Comparison of microenvironmental conditions in standard versus forced-air ventilated rodent filter-top cages

The microenvironmental conditions of a commercial rodent filter top caging system was evaluated when housing mice for a 2 week testing period, with an open cage with no filter used as a control. The results were compared to the effect of utilizing a novel developed forced-air ventilated system (Vent A Cage, Barriärteknik, Brösarp, Sweden) for filter cages, delivering filtered air directly to the cage and providing approximately 150 air changes per hour.In an animal room maintained at 21—22°C, 50—55 0/0 RH and 12—14 airchanges per hour the following experimental settings were evaluated: Micro-Isolator® cages of Macrolon ® type III without forced air (Standard), housing 4, 8 or 16 female mice with body weights ranging between 23—28 g were compared to two cages housing 16 mice each: a Micro-Isolator provided with an individual Vent A Cage system (Forced-air) and a cage without a filter lid (Control).Intracage RH, C02 and N113 levels were evaluated once a day in each caging system during a 2 week period. Bedding and feed were not removed during the testing period, but water bottles were Changed on day 6 and 12. Control measurements of intraeage temperature of filter cages showed only small deviations from actual room temperature throughout the study (data not shown).RH and carbon dioxide levels ranged between 70—100 % and 4,000—17,000 ppm respectively in standard cages with 8 and 16 mice, and between 60—75 % and 2,000—5,000 ppm respectively in the standard cage with 4 mice. The open control andthe forced-air cages housing 16 mice showed levels of RH and C02 similar to the maeroenvironment (animal room); the forced-air system averaged 40—60 % and 1,000—2,700 ppm, respectively.No appreciable ammonia levels were detected in either system until day 14. In the standard filter cage housing 16 mice the ammonia levels increased from about 7 ppm (traces) on day 13 to 650 and 700 ppm on day 14 and 15, respectively.The results indicate that housing of Z 8 adult mice in a Macrolon 111 Micro-Isolator cage within a day leads to a buildup of humidity and C02 levels in excess of recommended levels for mice. The comparatively late occurring ammonia levels detected in the present study as compared to other studies of filter top cages may be explained by the type and quality of bedding used. The forced-air system evaluated provided acceptable intracage air conditions with 16 mice for two weeks without cage changing and resulted in a remarkable improvement of the microenvironmental conditions as compared to a standard filter top cage

A 16-Year Haemodynamic Follow-up of Women with Pregnancy-related Medically Treated Iliofemoral Deep Venous Thrombosis

AbstractObjectives to evaluate clinical and functional long-term outcomes following pregnancy-related medically treated iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Design retrospective follow-up of patients identified through a registry search. Material and methods twenty-five women underwent clinical examination, colour duplex ultrasound and computerised strain-gauge plethysmography on two occasions a mean of nine and 16 years after DVT. Results 40% of the patients were completely asymptomatic and 52% had no clinical signs of venous disease after a mean follow-up of 16 years. The clinical signs were in general mild, and none of the 25 patients had skin changes or ulcers. Deep venous reflux was found in 36% of the patients; the same percentage at nine- and 16-years follow-up, and 24% had normal ultrasonographic appearance of all deep veins. None of the patients had plethysmographic evidence of outflow obstruction. There was a significant relationship between measures of venous reflux and the presence of leg swelling, but there was no clear relation between functional abnormalities and the extent of the initial DVT. Conclusion even after 16 years there are relatively mild symptoms and signs of venous disease in women with medically treated pregnancy-related iliofemoral DVT. Our results do not support earlier stated opinions that these patients represent a particular risk group for developing post-thrombotic syndrome

The BALDER beam-line at the MAX IV Laboratory

X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) includes well-established methods to study the local structure around the absorbing element – extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), and the effective oxidation number or to quantitatively determine the speciation of an element in a complex matrix – X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES). The increased brilliance and intensities available at the new generation of synchrotron light sources makes it possible to study, in-situ and in-operando, much more dilute systems with relevance for natural systems, as well as the micro-scale variability and dynamics of chemical reactions on the millisecond time-scale. The design of the BALDER beamline at the MAX IV Laboratory 3 GeV ring has focused on a high flux of photons in a wide energy range, 2.4–40 keV, where the K-edge is covered for the elements S to La, and the L3-edge for all elements heavier than Sb. The overall design of the beamline will allow large flexibility in energy range, beam size and data collection time. The other focus of the beamline design is the possibility to perform multi-technique analyses on samples. Development of sample environment requires focus on implementation of auxiliary methods in such a way that techniques like Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, UV-Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and/or mass spectrometry can be performed simultaneously as the XAS study. It will be a flexible system where different instruments can be plugged in and out depending on the needs for the particular investigation. Many research areas will benefit from the properties of the wiggler based light source and the capabilities to perform in-situ and in-operando measurements, for example environmental and geochemical sciences, nuclear chemistry, catalysis, materials sciences, and cultural heritage

Increased concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls, hexachlorobenzene, and chlordanes in mothers of men with testicular cancer.

An increasing incidence of testicular cancer has been reported from several countries in the Western world during the last decades. According to current hypothesis, testicular cancer is initiated during the fetal period, and exposure to endocrine disruptors, i.e., xenoestrogens, has been of concern. In this investigation we studied the concentrations of the sum of 38 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyl-dichloroethylene, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and chlordanes, in 61 cases with testicular cancer and 58 age-matched controls. Furthermore, case and control mothers were also asked to participate, and 44 case mothers and 45 control mothers agreed. They were of similar age. In cases only the concentration on lipid basis of cis-nonachlordane was significantly increased, whereas case mothers showed significantly increased concentrations of the sum of PCBs, HCB, trans- and cis-nonachlordane, and the sum of chlordanes. Among case mothers the sum of PCBs yielded an odds ratio (OR) of 3.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.4-10 was calculated using the median concentration for the control mothers as cutoff value. For HCB, OR = 4.4 (95% CI, 1.7-12); for trans-nonachlordane, OR = 4.1 (95% CI, 1.5-11); for cis-nonachlordane, OR = 3.1 (95% CI, 1.2-7.8); and for sum of chlordanes, OR = 1.9 (95% CI, 0.7-5.0). No consistent different risk pattern was found for seminoma or nonseminoma testicular cancer

A systematic review of randomised controlled trials on the effectiveness of exercise programs on lumbo pelvic pain among postnatal women

Background: A substantial number of women tend to be affected by Lumbo Pelvic Pain (LPP) following child birth. Physical exercise is indicated as a beneficial method to relieve LPP, but individual studies appear to suggest mixed findings about its effectiveness. This systematic review aimed to synthesise evidence from randomised controlled trials on the effectiveness of exercise on LPP among postnatal women to inform policy, practice and future research. Methods: A systematic review was conducted of all randomised controlled trials published between January 1990 and July 2014, identified through a comprehensive search of following databases: PubMed, PEDro, Embase, Cinahl, Medline, SPORTDiscus, Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group’s Trials Register, and electronic libraries of authors’institutions. Randomised controlled trials were eligible for inclusion if the intervention comprised of postnatal exercise for women with LPP onset during pregnancy or within 3 months after delivery and the outcome measures included changes in LPP. Selected articles were assessed using the PEDro Scale for methodological quality and findings were synthesised narratively as meta-analysis was found to be inappropriate due to heterogeneity among included studies. Results: Four randomised controlled trials were included, involving 251 postnatal women. Three trials were rated as of ‘good’ methodological quality. All trials, except one, were at low risk of bias. The trials included physical exercise programs with varying components, differing modes of delivery, follow up times and outcome measures. Intervention in one trial, involving physical therapy with specific stabilising exercises, proved to be effective in reducing LPP intensity. An improvement in gluteal pain on the right side was reported in another trial and a significant difference in pain frequency in another. Conclusion: Our review indicates that only few randomised controlled trials have evaluated the effectiveness of exercise on LPP among postnatal women. There is also a great amount of variability across existing trials in the components of exercise programs, modes of delivery, follow up times and outcome measures. While there is some evidence to indicate the effectiveness of exercise for relieving LPP, further good quality trials are needed to ascertain the most effective elements of postnatal exercise programs suited for LPP treatment

Valproic acid and fatalities in children: a review of individual case safety reports in VigiBase

Introduction Valproic acid is an effective first line drug for the treatment of epilepsy. Hepatotoxicity is a rare and potentially fatal adverse reaction for this medicine. Objective Firstly to characterise valproic acid reports on children with fatal outcome and secondly to determine reporting over time of hepatotoxicity with fatal outcome. Methods Individual case safety reports (ICSRs) for children ≤17 years with valproic acid and fatal outcome were retrieved from the WHO Global ICSR database, VigiBase, in June 2013. Reports were classified into hepatotoxic reactions or other reactions. Shrinkage observed-to-expected ratios were used to explore the relative reporting trend over time and for patient age. The frequency of polytherapy, i.e. reports with more than one antiepileptic medicine, was investigated. Results There have been 268 ICSRs with valproic acid and fatal outcome in children, reported from 25 countries since 1977. A total of 156 fatalities were reported with hepatotoxicity, which has been continuously and disproportionally reported over time. There were 31 fatalities with pancreatitis. Other frequently reported events were coma/encephalopathy, seizures, respiratory disorders and coagulopathy. Hepatotoxicity was disproportionally and most commonly reported in children aged 6 years and under (104/156 reports) but affected children of all ages. Polytherapy was significantly more frequently reported for valproic acid with fatal outcome (58%) compared with non-fatal outcome (34%). Conclusion Hepatotoxicity remains a considerable problem. The risk appears to be greatest in young children (6 years and below) but can occur at any age. Polytherapy is commonly reported and seems to be a risk factor for hepatotoxicity, pancreatitis and other serious adverse drug reactions with valproic acid