Risk factors associated with hock pododermatitis in Swedish pet rabbits

Pododermatit, trycksår under tassarna, är vanligt hos såväl sällskapskaniner som produktionskaniner. Många studier har gjorts på produktionskaniner, där riskfaktorer i form av underlag, ålder och ursprung har bekräftats. Resultaten från dessa studier kan emellertid inte appliceras på sällskapskaniner, eftersom deras levnadsförhållanden skiljer sig åt i flera avseenden. Studier gjorda på sällskapskaniner är få och det är oklart hur utbrett problemet är. Syftet med detta kandidatarbete var därför att undersöka förekomst av och riskfaktorer för pododermatit hos svenska sällskapskaniner. Genom två enkätstudier undersöktes samvariationer mellan pododermatit och ras, kön, ålder, underlag, boyta och motionsnivå hos sällskapskaniner i Sverige. Svaren från den första enkäten inkluderade bilder av kaninernas tassar, vilka bedömdes av veterinär enligt en skala från 0 till 6, Pet Rabbit Pododermatitis Scoring System. I den andra enkäten fick kaninägarna gradera sina kaniners tassar enligt samma skala utifrån tecknade bilder. Enkäterna spreds via Facebook, veterinärkliniker och djuraffärer och genererade totalt 273 svar. Bland kaninerna som bedömdes av veterinär ansågs 87 % ha någon form av pododermatit. Motsvarande siffra för kaninerna som bedömdes av ägare var 26 %. Samtliga rexkaniner som bedömdes av veterinär hade pododermatit. Detsamma gällde okastrerade honkaniner och kaniner som gick på mattor tjockare än 1 cm. Inga tydliga samvariationer noterades bland övriga undersökta faktorer. Resultaten indikerade att pododermatit är ett mycket vanligt, men för många okänt, problem. Antalet kaniner som inkluderades i studien var för litet för att slutsatser skulle kunna dras kring riskfaktorer, men resultaten kan användas som grund för vidare forskning.Sore hocks or pododermatitis is common in both pet and farm rabbits. Previous articles have mainly been focusing on farm rabbits. They show that factors such as bedding, age and origin are predisposing factors. However, the results of these studies cannot be applied to pet rabbits, since their living conditions are markedly different. Few studies have addressed companion rabbits, and it remains unclear how common pododermatitis is in Sweden. Thus, this study aimed to investigate prevalence for and risk factors associated with pododermatitis in Swedish pet rabbits. Information regarding pododermatitis, breed, sex, age, bedding, housing area and level of exercise were collected via two surveys. The first survey included pictures of the rabbits paws. They were graded from 0 to 6 by a veterinarian according to the Pet Rabbit Pododermatitis Scoring System. The other survey presented drawings of paws with different stages of pododermatitis to the owners, who decided which drawing was most similar to the paw. The surveys were distributed via Facebook, veterinary clinics and pet shops and generated 273 answers. According to the veterinarian, 87 % of the pet rabbits had pododermatitis. Amongst the rabbits assessed by owners, 26 % were considered to have pododermatitis. All Rex rabbits were affected by pododermatitis according to the veterinarian. This also applied to all neutered females and rabbits living on carpets thicker than 1 cm. No significant covariance between pododermatitis and the factors investigated could be found. The results indicated that pododermatitis is a common but unknown problem. Too few rabbits were included in the study to allow conclusions about risk factors to be drawn. However, the results could be used in further studies on this subject

Spatio-temporal composition and dynamics of zooplankton in the Kalmar Sound (western Baltic Sea) in 2009-2010

In pelagic food webs, zooplankton is the link between lower and higher trophic levels. It is thus essential to know how the zooplankton community structure varies with its environment. We investigated the seasonal and spatial variation in the zooplankton diversity and community structure during two consecutive years in the Kalmar Sound, along the Swedish east coast, an area with a strong bathymetric gradient and of high ecological importance for e.g. commercial fish species. Two zooplankton communities were identified in the area: a coastal/estuarine community in the south and an open-water community in the north. They were separated mainly by differing salinity and temperature conditions. Biodiversity increased from spring to autumn and was higher in the open waters. © 2014.C. Díaz-Gil, M. Werner, O. Lövgren, O. Kaljuste and M. Casini were partially funded by the Swedish PLAN FISH project, financed by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. C. Díaz-Gil was also funded by the EU Erasmus Program for international mobility of studentsPeer Reviewe

Spatio-temporal composition and dynamics of zooplankton in the Kalmar Sound (western Baltic Sea) in 2009–2010

In pelagic food webs, zooplankton is the link between lower and higher trophic levels. It is thus essential to know how the zooplankton community structure varies with its environment. We investigated the seasonal and spatial variation in the zooplankton diversity and community structure during two consecutive years in the Kalmar Sound, along the Swedish east coast, an area with a strong bathymetric gradient and of high ecological importance for e.g. commercial fish species. Two zooplankton communities were identified in the area: a coastal/estuarine community in the south and an open-water community in the north. They were separated mainly by differing salinity and temperature conditions. Biodiversity increased from spring to autumn and was higher in the open waters

Gelatinous macrozooplankton diversity and distribution dataset for the North Sea and Skagerrak/Kattegat during January-February 2021

This data article includes a qualitative and quantitative description of the gelatinous macrozooplankton community of the North Sea during January-February 2021. Sampling was conducted during the 1 st quarter International Bottom Trawl Survey (IBTS) on board the Danish R/V DANA (DTU Aqua Denmark) and the Swedish R/V Svea (SLU Sweden), as part of the ichthyoplankton investigation during night-time. A total of 147 stations were investigated in the western, central and eastern North Sea as well as the Skagerrak and Kattegat. Sampling was conducted with a 13 m long Midwater Ring Net (MIK net, O 2 m, mesh size 1.6 mm, cod end with smaller mesh size of 500 mu m), equipped with a flow meter. The MIK net was deployed in double oblique hauls from the surface to c. 5 m above the sea floor [1 , 2] . Samples were visually analysed unpreserved on a light table and/or with a stereomicroscope or magnifying lamp within 2 hours after catch. A total of 13,510 individuals were counted/sized. Twelve gelatinous macrozooplankton species or genera were encountered, namely the hydrozoan Aequorea vitrina, Aglantha digitale, Clytia spp., Leuckartiara octona, Tima bairdii, Muggiaea atlantica ; the scyphozoans Cyanea capillata and Cyanea lamarckii and the ctenophores Beroe spp., Bolinopsis infundibulum, Mnemiopsis leidyi, Pleurobrachia pileus . Abundance data are presented on a volume specific (m -3 ) and area specific (m -2 ) basis. Size data have been used to estimate wet weights based on published length-weight regressions (see Table 1). For the groups i) hydrozoan jellyfish, ii) scyphozoan jellyfish, iii) ctenophores, as well as iv) grouped gelatinous macrozooplankton, spatial weight specific distribution patterns are presented. This unpublished dataset contributes baseline information about the gelatinous macrozooplankton diversity and its specific distribution patterns in the extended North Sea area during winter (January-February) 2021. These data can be an important contribution to address global change impacts on marine systems, especially considering gelatinous macrozooplankton abundance changes in relation to anthropogenic stressors.(c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY licens

Clastic Polygonal Networks Around Lyot Crater, Mars: Possible Formation Mechanisms From Morphometric Analysis

Polygonal networks of patterned ground are a common feature in cold-climate environments. They can form through the thermal contraction of ice-cemented sediment (i.e. formed from fractures), or the freezing and thawing of ground ice (i.e. formed by patterns of clasts, or ground deformation). The characteristics of these landforms provide information about environmental conditions. Analogous polygonal forms have been observed on Mars leading to inferences about environmental conditions. We have identified clastic polygonal features located around Lyot crater, Mars (50°N, 30°E). These polygons are unusually large (> 100 m diameter) compared to terrestrial clastic polygons, and contain very large clasts, some of which are up to 15 metres in diameter. The polygons are distributed in a wide arc around the eastern side of Lyot crater, at a consistent distance from the crater rim. Using high-resolution imaging data, we digitised these features to extract morphological information. These data are compared to existing terrestrial and Martian polygon data to look for similarities and differences and to inform hypotheses concerning possible formation mechanisms. Our results show the clastic polygons do not have any morphometric features that indicate they are similar to terrestrial sorted, clastic polygons formed by freeze-thaw processes. They are too large, do not show the expected variation in form with slope, and have clasts that do not scale in size with polygon diameter. However, the clastic networks are similar in network morphology to thermal contraction cracks, and there is a potential direct Martian analogue in a sub-type of thermal contraction polygons located in Utopia Planitia. Based upon our observations, we reject the hypothesis that polygons located around Lyot formed as freeze-thaw polygons and instead an alternative mechanism is put forward: they result from the infilling of earlier thermal contraction cracks by wind-blown material, which then became compressed and/or cemented resulting in a resistant fill. Erosion then leads to preservation of these polygons in positive relief, while later weathering results in the fracturing of the fill material to form angular clasts. These results suggest that there was an extensive area of ice-rich terrain, the extent of which is linked to ejecta from Lyot crater

Region-Specific Effects of Immunotherapy With Antibodies Targeting α-synuclein in a Transgenic Model of Synucleinopathy

Synucleinopathies represent a group of neurodegenerative disorders which are characterized by intracellular accumulation of aggregated α-synuclein. α-synuclein misfolding and oligomer formation is considered a major pathogenic trigger in these disorders. Therefore, targeting α-synuclein species represents an important candidate therapeutic approach. Our aim was to analyze the biological effects of passive immunization targeting α-synuclein and to identify the possible underlying mechanisms in a transgenic mouse model of oligodendroglial α-synucleinopathy. We used PLP-α-synuclein mice overexpressing human α-synuclein in oligodendrocytes. The animals received either antibodies that recognize α-synuclein or vehicle. Passive immunization mitigated α-synuclein pathology and resulted in reduction of total α-synuclein in the hippocampus, reduction of intracellular accumulation of aggregated α-synuclein, particularly significant in the spinal cord. Lowering of the extracellular oligomeric α-synuclein was associated with reduction of the density of activated iba1-positive microglia profiles. However, a shift toward phagocytic microglia was seen after passive immunization of PLP-α-synuclein mice. Lowering of intracellular α-synuclein was mediated by autophagy degradation triggered after passive immunization in PLP-α-synuclein mice. In summary, the study provides evidence for the biological efficacy of immunotherapy in a transgenic mouse model of oligodendroglial synucleinopathy. The different availability of the therapeutic antibodies and the variable load of α-synuclein pathology in selected brain regions resulted in differential effects of the immunotherapy that allowed us to propose a model of the underlying mechanisms of antibody-aided α-synuclein clearance

Patient-reported outcomes in the aging population of adults with congenital heart disease: results from APPROACH-IS.

The congenital heart disease (CHD) population now comprises an increasing number of older persons in their 6th decade of life and beyond. We cross-sectionally evaluated patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in persons with CHD aged 60 years or older, and contrasted these with PROs of younger patients aged 40-59 years and 18-39 years. Adjusted for demographic and medical characteristics, patients ≥60 years had a lower Physical Component Summary, higher Mental Component Summary, and lower anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety) scores than patients in the two younger categories. For satisfaction with life, older persons had a higher score than patients aged 40-59 years. Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02150603

An ice-rich flow origin for the banded terrain in the Hellas basin, Mars

The interior of Hellas Basin displays a complex landscape and a variety of geomorphological domains. One of these domains, the enigmatic banded terrain covers much of the northwestern part of the basin. We use high-resolution (Context Camera and High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) Digital Terrain Models to show that most of the complex viscous flowing behavior exhibited by the banded terrain is controlled by topography and flow-like interactions between neighboring banded terrain. Furthermore, the interior of the basin hosts several landforms suggestive of the presence of near-surface ice, which include polygonal patterns with elongated pits, scalloped depressions, isolated mounds, and collapse structures. We suggest that thermal contraction cracking and sublimation of near-surface ice are responsible for the formation and the development of most of the ice-related landforms documented in Hellas. The relatively pristine form, lack of superposed craters, and strong association with the banded terrain, suggest an Amazonian (<3 Ga) age of formation for these landforms. Finally, relatively high surface pressures (above the triple point of water) expected in Hellas and summertime temperatures often exceeding the melting point of water ice suggest that the basin may have recorded relatively “temperate” climatic conditions compared to other places on Mars. Therefore, the potentially ice-rich banded terrain may have deformed with lower viscosity and stresses compared to other locations on Mars, which may account for its unique morphology