Biosensor assay for determination of haptoglobin in bovine milk

Despite more than 30 years of research into mastitis diagnostics, there are few alternatives to the somatic cell count (SCC) in practical use for identification of cows with subclinical mastitis. Mastitis is not only an animal welfare problem, but also affects the yield, composition and technological properties of milk. Hence, dairy cooperatives give farmers a premium quality payment to encourage low SCC although there is no clear scientific data defining the level of SCC in bulk tank milk that is associated with additional benefits in terms of milk quality. Recent research on alternative markers for inflammatory reactions in the lactating cow, e.g. in mastitis, includes investigations of the acute phase protein, haptoglobin (Hp). So far, the content of Hp in milk has mainly been studied in relation to mastitis diagnostics, with little attention given to its importance for milk composition and technological properties. At present, Hp in milk is measured using ELISA, but this technique is not suitable for routine large-scale analysis. In recent years, optical biosensor technology has been used for automated and rapid quantitative analysis of different components in milk, but so far not for analysis of acute phase proteins. The aim of the present study was to develop a rapid and sensitive biosensor method to determine Hp in milk. An affinity sensor assay based on the interaction between Hp and haemoglobin was developed using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor technology. The assay was used to analyse Hp in composite milk samples from cows without any clinical signs of mastitis and quarter milk samples with a weak to strong reaction in the California Mastitis Test (CMT). A commercial ELISA for determination of Hp in milk was used for comparison. The limit of detection (LOD) of the biosensor assay was determined as 1.1 mg/l. Within-assay and betweenday variations were determined both with bulk tank milk spiked with human Hp and with composite milk samples containing bovine Hp. Coefficients of variation varied between 3.6 and 8.6% at concentrations between 4.0 and 12 mg/l, respectively. Agreement between the results obtained by the biosensor assay and the ELISA was satisfactory ; however, the results obtained by the biosensor were generally lower than the results obtained by the ELISA. Possible explanations for this observation are discussed

Erkännandets betydelse. Romska kvinnors syn på utbildning som en väg mot inkludering.

Author: Karin Andréasson and Elin Björk Title: The meaning of recognition. –Romani women’s experiences of education as a way to inclusion. Supervisor: Hanna Wittrock Assessor: Elizabeth Martinell Barfoed The aim of this study was to examine the situation of Romani women in Sweden. More specifically, to investigate Romani women’s experiences of and view on education as a way to increase the inclusion of the minority of Romani people into the majority society. Romani people have a history of over 500 years in Sweden and are since year 2000 one of Sweden’s five national minorities protected by the law of minority. Yet it is a minority group with a long history of exclusion and discrimination. This has led to an identified alienation from many different welfare areas. In the process of increasing the minority’s inclusion into the majority society, Romani women have been pointed out as a group at risk of being object for double discrimination. This study was based on interviews with five Romani women who currently are studying to get their basic eligibility and after that, a job. The analysis was made in the light of the theory of recognition, focusing on recognition and its impact on a person’s self-relation alongside with the struggle to achieve recognition. Further the perspective of intersectionality with emphasis on the various of the women’s positions and how those impact their situation. It became clear that the Romani minority group is diverse with a large range of varieties regarding traditions and culture. In conclusion it was clear that education played a huge part in the women’s way of becoming part of the majority society. But they also experienced obstacles originating partly from within the minority group but mainly from the non-recognition surrounding majority society. It also became clear that it exists strategies of how to handle the misrecognition, constituting of that in some contexts hiding the Romani identity or, more or less active, lead a struggle of recognition with the aim to change the view on the Romani people

Facilitating regular Physical Education for students with disability—PE teachers' views

IntroductionThe objective of this study is to describe how Physical Education (PE) teachers work to facilitate participation for students with disability in compulsory, mainstream inclusive, secondary school. Inclusive school-based Physical Education (PE) is an important context for students to share the benefits of physical activities with peers, especially for students with disability whose opportunities for participation in extracurricular physical activity are limited.MethodsTwo focus group interviews were performed with eight experienced PE teachers who teach students with disability in regular PE. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the interviews. Two themes emerged, the importance of having a structured and welcoming environment and the need to adapt the PE environment.ResultsStudent mastery experiences is emphasized and achieved by teaching approaches encouraging peer collaboration before physical performance and competition. Key aspects to participation for students with disabilities are inclusive mindsets, proper preparation, and adaptations. Special arrangements when participation in-class is not possible require regular and close teacher-student communication and, when needed, additional support.DiscussionExperiences of participation are important matters for further advancement of equality and social inclusion for students with disability. Schools need to develop support structures to provide students with disability with “real-life” experiences that optimize participation

Interaction of cysteine proteinases with recombinant kininogen domain 2, expressed in Escherichia coli

AbstractThe calpain-binding domain 2 of the kininogens, the major plasma inhibitors of cysteine proteinases, was expressed in Escherichia coli. Expression of soluble protein was optimal at 15°C and was augmented by growing the bacteria in sorbitol and betaine. The recombinant domain showed high affinity (Ki 0.3–1 nM) for cathepsin L and papain, and a somewhat lower affinity (Ki∼ 15 nM) for calpain. The binding to cathepsin H was substantially weaker, and no inhibition of actinidin and cathepsin B was detected. The affinity for cathepsin L was comparable to that reported for the domain isolated from plasma L-kininogen, whereas the affinities for papain and calpain were about tenfold lower. The latter difference may be due to the recombinant domain being nonglycosylated

Protecting Family Interests: An Interview Study with Foreign-Born Parents Struggling On in Childhood Cancer Care

Sweden's population is gradually changing to become more multiethnic and diverse and that applies also for recipients of health care, including childhood cancer care. A holistic view on the sick child in the context of its family has always been a cornerstone in childhood cancer care in Sweden. The purpose of this study was to gain knowledge about the experiences and main concern of foreign-born parents in the context of paediatric cancer care. Interviews were performed with eleven foreign-born parents and data were analysed using a classic grounded theory approach. Foreign-born parents often feel in a position of powerless dependence, but family interests are protected in their approaches to interaction with healthcare staff, through cooperation, contesting, and reluctant resigning. Healthcare staff need to listen to foreign-born parents and deal with their concerns seriously to prevent powerless-dependence and work for trustful cooperation in the common fight against childhood cancer

Khaddafis Libyen. Ny världsordning kräver nya lekkamrater

Uppsatsen behandlar Libyens utrikespolitiska förändring under landets auktoritära ledare Muammar Khaddafi. Denne herre har varit ständigt kontroversiell under sina 35 år vid makten, inte minst under det senaste decenniet då han gjort en helomvändning och börjat närma sig sin tidigare ärkefiende USA samt även EU. Denna utrikespolitiska förändring har lett till att Khaddafis Libyen har gett upp sitt massförstörelsevapenprogram. Uppsatsen har syftet att använda Jakob Gustavssons teorimodell för utrikespolitisk förändring för att förklara varför Libyen förändrat sin utrikespolitik. Undersökningen blir även en prövning av Gustavssons modell eftersom våra fall radikalt skiljer sig åt. Vi studerar Libyens och Khaddafis historia, bakgrund och utveckling samt Khaddafis egna ideologi. Genom Gustavssons modell nås slutsatsen att Khaddafi drivs av ett maktmaximerande belief-system som påverkats av sanktionerna mot landet och hårdnat utrikespolitiskt klimat internationellt vilket har ändrat Libyens utrikespolitiska kurs. Vi har även nått slutsatsen att Gustavssons modell lämpar sig alldeles utmärkt även för den här sortens studie

Genital Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease in Females: A Cross-Sectional Study

AbstractUsing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus criteria for chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD), we assessed the prevalence, symptoms, and clinical signs of female genital cGVHD in a cross-sectional population-based study. Forty-two women were evaluated at a median of 80 months (range, 13 to 148 months) after undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Medical history, ongoing medications, and genital signs and symptoms were recorded. Gynecologic examination for the diagnosis and clinical scoring of genital cGVHD was combined with clinical scoring of extragenital cGVHD for the estimation of each patient's global cGVHD score. Biopsy specimens from the genital mucosa were obtained from 38 patients. Genital cGVHD was diagnosed in 22 of 42 patients (52%). Its presence was associated with systemic corticoid steroid treatment of extragenital cGVHD (P = .001), older age (P = .07), and HSCT from a sibling donor (P = .002). Five patients had isolated genital cGVHD. Dryness, pain, smarting pain (P < .05 for all), and dyspareunia (P = .001) were observed more frequently in the women with genital cGVHD. Twelve patients had advanced genital cGVHD (clinical score 3), which was the main factor explaining the high rate (15 of 42) of severe global cGVHD. The rate of genital cGVHD was similar (P = .37) in patients with a follow-up of ≥80 months (10 of 22) and those with a follow-up of <80 months (12 of 20). We found no convincing relationship between clinical diagnosis and histopathological assessment of mucosal biopsy specimens. In our group of women with a long follow-up after HSCT, genital cGVHD was common and in many cases incorrectly diagnosed. Genital cGVHD causes genital symptoms and affects sexual life, and may present without any other cGVHD, warranting early and continuous gynecologic surveillance in all women after HSCT

Identification of Peptides and Proteins in Illegally Distributed Products by MALDI-TOF-MS

An analytical strategy based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) for identification of peptides and proteins in illegally distributed products is presented. The identified compounds include human growth hormone (hGH), human somatoliberin, anti-obesity drug (AOD), growth hormone releasing peptides (GHRP-2 and GHRP-6), Glycine-GHRP-2 and Glycine-GHRP-6, ipamorelin, insulin aspart and porcine, delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP), thymosin β4, insulin like growth factor (IGF), mechano growth factor (MGF), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), melanotan II, bremelanotide, dermorphin and body protecting compound (BPC 157). The identification of proteins was mainly based on peptide mass fingerprinting, i.e., bottom up approach, while the smaller peptides were identified through de-novo sequencing. In cases when a reference standard was available, complementary identification was performed by capillary electrophoresis in double-injection mode (DICE), where a suspicious product was compared with the reference standard through two consecutive injections within the same electrophoretic run

Children's voices-differentiating a child perspective from a child's perspective

OBJECTIVE : The aim of this paper was to discuss differences between having a child perspective and taking the child's perspective based on the problem being investigated. METHODS : Conceptual paper based on narrative review. RESULTS : The child's perspective in research concerning children that need additional support are important. The difference between having a child perspective and taking the child's perspective in conjunction with the need to know children's opinions has been discussed in the literature. From an ideological perspective the difference between the two perspectives seems self-evident, but the perspectives might be better seen as different ends on a continuum solely from an adult's view of children to solely the perspective of children themselves. Depending on the research question, the design of the study may benefit from taking either perspective. In this article, we discuss the difference between the perspectives based on the problem being investigated, children's capacity to express opinions, environmental adaptations and the degree of interpretation needed to understand children's opinions. CONCLUSION : The examples provided indicate that children's opinions can be regarded in most research, although to different degrees.http://informahealthcare.com/journal/pdr2016-06-30hb201

Patient participation: A qualitative study of immigrant women and their experiences

Patient participation in healthcare is a neglected area of interest in the rather extensive amount of research on immigrant so-called Selma patients in Swedish health care as well as worldwide. The aim is to explore the phenomenon “patient participation” in the context of the Swedish health care from the perspective of immigrants non-fluent in Swedish. A phenomenological lifeworld approach was chosen. Data were collected from patients within a municipal home care setting in Sweden. Eight women agreed to participate. In seven interviews, an interpreter was necessary for the translation of the interview. Five authorized interpreters were used. Data were analysed in accordance to a descriptive phenomenological method for caring research. The analysis led to an essence of the phenomenon with three constituents, “to experience participation,” “to refrain from participation,” and “to be deprived of participation.” Patient participation from the perspective of immigrant women means that patients are involved and active in their own health and caring processes. For these women, it is particularly important to have the opportunity to express themselves. Patient participation presupposes professional caregivers who act in a way that increases the patients' opportunities to take part. A skilled interpreter is often necessary in order to enable the patient participation