1. |
- Assander, Susanne, et al.
(author)
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ASSIST : a reablement program for older adults in Sweden - a feasibility study
- 2022
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In: BMC Geriatrics. - : Springer Nature. - 1471-2318. ; 22:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Western countries emphasise the provision of assistive home care by implementing reablement services. Reablement services are offered to a limited degree in Sweden, and systematic research regarding outcomes and how reablement can be tailored to maximize benefits for older adults has been lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a novel reablement program (ASSIST 1.0) regarding study design and outcome measures, as well as fidelity, adherence, and acceptability of the program in a Swedish context. Method A non-randomised, quasi-experimental, mixed-method, pre/post-test design was applied with an intervention group receiving ASSIST 1.0 (n = 7) and a control group receiving regular home care (n = 10). ASSIST 1.0 was developed to empower older adults to increase their perceived performance and satisfaction of performing activities in everyday life as well as increase their perceived health, self-efficacy, and well-being. ASSIST 1.0 was founded on the concept of reablement and included three components: i) goal setting with The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), ii) provided support to home care staff to enhance their provision of reablement, and iii) explored the incorporation and use of an information- and communication technology (ICT) to facilitate information transfer. Results Using COPM for goal setting with older adults and providing support to the staff via workshops were valuable components in the delivery of ASSIST 1.0. The ICT product encountered several challenges and could not be evaluated. COPM and EQ-5D were deemed the most important instruments. Organisational and political barriers affected the feasibility. Although, the fidelity and adherence were complied the staff perceived the program to be acceptable. Conclusion The ASSIST 1.0 program was feasible in regard of study design, delivering the intervention, and evaluating instruments that detected a change. A logical progression would be to conduct a full-scale trial. In addition, a usability study to evaluate the technological component is also recommended. With minor improvements, the ASSIST 1.0 program has the potential to contribute to the development of a home care organisation that could enhance older adults possibility to age in place at home.
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2. |
- Eriksson, Christina, et al.
(author)
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Occupational therapists' perceptions of implementing a client-centered intervention in close collaboration with researchers : A mixed methods study
- 2020
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1103-8128 .- 1651-2014. ; 27:2, s. 142-153
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Integration of research-based knowledge in health care is challenging. Occupational therapists (OTs) need to implement new research-based interventions in clinical practice. Therefore it is crucial to recognize and understand the factors of specific barriers and facilitators affecting the implementation process. Aim: To identify the key factors important for OTs during the implementation process of a complex intervention.Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study with a combination of qualitative and quantitative data in a mixed method design. Forty-one OTs and 23 managers from three county councils in Sweden, responded to a questionnaire one year after the OTs participation in a workshop to prepare for implementation of a client-centered activity of daily living intervention for persons with stroke.Results: Over 70% of the OTs benefitted from reading and discussing articles in the workshop; 60% had faith in the intervention; 69% reported usability of the intervention. High level of support from managers was reported, but less from team members. The therapists' interaction, perceptions of own efforts and contextual influence affected the implementation process.Conclusion: The workshop context with facilitation and access to evidence, supportive organizations and teams, sufficient interaction with researchers and satisfying self-image were successful key factors when involved in research.
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3. |
- Ablondi, Michela, et al.
(author)
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Performance of Swedish Warmblood fragile foal syndrome carriers and breeding prospects
- 2022
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In: Genetics Selection Evolution. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0999-193X .- 1297-9686. ; 54
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Warmblood fragile foal syndrome (WFFS) is a monogenetic defect caused by a recessive lethal missense point mutation in the procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 1 gene (PLOD1, c.2032G>A). The majority of homozygous WFFS horses are aborted during gestation. Clinical signs of affected horses include fragile skin, skin and mucosa lacerations, hyperextension of the articulations, and hematomas. In spite of its harmful effect, a relatively high frequency of WFFS carriers has been found in Warmblood horses, suggesting a heterozygote advantage. Thus, in this study our aims were to: (1) estimate the frequency of WFFS carriers in the Swedish Warmblood breed (SWB), (2) estimate the effect of WFFS carrier genotype on performance traits in two SWB subpopulations bred for different disciplines, and (3) simulate the potential effects of balancing selection and different selection strategies on the frequency of carriers. Methods In total, 2288 SWB sport horses born between 1971 and 2020 were tested for the WFFS mutation and had estimated breeding values (EBV) for ten traditional evaluating and 50 linear descriptive traits. Results The frequency of WFFS carriers calculated from a pool of 511 randomly selected SWB horses born in 2017 was equal to 7.4% and ranged from 0.0 to 12.0% among the whole set of tested SWB horses, starting from 1971 till 2020. The effect of the WFFS carrier genotype was significant for several EBV mainly related to movements and dressage traits and especially for horses not bred for the show jumping discipline. Using simulation, we showed that balancing selection can maintain a recessive lethal allele in populations such as the SWB breed over generations and that the frequency is expected to slowly decrease in absence of balancing selection. Finally, we showed that selection against carrier sires can result in a more rapid decrease of the frequency of the mutant allele over time. Conclusion Further research is needed to confirm the apparent association between equine performance and the WFFS carrier genotype. Identification of such associations or new causative mutations for horse performance traits can serve as new tools in horse breeding to select for healthy, sustainable, and better performing horses.
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4. |
- Ahmed, Fozia, et al.
(author)
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ESR2 expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue is related to body fat distribution in women, and knockdown impairs preadipocyte differentiation
- 2022
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In: Adipocyte. - : Informa UK Limited. - 2162-3945 .- 2162-397X. ; 11:1, s. 434-447
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Oestrogen receptor 2 (ESR2) expression has been shown to be higher in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) from postmenopausal compared to premenopausal women. The functional significance of altered ESR2 expression is not fully known. This study investigates the role of ESR2 for adipose tissue lipid and glucose metabolism. SAT biopsies were obtained from 44 female subjects with or without T2D. Gene expression of ESR2 and markers of adipose function and metabolism was assessed. ESR2 knockdown was performed using CRISPR/Cas9 in preadipocytes isolated from SAT of females, and differentiation rate, lipid storage, and glucose uptake were measured. ESR2 expression was inversely correlated with measures of central obesity and expression of some fatty acid oxidation markers, and positively correlated with lipid storage and glucose transport markers. Differentiation was reduced in ESR2 knockdown preadipocytes. This corresponded to reduced expression of markers of differentiation and lipogenesis. Glucose uptake was reduced in knockdown adipocytes. Our results indicate that ESR2 deficiency in women is associated with visceral adiposity and impaired subcutaneous adipocyte differentiation as well as glucose and lipid utilization. High ESR2 expression, as seen after menopause, could be a contributing factor to SAT expansion. This may support a possible target to promote a healthy obesity phenotype.
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5. |
- Ahmed, Fozia
(author)
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Estrogen and its receptors in adipose tissue from women and men : Associations with age, adiposity and type 2 diabetes
- 2024
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Obesity and its complications, such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D), are leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally. Adipose tissue is important for whole-body homeostasis, functioning as an energy storage reservoir and an endocrine organ. Estrogens mediate their effects through estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) and beta (ESR2) and contribute to sex and menopause-related differences in body fat distribution. Moreover, estrogens can be produced from androgens in the adipose tissue by the enzyme aromatase. The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate the role of estrogen and estrogen signalling in human adipose tissue and their association with age, adiposity, and insulin resistance. In Paper I, we assessed ESR1 and ESR2 gene expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) from pre- and postmenopausal women, and investigated the effects of estradiol on adipocyte glucose uptake. We found that ESR2 gene expression was higher in postmenopausal women than premenopausal women. Moreover, in late, but not pre- or early postmenopausal women, estradiol incubation reduced basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, which corresponded to an increase in ESR2 gene expression levels. The inhibiting effect of estradiol on adipocyte glucose uptake was prevented using an ESR2 antagonist. Subsequently, in Paper II we assessed the role of ESR2 in SAT lipid and glucose metabolism and preadipocyte differentiation. ESR2 expression in SAT was inversely correlated with markers of central adiposity and positively correlated with markers of lipid accumulation. Moreover, ESR2 knockdown impaired subcutaneous preadipocyte differentiation and glucose utilization. In Paper III, we focused on adipocyte lipolysis in women, which is regulated, in part, by catecholamines. OCT3, which mediates catecholamine transport into adipocytes, where they can be degraded, was increased in SAT with age, and higher in postmenopausal women than premenopausal women. Moreover, its expression was negatively associated with markers of insulin resistance and ex vivo lipolysis. Estradiol incubation of SAT downregulated OCT3 gene expression, which may explain lower OCT3 gene expression in premenopausal compared to postmenopausal women. In Paper IV, we focused on the role of aromatase and estradiol in SAT from men. We found that aromatase expression was higher in SAT from men with obesity and T2D compared to subjects without obesity and T2D, respectively, and was positively associated with markers of central obesity and markers of insulin resistance. Contrastingly, ESR1 expression in SAT was lower in men with obesity and T2D compared to subjects without obesity and T2D, respectively, and negatively associated with markers of obesity and insulin resistance. ESR2 expression was higher in SAT from men with T2D compared to men without T2D. Estradiol reduced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake, however, neither testosterone, nor aromatase inhibition, altered adipocyte glucose uptake. In this thesis, we found that estrogen has important metabolic effects in adipose tissue, including regulating lipid accumulation, glucose uptake capacity, and catecholamine transport. Overall, our findings suggest that estrogen and estrogen receptors may have an important role in age-, menopausal- and sex-dependent differences in body fat distribution, and may serve as potential targets for the prevention and treatment obesity and insulin resistance.
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6. |
- Ahmed, Fozia, et al.
(author)
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Increased OCT3 Expression in Adipose Tissue With Aging : Implications for Catecholamine and Lipid Turnover and Insulin Resistance in Women
- 2023
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In: Endocrinology. - : Oxford University Press. - 0013-7227 .- 1945-7170. ; 165:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Catecholamine-stimulated lipolysis is reduced with aging, which may promote adiposity and insulin resistance. Organic cation transporter 3 (OCT3), which is inhibited by estradiol (E2), mediates catecholamine transport into adipocytes for degradation, thus decreasing lipolysis. In this study, we investigated the association of OCT3 mRNA levels in subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) with aging and markers of insulin resistance in women.Methods SAT biopsies were obtained from 66 women with (19) or without (47) type 2 diabetes (age 22-76 years, 20.0-40.1 kg/m2). OCT3 mRNA and protein levels were measured for group comparisons and correlation analysis. SAT was incubated with E2 and OCT3 mRNA levels were measured. Associations between OCT3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and diabetes-associated traits were assessed.Results OCT3 mRNA and protein levels in SAT increased with aging. SAT from postmenopausal women had higher levels of OCT3 than premenopausal women, and there was a dose-dependent reduction in OCT3 mRNA levels in SAT treated with E2. OCT3 mRNA levels were negatively associated with markers of insulin resistance, and ex vivo lipolysis. OCT3 SNPs were associated with BMI, waist to hip ratio, and circulating lipids (eg, triglycerides).Conclusion OCT3 mRNA and protein levels in SAT increased with aging, and mRNA levels were negatively associated with markers of insulin resistance. E2 incubation downregulated OCT3 mRNA levels, which may explain lower OCT3 mRNA in premenopausal vs postmenopausal women. High OCT3 protein levels in adipose tissue may result in increased catecholamine degradation, and this can contribute to the reduction in lipolysis observed in women with aging.
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7. |
- Ahmed, Fozia, et al.
(author)
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Role of Estrogen and Its Receptors in Adipose Tissue Glucose Metabolism in Pre- and Postmenopausal Women
- 2022
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In: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. - : ENDOCRINE SOC. - 0021-972X .- 1945-7197. ; 107:5, s. E1879-E1889
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context: Reduced estrogen levels in postmenopausal women predispose them to metabolic side effects, including insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes; however, the cellular mechanisms are not well understood.Objective: This work aimed to study the expression of estrogen receptors in adipose tissue from pre- and postmenopausal women and the effects of estradiol (E2) on glucose uptake of adipocytes.Methods: Subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) obtained from pre- and postmenopausal women (19-51 and 46-75 years old, respectively) were used to measure gene expression of ESR1 and ESR2. SAT tissue was incubated with E2, and glucose uptake and estrogen receptor levels were measured. Polymorphisms in ESR1 and ESR2 were addressed in public databases to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with metabolic traits.Results: ESR2 expression was lower in pre- vs postmenopausal women, corresponding to lower ESR1:ESR2 gene expression ratio in postmenopausal women. In premenopausal women, the expression of ESR1 was higher in VAT than in SAT. In both pre- and postmenopausal women, ESR2 expression was lower in VAT than in SAT. In late, but not pre- or early postmenopausal women, E2 reduced glucose uptake and GLUT4 protein and increased expression of ESR2. ESR1 polymorphisms were associated with weight, body fat distribution, and total cholesterol, and ESR2 polymorphisms were associated with total cholesterol and triglyceride levels and with body fat percentage.Conclusion: E2 inhibits glucose utilization in human adipocytes in late postmenopausal women. Changes in glucose utilization over time since menopause may be explained by a lower ESR1:ESR2 ratio. This can have clinical implications on the timing of estrogen treatment in postmenopausal women.
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8. |
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9. |
- Andersson, Lisbet
(author)
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Med dig vid min sida : -det vårdande mötets betydelse när barn genomgår anestesi i en högteknologisk operationsmiljö
- 2022
-
Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to contribute with knowledge of and gain a greater understanding of the encounter between children, parents, and anesthesia staff in a high-technological surgical environment.Methods: This thesis is based on four studies with descriptive, interpretive and cross-sectional designs. Study I includes 28 children with a focus on the meaning of being anesthetized. Data were collected with non-participant video observations, field notes, and interviews. Data were analyzed using a lifeworld hermeneutical approach according to Dahlberg et al. Study II includes six parents with a focus on the meaning of being a parent at one’s child’s first anesthesia in day surgery. The data analysis was carried out with a phenomenological perspective according to Giorgi’s human science method. Study III includes 809 questionnaires completed by nurse anesthetists about the importance of Families’ in Nursing Care (FINC-NA). Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analysis. Finally, study IV includes 27 non-participant observations when children are being anesthetised. The data analysis was carried out with an observational design with a hermeneutic approach grounded in the philosophy of Gadamer and further described by Ericsson et al.Results: The children’s experiences of being anesthetized are: like being powerless, striving for control, experiencing ambiguous comprehensibility, and they are seeking security. They struggle with anxiety as a result of their inability to protect themselves. Their parents experience ambivalence between worry and relief, and a feeling of losing control. They need to be prepared, be present, and have emotional support. The nurse anesthetists generally had a positive attitude towards the importance of parental presence. Working in a district hospital, working only with children, having routines, being a woman, and allowing both parents to be present and greather experience of children’s anesthesia were associated with a more positive attitude. However, the operating room is not designed for children or the parent’s comfort during the child’s anesthesia induction, and there is a need to be inviting and to be invited, a need for varying compliance, there is a need for mutual dependence, and a need to give and receive emotional support.Conclusions: The reasons children experience anxiety are multifaceted. It is thus essential to listen to the voice of each child and each parent, support them, strive to create an individually adopted caring with so much protection as possible, and see parents as a resource and a conversational partner. The caring encounter is essential when children undergo anesthesia in a high-technical surgical environment. The anesthesia staff can be a powerful resource depending on their demeanour.
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11. |
- Apelgren, Britt Marie, 1956, et al.
(author)
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Introduction: Language Matters in Higher Education
- 2022
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In: Language matters in Higher Education Contexts: Policy and Practice. - Leiden, The Netherlands : Brill. - 2542-8721. - 9789004507920 ; , s. 1-15
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The introductory chapter is designed to set the scene for the different contributing chapters in the book Language Matters in Higher Education Contexts – Policy and Practice. Two overarching themes, ‘internationalisation’ and ‘societal responsibility,’ are identified in relation to language matters in higher education. These themes are both intertwined and nestled together, which sometimes causes significant tensions or fluxing borders. Within these chapters, researchers from different higher education institutions in several European countries bring up emerging and current language issues relating to the ever-increasing urge for universities to be and become international.
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12. |
- Apelgren, Britt Marie, 1956, et al.
(author)
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Language Matters in Higher Education Contexts: Policy and Practice
- 2022
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Book (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This book highlights that language matters permeate all areas of higher education and that language matters for everyone involved in academic institutions: in policy, in teaching and learning, in administration, in research and in leadership. The chapters in this volume address national, institutional and local levels, and range from legal texts to students’ and teachers’ stories across disciplines. It provides a useful picture for all those who work in the various fields of higher education.
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13. |
- Bengtsson, Christian, et al.
(author)
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Association of genomically enhanced and parent average breeding values with cow performance in Nordic dairy cattle
- 2020
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In: Journal of Dairy Science. - : American Dairy Science Association. - 0022-0302 .- 1525-3198. ; 103, s. 6383-6391
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study compared the abilities of virgin heifer genomically enhanced breeding values (GEBV) and parent average breeding values (PA) to predict future cow performance. To increase confidence in genomic technology among farmers, a clear demonstration of the relationship between genomic predictions and future phenotypes is needed. We analyzed 12 different traits in first parity, including production, conformation, fer-tility, and other functional traits. Phenotype data were obtained from national milk recording schemes and breeding values from the Nordic Cattle Genetic Evalu-ation. Direct genomic breeding values were calculated using genomic BLUP and combined with traditional breeding values, using bivariate blending. The data covered 14,862 Red Dairy Cattle, 17,145 Holstein, and 7,330 Jersey genotyped virgin heifers born between 2013 and 2015 in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. Phe-notypes adjusted for systematic environmental effects were used as measures of cow performance. Two meth-ods were used to compared virgin heifer GEBV and PA regarding their ability to predict future cow per-formance: (1) correlations between breeding values and adjusted phenotypes, (2) ranking cows into 4 quartiles for their virgin heifer GEBV or PA, and calculating actual cow performance for each quartile. We showed that virgin heifer GEBV predicted cow performance significantly better than PA for the vast majority of analyzed traits. The correlations with adjusted pheno-types were 38 to 136% higher for GEBV than for PA in Red Dairy Cattle, 42 to 194% higher for GEBV in Holstein, and 11 to 78% higher for GEBV in Jersey. The relative change between GEBV bottom and top quartiles compared with that between PA bottom and top quartiles ranged from 9 to 261% for RDC, 42 to 138% for Holstein, and 4 to 90% for Jersey. Hence, farmers in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden can have confidence in using genomic technology on their herds.
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14. |
- Bengtsson, Christian, et al.
(author)
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Mating allocations in Holstein combining genomic information and linear programming optimization at the herd level
- 2023
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In: Journal of Dairy Science. - 0022-0302 .- 1525-3198. ; 106, s. 3359-3375
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this study, we explored mating allocation in Hol-stein using genomic information for 24,333 Holstein fe-males born in Denmark, Finland, and Sweden. We used 2 data sets of bulls: the top 50 genotyped bulls and the top 25 polled genotyped bulls on the Nordic total merit scale. We used linear programming to optimize economic scores within each herd, considering genetic level, genetic relationship, semen cost, the economic impact of genetic defects, polledness, and 0-casein. We found that it was possible to reduce genetic relation-ships and eliminate expression of genetic defects with minimal effect on the genetic level in total merit index. Compared with maximizing only Nordic total merit in-dex, the relative frequency of polled offspring increased from 13.5 to 22.5%, and that of offspring homozygous for 0-casein (A2A2) from 66.7 to 75.0% in one genera-tion, without any substantial negative impact on other comparison criteria. Using only semen from polled bulls, which might become necessary if dehorning is banned, considerably reduced the genetic level. We also found that animals carrying the polled allele were less likely to be homozygous for 0-casein (A2A2) and more likely to be carriers of the genetic defect HH1. Hence, adding economic value to a monogenic trait in the economic score used for mating allocation sometimes negatively affected another monogenetic trait. We rec-ommend that the comparison criteria used in this study be monitored in a modern genomic mating program.
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15. |
- Bengtsson, Christian, et al.
(author)
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Mating allocations in Nordic Red Dairy Cattle using genomic information
- 2022
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this study, we compared mating allocations in Nordic Red Dairy Cattle using genomic or pedigree information. We used linear programming to optimise different economic scores within each herd, considering genetic level, semen cost, the economic impact of recessive genetic defects, and genetic relationships. We found high correlations (≥0.83) between the pedigree and genomic relationship measures. The mating results showed that it was possible to reduce the different genetic relationships between parents with minimal effect on genetic level. Including the cost of known recessive genetic defects eliminated expression of genetic defects. It was possible to reduce genomic relationships between parents with pedigree information, but it was best done with genomic measures. Linear programming maximised the economic score for all herds studied within seconds, which means that it is suitable for implementation in mating software to be used by advisors and farmers.
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16. |
- Bengtsson, Christian, et al.
(author)
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Mating allocations in Nordic Red Dairy Cattle using genomic information
- 2022
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In: Journal of Dairy Science. - : American Dairy Science Association. - 0022-0302 .- 1525-3198. ; 105, s. 1281-1297
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this study, we compared mating allocations in Nordic Red Dairy Cattle using genomic information. We used linear programming to optimize different economic scores within each herd, considering genetic level, semen cost, the economic impact of recessive genetic defects, and genetic relationships. We selected 9,841 genotyped females born in Denmark, Finland, or Sweden in 2019 for mating allocations. We used 2 different pedigree relationship coefficients, the first tracing the pedigree 3 generations back from the parents of the potential mating and the second based on all available pedigree information. We used 3 different genomic relationship coefficients, 1 SNP-by-SNP genomic relationship and 2 based on shared genomic segments. We found high correlations (≥0.83) between the pedigree and genomic relationship measures. The mating results showed that it was possible to reduce the different genetic relationships between parents with minimal effect on genetic level. Including the cost of known recessive genetic defects eliminated expression of genetic defects. It was possible to reduce genomic relationships between parents with pedigree measures, but it was best done with genomic measures. Linear programming maximized the economic score for all herds studied within seconds, which means that it is suitable for implementation in mating software to be used by advisors and farmers.
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19. |
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20. |
- Berglund, Paulina, et al.
(author)
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Should performance at different race lengths be treated as genetically distinct traits in Coldblooded trotters?
- 2024
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In: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics. - 0931-2668 .- 1439-0388. ; 141, s. 220-234
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Speed, in the form of racing time per kilometre (km), is a performance trait of the Swedish-Norwegian Coldblooded trotter included in the joint Swedish-Norwegian genetic evaluation. A few popular stallions have dominated Coldblooded trotter breeding, which has led to an increasing average relationship between individuals in the population. This study investigated the scope for broadening the breeding goal by selecting for racing time per km over different race lengths (short: 1640 m, medium: 2140 m and long: 2640 m), as this could encourage the use of breeding sires that are less related to the population. Performance data on three- to 12-year-old Coldblooded trotters in all Swedish races run 1995-2021 were obtained from the Swedish Trotting Association. These data consisted of 46,356 observations for 8375 horses in short-distance races, 430,512 observations for 11,193 horses in medium-distance races and 11,006 observations for 3341 horses in long-distance races. Variance components and genetic correlations were calculated using a trivariate animal model with Gibbs sampling from the BLUPF90 suite of programs. Breeding values for the three traits were then estimated using univariate animal models with the same fixed and random effects as in the trivariate model. Heritability estimates of 0.27-0.28 and genetic correlations between racing time per km at the different distances of 0.97-0.99 were obtained. Despite the strong genetic correlation between the traits, there was some re-ranking among the top 10 and top 30 stallions based on distance-specific breeding values. Estimated rank correlation between breeding values for racing time per km in short- and medium-distance races was 0.86, while between short- and long-distance races and between medium- and long-distance races it was 0.61. Mean relationship within the top 10 and top 30 stallions based on breeding values for racing time per km at each distance was 0.31-0.33 and 0.23-0.24 while mean relationship to the rest of the population ranged from 0.17 to 0.18 for all groups, although the 10 and 30 top-ranking stallions differed somewhat in the traits. Estimated average increase in inbreeding was 0.1% per year of birth and 1.2% per generation. The strong genetic correlation between racing time per km at different distances did not support their use as genetically distinct traits. Re-ranking of stallions for racing time per km at different race lengths could favour the use of a larger number of stallions in breeding, but according to our results it would not promote the use of stallions that are less related to the total population. Other traits like longevity or health traits, for example, career length and orthopaedic status, may be more relevant in broadening the breeding goal and preventing a few sires dominating future breeding, and this would be interesting to study further.
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21. |
- Blom, Ylva, et al.
(author)
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Start status in Swedish Warmblood horses
- 2023
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In: Annual meeting of the European Association for Animal Production. - 1382-6077. ; 29, s. 979-979
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)
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22. |
- Bonow, Sandra, et al.
(author)
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Consequences of specialized breeding in the Swedish Warmblood horse population
- 2023
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In: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics. - : Wiley. - 0931-2668 .- 1439-0388. ; 140, s. 79-91
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In many European warmblood studbooks, clear specialization toward either jumping or dressage horses is evident. The Swedish Warmblood (SWB) is also undergoing such specialization, creating a possible need for separate breeding programs and a discipline-specific Young Horse Test (YHT). This study investigated how far specialization of the SWB breed has proceeded and the potential consequences. Individuals in a population of 122,054 SWB horses born between 1980 and 2020 were categorized according to pedigree as jumping (J), dressage (D), allround (AR), or thoroughbred (Th). Data on 8,713 J horses and 6,477 D horses assessed for eight traits in YHT 1999-2020 were used to estimate genetic parameters within and between J and D horses and between different periods. Future scenarios in which young horses are assessed for either jumping or dressage traits at YHT were also analyzed. More than 80% of horses born in 1980-1985 were found to be AR horses, while 92% of horses born in 2016-2020 belonged to a specialized category. The average relationship within J or D category was found to increase during the past decade, whereas the relationship between these categories decreased. Heritability estimates for gait traits were 0.42-0.56 for D horses and 0.25-0.38 for J horses. For jumping traits, heritability estimates were 0.17-0.26 for J horses and 0.10-0.18 for D horses. Genetic correlations between corresponding traits assessed in J and D horses were within the range 0.48-0.81, with a tendency to be lower in the late study period. In the future scenarios, heritability and genetic variance both decreased for traits that were not assessed in all horses, indicating that estimation of breeding value and genetic progress for these traits could be affected by a specialized YHT. However, ranking of sires based on estimated breeding values (EBVs) and accuracy of EBVs was only slightly altered for discipline-specific traits. With continued specialization in SWB, specialization of the YHT should thus be considered.
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24. |
- De Wit, Pierre, 1978, et al.
(author)
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Single nucleotide polymorphisms are suitable for assessing the success of restocking efforts of the European lobster (Homarus gammarus, L.)
- 2022
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In: Conservation Genetics Resources. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1877-7252 .- 1877-7260. ; 14:1, s. 47-52
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The European lobster (Homarus gammarus) forms the base of an important fishery along the coasts of Europe. However, stocks have been in decline for many years, prompting new regulations in the fishery and also restocking efforts. An important feature of any restocking effort is the assessment of success in the number of released juveniles that stay and become adult over time. Here, we tested the power of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) DNA marker panel developed for population assignment to correctly infer parentage on the maternal side of lobster larvae, in the absence of known fathers, using lobsters included in a current restocking effort on the Swedish west coast. We also examined the power to reconstruct the unknown paternal genotypes, and examined the number of fathers for each larval clutch. We found that the 96-SNP panel, despite only containing 78 informative markers, allowed us to assign all larvae to the correct mother. Furthermore, with ten genotyped larvae or more, confident paternal genotypes could be reconstructed. We also found that 15 out of 17 clutches were full siblings, whereas two clutches had two fathers. To our knowledge, this is the first time a SNP panel of this size has been used to assess parentage in a crustacean restocking effort. Our conclusion is that the panel works well, and that it could be an important tool for the assessment of restocking success of H. gammarus in the future.
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25. |
- Domeij, Rickard, 1958-, et al.
(author)
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Exploring the archives for textual entry points to speech - Experiences of interdisciplinary collaboration in making cultural heritage accessible for research
- 2020
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In: CEUR Workshop Proceedings. - Riga : CEUR-WS. ; , s. 45-55, s. 45-55
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Tilltal (Tillgängligt kulturarv för forskning i tal, 'Accessible cultural heritage for speech research') is a multidisciplinary and methodological project undertaken by the Institute of Language and Folklore, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and The Swedish National Archives in cooperation with the National Language Bank and SWE-CLARIN [1]. It aims to provide researchers better access to archival audio recordings using methods from language technology. The project comprises three case studies and one activity and usage study. In the case studies, actual research agendas from three different fields (ethnology, sociolinguistics and interaction analysis) serve as a basis for identifying procedures that may be simplified with the aid of digital tools. In the activity and usage study, we are applying an activity-theoretical approach with the aim of involving researchers and investigating how they use - and would like to be able to use - the archival resources at ISOF. Involving researchers in participatory design ensures that digital solutions are suggested and evaluated in relation to the requirements expressed by researchers engaged in specific research tasks [2]. In this paper we focus on one of the case studies, which investigates the process by which personal experience narratives are transformed into cultural heritage [3], and account for our results in exploring how different types of text material from the archives can be used to find relevant sections of the audio recordings. Finally, we discuss what lessons can be learned, and what conclusions can be drawn, from our experiences of interdisciplinary collaboration in the project.
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26. |
- Ellis, C. D., et al.
(author)
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Crossing the pond: genetic assignment detects lobster hybridisation
- 2020
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 10:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- American lobsters (Homarus americanus) imported live into Europe as a seafood commodity have occasionally been released or escaped into the wild, within the range of an allopatric congener, the European lobster (H. gammarus). In addition to disease and competition, introduced lobsters threaten native populations through hybridisation, but morphological discriminants used for species identification are unable to discern hybrids, so molecular methods are required. We tested an array of 79 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for their utility to distinguish 1,308H. gammarus from 38H. americanus and 30 hybrid offspring from an American female captured in Sweden. These loci provide powerful species assignment in Homarus, enabling the robust identification of hybrid and American individuals among a survey of European stock. Moreover, a subset panel of the 12 most powerful SNPs is sufficient to separate the two pure species, even when tissues have been cooked, and can detect the introduced component of hybrids. We conclude that these SNP loci can unambiguously identify hybrid lobsters that may be undetectable via basic morphology, and offer a valuable tool to investigate the prevalence of cryptic hybridisation in the wild. Such investigations are required to properly evaluate the potential for introgression of alien genes into European lobster populations.
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27. |
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28. |
- Eriksson, Ann-Marie, 1964, et al.
(author)
-
Epilogue: The Intricate Weave of Language Policy and Practice
- 2022
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In: Language Matters in Higher Education Contexts: Policy and Practice. - Leiden, The Netherlands : Brill. - 2542-8721. - 9789004507920 ; , s. 169-176
-
Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- By weaving together the broad range of empirical and conceptual examples of research from local academic European settings presented in the book Language Matters in Higher Education Contexts: Policy and Practice, this chapter reflects on how European higher education is permeated by, and entangled with, language matters, and how such matters are tightly interwoven with, for example, internationalisation and societal responsibility in higher education contexts.
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29. |
- Eriksson, Carolina, et al.
(author)
-
Fetal station at caesarean section and risk of subsequent preterm birth- A cohort study
- 2022
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In: European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology. - : Elsevier. - 0301-2115 .- 1872-7654. ; 275, s. 18-23
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: An increased risk of preterm birth (PTB) following a caesarean section (CS) in the second stage of labor has been demonstrated. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the station of the presenting fetal part and the surgical technique at first CS, and the risk of subsequent PTB.Study design: This was a cohort study of 11,850 women in Sweden, delivered by CS in 2001-2007 at any of 23 birth units, with a second delivery in 2001-2009. Clinical information was retrieved from electronic birth records linked to national health registers. The risk of subsequent PTB was analyzed by fetal station, defined as low (at or below the ischial spines) or high (above the ischial spines), and aspects of the surgical technique at index CS. Associations were explored with logistic regression and results are presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), by type and severity (very early < 32 gestational weeks and moderate preterm 32-36 gestational weeks) of PTB. Multiple logistic regression included adjustments for maternal age, gestational age at first delivery, and inter-delivery interval.Results: Out of 11,850 women delivered by CS, 1,016 (8.6%) delivered preterm in their subsequent pregnancy. There was an increased likelihood of spontaneous PTB, but not with medically indicated PTB, after an index CS with the fetal presenting part at a low station (aOR 1.61, 95% CI 1.23-2.11). CS performed at a low station was associated with birth < 32 gestational weeks (aOR 1.73, 95% CI 1.05-2.84) and birth at 32-36 gestational weeks (aOR 1.29, 95% CI 1.00-1.65), compared with high fetal station. Thickness of the uterine wall, incision type, and closure of the uterus at index CS did not affect the risk.Conclusion: A primary CS at a low station was associated with a subsequent spontaneous PTB, but not medically indicated PTB. Surgical technique at index CS did not alter the risk.
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30. |
- Eriksson, Daniel, et al.
(author)
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GWAS for autoimmune Addison’s disease identifies multiple risk loci and highlights AIRE in disease susceptibility
- 2021
-
In: Nature Communications. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2041-1723. ; 12:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD) is characterized by the autoimmune destruction of the adrenal cortex. Low prevalence and complex inheritance have long hindered successful genetic studies. We here report the first genome-wide association study on AAD, which identifies nine independent risk loci (P < 5 × 10-8). In addition to loci implicated in lymphocyte function and development shared with other autoimmune diseases such as HLA, BACH2, PTPN22 and CTLA4, we associate two protein-coding alterations in Autoimmune Regulator (AIRE) with AAD. The strongest, p.R471C (rs74203920, OR = 3.4 (2.7-4.3), P = 9.0 × 10-25) introduces an additional cysteine residue in the zinc-finger motif of the second PHD domain of the AIRE protein. This unbiased elucidation of the genetic contribution to development of AAD points to the importance of central immunological tolerance, and explains 35-41% of heritability (h2).
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31. |
- Eriksson, Erik, et al.
(author)
-
Perceived Housing in Relation to Retirement and Relocation : A Qualitative Interview Study among Older Adults
- 2022
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In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI AG. - 1661-7827 .- 1660-4601. ; 19:20
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- As people age the home environment becomes increasingly important. Retirement commonly leads to spending more time in one’s home, and relocating from your own home in older age could be associated with reduced health or wellbeing. The relationship between home and person is complex and perceived aspects of one’s housing such as social, emotional and cognitive ties are considered important factors for health and wellbeing. However, little is known about how perceived aspects of the home change in relation to retirement and relocation. This paper used Situational Analysis to explore, via situational mapping, how community dwelling older adults (aged 60–75) perceived their housing situation in relation to retirement and relocation. The results suggest complex relations between relocation/retirement and perceived housing, and between different aspects of perceived housing. Furthermore, the results suggest that the relationship between life transitions and perceived housing can be seen as bi-directional, where different life transitions affect aspects of perceived housing, and that perceived housing affects (decisions for) relocation. The results suggest complex relations between retirement and relocation, as well as other life transitions, and perceived aspects of one’s housing. It is important to consider these interactions to understand factors that affect health and wellbeing in older adults.
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32. |
- Eriksson, Gunilla, et al.
(author)
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Handling fatigue in everyday activities at five years after stroke : A long and demanding process
- 2023
-
In: Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 1103-8128 .- 1651-2014. ; 30:2, s. 228-238
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Fatigue is common and can be challenging after stroke. Aim To explore how post-stroke fatigue (PSF) was experienced and handled among people with stroke in their performance of everyday activities and in participation in social activities five years after stroke. Methods Nine persons who perceived PSF one year after stroke onset were interviewed five years later. The interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results Most participants experienced PSF even five years after stroke and reported longstanding difficulties in everyday activities. Handling fatigue-a long slow process with invisible adjustments in everyday life emerged as the theme. By implementing new strategies in everyday life their PSF lessened over time. Understanding among significant others as to how PSF appears and providing information about PSF early after stroke was perceived important. Conclusion This study adds new knowledge regarding experiences of PSF and long-term support needs. Even if PSF still was reported the participants experienced improvements in everyday life through the application of new strategies. Information about PSF and strategies for managing everyday life should be provided during rehabilitation. Significance This study is one out of only a few focussing on long-term PSF and adjustment to its consequences in everyday life.
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33. |
- Eriksson, Gunilla, et al.
(author)
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Study protocol of a non-randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of the F@ce 2.0 programme : a person-centred, ICT-supported and interdisciplinary rehabilitation intervention after stroke
- 2022
-
In: BMJ Open. - : NLM (Medline). - 2044-6055. ; 12:8
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- INTRODUCTION: Knowledge is missing on use of information and communication technology (ICT), for example, mobile phones/tablets in rehabilitation after stroke. F@ce 2.0 is a person-centred, interdisciplinary intervention supported by ICT. The components of F@ce 2.0 intend to increase performance in daily activities and participation in everyday life for patients with stroke and their significant others. Based on previous feasibility studies, a full-scale evaluation is planned in Sweden. The aim is to implement and evaluate F@ce 2.0, regarding performance of daily activities and participation in everyday life, in comparison with ordinary rehabilitation among persons who have had stroke and significant others. Second, to increase knowledge about how the programme leads to a potential change by studying the implementation process and mechanisms of impact. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Twelve rehabilitation teams (intervention n=7; control n=5) will recruit patients (n=160) who receive rehabilitation at home after stroke and their significant others. F@ce 2.0 is an 8-week intervention where patients, together with the team, formulate three activity goals regarding what they need and want to do in daily lives. The patients will receive short messages service (SMS) each morning reminding about goals, and in the evening to rate their performance during the day. Primary outcomes for patients: self-efficacy measured by the Self-Efficacy Scale; perceived performance in daily activities measured by the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. Significant others: perceived caregiver burden measured by Caregiver Burden Scale. Qualitative interviews with team members delivering, patients receiving intervention and significant others will explore experiences of F@ce 2.0. A process evaluation applying a case-study design using mixed methods will be conducted. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Approved by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority, Stockholm. Knowledge will be created for using ICT for rehabilitation of people after stroke in self-selected activities. Dissemination will include peer-reviewed publications, presentations at conferences, and information to stakeholders. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER DETAILS: NCT04351178 . © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
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34. |
- Eriksson, Gunilla, et al.
(author)
-
The everyday life situation of caregivers to family members who have had a stroke and received the rehabilitation intervention F@ce in Uganda
- 2021
-
In: Archives of Public Health. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 0778-7367 .- 2049-3258. ; 79
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Stroke is increasing in Africa and consequences such as limitations in the performance of activities in everyday life persist a long time. A family member might need to care for and assist the person who has had a stroke. The life situation of these caregivers thereby changes, which could lead to increased workload and new responsibilities in caring for which they lack but request knowledge. During the F@ce rehabilitation program, the caregivers received counseling, which is uncommon in the African context. The aim of the study was twofold; (1) to investigate the perceived caregiver burden and life satisfaction and, (2) to explore and describe the life situation for caregivers to persons that have had a stroke and received the mobile phone supported rehabilitation F@ce in urban areas in Uganda.Method: A mixed method design was used. Twelve caregivers took part in a semi-structured interview regarding their everyday life situation and responded to questionnaires on caregiver burden and life satisfaction. Latent qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the interviews.Results: Five categories were identified in the caregivers' experiences of their life situation: Feels obligated but is just a natural commitment; a tightly scheduled everyday life; being the supporting relative; the caregivers approach as rehabilitators; and being supported by the rehabilitation intervention. The caregivers rated relatively high on the Caregiver Burden Scale and two thirds of the sample rated their satisfaction with life as a whole as dissatisfying. Further ratings on the Life Satisfaction checklist revealed that the financial, vocational, leisure and family situations were dissatisfying.Conclusions: Even if it was viewed as a natural commitment to be a caregiver when a family member had had a stroke, the life situation changed substantially for those who took on the caregiving role. Caregiving responsibilities were challenging as well as a heavy workload and a strained financial situation as many were giving up on jobs. The participants felt burdened and rated a low life satisfaction. The F@ce intervention was, however, expressed as valued and involved support and advice in their caregiving situation as well as information on stroke which relieved stress among them.
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35. |
- Eriksson, Kjell, et al.
(author)
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Synthetic photometry for carbon-rich giants : V. Effects of grain-size-dependent dust opacities
- 2023
-
In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 673
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. The properties and the evolution of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars are strongly influenced by their mass loss through a stellar wind. This, in turn, is believed to be caused by radiation pressure due to the absorption and scattering of the stellar radiation by the dust grains formed in the atmosphere. The optical properties of dust are often estimated using the small particle limit (SPL) approximation, and it has been used frequently in modelling AGB stellar winds when performing radiation-hydrodynamics (RHD) simulations.Aims. We aim to investigate the effects of replacing the SPL approximation by detailed Mie calculations of the size-dependent opacities for grains of amorphous carbon forming in C-rich AGB star atmospheres.Methods. We performed RHD simulations for a large grid of carbon star atmosphere+wind models with different effective temperatures, luminosities, stellar masses, carbon excesses, and pulsation properties. Also, a posteriori radiative transfer calculations for many radial structures (snapshots) of these models were done, resulting in spectra and filter magnitudes.Results. We find that, when giving up the SPL approximation, the wind models become more strongly variable and more dominated by gusts, although the average mass-loss rates and outflow speeds do not change significantly; the increased radiative pressure on the dust throughout its formation zone does, however, result in smaller grains and lower condensation fractions (and thus higher gas-to-dust ratios). The photometric K magnitudes are generally brighter, but at V the effects of using size-dependent dust opacities are more complex: brighter for low mass-loss rates and dimmer for massive stellar winds.Conclusions. Given the large effects on spectra and photometric properties, it is necessary to use the detailed dust optical data instead of the simple SPL approximation in stellar atmosphere+wind modelling where dust is formed.
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36. |
- Eriksson, Lorraine, 1990-, et al.
(author)
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Genetic variants linked to the phenotypic outcome of invasive disease and carriage of Neisseria meningitidis
- 2023
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In: Microbial Genomics. - : Microbiology Society. - 2057-5858. ; 9:10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Neisseria meningitidis can be a human commensal in the upper respiratory tract but is also capable of causing invasive diseases such as meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia. No specific genetic markers have been detected to distinguish carriage from disease isolates. The aim here was to find genetic traits that could be linked to phenotypic outcomes associated with carriage versus invasive N. meningitidis disease through a bacterial genome-wide association study (GWAS). In this study, invasive N. meningitidis isolates collected in Sweden (n=103) and carriage isolates collected at Örebro University, Sweden (n=213) 2018-2019 were analysed. The GWAS analysis, treeWAS, was applied to single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), genes and k-mers. One gene and one non-synonymous SNP were associated with invasive disease and seven genes and one non-synonymous SNP were associated with carriage isolates. The gene associated with invasive disease encodes a phage transposase (NEIS1048), and the associated invasive SNP glmU S373C encodes the enzyme N-acetylglucosamine 1-phosphate (GlcNAC 1-P) uridyltransferase. Of the genes associated with carriage isolates, a gene variant of porB encoding PorB class 3, the genes pilE/pilS and tspB have known functions. The SNP associated with carriage was fkbp D33N, encoding a FK506-binding protein (FKBP). K-mers from PilS, tbpB and tspB were found to be associated with carriage, while k-mers from mtrD and tbpA were associated with invasiveness. In the genes fkbp, glmU, PilC and pilE, k-mers were found that were associated with both carriage and invasive isolates, indicating that specific variations within these genes could play a role in invasiveness. The data presented here highlight genetic traits that are significantly associated with invasive or carriage N. meningitidis across the species population. These traits could prove essential to our understanding of the pathogenicity of N. meningitidis and could help to identify future vaccine targets.
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37. |
- Eriksson-Liebon, Magda, et al.
(author)
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Patients' expectations and experiences of being involved in their own care in the emergency department : A qualitative interview study
- 2021
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In: Journal of Clinical Nursing. - : Wiley. - 0962-1067 .- 1365-2702. ; 30:13-14, s. 1942-1952
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To investigate patients' experiences of being involved in their care in the emergency department (ED).BACKGROUND: Previous research shows that when patients experience involvement during care visits, this increased their trust in the care, gave a sense of control and promoted their autonomy.DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive design with semi-structured interviews, using the "Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research" (COREQ) checklist.METHODS: Using convenience sampling, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 patients in the ED.RESULTS: The study identified four categories: attention and inattention; communication and understanding; varying levels of participation; and inefficient and inaccessible care. The results show that patients expected to be treated with respect and to be involved in an open dialogue about their care. Patients' experiences of participation were related to their sense of control.CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results of the study, the authors found that factors such as dialogue, information, attention and participation affected the patients' involvement during the ED visit. Experiences of involvement and control were linked to patients' experiences of care and of patients as individuals.RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Healthcare providers' awareness of the importance of paying attention to the patient as an individual, and of the need for simple, continuous communication could facilitate patient involvement in own care.
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38. |
- Eriksson, Susanne, et al.
(author)
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Changes in genomic inbreeding and diversity over half a century in Swedish Red and Swedish Holstein dairy cattle
- 2023
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In: Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics. - : Wiley. - 0931-2668 .- 1439-0388. ; 140, s. 295-303
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Swedish Red (SR) and Swedish Holstein (SH) are the dominating commercial dairy cattle breeds in Sweden. Both breeds have undergone substantial changes during the last half century due to intensive selection for breeding goal traits, but also resulting from increased international exchange of breeding animals and genetic drift. The aim of this study was to learn more about changes in genomic diversity and inbreeding in these two breeds over time. Therefore, semen samples from old bulls were genotyped using the 150K Genomic Profiler SNP array and combined with 50K SNP array genotype data, obtained for more recent bulls from the Nordic Cattle Genetic Evaluation. Different measures of level of homozygosity, genomic inbreeding, relatedness and changes in allele frequency were estimated for bulls born during different time periods from the 1950s until 2020. In total, more than 33,000 SNPs for 9737 SR and 5041 SH bulls were included in the analysis using PLINK v1.9. The results showed higher average homozygosity for SR than for SH bulls up to around 2000, but the difference was very small after that. The average inbreeding coefficients based on deviation from expected homozygosity as well as on runs of homozygosity decreased until the early 1980s in both breeds, whereafter they started to increase again for SH, but stayed more stable for SR. From the 1990s onwards, SH displayed higher average inbreeding coefficients than SR. In the last studied birth year group (2015-2020), the mean inbreeding coefficient based on runs of homozygosity was 5.9% for SH and 3.7% for SR. A principal component analysis showed a pattern of genetic relationships related to the birth year period of the bulls, illustrating the gradual change of the genetic material within each breed. The change in allele frequency over time was generally larger for SH than for SR. The results show that the inbreeding level was higher half a century ago than at present, and the inbreeding levels were lower than in some other studied populations. Still, the increase seen for inbreeding coefficients and homozygosity, especially in SH during recent years, should be considered in future breeding strategies.
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39. |
- Eriksson, Susanne, et al.
(author)
-
Changes in genomic inbreeding over half a century in Swedish Red and Swedish Holstein cattle
- 2022
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Over the last half century, new artificial insemination technology, methods for genetic evaluation, and breeding material from other countries have been introduced in Swedish cattle breeding. In this study, we aimed at investigating changes in homozygosity and genomic inbreeding over time in commercial dairy breeds. Genotype data from 50K and 150K SNP arrays for in total 5636 Swedish Red and 3115 Swedish Holstein bulls born 1956–2015 were analysed. The highest levels of both average homozygosity and inbreeding coefficient based on runs of homozygosity were seen in the earliest period of the data, although rapidly decreasing until the 1980s. After a period of more stable estimates, the inbreeding coefficients increased in both breeds after the introduction of genomic selection around 2010. Principal component analysis of relatedness showed a gradual transition over time for both breeds, but most pronouncedly for Swedish Holstein that was much influenced by foreign Holstein bulls.
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40. |
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41. |
- Eriksson, Susanne, et al.
(author)
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Different beef breed sires used for crossbreeding with Swedish dairy cows - effects on calving performance and carcass traits
- 2020
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In: Livestock Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 1871-1413 .- 1878-0490. ; 232
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Improved potential for weight gain and carcass classification traits in calves aimed at slaughter from dairy herds would increase the calves' economic value, and enable an increased beef production. At present, relatively low economic weights are placed on beef traits in the comprehensive Nordic dairy cattle breeding goal. An effective way to improve beef production from dairy herds is therefore to inseminate a larger proportion of dairy heifers and cows with beef bull semen. In the choice of beef bull breed, both effects on calving traits, carcass weight gain and carcass traits need to be considered. The aim of this study was therefore to compare different beef x dairy crosses regarding calving performance and carcass traits. Field data comprising in total close to 1.6 million calving records from Swedish herds, and more than 1.1 million carcass records from commercial slaughter houses, were analyzed using linear models. Differences in least-square means between different breed combinations were estimated for percentage of calving difficulty, stillbirth, daily carcass gain, carcass weight, EUROP conformation and fat classification. The dams were purebred Swedish Red (SR) or Swedish Holstein (SH), and the sires were either of purebred dairy (SR or SH) or of the beef breeds Angus, Hereford, Limousin, Simmental or Charolais. The results showed that crossbreeding dairy cows with beef bulls, especially of late maturing breeds, has potential to considerably improve beef production from dairy herds. Improvement of carcass characteristics and carcass gain were most noticeable in young crossbred bulls, where the highest increase for single breed combinations was 67% for conformation and 17% for carcass gain. Offspring of different beef x dairy combinations displayed varying average carcass gain and characteristics in terms of fatness and conformation in heifers, steers and young bulls, and would fit different types of production systems. Whereas crossbreeding had small or favorable effects on stillbirth, the use of late maturing beef breed sires negatively influenced the calving performance, especially in primiparous dairy cows. By choosing individual beef bulls with high estimated breeding values for calving ease, the percentage of calving difficulty could be reduced, even when using late maturing beef breed sires for crossbreeding.
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42. |
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43. |
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44. |
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45. |
- Eriksson, Susanne, et al.
(author)
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Genetic Diversity and Signatures of Selection in a Native Italian Horse Breed Based on SNP Data
- 2020
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In: Animals. - : MDPI AG. - 2076-2615. ; 10
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Simple Summary The Bardigiano horse is a native Italian breed bred for living in rural areas, traditionally used in agriculture. The breed counts about 3000 horses, and it is nowadays mainly used for recreational purposes. The relatively small size and the closed status of the breed raise the issue of monitoring genetic diversity. We therefore characterized the breed's genetic diversity based on molecular data. We showed a critical reduction of genetic variability mainly driven by past bottlenecks. We also highlighted homozygous genomic regions that might be the outcome of directional selection in recent years, in line with the conversion of Bardigiano horses from agricultural to riding purposes. Horses are nowadays mainly used for sport and leisure activities, and several local breeds, traditionally used in agriculture, have been exposed to a dramatic loss in population size and genetic diversity. The loss of genetic diversity negatively impacts individual fitness and reduces the potential long-term survivability of a breed. Recent advances in molecular biology and bioinformatics have allowed researchers to explore biodiversity one step further. This study aimed to evaluate the loss of genetic variability and identify genomic regions under selection pressure in the Bardigiano breed based on GGP Equine70k SNP data. The effective population size based on Linkage Disequilibrium (N-e) was equal to 39 horses, and it showed a decline over time. The average inbreeding based on runs of homozygosity (ROH) was equal to 0.17 (SD = 0.03). The majority of the ROH were relatively short (91% were <= 2 Mbp long), highlighting the occurrence of older inbreeding, rather than a more recent occurrence. A total of eight ROH islands, shared among more than 70% of the Bardigiano horses, were found. Four of them mapped to known quantitative trait loci related to morphological traits (e.g., body size and coat color) and disease susceptibility. This study provided the first genome-wide scan of genetic diversity and selection signatures in an Italian native horse breed.
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46. |
- Eriksson, Susanne, et al.
(author)
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Genetic Parameters and Genetic Trends of Female Fertility in Icelandic Dairy Cattle
- 2021
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In: Livestock Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 1871-1413 .- 1878-0490. ; 251
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Fertility, represented by calving interval, has been included in the genetic evaluation of Icelandic cattle since 1993. In spite of this an unfavourable genetic trend is seen and, recent implementation of test-day models for the genetic evaluation of milk production has changed the premise of using calving interval to represent fertility. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters and genetic trends of different female fertility traits in Icelandic dairy cattle and suggest new traits for the genetic evaluation. Insemination records for the first three lactations and the heifer period of 52,951 Icelandic cows were used to analyse the traits: conception rate at first insemination (CR), number of inseminations per service period (AIS), interval first to last insemination (IFL), interval calving to first insemination (ICF), interval calving to last insemination (ICL) and calving interval (CI). Correlations between fertility and production traits were also estimated. Five different linear animal models were used to estimate (co)variance components. Breeding values were compared, and genetic trends of fertility traits were investigated. Estimated heritabilities for the fertility traits were low, ranging from 0.01 (IFL) to 0.08 (ICF). Genetic correlations between heifer and cow performances within traits ranged from 0.23 to 0.81. Between lactations within traits, the genetic correlations ranged from 0.36 to 1.00. Genetic correlations between different heifer traits were strong, and between different cow fertility traits they ranged from weak (-0.17) to very strong (0.97). Genetic correlations between the fertility and production traits were generally unfavourable, but more pronouncedly so for AIS, IFL, ICL and CI than for ICF and CR. Estimated genetic trends seemed unfavourable for the traits AIS, IFL and CI and favourable for ICF and ICL. In a revised genetic evaluation for fertility in Icelandic cattle, the traits ICF and IFL should be included to represent cow fertility, and CR to represent heifer fertility.
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47. |
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48. |
- Eriksson, Susanne, et al.
(author)
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Haplotype blocks and heterozygosity rich regions on ECA2 in Swedish Warmblood horses
- 2022
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Fragile Foal Syndrome (FFS) is a disease caused by a recessive lethal missense mutation in the PLOD1 gene (ECA2). Despite its harmful effect, a relatively high frequency of the FFS allele carriers has been found in the Swedish Warmblood (SWB), suggesting a heterozygous advantage. Balancing selection can be further studied in haplotype blocks and increased heterozygosity around the target of selection. In this study we evaluated the presence of haplotype blocks and Runs of Heterozygosity on ECA2 in 380 SWB horses divided by sport discipline. In horses mainly bred for dressage a haplotype block comprising the FFS variant was found. On average 11.7 Runs of Heterozygosity were identified per horse on ECA2, with no significant difference in numbers between the sport disciplines. This study provides a preliminary characterization of haplotype blocks and heterozygosity rich regions on ECA2 which may further corroborate the potential presence of balancing selection for the FFS allele.
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49. |
- Eriksson, Susanne
(author)
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Hur genetiskt lika är svenska ardennerhästar?
- 2022
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In: Ardennernytt : medlemstidning för Avelsföreningen för Svenska Ardennerhästen. - 2002-1577. ; 18, s. 32-33
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Journal article (pop. science, debate, etc.)
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50. |
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