Lived Experiences of Fatherhood After Infertility.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the lived experiences of fathers in the perinatal period after infertility. DESIGN: A descriptive, phenomenological study. SETTING: Researcher's private office and participants' homes in an Eastern Canadian province. PARTICIPANTS: Eight fathers who met the eligibility criteria. METHODS: We recruited a purposive sample of eight participants and held one-on-one interviews in person, by telephone, and via virtual platforms. We analyzed the verbatim transcripts of the audiotaped interviews using Colaizzi's phenomenological data analysis method. RESULTS: We uncovered seven themes that described the lived experiences of participants: The Journey: A Long Winding Road, Roles and Responsibilities: Supporter and Protector, Support: The Often-Forgotten Parent, Challenges and Hurdles: Bumps on the Road, So Many Feelings: The Rollercoaster, Coping: Living on the Road, and Reflection: An Unforgotten Journey. Participants shared their experiences of the perinatal period after infertility as long journeys and described how bumps along the road marked these journeys. The journeys were essential parts of their lives that they continued to remember years later. CONCLUSION: The perinatal experience after infertility is an important and remembered time for fathers. It is essential to involve and support them in the perinatal process to facilitate positive experiences and overall family health, especially after infertility. There is an ongoing need to conduct research with fathers and to develop evidence-based programming and resources to assist them in the perinatal period after infertility.

Integrated Care Education for General Psychiatry Residents in the US: a Review of the Literature.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this review was to synthesize published literature describing integrated care education available to general psychiatry residents in the United States (US) in order to better understand curricular models and summarize curriculum barriers and facilitators. METHODS: The authors searched electronic databases for articles describing integrated care education for general psychiatry residents. Minimum inclusion criteria were focus on an ambulatory integrated care curriculum, description of the study population and training program, publication in English, and program location in the US. Data extracted included trainee, faculty, or collaborator evaluations, educational model, level of care integration, and barriers or facilitators to implementation. RESULTS: The literature search identified 18 articles describing curricula at 26 residency programs for inclusion. Most programs offered clinical and didactic curricula to advanced trainees across a variety of care integration levels. Common barriers included fiscal vulnerability and difficulties identifying team members or clarifying team member roles. Common facilitators included institutional and interdepartmental support, dedicated space, and faculty supervision. No statistical analysis was able to be performed due to study heterogeneity. CONCLUSIONS: This review found a relatively small number of articles written about integrated care education for psychiatry residents. Resident evaluation suggests this training is valuable regardless of curriculum structure, training years, or level of care integration. Dedicated funding, staff, and space were crucial for successful curricula. This review highlights a need for more rigorous research characterizing and evaluating integrated care education.

Stepping Up and Stepping In: Exploring the Role of Nurses in Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.

This study focused on the experiences of grandparents raising grandchildren in rural, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Termed grand-families, there are numerous reasons why grandparents must step up and step in to care for their grandchildren. Often these reasons are related to their adult children's struggles with mental illness and substance use disorders. Adopting Clandinin and Connelly's approach to narrative inquiry, we present findings from the conversational interviews conducted with 12 grandparents raising their grandchildren. Interview data were analyzed through the narrative dimensions of time, place, and relationship. Findings are presented as rich narratives which illuminate the evolution and storied experiences of grand-families. Particularly revealing are the challenges grandparents face as they navigate various systems, including health care, that do not acknowledge the uniqueness of their family form. Nurses work with grand-families across varied clinical settings. Grounded within the philosophy of Patient and Family Centered Care and family nursing theory, this article offers recommendations for supportive interventions that nurses can implement when caring for grand-families across clinical settings. This study has the potential to facilitate the development of evidence-based supports and services, which are responsive to the needs, realities, and complexities of grand-families.

Morphometrics of nuchal ligament in greyhound in different neck and body positions.

This study was conducted to describe the morphometrics of nuchal ligament and investigate the effects of different neck and body positions on the nuchal ligament in greyhounds. Nine adult greyhounds cadavers without any locomotion abnormalities were dissected through the neck musculature on the left side to expose the nuchal ligament. Three pins were placed to mark regions of interest on the nuchal ligament: at one cm cranial to the site of origin (the most dorsal point of the spinous process of the first thoracic vertebra), at the midpoint of the nuchal ligament and one cm caudal to the nuchal ligament site of insertion (close to the caudal aspect of the spinous process of the axis). Each cadaver was positioned on a masonite board and placed on a table on the floor in their lateral recumbency and seven different standardized body positions; P1-P7 were mimicked using goniometers and metal wires. Photographs were taken by positioning and fixing the camera above the nuchal ligament region. The length and widths (W1, W2 and W3) of nuchal ligament were measured using Image Pro software (Image-Pro Express version 5.0) on standardized photographs of each of seven different body and neck positions. The length of nuchal ligament in relation to the neutral position (P1) was less (- 7%, p > 0·05) in P6 (neck elevated) and increased in all other positions (+1%, p > 0·05 for P2, +19%, p < 0·05 for P3, +37%, p < 0·05 for P4, +1%, p > 0·05 for P5, +40%, p < 0·05 for P7). Nuchal ligament width at the middle (W2) decreased significantly with P4 (- 26%, p < 0·05), and P7 (- 32%, p < 0·05). Also, nuchal ligament width at the site of origin (W3) decreased significantly with P4 (- 24%, p < 0·05) and P7 (-35%, p < 0·05). These findings reflect the need for clinical and biomechanical studies to describe in-depth the gross anatomy of the nuchal ligament in greyhounds. They suggest that different neck and body positions change the shape, and hence, the function of the nuchal ligament during movement.

Observations of different types of sacra in Greyhounds based on the occurrence of sacrocaudal fusion.

Little attention has been paid to the normal fusion of the vertebrae of greyhounds despite the common occurrence of sacrocaudal fusion. The current study aimed to investigate and provide data on the morphology of different types of fused sacra (B, C and D) in greyhounds and also to determine the potential association between the sex, body mass and morphology of fused sacra (S. Weight, S. Length and S. Width) in greyhounds. The sacra were collected from 171 greyhounds from Melbourne, Australia. After classifying the sacra based on the occurrence and types of the sacrocaudal fusion, they were measured for weight of the sacrum, length of sacrum and the width of sacrum. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to quantify the association between weight of the sacrum (as the outcome variable) type of sacrum (A, B, C and D), body mass and sex (as explanatory variables). The results proved that there are measurable differences between each type of fused sacra (B, C and D) and the standard sacra (A). In addition, this study showed that sex or body mass do not influence the occurrence of different types of fusion. The results of this study showed that the occurrence of sacrocaudal fusions was independent of body size in this population of greyhounds. Sacrocaudal fusion might affect the biomechanics in greyhounds independently of effects of body size.

Structural anatomy and morphometric analyses of sacra in greyhounds.

This study was conducted to provide structural and morphological data on the sacra of greyhounds. Descriptive quantitative investigation was carried out on 171 sacra of greyhound`s cadavers and then classified into standard and fused sacra based on the number of fused sacral vertebrae. The weight, length and width of sacrum of sacra were measured. Both standard (59%) and fused sacra (41%) were identified. The average length and width of the standard sacrum were found to be 46.14 ± 2.53 mm and 57.89 ± 3.54 mm, respectively. The sacral length was 1.61-mm longer in males (p < .01), and the sacral width was 0.46-mm shorter in males but not significant (p = .51). The average weight of a standard sacrum was 26.54 ± 4.55 g and was 1.18 g heavier in males but not statistically significant (p = .24). Results showed that one-kilogram increase in the body mass was associated with a 0.3 mm (p < .001) increase in sacral length, and a 0.54 mm (p < .001) increase in sacral width, respectively. The morphological data of the standard and fused sacra provided in this study might help the veterinary community to improve treatment and rehabilitation and help the trainer to design the right training protocol for racing greyhounds. In addition, the results of this study are a step to understand the sacrum's functions and how the greyhound's body functions and future studies are required to investigate the biological importance of these findings.

"He Never Wants to Leave. I Would Leave in a Second." Examining Perceptions of Rural Life and its Impact on Families who Migrate for Employment and Those who Stay Behind in Atlantic Canadian Communities.

In Canada, interprovincial labor migration is a common form of mobile work that is significant for rural communities especially in Atlantic Canada. Unique to this form of labor migration is the gendered nature of the phenomenon resulting in men often leaving their wives, families and rural communities behind for employment opportunities in the oil and gas sectors thousands of kilometers away. As men leave their families and communities for employment, women who are left behind become primary caregivers to children in addition to also being the primary caretakers of the family home. The Tale of Two Islands project was a multi-year, cross regional mixed methods research study that examined labor mobility and its impact on families and communities. This paper examines how labor migration has impacted families and rural communities. Drawing upon focus group, conversational and key informant interviews with families impacted by mobile labor and practitioners who serve them, societal perceptions of gendered norms and perceptions of rural life became illuminated. This has contributed to multiple contradictions and role confusion as families adapt and adjust to periods of reunification and separation while striving to remain connected to their rural communities. Men yearn for opportunities to be an active member of their home communities but cannot a result of living away for extended periods of time. In contrast, women who stay behind in rural communities often chose to isolate from community activities as a result of perceived judgments that are attributed to traditional views of rural life and family roles.

Variation in the seventh lumbar vertebra and the lumbosacral junction morphometry associated with the sacrocaudal fusion in greyhounds.

The lumbosacral joint is where the 7th lumbar vertebra (L.7) articulates within the sacrum. It is a clinically important area in the dog because of its relatively large range of motion. The current study aims to determine the possible differences in the length of the L.7 vertebra and the angle of the lumbosacral junction among greyhounds of standard and those of fused sacra, and to determine the potential association of sex, body mass and type of fused sacrum (standard and fused) on the morphology of the L.7 vertebra and the angle of the lumbosacral junction. Radiographs of 55 greyhound cadavers were used for radiographing; all radiographic images were stored and measured using X-ray acquisition software, and then analysed using descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression and logistic regression. The results of this study showed a significant increase (p < .008) in the length of the L.7 vertebra and the angle of the lumbosacral junction (p < .028) in greyhounds with fused sacra comparing with those of standard sacra, but the L.6 length was not significant (p = .431). Differences have been found in the length of L.7 vertebra and the angle of the lumbosacral junction in greyhounds. It was found that in greyhounds, any variation in the sacrum's anatomical features may alter the structure of the surrounding anatomical structures such as the L.7 vertebra and lumbosacral junction.

Radiographic assessment of carpal conformation in the horse: Technique development and validation of the consistency of measurements.

Carpal conformation is often considered as a contributory factor to performance and lameness in the horse; however, few attempts have been made to objectively measure radiographic variations of carpal conformation in horses due to insufficient measurable carpal parameters. This pilot study used carpal radiographic images acquired from 10 cadaveric equine forelimbs transected at the antebrachial midshaft from 7 adult horses (7.2 ± 2.6 years), positioned at 'zero lateromedial' (ZLM) and 'zero dorsopalmar' (ZDP) views, to investigate the anatomy of the equine carpus and develop parameters that could be objectively used to assess carpal conformation in horses. Dorsal carpal angle (DCA: 176.61 ± 0.66º), distal radial slope carpal angle (DRSCA: 145.59 ± 2.19º), intermediate carpal bone proximal tuberosity-radial angle (CiPxTRA: 115.69 ± 3.15º) and third carpal bone palmar facet angle (C3PalFCA: 84.43 ± 1.13º) were all developed from the ZLM view while medial carpal angle (MCA: 183.34 ± 1.02º), disto-dorsal slope angle of the third carpal bone (C3DDSA: 8.27 ± 0.92º) and width ratio of distal radius to proximal metacarpus (WDR:WPM = 1.13±0.03) were 3 of the 10 parameters developed from the ZDP view. Easy to identify and measurable parameters will help to provide quantitative assessment of carpal conformation in the horse with potential of eliminating subjective observational variation errors between clinicians. These newly developed parameters will be useful in further studies to measure variations in the conformation of the equine carpus in live horses and comparison between subjective visual assessment and objective radiographic evaluation methods.

Morphometric analysis of the intercarpal ligaments of the equine proximal carpal bones during simulated flexion and extension of cadaver limbs.

Despite many reported cases of carpal lameness associated with intercarpal ligament injuries in horses, the morphometry, movement pattern and general intrinsic biomechanics of the carpus are largely unknown. Using osteoligamentous preparation of the carpus prepared from 14 equine cadaver forelimbs (aged 9.62 ± 4.25 years), locomotory simulations of flexion and extension movements of the carpal joint were carried out to observed carpal biomechanics and, thereafter, the limbs were further dissected to obtain morphometric measurements of the medial and lateral collateral ligaments (MLC and LCL); medial and lateral palmar intercarpal ligaments (MPICL and LPICL); intercarpal ligaments between radial (Cr) and intermediate (Ci) carpal bones (Cr-Ci ICL); and intercarpal ligaments between Ci and ulnar (Cu) carpal bones (Ci-Cu ICL). The Cr, Ci, Cu and Ca are held together by a series of intercarpal ligaments and move in unison lateropalmarly during flexion, and mediodorsally during extension with a distinguishable proximo-distal sliding movement (gliding) of Cr and Ci against each other during movement. The mean length of MCL (108.82 ± 9.64 mm) was significantly longer (p = 0.042) than LCL (104.43 ± 7.65 mm). The Cr-Ci ICL has a dorsopalmar depth of 37.58 ± 4.14 mm and a midpoint width of 12.05 ± 3.09 mm and its fibres ran diagonally from the medial side of the Ci in a proximo-palmar disto-dorsal direction (i.e. palmarodistally) to the lateral side of the Cr. The specialized movement of the Cr-Ci ICL, which appeared to be further facilitated by a longer MCL suggest a biomechanical function by which carpal damage may be minimized in the equine carpus.

Characterisation of ovine lymphatic vessels in fresh specimens.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The development and use of experimental models using lymphatic cannulation techniques have been hampered by the lack of high-quality colour imaging of lymphatic vessels in situ. Most descriptions of lymphatic anatomy in sheep have historically depended on schematic diagrams due to limitations in the ability to publish colour images of the lymphatic vessels with decent resolution. The aim of this work was to encourage more widespread use of the ovine cannulation model by providing clear photographic images identifying the location and anatomical layout of some major lymphatic ducts and their in situ relationship to surrounding tissues. METHODS: The cadavers of the sheep were collected after they had been euthanized at the end of animal trials not associated with this study. The lymphatics were dissected and exposed to show their appearance in the surrounding tissues and their relationship to other organs. Patent Blue was used to locate lymphatic vessels in exploratory preparations. However, in order to present the natural appearance of the vessels, we used minimal dissection and dye was not used for the photographed examples. Instead, we have indicated the course of the vessels with lines where their position is less clear. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: In this paper, we have used sheep specimens as examples to show characteristic images of lymphatic vessels. The images of in situ lymphatics and lymph nodes combined with schematic summaries provide a concise illustration of the lymphatic drainage scheme in sheep.

The intact postsynaptic protein neurogranin is reduced in brain tissue from patients with familial and sporadic Alzheimer's disease.

Synaptic degeneration and neuronal loss are early events in Alzheimer's disease (AD), occurring long before symptom onset, thus making synaptic biomarkers relevant for enabling early diagnosis. The postsynaptic protein neurogranin (Ng) is a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker for AD, also in the prodromal phase. Here we tested the hypothesis that during AD neurodegeneration, processing of full-length Ng into endogenous peptides in the brain is increased. We characterized Ng in post-mortem brain tissue and investigated the levels of endogenous Ng peptides in relation to full-length protein in brain tissue of patients with sporadic (sAD) and familial Alzheimer's disease (fAD), healthy controls and individuals who were cognitively unaffected but amyloid-positive (CU-AP) in two different brain regions. Brain tissue from parietal cortex [sAD (n = 10) and age-matched controls (n = 10)] and temporal cortex [sAD (n = 9), fAD (n = 10), CU-AP (n = 13) and controls (n = 9)] were included and all the samples were analyzed by three different methods. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry, 39 endogenous Ng peptides were identified while full-length Ng was found to be modified including disulfide bridges or glutathione. In sAD parietal cortex, the ratio of peptide-to-total full-length Ng was significantly increased for eight endogenous Ng peptides compared to controls. In the temporal cortex, several of the peptide-to-total full-length Ng ratios were increased in both sAD and fAD cases compared to controls and CU-AP. This finding was confirmed by western blot, which mainly detects full-length Ng, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, most likely detecting a mix of peptides and full-length Ng. In addition, Ng was significantly associated with the degree of amyloid and tau pathology. These results suggest that processing of Ng into peptides is increased in AD brain tissue, which may reflect the ongoing synaptic degeneration, and which is also mirrored as increased levels of Ng peptides in CSF.

The presubiculum is preserved from neurodegenerative changes in Alzheimer's disease.

In the majority of affected brain regions the pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are ß-amyloid (Aß) deposits in the form of diffuse and neuritic plaques, tau pathology in the form of neurofibrillary tangles, neuropil threads and plaque-associated abnormal neurites in combination with an inflammatory response. However, the anatomical area of the presubiculum, is characterised by the presence of a single large evenly distributed 'lake-like' Aß deposit with minimal tau deposition or accumulation of inflammatory markers. Post-mortem brain samples from sporadic AD (SAD) and familial AD (FAD) and two hereditary cerebral amyloid diseases, familial British dementia (FBD) and familial Danish dementia (FDD) were used to compare the morphology of the extracellular proteins deposited in the presubiculum compared to the entorhinal cortex. The level of tau pathology and the extent of microglial activation were quantitated in the two brain regions in SAD and FAD. Frozen tissue was used to investigate the Aß species and proteomic differences between the two regions. Consistent with our previous investigations of FBD and FDD cases we were able to establish that the 'lake-like' pre-amyloid deposits of the presubiculum were not a unique feature of AD but they also found two non-Aß amyloidosis. Comparing the presubiculum to the entorhinal cortex the number of neurofibrillary tangles and tau load were significantly reduced; there was a reduction in microglial activation; there were differences in the Aß profiles and the investigation of the whole proteome showed significant changes in different protein pathways. In summary, understanding why the presubiculum has a different morphological appearance, biochemical and proteomic makeup compared to surrounding brain regions severely affected by neurodegeneration could lead us to understanding protective mechanisms in neurodegenerative diseases.

Immunohistochemical and Molecular Investigations Show Alteration in the Inflammatory Profile of Multiple System Atrophy Brain.

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disease characterized by aggregation of α-synuclein in oligodendrocytes to form glial cytoplasmic inclusions. According to the distribution of neurodegeneration, MSA is subtyped as striatonigral degeneration (SND), olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA), or as combination of these 2 (mixed MSA). In the current study, we aimed to investigate regional microglial populations and gene expression in the 3 different MSA subtypes. Microscopy with microglial marker Iba-1 combined with either proinflammatory marker CD68 or anti-inflammatory marker Arginase-1 was analyzed in control, SND, and OPCA cases (n = 5) using paraffin embedded sections. Western immunoblotting and cytokine array were used to determine protein expression in MSA and control brain regions. Gene expression was investigated using the NanoString nCounter Human Inflammation panel v2 mRNA Expression Assay. Analysis of neuropathological subtypes of MSA demonstrated a significant increase in microglia in the substantia nigra of OPCA cases. There was no difference in the microglial activation state in any region. Cytokine expression in MSA was comparable with controls. Decreased expression of CX3CL1 precursor protein and significantly greater CX3CR1 protein was found in MSA. NanoString analysis revealed the >2-fold greater expression of ARG1, MASP1, NOX4, PTGDR2, and C6 in MSA.

Molecular biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease: progress and prospects.

The neurodegenerative disorder Alzheimer's disease is characterised by the formation of ß-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain parenchyma, which cause synapse and neuronal loss. This leads to clinical symptoms, such as progressive memory deficits. Clinically, these pathological changes can be detected in the cerebrospinal fluid and with brain imaging, although reliable blood tests for plaque and tangle pathologies remain to be developed. Plaques and tangles often co-exist with other brain pathologies, including aggregates of transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 and Lewy bodies, but the extent to which these contribute to the severity of Alzheimer's disease is currently unknown. In this 'At a glance' article and poster, we summarise the molecular biomarkers that are being developed to detect Alzheimer's disease and its related pathologies. We also highlight the biomarkers that are currently in clinical use and include a critical appraisal of the challenges associated with applying these biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic purposes of Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders, also in their prodromal clinical phases.

Lymphatic cannulation models in sheep: Recent advances for immunological and biomedical research.

Lymphatic cannulation models are useful tools for studying the immunobiology of the lymphatic system and the immunopathology of specific tissues in diseases. Sheep cannulations have been used extensively, as models for human physiology, fetal and neonatal development, human diseases, and for studies of ruminant pathobiology. The development of new and improved cannulation techniques in recent years has meant that difficult to access sites, such as mucosal associated tissues, are now more readily available to researchers. This review highlights the new approaches to cannulation and how these, in combination with advanced omics technologies, will direct future research using the sheep model.

Externalizing Behaviors and Callous-Unemotional Traits: Different Associations With Sleep Quality.

Study Objectives: Sleep quality is associated with different aspects of psychopathology, but relatively little research has examined links between sleep quality and externalizing behaviors or callous-unemotional traits. We examined: (1) whether an association exists between sleep quality and externalizing behaviors; (2) whether anxiety mediates this association; (3) whether callous-unemotional traits are associated with sleep quality. Methods: Data from two studies were used. Study 1 involved 1556 participants of the G1219 study aged 18-27 years (62% female). Questionnaire measures assessed sleep quality, anxiety, externalizing behaviors, and callous-unemotional traits. Study 2 involved 338 participants aged 18-66 years (65% female). Questionnaires measured sleep quality, externalizing behaviors, and callous-unemotional traits. In order to assess objective sleep quality, actigraphic data were also recorded for a week from a subsample of study 2 participants (n = 43). Results: In study 1, poorer sleep quality was associated with greater externalizing behaviors. This association was partially mediated by anxiety and moderated by levels of callous-unemotional traits. There was no significant relationship between sleep quality and callous-unemotional traits. In study 2, poorer sleep quality, as assessed via self-reported but not objective measures, was associated with higher levels of externalizing behaviors. Furthermore, in study 2, better sleep quality (indicated in both questionnaires and actigraphy measures: lower mean activity, and greater sleep efficiency) was associated with higher levels of callous-unemotional traits. Conclusions: Self-reports of poorer sleep quality are associated with externalizing behaviors, and this association is partially mediated by anxiety. Callous-unemotional traits are not associated with poor sleep and may even be related to better sleep quality. This is an exceptional finding given that poor sleep quality appears to be a characteristic of most psychopathology.

Neuronal and Peripheral Pentraxins Modify Glutamate Release and may Interact in Blood-Brain Barrier Failure.

Neuronal pentraxin 1 (NPTX1) has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease, being present in and around dystrophic neurons in plaques, affecting glutamatergic transmission postsynaptically and mediating effects of amyloidß. Here, we confirm the presence of NPTX1 around plaques in postmortem Alzheimer's disease brain and report that acutely applied human NPTX1 increases paired-pulse ratio at mouse CA3-CA1 hippocampal synapses, indicating a decrease in glutamate release. In contrast, chronic exposure to NPTX1, NPTX2, or NPTX receptor decreases paired-pulse ratio, mimicking some of the earliest changes in mice expressing familial Alzheimer's disease genes. The peripheral pentraxin, serum amyloid P component (SAP), causes similar synaptic effects to NPTX1. The presence of SAP on amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease confirms that it can enter the brain. We show that SAP and neuronal pentraxins can interact and that SAP can enter the brain if the blood-brain barrier is compromised, suggesting that peripheral pentraxins could affect central synaptic transmission via this interaction, especially in the event of blood-brain barrier breakdown.

Anatomical basis for the development of a thoracic duct cannulation model without thoracotomy in Large White pigs.

BACKGROUND: To collect lymph draining the lungs provides a useful strategy for tracing pulmonary microvascular fluid and protein biology. A methodology that allows for in vivo sampling of efferent pulmonary lymph in real-time in sheep by cannulating the thoracic duct without entering the thoracic cavity was previously established. To develop a similar thoracic duct cannulation model without thoracotomy in pigs, we investigated the anatomy of the left cervico-thoracic regions of 15 Large White (Yorkshire or Yorkshire-dominated) piglets (aged 4-7 weeks). RESULTS: The thoracic duct, together with the left tracheal trunk, joined the cardiovascular system (the ampulla of the thoracic duct) at a site located craniomedial to the first rib on the left in 80 % (12/15) of the piglets. CONCLUSIONS: As the location of the ampulla of the thoracic duct was consistent in most of the piglets, Large White piglets appear to be suitable for the development of a thoracic duct cannulation model without thoracotomy. The anatomical findings in this study will enable the development of further surgical procedures for cannulating the thoracic duct without thoracotomy, with minimal damage to local tissue, and without transecting any major blood vessels, nerves or muscle bellies. The establishment of a thoracic duct cannulation model for collecting in vivo, in situ efferent lymph, including pulmonary lymph, in pigs without entering the thoracic cavity would be invaluable for many immunological studies, studies on pulmonary immune responses in particular.