Influence of different sow traits on the expulsion and characteristics of the placenta in a free farrowing system.

The last phase of parturition is the detachment and expulsion of the placentas and should not exceed a duration of 4 h after the birth of the last piglet. At present, only a small amount of information is available about factors influencing the expulsion of the placenta, especially in sows accommodated in free farrowing systems. This study aimed at investigating the influence of sow traits on placenta expulsion in a free farrowing system in Switzerland. In this study, 48 crossbred sows were included and the following traits of the sows were investigated: Backfat thickness, birth induction with at least 116 days of gestation with prostaglandin F2α, placenta parts and weight, placental efficiency (quotient of litter weight and placental weight) and expulsion of the first placenta part in relation to the last piglet. In addition, the farrowing process and litter parameters were recorded. The piglet expulsion duration (260.3 ± 199.5 min) and placenta expulsion duration (388.7 ± 300.2 min) were positively correlated (p = 0.001). Sows that expelled the first placenta part simultaneously with the last piglet or even before the last piglet was born showed a significantly prolonged piglet expulsion duration in comparison to sows that expelled the first placenta part after the last piglet was born (305 ± 216 min vs. 139.0 ± 34.9 min; p < 0.01). Sows with 2-4 placenta parts had a significantly shorter farrowing (292.91 ± 117.92 min) and placenta expulsion duration (160.73 ± 104.00 min) than sows with 5-7 placenta parts (634.63 ± 330.79 min farrowing duration; 460.77 ± 337.32 min placenta expulsion duration) and sows with 8-10 placenta parts (599.00 ± 138.20 min farrowing duration; 438.43 ± 117.98 min placenta expulsion duration) (p < 0.01). Sows with placental efficiency <5 were characterized by a significantly higher number of liveborn piglets compared to sows with a placental efficiency ≥5 (17.1 ± 2.7 piglets vs. 13.6 ± 2.8 piglets; p = 0.002). This is the first study that evaluated the placental characteristics in a free farrowing system and compared it with specific sow traits. Especially, the expulsion of the first placenta and the number of placenta parts could be a reliable parameter to detect sows with obstetric problems and therefore enable improvement sow and piglet health.

Direct evidence of milk consumption from ancient human dental calculus.

Milk is a major food of global economic importance, and its consumption is regarded as a classic example of gene-culture evolution. Humans have exploited animal milk as a food resource for at least 8500 years, but the origins, spread, and scale of dairying remain poorly understood. Indirect lines of evidence, such as lipid isotopic ratios of pottery residues, faunal mortality profiles, and lactase persistence allele frequencies, provide a partial picture of this process; however, in order to understand how, where, and when humans consumed milk products, it is necessary to link evidence of consumption directly to individuals and their dairy livestock. Here we report the first direct evidence of milk consumption, the whey protein ß-lactoglobulin (BLG), preserved in human dental calculus from the Bronze Age (ca. 3000 BCE) to the present day. Using protein tandem mass spectrometry, we demonstrate that BLG is a species-specific biomarker of dairy consumption, and we identify individuals consuming cattle, sheep, and goat milk products in the archaeological record. We then apply this method to human dental calculus from Greenland's medieval Norse colonies, and report a decline of this biomarker leading up to the abandonment of the Norse Greenland colonies in the 15(th) century CE.

[Importance of laboratory investigations and trigger factors in chronic urticaria]. / Stellenwert von Laboruntersuchungen und Triggerfaktoren bei der chronischen Urtikaria. Eine retrospektive Studie an 170 Patienten.

Urticaria is one of the most frequent skin disorders. Whereas for the acute form a cause is usually found, the aetiology of chronic urticaria often remains obscure. Infectious or autoimmune origin are presumed aetiologies, whereas trigger factors such as pressure, cold or food additives often induce an urticarial episode. In this study, we investigated the significance of laboratory and supplementary analysis in relation to the aetiology and classification of chronic urticaria. We also looked at a correlation of trigger factors with the aetiology and course of chronic urticaria. Out of 170 patients with chronic urticaria referred to our outpatient allergy clinic within 3 1/4 years, 95 were female (56%) and 75 male (44%). The average age was 37 years. Based on history and clinical signs, laboratory, allergo-immunological, stool and urine samples were performed, as well as allergological skin and physical tests. Of the laboratory parameters, total leukocyte count, C-reactive protein (CRP) and alanine-amino-transferase (ALAT) were the findings most often out of the normal range. In 25% (43/170) chronic urticaria could be attributed to a possible cause (infection [15%], autoimmunity [8%], allergy [1%], urticaria pigmentosa [1%]). Trigger factors were found in 84/170 (49%) patients (physical [29%], pseudoallergic [12%], combination of both [8%]). Follow-up after an average of 22.3 months revealed that 84 patients (63%) no longer suffered from urticarial disorders, while 49 (37%) still complained of hives. In conclusion, laboratory and supplementary investigations were rarely helpful in identifying aetiologic agents, although in 25% chronic urticaria was classified. Trigger factors are not of predictive value either for aetiology or course of chronic urticaria. However, the longer chronic urticaria lasts, the rarer are remissions. In younger patients, chronic urticaria tends to last less long than in elderly persons.

Planar coincidence scintigraphy and PET in staging malignant melanoma.

UNLABELLED: This study describes a comparison of simulated planar positron coincidence scintigraphy (PCS) with PET in the whole-body staging of patients with malignant melanoma using 2-18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG). METHODS: In 55 patients with either known metastatic or newly diagnosed malignant melanoma, whole-body PET scanning was performed on a conventional full-ring dedicated PET tomograph, and multiaxial sections were obtained. Furthermore, anteroposterior projection images simulating images of a dual-head Anger camera operating in coincidence mode were obtained from the PET raw data. Each study was evaluated separately and blindly. Imaging findings were confirmed by biopsy or by at least one imaging modality in addition to PET. RESULTS: A total of 108 lesions were evaluated, of which 76 proved to be melanoma metastases. Whole-body PET correctly demonstrated 68 metastases, 6 lesions were classified as questionable metastases and 2 were missed. Whole-body PCS correctly demonstrated 14 metastases, 22 lesions were classified as questionable metastases and 40 metastases were missed. The sensitivities of whole-body PET and whole-body PCS were 89% and 18%, respectively. In PCS lesions in regions of high background activity, such as in the abdomen, were missed more often than in PET (p < 0.05). The tumor-to-background contrast was generally lower in PCS than in PET. A further decrease in PCS detection was found in lesions of < 22 mm in diameter. CONCLUSION: The lack of sensitivity precludes the clinical use of whole-body PCS in staging malignant melanoma.