The molecular characterisation of Escherichia coli K1 isolated from neonatal nasogastric feeding tubes

Background: The most common cause of Gram-negative bacterial neonatal meningitis is E. coli K1. It has a mortality rate of 10–15%, and neurological sequelae in 30– 50% of cases. Infections can be attributable to nosocomial sources, however the pre-colonisation of enteral feeding tubes has not been considered as a specific risk factor. Methods: Thirty E. coli strains, which had been isolated in an earlier study, from the residual lumen liquid and biofilms of neonatal nasogastric feeding tubes were genotyped using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and 7-loci multilocus sequence typing. Potential pathogenicity and biofilm associated traits were determined using specific PCR probes, genome analysis, and in vitro tissue culture assays. Results: The E. coli strains clustered into five pulsotypes, which were genotyped as sequence types (ST) 95, 73, 127, 394 and 2076 (Achman scheme). The extra-intestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) phylogenetic group B2 ST95 serotype O1:K1:NM strains had been isolated over a 2 week period from 11 neonates who were on different feeding regimes. The E. coli K1 ST95 strains encoded for various virulence traits associated with neonatal meningitis and extracellular matrix formation. These strains attached and invaded intestinal, and both human and rat brain cell lines, and persisted for 48 h in U937 macrophages. E. coli STs 73, 394 and 2076 also persisted in macrophages and invaded Caco-2 and human brain cells, but only ST394 invaded rat brain cells. E. coli ST127 was notable as it did not invade any cell lines. Conclusions: Routes by which E. coli K1 can be disseminated within a neonatal intensive care unit are uncertain, however the colonisation of neonatal enteral feeding tubes may be one reservoir source which could constitute a serious health risk to neonates following ingestion

"In the interests of justice?" The International Criminal Court, peace talks and the failed quest for war crimes accountability in northern Uganda

This article analyzes the first peace talks to take place against the backdrop of an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation: the Juba Talks between the Lord’s Resistance Army and the Government of Uganda (2006–2008). Drawing on field research and original source material, it departs from well-worn peace versus justice debates and provides new empirical material to explore how the presence of the court shaped domestic political dynamics at Juba. It argues that at the level of broad rhetoric, the presence of the court created significant discord between negotiating parties. On a practical level, however, it created space for consensus, but not the type envisaged by international justice promoters. The court came to be seen by both sides as an intervention that needed to be contained and controlled. This resulted in the politically expedient Agreement on Accountability and Reconciliation, which showcased a transitional justice “tool-kit,” but was based on a shared desire to evade the jurisdiction of international criminal justice. Given its practical complexity, the transitional justice agreement was ultimately rejected by Joseph Kony, who became increasingly distrustful of his own negotiating team at Juba. In findings relevant to other contexts, the article presents in-depth analyses of how domestic political dynamics around the ICC intervention produced a national transitional justice framework designed to protect both parties from war crimes accountability

NGO's en vredesbesprekingen: IKV Pax Christi in Noord-Oeganda

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NGO involvement in the Juba peace talks: the role and dilemmas of IKV Pax Christi Netherlands

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Announcing the arrival of enrichment increases play behaviour and reduces weaning-stress-induced behaviours of piglets directly after weaning

Piglets have difficulties with the abrupt changes at weaning associated with conventional pig production systems. Previously, it has been shown in rats that reward and announcement of reward counteracts impact of stress effects. In the present study, it was investigated if announcement of an environmental enrichment, more than enrichment alone, could facilitate play behaviour and reduce weaning-stress-induced behaviours such as increased aggression with subsequent increased injuries and increased social manipulative behaviours (i.e., tail biting, belly nosing, mounting). Twenty-four litters of conventional housed fattening piglets were kept under three different experimental conditions: sound cue (conditioned stimulus, CS) paired with an environmental enrichment (unconditioned stimulus, US) with a maximum delay between the CS and US of 30 s (CS-US paired) in which anticipatory behaviour develops; cue-environmental enrichment unpaired (CS-US unpaired) and no cue and no environmental enrichment (No CS-US). At two weeks of age the so-called,anticipation procedure' started and ended two days after weaning. Growth, play, aggressive, social manipulative, eating and inactive behaviour, and injury rates were measured before and after weaning. Results of this study indicated that announcement of enrichment and not enrichment alone significantly increased play behaviour after weaning. In addition, announcement of enrichment and to a lesser extent enrichment alone decreased aggression before and after weaning and subsequent amount of injuries after weaning. The most important finding of this study is that the effects of an expected enrichment are more pronounced than the effects of enrichment alone. It is therefore suggested that announcing enrichment has an additional effect on the impact of enrichment alone and can be used as a new tool to reduce weaning stress in piglets

Comeback van de boon

Nederland kent van oorsprong een rijke variatie aan bonen. Dankzij de Oerakker en de Wageningse genenbank zijn oude streekrassen bewaard. Mogelijk zitten daar rassen met nieuwe kansen bi