Digestive problems in rabbit production: moving in the wrong direction?

Digestive problems, both those with a clear pathogenic origin (e.g., ) and those without obvious pathogen involvement [e.

Dermal Nipple-Areola Complex Perfusion through Circumareolar Scars: A Delay Model in Two-Stage Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy.

Background: Nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) has evolved as a standard surgical option. The NSM complication rate remains high in large breasts. To reduce the risk of necrosis, several authors have proposed delayed procedures to enhance blood supply to the nipple-areola complex (NAC).

Boosted trees to predict pneumonia, growth, and meat percentage of growing-finishing pigs1.

In pig production, efficiency is benefiting from uniform growth in pens resulting in single deliveries from a pen of possibly all animals in the targeted weight range. Abnormalities, like pneumonia or aberrant growth, reduce production efficiency as it reduces the uniformity and might cause multiple deliveries per batch and pigs delivered with a low meat yield or outside the targeted weight range. Early identification of pigs prone to develop these abnormalities, for example, at the onset of the growing-finishing phase, would help to prevent heterogeneous pens through management interventions.

Cytomegalovirus pleuropericarditis after orthotopic liver transplantation.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation is a common complication after liver transplantation. In patients with CMV infection, indicated by a positive CMV DNA titer, the presence of any clinical symptom is termed CMV disease. The most common organ affected in CMV disease is the gastrointestinal tract, causing esophagitis, gastritis, enteritis or colitis.

A time-series approach for clustering farms based on slaughterhouse health aberration data.

A large amount of data is collected routinely in meat inspection in pig slaughterhouses. A time series clustering approach is presented and applied that groups farms based on similar statistical characteristics of meat inspection data over time. A three step characteristic-based clustering approach was used from the idea that the data contain more info than the incidence figures.

Prediction of delayed graft function using different scoring algorithms: A single-center experience.

Aim: To compare the performance of 3 published delayed graft function (DGF) calculators that compute the theoretical risk of DGF for each patient.

Methods: This single-center, retrospective study included 247 consecutive kidney transplants from a deceased donor. These kidney transplantations were performed at our institution between January 2003 and December 2012.

Does Kidney Donor Risk Index implementation lead to the transplantation of more and higher-quality donor kidneys?

Background: The Kidney Donor Risk Index (KDRI) is a quantitative evaluation of the quality of donor organs and is implemented in the US allocation system. This single-centre study investigates whether the implementation of the KDRI in our decision-making process to accept or decline an offered deceased donor kidney, increases our acceptance rate.

Methods: From April 2015 until December 2016, we prospectively calculated the KDRI for all deceased donor kidney offers allocated by Eurotransplant to our centre.

Measuring future liver remnant function prior to hepatectomy may guide the indication for portal vein occlusion and avoid posthepatectomy liver failure: a prospective interventional study.

Background: Estimation of the future liver remnant function (eFLRF) can avoid post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF). In a previous study, a cutoff value of 2.3%/min/m for eFLRF was a better predictor of PHLF than future liver remnant volume (FLRV%).

Single-Center Case Series of Donor-Related Malignancies: Rare Cases With Tremendous Impact.

Background: Donor-related malignancy is a rare complication of organ transplantation.

Methods: In this case series, we discuss three cases of donor-related cancers in kidney transplant recipients who were registered in our center between 1979 and 2015. They account for an incidence of 0.

Multisciplinary management of patients with liver metastasis from colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death. Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy have been till now the main therapeutic strategies for disease control and improvement of the overall survival. Twenty-five per cent (25%) of CRC patients have clinically detectable liver metastases at the initial diagnosis and approximately 50% develop liver metastases during their disease course.

Future remnant liver function estimated by combining liver volumetry on magnetic resonance imaging with total liver function on (99m)Tc-mebrofenin hepatobiliary scintigraphy: can this tool predict post-hepatectomy liver failure?

Introduction: Posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) is a major complication after hepatectomy with a high mortality rate and is likely to happen in insufficient liver remnant. We hypothesize that assessment of the estimated future liver remnant function (eFLRF), combining future remnant liver volume (FLRV) with total liver function (TLF), is an accurate formula for prediction of PHLF.

Methods: 88 patients undergoing hepatectomy were included.

Evaluation of the sustainability of contrasted pig farming systems: economy.

The aim of this paper is to present an efficient tool for evaluating the economy part of the sustainability of pig farming systems. The selected tool IDEA was tested on a sample of farms from 15 contrasted systems in Europe. A statistical analysis was carried out to check the capacity of the indicators to illustrate the variability of the population and to analyze which of these indicators contributed the most towards it.

Evaluation of the sustainability of contrasted pig farming systems: development of a market conformity tool for pork products based on technological quality traits.

A market conformity tool, based on technological meat quality parameters, was developed within the Q-PorkChains project, to be included in a global sustainability evaluation of pig farming systems. The specific objective of the market conformity tool was to define a scoring system based on the suitability of meat to elaborate the main pork products, according to their market shares based on industry requirements, in different pig farming systems. The tool was based on carcass and meat quality parameters that are commonly used for the assessment of technological quality, which provide representative and repeatable data and are easily measurable.

Evaluation of the sustainability of contrasted pig farming systems: breeding programmes.

The sustainability of breeding activities in 15 pig farming systems in five European countries was evaluated. One conventional and two differentiated systems per country were studied. The Conventional systems were the standard systems in their countries.

Evaluation of the sustainability of contrasted pig farming systems: integrated evaluation.

The aim of this paper is to present an approach for an integrated evaluation of the sustainability of pig farming systems, taking into account the three classical pillars: economy, environment and society. Eight sustainability themes were considered: Animal Welfare (AW), Animal Health (AH), Breeding Programmes (BP), Environment (EN), Meat Safety (MS), Market Conformity (MC), Economy (EC) and Working Conditions (WC). A total of 37 primary indicators were identified and used for the evaluation of 15 much contrasted pig farming systems in five EU countries.

Evaluation of the sustainability of contrasted pig farming systems: the procedure, the evaluated systems and the evaluation tools.

Although a few studies consider the sustainability of animal farming systems along the three classical main pillars (economy, environment and society), most studies on pig farming systems address only one of these pillars. The present paper is the introduction to a series of companion papers presenting the results of a study undertaken within the EU-supported project Q-PorkChains, aiming at building a comprehensive tool for the evaluation of pig farming systems, which is robust to accommodate the large variability of systems existing in Europe. The tool is mostly based on questions to farmers and comprises a total of 37 dimensions distributed along eight themes: Animal Welfare, Animal Health, Breeding Programmes, Environmental Sustainability, Meat Safety, Market Conformity, Economy and Working Conditions.

Injury-dependent retention of intraportally administered mesenchymal stromal cells following partial hepatectomy of steatotic liver does not lead to improved liver recovery.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cell (BM-MSC) administration on liver function following partial hepatectomy (PHx) of methionine/choline-deficient (MCD) diet induced steatotic livers in rodents. Here we identified and validated serum cholinesterase (CHE) and triglyceride (TG) levels as non-invasive markers to longitudinally monitor rat liver function. Using in vivo bioluminescence imaging, retention of BM-MSC in the liver was observed following intraportal administration, but not after intravenous administration.

Biochemical Parameters for Longitudinal Monitoring of Liver Function in Rat Models of Partial Hepatectomy Following Liver Injury.

Background: While evaluation of liver function in preclinical animal studies is commonly performed at selected time-points by invasive determination of the liver/body weight ratio and histological analyses, the validation of longitudinal measurement tools for monitoring liver function are of major interest.

Aims: To longitudinally evaluate serum cholinesterase (CHE) and total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels as non-invasive markers to determine injury- and partial hepatectomy (PHx)-induced alterations of liver function in rats.

Methods: Male and female Lewis rats were subjected to either methionine/choline deficient (MCD) diet or treatment with FOLFOX chemotherapy prior to PHx.

The relationship between changes in steps/day and health outcomes after a pedometer-based physical activity intervention with telephone support in type 2 diabetes patients.

The study aim was to investigate the health effects of a pedometer-based behavioural modification program in type 2 diabetes patients and to examine the relationship between changes in steps/day (baseline-post and baseline-follow up) and health outcomes. Ninety-two type 2 diabetes patients (69% male, mean age: 62 ± 9 years and mean BMI: 30.0 ± 2.

Meta-analysis on the effects of the physical environment, animal traits, feeder and feed characteristics on the feeding behaviour and performance of growing-finishing pigs.

A meta-analysis, using information from 45 experiments on growing-finishing pigs published in 39 manuscripts, was carried out to determine the simultaneous effects of the physical environment (space allowance, group size, flooring conditions, temperature, presence of enrichment), pig traits (initial body weight (BW) for each studied time interval, sex, genetics), feeder characteristics (water provision within the feeder, feeder design (individual/collective), feeder places/pig, presence of feeder protection) and feed characteristics (feed allowance (ad libitum/restricted), net energy content, crude protein (CP) content), as well as their potential interactions, on the feeding behaviour and performance of growing-finishing pigs. The detrimental effect of low temperature on performance was particularly evident for restricted-fed pigs (P < 0.05).

Mediators of physical activity change in a behavioral modification program for type 2 diabetes patients.

Background: Many studies have reported significant behavioral impact of physical activity interventions. However, few have examined changes in potential mediators of change preceding behavioral changes, resulting in a lack of information concerning how the intervention worked. Our purpose was to examine mediation effects of changes in psychosocial variables on changes in physical activity in type 2 diabetes patients.

Increasing physical activity in Belgian type 2 diabetes patients: a three-arm randomized controlled trial.

Background: Pedometer-based physical activity programs have been typically delivered in a group format by a behavioral expert. An alternative strategy that builds on existing interactions is delivery through individual consultation by a general practitioner (GP). These two delivery strategies have not been directly compared.

Physical environmental correlates of self-reported and objectively assessed physical activity in Belgian type 2 diabetes patients.

Despite the well-known beneficial effects of physical activity (PA) on the long-term outcomes of type 2 diabetes patients, the majority of this patient group remains inactive. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the most important PA determinants in type 2 diabetes patients in order to develop efficacious interventions to increase PA participation. The main aim of this study was to investigate the associations of physical environmental factors with objectively assessed and self-reported PA in type 2 diabetes patients.

The effects of a pedometer-based behavioral modification program with telephone support on physical activity and sedentary behavior in type 2 diabetes patients.

Objective: Effectiveness of a behavioral modification program on physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior in diabetes patients.

Methods: Ninety-two patients were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. The 24-weeks intervention consisted of a face-to-face session, pedometer and seven telephone follow-ups.

Quantitative assessment of the effects of space allowance, group size and floor characteristics on the lying behaviour of growing-finishing pigs.

To obtain quantitative information that can be later used in animal welfare modelling, the relationship between the lying behaviour of growing-finishing pigs (initial body weight (BW) between 19 and 87 kg) and different factors related to the housing conditions, with a potential negative effect on their welfare, was studied by means of a meta-analytical approach. Data from 22 experiments reported in 21 scientific publications were collected. The space allowance, expressed on an allometric basis by means of a k-value (m2/BW0.