Linjärbedömning av svenska varmblodiga föl : och relationen till linjära egenskaper beskrivna vid unghästtest

Of all Swedish Warmblood (SWB) foals born between 2014 and 2018 approximately 24% attended foal inspection. At the foal inspections trained judges assess conformation and gait traits by evaluating/subjective scoring five traits and making a linear profiling/description of 15 traits. The linear assessment of foals was implemented in the SWB population in 2014, and this was the first study based on the linear foal data. Similar data from horses attending Young Horse Test (YHT) are used to estimate breeding values. The aim was to estimate genetic parameters for both linear profiling and evaluating traits and to analyse genetic and phenotypic correlations between the different traits. Another aim was to study the correlations between results of linear profiled traits at foal inspections and later results from Young Horse Test (YHT). The data consisted of data from 2881 foals assessed at foal inspections between 2014 and 20181 and data from 4673 three-year-old horses assessed at YHT between 2013 and 2018. An BLUP animal model with the fixed effects of age in days, event and sex were used to analyse the foal data. For the YHT data the animal model included the fixed effects of event and sex. The event was in both models a combination of location and date of the test. Heritabilities estimated for linear traits assessed at foal inspection were found to be gen-erally low for conformation traits, ranging from 0.03 to 0.28, and medium high for the gait traits, ranging from 0.27 to 0.51. Estimated genetic correlations were strong between evalu-ating conformation and gait traits and their corresponding linear traits, ranging between -0.93 and -1.00. The evaluating trait total score had medium to strong genetic correlations with almost all linear traits, ranging from -0.35 to -0.95. This study showed strong genetic correlations between linear traits assessed at foal in-spection and corresponding traits at YHT. For the conformation traits the genetic correla-tions ranged from 0.59 to 0.93, and for the gait traits from 0.71 to 0.92. Results from this study showed that data from foal inspections has potential to be used in future estimation of linear breeding values, due to its moderately high heritabilities and strong genetic correlations to YHT

Är det Livsviktigt att vara Tillsammans?

Syfte: Vårt främsta syfte är att undersöka hur pedagoger använder sig av "materialpaketen", Lions quest Tillsammans och SET (Social och emotionell träning ) Livsviktigt, i värdegrundsarbetet. Vi vill även sätta oss in i tankarna bakom materialen, genom att intervjua representanter för dem och genom att själva titta på materialen. Huvudfråga: Vi vill genom studien belysa hur pedagogerna arbetar med materialen ute i praktiken och vi vill jämföra materialen. Metod: Undersökningen grundar sig på en kvalitativ intervjustudie, som vi har genomfört med fyra pedagoger på olika skolor och även två representanter för två olika material som ingått i studien. Resultat: Vi har kommit fram till att inga av de intervjuade pedagogerna har använt enbart något av materialen i sitt värdegrundsarbete utan plockar in annat och låter det genomsyra hela verksamheten. Vår studie visar att det är viktigt att anpassa sig efter barngruppens behov. Vår slutsats är att inger material behöver användas från pärm till pärm. Betydelse för läraryrket: Värdegrundsarbetet är en viktig del för att utveckla empati och för att få skolarbetet att fungera bättre. Detta behöver inte nödvändigtvis ske genom att använda sig av ett material utan beror till stor del även på pedagogens förhållningssätt

A literature review concerning uneven hooves and its importance for horses’ longevity and performance

I denna litteraturstudie undersöktes exteriöregenskapen ojämna hovar, dess frekvens, arvbarhet och påverkan på tävlingskarriären. Resultatet visar att ojämna hovar påverkar belastningen på hovarna, vilket leder till att en skillnad i rörelsemomenten kring både kronleden och hovleden uppstår. De strukturer som påverkas mest är den ytliga böjsenan, djupa böjsenan och strålbenet. Utvecklingen av ojämna hovar visade sig inte kunna påverkas med intensiv hovvård, i form av verkning var fjärde vecka från fyra veckors ålder till 27 veckors ålder. Ett beteende som visade sig ha stor påverkan på utvecklingen av exteriöregenskapen ojämna hovar hos föl var frambensställningen vid bete, om ett föl hade som preferens att stå med samma framben placerat längst fram vid bete. Det fanns även två huvudfaktorer som påverkade om föl hade en sådan preferens: mindre huvud och längre ben. Hästar som tävlar på elitnivå har generellt bättre exteriör men frekvensen av ojämna hovar skiljer sig inte signifikant från hästar på grundnivå. De hästar som påverkas mest av ojämna hovar är hopphästar på elitnivå, där en studie visade att ingen häst med ojämna hovar hade en tävlingskarriär länge än tre år. Medelfrekvensen av ojämna hovar hos avelsbedömda svenska varmblodiga ridhästar (SWB) mellan år 1983-1984 och 1988-2005 var 7,1%. Arvbarheten för summan av alla bedömda hovegenskaper skattades till 0,10. Hos avelsbedömda nederländska varmblod (KWPN) hade frekvensen av ojämna hovar ökat från 3,8% år 1990 till 9,4% år 2002. Arvbarheten för exteriöregenskapen ojämna hovar skattades till 0,12 i den nederländska hästpopulationen. Exteriöregenskapen ojämna hovar har sammanfattningsvis visat sig ha svag arvbarhet men med tydliga skillnader mellan avkommor från olika hingstar. Idag bedöms ojämna hovar, vid avelsbedömning av svenska varmblodiga ridhästar, enbart som förekommande eller ej förekommande. Det vore önskvärt att studera egenskapen mer i detalj, i form av en mer vetenskapligt baserad och kvantitativ bedömning, på grund av dess komplexitet och påverkan längre fram i livet. Slutsatsen är att problemet är komplext och påverkas av många faktorer inom både arv och miljö. Därför är det av intresse att utveckla bedömningsmetoder som tar hänsyn till den variation som finns i populationen samt visar hur egenskapen utvecklas, för att på så sätt kunna optimera både forskningsarbete, avelsarbete och skötselråd.The aim of this literature review was to give an insight into the conformation trait uneven hooves, its influence on longevity and performance of warmblood horses and the possibility to gain genetic progress. The results showed that uneven hooves affect the loading on the hooves. This leads to a difference in movement around the pastern joint and coffin joint. The most affected structures are the superficial digital flexor tendon, the deep digital flexor tendon and the navicular bone. The development of uneven hooves did not prove to be affected by intensive hoofcare, in form of trimming every fourth week from four weeks of age until 27 weeks of age. A behaviour that seemed to be of great impact on the development of uneven hooves in foals were the positioning of the front limbs while grazing, if a foal had a preference to stand with the same front limb placed at front. There were also two main factors that affected if foals had such a preference: shorter head length and longer limbs. Horses that compete at elite level generally had better conformation scores, but the frequency of uneven feet pairs did not differ significantly from horses on basic level. The group which was most affected by the hoof conformation trait were elite jumping horses, where no horse with uneven feet had a career that lasted over 3 years. The average frequency of uneven hooves in a population of Swedish warmblood horses (SWB) that participated in the Riding Horse Quality Test (RHQT) between 1983-1984 and 1988-2005 was 7.1%. The heritability for all hoof caracteristics assessed summed together was estimated to 0.10. In a Dutch Warmblood horse population the frequency of uneven hooves increased from 3.8% in year 1990 to 9.4% in year 2002. The heritability of the conformation trait uneven hooves was estimated to 0.12 in the Dutch horse population. The conformation trait uneven hooves has been found to have weak heritability, but with a clear difference between offsprings from different stallions. Today, uneven hooves is registered only as present or not present in SWB. It would be desirable to examine hoof traits more in detail, in terms of a more scientific based and quantitative assessments, because of its complexity and impact further in life. The conclusion is that the problem is complex and influenced by many factors, both genetically and environmentally. Therefore, it is of interest to develop assessment equipment and methods that take in account the variation in the population in order to get more accurate values about how the conformation traits develop, to optimize both research, breeding and management advice

Direct observation and characterization of DMPC/DHPC aggregates under conditions relevant for biological solution NMR

AbstractWe have used cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) for inspection of aggregates formed by dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and dihexanoylphosphatidylcholine (DHPC) in aqueous solution at total phospholipid concentrations cL≤5% and DMPC/DHPC ratios q≤4.0. In combination with ocular inspections, we are able to sketch out this part of phase-diagram at T=14–80 °C. The temperature and the ratio q are the dominating variables for changing sample morphology, while cL to a lesser extent affects the aggregate structure. At q=0.5, small, possibly disc-shaped, aggregates with a diameter of ∼6 nm are formed. At higher q-values, distorted discoidal micelles that tend to short cylindrical micelles are observed. The more well-shaped discs have a diameter of around 20 nm. Upon increasing q or the temperature, long slightly flattened cylindrical micelles that eventually branch are formed. A holey lamellar phase finally appears upon further elevation of q or temperature. The implications for biological NMR work are two. First, discs prepared as membrane mimics are frequently much smaller than predicted by current “ideal bicelle” models. Second, the q≈3 preparations used for aligning water-soluble biomolecules in magnetic fields consist of perforated lamellar sheets. Furthermore, the discovered sequence of morphological transitions may have important implications for the development of bicelle-based membrane protein crystallization methods

Carcass characteristics and meat quality attributes in lambs reared indoors, on cultivated pasture, or on semi-natural pasture

This study evaluated the effects of different lamb production systems on live weight gain (LWG), carcass quality and meat quality. Four production systems for weaned intact male lambs were examined: indoor feeding with grass silage and concentrate (group 1), grazing on cultivated pasture with (group 2) or without (group 3) concentrate, and grazing on semi-natural pasture (group 4). Live weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage, carcass conformation, fatness and pH decline were recorded at slaughter, and M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum was analysed for colour, thawing and cooking loss, pH after 24 hours and 6 days, and Warner-Bratzler shear force. LWG was strongly affected by production system, being highest for group 1 and lowest for group 4 (p<0.001). Group 4 had the lowest conformation (p=0.002) and fat scores (p<0.001). Hence, production system affected age at slaughter, live weight gain, weight at slaughter, carcass conformation and fatness scores, but caused no differences in meat quality attributes in intact male lambs

Presence of Actinobacterial and Fungal Communities in Clean and Petroleum Hydrocarbon Contaminated Subsurface Soil

Relatively little is known about the microbial communities adapted to soil environments contaminated with aged complex hydrocarbon mixtures, especially in the subsurface soil layers. In this work we studied the microbial communities in two different soil profiles down to the depth of 7 m which originated from a 30-year-old site contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons (PHCs) and from a clean site next to the contaminated site. The concentration of oxygen in the contaminated soil profile was strongly reduced in soil layers below 1 m depth but not in the clean soil profile. Total microbial biomass and community composition was analyzed by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) measurements. The diversity of fungi and actinobacteria was investigated more in detail by construction of rDNA-based clone libraries. The results revealed that there was a significant and diverse microbial community in subsoils at depth below 2 m, also in conditions where oxygen was limiting. The diversity of actinobacteria was different in the two soil profiles; the contaminated soil profile was dominated by Mycobacterium -related sequences whereas sequences from the clean soil samples were related to other, generally uncultured organisms, some of which may represent two new subclasses of actinobacteria. One dominating fungal sequence which matched with the ascomycotes Acremonium sp. and Paecilomyces sp. was identified both in clean and in contaminated soil profiles. Thus, although the relative amounts of fungi and actinobacteria in these microbial communities were highest in the upper soil layers, many representatives from these groups were found in hydrocarbon contaminated subsoils even under oxygen limited conditions

Animal handling and stress-related behaviour at mobile slaughter of cattle

By avoiding animal transportation, mobile slaughter may have the potential to reduce animal stress. In a cross-sectional study with elements of cohort design, we investigated relationships between animal handling and stress-related animal behaviours in connection with slaughter at two Swedish slaughter plants: a newly started small-scale on-farm mobile abattoir and a relatively large-scale stationary slaughterhouse. To the stationary plant, the animals were transported on average 99 km from farms, and one third of these animals spent one night in lairage before slaughter. Data were collected during processing of 298 animals at both plants during one year. Stockperson actions and animal behaviours were observed in the driveways (2.4-7.3m long) to the stun box. Data on season, hour of day, air temperature, animal breed, animal category, animal age, carcass weight and stockperson category (plant or farm) were also collected. We used Spearman rank correlation, principal-component analysis and confirmatory factor analysis to develop a final generalised structural equation model, which contained six variables that represented observed animal backing; turning; slipping; eliminating; vocalising; and violent behaviour, regressed on a latent variable representing animal stress level. Stress level and animal behaviours were also regressed on five variables representing observed stockperson actions (touching, patting or hitting with hand; touching, patting or hitting with a tool; pushing; tail-twisting; and prodding with an electric goad) and on background variables including plant identity. The animal behaviours were modelled as counts per driveway length, clustered on farm identity. Marginal effects of stockperson actions and predictive margins of plants were calculated. The animals displayed backing and violent behaviour (kicking, goring or violent fighting) at significantly lower frequencies at the mobile plant than at the stationary one. In general, stockperson actions were significantly positively associated with animal behaviours, i.e. increased actions were associated with more frequent behaviours. Stockperson moving with tool, pushing and using electric goad were indirectly significantly associated with all animal behaviours via animal stress level. This study shows the importance of adequate cattle handling to limit pre-slaughter stress

Virologic and Immunologic Failure, Drug Resistance and Mortality during the First 24 Months Postpartum among HIV-Infected Women Initiated on Antiretroviral Therapy for Life in the Mitra plus Study, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

In the Mitra plus study of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1, which included 501 women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, triple antiretroviral therapy (ART) was given from late pregnancy throughout breastfeeding up to 6 months postnatally. Here we report findings in a sub-cohort of women with ≤200 CD4cells/μL at enrolment who were continued on ART for life and followed up during 24 months after delivery to determine virologic and immunologic responses, drug resistance and mortality. Blood samples for viral load and CD4 counts testing were collected at enrolment and at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months postpartum. HIV drug resistance testing was performed at 12 months. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis using Generalized Estimated Equations of 73 women with at least two postpartum assessments. The mortality analysis included 84 women who had delivered. The proportion of women with a viral load≥400 copies/mL was 97% (71/73) at enrolment, 16% (11/67), 22% (15/69), 61% (36/59) and 86% (48/56) at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months postpartum, respectively. The proportion of women with immunologic failure was 12% (8/69), 25% (15/60) and 41% (24/58) at 6, 12 and 24 months, respectively. At 12 months, drug resistance was demonstrated in 34% (20/59), including 12 with dual-class resistance. Self-report on drug adherence was 95% (64/68), 85% (56/66), 74% (39/53) and 65% (30/46) at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months, respectively. The mortality rate was 5.9% (95% CI 2.5-13.7%) at 24 months. The probability of virologic and immunologic failure was significantly higher among women who reported non-perfect adherence to ART at month 24 postpartum. Following an initial decline of viral load, virologic failure was common at 12 and 24 months postpartum among women initiated on ART for life during pregnancy because of low CD4 cell counts. A high proportion of viremic mothers also had resistance mutations. However, at 24 months follow-up, the mortality rate was still fairly low. Continuous adherence counseling and affordable means of monitoring of the virologic response are crucial for successful implementation of the WHO Option B+ guidelines to start all HIV-infected pregnant women on ART for life

Evaluation of Laminaria digitata and Phragmites australis for biogas production and nutrient recycling

Eutrophication and climate change are major global problems. The sea weed Laminaria digitata and the reed Phragmites australis have the potential to absorb nutrients and CO2 during growth, as well as being a source of renewable energy in the form of biogas. The aim of this study was to evaluate Laminaria digitata and Phragmites australis concerning biogas production and nutrient recycling using a two-stage pilot scale process. The plant has a total volume of 430 L and consists of a hydrolysis bed and an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor (UASB). Two experiments were performed; one with Laminaria digitata as the sole substrate and one with a mixture of Laminaria digitata and Phragmites australis. Frozen substrates were placed in the hydrolysis bed and digestion was performed at 305 K during 70 days for Laminaria digitata and 100 days for the mixture of Laminaria digitata and Phragmites australis. The methane yield achieved was approximately 170 L kg−1 volatile substances (273.15 K, 101.3 kPa) in both experiments. These results suggest that Laminaria digitata can be efficiently digested in larger scale and has the potential to contribute to a future sustainable energy mix, considering its relatively high methane yield when anaerobically digested as the sole substrate. Digestion of Phragmites australis needs further development to make use of its full potential

The Children's Action-Reaction Assessment Tool (CARAT) as an observational technique for assessing symptom management : an initial validation study with children aged 3–7 years undergoing needle procedures

PURPOSE : For many children, needle procedures are fearful events that are often painful. The first step in symptom management is to assess the child's pain and fear, and the next step is to use coping strategies to provide symptom relief for children who experience or feel pain and fear during procedures. The Children's Action–Reaction Assessment Tool (CARAT) is built on action–reaction strategies. This study aimed to determine the inter-rater reliability of the CARAT when used during needle procedures with 3- to 7-year-old children. DESIGN AND METHODS : We used a quantitative approach in which 21 children were observed by two independent observers during needle procedures to evaluate the inter-rater reliability of the CARAT. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics, and the observation scores were calculated with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) test on SPSS for Windows, version 25. RESULTS : The completed CARAT indicated the use of action–reaction strategies. Neither action nor reaction strategies were frequently used. The parents were seldom involved in the procedure. The inter-rater reliability showed a sufficient correlation between the observers. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS : This study showed promising results for the inter-rater reliability of the CARAT, which can be used to facilitate care for children. The observational tool can be used to assess the use of action–reaction strategies in conjunction with needle procedures in children aged 3–7 years.The Swedish Research Council; The Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare; The Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education and The Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation.https://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jspnhj2021Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC