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Simple Summary Therapeutic ultrasound (TU) is used in sport and companion animals to treat diseases and injuries affecting tendons, ligaments, muscles, joints, and bones. Usually, there are 2-6 treatment sessions weekly for up to 4 weeks. The scientific evidence for the treatment has been questioned. We have therefore performed a systemic review of the scientific literature on TU used in dogs, horses, donkeys, and cats. The review shows that there is insufficient scientific evidence for favourable effects in conditions affecting tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints in these species. The studies have been few and most of them involve only a small number of animals. Many studies also have methodological problems with compromised study quality. When beneficial results are reported, they have not been repeated in independent studies. Favourable effects on bone healing have, however, been reported in experiments where bone fractures have been created surgically in dogs. There is also scientific evidence that TU treatment of testicles in dogs and cats arrests the production of sperm, indicating that it may be used for contraception. The favourable effects on bone healing and the conceptive effects need to be confirmed in high-quality clinical trials. Background: To explore the scientific evidence for therapeutic ultrasound (TU), we conducted a systematic review of the literature on TU in dogs, horses, donkeys, and cats. Methods: In three major databases, relevant articles published in 1980-2020 were identified. The risk of bias in each article was evaluated. Results: Twenty-four relevant articles on the effects of TU in dogs, nine in horses, two in donkeys, and one in cats were identified. TU usually involved 2-6 treatments weekly for up to 4 weeks. Articles on tendon, ligament, and bone healing, acute aseptic arthritis, osteoarthritis, paraparesis, hindquarter weakness, and back muscle pain were identified. In experimental bone lesions in dogs, there is moderate scientific evidence for enhanced healing. For the treatment of other musculoskeletal conditions, the scientific evidence is insufficient due to the high risk of bias. There is substantial evidence that continuous TU increases tissue temperature in muscles and tendons by up to 5 degrees C in healthy animals. For disorders in tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints in sport and companion animals, there is insufficient evidence for the clinical effects of TU.

Authors and institutions participating in making the FINRES-Vet report: Finnish Food Authority: Suvi Nykäsenoja, Satu Olkkola, Marie Verkola, Mia Biström, Thomas Grönthal, Tiina Autio, Liisa Kaartinen, Mirja Raunio-Saarnisto Finnish Medicines Agency Fimea: Katariina Kivilahti-Mäntylä, Tita-Maria Muhonen Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki: Katarina Eskola Sales of veterinary antibiotics turned to a 5% increase in 2021. The result, however, was the second lowest since the monitoring began. The majority of overall sales consisted of products for individual treatment and the proportion of products for group treatment was roughly over a quarter. The biggest increase in sales was noted for orally administered sulfa-trimethoprim-combination and is partly explained by the increased manufacture of medicated feed for fur animals. Increased sales were also noted for antibiotic tablets for companion animals. Injectable penicillin continued to be the most sold veterinary antibiotic. Sales of critically important antibiotics (HPCIA, WHO) for treatment of animals decreased further and remained very low. The antibiotic resistance situation in bacteria from animals and food has remained relatively good in Finland. However, in certain bacterial species resistance was detected in moderate or high levels. Therefore, the need remains to further emphasise the preventive measures and prudent use of antibiotics. It is important to follow the Finnish recommendations for the use of antimicrobials in animals. Among salmonella from food-producing animals and campylobacter from broilers, resistance levels were low. Since 2014, the proportions of fluoroquinolone and tetracycline resistant broiler campylobacter isolates have varied. Among porcine campylobacter, fluoroquinolone resistance has increased. Resistance situation among indicator E. coli from pigs has remained good. The prevalence of ESBL/AmpC-producing bacteria in slaughtered pigs increased in 2021 while no ESBL/AmpC-producing bacteria were detected in pork and beef at retail. MRSA bacteria were detected more than previously in fresh pork at retail. The resistance situation among pathogenic bacteria isolated from food-producing animals remained similar to 2020. Resistance was overall low in bovine and porcine respiratory pathogens as well as in pathogens isolated from broilers. Resistance was still detected most in enterotoxigenic E. coli from pigs. Among bacteria isolated from companion animals, the changes in resistance situation were mostly small. The proportion of canine E. coli strains resistant to third-generation cephalosporins was the lowest since the start of the monitoring.

This publication contains information on the animal disease situation in Finland during 2021. Topical information on occurrence of the diseases to be combated under the law and certain other infections in various animal species in Finland has been compiled. The publication also describes the measures taken to prevent and combat animal diseases. The animal disease situation of 2021 was different from the general good situation in Finland. In our country, highly pathogenic avian influenza was first diagnosed in poultry, and in Åland there were cases of IHN in salmonids and varroa mite infection in bees. Highly pathogenic avian influenza is classified as a category A animal disease under the EU Animal Health Regulation, Finland has had official freedom of disease from IHN, with the exception of the 2017—2018 continental epidemic restricted zone, and Åland has had official disease-free status from infestation with Varroa. The COVID-19 pandemic continued to present challenges for the sector’s operations. Since minks in particular are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection of fur animals, the control program of fur animals started in 2020 was continued as well as to prepare for corona infestation of fur animals. Continuous monitoring of the coronal situation in fur farms important, since epidemics that persist in large numbers of animals allow new virus variants to emerge. Although the year was challenging, it also included plenty of successes and the health level of Finnish domestic and farmed animals can still be considered good. Finland remained free of strategically important animal diseases such as enzootic bovine leucosis, IBR and BVD infections, PRRS infections in swine and Echinococcus multilocularis infection. In 2020, Finland applied for official disease freedom status for rabies, bluetongue disease and BVD. Official disease-free country status for Rabies and bluetongue disease was obtained in 2021, and intensified surveillance sampling carried out during the year of the BVD led to the obtaining of disease freedom in early 2022.

Forests are dynamic ecosystems that are constantly changing. The most common natural reasons for change in forests are the growth and death of trees, as well as the damage occurring to them. Tree growth appears as an increment of its structural dimensions, such as stem diameter, height, and crown volume, which all affect the structure of a tree. Repeated measurements of tree characteristics enable observations of the respective increments indicating tree growth. According to current knowledge, the tree growth process follows the priority theory, where trees aim to achieve sufficient lightning conditions for the tree crown through primary growth, whereas increment in diameter results from the secondary growth. Tree growth is known to have an effect on the carbon sequestration potential of trees as well as on the quality of timber. To improve the understanding of the underlying cause–effect relations driving tree growth, methods to quantify structural changes in trees and forests are needed. The use of terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) has emerged during the recent decade as an effective tool to determine attributes of individual trees. However, the capacity of TLS point cloud-based methods to measure tree growth remains unexplored. This thesis aimed at developing new methods to measure tree growth in boreal forest conditions by utilizing two-date TLS point clouds. The point clouds were also used to investigate how trees allocate their growth and how the stem form of trees develops, to deepen the understanding of tree growth processes under different conditions and over the life cycle of a tree. The capability of the developed methods was examined during a five- to nine-year monitoring period with two separate datasets consisting of 1315 trees in total. Study I demonstrated the feasibility of TLS point clouds for measuring tree growth in boreal forests. In studies II and III, an automated point cloud-based method was further developed and tested for measuring tree growth. The used method could detect trees from two-date point clouds, with the detected trees representing 84.5% of total basal area. In general, statistically significant changes in the examined attributes, such as diameter at breast height, tree height, stem volume, and logwood volume, were detected during the monitoring periods. Tree growth and stem volume allocation seemed to be more similar for trees growing in similar structural conditions. The findings obtained in this thesis demonstrate the capabilities of repeatedly acquired TLS point clouds to be used for measuring the growth of trees and for characterizing the structural changes in forests. This thesis showed that TLS point cloud-based methods can be used for enhancing the knowledge of how trees allocate their growth, and thus help discover the underlying reasons for processes driving changes in forests, which could generate benefits for ecological or silvicultural applications where information on tree growth and forest structural changes is needed.

The Statistical Yearbook on Unemployment Protection in Finland 2021 presents key data on the earnings-related unemployment benefits paid by unemployment funds and the basic unemployment benefits provided by the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela). It contains statistical information about unemployment benefit recipients, expenditures and payment durations. undefined

The trillions of commensal microorganisms comprising the gut microbiota have received growing attention owing to their impact on host physiology. Recent advances in our understandings of the host–microbiota crosstalk support a pivotal role of microbiota-derived metabolites in various physiological processes, as they serve as messengers in the complex dialogue between commensals and host immune and endocrine cells. In this review, we highlight the importance of tryptophan-derived metabolites in host physiology, and summarize the recent findings on the role of tryptophan catabolites in preserving intestinal homeostasis and fine-tuning immune and metabolic responses. Furthermore, we discuss the latest evidence on the effects of microbial tryptophan catabolites, describe their mechanisms of action, and discuss how perturbations of microbial tryptophan metabolism may affect the course of intestinal and extraintestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel diseases, metabolic disorders, chronic kidney diseases, and cardiovascular diseases.

Critical Metals Ltd subsidiary Recycling Industries Scandinavia AB is planning to build a vanadium recovery plant (VRP) in Pori, Finland. The plant will recover vanadium from industrial by-products and use CO2 gas captured from local manufacturing processes. The facility will realise circular economy ideas in the vanadium production. As vanadium is a valuable material for several major industries but is not produced in the EU, the European Commission has classified vanadium as a critical raw material. The aim of this study is to evaluate the regional economic impact that the vanadium recovery plant in Pori could exert. The evaluation focuses on the Satakunta region surrounding the plant, but also considers other Finnish regions along with the impact at the national level. The study period covers both investment and operation phases, starting from 2023 and continuing until 2035. The assessment, which was conducted utilising a dynamic computable general equilibrium model, RegFinDyn, considers the VRP’s direct economic impact as well as the indirect impact. Thus, the results provide a wider picture of the facility’s regional economic implications. According to the evaluation, the economy of Satakunta would benefit from the realisation of the VRP. During the investment phase (in 2023 and 2024), regional GDP, employment, and private consumption in particular would rise due to increased investments, intensive construction, and increased labour incomes. During the operative phase (2025−2035), export (domestic and foreign) would increase by about 1% compared with the baseline. Regional GDP would rise almost as much. Employment and private consumption would rise about 0.3−0.5% compared with the baseline. The VRP would have a positive impact on the regional population as well. The impact of the VRP on employment in Satakunta would be highest during the second investment year, amounting to about 650 person-years. The employment impact would be several hundred person-years (about 240−370) during the operative years as well. The positive employment impact would focus on several industries. During the investment years, employment would rise in construction in particular, but other industries would also benefit such as the manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products; the wholesale and retail trade; professional, scientific, and technical activities; the manufacture of machinery and equipment; accommodation and food service activities, along with other service activities. Respectively, in the operative phase, the employment effect would concern several industries. The plant itself would directly employ 101 people, but in addition to that, industries like the wholesale and retail trade, transportation and storage, as well as construction would benefit from the VRP, underlining the importance of the plant’s indirect effects. The VRP would affect not only Satakunta but also several other regions and the national economy. For example, the VRP would impact national GDP, employment, and export. Results reveal that the investment phase would create a relatively high peak in the national employment level, the impact clearly being bigger at the national level than in Satakunta alone. During the operative phase, the national employment impact would be several hundred (about 300−500) person-years, which is slightly more than the impact on Satakunta alone. The evaluation results suggest positive regional economic impacts, which supports the findings of earlier Finnish studies along with the societal aspirations of creating economic benefits with the transition to circularity. At the same time, this assessment highlights the significance of Pori and other medium-sized Finnish cities: activities to attract investments and business ventures to such cities are widely reflected in regional development, and they may also benefit other areas and even the national economy.

Mycoplasma bovis is an important pathogen of cattle. It causes a wide variety of clinical diseases, including mastitis, respiratory disease, arthritis, and otitis media. M. bovis has evolved several mechanisms to avoid the host’s immune system, no effective commercial vaccines are available, and antibiotic resistance is increasingly seen in contemporary strains. The most common route of transmission between herds is the purchase of a latent carrier animal. M. bovis can spread silently within a herd, and once established in a dairy herd it is difficult to eradicate. Hence, it is of utmost importance to try to control and prevent the spread of M. bovis. Sensitive and cost-effective diagnostic methods to detect latent carrier animals, as well as methods that could be used in herd certification are needed. The possible transmission of M. bovis through assisted reproduction needs to be investigated more closely. This thesis examines the course of M. bovis infection in Finnish dairy farms, presents a new route of entry of M. bovis into naive dairy herds, and describes methods that could be utilized in the control of M. bovis infections. In study I, the course of M. bovis infection was followed over two years on 19 recently infected dairy farms. The aim was to identify diagnostic methods that could be used to assess whether the herd had reached a low-risk infection status. In 17 herds, a few cases of clinical mastitis were detected, and these mostly occurred within two months after the index case. On two farms, M. bovis only caused respiratory disease in young stock, and no clinical mastitis was detected. The prevalence of M. bovis in nasal (NS) and deep nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs taken from young calves varied from zero to 75% per herd among the studied calves. An in-house MilA ELISA detected more positive serum samples than the commercial BioX ELISA. The proportion of MilA-positive young stock followed the patterns seen in NS and NP of calves, but no such association was seen in BioX ELISA results. In cows, despite the infection appearing to have resolved in some herds, the proportion of MilA antibody-positive cows remained high for at least one and half year after the detection of the index case. According to the results, M. bovis can be present in calves alone without causing mastitis in cows. Several methods need to be applied to verify the herd infection status. These include regular monitoring for M. bovis in clinical mastitis and calf pneumonia cases, combined with regular PCR testing of nasal swabs from calves and sera for the detection of antibodies against M. bovis using the MilA ELISA. The transmission of M. bovis via semen has been speculated. When epidemiological data to assess the infection source were collected in study I, suspicion arose that contaminated commercial artificial insemination (AI) semen could have been the source in two closed dairy herds. National health care and farm registers were used to collect farm data and farmers were interviewed. Whole genome sequencing was used to compare the genomes of isolated strains. Epidemiological analysis did not reveal any other source than contaminated semen from one bull used for artificial insemination in the cows that were the first ones to develop clinical mastitis in both herds. Core genome multilocus sequence type analysis supported this. The bull had secreted M. bovis intermittently and for only a short time into semen during an approximately seven-week period. On both farms, the incubation period between insemination and clinical mastitis was 32 days. To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe the transmission of M. bovis via AI. Even though this appears to be rare, commercial AI semen needs to be taken into account as a possible transmission route. Following the detection of M. bovis in Finland, a voluntary control program was established. One part of the program is NS taken from young calves and tested for M. bovis to indicate the infection status of the herd. In study III, the suitability of this method was assessed and compared with NP sampling. Furthermore, NS and NP sampling of pneumonic calves to detect M. bovis was compared with bronchoalveolar lavage sampling. Altogether, 1037 NS were taken from calves in 30 recently infected herds, and NP samples were also taken from 284 calves. The overall prevalence in NS was 29.6% and the highest prevalence of 43% was seen in 31- to 60-day-old calves. Thereafter, the shedding rate decreased. At the calf level, NP sampling detected M. bovis in 47% and NS in 33% of studied calves. At the herd level, NS sampling was more sensitive, as it classified 51 out 54 herd visits with a positive infection status as infected, whereas using NP sampling, the respective figure was 43 out of 54 visits (p = 0.061). The reason for the difference seen at the calf and herd levels is the sampling protocol. We took only five NP samples, but number of NS swabs varied from six to 28, depending on the herd size. We conclude that NS swabs taken from calves under six months of age and analyzed with real-time PCR represent a cost-efficient method to be used in a control program. If calves suffering from acute respiratory disease need to be examined, NP samples are a practical and sensitive method to detect M. bovis. The effect of two concentrations of a gentamycin-tylosin-linco/spectinomycin (GTLS) antibiotic combination and a fluoroquinole antibiotic, ofloxacin, on the viability of M. bovis in commercial-scale AI semen production using modern semen extender with plant-derived protein was investigated. A reference strain and a wild-type strains isolated from semen in study II were used in spiking. Three different protocols to extract M. bovis DNA from semen were also compared. At a high spiking concentration of 106 CFU/mL, none of the studied antibiotics had a bactericidal effect. At a low spiking concentration of 103 CFU/mL, the growth of the wild-type strain was inhibited by all other antibiotic protocols except for the low GTLS concentration, which is stated in EU regulation and the OIE Terrestrial Code. Instead, the high GTLS protocol was the only one that inhibited the growth of the reference strain. At a low M. bovis contamination level, GTLS used at a high concentration, according to the Certified Semen Services protocol, is more efficient than GTLS used according to the OIE Terrestrial Code. The Instagene™ matrix was the most efficient method to extract M. bovis DNA from semen. Mycoplasma bovis (M. bovis) on maailmanlaajuisesti merkittävä patogeeni bakteeri naudoilla. Tartunta siirtyy karjasta toiseen yleensä oireettoman kantajaeläimen välityksellä. Jotta bakteerin leviämistä voidaan estää, täytyy tuntea tartuntareitit ja tarvitaan herkkiä ja kustannustehokkaita menetelmiä, joilla voidaan löytää kantajaeläimet sekä käyttää karjan M. bovis -vapauden osoittamiseen. Työssä tutkittiin M. bovis infektion kulkua suomalaisissa lypsykarjoissa, esitetään uusi tartuntareitti karjaan sekä menetelmiä, joilla tartunnan leviämistä voidaan kontrolloida. Infektion kulkua seurattiin kahden vuoden ajan hiljattain tartunnan saaneissa lypsykarjoissa mm. käyttäen kahta erilaista ELISA-testiä vasta-aineiden toteamiseen sekä nuorkarjan sierainlimatutkimuksia. Pääsääntöisesti tartunta ilmeni ensin utaretulehduksina, mutta kahdella tilalla pelkästään nuorkarjan hengitystieinfektioina. M. bovista esiintyi sierainlimassa 0–75 %:lla tutkituista vasikoista tiloittain. Kokeellinen MilA ELISA osoittautui erittäin herkäksi testiksi verrattuna kaupalliseen BioX K260 -testiin. Vasikoissa MilA-vasta-ainepositiivisten eläinten osuus oli verrannollinen M. boviksen esiintymiseen sierainlimanäytteissä, mutta K260 -testillä yhteyttä ei havaittu. Lehmillä MilA-vasta-aineet säilyivät ainakin 1,5 vuotta niissäkin karjoissa, joissa tartunta näytti olevan poistunut. Lypsykarjan M. bovis statuksen arviointi vaatii useiden menetelmien käyttöä: utaretulehdus- ja vasikoiden sierainlimanäytteiden tutkimista PCR-menetelmällä sekä vasta-ainetutkimusta verinäytteistä MilA-ELISAlla. M. boviksen leviämistä sperman välityksellä on spekuloitu. Osatyössä kaksi tutkittiin, voiko kaupallinen sperma olla mahdollinen tartunnan lähde kahdessa suljetussa lypsykarjassa. Tiloista kerättiin tietoa eri rekistereistä sekä omistajien haastattelulla. Kokogenomisekvensointia käytettiin M. bovis -kantojen analysoinnissa. Epidemiologinen selvitys osoitti todennäköiseksi tartuntalähteeksi keinosiemennyksessä käytetyn sonnin sperman. Ydingenomin multilokussekvenssianalyysi tuki tätä. Sonnin spermalla oli siemennetty ne lehmät, joilla ensimmäisenä ilmeni M. bovis -utaretulehdus kummassakin karjassa. Vaikka kaupallisen sperman välityksellä tapahtuva tartunta on todennäköisesti harvinainen, niin tämä reitti on jatkossa otettava huomioon tartunnasta vapailla alueilla. Osatyössä III tutkittiin vasikoiden sierainlima- ja nielun syväsivelynäytteiden soveltuvuutta tilan M. bovis -statuksen osoittamiseen. Eritys sierainlimaan oli suurinta toisella ikäkuukaudella, tämän jälkeen eritys väheni. Vasikkatasolla herkemmäksi menetelmäksi M. boviksen toteamiseen osoittautui syväsively-, mutta karjatasolla taas sierainlimamenetelmä. Tämä selittyi suurimmaksi osaksi menetelmien kustannuseroista johtuneista näytemäärien eroista. Tutkimuksen perusteella alle 6 kk ikäisten vasikoiden sierainlimanäytteiden tutkiminen PCR:lla on kustannustehokas menetelmä käytettäväksi vastustusohjelmassa. Osatyössä neljä tutkittiin kahden eri antibioottivalmisteen, GTLS ja ofloksasiini, tehoa M. bovista vastaan keinosiemennyssperman tuotannossa käyttäen kahta eri antibioottien ja bakteerin pitoisuutta; lisäksi mukana oli M. boviksen villityyppi ja vertailukanta. Kumpikaan tutkituista antibiooteista ei tehonnut suureen M. bovis -pitoisuuteen kummastakaan kannasta. Molemmat ofloksasiinipitoisuudet ja suuri GTLS-pitoisuus estivät villityypin bakteerin kasvun käytettäessä alhaista bakteeripitoisuutta. Vertailukannan kasvu taas estyi vain käyttämällä suurta GTLS-pitoisuutta. Tulosten perusteella keinosiemennyssperma tulisi käsitellä suurella GTLS-pitoisuudella M. boviksen kasvun estämiseksi.

(1) Hyperglycemia and oral pathology accelerate each other in diabetes. We evaluated whether gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with self-reported increased oral health care needs and oral symptoms, including third molar symptoms, during pregnancy. (2) Pregnant women with (n = 1030) and without GDM (n = 935) were recruited in this multicenter Finnish Gestational Diabetes study in 2009–2012. Of the women with GDM, 196 (19.0%) receiving pharmacological treatment, 797 (77.0%) receiving diet treatment and 233 (23.0%) with recurrent GDM were analyzed separately. Oral health was assessed using structured questionnaires and analyzed by multivariable logistic regression adjusted for background risk factors. (3) Women with GDM were more likely to report a higher need for oral care than controls (31.1% vs. 24.5%; odds ratio (OR) 1.39; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14–1.69), particularly women with recurrent GDM (38.1% vs. 24.5%; OR 1.90; 95% CI 1.40–2.58). Women with pharmacologically treated GDM (46.9%) more often had third molar symptoms than controls (36.1%; OR 1.57; 95% CI 1.15–2.15) than women with diet-treated GDM (38.0%; OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.07–2.02). (4) GDM is associated with perceived oral care needs. Third molar symptoms were associated with pharmacologically treated GDM.