Seaweed against strontium and preussian blue against cesium

The fact that alginates bind strontium and cyanates bind cesium and are capable of removing these elements from living organisms is scientifically verified. Zeolites offer another possibility for exchange of these ions. Practical research should be initiated to find the right doses and procedure to decrease the body burden of radioactive isotopes in reindeer.Alger mot strontium och berlinerblått mot cesium.Abstract in Swedish / Sammanfattning: Mitt budskap år kort: Alger binder strontium, Berlinerblått binder cesium, Sätt fart på forskning och forsök

Planning theory and regulatory documents in practice : implementation of Stockholm's bycycle plan in Hjorthagen

Många städer arbetar idag med att öka andelen resor som sker med cykel. Denna ambition finns också i Stockholm, där målet är att Stockholm ska kunna konkurrera med Köpenhamn och Amsterdam som är världsledande inom området. En del i stadens strategi för att öka andelen cykelresor är att utveckla och utöka cykelinfrastrukturen i staden och genom detta förbättra förutsättningarna för cyklister genom att tillhandahålla en cykelinfrastruktur som gör det enkelt och säkert att cykla i Stockholm. Ett antal strategidokument som anger riktningen för hur cykelinfrastrukturen ska utformas har därför tagits fram av Stockholms stad. Men i Stockholm finns en diskrepans mellan den bild av cykelinfrastrukturen som målas upp i strategidokumenten och den bild den verkliga miljön ger. Målet för denna uppsats är att undersöka hur planeringsaktiva i Stockholm arbetar utifrån strategidokumenten, hur de förstår, tolkar och omsätter dessa och vad det i sin tur betyder för de cyklister som senare ska använda de miljöerna dessa skapar. I detta arbete påvisar jag att det finns skillnader i hur de olika planeringsaktiva involverade i en process tolkar och förstår strategidokumenten, och att detta påverkar deras syn på målen för cykelinfrastrukturens utformning i en ny stadsdel. Jag menar också att det har visat sig vara svårt att tillämpa cykelplanen på ett konsekvent sätt då olika hinder som anses oöverkomliga eller för svåra att avhjälpas uppkommer eller synliggörs under processens gång. Cykelplanen har också visat sig innehålla standardiserade lösningar som ibland står i konflikt med de övergripande målbilderna. Detta, tillsammans med en acceptans för undermåliga lösningar, gör att den cykelinfrastruktur som anläggs inte klarar av att leva upp till varken cykelplanens målbild eller cyklisternas förväntningar. Den diskrepans som finns mellan cykelinfrastrukturen i dokumenten och cykelinfrastrukturen i verkligheten kvarstår till stor del i det nya området, vilket i slutändan drabbar de som väljer att göra sin resa i Stockholm med cykel.Many cities are currently working to increase the amount of travels made by bike. This ambition is also shared by Stockholm, where the goal is to compete with cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam who are world leading in this field. A part of the city’s strategy to increase travels made by bike is to improve and expand the infrastructure for cycling in the city and provide an infrastructure that make it safe and easy to travel by bike in Stockholm. A number of strategy-documents to help set the course for how bicycle infrastructure should be designed has therefore been issued by the city of Stockholm. However, in Stockholm there is a discrepancy between the picture drawn out in the documents and the experience in reality. The goal of this thesis is to examine how the people working within the field of planning in Stockholm understand, interpret and convert these strategies, and how this practice affects the bicyclists who will be using the environments created. In this thesis I will show that there are differences in how the people working with the planning process interpret and understand these strategies, and that this affect their view of the goals for the bicycle infrastructure in shaping a new urban area. I will also show that it has been proven difficult to apply the strategies in a consistent manner, since obstacles viewed as insuperable or too hard to overcome, emerge or are made visible during the process of planning. The bicycle plan also contains standardized design solutions that are sometimes in conflict with the overall goals. This, in combination with the acceptance shown for inferior solutions, makes for a bicycle infrastructure that cannot live up to neither the goal of the bicycle plan nor the expectations of the bicyclists. The discrepancy between the bicycle infrastructure in the documents and in reality therefore remain in the new urban area, and this will ultimately come to affect those who will choose to travel by bike in Stockholm

Impact of pulsating infrared and red monochromatic light treatment on wound healing in horses.

Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT) is a treatment method where red light or near infrared (NIR) light is utilised for treating a variety of disorders including wounds. Wound healing in horses may be slow, especially on the distal limb, and there is an interest to shorten healing times. The purpose of the present study was to investigate how treatment with pulsating visible red light (λ≈637 nm) and NIR light (λ≈956 nm) affects wound healing time in healthy horses. A circular skin wound (Ø=2 cm) was created on each side of the neck in healthy horses (n=8). One of the wounds was treated using light treatment and the other was left untreated, serving as negative control. Treatment duration was 4 minutes and 40 seconds (red light 95 seconds, NIR light 185 seconds) and was performed once daily day 0-4, 7-11, 14-18 and 21-25. The irradiance was measured to 2.3 mW/cm2 for red light and 6.4 mW/cm2 for NIR light. The wounds were photographed and evaluated using digital planimetry day 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35. The wound area did not differ between treated and control group on any day. The wounds where visually inspected daily and the time to complete healing was recorded. Control wounds were judged as completely healed after a mean time of 49,0 days (95%Ci=35,462,6) and treated wounds after 51,8 days (95%Ci=38,7-64,8). This is a significantly shorter time to complete healing for control wounds (p=0,026). The evaluators were blinded in respect to which wound was treated. The results of this study do not indicate any positive effect of light treatment on healing of experimental skin wounds in horses.Low Level Light Therapy (LLLT) är en behandlingsmetod där rött ljus eller ljus i den nära infraröda (NIR) delen av spektrumet används, bland annat i syfte att förkorta sårläkningstider. Sårläkning på häst kan ta lång tid, särskilt på benens distala delar och ett intresse finns för metoder som kan förkorta läkningstiden. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka om behandling med pulserande rött synligt ljus (λ≈637 nm) och NIR ljus (λ≈956 nm) påverkar sårläkningshastigheten hos friska hästar. Ett cirkulärt sår (Ø=2 cm) stansades ut på vardera sida av halsen hos friska hästar (n=8). Den ena sidans sår ljusbehandlades och den andra sidan lämnades som negativ kontroll. Behandlingen varade i 4 minuter och 40 sekunder (rött ljus 95 sekunder, NIR ljus 185 sekunder) och utfördes en gång dagligen dag 0-4, 7-11, 14-18 och 21-25. Irradiansen för rött ljus mättes till 2,3 mW/cm2 och för NIR ljus till 6,4 mW/cm2. Såren fotograferades och utvärderades med digital planimetri dag 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 14, 21, 28 och 35. Sårarean skiljde inte mellan behandlings- och kontrollgrupp någon av dagarna. Såren inspekterades visuellt dagligen och tiden till fullständig läkning noterades. Kontrollsåren bedömdes fullständigt läkta efter i genomsnitt 49,0 dagar (95%Ci=35,4-62,6) och behandlade sår efter 51,8 dagar (95%Ci=38,7-64,8). Tiden till fullständig läkning var signifikant kortare för kontrollsåren (p=0,026). Personerna som utvärderade sårläkningen var blindade för vilka sår som var behandlade. Ljusbehandling hade ingen påskyndande effekt på läkning av experimentellt framkallade sår hos häst i denna studie

Visual evoked potentials (VEP) : development in the growing horse

VEP (visual evoked potentials) är en elektrofysiologisk metod som används för att studera de högre synvägarnas (postretinal) funktion. Hos många djurslag sker en omfattande utveckling av VEP-kurvans utseende från födseln fram till vuxen ålder. Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur hästens VEP, och därmed synsinne, utvecklas i tidig ålder. Arbetet består av en litteraturstudie och en experimentell del. I litteraturstudien sammanfattas vad som gjorts på andra djurslag vad gäller utvecklingen av VEP från födseln och framåt samt vad som gjorts gällande VEP på häst. Den experimentella delen består i huvudsak av en jämförelse mellan VEP från föl och VEP från vuxna hästar, men det ingår även en jämförelse mellan sedering med två olika α2-agonister, xylazin och detomidin. Resultaten visar att det utan större besvär går att registrera VEP på föl och att vågformen från nyfödda föl (<48h gamla) visar stora likheter med VEP från vuxna hästar. Fölen hade generellt högre amplituder som sedan verkade minska med stigande ålder. Jämförelsen mellan sederingarna visade att det var svårare att få ett adekvat sederingsdjup med xylazin, men med ett gott sederingsdjup gav det en kurvform som var jämförbar med detomidinsedering. Det är dock oklart exakt hur latenser och amplituder påverkas av sederingen, då endast ett fåtal hästar ingick i studien. Slutsatsen är att hästars synsinne förefaller vara väl utvecklat redan vid mycket ung ålder. Evolutionära aspekter, effekten av sedering och möjliga anledningar till de högre amplituderna hos föl diskuteras.VEP (visual evoked potentials) is an electrophysiological method used for evaluating the postretinal pathways. In many species the VEP changes considerably and maturates during the first weeks/months of life. The purpose of this study was to examine how the equine VEP, and therefore postretinal function, changes from birth to adult age. This thesis is composed of two parts. The first part is a review of pertinent studies regarding VEP in horses and the development of VEP in other species. The second part is an experimental part, which mainly consists of a comparison of the VEP between foals and adult horses. Furthermore, a comparison between sedation with two different α2-agonists, detomidine and xylazine, is made. The results show that it is possible to register VEP from newly born foals (<48h of age) and that their basic waveform of the VEP is highly similar to the VEP of the adult horses. The amplitudes of the components in the foal-VEP were generally higher than the adult amplitudes. The comparison of sedation with detomidine and xylazin showed that it was more difficult obtaining an adequate sedation depth when using xylazine. When adequate xylazine sedation was achieved the two substances gave comparable waveforms. The exact impact on latencies and amplitudes could not be determined, because of the small sample size. In conclusion horses seem to have a well-developed vision early in life. Evolutionary aspects, the effects of sedation and possible reasons for the higher amplitudes are discussed

Upper respiratory disease caused by feline herpesvirus type 1 and feline calicivirus : laboratory diagnostics, epidemiology and immunoprophylaxis

De vanligaste orsakerna till kattsnuva är infektion med felint herpesvirus typ 1 (FHV-1) eller felint calicivirus (FCV). Båda virusen är vanligt förekommande även i den friska populationen och prevalensen är generellt högre i större djurgrupper. Efter infektion med FHV-1 lägger sig viruset ofta latent och kan återaktiveras av olika stressfaktorer. FCV kan utsöndras i flera år efter infektion och detta utan att katterna visar kliniska symtom. Smittspridning för FHV-1 sker främst via direktkontakt med akut sjuka djur eller intermittent utsöndrande djur. FCV smittar direkt från sjuka djur eller friska smittbärare men kan också smitta via ytor. I täta kattpopulationer är troligen smittspridning via ytor en viktig smittväg även för FHV-1. Polymeraskedjereaktion (PCR) och virusisolering (VI) används idag för att detektera virus från infekterade katter. En bra PCR kan upptäcka färre viruspartiklar än VI och är således både känsligare och snabbare. Eftersom det är vanligt med friska smittbärare betyder positivt testsvar inte säkert att viruset är sjukdomsorsakande hos individen. Serologi har inte visat sig användbart vid sjukdomsdiagnostisering, men höga antikroppstitrar kan tyda på att individen är skyddad från sjukdom. En korrelation mellan halten virusneutraliserande antikroppar (VNA) och skydd vid ”challenge” förekommer, men är inte fullständig. Individer utan VNA kan också vara skyddade, vilket tyder på att cell-medierad immunitet också är viktig. Prevalensstudier i Europa visar siffror för FHV-1 i friska populationer så låga som 0 % och så höga som 11 %. För FCV är motsvarande siffror mellan 2,6 % och 29 % i den friska populationen. Den stora skillnaden beror troligen på hur studiepopulationen valts men också på flera faktorer så som hur provet är taget och val av analysmetod. Vaccinering ger inget fullständigt skydd mot infektion och sjukdom men ger skydd genom en lindrigare symtombild vid infektion. Vaccinering ger också en minskad virusutsöndring, men prevalensstudier tyder på att den är otillräcklig för begränsning av smittspridning. FCV muterar ofta och antigeniciteten skiljer mycket mellan olika stammar, men alla anses tillhöra samma serotyp. Skillnaden i antigenicitet får till följd att olika immunitet bildas beroende på stam. Immunitet mot en stam ger bra skydd mot andra stammar om korsreaktiviteten mellan stammarna är hög. Val av vaccinstam kan således vara av betydelse för att skapa en så bra immunitet som möjligt mot fältstammar. Nya studier tyder på att bredare korsneutraliserande förmåga och bättre skydd kan fås genom att kombinera flera stammar i samma vaccin. Syftet med denna litteraturstudie är att undersöka vilka laboratoriediagnostiska metoder som finns tillgängliga för att undersöka förekomst av sjukdom och sjukdomens epidemiologi samt belysa värdet av immunprofylax.The most common cause of upper respiratory disease in cats is infection with feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1) or feline calicivirus (FCV). Both viruses are commonly found in the healthy cat population and the prevalence is usually higher in larger cat groups. Following FHV-1-infection the virus often becomes latent and may be reactivated by stress. FCV may be shed for several years post infection without the presence of clinical signs. Transmission of FHV-1 mainly occurs by direct contact with acutely ill animals or latently infected cats undergoing reactivation. FCV spreads mainly directly from sick cats or carriers, but may also spread via contaminated environment. Environmental contamination with FHV-1 is probably an important way of transmission in dense cat populations. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and virus isolation (VI) are used for detecting virus in infected cats. A good PCR has the ability to detect smaller amounts of virions and is hence both more sensitive and faster. Since it is common with healthy cats shedding virus, a positive test does not automatically mean that the agent is disease-causing. Serology has not been found useful for diagnosing disease, but antibody level indicates if the cat is protected from disease or not. A correlation between virus-neutralizing antibodies (VNA) and protection against challenge infection exists but cats without VNA may also be protected, indicating that cell-mediated immunity is an important factor. Prevalence studies in Europe show a prevalence of FHV-1 in the healthy cat population between 0 % and 11 %. Corresponding figures for FCV are 2,6 % to 29 %. The substantial differences in results are probably due to how the study population is chosen but also to factors such as sampling technique and the method used for analysis. Vaccination does not provide full protection against infection or disease but lessens the severity of clinical symptoms. Even though viral shedding is lower in vaccinated cats, prevalence studies indicate that this does not prevent transmission. FCV mutates quickly and the antigenicity differs between different strains, but all strains are considered to belong to the same serotype. The diverse antigenicity results in different immunity to the various strains. Immunity to one strain offers protection to other strains corresponding to the degree of antigenic similarity. The selection of vaccine strain may therefore be of importance to create the best possible immunity to field strains. Recent studies indicate that combining various strains in vaccines can attain a broader cross-protecting ability. The purpose of this literature review is to investigate which laboratory methods that are available for diagnosing disease and for investigating the epidemiology of the disease. In addition the value of immunoprophylaxis will be highlighted

RNA and DNA interactions with zwitterionic and charged lipid membranes — A DSC and QCM-D study

AbstractThe aim of the present study is to establish under which conditions tRNA associates with phospholipid bilayers, and to explore how this interaction influences the lipid bilayer. For this purpose we have studied the association of tRNA or DNA of different sizes and degrees of base pairing with a set of model membrane systems with varying charge densities, composed of zwitterionic phosphatidylcholines (PC) in mixtures with anionic phosphatidylserine (PS) or cationic dioctadecyl-dimethyl-ammoniumbromide (DODAB), and with fluid or solid acyl-chains (oleoyl, myristoyl and palmitoyl). To prove and quantify the attractive interaction between tRNA and model-lipid membrane we used quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) monitoring to study the tRNA adsorption to deposit phospholipid bilayers from solutions containing monovalent (Na+) or divalent (Ca2+) cations. The influence of the adsorbed polynucleic acids on the lipid phase transitions and lipid segregation was studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The basic findings are: i) tRNA adsorbs to zwitterionic liquid-crystalline and gel-phase phospholipid bilayers. The interaction is weak and reversible, and cannot be explained only on the basis of electrostatic attraction. ii) The adsorbed amount of tRNA is higher for liquid-crystalline bilayers compared to gel-phase bilayers, while the presence of divalent cations show no significant effect on the tRNA adsorption. iii) The adsorption of tRNA can lead to segregation in the mixed 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphatidylcholine (DMPC)-1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylserine (DMPS) and DMPC–DODAB bilayers, where tRNA is likely excluded from the anionic DMPS-rich domains in the first system, and associated with the cationic DODAB-rich domains in the second system. iv) The addition of shorter polynucleic acids influence the chain melting transition and induce segregation in a mixed DMPC–DMPS system, while larger polynucleic acids do not influence the melting transition in these system. The results in this study on tRNA–phospholipid interactions can have implications for understanding its biological function in, e.g., the cell nuclei, as well as in applications in biotechnology and medicine

Nitrofurantoin plasma- and urine exposure in eight healthy beagle dogs following standard nitrofurantoin dosing regimen

Bacterial cystitis is common in dogs and is usually treated with antibiotics. Nitrofurantoin is used for treatment of bacterial cystitis in humans and might provide a feasible treatment option in dogs. The aim of this study was to investigate the nitrofurantoin plasma concentration-time course and potential adverse effects in dogs. Nitro-furantoin (4.4-5.0 mg/kg) was administered orally to eight healthy beagles every 8 h for five days before repeated plasma and urine samples were collected. An additional four beagles served as untreated controls. The nitrofurantoin plasma and urine concentrations were measured using ultra high precision liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass-spectrometry and further analysed using a non-compartmental pharmacokinetic model. In plasma, the median C-max was 2.1 mu g/mL, t(max) was 2 h, the terminal rate constant was 0.9 per h and the terminal half-life was 0.8 h. In urine, median C-max was 56 mu g/mL, t(max) was 1 h and the terminal half-life was 4.3 h. No adverse effects were observed clinically or in haematology or biochemistry. The data presented in this study combined with in vitro sensitivity data from common urine pathogens and the lack of observed adverse effects suggest that nitrofurantoin in a standard dosing regimen could be effective in sporadic bacterial cystitis treatment in dogs. Further clinical studies are highly warranted to verify the effectiveness in clinical cases

Plasma atropine concentrations associated with decreased intestinal motility in horses

IntroductionAtropine is an essential part of the treatment protocol for equine uveitis. Topical atropine administration has been associated with decreased intestinal motility and abdominal pain in horses. Experimental studies have indicated that frequent dosing is associated with a higher risk than dosing every 6 h. Unfortunately, no quantitative pharmacodynamic data for inhibition of the equine gut are published. Materials and methodsEight standardbred horses were assigned to receive either atropine or saline (control) to be infused over 30 min in a two-treatment cross-over design. Atropine concentrations in plasma were measured using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Intestinal motility was measured using borborygmi frequency and electrointestinography (EIG). Experimental data were analyzed using a non-linear mixed effects model. The model was then used to simulate different dosing regimens. ResultsAtropine significantly decreased borborygmi response and EIG response. Six horses developed clinical signs of abdominal pain. The pharmacokinetic typical values were 0.31, 1.38, 0.69, and 1.95 L/kg center dot h for the volumes of the central, the highly perfused, the scarcely perfused compartments, and the total body clearance, respectively. The pharmacodynamic typical values were 0.31 mu g/L and 0.6 and 207 nV(2)7 cpm for the plasma concentration at 50% of the maximum response and the maximum response and the baseline of cecal EIG response, respectively. Six different dosing regimens of topical atropine sulfate to the eye (0.4 and 1 mg every hour, every 3 h, and every 6 h) were simulated. ConclusionThe IV PK/PD data coupled with simulations predict that administration of 1 mg of topical atropine sulfate administered to the eye every hour or every 3 h will lead to atropine accumulation in plasma and decreased intestinal myoelectric activity. Administration every 6 h predicted a safe dosing regimen in full-sized horses. Clinical studies would be valuable to confirm the conclusions. For smaller equids and horses put at risk for colic due to othercauses, droplet bottles that deliver 40 mu l of 1% atropine sulfate per drop or less may be used to lower the risk further

Relationship between selected perinatal paratuberculosis management interventions and passive transfer of immunity in dairy calves

The objective of this cohort study was to assess the relationship between perinatal calf management practices relevant to the control of paratuberculosis and passive transfer of immunoglobulin in calves born in an endemically infected Irish dairy herd. Data from 176 calves were used to assess the effect of time spent in the calving area, individual versus non-designated calving and colostrum pasteurisation on serum total protein, zinc sulphate turbidity, globulin and γ-glutamyltransferase. In addition, the effects of colostrum quality, volume of colostrum fed, method of colostrum administration and calving season on passive transfer were quantified. Serum samples were collected as part of routine herd health monitoring from calves aged between one and seven days. Multivariate linear and logistic regression models were used to assess the effect of each variable on the test result and failure of passive transfer as determined using a cut-off point for each diagnostic test. Colostrum pasteurisation and calving area were not significantly associated with passive transfer, whereas increased time spent in the calving pen was consistently associated with a detrimental effect. In addition, a strong seasonal effect was apparent, which appeared to be unrelated to colostrum quality and calf management. The authors are unaware of published studies documenting such a significant seasonal effect on passive transfer