bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the theological pedigree of Jonathan Edwards's doctrine of imputation
Authors: Crisp Oliver D.
Published: October 2003

Jonathan Edwards's doctrine of imputation has long been misunderstood. This essay sets out to redress the balance on this aspect of Edwards's hamartiology, drawing on both nineteenth- and twentieth-century analyses of Edwards's theory. I argue that what previous commentators have failed to see is that Edwards's doctrine was not an aberrant version of either Augustinian realism or Calvinistic federalism. Instead, it was an attempt to forge a via media between the two, utilising the notion of a real union in Adam from Augustinianism and the representational aspect of federalism to form a new theory of imputation which, though indebted to the traditional alternatives, is independent of both.
Design-based analysis of surveys: a bovine herpesvirus 1 case study
Authors: SPEYBROECK N. , BOELAERT F. , RENARD D. , BURZYKOWSKI T. , MINTIENS K. , MOLENBERGHS G. , BERKVENS D. L.
Published: October 2003

This paper critically assesses the design implications for the analysis of surveys of infections. It indicates the danger of not accounting for the study design in the statistical investigation of risk factors. A stratified design often implies an increased precision while clustering of infection results in a decreased precision. Through pseudo-likelihood estimation and linearisation of the variance estimator, the design effects can be taken into account in the analysis. The intra-cluster-correlation can be investigated through a logistic random effect model and a generalised estimating equation (GEE), allowing the investigation of the extent of spread of infections in a herd (cluster). The advantage of using adaptive Gaussian quadrature in a logistic random effect model is discussed. Applicable software is briefly reviewed. The methods are illustrated with data from a bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) serosurvey of Belgian cattle.
Screening for West Nile virus infections of susceptible animal species in Austria
Authors: WEISSENBÖCK H. , HUBÁLEK Z. , HALOUZKA J. , PICHLMAIR A. , MADERNER A. , FRAGNER K. , KOLODZIEJEK J. , LOUPAL G. , KÖLBL S. , NOWOTNY N.
Published: October 2003

Avian mortality and encephalomyelitis in equines are considered good indicators for West Nile virus (WNV) activity. We retrospectively tested 385 horse sera for WNV antibodies and looked for WNV nucleic acid and/or WNV antigen in paraffin embedded tissues from 12 horses with aetiologically unresolved encephalomyelitis and 102 free-living birds of different species which had been found dead. With the exception of four horses originating from eastern European countries investigated on the occasion of transit through Austria, all horse sera were negative. Nested RT-PCR of the horse tissues yielded no amplification of WNV-RNA. Also, all bird samples, examined by immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization and nested RT-PCR were negative for WNV. These results indicate that currently WNV cannot be considered a significant pathogen in Austria.
Legionella in the veterans healthcare system: report of an eight-year survey
Authors: KELLY A. A. , DANKO L. H. , KRALOVIC S. M. , SIMBARTL L. A. , ROSELLE G. A.
Published: October 2003

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) of the Department of Veterans Affairs tracks legionella disease in the system of 172 medical centres and additional outpatient clinics using an annual census for reporting. In fiscal year 1999, 3·62 million persons were served by the VHA. From fiscal year 1989–1999, multiple intense interventions were carried out to decrease the number of cases and case rates for legionella disease. From fiscal year 1992–1999, the number of community-acquired and healthcare-associated cases decreased in the VHA by 77 and 95·5% respectively (P=0·005 and 0·01). Case rates also decreased significantly for community and healthcare-associated cases (P=0·02 and 0·001, respectively), with the VHA healthcare-associated case rates decreasing at a greater rate than VHA community-acquired case rates (P=0·02). Over the time of the review, the VHA case rates demonstrated a greater decrease compared to the case rates for the United States as a whole (P=0·02). Continued surveillance, centrally defined strategies, and local implementation can have a positive outcome for prevention of disease in a large, decentralized healthcare system.
Dynamics of a scrapie outbreak in a flock of Romanov sheep – estimation of transmission parameters
Authors: HAGENAARS T. J. , DONNELLY C. A. , FERGUSON N. M. , ANDERSON R. M.
Published: October 2003

Knowledge of epidemiological mechanisms and parameters underlying scrapie transmission in sheep flocks remains very limited at present. Here we introduce a method for fitting stochastic transmission models to outbreak data to estimate bounds on key transmission parameters. We apply this method to data describing an outbreak of scrapie in a closed flock of Romanov sheep. The main findings are that the relative infectiousness of infected animals in this outbreak becomes appreciable early into disease incubation and that the mean incubation period is less than 1·5 years. We also find that the data are consistent with a broad range of values for the basic reproduction number R0 and describe how the boundaries of this range depend on assumptions about the mean incubation period and the contribution to transmission of a long-lived environmental reservoir of infectivity.
Comparison of the transmission characteristics of low and high pathogenicity avian influenza A virus (H5N2)
Authors: VAN DER GOOT J. A. , DE JONG M. C. M. , KOCH G. , VAN BOVEN M.
Published: October 2003

Low pathogenicity avian influenza A strains (LPAI) of the H5 and H7 type are noted for their ability to transform into highly pathogenic counterparts (HPAI). Here we compare the transmission characteristics in poultry of LPAI H5N2 (A/Chicken/Pennsylvania/83) and corresponding HPAI virus by means of transmission experiments. In the experiments, five inoculated animals are placed in a cage with five contact animals, and the infection chain is monitored by taking blood samples, and samples from the trachea and cloaca. The data are analysed by final size methods and a generalized linear model. The results show that HPAI virus is more infectious and induces a longer infectious period than LPAI. In fact, fully susceptible animals are invariably infected when confronted with HPAI virus and die within six days after infection. Animals previously infected with LPAI virus, on the other hand, survive an infection with HPAI virus or escape infection all together. This implies that a previous infection with LPAI virus effectively reduces susceptibility of the host to infection and decreases transmission of HPAI virus. We discuss the implications of these conclusions for the control and evolution of avian influenza viruses.
Nasal carriage of Mycobacterium leprae DNA in healthy individuals in Lega Robi village, Ethiopia
Authors: BEYENE D. , ASEFFA A. , HARBOE M. , KIDANE D. , MACDONALD M. , KLATSER P. R. , BJUNE G. A. , SMITH W. C. S.
Published: October 2003

The number of registered leprosy patients world-wide has decreased dramatically after extensive application of WHO recommended Multiple Drug Therapy (MDT). The annual number of new cases has, however, been almost unchanged in several populations, indicating that the infection is still present at community level. Nasal carriage of Mycobacterium leprae DNA was studied in Lega Robi village in Ethiopia. MDT had been applied for more than ten years, and 718 residents over 5 years old were eligible for the study. During the first survey nasal swab samples were collected from 664 (92·5%) individuals. The results of a Peptide Nucleic Acid-ELISA test for M. leprae DNA interpreted by stringent statistical criteria were available for 589 (88·7%) subjects. Thirty-five (5·9%) individuals without clinical signs of leprosy were positive for M. leprae DNA. Seven PCR positive individuals lived in a household where one or two other members were also positive for M. leprae DNA. During a second survey 8 (4·6%) of 175 interpretable PNA-ELISA tests were positive. Of 137 individuals tested twice, only two were positive on both occasions whereas 10 were PCR positive only once. The study confirms the widespread distribution of M. leprae DNA in healthy individuals. The feasibility of curbing possible transmission of subclinical infection needs further consideration.
Clinical and laboratory presentation of EBV positive infectious mononucleosis in young adults
Authors: GROTTO I. , MIMOUNI D. , HUERTA M. , MIMOUNI M. , COHEN D. , ROBIN G. , PITLIK S. , GREEN M. S.
Published: October 2003

Clinical descriptions of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) positive infectious mononucleosis (IM) are rare and their results are inconsistent. Over a 4-year period, we prospectively studied 590 young adults with clinically suspected IM, all of whom were tested for the presence of EBV IgM antibodies. We investigated the demographical, clinical and laboratory features of subjects with positive EBV IgM serology and heterophile antibodies. Contrary to previous studies, we found a seasonal disease pattern with a peak incidence during summer months, and a lower-than-expected prevalence of lymphadenopathy (88·9%), leucocytosis (46·2%), atypical lymphocytosis (89·2%) and elevated liver enzymes (57·9%). The prevalence of hyperbilirubinemia was relatively high (14·9%). The classic triad of fever, sore throat and lymph-adenopathy had relatively low sensitivity (68·2%) and specificity (41·9%) for EBV infection. Our study provides a complete and updated description of the clinical and laboratory presentation of laboratory confirmed IM, which is important for both clinicians and epidemiologists.
Contribution of second stool specimen to increased sensitivity of poliovirus detection in India, 1998–2000
Authors: KOHLER K. A. , DESHPANDE J. M. , GARY H. E. , BANERJEE K. , ZUBER P. L. F. , HLADY W. G.
Published: October 2003

Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance data from India were analysed to examine sensitivity of poliovirus isolation from stool specimens and the added sensitivity obtained from collection of a second stool specimen. Analysis was restricted to Indian AFP cases, 1998–2000, with two adequate stool specimens. The proportion of cases confirmed with wild poliovirus isolation by the second specimen only was calculated, regardless of specimen quality. Overall specimen sensitivity (1998–2000) was 81% using the first specimen, 78% using the second, and 96% using both. Sensitivity increased from 1998 to 2000, with slightly higher sensitivity each year for the first specimen. The second specimen increased sensitivity by 15% overall and contributed more when the first specimen was collected late or was in poor condition. As wild poliovirus disappears, increased sensitivity provided by a second stool specimen may reduce the risk of missing circulating virus.
Case–control study of the association between kava use and pneumonia in eastern Arnhem Land Aboriginal communities (Northern Territory, Australia)
Authors: CLOUGH A. R. , WANG Z. , BAILIE R. S. , BURNS C. B. , CURRIE B. J.
Published: October 2003

Pneumonia causes significant morbidity and mortality in Aboriginal populations in Australia's Northern Territory (NT). Kava, consumed in Arnhem Land since 1982, may be a risk factor for infectious disease including pneumonia. A case–control study (n=115 cases; n=415 controls) was conducted in 7001 Aboriginal people (4217 over 15 years). Odds ratios (OR) were calculated by conditional logistic regression with substance use and social factors as confounders. Pneumonia was not associated with kava use. Crude OR=1·26 (0·74–2·14, P=0·386), increased after controlling for confounders (OR=1·98, 0·63–6·23, P=0·237) but was not significant. Adjusted OR for pneumonia cases involving kava and alcohol users was 1·19 (0·39–3·62, P=0·756). In communities with longer kava-using histories, adjusted OR was 2·19 (0·67–7·14, P=0·187). There was no kava dose–response relationship. Crude ORs for associations between pneumonia and cannabis use (OR=2·27, 1·18–4·37, P=0·014) and alcohol use (OR=1·95, 1·07–3·53, P=0·026) were statistically significant and approached significance for petrol sniffing (OR=1·98, 0·99–3·95, P=0·056).
Prevalence of blood-borne viral hepatitis in different communities in Yemen
Authors: SALLAM T. A. , TONG C. Y. W. , CUEVAS L. E. , RAJA'A Y. A. , OTHMAN A. M. , AL-KHARSA K. R.
Published: October 2003

It is generally believed that hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) viruses are highly prevalent in the Republic of Yemen. This study investigated the prevalence of HBV and HCV markers in 494 blood donors from Aden, 493 blood donors from Sana'a, 97 residents from an African ethnic minority in Sana'a and 99 residents of Soqotra Island. There were significant differences in the prevalence of HBV carriage (HBsAg: 6·7, 15, 19·6 and 26·3% respectively; P<0·001); past HBV infection (anti-HBc: 17·4, 18·5, 30·9 and 59·6% respectively; P<0·001); susceptibility to HBV (absence of HBV markers: 73·3, 61·9, 38·1 and 9·1% respectively; P<0·001), infectivity of HBV carriers (HBV DNA: 51·5, 33·8, 52·6 and 65·4% respectively; P=0·028) and HCV antibodies (RIBA confirmed or indeterminate: 0·6, 0·2, 5·2 and 5·1% respectively; P<0·001). A significant difference in HBV carrier rate and a borderline significant difference in the prevalence of natural infection was observed between males and females in the African community (P=0·02 and 0·06 respectively). In contrast, in Soqotra Island, there was no significant sex difference in HBV carrier rate but susceptibility was significantly more prevalent in males (P=0·03). This study illustrates that significant difference in prevalence and epidemiology exists among different communities within the same country, reflecting political, geographical and social differences. Control strategies should take these differences into account.
Use of hospitalization and pharmaceutical prescribing data to compare the prevaccination burden of varicella and herpes zoster in Australia
Authors: MACINTYRE C. R. , CHU C. P. , BURGESS M. A.
Published: October 2003

The aims of the study were to compare the burden of varicella and herpes zoster in Australia. No national surveillance exists for varicella or herpes zoster. We used hospital morbidity data from 1993–9 and pharmaceutical prescribing data from 1995–9.

In the financial year 1998/99, there were 4718 hospitalizations for zoster compared to 1991 for varicella. For varicella the mean age of patients was 15 years compared to 69 years for zoster. The mean length of stay in hospital was 4·2 days for varicella and 12·7 days for zoster. Varicella accounted for 8396 (3726 with principal diagnosis varicella) bed days compared to 26266 (5382 with principal diagnosis of zoster) for zoster. The in-hospital case-fatality rate was 0·4% for varicella and 1% for zoster. In 1999, 59200 community-based cases of zoster were treated with antivirals. We estimate that 157266 cases of zoster occurred in the community in 1999, a rate of 830 per 100000 population.

Herpes zoster has a higher burden of disease than varicella, and must be a component of disease surveillance in order to determine the full impact of vaccination on the epidemiology of varicella zoster virus (VZV).
Implications for Northern Europe of the emergence of West Nile virus in the USA
Authors: GOULD E. A.
Published: October 2003

The unexpected appearance of fatal encephalitis in six elderly people living in New York in 1999, heralded the re-birth of arbovirology in the United States of America. The subsequent rapid spread through North America and impact of the disease on humans, birds, horses and a wide range of other species including alligators and frogs, has brought West Nile virus (WNV) to the attention of governments and the media, worldwide. The response of the public in the United Kingdom has not been hysterical, despite being fuelled by press reports that scientists have demonstrated the presence of WNV antibodies in birds in the UK. Nevertheless, concern has been expressed by government bodies either directly or indirectly connected with the potential health problems that could arise if WNV was introduced and caused the same degree of morbidity and mortality as that seen in the USA. Is the concern justified and are we likely to see significant health problems associated with WNV if this virus is confirmed to be present and circulating amongst birds in the UK? In this review I shall try to put the virus in its true context and assess the risks that WNV might pose both to animals and humans in the United Kingdom.
Incidence of gastroenteritis in Norway – a population-based survey
Authors: KUUSI M. , AAVITSLAND P. , GONDROSEN B. , KAPPERUD G.
Published: October 2003

In 1999–2000 we conducted a one-year, retrospective population-based survey in Norway to estimate the incidence of gastroenteritis and study the association with selected exposures. A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to 3000 persons selected at random from the population registry, with 250 persons being contacted each month. The response rate was 61%. The incidence of acute gastroenteritis was 1·2 per person-year. The incidence was higher for women than for men. Of the total of 171 cases, 29 (17%) consulted a physician, 13 (8%) reported that a stool sample was taken, and 7 (4%) were admitted to hospital. Among children aged less than 15 years, drinking water from a private water supply was associated with illness, while using chlorinated water was protective. Among adults aged 20–40 years, travelling abroad was associated with illness. The incidence in our survey is similar to rates found by FoodNet in United States.
Survey of Vibrio cholerae O1 and its survival over the winter in marine water of Port of Osaka
Authors: MIYAGI K. , NAKANO T. , YAGI T. , HANAFUSA M. , IMURA S. , HONDA T. , NAKANO Y. , SANO K.
Published: October 2003

The survey of Vibrio cholerae O1 in marine area was carried out in the Port of Osaka, Japan in 1987–2001, and 51 V. cholerae O1 strains were isolated. All strains were identified to be of El Tor biotype, Ogawa serotype and classic Ubon Kappa-phage type, and were cholera toxin (CT)-negative and CT gene-negative. In order to clarify certain ecological aspects of V. cholerae O1 in the marine environment of the temperate zone, we performed molecular analysis of the isolated strains using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) with NotI and SfiI restriction enzymes. We found the indistinguishable strains by DNA analysis using PFGE with strains passed for 1 year, and also found the closely related strains with that passed for 3 and 12 years. Those results indicated that V. cholerae O1 can survive over one winter at least, and that it survives in marine water for a long time by undergoing continuous mutation.
The infection rate of Daphnia magna by Pasteuria ramosa conforms with the mass-action principle
Authors: REGOES R. R. , HOTTINGER J. W. , SYGNARSKI L. , EBERT D.
Published: October 2003

In simple epidemiological models that describe the interaction between hosts with their parasites, the infection process is commonly assumed to be governed by the law of mass action, i.e. it is assumed that the infection rate depends linearly on the densities of the host and the parasite. The mass-action assumption, however, can be problematic if certain aspects of the host–parasite interaction are very pronounced, such as spatial compartmentalization, host immunity which may protect from infection with low doses, or host heterogeneity with regard to susceptibility to infection. As deviations from a mass-action infection rate have consequences for the dynamics of the host–parasite system, it is important to test for the appropriateness of the mass-action assumption in a given host–parasite system. In this paper, we examine the relationship between the infection rate and the parasite inoculum for the water flee Daphnia magna and its bacterial parasite Pasteuria ramosa. We measured the fraction of infected hosts after exposure to 14 different doses of the parasite. We find that the observed relationship between the fraction of infected hosts and the parasite dose is largely consistent with an infection process governed by the mass-action principle. However, we have evidence for a subtle but significant deviation from a simple mass-action infection model, which can be explained either by some antagonistic effects of the parasite spores during the infection process, or by heterogeneity in the hosts' susceptibility with regard to infection.
Leptospiral carrier state and seroprevalence among animal population – a cross-sectional sample survey in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Authors: SHARMA S. , VIJAYACHARI P. , SUGUNAN A. P. , SEHGAL S. C.
Published: October 2003

A study was conducted with the objective of assessing the leptospiral carrier state and seroprevalence among animal population of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A total of 494 sera samples from different domestic animals and 85 samples from rats (Rattus rattus) were tested by microscopic agglutination test using nine serogroups prevalent in these islands. Antibodies to leptospires were detected in 164 samples giving an overall seroprevalence of (33·11%). The seroprevalence was highest among cows (40·32%). Of 85 rat (Rattus rattus) samples tested for antileptospiral antibodies six (7·1%) were positive. Leptospires were isolated from kidney of two rats and urine of one cow. Isolate from urine of cow was heavily contaminated and was subsequently lost during further subculture. The two isolates were found to be pathogenic, belonging to serogroup Grippotyphosa. The isolates were further characterized by using a set of monoclonal antibodies. The agglutination patterns of isolates were similar to that of ratnapura and valbuzzi, however these did not completely match.
Serodiagnosis of Japanese encephalitis among Nepalese patients by the particle agglutination assay
Authors: PANDEY B. , YAMAMOTO A. , MORITA K. , KUROSAWA Y. , RAI S. , ADHIKARI S. , KANDEL P. , KURANE I.
Published: October 2003

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a serious health problem in the southwestern region of Nepal. Serological diagnostic kits for routine diagnostic use in this region have not been available. This study was performed to examine if the particle agglutination (PA) assay for Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) IgM could be applicable to the samples collected in Nepal and also to evaluate the accuracy of clinical diagnosis of JE. One hundred and ninety-three blood samples were collected from the patients clinically diagnosed with JE or other infectious diseases in the JE-endemic, southwestern region of Nepal, in 2000. The PA assay was performed on these 193 serum samples and the results were compared with those by IgM-capture ELISA. Eighty-six samples were IgM-positive by the PA assay, and 71 of 86 were also positive by IgM-capture ELISA (sensitivity, 99%; specificity, 88%; positive predictive value, 0·82; negative predictive value, 0·99). These results suggest that the PA assay is a simple, reliable and useful diagnostic test to support clinical diagnosis in rural hospitals of Asia including Nepal.
Molecular epidemiology of group B streptococci in Ireland: associations between serotype, invasive status and presence of genes encoding putative virulence factors
Authors: DORE N. , BENNETT D. , KALISZER M. , CAFFERKEY M. , SMYTH C. J.
Published: October 2003

Group B streptococcal isolates (n=159) from the three Dublin maternity hospitals, were serotyped and analysed for the bac, bca, hylB, pepB, and rib genes. The serotype distribution of the isolates was Ia, 19·5%; Ib, 18·9%; II, 10·7%; III, 29·5%; IV, 1·9%; V, 15·1%; non-typeable, 4·4%. There was a statistically significant association between the serotype and invasive status (carriage or infection) of isolates (P<0·005), but no significant association between serotype and degree of invasiveness was demonstrated. The presence or absence of each analysed gene was not associated with the invasive status of isolates. Statistically significant associations were revealed between bca and hylB (IS1548) (P=0·0004) and between bac and bca (P=0·0l4). The bac, bca, hylB (IS1548) and rib genes and the numbers of tandem repeats in the bca gene showed significant associations with serotype. Almost 50% of serotype III isolates possessed at least one of the bac and bca genes and 55–65% of strains of serotypes Ia, Ib and II possessed the rib gene. Most serotype III isolates had IS1548 in their hylB genes. Serotype Ib was the only serotype in which more than half of the strains contained more tandem repeats in the bca gene than the overall mean for the GBS population studied of 7·4 repeats. These findings indicate that some previously reported associations between putative virulence factors and GBS disease require further study and clarification.
Molecular epidemiology of Salmonella enteritidis phage type 1b and 6a isolates in Portugal
Authors: SOARES A. R. , MACHADO J.
Published: October 2003

Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis is an important serovar comprising 76% of salmonella isolates in Portugal in 2001.

For better understand the epidemiology of salmonellosis, a total of 47 isolates of S. Enteritidis phage type (PT) 1b and 6a were analysed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and genomic DNA was subjected to macro restriction with XbaI. For PT1b isolates, only three different patterns were observed, and PT6a showed a total of 10 digestion patterns. Curiously, the main pattern among PT1b isolates seams quite similar to main pattern of PT6a isolates, but when the two patterns were analysed with Bionumerics, we observed that they exhibited some differences. It was concluded that, in 2001, there was one predominant pattern for PT1b and PT6a and, possibly, we were in presence of clonal strains that exists all over the country.
Socio-demographic characteristics and sex practices related to herpes simplex virus type 2 infection in Mexican and Central American female sex workers
Authors: URIBE-SALAS F. , CONDE-GLEZ C. J. , JUAREZ-FIGUEROA L. , HERNANDEZ-CASTELLANOS A.
Published: October 2003

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between HSV-2 infection and several socio-demographic and sexual practices of Mexican and Central American female sex workers (FSWs) in the Soconusco region in the State of Chiapas, Mexico. A cross-sectional study was carried out based on a sample frame of bars where FSWs were active in the Soconusco region. FSWs consented to investigations and answered a questionnaire and provided a blood sample for specific HSV-2 antibody analysis.

One hundred and sixteen bars were studied and 484 women were interviewed. The overall frequency of HSV-2 infected women was 85·7%. Variables that reflected exposure to HSV-2 were significantly associated with the frequency of the infection. Additionally, variables such as education and country of origin were significantly associated with HSV-2 infection. These results suggest that this infection is highly endemic in the Soconusco, posing a health risk for the study population.
Correlation between geographic distance and genetic similarity in an international collection of bovine faecal Escherichia coli O157[ratio ]H7 isolates
Authors: DAVIS M. A. , HANCOCK D. D. , BESSER T. E. , RICE D. H. , HOVDE C. J. , DIGIACOMO R. , SAMADPOUR M. , CALL D. R.
Published: October 2003

Evidence from epidemiological and molecular studies of bovine Escherichia coli O157[ratio ]H7 suggests that strains are frequently transmitted across wide geographic distances. To test this hypothesis, we compared the geographic and genetic distance of a set of international bovine Escherichia coli O157[ratio ]H7 isolates using the Mantel correlation. For a measure of genetic relatedness, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of six different restriction enzyme digests was used to generate an average Dice similarity coefficient for each isolate pair. Geographic distance was calculated using latitude and longitude data for isolate source locations. The Mantel correlation between genetic similarity and the logarithm of geographic distance in kilometers was −0·21 (P<0·001). The low magnitude of the Mantel correlation indicates that transmission over long distances is common. The occurrence of isolates from different continents on the same cluster of the dendrogram also supports the idea that Escherichia coli O157[ratio ]H7 strains can be transferred with considerable frequency over global distances.
The seroepidemiology of Lyme borreliosis in zoo animals in Germany
Authors: STOEBEL K. , SCHOENBERG A. , STREICH W. J.
Published: October 2003

We conducted the first seroepidemiological study to evaluate the exposure of zoo animals to Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. in German zoos and wildlife parks. A total of 1487 individuals representing 148 ungulate and carnivore species belonging to 19 families were examined using a non-species dependent ELISA. Specific antibodies were detected in 154 (10·4%) animals; 168 (11·3%) sera produced borderline results. The percentage of seropositive individuals was related to species and origin (zoo), and increased with age of the animals. Sex and season did not influence seroprevalence. Examination of 600 ticks (Ixodes ricinus; caught from vegetation in the zoos) by darkfield microscopy and indirect immunofluorescence technique revealed infection rates within the range typical for Central Europe. The results substantiate that there is an infection risk for zoo animals. A differential diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis should be taken into account in case of suspicious clinical symptoms and possible contact to ticks.
Diversity and stability of the Staphylococcus intermedius flora in three bitches and their puppies
Authors: SAIJONMAA-KOULUMIES L. E. M. , MYLLYS V. , LLOYD D. H.
Published: October 2003

The study investigated the transfer and the stability of the S. intermedius flora in three bitches and their puppies. A total of 240 cutaneous and mucosal isolates of S. intermedius was collected from three healthy Cavalier King Charles spaniels and their puppies during the immediate prepartum period and after whelping, over a total of 15 weeks. The isolates were genotyped with random amplified polymeric DNA-polymerase chain reaction analysis (RAPD-PCR) using two primers. Seventeen different genotypes of S. intermedius were identified. One or two of the genotypes were dominant in each of the bitches and their puppies. The rest were isolated only once or twice from the bitches or their puppies. The study indicates that S. intermedius flora within each studied bitch mainly consisted of one or two dominating and persistent clones, which were transferred from the dam to her puppies immediately after birth.
Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in Israeli dairy cattle
Authors: YERUHAM I. , ELAD D. , FRIEDMAN S. , PERL S.
Published: October 2003

Two forms of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in Israeli dairy cattle herds during a survey period of 13 years (1989–2001) are described. The more common form, which was diagnosed in 45 herds, was characterized by ulcerative granulomatous lesions which occurred either sporadically – in 26 herds (with a morbidity rate of up to 5% – or in an epidemic course in 19 herds. Most (80·6%) of the affected animals were cows; the rest were first-calving cows (16·2%) and heifers (3·2%). The morbidity occurred mostly during the summer months. The ulcerative granulomatous lesions appeared in three clinical forms: cutaneous, mastitic and visceral. Mixed forms were also observed. The morbidity rate was 6·4% and the culling rate reached 16·3% of the affected animals. Most of the strains of C. pseudotuberculosis which were isolated from the abscesses in the cutaneous form of the disease and from milk samples failed to reduce nitrate. A decrease in milk production (6%) and an increase in bulk-milk somatic cell count were noted. Necrotic and ulcerative dermatitis on the heel of the foot occurred in an epidemic course in heifers in only two herds during the winter months, with morbidity rates of 7·5 and 76·2%, respectively. C. pseudotuberculosis isolates from skin lesions and from the soil did reduce nitrate. Clinical, epizootiological and microbiological aspects of the infection are described.
Molecular typing of Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica serotype A1 isolates from cattle in Japan
Authors: KATSUDA K. , KOHMOTO M. , KAWASHIMA K. , TSUNEMITSU H. , TSUBOI T. , EGUCHI M.
Published: October 2003

Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) methods were applied for molecular typing of 130 Mannheimia (Pasteurella) haemolytica serotype A1 isolates obtained from 13 prefectures in Japan. These isolates were divided into 15 ApaI PFGE profiles that formed six distinct clusters (clusters A–F). Fifty-three (40·7%) isolates were classified in cluster B, and 20·0, 13·8, 12·3, 6·9 and 6·1% of isolates were in clusters E, A, F, D and C, respectively. The isolates of cluster B were differentiated into seven subtypes (B1–B7) and subtype B5 contained 63% (34/53) of isolates. RAPD revealed four banding patterns (types I–IV), and among 130 isolates 60·7% (79/130) of isolates were RAPD type I. All of the RAPD type I isolates were grouped into clusters A–C by PFGE. There was no relationship between molecular typing and geographic origin of these isolates. These results indicate that isolates of M. haemolytica A1 strain with various molecular profiles have already spread in Japan and may have caused sporadic infections.
Muslim Culture and Reform in 18th Century South Asia
Authors: Malik Jamal
Published: October 2003

Usually the European perception of South Asia and, related to it, academic research into this region, is informed by specific, powerful images and metaphors that establish a dichotomisation of the world. The reasons for this development cannot be analysed in detail here. Suffice it to say, however, that this organisation and designation of the world has deep roots. Until the Reformation, Europe was basically perceived only in terms of geographical boundaries. But the dichotomy between “Europe” and “Asia” acquired a new dimension in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when, in the wake of a change of paradigm into modernity, European self-consciousness gradually developed into a sense of European intellectual superiority. Just as a new form of collective identity had developed within the boundaries of Europe, based on the idea of “nation” in the late eighteenth century, and just as the members of the early nation-states forcibly dissociated themselves by definition from members of other societies in order to be able to establish their own identity, now, with the same intention, though on a different level, Europeans dissociated themselves from “Asia”, the “Orient” and “Islam”. The political recollection of important master narratives kept the mythical fictions in mind and imbued the nation-building process with enormous real power. This development towards a modern European identity was based, as can be deduced from many travellers' testimonies, on the history of reception, reciprocal perceptions, and the development of enemy images. In this process, the Orient and the Orientals were also used by Europeans as a didactic background for the critique of their own (European) urban societies. The literary technique of contextual alienation and distancing, such as can be found in Montesquieu's “Persian Letters”, was born in this period. These and following processes of projection were connected among others things with the fact that Europeans, as colonial masters, advanced to confront the world outside Europe. There they were faced with attitudes and norms that forced them to question their own perceptions. In doing so, they also tended to accept some of these strange and different ideas, and, thus, exposed themselves to cultural hybridisation which could then only be overcome by the reconstructing of their own culture as something “pure”, in contrast to the “degenerate” culture of the colonialised. In this way, collective antagonisms developed. Even the Oriental crusades that had been critically evaluated by European academicians, were now for the first time perceived in terms of cultural clash. Analogously, Europe and Asia were constructed in the eighteenth century and very predominantly in the nineteenth century in terms of arenas of power politics. For instance, it was during this time that the eastern borders of Europe were conceptualised, with the Balkans and Transoxania being considered as buffers or gaps between the two.
Age of acquisition and speech production in L2
Authors: HIRSH KATHERINE W. , MORRISON CATRIONA M. , GASET SILVIA , CARNICER EVA
Published: October 2003

We explored the role of age of acquisition in picture naming with a group of unbalanced, late bilinguals and a group of monolinguals. We hypothesised that we would find effects of L2 age of acquisition on L2 picture naming performance in late bilinguals if the age of acquisition effects we and others have found in L1 picture naming are not limited to language capabilities acquired early in the lifespan. In Experiment 1, late bilingual Spanish–English participants named a large set of pictures in their L2 (English). The most important predictor of naming ability was L2 age of acquisition. In Experiment 2, monolingual English participants named the same pictures. Naming speed was predicted by L1 age of acquisition. Hence speed of picture naming in a given language was predicted by age of acquisition values for that language, that is, L2 values predicted L2 performance (Experiment 1) and L1 values predicted L1 performance (Experiment 2). On the basis of these results we conclude that age of acquisition effects are not restricted to items learned before any putative critical period, but should be observed for items learned at any age. That is, age of acquisition effects are more likely to be due to the relative order in which items are acquired within a language.
Fossilization in steady state L2 grammars: Persistent problems with inflectional morphology
Authors: WHITE LYDIA
Published: October 2003

This paper provides a case study of the fossilized endstate L2 English grammar of an adult native speaker of Turkish. Results are presented from production data (over 3400 utterances, gathered over 2 time periods 18 months apart), concentrating on verbal and nominal inflection and associated syntactic properties; data from a number of other tasks are also presented. A high level of accuracy in suppliance of English tense and agreement morphology was found. In contrast, suppliance of definite and indefinite articles was significantly lower but nevertheless appropriate. Syntactic correlates (such as verb placement, presence of overt subjects, case assignment, definiteness effects) were all completely accurate, suggesting no underlying impairment to functional categories or features. There is some evidence for influence from the L1, which has rich inflection but lacks articles, but this appears to be an effect on suppliance of overt morphology and not on underlying representation, which shows properties appropriate to the L2.
Imaging bilinguals: When the neurosciences meet the language sciences
Authors: GROSJEAN FRANÇOIS , LI PING , MÜNTE THOMAS F. , RODRIGUEZ-FORNELLS ANTONI
Published: October 2003

The Rodriguez-Fornells, Rotte, Heinze, Nösselt and Münte (2002) paper published in Nature, “Brain potential and functional MRI evidence for how to handle two languages with one brain”, is discussed by two of its authors, both neuroscientists, and by two language scientists. First, a short summary of the paper is given. This is followed by a critical commentary offered by the language scientists. The neuroscientists respond, and a final comment is offered by the language scientists. The four authors conclude that a two-way collaboration between neurosciences and language sciences should be encouraged in order to make headway in our understanding of language processing and representation in bilinguals.
Introduction: Themed Section on Social Capital, Families and Welfare Policy
Authors: Edwards Rosalind
Published: October 2003

Social capital has become a key concept in Government policy-making and in academic circles. Broadly, social capital concerns norms and networks: the values people hold and the resources that they can access, which both result in and are the result of collective and socially negotiated ties and relationships. Where people share a sense of identity, hold similar values, trust each other and reciprocally do things for each other, then this is felt to have an impact on the social, political and economic nature of the society in which we live. Across the political spectrum, there are concerns that levels of social capital are being eroded in contemporary society.
Family Resources and Community Social Capital as Routes to Valued Employment in the UK?
Authors: Bruegel Irene , Warren Simon
Published: October 2003

This paper analyses existing research on social capital, school choice and educational attainment to consider the questions that need to be answered if the role of social capital in reducing or extending social inequality is to be addressed. We identify a need to distinguish between: social surveillance and genuinely educative forms of social capital; between parent–pupil interactions and family: school links that generate positive external spin-overs and those that simply enhance the competitive position of the individual child. We argue for a more gendered and more child-centred analysis of social capital that considers the role of social capital in protecting and enhancing school reputation, and for an analysis which considers possible linkages between bonding, bridging and linking social capital.
The Hollowing Out of the Welfare State and Social Capital
Authors: Roberts John Michael , Devine Fiona
Published: October 2003

Social capital has become an increasingly popular concept within some academic and government circles as a means of exploring how communities can embark upon a process of civic renewal by establishing bridges of reciprocity between community members from diverse social and cultural backgrounds. In this article we place the popularity of social capital within the historical context of the ‘hollowing out of the welfare state’. This allows us to highlight four interrelated problems that hollowing out processes pose for the establishment of social capital in the UK today.
Data‐Based Modeling and Analysis of Bioprocesses: Some Real Experiences
Authors: Karim M. Nazmul , Hodge David , Simon Laurent
Published: October 2003

Data‐generated models find numerous applications in areas where the speed of collection and logging of data surpasses the ability to analyze it. This work is meant to addresses some of the challenges and difficulties encountered in the practical application of these methods in an industrial setting and, more specifically, in the bioprocess industry. Neural network and principal component models are the two topics that are covered in detail in this paper. A review of these modeling technologies as applied to bioprocessing is provided, and four original case studies using industrial fermentation data are presented that utilize these models in the context of prediction and monitoring of bioprocess performance.
Effective Encapsulation of Proteins into Size‐Controlled Phospholipid Vesicles Using Freeze‐Thawing and Extrusion
Authors: Sou Keitaro , Naito Yoshiyasu , Endo Taro , Takeoka Shinji , Tsuchida Eishun
Published: October 2003

We are aiming to improve the encapsulation efficiency of proteins in a size‐regulated phospholipid vesicle using an extrusion method. Mixed lipids (1,2‐dipalmitoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), cholesterol, 1,5‐dipalmitoyl‐l‐glutamate‐N‐succinic acid (DPEA), and 1,2‐distearoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphoethanolamine‐N‐[monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (5,000)] (PEG‐DSPE) at a molar ratio of 5, 5, 1, and 0.033 were hydrated with a NaOH solution (7.6 mM) to obtain a polydispersed multilamellar vesicle dispersion (50 nm to 30 μm diameter). The polydispersed vesicles were converted to smaller vesicles having an average diameter of ca. 500 nm with a relatively narrow size distribution by freeze‐thawing at a lipid concentration of 2 g dL‐1 and cooling rate of –140 °C min‐1. The lyophilized powder of the freeze‐thawed vesicles was rehydrated into a concentrated protein solution (carbonyl hemoglobin solution, 40 g dL‐1) and retained the size and size distribution of the original vesicles. The resulting vesicle dispersion smoothly permeated through the membrane filters during extrusion. The average permeation rate of the freeze‐thawed vesicles was ca. 30 times faster than that of simple hydrated vesicles. During the extrusion process, proteins were encapsulated into the reconstructed vesicles with a diameter of 250 ± 20 nm.
Using Computational Fluid Dynamics Software to Estimate Circulation Time Distributions in Bioreactors
Authors: Davidson Kyle M. , Sushil Shrinivasan , Eggleton Charles D. , Marten Mark R.
Published: October 2003

Nonideal mixing in many fermentation processes can lead to concentration gradients in nutrients, oxygen, and pH, among others. These gradients are likely to influence cellular behavior, growth, or yield of the fermentation process. Frequency of exposure to these gradients can be defined by the circulation time distribution (CTD). There are few examples of CTDs in the literature, and experimental determination of CTD is at best a challenging task. The goal in this study was to determine whether computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software (FLUENT 4 and MixSim) could be used to characterize the CTD in a single‐impeller mixing tank. To accomplish this, CFD software was used to simulate flow fields in three different mixing tanks by meshing the tanks with a grid of elements and solving the Navier‐Stokes equations using the κ‐ϵ turbulence model. Tracer particles were released from a reference zone within the simulated flow fields, particle trajectories were simulated for 30 s, and the time taken for these tracer particles to return to the reference zone was calculated. CTDs determined by experimental measurement, which showed distinct features (log‐normal, bimodal, and unimodal), were compared with CTDs determined using CFD simulation. Reproducing the signal processing procedures used in each of the experiments, CFD simulations captured the characteristic features of the experimentally measured CTDs. The CFD data suggests new signal processing procedures that predict unimodal CTDs for all three tanks.
Cybernetic Model Predictive Control of a Continuous Bioreactor with Cell Recycle
Authors: Gadkar Kapil G. , III Francis J. Doyle , Crowley Timothy J. , Varner Jeffrey D.
Published: October 2003

The control of poly‐β‐hydroxybutyrate (PHB) productivity in a continuous bioreactor with cell recycle is studied by simulation. A cybernetic model of PHB synthesis in Alcaligenes eutrophus is developed. Model parameters are identified using experimental data, and simulation results are presented. The model is interfaced to a multirate model predictive control (MPC) algorithm. PHB productivity and concentration are controlled by manipulating dilution rate and recycle ratio. Unmeasured time varying disturbances are imposed to study regulatory control performance, including unreachable setpoints. With proper controller tuning, the nonlinear MPC algorithm can track productivity and concentration setpoints despite a change in the sign of PHB productivity gain with respect to dilution rate. It is shown that the nonlinear MPC algorithm is able to track the maximum achievable productivity for unreachable setpoints under significant process/model mismatch. The impact of model uncertainty upon controller performance is explored. The multirate MPC algorithm is tested using three controllers employing models that vary in complexity of regulation. It is shown that controller performance deteriorates as a function of decreasing biological complexity.