Linderödsgrisen

In 1993, Sweden signed the Convention on Biological Diversity and thus agreed to conserve our indigenous biological diversity. As a part of the convention, Sweden is obliged to conserve a number of domestic animal breeds and among them the Linderöd pig. In 1952, the zoo, Skånes Djurpark, took care of a pregnant sow that was regarded to be related to the old "forest pig". The old forest pig was thought to have been extinguished by the early 20th century as a result of the ban on boars not approved by state inspectors. However, according to later accounts, several farmers still kept some of these non-approved pigs. The belief that the Linderöd pig was related to the old forest pig was confirmed at a gene bank investigation in 1992 when eight animals of the Linderöd breed were identified. Today's Linderöd pig population thus originates from these eight animals. It was in connection to the gene bank investigation that the breed association Landtsvinet was created, which now holds the main responsibility for the gene bank. Since the creation of the association the Linderöd pig population has been kept closed. The Swedish Board of Agriculture decided to describe and characterize the Linderöd pig. In view of this, a survey was sent out (Febr 6, 2008) to all recorded Linderöd keepers (n=122) with the aim of collecting information on the animal keeping and documentation about the breed. In addition, eight visits were undertaken in March, 2008. Information from the animal keepers so-called year reports sent to the breed association has been used for further information. The number of Linderöd pigs in the population has increased since the start of the gene bank, and in 2007 a total of 293 animals were registred, out of which 220 were sows and 73 were boars. Based on these figures, the Linderöd pig is registered in FAO´s threat category endangered-maintained. The survey showed that most of the animal keepers are found in Skåne and most of the keepers have one sow. More than half of the animal keepers also has at least one gilt and at least one boar. The sows usually farrow once a year and the total litter size is on average 8.5 pigs, out of which 6.9 pigs are weaned. The lactation period is usually 11 weeks. Typically, one or two pigs per litter are registered into the gene bank while the rest of the piglets are used for household meat. Castration of male piglets is fairly uncommon and recent development indicates that the proportion of castrated piglets is decreasing. The majority of the pigs are kept outdoors throughout the year and feeding is extensively on cereals, food waste and forage. The main aim of this conservation is to keep the Linderöd pig as unchanged and original as possible. There is today no demand for meat from the Linderöd pigs. The cooperation with the organization Slow Food aims to create a demand for this meat. Owing to the fact that certain slaughterhouses have chosen not to slaughter Linderöd pigs, and since meat from non-veterinary inspected meat is prohibited on the market, there has been stagnation in the number of raised and kept pigs. The meat, nevertheless, is regarded to be delicious and flavorsome and should please both gourmets and high quality restaurants. The pig is also considered to be healthy and tolerant and thus the use of the breed in organic production could be of interest. The Swedish Board of Agriculture rather complicated rules related to a five year contract may, however, lead to fewer keepers applying for compensation.Sverige undertecknade 1993 konventionen om biologisk mångfald och åtog sig därmed ansvaret att bevara sin inhemska biologiska mångfald. Sverige har bevarandeansvar för ett antal husdjursraser och däribland linderödsgrisen. År 1952 tog Skånes Djurpark tillvara en dräktig sugga som ansågs tillhöra det gamla skogssvinet. Skogssvinet ansågs ha utrotats under början av 1900-talet till följd av att galtbesiktningstvånget infördes, men enligt senare berättelser höll flera lantbrukare dessa brokiga svin i hemlighet. Linderödsgrisen tros vara en rest av det gamla skogssvinet och vid genbanksutredningen 1992 fann man åtta djur av denna ras. Från dessa djur härstammar dagens linderödspopulation. I samband med genbanksutredningen bildades Föreningen Landtsvinet som har ansvaret för genbanken. Efter bildandet av föreningen har linderödsgrisen kunnat behållas renrasig, men innan bildandet har troligen en del inkorsningar av andra raser skett. Jordbruksverket ser det som önskvärt att kartlägga linderödsgrisen och samla dokumentation kring rasen. En enkät skickades därför ut (6/2, 2008) till de registrerade linderödsägarna (122 st.) i genbanken för att samla information om djurhållningen. Åtta gårdsbesök gjordes under mars 2008. Därutöver har information från djurägarnas årsrapporter använts i studien. Linderödspopulationen har ökat i antal sedan starten av genbanken och 2007 var 293 djur registrerade, varav 220 st. suggor och 73 st. galtar. Därmed räknas linderödsgrisen in i FAO:s hotkategori hotad-bevarad. Merparten av djurägarna återfinns i Skåne och huvuddelen av besättningarna består av en sugga. Över hälften av djurägarna håller dessutom minst en gylta och minst en galt. Suggan får vanligtvis en kull per år med i genomsnitt totalt 8,5 födda smågrisar per kull och 6,9 avvanda per kull. Diperioden är i genomsnitt 11 v och vanligtvis registreras en eller två smågrisar per kull in i genbanken, resterande smågrisar går till slakt för hushållsbehov. Kastrering av galtgrisarna är inte särskilt vanlig och utvecklingen visar att allt färre galtgrisar kastreras. Majoriteten av grisarna hålls utomhus året om och föds upp extensivt på spannmål, hushållsavfall och grovfoder. Målet med bevarandeaveln är att spara linderödsgrisen så oförädlad och ursprunglig som möjligt. Efterfrågan på linderödskött finns än så länge inte. Samarbetet med organisationen Slow food syftar till att få avsättning för köttet. Kött från djur som inte är slaktade på godkänt slakteri får inte säljas vidare, och det är inte alla slakterier som vill ta emot linderödsgrisar, vilket motverkar att djurägare skaffar sig fler grisar. Köttet anses vara mycket smakrikt och borde tilltala gourmeér och högkvalitativa restauranger. Grisen anses frisk och tålig och användningen av rasen i ekologisk produktion skulle kunna vara av intresse. Reglerna kring det femåriga kontraktet om ersättning från Jordbruksverket är besvärliga vilket kan bidra till att få djurägare söker stöd

Psychometric properties of the disease-specific health-related quality of life instrument VascuQoL in a Swedish setting

Background: Traditional outcome measures in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) provide insufficient information regarding patient benefit. It has therefore been suggested to add patient-reported outcome measures. The main aim of this study was to validate the Swedish Vascular Quality of Life questionnaire (VascuQoL) version, a patient-reported PAD-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instrument. Methods: Two-hundred PAD patients were consecutively recruited from two university hospitals. Out of the 200 subjects, 129 had intermittent claudication and 71 had critical limb ischemia. Mean age was 70 +/- 9 y and 57% of the participants were male. All patients completed SF-36 and VascuQoL at the vascular outpatient clinic, when evaluated for invasive treatment. Risk factors and physiological parameters were registered. Construct validity was tested by correlation analysis versus SF-36 and was also assessed with multitrait/multi-item scaling analysis (MTMI). Sensitivity analysis regarding disease severity identification was performed. Reliability was assessed with Cronbach's alpha and responsiveness by standardized response mean (SRM) calculations. Results: Significant correlations were demonstrated between relevant subscales of VascuQoL and SF-36. MTMI showed acceptable construct validity, but some scaling-errors. VascuQoL significantly (p < 0.001) discriminated claudicants from critical limb ischemia patients. Cronbach's alpha was 0.94 and SRM 1.02 (sum score). Conclusions: The Swedish version of VascuQoL is valid and quantifies central aspects of HRQoL in PAD patients. Sensitivity analysis showed high ability to differentiate between disease severity and SRM illustrated excellent responsiveness. The relative abundance of items however makes use in the everyday clinical setting somewhat difficult

Core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) confirms systemic spread of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) in broilers with cellulitis

Broiler cellulitis has emerged as an important cause of economic losses for farmers and slaughter plants from carcass condemnation at processing. Avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) has been identified as the main causative agent. The aim was to characterize E. coli isolated from cellulitis and organs in broilers at slaughter by whole genome sequencing analysis to study if systemic spread could be confirmed. Isolates were collected postmortem from 101 carcasses condemned due to dermatitis/cellulitis from five commercial farms and six flocks. Forty-six isolates were characterised to determine serotypes, sequence types and virulence-associated genes. Analysis by cgMLST was performed to study the genetic similarity between isolates from the same broiler, among birds from the same flock and between flocks. Escherichia coli was isolated from 90% of birds from subcutaneous samples. In 20 broilers, E. coli was isolated from organs in pure culture or mixed with sparse growth of other bacteria. In eight of these, there were post-mortem findings suggestive of systemic bacterial spread. The majority of the isolates from the same bird and flock belonged to the same serotype and sequence type and were genetically indistinguishable, but differed when compared between flocks. Common APEC virulence genes, i.e. chuA, fyuA, hlyF, iroN, irp2, iss, ompT, sitA, TerC, TraT, were present in > 87% of the isolates. We conclude that evidence of systemic spread of E. coli from cellulitis was present in some birds at time of slaughter but cannot be reliably detected at meat inspection

Управляемая самостоятельная работа студентов как способ его включния в активную учебную деятельность

Allt fler personer bär idag någon form av medicinska implantat. Det kan varaaktiva implantat som pacemakers eller passiva som exempelvis knä eller höftprotes.Återgång till arbetsliv är normalt inget problem, men i vissa yrken kandet kompliceras av den miljö som arbetaren vistas i. Exponering för elektromagnetiskafält, från statiska fält upp till och med mikrovågsområdet, kan påverkasåväl aktiva som passiva implantat. Felfunktion hos implantatet, elektrostimuleringav närliggande nerver och muskler och upphettning av närliggande vävnadär exempel på sådan oönskad påverkan. Det ställs idag höga krav på störtålighet hos implanterbar medicinteknisk utrustning.Trots detta finns det en rad situationer där oönskad påverkan kan ske.Individfaktorer, arbetssätt och inte minst att varje utrustning kan sägas varaunik, bidrar till svårigheten att ge generella råd. I den riskbedömning som arbetsgivaren är ålagd att utföra enligt arbetsmiljölagenska hänsyn tas till personer med speciella behov, exempelvis personermed olika typer av implantat. Vilka som är involverade i riskbedömningen och hur omfattande den bör varaberor på vilken typ av implantat och vilken typ av arbete det gäller. Väsentligtär att såväl medicinsk som teknisk kompetens bör delta i riskbedömningen. Vadgäller störtåligheten för ett specifikt implantat så är tillverkarna av implantatende som bäst kan bistå med information. Riskbedömningen bör inkludera följandemoment: Typ av implantat och dess känslighet för yttre påverkan samt medicinskakonsekvenser av felfunktion;Identifiera möjliga källor för påverkan på arbetsplatsen;Sammanställning och analys av insamlad data;Slutsatser och råd om hur arbetet lämpligast ska utformas och utföras;Uppföljande kontroll, speciellt viktigt vid ändrade arbetsuppgifter ellerinförande av nya moment

Facial lesions in piglets with intact or grinded teeth

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Piglets are born with eight sharp teeth that during nursing can cause facial lesions on littermates and teat lesions on the sow. Teeth grinding in piglets is therefore often practiced to reduce these lesions. The aim of this study was to assess the consequences of grinding piglet teeth in regard to the occurrence of lesions.</p> <p>In this study the piglets' teeth were grinded in 28 litters, and in 36 litters the piglets' teeth were kept intact. Twice, one time during the first week and one time during the second week after birth facial lesions of the piglets were scored and the teats of the sows were examined for lesions. The facial lesion score accounted for the amount and severity of lesions. The individual observations on piglets in the litter were synthesized in a litter facial lesion score.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>69.8% and 43.5% of the piglets had facial lesions in week 1 and week 2 respectively. The effect of treatment was not significant on litter facial lesion score. The litter facial lesion score was higher in week 1 than in week 2 (<it>p </it>< 0.001) and higher in large litters (<it>p </it>= 0.003) than in small litters. Mortality between week 1 and week 2 was higher in litters with intact teeth (<it>p </it>= 0.02). Sow teat lesions only occurred if litters had intact teeth.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>According to our results teeth grinding is only justifiable in large litters.</p

Effect of local anaesthesia and/or analgesia on pain responses induced by piglet castration

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Surgical castration in male piglets is painful and methods that reduce this pain are requested. This study evaluated the effect of local anaesthesia and analgesia on vocal, physiological and behavioural responses during and after castration. A second purpose was to evaluate if herdsmen can effectively administer anaesthesia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Four male piglets in each of 141 litters in five herds were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: castration without local anaesthesia or analgesia (C, controls), analgesia (M, meloxicam), local anaesthesia (L, lidocaine), or both local anaesthesia and analgesia (LM). Lidocaine (L, LM) was injected at least three minutes before castration and meloxicam (M, LM) was injected after castration. During castration, vocalisation was measured and resistance movements judged. Behaviour observations were carried out on the castration day and the following day. The day after castration, castration wounds were ranked, ear and skin temperature was measured, and blood samples were collected for analysis of acute phase protein Serum Amyloid A concentration (SAA). Piglets were weighed on the castration day and at three weeks of age. Sickness treatments and mortality were recorded until three weeks of age.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Piglets castrated with lidocaine produced calls with lower intensity (<it>p </it>< 0.001) and less resistance movements (<it>p </it>< 0.001) during castration. Piglets that were given meloxicam displayed less pain-related behaviour (huddled up, spasms, rump-scratching, stiffness and prostrated) on both the castration day (<it>p </it>= 0.06, n.s.) and the following day (<it>p </it>= 0.02). Controls had less swollen wounds compared to piglets assigned to treatments M, L and LM (<it>p </it>< 0.001). The proportion of piglets with high SAA concentration (over threshold values 200, 400 mg/l) was higher (<it>p </it>= 0.005; <it>p </it>= 0.05) for C + L compared to M + LM. Ear temperature was higher (<it>p </it>< 0.01) for controls compared to L and LM. There were no significant treatment effects for skin temperature, weight gain, sickness treatments or mortality.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The study concludes that lidocaine reduced pain during castration and that meloxicam reduced pain after castration. The study also concludes that the herdsmen were able to administer local anaesthesia effectively.</p

Evaluation of a community pharmacy-based intervention for improving patient adherence to antihypertensives: a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundThe majority of patients using antihypertensive medications fail to achieve their recommended target blood pressure. Poor daily adherence with medication regimens and a lack of persistence with medication use are two of the major reasons for failure to reach target blood pressure. There is no single intervention to improve adherence with antihypertensives that is consistently effective. Community pharmacists are in an ideal position to promote adherence to chronic medications. This study aims to test a specific intervention package that could be integrated into the community pharmacy workflow to enable pharmacists to improve patient adherence and/or persistence with antihypertensive medications - Hypertension Adherence Program in Pharmacy (HAPPY).Methods/DesignThe HAPPY trial is a multi-centre prospective randomised controlled trial. Fifty-six pharmacies have been recruited from three Australian states. To identify potential patients, a software application (MedeMine CVD) extracted data from a community pharmacy dispensing software system (FRED Dispense&reg;). The pharmacies have been randomised to either \u27Pharmacist Care Group\u27 (PCG) or \u27Usual Care Group\u27 (UCG). To check for \u27Hawthorne effect\u27 in the UCG, a third group of patients \u27Hidden Control Group\u27 (HCG) will be identified in the UCG pharmacies, which will be made known to the pharmacists at the end of six months. Each study group requires 182 patients. Data will be collected at baseline, three and six months in the PCG and at baseline and six months in the UCG. Changes in patient adherence and persistence at the end of six months will be measured using the self-reported Morisky score, the Tool for Adherence Behaviour Screening and medication refill data.DiscussionTo our knowledge, this is the first research testing a comprehensive package of evidence-based interventions that could be integrated into the community pharmacy workflow to enable pharmacists to improve patient adherence and/or persistence with antihypertensive medications. The unique features of the HAPPY trial include the use of MedeMine CVD to identify patients who could potentially benefit from the service, control for the \u27Hawthorne effect\u27 in the UCG and the offer of the intervention package at the end of six months to patients in the UCG, a strategy that is expected to improve retention.Trial RegistrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN12609000705280<br /

Molecular anatomy of adult mouse leptomeninges.

Leptomeninges, consisting of the pia mater and arachnoid, form a connective tissue investment and barrier enclosure of the brain. The exact nature of leptomeningeal cells has long been debated. In this study, we identify five molecularly distinct fibroblast-like transcriptomes in cerebral leptomeninges; link them to anatomically distinct cell types of the pia, inner arachnoid, outer arachnoid barrier, and dural border layer; and contrast them to a sixth fibroblast-like transcriptome present in the choroid plexus and median eminence. Newly identified transcriptional markers enabled molecular characterization of cell types responsible for adherence of arachnoid layers to one another and for the arachnoid barrier. These markers also proved useful in identifying the molecular features of leptomeningeal development, injury, and repair that were preserved or changed after traumatic brain injury. Together, the findings highlight the value of identifying fibroblast transcriptional subsets and their cellular locations toward advancing the understanding of leptomeningeal physiology and pathology

Psychosocial stressors and depression at a Swedish primary health care centre. A gender perspective study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Psychosocial stress may account for the higher prevalence of depression in women and in individuals with a low educational background. The aim of this study was to analyse the association between depression and socio-demographic data, psychosocial stressors and lifestyle circumstances from a gender perspective in a relatively affluent primary care setting.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Patients, aged 18- 75 years, visiting a drop-in clinic at a primary care health centre were screened with Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). The physicians used also targeted screening with BDI. A questionnaire on socio-demographic data, psychosocial stressors and use of alcohol and tobacco was distributed. Among patients, who scored BDI ≥10, DSM-IV-criteria were used to diagnose depression. Of the 404 participants, 48 men and 76 women were diagnosed with depression. The reference group consisted of patients with BDI score <10, 187 men and 93 women. Age-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) as being depressed were calculated for the psychosocial stressors and lifestyle circumstances, separately for men and women. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to determine the age-adjusted main effect models for men and women.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The same three psychosocial stressors: feeling very stressed, perceived poor physical health and being dissatisfied with one's family situation were associated with depression equally in men and women. The negative predictive values of the main effect models in men and women were 90.7% and 76.5%, respectively. Being dissatisfied with one's work situation had high ORs in both men and women. Unemployment and smoking were associated with depression in men only.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Three questions, frequently asked by physicians, which involve patient's family and working situation as well as perceived stress and physical health, could be used as depression indicators in early detection of depression in men and women in primary health care.</p