Who Cares? Young Europeans’ attitudes towards the disclosure of personal identity data

In policy circles, there is increasing attention to the privacy and safety of young people\u27s personal identity data. Identity disclosure seems to be an integral part of young people\u27s lifestyles. Also, there is mixed evidence on the different attitudes regarding disclosure between young adults and more mature cohorts. The present research examines peoples’ practices in relation to various services (e.g. social networking, health). It gauges opinions, thoughts and motivations towards personal identity data management and covers policy preferences in relation to the protection of identity data. The study was conducted in seven EU Member States, covering four regional groups where attitudes to disclosure have been shown to differ. Two focus groups were run in each country; one with young people aged 15 to 25, the other involving adults (25 to 70 years old). Analysis is based on two complementary qualitative techniques, using textual analysis software. Content analysis was used to identify the main topics emerging from the groups’ interactions, while a ‘discriminate’ analysis was performed to obtain a deeper insight into discourses’ similarities and differences in relation to specific variables such as age and regions/countries. While this research does not aim to provide a comprehensive view of Europeans\u27 perceptions, it highlights significant differences, particularly between young people and adults and between the different countries (cultural differences). This study consequently has significant scientific and policy implications. The results will help shape a final questionnaire for a EU27 survey on the same subject. This work will help the European Commission direct the Information Society agenda in the years to come

Blood Parasites in Owls with Conservation Implications for the Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis)

The three subspecies of Spotted Owl (Northern, Strix occidentalis caurina; California, S. o. occidentalis; and Mexican, S. o. lucida) are all threatened by habitat loss and range expansion of the Barred Owl (S. varia). An unaddressed threat is whether Barred Owls could be a source of novel strains of disease such as avian malaria (Plasmodium spp.) or other blood parasites potentially harmful for Spotted Owls. Although Barred Owls commonly harbor Plasmodium infections, these parasites have not been documented in the Spotted Owl. We screened 111 Spotted Owls, 44 Barred Owls, and 387 owls of nine other species for haemosporidian parasites (Leucocytozoon, Plasmodium, and Haemoproteus spp.). California Spotted Owls had the greatest number of simultaneous multi-species infections (44%). Additionally, sequencing results revealed that the Northern and California Spotted Owl subspecies together had the highest number of Leucocytozoon parasite lineages (n = 17) and unique lineages (n = 12). This high level of sequence diversity is significant because only one Leucocytozoon species (L. danilewskyi) has been accepted as valid among all owls, suggesting that L. danilewskyi is a cryptic species. Furthermore, a Plasmodium parasite was documented in a Northern Spotted Owl for the first time. West Coast Barred Owls had a lower prevalence of infection (15%) when compared to sympatric Spotted Owls (S. o. caurina 52%, S. o. occidentalis 79%) and Barred Owls from the historic range (61%). Consequently, Barred Owls on the West Coast may have a competitive advantage over the potentially immune compromised Spotted Owls

Echec d’un essai de transmission du toxoplasme par les œufs d’

Au cours de trois expériences successives, un porc infesté avec des Ascaris suum ingère des toxoplasmes de souches différentes, sous diverses formes. Les selles du porc contenant des œufs d’Ascaris, sont recueillies pendant 30 jours après le dernier repas de toxoplasmes, et conservées pendant au moins 20 jours dans l’eau du robinet. L’inoculation des œufs d’Ascaris broyés n’a jamais permis de transmettre la toxoplasmose à des souris

de Malaisie

Le développement d’Hepatocystis brayi a été observé essentiellement chez C. variipenis jusqu’au stade d’oocyste mûr. Contrairement à H. kochi, la localisation des oocystes d’H. brayi est identique à celle des Plasmodium, entre l’épithélium stomacal de l’insecte et la basale

Usefulness of PCR for detection of Pneumocystis carinii DNA.

International audienceDiagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia is based on the identification of the various stages of the parasite in lung samples by standard staining techniques. We therefore assessed the value of the PCR for detection of P. carinii in bronchoalveolar lavage, induced sputum, and blood samples relative to that of standard staining techniques