Driving multisectoral antimicrobial resistance action in South America: Lessons learned from implementing an enhanced tripartite AMR country self-assessment tool.

As part of an innovative Tripartite-EU collaboration Project that supports seven South American countries, a Landscape Analysis Tool (LAT) was developed and implemented to collect data to complement the Tripartite AMR Country Self-Assessment Survey (TrACSS) process. The LAT enables collection of broader and deeper information to guide development of priority One Health activities, and strengthen national action plans to combat antimicrobial resistance. The Project developed the tool, trained a consultant pool in its use, and implemented it in conjunction with multi-sectoral country teams.

Insulin and insulin like growth factor II endocytosis and signaling via insulin receptor B.

Background: Insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) act on tetrameric tyrosine kinase receptors controlling essential functions including growth, metabolism, reproduction and longevity. The insulin receptor (IR) binds insulin and IGFs with different affinities triggering different cell responses.

Results: We showed that IGF-II induces cell proliferation and gene transcription when IR-B is over-expressed.

Financing and organisation of veterinary services.

This paper analyses the different ways of financing official Veterinary Services (VS) and the effects of these choices on the performance of such Services. The links between governance, organisational effectiveness and financing arrangements are seen as particularly important. The paper comments on some of the advantages and disadvantages of financing VS with service fees, as compared to budget transfers from general government revenues.

Functional characterization of TLR4 +3725 G/C polymorphism and association with protection against overweight.

Subclinical low-grade systemic inflammation has been associated with obesity, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome (MS). Recent studies have highlighted the role of gut microbiota in these disorders. The toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays a key role in the innate immune response activation.

Splashing of liquids: Interplay of surface roughness with surrounding gas.

We investigate the interplay between substrate roughness and surrounding gas pressure in controlling the dynamics of splashing when a liquid drop hits a dry solid surface. We associate two distinct forms of splashing with each of these control parameters: Prompt splashing is due to surface roughness and corona splashing is due to instabilities produced by the surrounding gas. The size distribution of ejected droplets reveals the length scales of the underlying droplet-creation process in both cases.

The implementation of traceability systems.

Traceability is a tool to help countries meet their objectives of controlling, preventing and eradicating animal diseases. This article sets out the required steps in a traceability system. Before designing a system of traceability, one must identify the different characteristics that need to be traced throughout the various steps in the food production chain.

Recent developments in animal identification and the traceability of animal products in international trade.

The author explores the variations in the domestic livestock populations world-wide between 1961 and 1998, and observes a marked increase in the swine population, as compared to other domestic species. Trends in international trade of live animals over the same period are also analysed; international trade involved 1% of livestock world-wide and the international meat market constituted 10% of total meat production. The various stages of the food chain are analysed, from farm to fork, with emphasis on those elements to which the concept of traceability is applicable; from the composition of bovines, to slaughter, and through the various products and sub-products all the way to the final product consumed.

[Prevention of and attention to emergencies in South America].

The authors review the policies designed to prevent and deal with animal health emergencies which have been implemented in countries of South America. They describe the evolution of the epidemiological situation of the continent, the new arrangements for international trade in animals and products of animal origin arising from the creation of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the consequences of such developments for livestock production in South America. Veterinary systems used to prevent and deal with emergencies in the eleven OIE Member Countries on the continent are described, together with emerging problems which confront the Veterinary Services of the continent, namely: exotic diseases, abnormal occurrence of endemic diseases subject to control programmes, faults in food-safety mechanisms, diseases which have an environmental impact, and problems connected with animal welfare.