Halibut behaviour as a means of assessing suitability of ongrowth systems

Halibut behaviour in net pens has been studied using direct observation, underwater video and/or hydroacoustic equipment. Rearing experience includes a wide range of fish weights (50-10.000 g) and fish densities (4-150 kg/m2). Individual halibut is able to change their coloration on the ocular side from their whitespotted benthic camouflage to the uniformly brown-grey pelagic camouflage within a minute and vice-a-versa. The proportion of fish with pelagic camouflage on/near the bottom was high in the net pens with high densities, and such groups also showed suboptimal growth. The results also indicated an increase in pelagic swimming activity in the net pens with the highest densities. High light levels and low temperatures decreased the pelagic swimming activity of the fish. Halibut in net pens reared at low densities did not spread evenly on the bottom, but were usually found in clumps

Säsongsvariation i prevalens av beta-hemolytiska streptokocker bör beaktas vid diagnostik av halsinfektioner [Seasonal variation in prevalence of beta-hemolytic streptococci should be considered when diagnosing the sore throat]

Inledning: Infektioner med beta-hemolytiska streptokocker (BHS) är vanligast förekommande under vinter och tidig vår. Enbart klinisk bedömning av halsinfektion grundad på anamnes och status är otillförlitligt och diagnostiken bör kompletteras med test som påvisar närvaron av BHS. När väl BHS påvisas vid en infektion kan patienten vara asymptomatisk bärare av BHS men ha halsont av annat skäl, vanligen ett virus. Antibiotikabehandling bör då undvikas. Syfte: Att jämföra förekomst och mängd av BHS hos friska individer och hos patienter med svalgsmärtor och relatera fyndet vid svalgodling till personernas ålder, eventuell barnomsorg och årstid vid provtagning. Material Och Metod: Svalgprov togs från 400 friska förskolebarn, 381 friska skolbarn i åldern 7-15 år och från 516 vuxna med ålder >=16 år. Dessa jämfördes med svalgprover från 86 förskolebarn, 60 skolbarn och från 289 vuxna med svalgsmärtor. Prover insamlades under jan-febr och juli-sept 1991. Barnomsorgsform efterfrågades. Växt av BHS kvantifierades som sparsam (1-10), måttlig (10-50) och riklig (>50 kolonier per platta). Resultat: Prevalensen av BHS hos friska individer var lägst före 3 års ålder (1,9-7,1%) och bland vuxna 16 år eller äldre (2,4-3,7%). Högst var den i åldersgruppen 3-15 år (5,0-21,2%). Motsvarande prevalens av BHS för patienter med svalgsmärta var hos barn <3 år (11,8-26,1%), för vuxna 16 år eller äldre (15,7-21,4%) och för skolbarnen 3-15 år med halsont (30,6-41,4%). Ingen statistiskt signifikant skillnad i prevalens kunde observeras mellan olika barnomsorgsformer. Vid fynd av BHS var det vanligare att bakterieväxten var riklig hos patienter (85%) jämfört med hos friska individer (41%). Skillnaden i prevalens av BHS mellan friska individer och patienter med ont i halsen var liten under sommaren och stor under vintern. Konklusion: Prevalensen av BHS varierar med ålder och årstid bland friska individer och patienter med svalgsmärtor. Sommartid är det mycket svårare än under vintertid att tolka svaret på en svalgodling hos patienter yngre än 16 år eftersom antalet asymptomatiska bärare är högt. [Introduction: Infections with beta-hemolytic streptococci (BHS) is most common during the winter and early spring in a temperate climate. Clinical assessment alone based on the history and physical examination of patients with a sore throat is unreliable and diagnostics should be complemented with a test detecting the presence of BHS. Once BHS is detected in a symptomatic patient, the patient may be an asymptomatic carrier of BHS having a sore throat for other reasons, usually a virus. Antibiotic treatment should be avoided in such cases. Aim: To compare the prevalence and quantity of BHS in healthy subjects and in patients with a sore throat and relate this finding to the age, child care and seasonal variation. Material and method: Throat samples were taken from 400 healthy preschool children, 381 healthy school children aged 7-15 years and from 516 adults with aged ≥16 years. These were compared with samples from the throat of 86 pre-schoolers, 60 school-children and from 289 adults with a sore throat. Samples were collected during two seasons; January-February and July-September 1991. Information about child care was asked for. Growth of BHS was quantified as sparse (1-10), moderate (10-50) or abundant (> 50 colonies per plate). Results: Prevalence of BHS in healthy individuals was low before the age of 3 (1.9 to 7.1%) and among adults 16 years or older (2.4-3.7%). It was highest in the age group 3-15 years (5.0 to 21.2%). The corresponding prevalence of BHS for patients with a sore throat was in children <3 years (11.8 to 26.1%), for adults 16 years or older (15.7 to 21.4%) and for school children 3-15 years with sore throat (30.6 to 41.4%). No statistically significant difference in prevalence was observed between different types of child care. It was more common for bacterial growth to be abundant in patients with a sore throat (85%) compared to healthy subjects (41%). The difference in the prevalence of BHS between healthy individuals and patients with a sore throat was small during the summer and high in winter. Conclusion: The prevalence of BHS varies with age and season in healthy individuals and patients with throat pain. It is more difficult to interpret the result of a throat culture during summer compared to winter season in individuals younger than 16 years because the number of asymptomatic carriers is high.

Säsongsvariation i prevalens av beta-hemolytiska streptokocker bör beaktas vid diagnostik av halsinfektioner [Seasonal variation in prevalence of beta-hemolytic streptococci should be considered when diagnosing the sore throat]

Inledning: Infektioner med beta-hemolytiska streptokocker (BHS) är vanligast förekommande under vinter och tidig vår. Enbart klinisk bedömning av halsinfektion grundad på anamnes och status är otillförlitligt och diagnostiken bör kompletteras med test som påvisar närvaron av BHS. När väl BHS påvisas vid en infektion kan patienten vara asymptomatisk bärare av BHS men ha halsont av annat skäl, vanligen ett virus. Antibiotikabehandling bör då undvikas. Syfte: Att jämföra förekomst och mängd av BHS hos friska individer och hos patienter med svalgsmärtor och relatera fyndet vid svalgodling till personernas ålder, eventuell barnomsorg och årstid vid provtagning. Material Och Metod: Svalgprov togs från 400 friska förskolebarn, 381 friska skolbarn i åldern 7-15 år och från 516 vuxna med ålder >=16 år. Dessa jämfördes med svalgprover från 86 förskolebarn, 60 skolbarn och från 289 vuxna med svalgsmärtor. Prover insamlades under jan-febr och juli-sept 1991. Barnomsorgsform efterfrågades. Växt av BHS kvantifierades som sparsam (1-10), måttlig (10-50) och riklig (>50 kolonier per platta). Resultat: Prevalensen av BHS hos friska individer var lägst före 3 års ålder (1,9-7,1%) och bland vuxna 16 år eller äldre (2,4-3,7%). Högst var den i åldersgruppen 3-15 år (5,0-21,2%). Motsvarande prevalens av BHS för patienter med svalgsmärta var hos barn <3 år (11,8-26,1%), för vuxna 16 år eller äldre (15,7-21,4%) och för skolbarnen 3-15 år med halsont (30,6-41,4%). Ingen statistiskt signifikant skillnad i prevalens kunde observeras mellan olika barnomsorgsformer. Vid fynd av BHS var det vanligare att bakterieväxten var riklig hos patienter (85%) jämfört med hos friska individer (41%). Skillnaden i prevalens av BHS mellan friska individer och patienter med ont i halsen var liten under sommaren och stor under vintern. Konklusion: Prevalensen av BHS varierar med ålder och årstid bland friska individer och patienter med svalgsmärtor. Sommartid är det mycket svårare än under vintertid att tolka svaret på en svalgodling hos patienter yngre än 16 år eftersom antalet asymptomatiska bärare är högt. [Introduction: Infections with beta-hemolytic streptococci (BHS) is most common during the winter and early spring in a temperate climate. Clinical assessment alone based on the history and physical examination of patients with a sore throat is unreliable and diagnostics should be complemented with a test detecting the presence of BHS. Once BHS is detected in a symptomatic patient, the patient may be an asymptomatic carrier of BHS having a sore throat for other reasons, usually a virus. Antibiotic treatment should be avoided in such cases. Aim: To compare the prevalence and quantity of BHS in healthy subjects and in patients with a sore throat and relate this finding to the age, child care and seasonal variation. Material and method: Throat samples were taken from 400 healthy preschool children, 381 healthy school children aged 7-15 years and from 516 adults with aged ≥16 years. These were compared with samples from the throat of 86 pre-schoolers, 60 school-children and from 289 adults with a sore throat. Samples were collected during two seasons; January-February and July-September 1991. Information about child care was asked for. Growth of BHS was quantified as sparse (1-10), moderate (10-50) or abundant (> 50 colonies per plate). Results: Prevalence of BHS in healthy individuals was low before the age of 3 (1.9 to 7.1%) and among adults 16 years or older (2.4-3.7%). It was highest in the age group 3-15 years (5.0 to 21.2%). The corresponding prevalence of BHS for patients with a sore throat was in children <3 years (11.8 to 26.1%), for adults 16 years or older (15.7 to 21.4%) and for school children 3-15 years with sore throat (30.6 to 41.4%). No statistically significant difference in prevalence was observed between different types of child care. It was more common for bacterial growth to be abundant in patients with a sore throat (85%) compared to healthy subjects (41%). The difference in the prevalence of BHS between healthy individuals and patients with a sore throat was small during the summer and high in winter. Conclusion: The prevalence of BHS varies with age and season in healthy individuals and patients with throat pain. It is more difficult to interpret the result of a throat culture during summer compared to winter season in individuals younger than 16 years because the number of asymptomatic carriers is high.

Gastrointestinal nematodes and anthelmintic resistance in Danish goat herds

The prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in Danish goats and the presence of anthelmintic resistance (AR) in 10 selected herds were investigated during April–September 2012. All Danish herds (n = 137) with 10 or more adult goats were invited to participate, and of these 27 herds met the inclusion criterion of more than 10 young kids never treated with anthelmintics. Questionnaire data on management were collected, and faecal samples from 252 kids were analysed by the McMaster technique. From all herds with a mean faecal egg count (FEC) above 300 eggs per g of faeces, pooled samples were stained with peanut agglutinin (PNA) for specific detection of Haemonchus contortus. Strongyle eggs were detected with an individual prevalence of 69%, including Nematodirus battus (3.6%) and other Nematodirus species (15.0%). Eimeria spp. were observed in 99.6% of the kids. H. contortus was found in 11 of 12 (92%) tested herds. Anthelmintics were used in 89% of the herds with mean treatment frequencies of 0.96 and 0.89 treatments per year for kids and adults, respectively. In 2011, new animals were introduced into 44% of the herds of which 25% practised quarantine anthelmintic treatments. In 10 herds the presence of AR was analysed by egg hatch assay and FEC reduction tests using ivermectin (0.3 mg/kg) or fenbendazole (10.0 mg/kg). AR against both fenbendazole and ivermectin was detected in seven herds; AR against fenbendazole in one herd, and AR against ivermectin in another herd. In conclusion, resistance to the most commonly used anthelmintics is widespread in larger goat herds throughout Denmark

Olfactory testing in consecutive patients referred with suspected dementia

Abstract Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and early and accurate diagnosis is important. Olfactory dysfunction is an early sign of AD. The contribution by test of olfactory function has been surveyed in AD vs a line of conditions but remains to be settled in the workup of unselected patients referred with suspected dementia. Methods We performed a two-step investigation: first, a comparative study of healthy controls and probable AD patients to test the applicability of the chosen scents (cuisine study); second, a study of consecutive patients referred to our geriatric outpatient clinic for suspected dementia with the investigating personnel blinded to the results of the Olfactory Test (blinded study). Results The sum of scents detected discriminated patients with probable AD from controls in the cuisine study (n = 40; p < 0.001; area under ROC curve 0.94). In the blinded study (n = 50) the diagnosis was probable AD in 48%, minimal cognitive impairment in 24%, vascular dementia in 8%, alcohol induced impairment in 12%, depression in 4%, and Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia in 2%. Area under the ROC-curve was 0.67. The odds ratio for probable AD with 2+ smell errors was 12 (95%-CI: 1.3–101; p = 0.026 (reference 0–1 smell errors)) age adjusted. None in the AD group had zero smell errors (Negative Predictive Value 100%). Conclusion Olfactory testing may support to dismiss the diagnosis of probable AD in the workup of a mixed group of patients referred with cognitive impairment. Still, it had a low sensitivity for probable AD