Risk factors for post-weaning diarrhoea on piglet producing farms in Finland

Background: Post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD) is a significant gastrointestinal disease in pigs. It is considered a multifactorial disease associated with proliferation of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in the intestinal tract of affected pigs. The aim of this study was to analyse risk factors related to the occurrence of PWD on Finnish piglet producing farms. Methods: The data of a follow-up study of 73 conventional piglet producing farms was used in the case-control study. The selection of the 41 PWD case and 28 control farms was based on the use of antimicrobials for treating diarrhoea in weaned pigs and the answers related to the occurrence of diarrhoea after weaning in the questionnaire. Four intermediate farms were excluded from the statistical analysis. Altogether 39 factors related to herd characteristics, weaner pig management and pig health were studied. The median number of sows was 59.0 (IQR = 44.0; 74.5) and 52.5 (IQR = 36.8; 61.5) on the case and the control farms, respectively. The significances of the univariable associations between the explanatory variables and the outcome variable were tested, and in the multivariate analysis quasibinomial generalized linear models were applied. Results: An increased risk of PWD was associated with the regimen of twice a day feeding and feed restriction after weaning (P = 0.02; compared to feeding three or more meals a day or the use of ad libitum feeding) and with a higher number of sows on the farm (P = 0.02; risk increasing with increasing number of sows). Automatic temperature control was associated with a decreased risk of PWD (P = 0.03; compared to manual temperature control). Conclusion: Twice a day feeding of newly-weaned pigs should be avoided if the amount of feed given is restricted. Variation in ambient temperature should be minimized in housing of newlyweaned pigs and this can be achieved by using automatic temperature control. With increasing number of sows in the herds the risk of PWD increases and more attention should be paid to prevention of post-weaning diarrhoea

Calculating the 3D magnetic field of ITER for European TBM studies

The magnetic perturbation due to the ferromagnetic test blanket modules (TBMs) may deteriorate fast ion confinement in ITER. This effect must be quantified by numerical studies in 3D. We have implemented a combined finite element method (FEM) -- Biot-Savart law integrator method (BSLIM) to calculate the ITER 3D magnetic field and vector potential in detail. Unavoidable geometry simplifications changed the mass of the TBMs and ferritic inserts (FIs) up to 26%. This has been compensated for by modifying the nonlinear ferromagnetic material properties accordingly. Despite the simplifications, the computation geometry and the calculated fields are highly detailed. The combination of careful FEM mesh design and using BSLIM enables the use of the fields unsmoothed for particle orbit-following simulations. The magnetic field was found to agree with earlier calculations and revealed finer details. The vector potential is intended to serve as input for plasma shielding calculations.Comment: In proceedings of the 28th Symposium on Fusion Technolog

Risk factors for post-weaning diarrhoea on piglet producing farms in

Background: Post-weaning diarrhoea (PWD) is a significant gastrointestinal disease in pigs. It is considered a multifactorial disease associated with proliferation of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli in the intestinal tract of affected pigs. The aim of this study was to analyse risk factors related to the occurrence of PWD on Finnish piglet producing farms. Methods: The data of a follow-up study of 73 conventional piglet producing farms was used in the case-control study. The selection of the 41 PWD case and 28 control farms was based on the use of antimicrobials for treating diarrhoea in weaned pigs and the answers related to the occurrence of diarrhoea after weaning in the questionnaire. Four intermediate farms were excluded from the statistical analysis. Altogether 39 factors related to herd characteristics, weaner pig management and pig health were studied. The median number of sows was 59.0 (IQR = 44.0; 74.5) and 52.5 (IQR = 36.8; 61.5) on the case and the control farms, respectively. The significances of the univariable associations between the explanatory variables and the outcome variable were tested, and in the multivariate analysis quasibinomial generalized linear models were applied. Results: An increased risk of PWD was associated with the regimen of twice a day feeding and feed restriction after weaning (P = 0.02; compared to feeding three or more meals a day or the use of ad libitum feeding) and with a higher number of sows on the farm (P = 0.02; risk increasing with increasing number of sows). Automatic temperature control was associated with a decreased risk of PWD (P = 0.03; compared to manual temperature control). Conclusion: Twice a day feeding of newly-weaned pigs should be avoided if the amount of feed given is restricted. Variation in ambient temperature should be minimized in housing of newlyweaned pigs and this can be achieved by using automatic temperature control. With increasing number of sows in the herds the risk of PWD increases and more attention should be paid to prevention of post-weaning diarrhoea

Una herramienta de observación para la pedagogía de comprensión en contenido y de lenguaje integrado: ejemplos de la educación primaria

This article on principles and practices in Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) is also applicable for general foreign and second language instruction. Since there is no ‘one size fits all’ CLIL pedagogy, the origin of the article lies in the need of educators to obtain and exchange ideas of and tools for actual classroom practices (Pérez Cañado, 2017), and ensure that all key features of CLIL are present in instruction. Although there are a few handbooks available for launching CLIL and adopting CLIL pedagogy (e.g., Coyle, Hood, & Marsh, 2010; Mehisto, Marsh, & Frigols, 2008), these provide principles and general examples of content-based instruction at higher levels of education rather than more detailed advice on how to operate in the beginning phases with young language learners, hence the focus on primary education. The Observation Tool for Effective CLIL Teaching created by de Graaff, Koopman, Anikina, and Gerrit (2007) was chosen as the starting point and was complemented with three additional fields that were not markedly included in the original model: cultural aspects, affects, and assessment.Este artículo sobre principios y prácticas en el Aprendizaje Integrado de Contenidos y Lenguas Extranjeras (AICLE) también es aplicable para la enseñanza general de idiomas extranjeros y de segunda lengua. Dado que no existe una pedagogía de AICLE de tamaño único, el origen del artículo reside en la necesidad de los educadores de obtener e intercambiar ideas y herramientas para prácticas reales en el aula (Pérez Cañado, 2017) y aseguren que todas las características clave de AICLE están presentes en la instrucción. Aunque existen algunos manuales disponibles para poner en práctica AICLE y adoptar la pedagogía de AICLE (por ejemplo, Coyle, Hood y Marsh, 2010, Mehisto, Marsh y Frigols, 2008), estos proporcionan principios y ejemplos generales de instrucción basada en contenido en niveles más altos de educación en lugar de un asesoramiento más detallado sobre cómo operar en las fases iniciales con los estudiantes de idiomas jóvenes, por lo tanto, el enfoque en la educación primaria. La herramienta de observación para la enseñanza efectiva en CLIL creada por de Graaff, Koopman, Anikina y Gerrit (2007) fue elegida como punto de partida y fue complementada con tres campos adicionales que no fueron incluidos marcadamente en el modelo original: aspectos culturales, afectos y evaluación

Visual perception of digital holograms on autostereoscopic displays

In digital holography we often capture optically a 3D scene and reconstruct the perspectives numerically. The reconstructions are routinely in the form of a 2D image slice, an extended focus image, or a depth map from a single perspective. These are fundamentally 2D (or at most 2.5D) representations and for some scenes are not certain to give the human viewer a clear perception of the 3D features encoded in the hologram (occlusions are not overcome, for example). As an intermediate measure towards a full-field optoelectronic display device, we propose to digitally process the holograms to allow them to be displayed on conventional autostereoscopic displays

Comparing numerical error and visual quality in reconstructions from compressed digital holograms

Digital holography is a well-known technique for both sensing and displaying real-world three-dimensional objects. Compression of digital holograms has been studied extensively, and the errors introduced by lossy compression are routinely evaluated in a reconstruction domain. Mean-square error predominates in the evaluation of reconstruction quality. However, it is not known how well this metric corresponds to what a viewer would regard as perceived error, nor how consistently it functions across different holograms and different viewers. In this study, we evaluate how each of seventeen viewers compared the visual quality of compressed and uncompressed holograms' reconstructions. Holograms from five different three-dimensional objects were used in the study, captured using a phase-shift digital holography setup. We applied two different lossy compression techniques to the complex-valued hologram pixels: uniform quantization, and removal and quantization of the Fourier coefficients, and used seven different compression levels with each

Longitudinal evolution of catheter-related bloodstream infections, kidney function and liver status in a nationwide adult intestinal failure cohort

Objectives The development of intestinal failure-related complications in Finnish adults is unknown. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI), and the longitudinal changes in biochemical liver and kidney tests in a nationwide cohort. Materials and methods The search for Finnish adults with intestinal failure (IF) utilized a survey to Finnish health-care providers (n = 111) with the potential to provide long-term parenteral support (PS) for adult IF. Our nationwide, cross-sectional cohort included all IF patients aged >= 18 years who had received PS for >= 120 d in 2017. Data regarding CRBSI and biochemical liver and kidney tests were collected from patient records at the start of PS up to the latest available measurement in 2017. Results In the nationwide cohort of 52 patients, the CRBSI incidence was 1.35/1000 catheter days. Seventy-three percent of CRBSI in a long-term catheter led to catheter replacement. During a median PS duration of 27.5 (interquartile range [IQR] 11.3-57.3) months, a statistically significant median change occurred in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; -8.5 ml/min/1.73 m(2), IQR -30-7, p = .005) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP; 26 U/l, IQR -11-95, p = .019). In a multiple regression model for eGFR at data collection, baseline eGFR and age were strong explanatory variables. Conclusions Incidence of CRBSI, but not treatment strategies, in this nationwide adult IF population correspond well to those reported from specialized centers. Decreased kidney function and abnormal liver test results are frequent findings, and even more so over time, emphasizing the importance of regular monitoring.Peer reviewe

Early root growth and architecture of fast- and slow-growing Norway spruce (Picea abies) families differ-potential for functional adaptation

The relationship between the growth rate of aboveground parts of trees and fine root development is largely unknown. We investigated the early root development of fast-and slow-growing Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) families at a developmental stage when the difference in size is not yet observed. Seedling root architecture data, describing root branching, were collected with the WinRHIZO (TM) image analysis system, and mixed models were used to determine possible differences between the two growth phenotypes. A new approach was used to investigate the spatial extent of root properties along the whole sample root from the base of 1-year-old seedlings to the most distal part of a root. The root architecture of seedlings representing fastgrowing phenotypes showed similar to 30% higher numbers of root branches and tips, which resulted in larger root extensions and potentially a better ability to acquire nutrients. Seedlings of fast-growing phenotypes oriented and allocated root tips and bio-mass further away from the base of the seedling than those growing slowly, a possible advantage in nutrient-limited and heterogeneous boreal forest soils. We conclude that a higher long-term growth rate of the aboveground parts in Norway spruce may relate to greater allocation of resources to explorative roots that confers a competitive edge during early growth phases in forest ecosystems.Peer reviewe

A refinement of the emission data for Kola Peninsula based on inverse dispersion modelling

Peer reviewe

Methods to improve recruitment to randomised controlled trials : Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis

Peer reviewedPublisher PD