Associations between vaccination and antimicrobial consumption in Danish pig herds, 2013

Antimicrobial agents are being used in modern swine production worldwide, generating concern in regards to the development of antimicrobial resistance. Identifying efficient alternatives has therefore become a subject of interest. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of routinely used vaccination as an alternative to antimicrobial consumption in weaner pig herds. The hypothesis was that herds with increased use of vaccination would have a lower antimicrobial consumption. Data were obtained from the Danish VetStat database in which prescriptions of medication for livestock are recorded as well as the Danish Central Husbandry Register. All Danish one-site pig herds, active in year 2013, with \u3e50 sows and \u3e200 weaners were selected for the study. Initially, data were analysed using a univariable model, and secondly a multivariable linear regression model was applied. The analyses included use of three different vaccines against Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2), Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M_HYO) and Lawsonia intracellularis (LAW), respectively, as well as annual production measured as number of weaners produced in a year. The outcome was the average antimicrobial consumption measured in animal daily does (ADD) per weaner pig. Out of the 1,513 herds selected for the study, 1,415 herds had antimicrobials prescribed for gastrointestinal disorders, and 836 for respiratory disorders. PCV2 vaccine was used in 880 herds, M_HYO vaccine in 787 and LAW vaccine was the least used, with 115 herds using it. The results suggested that antimicrobials to some extent were being used for other disease categories than those officially prescribed by the veterinarians. On average, herds using the different combinations of vaccines had higher use of antimicrobials than herds not using the vaccines – probably as a result of health problems in the herds existing prior to the initiation of vaccine use. Information about vaccination protocols, health status, biosecurity, and management practices was not available limiting the ability to assess causality

Supercritical phase inversion of starch-poly(e-caprolactone) for tissue engineering applications

In this work, a starch-based polymer, namely a blend of starch-poly(ε-caprolactone) was processed by supercritical assisted phase inversion process. This processing technique has been proposed for the development of 3D structures with potential applications in tissue engineering applications, as scaffolds. The use of carbon dioxide as non-solvent in the phase inversion process leads to the formation of a porous and interconnected structure, dry and free of any residual solvent. Different processing conditions such as pressure (from 80 up to 150 bar) and temperature (45 and 55°C) were studied and the effect on the morphological features of the scaffolds was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and micro-computed tomography. The mechanical properties of the SPCL scaffolds prepared were also studied. Additionally, in this work, the in vitro biological performance of the scaffolds was studied. Cell adhesion and morphology, viability and proliferation was assessed and the results suggest that the materials prepared are allow cell attachment and promote cell proliferation having thus potential to be used in some for biomedical applications.Ana Rita C. Duarte is grateful for financial support from Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia through the grant SFRH/BPD/34994/2007

Advanced Technologies for Oral Controlled Release: Cyclodextrins for oral controlled release

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are used in oral pharmaceutical formulations, by means of inclusion complexes formation, with the following advantages for the drugs: (1) solubility, dissolution rate, stability and bioavailability enhancement; (2) to modify the drug release site and/or time profile; and (3) to reduce or prevent gastrointestinal side effects and unpleasant smell or taste, to prevent drug-drug or drug-additive interactions, or even to convert oil and liquid drugs into microcrystalline or amorphous powders. A more recent trend focuses on the use of CDs as nanocarriers, a strategy that aims to design versatile delivery systems that can encapsulate drugs with better physicochemical properties for oral delivery. Thus, the aim of this work was to review the applications of the CDs and their hydrophilic derivatives on the solubility enhancement of poorly water soluble drugs in order to increase their dissolution rate and get immediate release, as well as their ability to control (to prolong or to delay) the release of drugs from solid dosage forms, either as complexes with the hydrophilic (e.g. as osmotic pumps) and/ or hydrophobic CDs. New controlled delivery systems based on nanotechonology carriers (nanoparticles and conjugates) have also been reviewed

Supercritical fluid technology as a tool to prepare gradient multifunctional architectures towards regeneration of osteochondral injuries

Platelet lysates (PLs) are a natural source of growth factors (GFs) known for its stimulatory role on stem cells which can be obtained after activation of platelets from blood plasma. The possibility to use PLs as growth factor source for tissue healing and regeneration has been pursued following different strategies. Platelet lysates are an enriched pool of growth factors which can be used as either a GFs source or as a three-dimensional (3D) hydrogel. However, most of current PLs-based hydrogels lack stability, exhibiting significant shrinking behavior. This chapter focuses on the application of supercritical fluid technology to develop three-dimensional architectures of PL constructs, crosslinked with genipin. The proposed technology allows in a single step operation the development of mechanically stable porous structures, through chemical crosslinking of the growth factors present in the PL pool, followed by supercritical drying of the samples. Furthermore gradient structures of PL-based structures with bioactive glass are also presented and are described as an interesting approach to the treatment of osteochondral defects.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Vaccines as alternatives to antibiotics for food producing animals. Part 1:challenges and needs

Vaccines and other alternative products can help minimize the need for antibiotics by preventing and controlling infectious diseases in animal populations, and are central to the future success of animal agriculture. To assess scientific advancements related to alternatives to antibiotics and provide actionable strategies to support their development, the United States Department of Agriculture, with support from the World Organisation for Animal Health, organized the second International Symposium on Alternatives to Antibiotics. It focused on six key areas: vaccines; microbial-derived products; non-nutritive phytochemicals; immune-related products; chemicals, enzymes, and innovative drugs; and regulatory pathways to enable the development and licensure of alternatives to antibiotics. This article, part of a two-part series, synthesizes and expands on the expert panel discussions regarding opportunities, challenges and needs for the development of vaccines that may reduce the need for use of antibiotics in animals; new approaches and potential solutions will be discussed in part 2 of this series. Vaccines are widely used to prevent infections in food animals. Various studies have demonstrated that their animal agricultural use can lead to significant reductions in antibiotic consumption, making them promising alternatives to antibiotics. To be widely used in food producing animals, vaccines have to be safe, effective, easy to use, and cost-effective. Many current vaccines fall short in one or more of these respects. Scientific advancements may allow many of these limitations to be overcome, but progress is funding-dependent. Research will have to be prioritized to ensure scarce public resources are dedicated to areas of potentially greatest impact first, and private investments into vaccine development constantly compete with other investment opportunities. Although vaccines have the potential to improve animal health, safeguard agricultural productivity, and reduce antibiotic consumption and resulting resistance risks, targeted research and development investments and concerted efforts by all affected are needed to realize that potential

Associations between vaccination and antimicrobial consumption in Danish pig herds, 2013

Antimicrobial agents are being used in modern swine production worldwide, generating concern in regards to the development of antimicrobial resistance. Identifying efficient alternatives has therefore become a subject of interest. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of routinely used vaccination as an alternative to antimicrobial consumption in weaner pig herds. The hypothesis was that herds with increased use of vaccination would have a lower antimicrobial consumption. Data were obtained from the Danish VetStat database in which prescriptions of medication for livestock are recorded as well as the Danish Central Husbandry Register. All Danish one-site pig herds, active in year 2013, with >50 sows and >200 weaners were selected for the study. Initially, data were analysed using a univariable model, and secondly a multivariable linear regression model was applied. The analyses included use of three different vaccines against Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2), Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M_HYO) and Lawsonia intracellularis (LAW), respectively, as well as annual production measured as number of weaners produced in a year. The outcome was the average antimicrobial consumption measured in animal daily does (ADD) per weaner pig. Out of the 1,513 herds selected for the study, 1,415 herds had antimicrobials prescribed for gastrointestinal disorders, and 836 for respiratory disorders. PCV2 vaccine was used in 880 herds, M_HYO vaccine in 787 and LAW vaccine was the least used, with 115 herds using it. The results suggested that antimicrobials to some extent were being used for other disease categories than those officially prescribed by the veterinarians. On average, herds using the different combinations of vaccines had higher use of antimicrobials than herds not using the vaccines – probably as a result of health problems in the herds existing prior to the initiation of vaccine use. Information about vaccination protocols, health status, biosecurity, and management practices was not available limiting the ability to assess causality.</p

Influence of Embedded HVDC Transmission on System Security and AC Network Performance

status: publishe