bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shiga Toxin (Verotoxin)-ProducingEscherichia coliin Japan
Authors: Terajima Jun , Iyoda Sunao , Ohnishi Makoto , Watanabe Haruo
Published: October 2014

A series of outbreaks of infection with Shiga toxin (verocytotoxin)-producingEscherichia colior enterohemorrhagicE. coli(EHEC) O157:H7 occurred in Japan in 1996, the largest outbreak occurring in primary schools in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, where more than 7,500 cases were reported. Although the reason for the sudden increase in the number of reports of EHEC isolates in 1996 is not known, the number of reports has grown to more than 3,000 cases per year since 1996, from an average of 105 reports each year during the previous 5-year period (1991–1995). Despite control measures instituted since 1996, including designating Shiga toxin-producingE. coliinfection as a notifiable disease, and nationwide surveillance effectively monitoring the disease, the number of reports remains high, around 3,800 cases per year. Serogroup O157 predominates over other EHEC serogroups, but isolation frequency of non-O157 EHEC has gone up slightly over the past few years. Non-O157 EHEC has recently caused outbreaks where consumption of a raw beef dish was the source of the infection, and some fatal cases occurred. Laboratory surveillance comprised prefectural and municipal public health institutes, and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases has contributed to finding not only multiprefectural outbreaks but recognizing sporadic cases that could have been missed as an outbreak without the aid of molecular subtyping of EHEC isolates. This short overview presents recent information on the surveillance of EHEC infections in Japan.
Veterinary Public Health Approach to Managing Pathogenic Verocytotoxigenic
Escherichia coli
in the Agri-Food Chain
Authors: Duffy Geraldine , McCabe Evonne
Published: October 2014

Verocytoxigenic
Escherichia coli
(VTEC) comprises many diverse serogroups, but seven serogroups, O157, O26, O103, O145, O111, O21, and O45, have been most commonly linked to severe human infections, though illness has also been reported from a range of other VTEC serogroups. This poses challenges in assessing the risk to humans from the diverse range of VTEC strains that may be recovered from animals, the environment, or food. For routine assessment of risk posed by VTEC recovered from the agri-food chain, the concept of seropathotype can be used to rank the human risk potential from a particular VTEC serogroup on the basis of both serotype (top seven serogroups) and the presence of particular virulence genes (
vt
in combination with
eae
, or
aaiC
plus
aggR
). But for other VTEC serogroups or virulence gene combinations, it is not currently possible to fully assess the risk posed. VTEC is shed in animal feces and can persist in the farm environment for extended periods ranging from several weeks to many months, posing an ongoing reservoir of contamination for grazing animals, water courses, and fresh produce and for people using farmland for recreational purposes. Appropriate handling and treatment of stored animal waste (slurries and manures) will reduce risk from VTEC in the farm environment. Foods of animal origin such as milk and dairy products and meat may be contaminated with VTEC during production and processing, and the pathogen may survive or grow during processing operations, highlighting the need for well-designed and validated Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point management systems. This article focuses on a veterinary public health approach to managing VTEC, highlighting the various routes in the agri-food chain for transmission of human pathogenic VTEC and general approaches to managing the risk.
Shiga Toxin/Verocytotoxin-Producing
Escherichia coli
Infections: Practical Clinical Perspectives
Authors: Davis T. Keefe , Van De Kar Nicole C. A. J. , Tarr Phillip I.
Published: October 2014

Escherichia coli
strains that produce Shiga toxins/verotoxins are rare, but important, causes of human disease. They are responsible for a spectrum of illnesses that range from the asymptomatic to the life-threatening hemolytic-uremic syndrome; diseases caused by
E. coli
belonging to serotype O157:H7 are exceptionally severe. Each illness has a fairly predictable trajectory, and good clinical practice at one phase can be inappropriate at other phases. Early recognition, rapid and definitive microbiology, and strategic selection of tests increase the likelihood of good outcomes. The best management of these infections consists of avoiding antibiotics, antimotility agents, and narcotics and implementing aggressive intravenous volume expansion, especially in the early phases of illness.
Tn7
Authors: Peters Joseph E.
Published: October 2014

The bacterial transposon Tn7 is distinguished by the levels of control it displays over transposition and its capacity to utilize different kinds of target sites. Transposition is carried out using five transposon-encoded proteins, TnsA, TnsB, TnsC, TnsD, and TnsE, which facilitate transfer of the element while minimizing the chances of inactivating host genes by using two pathways of transposition. One of these pathways utilizes TnsD, which targets transposition into a single site found in bacteria (
attTn7
), and a second utilizes TnsE, which preferentially directs transposition into plasmids capable of moving between bacteria. Control of transposition involves a heteromeric transposase that consists of two proteins, TnsA and TnsB, and a regulator protein TnsC. Tn7 also has the ability to inhibit transposition into a region already occupied by the element in a process called target immunity. Considerable information is available about the functional interactions of the Tn7 proteins and many of the protein–DNA complexes involved in transposition. Tn7-like elements that encode homologs of all five of the proteins found in Tn7 are common in diverse bacteria, but a newly appreciated larger family of elements appears to use the same core TnsA, TnsB, and TnsC proteins with other putative target site selector proteins allowing different targeting pathways.
The Molecular Genetics of Fluoroquinolone Resistance in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Mayer Claudine , Takiff Howard
Published: October 2014

The fluoroquinolones (FQs) are synthetic antibiotics effectively used for curing patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). When a multidrug-resistant strain develops resistance to the FQs, as in extensively drug-resistant strains, obtaining a cure is much more difficult, and molecular methods can help by rapidly identifying resistance-causing mutations. The only mutations proven to confer FQ resistance in
M. tuberculosis
occur in the FQ target, the DNA gyrase, at critical amino acids from both the gyrase A and B subunits that form the FQ binding pocket. GyrA substitutions are much more common and generally confer higher levels of resistance than those in GyrB. Molecular techniques to detect resistance mutations have suboptimal sensitivity because gyrase mutations are not detected in a variable percentage of phenotypically resistant strains. The inability to find gyrase mutations may be explained by heteroresistance: bacilli with a resistance-conferring mutation are present only in a minority of the bacterial population (>1%) and are therefore detected by the proportion method, but not in a sufficient percentage to be reliably detected by molecular techniques. Alternative FQ resistance mechanisms in other bacteria—efflux pumps, pentapeptide proteins, or enzymes that inactivate the FQs—have not yet been demonstrated in FQ-resistant
M. tuberculosis
but may contribute to intrinsic levels of resistance to the FQs or induced tolerance leading to more frequent gyrase mutations. Moxifloxacin is currently the best anti-TB FQ and is being tested for use with other new drugs in shorter first-line regimens to cure drug-susceptible TB.
Genetics of Mycobacterial Arabinogalactan and Lipoarabinomannan Assembly
Authors: Jankute Monika , Grover Shipra , Birch Helen L. , Besra Gurdyal S.
Published: October 2014

The cell wall of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
is unique in that it differs significantly from those of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The thick, carbohydrate- and lipid-rich cell wall with distinct lipoglycans enables mycobacteria to survive under hostile conditions such as shortage of nutrients and antimicrobial exposure. The key features of this highly complex cell wall are the mycolyl-arabinogalactan-peptidoglycan (mAGP)–based and phosphatidyl-
myo
-inositol–based macromolecular structures, with the latter possessing potent immunomodulatory properties. These structures are crucial for the growth, viability, and virulence of
M. tuberculosis
and therefore are often the targets of effective chemotherapeutic agents against tuberculosis. Over the past decade, sophisticated genomic and molecular tools have advanced our understanding of the primary structure and biosynthesis of these macromolecules. The availability of the full genome sequences of various mycobacterial species, including
M. tuberculosis
,
Mycobacterium marinum
, and
Mycobacterium bovis
BCG, have greatly facilitated the identification of large numbers of drug targets and antigens specific to tuberculosis. Techniques to manipulate mycobacteria have also improved extensively; the conditional expression-specialized transduction essentiality test (CESTET) is currently used to determine the essentiality of individual genes. Finally, various biosynthetic assays using either purified proteins or synthetic cell wall acceptors have been developed to study enzyme function. This article focuses on the recent advances in determining the structural details and biosynthesis of arabinogalactan, lipoarabinomannan, and related glycoconjugates.
The Sculpting of theMycobacterium tuberculosisGenome by Host Cell–Derived Pressures
Authors: Russell David G. , Lee Wonsik , Tan Shumin , Sukumar Neelima , Podinovskaia Maria , Fahey Ruth J. , Vanderven Brian C.
Published: October 2014

Mycobacterium tuberculosisis an incredibly successful pathogen with an extraordinary penetrance of its target host population. The ability to infect many yet cause disease in few is undoubtedly central to this success. This ability relies on sensing and responding to the changing environments encountered during the course of disease in the human host. This article discusses these environmental cues and stresses and explores how the genome ofM. tuberculosishas evolved under the purifying selections that they exert. In analyzing the response ofM. tuberculosisto a broad range of intracellular pressures, it is clear that, despite genome downsizing,M. tuberculosishas retained an extraordinary flexibility in central carbon metabolism. We believe that it is this metabolic plasticity, more than any of the virulence factors, that is the foundation forM. tuberculosis’s qualities of endurance.
The Physiology and Genetics of Oxidative Stress in Mycobacteria
Authors: Cumming Bridgette M. , Lamprecht Dirk A. , Wells Ryan M. , Saini Vikram , Mazorodze James H. , Steyn Adrie J. C.
Published: October 2014

During infection,Mycobacterium tuberculosisis exposed to a diverse array of microenvironments in the human host, each with its own unique set of redox conditions. Imbalances in the redox environment of the bacillus or the host environment serve as stimuli, which could regulate virulence. The ability ofM. tuberculosisto evade the host immune response and cause disease is largely owing to the capacity of the mycobacterium to sense changes in its environment, such as host-generated gases, carbon sources, and pathological conditions, and alter its metabolism and redox balance accordingly for survival. In this article we discuss the redox sensors that are, to date, known to be present inM. tuberculosis, such as the Dos dormancy regulon, WhiB family, anti-σ factors, and MosR, in addition to the strategies present in the bacillus to neutralize free radicals, such as superoxide dismutases, catalase-peroxidase, thioredoxins, and methionine sulfoxide reductases, among others.M. tuberculosisis peculiar in that it appears to have a hierarchy of redox buffers, namely, mycothiol and ergothioneine. We discuss the current knowledge of their biosynthesis, function, and regulation. Ergothioneine is still an enigma, although it appears to have distinct and overlapping functions with mycothiol, which enable it to protect against a wide range of toxic metabolites and free radicals generated by the host. Developing approaches to quantify the intracellular redox status of the mycobacterium will enable us to determine how the redox balance is altered in response to signals and environments that mimic those encountered in the host.
Mechanisms of Pyrazinamide Action and Resistance
Authors: Zhang Ying , Shi Wanliang , Zhang Wenhong , Mitchison Denis
Published: October 2014

Pyrazinamide (PZA) is a unique antituberculosis (anti-TB) drug that plays a key role in shortening TB therapy. PZA kills nonreplicating persisters that other TB drugs fail to kill, which makes it an essential drug for inclusion in any drug combinations for treating drug-susceptible and drug-resistant TB such as multidrug-resistant TB. PZA acts differently from common antibiotics by inhibiting multiple targets such as energy production, trans-translation, and perhaps pantothenate/coenzyme A required for persister survival. Resistance to PZA is mostly caused by mutations in the
pncA
gene encoding pyrazinamidase, which is involved in conversion of the prodrug PZA to the active form pyrazinoic acid. Mutations in the drug target ribosomal protein S1 (RpsA) are also found in some PZA-resistant strains. The recent finding that
panD
mutations are found in some PZA-resistant strains without
pncA
or
rpsA
mutations may suggest a third PZA resistance gene and a potential new target of PZA. Current phenotype-based PZA susceptibility testing is not reliable due to false resistance; sequencing of the
pncA
gene represents a more rapid, cost-effective, and reliable molecular test for PZA susceptibility testing and should be used for guiding improved treatment of multidrug-resistant and extensively multidrug-resistant TB. Finally, the story of PZA has important implications for not only TB therapy but also chemotherapy in general. PZA serves as a model prototype persister drug and hopefully a “tipping point” that inspires new efforts at developing a new type of antibiotic or drug that targets nonreplicating persisters for improved treatment of not only TB but also other persistent bacterial infections.
Double-Strand DNA Break Repair in Mycobacteria
Authors: Glickman Michael S.
Published: October 2014

Discontinuity of both strands of the chromosome is a lethal event in all living organisms because it compromises chromosome replication. As such, a diversity of DNA repair systems has evolved to repair double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs). In part, this diversity of DSB repair systems has evolved to repair breaks that arise in diverse physiologic circumstances or sequence contexts, including cellular states of nonreplication or breaks that arise between repeats. Mycobacteria elaborate a set of three genetically distinct DNA repair pathways: homologous recombination, nonhomologous end joining, and single-strand annealing. As such, mycobacterial DSB repair diverges substantially from the standard model of prokaryotic DSB repair and represents an attractive new model system. In addition, the presence in mycobacteria of a DSB repair system that can repair DSBs in nonreplicating cells (nonhomologous end joining) or when DSBs arise between repeats (single-strand annealing) has clear potential relevance to
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
pathogenesis, although the exact role of these systems in
M. tuberculosis
pathogenesis is still being elucidated. In this article we will review the genetics of mycobacterial DSB repair systems, focusing on recent insights.
Plasmid Replication Control by Antisense RNAs
Authors: Brantl Sabine
Published: October 2014

Plasmids are selfish genetic elements that normally constitute a burden for the bacterial host cell. This burden is expected to favor plasmid loss. Therefore, plasmids have evolved mechanisms to control their replication and ensure their stable maintenance. Replication control can be either mediated by iterons or by antisense RNAs. Antisense RNAs work through a negative control circuit. They are constitutively synthesized and metabolically unstable. They act both as a measuring device and a regulator, and regulation occurs by inhibition. Increased plasmid copy numbers lead to increasing antisense-RNA concentrations, which, in turn, result in the inhibition of a function essential for replication. On the other hand, decreased plasmid copy numbers entail decreasing concentrations of the inhibiting antisense RNA, thereby increasing the replication frequency. Inhibition is achieved by a variety of mechanisms, which are discussed in detail. The most trivial case is the inhibition of translation of an essential replication initiator protein (Rep) by blockage of the
rep
-ribosome binding site. Alternatively, ribosome binding to a leader peptide mRNA whose translation is required for efficient Rep translation can be prevented by antisense-RNA binding. In 2004, translational attenuation was discovered. Antisense-RNA-mediated transcriptional attenuation is another mechanism that has, so far, only been detected in plasmids of Gram-positive bacteria. ColE1, a plasmid that does not need a plasmid-encoded replication initiator protein, uses the inhibition of primer formation. In other cases, antisense RNAs inhibit the formation of an activator pseudoknot that is required for efficient Rep translation.
Historical Events That Spawned the Field of Plasmid Biology
Authors: Kado Clarence I.
Published: October 2014

This chapter revisits the historical development and outcome of studies focused on the transmissible, extrachromosomal genetic elements called plasmids. Early work on plasmids involved structural and genetic mapping of these molecules, followed by the development of an understanding of how plasmids replicate and segregate during cell division. The intriguing property of plasmid transmission between bacteria and between bacteria and higher cells has received considerable attention. The utilitarian aspects of plasmids are described, including examples of various plasmid vector systems. This chapter also discusses the functional attributes of plasmids needed for their persistence and survival in nature and in man-made environments. The termplasmid biologywas first conceived at the Fallen Leaf Lake Conference on Promiscuous Plasmids, 1990, Lake Tahoe, California. The International Society for Plasmid Biology was established in 2004 (www.ISPB.org).
Spore Surface Display
Authors: Isticato Rachele , Ricca Ezio
Published: October 2014

A variety of bioactive peptides and proteins have been successfully displayed on the surface of recombinant spores of
Bacillus subtilis
and other sporeformers. In most cases, spore display has been achieved by stably anchoring the foreign molecules to endogenous surface proteins or parts of them. Recombinant spores have been proposed for a large number of potential applications ranging from oral vaccine vehicles to bioremediation tools, and including biocatalysts, probiotics for animal or human use, as well as the generation and screening of mutagenesis libraries. In addition, a nonrecombinant approach has been recently developed to adsorb antigens and enzymes on the spore surface. This nonrecombinant approach appears particularly well suited for applications involving the delivery of active molecules to human or animal mucosal surfaces. Both the recombinant and nonrecombinant spore display systems have a number of advantages over cell- or phage-based systems. The stability, safety of spores of several bacterial species, and amenability to laboratory manipulations, together with the lack of some constraints limiting the use of other systems, make the spore a highly efficient platform to display heterologous proteins.
Evolution in the
Bacillaceae
Authors: Fajardo-Cavazos Patricia , Maughan Heather , Nicholson Wayne L.
Published: October 2014

The family
Bacillaceae
constitutes a phenotypically diverse and globally ubiquitous assemblage of bacteria. Investigation into how evolution has shaped, and continues to shape, this family has relied on several widely ranging approaches from classical taxonomy, ecological field studies, and evolution in soil microcosms to genomic-scale phylogenetics, laboratory, and directed evolution experiments. One unifying characteristic of the
Bacillaceae
, the endospore, poses unique challenges to answering questions regarding both the calculation of evolutionary rates and claims of extreme longevity in ancient environmental samples.
Acute exacerbation of previously undiagnosed chronic focal myositis in an Aboriginal patient on maintenance haemodialysis
Authors: Stewart Benjamin James , Majoni Sandawana William
Published: October 2014

We describe a haemodialysis patient who presented with an exacerbation of previously undiagnosed chronic focal myositis during a hospital admission for missed dialysis and chronic foot osteomyelitis. The association of focal myositis with haemodialysis has been reported once previously, but we report the third case in our experience and argue that it is probably more common than previously appreciated. We consider a focused differential diagnosis for a diabetic dialysis patient with leg pain and discuss important features of this rare condition.
A severe neurological complication of influenza in a previously well child
Authors: McSwiney Philippa , Purnama Jessica , Kornberg Andrew , Danchin Margie
Published: October 2014

We describe a case of a 3-year-old girl who was admitted with encephalopathy and a right-sided hemiparesis secondary to acute influenza A. She was up-to-date with the Australian National Immunisation Program (which does not routinely include the seasonal influenza vaccine). After initial treatment with intravenous antimicrobials and acyclovir, a brain and spinal cord MRI demonstrated extensive focal necrotic and haemorrhagic changes in keeping with acute necrotising encephalopathy (ANE). She was started on a course of oseltamivir and intravenous pulse methylprednisolone, followed by an oral weaning regimen of prednisolone. After an intense period of rehabilitation, she has made a remarkable recovery. Genetic testing has since confirmed that this girl has the RANBP2 gene mutation, which leads to increased susceptibility of developing ANE. This case report highlights ANE as a rare but severe complication of influenza, the unfortunate complication of having the RANBP2 mutation and the importance of paediatric influenza vaccination.
Primary hydatid cyst in the adrenal gland
Authors: Mohammadi Afshin , Ghasemi-Rad Mohammad , Oklu Rahmi
Published: October 2014

An elderly man presented with a 2-year history of refractory hypertension. His medical history, physical examination and laboratory findings were unremarkable. On subsequent ultrasound study for the evaluation of renal artery stenosis, a large mass obliterating the adrenal gland containing internal cystic structures was identified. A CT study confirmed the diagnosis of primary adrenal gland hydatid cyst. Following surgical resection, the patient's hypertension resolved and medications to control blood pressure were discontinued.
Assessment of the quality of reporting for treatment components in Cochrane reviews of acupuncture
Authors: Kim Kun Hyung , Kang Jung Won , Lee Myeong Soo , Lee Jae-Dong
Published: October 2014

Objectives

High-quality reporting of treatment details can aid replication of study results in real-world clinical practice. The Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) is a reporting guideline for key elements of acupuncture interventions in clinical trials. This study used STRICTA to investigate whether Cochrane reviews of acupuncture adequately report important treatment details.

Design

Systematic review

Methods

Cochrane reviews of acupuncture were identified fromThe Cochrane Library(issue 7, 2012). Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) included in the reviews and published after 2005 were obtained. Using STRICTA, we extracted acupuncture-related information from the Cochrane reviews and the RCTs. The characteristics of the included studies’ table were the major source of intervention information from Cochrane reviews. Reporting quality of acupuncture interventions in Cochrane reviews was assessed and compared with the respective RCTs.

Results

25 Cochrane reviews of acupuncture and 92 RCTs met the selection criteria. Cochrane reviews were 16% less likely to report the acupuncture-related items of STRICTA than RCTs (risk ratio 0.84, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.88, I2=8%). Information was significantly better reported for 10 of the 15 treatment-group items of STRICTA in RCTs than in Cochrane reviews (p<0.05), while four items did so without statistical significance. One item related to practitioner background was significantly better reported in Cochrane reviews.

Conclusions

Reporting quality of treatment details in Cochrane reviews of acupuncture was insufficient with regard to STRICTA, even though such information was readily reported in RCTs. The overall quality of reporting of the RCTs, while better than the reviews, was also often suboptimal. Use of STRICTA guideline during the review process is recommended to adequately report the key treatment components in Cochrane reviews of acupuncture. The potential impact of STRICTA to the replicability and utilisation of reviews in future research and practice needs to be investigated.
Long-term mortality after community-acquired sepsis: a longitudinal population-based cohort study
Authors: Wang Henry E , Szychowski Jeff M , Griffin Russell , Safford Monika M , Shapiro Nathan I , Howard George
Published: October 2014

Objective

Prior studies have concentrated on the acute short-term outcomes of sepsis, with little focus on its long-term consequences. The objective of this study was to characterise long-term mortality following a sepsis event.

Design

Population-based data from the 30 239 community-dwelling individuals in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort.

Setting

USA.

Participants

Community-dwelling adults ≥45 years of age. Sepsis was defined as hospitalisation or emergency department treatment for a serious infection with the presence of ≥2 systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria.

Outcomes

6-year all-cause mortality. The analysis utilised a time-varying Cox model adjusted for participant's age, demographic factors, health behaviours and chronic medical conditions.

Results

The participants were observed for a median of 6.1 years (IQR 4.5–7.1). During this period, 975 individuals experienced a sepsis event. Sepsis hospital mortality was 8.9%. One-year, 2-year and 5-year all-cause mortality among individuals with sepsis were 23%, 28.8% and 43.8%, respectively, compared with death rates of 1%, 2.6% and 8.3% among those who never developed sepsis. On multivariable analysis, the association of sepsis with increased all-cause mortality persisted for up to 5 years, after adjustment for confounders; year 0.00–1.00, adjusted HR (aHR) 13.07 (95% CI 10.63 to 16.06); year 1.01–2.00 aHR 2.64 (1.85 to 3.77); year 2.01–3.00 aHR 2.18 (1.43 to 3.33); year 3.01–4.00 aHR 1.97 (1.19 to 3.25); year 4.01–5.00 aHR 2.08 (1.14 to 3.79); year 5.01+ aHR 1.41 (0.67 to 2.98).

Conclusions

Individuals with sepsis exhibited increased rates of death for up to 5 years after the illness event, even after accounting for comorbidities. Sepsis is independently associated with increased risk of mortality well after hospital treatment.
The Great Recession, unemployment and suicide
Authors: Norström Thor , Grönqvist Hans
Published: October 2014

Background

How have suicide rates responded to the marked increase in unemployment spurred by the Great Recession? Our paper puts this issue into a wider perspective by assessing (1) whether the unemployment-suicide link is modified by the degree of unemployment protection, and (2) whether the effect on suicide of the present crisis differs from the effects of previous economic downturns.

Methods

We analysed the unemployment-suicide link using time-series data for 30 countries spanning the period 1960–2012. Separate fixed-effects models were estimated for each of five welfare state regimes with different levels of unemployment protection (Eastern, Southern, Anglo-Saxon, Bismarckian and Scandinavian). We included an interaction term to capture the possible excess effect of unemployment during the Great Recession.

Results

The largest unemployment increases occurred in the welfare state regimes with the least generous unemployment protection. The unemployment effect on male suicides was statistically significant in all welfare regimes, except the Scandinavian one. The effect on female suicides was significant only in the eastern European country group. There was a significant gradient in the effects, being stronger the less generous the unemployment protection. The interaction term capturing the possible excess effect of unemployment during the financial crisis was not significant.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the more generous the unemployment protection the weaker the detrimental impact on suicide of the increasing unemployment during the Great Recession.
Reproductive autonomy and the ethics of abortion
Authors: Hewson Barbara
Published: October 2014

Abortion is one of the most controversial issues in today's world. People tend to turn to the law when trying to decide what is the best possible solution to an unwanted pregnancy. Here the author's views on abortion are discussed from a lawyer's and a woman's point of view. By taking into consideration the rights of the fetus an “antagonistic relationship” between the woman and her unborn child may occur. Therefore, women should have more autonomy in the issue. The article concludes with examples of cases in the United States and Ireland where the rights of the fetus are considered more important than those of the mother because of existing laws. This article suggests that a more inclusive ethics of abortion is required rather than a new ethics of abortion when “translating fetal life into law”.
Medical paternalism and the fetus
Authors: Wyatt John
Published: October 2014

A number of developments in the medical field have changed the debate about the ethics of abortion. These developments include: advances in fetal physiology, the increase in neonatal intensive care and the survival rates of premature infants. This paper discusses the idea of selective termination and the effects that these decisions have on disabled people of today. It presents a critique of the counselling services that are provided for the parents of a disabled fetus and discusses how this is viewed from a social perspective. The article ends with an argument that the mother deserves to be autonomous in the decision of abortion. The easiest and most fair way to develop her autonomy is to consider the relationship between a professional and a mother as an expert–expert relationship. Here both parties are considered experts in diagnostic information, treatment options, possibilities, and their history, family roots, philosophy and way of life, respectively.
Screening for disability: a eugenic pursuit?
Authors: Gillott John
Published: October 2014

This article is written in response to the idea that selective termination may be eugenic. It points out that a mixture of motives and goals may inform screening programmes and selective termination for fetal abnormality without the intention being “eugenic”. The paper locates modern genetics within the tradition of humanist medicine by suggesting that parents who choose to terminate a pregnancy because of fetal abnormalities are not making moral judgments about those who are living with these abnormalities already. Rather they are making judgments about their own lives and the lives of their children in relation to this genetic disorder. It concludes by introducing several caveats about the counselling that parents receive after the results of the testing and suggests that counselling inevitably contains a directive element because of the nature of the information covered.
Is there a ‘new ethics of abortion’?
Authors: Gillon Raanan
Published: October 2014

This paper argues that the central issue in the abortion debate has not changed since 1967 when the English parliament enacted the Abortion Act. That central issue concerns the moral status of the human fetus. The debate here is not, it is argued, primarily a moral debate, but rather a metaphysical debate and/or a theological debate—though one with massive moral implications. It concerns the nature and attributes that an entity requires to have “full moral standing” or “moral inviolability” including a “right to life”. It concerns the question when, in its development from newly fertilised ovum to unequivocally mature, autonomous morally inviolable person does a human being acquire that nature and those attributes, and thus a “right to life”. The paper briefly reviews standard answers to these questions, outlining some problems associated with each. Finally there is a brief discussion of one way in which the abortion debate has changed since 1967—notably in the increasingly vociferous claim, especially from disability rights sectors, that abortion on grounds of fetal abnormality implies contempt for and rejection of disabled people—a claim that is rebutted.
Effect of vaginal and cervical deposition of semen on the fertility of sheep inseminated with frozen‐thawed semen
Authors: Paulenz H. , SÖderquist L. , Ådnøy T. , Nordstoga A. B. , Andersen Berg K.
Published: October 2014

The effect of vaginal and cervical deposition of frozen‐thawed semen on the fertility of sheep was tested in a field trial in which 543 Norwegian crossbred ewes aged between six months and five‐and‐a‐half years from 10 farms were inseminated after natural oestrus. Cervical insemination with 200 × 106 spermatozoa resulted in 25‐day non‐return and lambing rates of 75·4 and 72·7 per cent, respectively, and vaginal insemination gave rates of 71·3 and 67·4 per cent; the cervical inseminations produced significantly higher lambing rates (P=0·04). There were significant differences between the lambing rates for different rams (P=0·006) and different farmers (P=0·003), and there was a significant interaction between farmer and deposition site (P=0·03). After vaginal insemination fertility was encouragingly high, but the results varied with the farmer, and different flock and management conditions.
Serological evidence of Leptospira interrogans serovar Bratislava infection and its association with abortions in cattle in northern Spain
Authors: Atxaerandio R. , Aduriz G. , Ziluaga I. , Esteban J. I. , Maranda L. , Mainar‐Jaime R. C.
Published: October 2014

A cross‐sectional study was carried out in the Basque Country of Spain to determine the seroprevalence of 10 Leptospira serovars in a population of dairy cattle with poor fertility, and a case‐control study was carried out in another northern area to investigate the role of Leptospira interrogans serovar Bratislava in abortions. L Bratislava was the most prevalent serovar in the cross‐sectional study, with 25·4 per cent of the cows testing positive in the microagglutination test when a cut‐off of 1:10 or higher was applied, followed by Leptospira Hardjo (8·2 per cent), Leptospira Pomona (7·7 per cent), Leptospira Autumnalis (0·7 per cent) and Leptospira Copenhageni (0·1 per cent). In the case‐control study the seroprevalence of L Bratislava was significantly higher among the cows which had aborted when a titre of 1:300 or more was used as a cut‐off (9·7 per cent v 3·4 per cent, P=0·008); 69 per cent of the L Bratislava‐infected cows that had aborted apparently aborted as a result of the infection.
Investigations of D‐lactate metabolism and the clinical signs of D‐lactataemia in calves
Authors: Lorenz I. , Gentile A. , Klee W.
Published: October 2014

Five clinically healthy calves received an intravenous injection of 25 g sodium D‐lactate (223 mmol) in 100 ml sterile water and five control calves were given the same volume of 0·9 per cent sodium chloride. Two clinical examiners who were blinded to the status (test or control) of the calves observed that between eight and 40 minutes after the injections the calves that had received sodium‐D‐lactate could be distinguished with certainty from the control calves on the basis of their clinical signs, for example, an impaired palpebral reflex, somnolence and a staggering gait. One‐compartment and two‐compartment analyses of the changes in the plasma concentration of D‐lactate, and its renal clearance, indicated that the calves metabolised considerable amounts of D‐lactate.
Clinical findings and treatment of 30 cattle with botulism
Authors: Braun U. , Feige K. , Schweizer G. , Pospischil A.
Published: October 2014

The clinical signs, the results of haematological and biochemical analyses and the treatment of 30 cattle with botulism are described, and the signs of the 13 cattle that survived are compared with those of the 17 that were euthanased owing to the disease. The cattle originated from 11 farms that had experienced an outbreak of botulism. The most important clinical sign in all the cattle was a reduction in the strength of the tongue; excessive salivation and difficulty in swallowing were observed in 20 of the animals, and the ears of 15 of them drooped. In 21 of the cattle, reaction to pricking of the head and body with a hypodermic needle was either absent or slight. Twelve of the animals had an unsteady, slow, difficult gait, and nine were unable to stand. A significantly higher proportion of the cattle which were euthanased had marked changes in behaviour and condition, anorexia, severely reduced skin turgor, weak tongues, a low rectal temperature, a high heart rate and a low blood pH; 11 were euthanased immediately after a clinical examination and six were euthanased one to five days after the initiation of treatment because their condition had deteriorated. Thirteen of the animals were treated for three to 23 days and were healthy when they were discharged. The treatment consisted of an intravenous infusion of 10 to 20 litres of glucose saline per day and the daily administration of fresh ruminal juice. Follow‐up by telephone several months later revealed that all 13 animals had recovered completely.
Study of 253 dogs in the United Kingdom with diabetes mellitus
Authors: Davison L. J. , Herrtage M. E. , Catchpole B.
Published: October 2014

Clinical information and blood samples were collected from 253 dogs with naturally occurring diabetes mellitus. Over half of them were labrador retrievers, collies, Yorkshire terriers or crossbred dogs, and approximately 80 per cent of them were diagnosed between the ages of five and 12 years. The majority of the dogs were receiving insulin therapy once a day, but in the dogs receiving insulin injections twice a day there was a trend for lower serum fructosamine concentrations, suggesting better glycaemic control. The proportion of female dogs with diabetes was lower than in previous surveys. The disease was diagnosed more commonly in the winter months, a seasonal pattern also observed in human beings with diabetes, suggesting that similar environmental factors might be involved in the disease.
Kinematic analysis of the gait of 10 labrador retrievers during treadmill locomotion
Authors: Clements D. N. , Owen M. R. , Carmichael S. , Reid S. W. J.
Published: October 2014

The trotting gait of 10 sound, adult labrador retrievers was analysed using kinematic gait analysis on a purpose‐built treadmill using video‐based motion analysis software. The maximal angular displacement, minimal angular displacement, average angular displacement, and the maximal positive and negative angular velocities of the right elbow and right stifle were measured over five gait cycles at defined time points during each of five two‐minute sessions. The dogs’ trotting gait was not repeatable, either for individual dogs during the first session or between sessions, or between dogs at the same time points during a session.
Long‐term survival of 23 dogs with pericardial effusions
Authors: Mellanby R. J. , Herrtage M. E.
Published: October 2014

Twenty‐three dogs with pericardial effusions were identified from case records made between 1992 and 2000. Fourteen of the 23 were diagnosed with idiopathic pericardial effusions, and three of these were treated successfully by one pericardiocentesis. In the remaining 11 cases the pericardial effusion recurred; six cases were managed long‐term by either two (three cases), three (two cases), or 11 repeated pericardiocenteses, and the remaining five were treated by pericardiectomy. The median survival time of the six dogs treated by repeated pericardiocentesis was five years and nine days.
Efficacy of in‐feed medication with tylosin for the treatment and control of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infections
Authors: Vicca J. , Maes D. , Jonker L. , de Kruif A. , Haesebrouck F.
Published: October 2014

The efficacy of in‐feed medication with tylosin for the treatment of enzootic pneumonia was examined in an experimental Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infection model. One group of 10 conventional M hyopneumoniae ‐free pigs was inoculated intratracheally with a highly virulent field isolate of M hyopneumoniae; a second group of 10 pigs was inoculated in the same way and after 12 days was given tylosin at 100 mg/kg feed for 21 days; a third group of 10 pigs was inoculated with sterile culture medium, and these pigs were not given tylosin. The pigs were examined daily for clinical signs and each pig was given a respiratory disease score. Thirty‐three days after they had been infected the pigs were euthanased, the lung lesions were quantified and samples of lung were processed for immunofluorescence testing for M hyopneumoniae. The mean (sd) respiratory disease and lung lesion scores were significantly higher (P<0·05) in both the infected groups than in the uninfected group. Between 23 and 33 days after infection the mean respiratory disease score of the pigs treated with tylosin was 0·54 (0·22), significantly (P<0·05) lower than that of the infected pigs which were left untreated, 1·54 (0·46); similarly, their average lung lesion score, 1·72 (1·20), was significantly lower than that of the untreated pigs, 5·27 (3·85).
Field trial of the efficacy of dicyclanil for the prevention of wohlfahrtiosis of sheep
Authors: Sotiraki S. , Stefanakis A. , Hall M. J. R. , Graf J. F.
Published: October 2014

Two groups of 40 ewes from each of two flocks were used in a field trial of the efficacy of dicyclanil to protect them against a natural infestation by Wohlfahrtia magnifica larvae, when administered topically as a spray‐on formulation. The animals of one group in each flock were treated with dicyclanil and those of the other group were left untreated as controls. The trial lasted 31 weeks and the animals were inspected daily for wohlfahrtiosis. The incidences of wohlfahrtiosis ranged from 17·5 per cent to 20 per cent in the control groups and from 2·5 per cent to 5 per cent in the treated groups, and 77·8 per cent of the infestations were in the genitalia. When compared with the control groups, dicyclanil achieved a 100 per cent reduction of infestation in the treated groups of both flocks for at least 24 weeks, and an 80 per cent reduction for 31 weeks.
Preliminary study using an indirect ELISA for the detection of serum antibodies to Alternaria in domestic cats
Authors: Dye C. , Peters I. , Tasker S. , Caney S. M. A. , Dye S. , Gruffydd‐Jones T. J. , Johnson E.
Published: October 2014

Alternaria is a saprophytic fungus that is widespread in the environment; it is an opportunistic pathogen and causes disease in human beings and domestic animals. Fungal spores gain entry to the host through skin lesions and cause slow‐growing, soft to firm, subcutaneous swellings, either with or without ulcers. An indirect ELISA was developed for the detection of anti‐Alternaria immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies in serum to determine the prevalence of Alternaria exposure in domestic cats. Fifty‐two of 63 cats had detectable levels of anti‐Alternaria IgG antibody. There were no correlations between the concentration of antibody and the sex, breed or living environment of the cats, but cats less than two years of age had significantly lower concentrations than older cats. The cats with disease caused by culture‐confirmed Alternaria infections did not have significantly higher concentrations of antibody than the healthy cats or cats with other diseases.
Masseter myodegeneration as a cause of trismus or dysphagia in adult horses
Authors: Pearson E. G. , Snyder S. P. , Saulez M. N.
Published: October 2014

The medical records of eight horses with histological evidence of myodegeneration of the masseter muscles were examined. While they were alive their most common clinical signs had included difficulty in eating or opening their mouths, weight loss, difficulty in moving, and noticeable atrophy of the masseter muscles. The serum activities of muscle enzymes were abnormally high in all of the horses. Whole blood and/or liver selenium and vitamin E concentrations were less than the reference ranges in some of the horses. The lesions varied with the stage of the disease and consisted of swelling and discoloration, or muscle atrophy and fibrosis. Histologically, the muscle changes ranged from acute to subacute degeneration, with regenerative changes accompanying ongoing degeneration, to chronic degeneration with fibrotic replacement of muscle tissue. There were changes in the masseter muscle of all the horses, but some had widespread lesions in skeletal muscle, and a few also had myocardial lesions.
Transcervical endoscope‐guided emptying of a transmural uterine cyst in a mare
Authors: Rambags B. P. B. , Stout T. A. E.
Published: October 2014

An 18‐year‐old Friesian mare with a large intrauterine cyst was examined by transrectal ultrasonography. There were several small to moderately sized intraluminal endometrial cysts, one of which connected via the myometrium to a large subserosal cyst, thereby effectively forming a ‘transmural’ cyst complex. During a videohysteroscopy, the intraluminal part of this transmural cyst was removed by electrocoagulation via a polypectomy snare. It was then possible to drain the large subserosal part of the cyst into the uterine lumen by transrectal massage, thereby confirming the presence of the transmural connection.