Viral emergence and consequences for reproductive performance in ruminants: two recent examples (bluetongue and Schmallenberg viruses)

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphan Zientara ◽  
Claire Ponsart
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Northern Europe ◽  
Emerging Viruses ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Domestic Ruminants ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Viral Emergence ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Viruses can emerge unexpectedly in different regions of the world and may have negative effects on reproductive performance. This paper describes the consequences for reproductive performance that have been reported after the introduction to Europe of two emerging viruses, namely the bluetongue (BTV) and Schmallenberg (SBV) viruses. Following the extensive spread of BTV in northern Europe, large numbers of pregnant cows were infected with BTV serotype 8 (BTV-8) during the breeding season of 2007. Initial reports of some cases of abortion and hydranencephaly in cattle in late 2007 were followed by quite exhaustive investigations in the field that showed that 10%–35% of healthy calves were infected with BTV-8 before birth. Transplacental transmission and fetal abnormalities in cattle and sheep had been previously observed only with strains of the virus that were propagated in embryonated eggs and/or cell culture, such as vaccine strains or vaccine candidate strains. After the unexpected emergence of BTV-8 in northern Europe in 2006, another arbovirus, namely SBV, emerged in Europe in 2011, causing a new economically important disease in ruminants. This new virus, belonging to the Orthobunyavirus genus in the Bunyaviridae family, was first detected in Germany, in The Netherlands and in Belgium in 2011 and soon after in the UK, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Denmark and Switzerland. Adult animals show no or only mild clinical symptoms, whereas infection during a critical period of gestation can lead to abortion, stillbirth or the birth of severely malformed offspring. The impact of the disease is usually greater in sheep than in cattle. The consequences of SBV infection in domestic ruminants and more precisely the secondary effects on off-springs will be described.

Implications of Ionospheric Scintillation for GNSS Users in Northern Europe

2005 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 241-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcio Aquino ◽  
Terry Moore ◽  
Alan Dodson ◽  
Sam Waugh ◽  
Jock Souter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northern Europe ◽  
Ionospheric Scintillation ◽  
Electron Content ◽  
Total Electron ◽  
Northern European ◽  
Amplitude Fluctuations ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Time Delay Effect ◽  
Electron Density Irregularities ◽  
The Impact

Extensive ionospheric scintillation and Total Electron Content (TEC) data were collected by the Institute of Engineering Surveying and Space Geodesy (IESSG) in Northern Europe during years of great impact of the solar maximum on GNSS users (2001–2003). The ionospheric TEC is responsible for range errors due to its time delay effect on transionospheric signals. Electron density irregularities in the ionosphere, occurring frequently during these years, are responsible for (phase and amplitude) fluctuations on GNSS signals, known as ionospheric scintillation. Since June 2001 four GPS Ionospheric Scintillation and TEC Monitor receivers (the NovAtel/AJ Systems GSV4004) have been deployed at stations in the UK and Norway, forming a Northern European network, covering geographic latitudes from 53° to 70° N approximately. These receivers compute and record GPS phase and amplitude scintillation parameters, as well as TEC and TEC variations. The project involved setting up the network and developing automated archiving and data analysis strategies, aiming to study the impact of scintillation on DGPS and EGNOS users, and on different GPS receiver technologies. In order to characterise scintillation and TEC variations over Northern Europe, as well as investigate correlation with geomagnetic activity, long-term statistical analyses were also produced. This paper summarises our findings, providing an overview of the potential implications of ionospheric scintillation for the GNSS user in Northern Europe.

Editorial

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Roseveare ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Editorial Team ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Demographic Shift ◽  
Letters To The Editor ◽  
Escape Route ◽  
Acute Medicine ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Milestones are often seen as opportunities for reflection and reminiscence. As this edition of the journal coincides with the 10th anniversary of my consultant appointment I hope readers will forgive a couple of paragraphs of self-indulgence. The phrase: ‘Where did all that time go?’ will probably be familiar to physicians at a more advanced stage of their career. With medical students now returning as specialist registrars, and former house officers appearing as consultant colleagues, the passage of time is increasingly apparent. I recently realised that our current third year students were born in the year I clerked my first patient: surprisingly I still remember his name, age and diagnosis, unlike many of those (and all of the students!) who I have seen since. On a more positive note, there have clearly been a lot of changes over these ten years: at the time of my appointment in June 1999 there was just a small handful of ‘acute physicians’ in the UK. SAM meetings attracted barely 100 delegates, despite providing free admission, and most of us had planned our escape route in case the acute medicine concept went ‘belly-up’ before our retirement. Now, with several hundred acute medicine consultants, similar numbers of trainees, and ‘full speciality’ status rapidly approaching, job security should no longer be a major concern. Indeed, the last 12 months has seen a further considerable expansion of the speciality; all of the first cohort of acute medicine trainees in Wessex have secured consultant positions, and I am told that SAM now has close to 700 full members. What the next ten years will bring remains to be seen, but with an ageing population and year-round pressures from rising emergency admissions, acute medicine will surely continue to strengthen. As I indicated last time, an increasing number of research-based submissions will be trickling into the journal over the next few editions. The impact of alcohol on the Health Service is a subject which has been at the top of the political agenda in recent months. So it is timely to include an article highlighting its impact on the Acute Medical intake in a busy Teaching hospital in this edition of the journal. The finding that one-in-five patients admitted to the AMU were considered ‘hazardous’ drinkers will probably come as no surprise to acute physicians working elsewhere in the UK. In fact this figure may have been an under-estimate given that the number of units consumer per week was not documented in 30% of clerking records. The demographic shift away from the stereotype ‘middle-aged male’ drinker is also apparent with large numbers of females aged 40-59 falling into this category. Recent editions of this journal would not seem complete without mention of training in practical procedures. In this issue the SAM trainee representatives have summarised the recent trainee survey in this area, providing some recommendations which will hopefully be incorporated into the new curriculum. Readers who are becoming tired of this subject can be reassured that this should be the final article relating to this for the time being! I hope this edition provides interesting reading and please keep the submissions coming – although the review articles are usually solicited by the editorial team, we will continue to consider any submitted article for publication, provided there is a clear teaching message for those working in the field of Acute Medicine. Any feedback on the articles included in this or previous editions would also be welcome, and may be included in a future ‘viewpoint’ or ‘letters to the editor’ section.

scholarly journals The Association between Urban Public Transport Infrastructure and Social Equity and Spatial Accessibility within the Urban Environment: An Investigation of Tramlink in London

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1229 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil Cuthill ◽  
Mengqiu Cao ◽  
Yuqi Liu ◽  
Xing Gao ◽  
Yuerong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Urban Environment ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Social Equity ◽  
Spatial Accessibility ◽  
Transport Infrastructure ◽  
Light Rail ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Public Money ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

The pursuit of sustainability has been at the forefront of contemporary planning initiatives. However, most recent research has focused on the environmental and economic aspects of developing sustainable urban environment, whilst largely neglecting the social aspects. Contemporary political thinking in the UK often disregards the potential of the urban infrastructure to improve social equity. The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of transport infrastructure on a variety of social measures, in an empirical and ideologically unbiased fashion, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. We selected “Tramlink” as a case study: a light-rail system in the London Borough of Croydon which began operation in 2000. We used quantitative methods, including advanced spatial statistics, to produce a more detailed analysis of social equity than has been previously published. This acknowledges that determining localised issues can produce more informed and effective policy interventions. Our results demonstrate that the physical properties of transport infrastructure and the non-physical attributes of society, in combination, help to create opportunities for individuals to succeed. We also find that in order to reduce the negative effects of austerity, public money could be more effectively spent if diverted to areas that are most in need which can be highlighted through localised investigations.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 Lockdowns on Air Quality—A Global Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 10212
Author(s):  
Abdullah Addas ◽  
Ahmad Maghrabi
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
The World ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Google Search ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Tremendous Impact ◽  
Total Environment ◽  
The U.S

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as a serious public health threat and has had a tremendous impact on all spheres of the environment. The air quality across the world improved because of COVID-19 lockdowns. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, large numbers of studies have been carried out on the impact of lockdowns on air quality around the world, but no studies have been carried out on the systematic review on the impact of lockdowns on air quality. This study aims to systematically assess the bibliographic review on the impact of lockdowns on air quality around the globe. A total of 237 studies were identified after rigorous review, and 144 studies met the criteria for the review. The literature was surveyed from Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and the Google search engine. The results reveal that (i) most of the studies were carried out on Asia (about 65%), followed by Europe (18%), North America (6%), South America (5%), and Africa (3%); (ii) in the case of countries, the highest number of studies was performed on India (29%), followed by China (23%), the U.S. (5%), the UK (4%), and Italy; (iii) more than 60% of the studies included NO2 for study, followed by PM2.5 (about 50%), PM10, SO2, and CO; (iv) most of the studies were published by Science of the Total Environment (29%), followed by Aerosol and Air Quality Research (23%), Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health (9%), and Environmental Pollution (5%); (v) the studies reveal that there were significant improvements in air quality during lockdowns in comparison with previous time periods. Thus, this diversified study conducted on the impact of lockdowns on air quality will surely assist in identifying any gaps, as it outlines the insights of the current scientific research.

scholarly journals Institutional barriers to participation in EU framework programs: contrasting the Swiss and UK cases

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Cavallaro ◽  
Benedetto Lepori
Keyword(s):  
Research Collaboration ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Institutional Barriers ◽  
Horizon 2020 ◽  
Economic Relationships ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Political Uncertainties ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe aim of this study was to examine how institutional barriers arising from policy decisions influence the level of participation of third-party countries in European Framework Programs (EU-FPs). To achieve this, we contrasted the effect of EU funding restrictions following Switzerland’s 2014 reclassification as a “third country” in Horizon 2020, and the political uncertainties resulting from the 2016 Brexit vote in the United Kingdom (UK). We compared the participation patterns of Swiss and UK higher education institutions (HEIs) with control groups of similar European HEIs over time and, complementarily, analyzed changes in the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Our results showed that the Brexit-induced uncertainty had stronger negative effects than the Swiss reclassification, which was, however, characterized by effective EU funding restrictions. In both cases, the negative impact of institutional barriers was stronger for the more central HEIs in EU-FP networks. These results suggest that the effect of institutional barriers is closely linked to consortium building mechanisms, where research collaboration requires stability and projection over the long term. Regarding individual grants, the impact was stronger for Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions than for European Research Council grants, suggesting that a researcher’s mobility is affected by political uncertainties. Finally, in the UK case, we observed a steep decrease in the participation of SMEs. Based on these results, we suggest that a stable framework of participation and a clear ruling on relationships with the EU for what concerns people’s mobility and economic relationships are key to fostering the participation of third-party countries.

scholarly journals Impact of detecting potentially serious incidental findings during multi-modal imaging

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorna M Gibson ◽  
Thomas J Littlejohns ◽  
Ligia Adamska ◽  
Steve Garratt ◽  
Nicola Doherty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Incidental Findings ◽  
Imaging Study ◽  
Publicly Funded ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Emotional Wellbeing ◽  
Public Health Screening ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact

Background: There are limited data on the impact of feedback of incidental findings (IFs) from research imaging.  We evaluated the impact of UK Biobank’s protocol for handling potentially serious IFs in a multi-modal imaging study of 100,000 participants (radiographer ‘flagging’ with radiologist confirmation of potentially serious IFs) compared with systematic radiologist review of all images. Methods: Brain, cardiac and body magnetic resonance, and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scans from the first 1000 imaged UK Biobank participants were independently assessed for potentially serious IFs using both protocols. We surveyed participants with potentially serious IFs and their GPs up to six months after imaging to determine subsequent clinical assessments, final diagnoses, emotional, financial and work or activity impacts. Results: Compared to systematic radiologist review, radiographer flagging resulted in substantially fewer participants with potentially serious IFs (179/1000 [17.9%] versus 18/1000 [1.8%]) and a higher proportion with serious final diagnoses (21/179 [11.7%] versus 5/18 [27.8%]). Radiographer flagging missed 16/21 serious final diagnoses (i.e., false negatives), while systematic radiologist review generated large numbers of non-serious final diagnoses (158/179) (i.e., false positives). Almost all (90%) participants had further clinical assessment (including invasive procedures in similar numbers with serious and non-serious final diagnoses [11 and 12 respectively]), with additional impact on emotional wellbeing (16.9%), finances (8.9%), and work or activities (5.6%). Conclusions: Compared with systematic radiologist review, radiographer flagging missed some serious diagnoses, but avoided adverse impacts for many participants with non-serious diagnoses. While systematic radiologist review may benefit some participants, UK Biobank’s responsibility to avoid both unnecessary harm to larger numbers of participants and burdening of publicly-funded health services suggests that radiographer flagging is a justifiable approach in the UK Biobank imaging study. The potential scale of non-serious final diagnoses raises questions relating to handling IFs in other settings, such as commercial and public health screening.

scholarly journals Account manager turnover and the influence of context: an exploratory study

2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Vafeas
Keyword(s):  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Small Firms ◽  
Process Management ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Manager Turnover

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the contextual factors that influence the impact of account manager turnover on the client–agency relationship, an under-researched area of relationship management literature. Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach and one-to-one interviews are used to conduct the exploratory study, analysing client–agency relationships within the UK design industry. A conceptual framework covering individual and organisational characteristics is used to examine the contextual factors impacting account manager turnover. Findings – The findings identify both organisational and individual contextual factors that influence the outcome of turnover. Categorized into three core contexts (client-specific knowledge, multiple relationship ties and turnover process management), factors such as agency structure and culture, agency knowledge management policies and client experience were all found to impact on account manager turnover. Research limitations/implications – This small, qualitative, exploratory study suggests the need for further research to investigate the transferability of the findings to a broader range of organisational types and industries and to highlight additional contextual factors that influence the impact of turnover. Practical implications – Account manager turnover does not necessarily mean the end of the client–service firm relationship. Agencies can create contexts that mitigate the potential negative effects. Small firms appear to have advantages inherent in their size, but larger firms can take steps to emulate some of the conditions found in micro firms. Originality/value – This paper adds to the limited number of studies into account manager turnover, making a theoretical and practical contribution, enabling marketing managers to take steps to ensure staff turnover does not result in client switching.

scholarly journals Impact of detecting potentially serious incidental findings during multi-modal imaging

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorna M Gibson ◽  
Thomas J Littlejohns ◽  
Ligia Adamska ◽  
Steve Garratt ◽  
Nicola Doherty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Incidental Findings ◽  
Imaging Study ◽  
Publicly Funded ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Emotional Wellbeing ◽  
Public Health Screening ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact

Background: There are limited data on the impact of feedback of incidental findings (IFs) from research imaging.  We evaluated the impact of UK Biobank’s protocol for handling potentially serious IFs in a multi-modal imaging study of 100,000 participants (radiographer ‘flagging’ with radiologist confirmation of potentially serious IFs) compared with systematic radiologist review of all images. Methods: Brain, cardiac and body magnetic resonance, and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scans from the first 1000 imaged UK Biobank participants were independently assessed for potentially serious IFs using both protocols. We surveyed participants with potentially serious IFs and their GPs up to six months after imaging to determine subsequent clinical assessments, final diagnoses, emotional, financial and work or activity impacts. Results: Compared to systematic radiologist review, radiographer flagging resulted in substantially fewer participants with potentially serious IFs (179/1000 [17.9%] versus 18/1000 [1.8%]) and a higher proportion with serious final diagnoses (21/179 [11.7%] versus 5/18 [27.8%]). Radiographer flagging missed 16/21 serious final diagnoses (i.e., false negatives), while systematic radiologist review generated large numbers of non-serious final diagnoses (158/179) (i.e., false positives). Almost all (90%) participants had further clinical assessment (including invasive procedures in similar numbers with serious and non-serious final diagnoses [11 and 12 respectively]), with additional impact on emotional wellbeing (16.9%), finances (8.9%), and work or activities (5.6%). Conclusions: Compared with systematic radiologist review, radiographer flagging missed some serious diagnoses, but avoided adverse impacts for many participants with non-serious diagnoses. While systematic radiologist review may benefit some participants, UK Biobank’s responsibility to avoid both unnecessary harm to larger numbers of participants and burdening of publicly-funded health services suggests that radiographer flagging is a justifiable approach in the UK Biobank imaging study. The potential scale of non-serious final diagnoses raises questions relating to handling IFs in other settings, such as commercial and public health screening.

scholarly journals Impact of detecting potentially serious incidental findings during multi-modal imaging

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorna M Gibson ◽  
Thomas J Littlejohns ◽  
Ligia Adamska ◽  
Steve Garratt ◽  
Nicola Doherty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Incidental Findings ◽  
Imaging Study ◽  
Publicly Funded ◽  
Uk Biobank ◽  
Emotional Wellbeing ◽  
Public Health Screening ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact

Background: There are limited data on the impact of feedback of incidental findings (IFs) from research imaging.  We evaluated the impact of UK Biobank’s protocol for handling potentially serious IFs in a multi-modal imaging study of 100,000 participants (radiographer ‘flagging’ with radiologist confirmation of potentially serious IFs) compared with systematic radiologist review of all images. Methods: Brain, cardiac and body magnetic resonance, and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scans from the first 1000 imaged UK Biobank participants were independently assessed for potentially serious IFs using both protocols. We surveyed participants with potentially serious IFs and their GPs up to six months after imaging to determine subsequent clinical assessments, final diagnoses, emotional, financial and work or activity impacts. Results: Compared to systematic radiologist review, radiographer flagging resulted in substantially fewer participants with potentially serious IFs (179/1000 [17.9%] versus 18/1000 [1.8%]) and a higher proportion with serious final diagnoses (21/179 [11.7%] versus 5/18 [27.8%]). Radiographer flagging missed 16/21 serious final diagnoses (i.e., false negatives), while systematic radiologist review generated large numbers of non-serious final diagnoses (158/179) (i.e., false positives). Almost all (90%) participants had further clinical assessment (including invasive procedures in similar numbers with serious and non-serious final diagnoses [11 and 12 respectively]), with additional impact on emotional wellbeing (16.9%), finances (8.9%), and work or activities (5.6%). Conclusions: Compared with systematic radiologist review, radiographer flagging missed some serious diagnoses, but avoided adverse impacts for many participants with non-serious diagnoses. While systematic radiologist review may benefit some participants, UK Biobank’s responsibility to avoid both unnecessary harm to larger numbers of participants and burdening of publicly-funded health services suggests that radiographer flagging is a justifiable approach in the UK Biobank imaging study. The potential scale of non-serious final diagnoses raises questions relating to handling IFs in other settings, such as commercial and public health screening.

260 Effect of Dam Nutrition on Offspring Reproductive Performance

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 133-134
Author(s):  
John B Hall
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Maternal Nutrition ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
First Trimester ◽  
Female Offspring ◽  
Nutrient Deprivation ◽  
Delayed Puberty ◽  
Domestic Ruminants ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Production Conditions

Abstract Domestic ruminants utilize extensive pasture and rangelands as a primary source of nutrition. These forage sources vary greatly in nutritional content and availability due to season, plant species and climatic factors. Therefore, ruminants are exposed to nutrient excesses and deficiencies at varying points during the reproductive cycle. The objectives of this presentation are 1) to review our understanding of the impact of nutritional changes experienced by the dam during gestation on subsequent reproductive performance of female offspring, 2) examine the timing and duration of nutrient restriction on indicators of fertility in domestic ruminants and 3) compare responses under production conditions to mechanisms determined in controlled experiments. Depending on the time and severity of the nutrient deprivation, physiological effects include reduced gonadal weight, reduction in 2° and 3° follicles, alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, fetal weight and attainment of puberty. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and antral follicle count (AFC) are indicators of fertility in ruminants. Severe nutrient deprivation of heifers during the first trimester of gestation reduced AMH and AFC in female offspring. In contrast, a more moderate nutritional challenge to mature cows during early gestation did not result in changes in AMH and AFC in female offspring. Heifers from dams that grazed protein deficient range during the third trimester had delayed puberty onset and reduced pregnancy rates compared to heifers from supplemented dams. Recently, we compared indictors of fertility in heifers from dams that grazed range or irrigated pastures during the first two trimesters. Based on preliminary data, cows that grazed range were nutritionally challenged; however, heifers from range dams did not appear to differ in indicators of fertility from heifers from dams grazing irrigated pastures. Continued investigations on impacts of maternal nutrition on reproduction in offspring under production conditions are warranted.

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