är två kända modeller för beslut. Överlag menar utvalda företag att de inte tillämpar ett beslutsstödsystem, dock finns tydliga kopplingar mellan deras sätt att ta beslut och modellerna. Det är på företagets årliga bolagstämman som beslut kring utdelning tas, här har företagets aktieägare rätt att närvara och fatta beslut om företagets utdelning. Det är beslutet som vinner absolut majoritet som fastställs, dock får utdelningsbeloppet inte vara större än vad bolagsstyrelsen har föreslagit

Indirekt blodtrycksmätning på katt

The purpose of the present study was to study if the systemic blood pressure in cats significant increases due to stress associated with a visit to a veterinarian clinic. We also wanted to investigate the clinical utility of two different methods for indirect blood pressure measurements in cats by assessing how easy they were to use and how reliable measurements they provided. The methods that were used were oscillometric (Memo Diagnostic) and ultrasound-doppler technique (Minidop). The blood pressure was measured in both clinical environment and home environment. Fifty cats were used in the study, from which measurements were impossible to obtain in one cat. Twelve cats were uncooperative and it was not possible to obtain five measurements with each device in these cats. However, These cats were included in the statistic analyses, because only three readings were stipulated in the study protocol. The blood pressure in cats was systematically higher at the clinic compared to values obtained at home. The difference was most prominent for the systolic blood pressure obtained with the oscillometric device (P=0,02). This difference was, presumably, not great enough to be of clinical importance (MV osc clinic 137/75 mmHg, doppler clinic 119; MV osc home 131/71, doppler home 114). A significant difference between systolic blood-pressure measurements was found between the two different methods. The doppler-technique showed significantly lower values. A statistic significant association between age and raised systolic blood pressure was found (P<0,0001). The blood pressure increased with increasing age. Environment, equipment and age had significant effect on the blood pressure in cats. The doppler device were considered more difficult to use and more frequently provided unrealistic measurements. Presumably, this was caused by operator inexperience and lack of training. The oscillometric method was considered easier to use and was generally tolerated better by the cats.Syftet med föreliggande studie var att undersöka huruvida det systemiska blodtrycket hos katter stiger signifikant med den stress som ett klinikbesök innebär. Vi ville även utvärdera två olika metoder för indirekt blodtrycksmätning för att se vilken metod som praktiskt och tekniskt är enklast att utföra. Metoderna som användes var oscillometri (osc) (Memo Diagnostic) och ultraljudsdopplerteknik (Minidop). Blodtrycket mättes både i klinikmiljö och i hemmiljö. Femtio katter ingick i studien, varav en katt inte gick att få mätvärden från. Tolv stycken var mindre samarbetsvilliga och en fullständig undersökning med fem blodtrycksmätningar kunde inte genomföras hos dessa katter. De inkluderas dock i den statistiska analysen då endast tre mätningar krävdes för detta. Blodtrycket hos katter var generellt högre vid besök på klinik jämfört med värden uppmätta i hemmiljö. Tydligast sågs detta på det systoliska trycket uppmätt med oscillometri (P=0,02). Ökningen bedömdes dock vara av sådan grad att den förmodligen inte var kliniskt relevant (MV osc klinik 137/75 mmHg, doppler klinik 119; MV osc hem 131/71, doppler hem 114). En tydlig skillnad mellan uppmätta systoliska blodtryck sågs vid jämförelse av de två metoderna. Dopplertekniken gav signifikant lägre värden. Ett statistiskt signifikant samband mellan ökat systemiskt blodtryck och ålder kunde påvisas (P <0,0001). Blodtrycket steg med ökad ålder. Dopplertekniken bedömdes i jämförelse med oscillometri vara svårare att använda då metoden kräver mer tålamod och teknik. Den oscillometriska apparaten bedömdes vara lättare att hantera och tolererades generellt bättre av katterna. Blodtrycket påverkades signifikant av miljö, utrustning och ålder. Den oscillometriska metoden bedömdes i denna studie vara enklare att använda och gav för en otränad operatör oftare realistiska blodtrycksvärden, vilket indikerar att metoden är kliniskt mer användbar inom smådjurssjukvården

Impact of litter size on sow health and welfare

Genetic improvement of litter size has been the main breeding goal in piglet production during the last decades, resulting in a steady increase in total number of born piglets in each litter both in Sweden and in other European countries. It has been suggested that large litters pose a major welfare problem for sows and piglets. However, there is a lack of recent studies investigating the impact of litter size on the health and welfare of sows. Therefore the objective of this thesis was to investigate the association between litter sizes and sow health and welfare. The two studies included in this thesis were performed as observational studies and investigated by retrospective analysis of available pig production data. The first study investigated the association between litter sizes and sow stayability, and the second study the association between litter size and medical treatment of sows during farrowing and lactation. The final dataset used in the first study included a study population of 38 878 sows in 24 herds and the final dataset in the second study included observations from 1 947 litters from 655 sows. Associations between litter size and sow health and welfare was found. There was an association between litter size and stayability of the sow, as well as association between litter size and medical treatment of the sow. The results from both studies imply that sows with medium sized litters have a better lifetime production than sows with very small or large litters. Piglet producers should therefore pay even more attention to prophylactic management of sows during gestation and lactation. In planning of breeding strategies and annual removal of sows, piglet producers should also aim for keeping sows giving birth to a medium-sized litter, with approximately 12 to 14 piglets born in total in their breeding program, as this seems to improve sows’ stayability and decreasing the risk of unplanned removal which would favour health and welfare of both sow and piglets