Search

The hypervirulent [M1.sub.UK] lineage of group A Streptococcus Kingdom in 2019, has been associated with increased notifications of scarlet fever and invasive GAS (iGAS) infections (1). The [M1.sub.UK] lineage is [...]

Streptococcus pneumoniae causes both invasive and nonin vasi ve disease. Since the introduction of 7-valent and 13-valent protein-polysaccharide conjugated pneumococcal vaccines (PCV7 and PCV13, respectively) for children, vaccine serotype disease [...]

In 2015, the prevalence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae reported in the territory of Nunavut, Canada, 837.6 cases/100,000 residents, was 15 times the national rate in Canada (55.4 cases/100,000 residents) (1). Gonorrhea [...]

Europe in general continues to have difficulty in absorbing the ongoing influx of economic migrants from less advanced Continents. The purpose of this paper is to assess whether welfare traditions in Spain and Norway can explain differences between them regarding social housing policies for refugees at the local community level. Alicante in Spain and Moss in Norway are our cases, and we have used both documents and interviews throughout the study. We have found that local Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Alicante play the dominant role, whereas it is the municipality in this respect in Moss. These different roles fit perfectly into the welfare programs operated in both countries, while similarities that we have found have its roots in Spain's and Norway's obligations according to United Nations conventions. We argue that certain housing challenges for refugees do not relate to welfare traditions, but to some refugees hope to return to their home country (both cases), while others wish to travel to another European country (in the case of Spain). Key Words: Social housing policies; refugees; welfare traditions; Spanish and Norwegian local communities., Introduction One of the biggest challenges to European countries today is trying to absorb the inflow of refugees from non-European countries, and topics related to it have long been high [...]

As incidence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection increases worldwide (1-3), sporadic cases of the ceftriaxone-resistant multilocus sequence type (MLST) 1903 (original isolate FC428 identified in Japan) continue to be detected (4). [...]

Group C and G Streptococcus (GCGS) are quickly becoming a major public health concern as the incidence of invasive infection and severe disease is increasing (1-6). In Manitoba, Canada, the [...]

Ceftriaxone is one of the last remaining treatments available for gonorrhea and a component of the recommended dual therapy with azithromycin in Canada (1). As of October 15, 2017, only [...]

Objectives: In 2003, British Columbia (BC) introduced a universal heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-7) program for infants, and in 2007 revised the recommended schedule from four doses to three doses. We describe trends in the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in association with these program changes. Methods: All confirmed cases are reported to the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) using a standardized data collection process; isolates are forwarded to the BCCDC Public Health and Reference Microbiology Laboratory for serotyping and to the National Reference Laboratory for confirmation. Upon implementation of the reduced dose program in 2007, additional epidemiological data, including immunization history, were collected for children ≤ 16 years. Results: Seven years after implementation of the program, a 78% decline in incidence of IPD among children under five has been achieved; this is largely a direct effect of the PCV-7 program. Among those >16 years of age, herd immunity is evident and decreasing trends of PCV-7 serotypes continued even after the dose reduction program was introduced. However, gains in disease reduction were offset by increases in replacement serotypes, particularly among the over-65 age group. This has resulted in no net change in adult IPD rates. Conclusions: The implementation of the PCV-7 program has changed the epidemiology of IPD in BC through direct effects of the vaccine, herd immunity and serotype replacement. The introduction of a three-dose schedule was not associated with an excess of vaccine failures. Key words: Streptococcus pneumoniae; pneumococcal vaccines; population surveillance; immunization schedule Objectifs : En 2003, la Colombie-Britannique (C.-B.) a instaure un programme de vaccination antipneumococcique universelle des nourrissons par le vaccin conjugue heptavalent (PCV7), et en 2007, la province a reduit de quatre a trois le nombre de doses recommandees dans le calendrier de vaccination. Nous decrivons les tendances de l'incidence des maladies invasives a pneumocoque (MIP) associees a cette modification du programme. Methode : Tous les cas confirmes sont declares au BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) selon un processus standardise de collecte de donnees; les isolats sont transmis au laboratoire de sante publique et de reference en microbiologie du BCCDC pour serotypie et au laboratoire de reference national pour confirmation. Lorsqu'on a instaure le programme a doses reduites en 2007, des donnees epidemiologiques supplementaires, dont les antecedents vaccinaux, ont ete recueillies pour les enfants de 16 ans et moins. Resultats : Sept ans apres la mise en oeuvre du programme, l'incidence des MIP chez les enfants de moins de cinq ans a baisse de 78 %; c'est dans une large mesure un effet direct du programme PCV7. Chez les moins de 16 ans, l'immunite collective est manifeste, et la tendance baissiere des serotypes avec le PCV7 s'est maintenue meme apres l'instauration du programme a doses reduites. Cependant, les gains obtenus au chapitre de la diminution de la maladie ont ete compenses par la hausse des serotypes de remplacement, particulierement chez les plus de 65 ans. Il n'y a donc eu aucun changement net dans les taux de MIP chez les adultes. Conclusion : La mise en oeuvre du programme PCV7 a modifie de trois facons l'epidemiologie des MIP en C.-B. : par l'effet direct du vaccin, l'immunite collective et le remplacement des serotypes. L'instauration du calendrier de vaccination en trois doses n'etait pas associee a un surcroit d'echecs vaccinaux. Mots cles : streptococcus pneumoniae; vaccins antipneumococciques; surveillance de population; calendrier vaccinal, Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is an important cause of bacteremia and meningitis in Canada. (1) In 2003, British Columbia (BC) implemented publicly-funded immunization for infants and young children in order [...]

Vibrio cholerae is the bacterium that causes cholera, a disease characterized by acute watery diarrhea, vomiting, muscle cramps, and severe dehydration (1). The bacterium has many serogroups, but only toxin-producing [...]

Research has been conducted on Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains. The strains have been investigated for the presence of potassium tellurite resistance and the results indicate considerable plasticity in the presence, expression and location of the ter O islands in Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains.

Serotype VI group B Streptococcus (GBS), which is common in Japan (prevalence rates 16%-40%) and has recently emerged in Malaysia and Taiwan, remains rare in Europe and North America (1-4). [...]

We do not believe the claim that 'evaluative conditioning is a qualitatively distinct form of classical conditioning' (Davey (1994). Behaviour Research and Therapy, 32, 291-299). We view all classical conditioning as a learning process which leads organisms to assign a positive or negative value to previously neutral stimuli and to respond to them accordingly. The evaluative response is a necessary component of this process and hence it is central to all classical conditioning, not a separate type. Davey concentrates on a signal-based information processing view of learning, i.e. the formation of linear associations between CS and UCS of which human subjects are aware and which they can verbalize. We propose a more primitive and more general model in which stimulus evaluation (like/dislike) occurs with a minimal degree of processing, and enters into a representation of stimulus (CS and UCS) and response (CR and UCR) characteristics which is redintegrative rather than associative.

The present experiment was designed to test Eysenck's hypothesis that repeated exposure to an unreinforced CS of brief duration following acquisition of a classical aversive CR may lead to a progressive increase in the strength of that CR, provided that the UCS is intense and the CR has drive-like properties. Using a between-groups design, normal human subjects were given identical classical acquisition trials, followed by extinction trials where CS duration was either 2, 8 or 16 sec. The UCS was of fixed high intensity. Dependent measures were tonic and phasic heart rate and skin conductance. No evidence of incubation was found as a function of CS duration. Nor was there any indication that CS duration differentially affected resistance to extinction. A small number of subjects showed evidence of incubation with heart rate measures during extinction. However, there was no indication that this enhancement was governed by the parameters suggested by Eysenck. UCR amplitude, which showed a positive correspondence with CS-bound activity throughout the trials, did not reliably predict incubation. Problems concerning both the definition and the demonstration of incubation are discussed.

THE COLUMBIA RIVER'S 'ELLIS ISLAND': THE STORY OF KNAPPTON COVE by Nancy Bell Anderson edited by Heather Bell Henry Knappton Cove Heritage Center, Gearhart, 2012. Illustrations, photographs, maps, bibliography. 103 [...]

To the Editor, I just wanted to let you know that on p. 147 of the Summer OHQ, the photograph is identified as being 'Astoria's Bon Bon Salmon Cannery' There [...]