Prevalence of BoHV-1 seropositive and BVD virus positive bulls on Irish dairy farms and associations between bull purchase and herd status

peer-reviewedBackground BVD and IBR are contagious viral diseases highly prevalent in Irish cattle. Despite their significant reproductive and economic impact very little is known about the BVD and IBR status of stock bulls (a bull used for breeding purposes). There are still a high proportion of dairy farms in Ireland that rely on the use of a bull for breeding cattle and ensuring the fertility of the bulls is of paramount importance for the efficiency of the farms. The prevalence of BoHV-1 and BVD in stock bulls in Irish dairy herds has never been investigated. The objectives of this study therefore were: (i) to provide descriptive, observational data on the use of stock bulls on Irish dairy farms; (ii) to investigate the BVD and BoHV1 status of a sub-set of stock bulls; (iii) to investigate factors associated with BVD and BoHV1 status of stock bulls and (iv) to investigate factors associated with dairy herd status for BVD and BoHV1, including any associations with the use of stock bull. A total of 529 blood samples from bulls involved in the dairy breeding process were analysed for BVD virus using RT-PCR, and BoHV-1 antibodies by ELISA test. A total of 305 different dairy herds took part in the study and the overall BVD and BoHV-1 herd status was determined by ELISA using four bulk tank milk samples over the 2009 lactation. Logistic regression was used to investigate the associations between the stock bulls and BVD and BoHV-1 herd and individual status. Results Of the 305 total participating farms, 235 farms (77 %) had at least one bull and 167 farms had purchased bulls. Two bulls (0.4 %) out of 529 tested were found positive for BVD virus and 87 (16.7 %) tested seropositive for BoHV-1. Some significant associations were identified between the purchase of bulls and both viral diseases. Purchased bulls were three times more likely to be seropositive for BoHV-1 than homebred bulls. In the same way, herds with purchased bulls were three times more likely to be classified as seropositive for BVD and four times more likely to have evidence of recent BoHV-1 circulation than farms where all the bulls were homebred. Conclusions The prevalence of BoHV-1 and BVD in stock bulls in Irish dairy herds has never been investigated. This study highlights the widespread use of stock bulls in Irish dairy herds, as well as the high rate of exchange of bulls between farms. Significant associations were found between the origin of the bull and their serological BoHV-1 status. In keeping with these results, bulls with higher number movements between farms were more likely to be seropositive for BoHV-1

The Integrated Stress Response Effector atF4: Characterization of a Small Molecule Modulator of its Expression and Investigation of the Role of atF4 in Metastasis

The Integrated Stress Response (ISR) and the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) are signaling programs that enable cellular adaptation to stressful conditions like hypoxia and nutrient deprivation in the tumor microenvironment. An important effector of these pathways is ATF4, a transcription factor that regulates genes involved in redox homeostasis, amino acid metabolism and transport, autophagy, and angiogenesis. However, prolonged activation of the UPR/ISR and resultant ATF4 expression can be cytotoxic under certain conditions. In these studies, we characterized a small molecule compound, E235, which activated the ISR and dose-dependently increased levels of ATF4 in transformed cells. A dose-dependent decrease in viability was observed in several mouse and human tumor cell lines, and knockdown of ATF4 significantly increased the anti-proliferative effects of E235. Interestingly, low μM doses of E235 induced senescence in many cell types. E235-mediated induction of senescence was not dependent on p21 or p53; however, p21 conferred protection against the growth inhibitory effects of E235. Treatment with E235 resulted in an increase in cells arrested at the G2/M phase. E235 also activated DNA damage response signaling, although E235 did not appear to cause physical DNA damage. Induction of γ-H2AX was abrogated in ATF4 knockdown cells. Together, these results suggest that modulation of the ISR pathway with the small molecule E235 could be a promising anti-tumor strategy. We also investigated the potential role of ATF4 in tumor metastasis. Constitutive knockdown of ATF4 expression in HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells completely prevented the lung colonization of these cells when injected intravenously in mice. This phenomenon may be tumor type specific however, as ATF4 ablation in mouse mammary carcinoma cells had no effect on the ability of these cells to colonize various organs of the mice. In addition, we generated HT1080 cells with an inducible knockdown of ATF4 and demonstrated an increased tumor growth rate upon downregulation of ATF4 expression. However, ATF4 knockdown did not affect the migration of HT1080 cells. This, together with results from a colleague showing that ATF4 protects cells from anoikis, led us to propose that ATF4 may be facilitating metastasis by protecting tumor cells during detachment and circulation

Use of whole genome sequencing of commensal Escherichia coli in pigs for antimicrobial resistance surveillance, United Kingdom, 2018

BackgroundSurveillance of commensal Escherichia coli, a possible reservoir of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, is important as they pose a risk to human and animal health. Most surveillance activities rely on phenotypic characterisation, but whole genome sequencing (WGS) presents an alternative.AimIn this retrospective study, we tested 515 E. coli isolated from pigs to evaluate the use of WGS to predict resistance phenotype.MethodsMinimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined for nine antimicrobials of clinical and veterinary importance. Deviation from wild-type, fully-susceptible MIC was assessed using European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) epidemiological cut-off (ECOFF) values. Presence of AMR genes and mutations were determined using APHA SeqFinder. Statistical two-by-two table analysis and Cohen's kappa (k) test were applied to assess genotype and phenotype concordance.ResultsOverall, correlation of WGS with susceptibility to the nine antimicrobials was 98.9% for test specificity, and 97.5% for the positive predictive value of a test. The overall kappa score (k = 0.914) indicated AMR gene presence was highly predictive of reduced susceptibility and showed excellent correlation with MIC. However, there was variation for each antimicrobial; five showed excellent correlation; four very good and one moderate. Suggested ECOFF adjustments increased concordance between genotypic data and kappa values for four antimicrobials.ConclusionWGS is a powerful tool for accurately predicting AMR that can be used for national surveillance purposes. Additionally, it can detect resistance genes from a wider panel of antimicrobials whose phenotypes are currently not monitored but may be of importance in the future

Investigation of Graded La2NiO4+ Cathodes to Improve SOFC Electrochemical Performance

Mixed ionic and electronic conducting MIEC oxides are promising materials for use as cathodes in solid oxide fuel cells SOFCs due to their enhanced electrocatalytic activity compared with electronic conducting oxides. In this paper, the MIEC oxide La2NiO4+ was prepared by the sol-gel route. Graded cathodes were deposited onto yttria-stabilized zirconia YSZ pellets by dip-coating, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies were performed to characterize the symmetrical cell performance. By adapting the slurries, cathode layers with different porosities and thicknesses were obtained. A ceria gadolinium oxide CGO barrier layer was introduced, avoiding insulating La2Zr2O7 phase formation and thus reducing resistance polarization of the cathode. A systematic correlation between microstructure, composition, and electrochemical performance of these cathodes has been performed. An improvement of the electrochemical performance has been demonstrated, and a reduction in the area specific resistance ASR by a factor of 4.5 has been achieved with a compact interlayer of La2NiO4+ between the dense electrolyte and the porous La2NiO4+ cathode layer. The lowest observed ASR of 0.11 cm2 at 800°C was obtained from a symmetrical cell composed of a YSZ electrolyte, a CGO interlayer, an intermediate compact La2NiO4+ layer, a porous La2NiO4+ electrode layer, and a current collection layer of platinum paste

Flood vulnerability, risk and social disadvantage: current and future patterns in the UK

Present day and future social vulnerability, flood risk and disadvantage across the UK are explored using the UK Future Flood Explorer. In doing so, new indices of neighbourhood flood vulnerability and social flood risk are introduced and used to provide a quantitative comparison of the flood risks faced by more and less socially vulnerable neighbourhoods. The results show the concentrated nature of geographic flood disadvantage. For example, ten local authorities account for fifty percent of the most socially vulnerable people that live in flood prone areas. The results also highlight the systematic nature of flood disadvantage. For example, flood risks are higher in socially vulnerable communities than elsewhere; this is shown to be particularly the case in coastal areas, economically struggling cities and dispersed rural communities. Results from a re-analysis of the Environment Agency’s Long-Term Investment Scenarios (for England) suggests a long-term economic case for improving the protection afforded to the most socially vulnerable communities; a finding that reinforces the need to develop a better understanding of flood risk in socially vulnerable communities if flood risk management efforts are to deliver fair outcomes. In response to these findings the paper advocates an approach to flood risk management that emphasizes Rawlsian principles of preferentially targeting risk reduction for the most socially vulnerable and avoids a process of prioritisation based upon strict utilitarian or purely egalitarian principles

Relationship between pica and iron nutrition in Johannesburg black adults

On direct questioning by a Black staff nurse, 23% of 348 consecutive unselected adult outpatients attending the Johannesburg Non-European Hospital said that they regularly ate earth or ash. The prevalence was higher in the women (33%) than in the men (11 %), and in 50 women with minor gynaecological complaints who were interviewed by a Black psychologist, it was 72%. The quantity eaten varied from an occasional tablespoonful to several handfuls a day. In an attempt to define the reasons for the habit a thematic apperception test was used. A strong association with pregnancy was identified, but the explanation for this was not established. Some subjects claimed that the material was eaten for medicinal purposes, while others merely liked the taste. The effect on iron nutrition appeared to be variable, depending on the ironbinding capacity of the soluble iron content of the material consumed.S. Afr. Med. J., 48. 1655 (1974

Policy Responsiveness and Political Accountability in City Politics

Peculiar patterns have emerged in municipal politics in Canada. Unlike at federal and provincial levels of government, party politics is weak or absent in cities. But looking at the entire history of municipal elections of three Western Canadian cities — Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver — also finds that, again unlike politicians at higher levels, municipal representatives are increasingly more likely to win repeated re-elections, facing a much lower threat from any competitive challenge. In addition, the careers of municipal politicians are growing steadily longer, leading to relatively stable, almost static, city governments that tend to see change most commonly when councillors choose to step down, rather than being forced out.Such patterns, of course, run counter to the general presumption in lively democracies, including this one, that the responsiveness of government leaders (that is, following the wishes of their constituents) and their accountability for the actions they take are best served by frequent turnovers in government: The need to throw politicians out every now and again to let new ones try and do things better. Whether the remarkable levels of stability and incumbency on city councils actually do serve the best interests of voters is unclear. More clear is that the lack of a party system at the city level seems to have contributed to this peculiar dynamic, and that city politicians have an interest in keeping it that way.While party affiliations provide a candidate some benefits in the form of campaign co-ordination, they also provide voters with increased clarity about what each candidate stands for policy-wise. That might be helpful to voters, but city politicians might find it more useful to blur their positions, leaving voters uncertain of exactly how to define a specific councillor’s stand, overall. The amount of information required to root through a councillor’s voting record, and the relatively light media coverage of daily council business, leaves most voters inclined to rely on something other than political signals when they decide who to support. Inevitably, a candidate’s personal character and length of experience take on a larger priority in the voting decision. So, the longer a councillor serves, the longer he or she might be likely to keep serving.The natural outcome of this phenomenon is that city councils are less likely to become polarized as councillors have an incentive to seek consensus by limiting obvious policy distinctions between themselves and their fellow representatives, contributing to a dynamic where city council works more like a corporate body and less like a partisan legislature. As long as citizens remain largely unperturbed by the overall actions of their city council, they might judge the risk of replacing them at election time as unnecessarily high compared to sticking with the status quo.This behaviour challenges much of the prevailing theory about how political processes improve political responsiveness and accountability. This is occurring at a time when cities are emerging as important and increasingly powerful nodes in the modern global economy. That the very nature of how they are governed is diverging so markedly from the norm that Canadians have come to expect from other levels of government is not something to be considered lightly

Rumen fluke in Irish sheep: prevalence, risk factors and molecular identification of two paramphistome species

peer-reviewedBackground Rumen flukes are trematode parasites found globally; in tropical and sub-tropical climates, infection can result in paramphistomosis, which can have a deleterious impact on livestock. In Europe, rumen fluke is not regarded as a clinically significant parasite, recently however, the prevalence of rumen fluke has sharply increased and several outbreaks of clinical paramphistomosis have been reported. Gaining a better understanding of rumen fluke transmission and identification of risk factors is crucial to improve the control of this parasitic disease. In this regard, a national prevalence study of rumen fluke infection and an investigation of associated risk factors were conducted in Irish sheep flocks between November 2014 and January 2015. In addition, a molecular identification of the rumen fluke species present in Ireland was carried out using an isolation method of individual eggs from faecal material coupled with a PCR. After the DNA extraction of 54 individual eggs, the nuclear fragment ITS-2 was amplified and sequenced using the same primers. Results An apparent herd prevalence of 77.3 % was determined. Several risk factors were identified including type of pasture grazed, regional variation, and sharing of the paddocks with other livestock species. A novel relationship between the Suffolk breed and higher FEC was reported for the first time. The predominant rumen fluke species found was C. daubneyi. Nevertheless, P. leydeni was unexpectedly identified infecting sheep in Ireland for the first time. Conclusions An exceptionally high prevalence of rumen fluke among Irish sheep flocks has been highlighted in this study and a more thorough investigation is necessary to analyse its economic impact. The isolation of individual eggs coupled with the PCR technique used here has proven a reliable tool for discrimination of Paramphistomum spp. This technique may facilitate forthcoming studies of the effects of paramphistomosis on livestock production. The most noteworthy finding was the identification of P. leydeni affecting sheep in Ireland, however further studies are required to clarify its implications. Also, a significant relationship between Suffolk breed and a heavier infection was found, which can be used as a starting point for future research on control strategies of rumen fluke infection.This study was funded by Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine research stimulus funding; project reference 13/ S/405

The nurse educator role in the acute care setting in Australia: Important but poorly described

Objective The purpose of this paper is to describe the nurse educator role in the acute care setting in Australia. Method A literature review using Ganong's (1987) method of analysis was undertaken. Computerised databases were searched for articles published in English between 2000 and 2008 using the key words: 'education', 'nursing', 'nurse-educator', 'teaching methods', 'clinical', 'outcomes health care' and 'Australia'. Information was summarised to identify issues impacting on the nurse educator role using a standardised data extraction tool. Results The search strategies generated 152 articles and reports. The review identified that the nurse educator role is fundamental in supporting clinical practice and integral to developing a skilled and competent health workforce. Conclusion Confusion in nursing roles and role ambiguity contribute to the challenges for nurse educators in acute care. The absence of a national, standardised approach to role description and scope of practice in Australia may adversely impact role enactment. Further discussion and debate of the nurse educator role in Australia is warranted

Femorofemoral crossover grafts for claudication: A safe and reliable procedure

Objective:To evaluate the role of femorofemoral crossover grafts in patients with disabling claudication.Design:Retrospective study.Setting:University hospital.Materials:Two hundred and eleven patients with iliac artery disease undergoing femorofemoral crossover grafts for disabling claudication.Chief outcome measures:Perioperative mortality, follow-up cumulative graft patency, limb loss, survival, graft infection and false aneurysm formation were evaluated to determine the immediate and long-term outcome of the procedure.Main results:Primary and secondary graft patency at 5 years was 72% and 89% respectively. There were no perioperative deaths (zero 30 day mortality). Dacron was used in 66 patients (31%) and PTFE in 145 (69%). There were no differences in patency between the two graft materials but eight Dacron grafts (12.1%) were removed because of complications (false aneurysm or infection) compared to four PTFE grafts (2.7%)(p < 0.001 Chi-square). Five patients (2%) have undergone a major lower limb amputation. Forty-one patients (19%) have required subsequent inflow procedures which represents a cumulative need for inflow of 5% per year.Conclusions:Femorofemoral crossover grafts are a safe and reliable procedure in patients with disabling claudication caused by unilateral iliac artery disease