Gait analysis of unprovoked pig gait on clean and fouled concrete surfaces

Inadequate floor properties are considered the primary cause of the majority of claw disorders in pigs but to date no clear relationship has been found between claw disorders and floor properties such as friction and surface abrasiveness. To determine this relationship, the factors controlling pig gait must be characterised. This study examined unprovoked pig gait on a concrete floor in clean conditions and compared it with gait in fouled floor conditions. Kinematics were used to record gait parameters such as walking speed, stride length, swing and stance time, stride elevation together with limb support phases, gait symmetry, diagonality and duty factor. On clean floors, pigs had an unprovoked symmetrical gait with alternating two- and three-beat support phases and a high rate of diagonality. Stride length, swing and stance time and stride elevation showed little variation. Pigs altered their gait in accordance with floor conditions to maintain gait control by reducing walking speed, lowering diagonality and employing more three-limb support phases. Pigs also shortened their stride length and prolonged their stance time

Design criteria for structural design of silage silo walls

Existing Swedish design guidelines (JBR) cover silo wall heights up to about 3 m. These guidelines presumably overestimate the forces and pressures exerted by silage juice when silo walls are more than 3 m high, which could result in over-sizing, material waste and increased capital costs. This study determined silage physical properties in terms of horizontal wall pressure and evaluated silage juice levels in silos with a wall height of 3 m or more.Wall pressure was measured by transducers mounted on a steel ladder rack placed vertically along the internal silo wall. The ladder rack also permitted measurement of silage juice levels in slotted steel pipes. The pressure on the transducers was recorded by a data acquisition system displaying static and total loads (pressures imposed by silage material without and with the compaction machine, respectively).The static pressure at the bottom of the silo wall (4 m) was 16 kPa during filling and compaction, and 22 kPa 1-4 months after filling. The silage juice did not interact with compaction. The wall pressure increased by 30% after filling, but the increase was only significant at 1 m from the silo bottom. The dynamic load was 17 kPa when the compaction machine passed 0.1 m from the silo wall.New guidelines are proposed based on the results and on the Eurocode for ultimate limit states (ULS) for two stages; filling and the utility period. The design bending moment for ULS was 21% lower than specified in JBR. (C) 2014 IAgrE. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Kartlegging av sjødeponi i Frænfjorden ved bruk av sedimentprofilkamera (SPI)

Hustadmarmor A/S slipper ut overskuddsmasser med rester av prosesskjemikalier til deponi i Frænfjorden. I september 2009, ble bunnforholdene på 19 stasjoner i og ved deponiet undersøkt med sedimentprofilkamera. Sedimentprofilkameraet tar bilder av et vertikalt snitt av sedimentenes topplag. Bildene gir grunnlag for vurdering av miljøtilstand basert på BHQ (Benthic Habitat Quality) indeks. Indeksen viste meget dårlig tilstand nær utslippspunktet og dårlig eller mindre god tilstand på de fleste stasjonene i deponiområdet. Påvirkningen avtok med økende avstand fra utslippspunktet og ca 1 km vest for deponiet ble det ikke observert klare spor etter avgangen. Effektene på bunnfaunaen kan skyldes flere faktorer; toksisitet av restkjemikalier i avgangsmassene, hemmet næringsopptak, sedimentasjonshastighet (nedslamming), partiklenes størrelse, partiklenes form eller konsistensen av avgangsmassene på bunnen.Hustadmarmor v/ Arnstein Amundse

Oppdatering av miljøstatus for Sunndalsfjorden i 2008. Vannmasser, sediment og organismer

Miljøstatusen for Sunndalsfjorden har blitt oppdatert gjennom undersøkelser i 2008 som har inkludert bestemmelse av PAH i vannmassene ved hjelp av blåskjell og passive prøvetakere, PAH, metaller og klorerte forbindelser i torsk, krabbe og sediment, sedimentprofilfotografering og sammensetningen av dyrelivet på bløtbunn. Generelt sett er det en forbedring i miljøtilstanden i fjordsystemet over tid. PAH-innholdet i blåskjell (finnes kun i ytre fjordområde) var lavt. Beregninger av PAH-innholdet i vannmassene indikerer at konsentrasjonene ligger under vanndirektivets grenseverdier bortsett fra for de tyngre forbindelsene som indenopyren og benzoperylen. PAH-innholdet i krabbeinnmat samt PAH-metabolitter i galle fra torsk var også lavt. Metallinnholdet i krabbe og sediment var stort sett lavt, bortsett fra TBT i sedimentet i den helt innerste delen av fjorden. TBT-resultatene er i tråd med hva man ofte finner som følge av påvirkning fra bunnstoff på skip. PAH-innholdet i sedimentene er fremdeles høyt, særlig i den innerste delen av Sunndalsfjorden. Generelt var det et godt utviklet dyreliv med høy artsrikhet på alle stasjonene, men helt innerst ved Sunndalsøra var det økt andel av arter som erfaringsmessig tiltar i områder med høye sedimentkonsentrasjoner av PAH.Hydro Aluminium Sunnda

High-throughput mutational screening adds clinically important information in myelodysplastic syndromes and secondary or therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia

Non peer reviewe

Molecular Monitoring after Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation and Preemptive Rituximab Treatment of Molecular Relapse; Results from the Nordic Mantle Cell Lymphoma Studies (MCL2 and MCL3) with Median Follow-Up of 8.5 Years

The main objectives of the present study were to monitor minimal residual disease (MRD) in the bone marrow of patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) to predict clinical relapse and guide preemptive treatment with rituximab. Among the patients enrolled in 2 prospective trials by the Nordic Lymphoma Group, 183 who had completed autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and in whom an MRD marker had been obtained were included in our analysis. Fresh samples of bone marrow were analyzed for MRD by a combined standard nested and quantitative real-time PCR assay for Bcl-1/immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IgH) and clonal IgH rear-rangements. Significantly shorter progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was demonstrated for patients who were MRD positive pre-ASCT (54 patients) or in the first analysis post-ASCT (23 patients). The median PFS was only 20 months in those who were MRD-positive in the first sample post-ASCT, compared with 142 months in the MRD-negative group (PPeer reviewe

Gender differences in the physiological responses and kinematic behaviour of elite sprint cross-country skiers

Gender differences in performance by elite endurance athletes, including runners, track cyclists and speed skaters, have been shown to be approximately 12%. The present study was designed to examine gender differences in physiological responses and kinematics associated with sprint cross-country skiing. Eight male and eight female elite sprint cross-country skiers, matched for performance, carried out a submaximal test, a test of maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) and a shorter test of maximal treadmill speed (Vmax) during treadmill roller skiing utilizing the G3 skating technique. The men attained 17% higher speeds during both the VO2max and the Vmax tests (P < 0.05 in both cases), differences that were reduced to 9% upon normalization for fat-free body mass. Furthermore, the men exhibited 14 and 7% higher VO2max relative to total and fat-free body mass, respectively (P < 0.05 in both cases). The gross efficiency was similar for both gender groups. At the same absolute speed, men employed 11% longer cycles at lower rates, and at peak speed, 21% longer cycle lengths (P < 0.05 in all cases). The current study documents approximately 5% larger gender differences in performance and VO2max than those reported for comparable endurance sports. These differences reflect primarily the higher VO2max and lower percentage of body fat in men, since no gender differences in the ability to convert metabolic rate into work rate and speed were observed. With regards to kinematics, the gender difference in performance was explained by cycle length, not by cycle rate

15-year follow-up of the Second Nordic Mantle Cell Lymphoma trial (MCL2) : prolonged remissions without survival plateau

In recent decades, the prognosis of Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL) has been significantly improved by intensified first-line regimens containing cytarabine, rituximab and consolidation with high-dose-therapy and autologous stem cell transplantation. One such strategy is the Nordic MCL2 regimen, developed by the Nordic Lymphoma Group. We here present the 15-year updated results of the Nordic MCL2 study after a median follow-up of 114years: For all patients on an intent-to-treat basis, the median overall and progression-free survival was 127 and 85years, respectively. The MCL International Prognostic Index (MIPI), biological MIPI, including Ki67 expression (MIPI-B) and the MIPI-B including mIR-18b expression (MIPI-B-miR), in particular, significantly divided patients into distinct risk groups. Despite very long response durations of the low and intermediate risk groups, we observed a continuous pattern of relapse and the survival curves never reached a plateau. In conclusion, despite half of the patients being still alive and 40% in first remission after more than 12years, we still see an excess disease-related mortality, even among patients experiencing long remissions. Even though we consider the Nordic regimen as a very good choice of regimen, we recommend inclusion in prospective studies to explore the benefit of novel agents in the frontline treatment of MCL.Peer reviewe