Anorexia Nervosa and Respecting a refusal of life-prolonging Therapy: A Limited Justification

People who suffer from eating disorders often have to be treated against their will, perhaps by being detained, perhaps by being forced to eat. In this paper it is argued that whilst forcing compliance is generally acceptable, there may be circumstances under which a sufferer's refusal of consent to treatment should be respected. This argument will hinge upon whether someone in the grip of an eating disorder can actually make competent decisions about their quality of life. If so, then the decision to refuse therapy may be on a par with other decisions to refuse life-prolonging therapy made by sufferers of debilitating chronic, or acute onset terminal illness. In such cases, palliation might justifiably replace aggressive therapy. The argument will also draw heavily on the distinction between competent refusal of therapy and passive euthanasia, and the distinction between incompetent and irrational decisions. Both distinctions will then be applied to decisions to refuse food. The extent to which sufferers from anorexia nervosa can be categorised as either incompetent or irrational will be examined. It is against this background that it will be argued that at least some of those who suffer from eating disorders should have their refusals respected, even if they may die as a result.     

Systematics within Gyps vultures: a clade at risk

Background  

Populations of the Oriental White-backed Vulture (Gyps bengalensis) have declined by over 95% within the past decade. This decline is largely due to incidental consumption of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory veterinary pharmaceutical diclofenac, commonly used to treat domestic livestock. The conservation status of other Gyps vultures in southern Asia is also of immediate concern, given the lack of knowledge regarding status of their populations and the continuing existence of taxonomic uncertainties. In this study, we assess phylogenetic relationships for all recognized species and the majority of subspecies within the genus Gyps. The continuing veterinary use of diclofenac is an unknown but potential risk to related species with similar feeding habits to Gyps bengalensis. Therefore, an accurate assessment of the phylogenetic relationships among Gyps vultures should aid in their conservation by clarifying taxonomic uncertainties, and enabling inference of their respective relatedness to susceptible G. bengalensis.     

New directions in craniofacial morphogenesis

The vertebrate head is an extremely complicated structure: development of the head requires tissue-tissue interactions between derivates of all the germ layers and coordinated morphogenetic movements in three dimensions. In this review, we highlight a number of recent embryological studies, using chicken, frog, zebrafish and mouse, which have identified crucial signaling centers in the embryonic face. These studies demonstrate how small variations in growth factor signaling can lead to a diversity of phenotypic outcomes. We also discuss novel genetic studies, in human, mouse and zebrafish, which describe cell biological mechanisms fundamental to the growth and morphogenesis of the craniofacial skeleton. Together, these findings underscore the complex interactions leading to species-specific morphology. These and future studies will improve our understanding of the genetic and environmental influences underlying human craniofacial anomalies.     

Comparison of Effects of Long-term Corticotrophin and Corticosteroid Treatment on Responses of Plasma Growth Hormone,ACTH, and Corticosteroid to Hypoglycaemia

The development of the highly sensitive cytochemical bioassay for ACTH has permitted the measurement of plasma ACTH levels during the insulin hypoglycaemia test (I.H.T.) in patients treated with corticosteroids and corticotrophin. The ACTH, corticosteroid, and growth hormone (GH) responses in the I.H.T. were measured in three groups of 12 rheumatoid arthritis patients. One group was receiving long-term corticotrophin treatment, the second was undergoing long-term corticosteroid treatment, and the third had never received systemic hormone therapy. The increments in plasma ACTH, corticosteroids, and GH were diminished in the corticosteroid-treated group, as were increments in plasma GH and ACTH in the corticotrophin-treated group; but in this group the corticosteroid increment was normal. Examination of the area under the curve of the ACTH response showed that the total amount of ACTH secreted was normal though the rate of secretion was reduced. In the corticosteroid-treated group both rate and total secretion were diminished.     

Antimycotic Compounds from the Plant Pathogen Rhizoctonia solani and its Antagonist Trichoderma harzianum

The soilborne rhizosphere-competent fungal biocontrol agent Trichoderma harzianum isolate Th008 secreted trichodermin (MW = 292) and a small peptide (MW = 876) in culture. These compounds were antagonistic in culture to the mycelial growth of the soilborne fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia solani isolate 2B-12, which is highly virulent to soybean ( Glycine max )seedlings. When 100mg of dried autoclaved mycelial mat of R. solani was added to 200 ml liquid cultures of T. harzianum , the quantity of antimycotic compounds secreted by the latter was 3.5 times greater than that of the antagonist alone. R. solani secreted a coumarin derivative (MW = 313) in liquid culture, which inhibited the mycelial growth of T. harzianum ; however, inhibition of the growth of the antagonist required a greater concentration than that for the antimycotic compounds produced by the antagonist against the pathogen. The inclusion of 100 mg of dried autoclaved mycelial mat of T. harzianum in a 200 ml liquid culture of R. solani did not affect the quantity of the antimycotic compound produced by the pathogen.     

Serologic evidence of a Rickettsia akari-like infection among wild-caught rodents in Orange County and humans in Los Angeles County, California.

We detected antibodies reactive with Rickettsia akari, the etiologic agent of rickettsialpox in humans and in 83 of 359 (23%) rodents belonging to several species, collected in Orange County, CA. Reciprocal antibody titers >1:16 to R. akari were detected in native mice and rats (Peromyscus maniculatus, P. eremicus, and Neotoma fuscipes) and in Old World mice and rats (Mus musculus, Rattus rattus, and R. norvegicus), representing the first time that antibodies reactive with this agent have been detected in four of these species and the first report of these antibodies in rodents and humans west of the Mississippi River. We then tested serum samples from individuals who used a free clinic in downtown Los Angeles and found that 25 of 299 (8%) of these individuals had antibody titers >1:64 to R. akari. Serologic evidence suggested that R. akari or a closely related rickettsia is prevalent among several rodent species at these localities and that infection spills over into certain segments of the human population. Isolation or molecular confirmation of the agent is needed to conclusively state that R. akari is the etiologic agent infecting these rodents.     

Temperature-Light Intensity Effect on the Antagonism of Species of Cladosporium to Melampsora larici-populina on Cultivars of Populus X euramericana (Dode) Guinier

The antagonistic and colonistic effect of post-inoculation temperature and light intensity was investigated in a factorial experiment involving four Cladosporium spp., three poplar cultivars, two levels of temperature and light intensity, anda race of Melampsora larici-populina. The species of Cladosporium were more antagonistic to uredinial production on the inoculated leaf discs of the cultivars when these were incubated in high temperature – high light intensity than in any other regime. Whilst colonisation of the uredinia was usually minimal in discs incubated on the high temperature – high light intensity regime, the condition of incubation favouring maximum colonisation varied with the cultivar and the species of Cladosporium employed. All the major factors and most of their two-, three- and four-way interactions were significant determinants of variation in both antagonism to uredinial production and in colonisation of the uredinia produced. The validity ofextrapolation from such experiments to the field environment is discussed.