Of mice and (Viking?) men: phylogeography of British and Irish house mice

The west European subspecies of house mouse (Mus musculus domesticus) has gained much of its current widespread distribution through commensalism with humans. This means that the phylogeography of M. m. domesticus should reflect patterns of human movements. We studied restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and DNA sequence variations in mouse mitochondrial (mt) DNA throughout the British Isles (328 mice from 105 localities, including previously published data). There is a major mtDNA lineage revealed by both RFLP and sequence analyses, which is restricted to the northern and western peripheries of the British Isles, and also occurs in Norway. This distribution of the 'Orkney' lineage fits well with the sphere of influence of the Norwegian Vikings and was probably generated through inadvertent transport by them. To form viable populations, house mice would have required large human settlements such as the Norwegian Vikings founded. The other parts of the British Isles (essentially most of mainland Britain) are characterized by house mice with different mtDNA sequences, some of which are also found in Germany, and which probably reflect both Iron Age movements of people and mice and earlier development of large human settlements. MtDNA studies on house mice have the potential to reveal novel aspects of human history.

Review of interventions for the prevention and control of folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies

Folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies represent important and evolving global health challenges that contribute to the global burden of anemia, neurologic conditions, neurodevelopmental disorders, and birth defects. We present a review of population-based programs designed to increase consumption of folates and vitamin B12. A folic acid supplementation program targeting couples prior to marriage in China has led to optimal consumption of supplements containing folic acid and a significant reduction of neural tube defects (NTD). Supplementation programs that use mass community education show some promise, but have not been shown to be as effective as targeted education. The success of supplementation programs hinges on a strong and persistent educational component and access to the supplements. Fortification with folic acid has been shown to reduce the prevalence of NTD in the countries where it has been implemented. Challenges to fortification programs include identifying the appropriate delivery vehicles, setting the optimal fortification level, sustaining the quality assurance of the fortification level, and addressing regulatory challenges and trade barriers of commercially fortified flours. Supplementation and fortification are cost-effective and viable approaches to reducing the burden of NTD, anemia, and other conditions resulting from folate deficiency. The experience with interventions involving folic acid could provide a model for the subsequent development of supplementation and fortification programs involving vitamin B12.

The behaviour of early-weaned piglets following transport: Effect of season and weaning weight

Two groups of 48 Cotswold piglets were weaned at 17 ± 1 d of age and assigned to road or simulated transport during summer or winter. Following transport (0, 6, 12 or 24 h), piglets were grouped by weaning weight (light, medium and heavy) in pens of four. Piglet behaviour was recorded on days 1–4, 7 and 14 after weaning and transport. As transport duration increased, drinking behaviour increased (P < 0.05). Control (0 h) piglets fed less (1.5%) than transported piglets (3.1%) during the first 3 d in housing. Significant differences were observed on days 2 and 3 only (P < 0.02). Across season and transport treatment, heavy piglets spent more time fighting (P < 0.005) during the first day in housing, and less time feeding (P < 0.05) during the first 3 d in housing compared with light and medium piglets. During the first 3 d in weanling pens, piglets spent less time feeding following road transport (2.4%) than following simulated transport (2.9%, P < 0.05). Piglets transported by road also spent more time engaged in oral/nasal behaviour during the first 3 d in housing compared with simulated transport groups, although this reached significance on day 3 only (P < 0.05). These results suggest that transport of early-weaned piglets may exacerbate the stress of weaning through additional stress related to factors associated with truck movement, such as noise and vibration, and by imposing an increased risk of dehydration following long journeys (> 12 h). Key words: Early weaning, transport, pigs, behaviour, season