Rodent control tends to involve methods that cause animal suffering, but little attention has been paid to the animal welfare implications of rodent control. The aim of the current study was to gain insight into the opinions and attitudes of clients of Dutch pest controllers, regarding liminal rodents, rodent control, and rodent welfare. A better understanding of their attitudes may contribute to more ethical rodent management programmes. An online survey among 248 clients of Dutch pest controllers was carried out. Respondents, especially those within the agricultural sector, have a relatively negative attitude towards rats and mice. Respondents in the agricultural subgroup do not consider the welfare of liminal rodents important. They also think that the welfare impact of commonly used control methods is limited, and they have low tolerance levels for the presence of rodents. Respondents from other sectors have a far more positive attitude towards rats and mice, consider their welfare to be of greater importance, have a greater estimation of the welfare impact of control methods and show greater tolerance levels towards rodents. The respondents from the latter subgroup have a similar attitude compared to Dutch pest controllers participating in a previous survey. The findings of the current study firstly provide useful information for the further development and practical implementation of preventive control methods. Secondly, they provide input for a more animal-friendly rodent control and for the development of an assessment framework to support ethical decision-making. Finally, they can be helpful for further research and the communication and co-operation between professional pest controllers and their clients.

The intrinsic complexity, variety of concepts and numerous ways to quantify landscape heterogeneity (LH) may hamper a better understanding of how its components relate to ecological phenomena. Our study is the first to synthesize understanding of this concept and to provide the state of the art on the subject based on a comprehensive systematic literature review of 661 articles published between 1982 and 2019. Definitions, terminologies and measurements of LH were diverse and conflicting. Most articles (534 out of 661) did not provide any definition for LH, and we found great variation among the studies that did. According to our review, only 10 studies measured the effects of different land-cover types on biotic or abiotic processes (functional LH). The remaining 651 studies measured physical attributes of the landscape without mentioning that different land-cover types may impact biotic and abiotic processes differently (structural LH). The metrics most frequently used to represent LH were the Shannon diversity index and proportion of land-cover type. Most metrics used as proxies of LH also coincided with those used to represent non-heterogeneity metrics, such as fragmentation and connectivity. We identify knowledge gaps, indicate future perspectives and propose guidelines that should be addressed when researching LH.

Background: This study aims to provide data on the care of pregnant women with epilepsy (pWWE) that is directly applicable to the Canadian context. Methods: Between 1997 and 2019, pWWE from Canada and the USA who enrolled into the North American AED Pregnancy Registry (NAARP) completed a questionnaire on their AED (anti-epileptic drug) usage. Enrollment rates to NAARP were compared between the two countries, and between the different Canadian provinces using population-based enrollment rate ratios (PERR). The AED prescription pattern among Canadian pWWE was analysed and compared with the USA. Results: During the study period, 10,215 women enrolled into NAARP : 4.1% (n=419) were Canadian, below the expected population-based contribution (PERR=0.42; p<0.01). Within Canada, the three northern territories (PERR=0; p<0.01), Prince-Edward Island (PERR=0; p<0.01), and Quebec (PERR=0.41; p<0.01) had the lowest enrollment rate ratios. Lamotrigine was the most commonly prescribed AED among canadian pWWE; they were, however, more likely to be on polytherapy (25%; p=0.13), on Carbamazepine (24%; p<0.01) or valproic acid (21%; p<0.01) than their American counterparts. Conclusions: Greater enrollment of Canadian women to NAARP, through enhanced clinician referrals, in particular from underrepresented provinces/territories, could lead to more accurate population-specific data and help identify gaps in the care of this vulnerable patient population.

Background: Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI) is an autosomal dominant multisystem prion disease, with sleep disorders often being the first presentation. Although autonomic dysfunctions are key features, the frequency and timing vary between reports, and may accompany early insomnia. Moreover, endocrine changes are reported, but diabetes rarely is - with unclear timing of onset in relation to the insomnia. Methods: N/A Results: Here we present a 46-year-old previously healthy male, who within 22 months prior to the onset of sleep disturbances, developed hypertension and diabetes. Then within 3-4 months after onset of sleep disturbances development tachycardia and diaphoresis. His sleep continued to deteriorate, and later developed bulbar impairment, ataxia, diplopia, sleep apnea and cognitive decline. He passed away 20 months from onset of insomnia. Polysomnography showed status dissociates and central apnea. He had positive genetic testing, PRNP c.532G>A (p.Asp178Asn) and PRNP c.385A>G (pMet129Val), a pathological confirmation, and a positive family history Conclusions: Here diabetes and hypertension significantly preceded sleep disturbances, and tachycardia and diaphoresis developed shortly after. This illustrates that dysautonomia and endocrine dysfunction may be unrecognized prodromes in some cases of FFI, and could be an early marker of clinical disease onset and therapeutic interventions, especially in genetically confirmed asymptotic patients.

The continued development of the aquaculture industry is contributing to the proliferation of artificial structures in the marine environment. Observations of seaweed farms (infrastructure and biomass) suggest they act as a habitat for associated species. Seaweed farms differ from other forms of artificial infrastructure as the material deployed already has marine organisms (i.e. culture species) growing on it. This ‘priming’ of ropes with juvenile sporophytes may affect future development of communities by facilitating colonizing species or suppressing competitors. We call this process ‘ecological priming’: the provision of a biological platform that influences the successional development of specific communities. The communities that developed on ropes primed with Alaria esculenta individuals were compared with unprimed ropes to assess the ecological priming effect, at a commercial kelp farm in south-west Ireland. Species richness increased over two cultivation seasons and species composition was consistent between years, with distinct communities developing on primed and unprimed treatments. Timing of species occurrence on primed ropes was predictable with no predictable pattern occurring on unprimed ropes. Multivariate tests indicated distinct communities between treatments, with suppression of other algal species and potential facilitation of some species that have a particular association with A. esculenta on primed ropes. Communities from primed holdfasts contained a lower diversity of algal species compared with unprimed communities. Cultivated kelp holdfasts represent a habitat for distinct assemblages that reflect ecological priming of the substratum.

Background:ATP8A2 mutations have only recently been associated with human disease. We present the clinical features from the largest cohort of patients with this disorder reported to date. Methods: An observational study of 9 unreported and 2 previously reported patients with biallelic ATP8A2 mutations was carried out at multiple centres. Results: The mean age of the cohort was 9.4 years old (range: 2.5-28 yrs). All patients demonstrated developmental delay, severe hypotonia and movement disorders: chorea/choreoathetosis (100%), dystonia (27%) or facial dyskinesia (18%). Hypotonia was apparent at birth (70%) or before 6 months old (100%). Optic atrophy was observed in 75% of patients who had a funduscopic examination. MRI of the brain was normal for most patients with a small proportion showing mild cortical atrophy (30%), delayed myelination (20%) and/or hypoplastic optic nerves (20%). Epilepsy was seen in two older patients. Conclusions:ATP8A2 gene mutations have emerged as a cause of a novel phenotype characterized by developmental delay, severe hypotonia and hyperkinetic movement disorders. Optic atrophy is common and may only become apparent in the first few years of life, necessitating repeat ophthalmologic evaluation. Early recognition of the cardinal features of this condition will facilitate diagnosis of this disorder.

In between the writing of this editorial and the publication of this issue of EuConst, the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union, in everyday parlance the ‘Fiscal Compact’, will have been signed by the representatives of the governments of the contracting parties — the member states of the European Union minus the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic. The Fiscal Compact is intended to foster budgetary discipline, to strengthen the coordination of economic policies and to improve the governance of the euro area.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2010 in Portland, Oregon, USA, August 1 – August 5, 2010.

The Bundesverfassungsgericht was castigated for the Maastricht-Urteil by most European lawyers, especially the Germans among them. But that judgment has placed its stamp on much of the constitutional development of the Union and has allowed theories of constitutional pluralism, polycentrism, multilevel constitutionalism, Verfassungsverbund and the constitution composée to flourish. The German constitutional court is likewise being castigated for its Lissabon-Urteil. Certainly, it has put the questions of democracy, the level at which democracy is to be aggregated and articulated, and the pertaining institutional arrangements in the member states and in the Union higher on the agenda of intellectual and political engagement than they have been over the last decades. Perhaps it will be just as fruitful for European constitutional theory as the Maastricht-Urteil was.

‘The Law of Laws’ – Overcoming Pluralism

Editorials in this journal are meant not to comment on acts or events, even if these take the form of judicial rulings or legislative acts. They are meant to point at the events' potential for constitutional scholarship; to indicate and propose new lines of research. The Kadi judgments of the Court of Justice's two instances, discussed in this issue by Stefan Griller, offer such an occasion. They point at the problem of relationships between legal orders. Can these best be understood under the now familiar palliative terms of ‘dialogue’ and ‘accommodation’? There is both reason and reward in looking for a keener articulation of the relationships. That is the contention of this editorial.

To this day the founding treaties of the European Union contain no legally binding bill of rights in the traditional sense protecting religion, privacy, family life, the freedom of expression, and so forth. As we all know, while the European Court of Justice initially rejected appeals relying on fundamental rights as found in national constitutions, the Court changed its position under pressure of German courts.

Objective: To review methods for evaluating iodine deficiency in pregnant women and young infants and to discuss factors to be considered in the interpretation of their results.

Design: Review of the literature regarding the various methods available for assessing iodine status.

Setting: Population surveys and research studies.

Subjects: Pregnant women and young infants.

Results: Several factors to consider when assessing iodine status in pregnant women and young infants include: 1) the urinary iodine (UI) concentration (μg l-1) is not interchangeable with 24 h UI excretion (μg per 24 h); 2) the concentration of iodine in a spot or casual urine sample cannot be used to diagnose iodine deficiency in an individual; 3) a moderate fall in the concentration of serum free T4 during pregnancy is not a sign of maternal iodine deficiency; 4) an increase in the concentration of serum thyroglobulin (Tg) during pregnancy is not a sign of maternal iodine deficiency; 5) a higher concentration of TSH and Tg in cord blood than in maternal blood is not a sign of iodine deficiency in the mother or neonate; and 6) thyroid function in a full-term foetus, a neonate or a small child is not more sensitive to a mild iodine deficiency than in the mother.

Conclusions: If the iodine status of pregnant women and small children is not to be misjudged, the above six factors need to be taken into account.

The Conseil constitutionnel has spoken again. In a decision of 27 July 2006, no. 2006-540 DC, the French constitutional court has further and significantly elaborated on earlier rulings on the status of Community directives in the French legal order. In the summer of 2004, it had ruled, in cases in which it was asked to declare unconstitutional an act of parliament implementing Community directives, that ‘the transposing of a Community directive results from a constitutional requirement with which non-compliance is only possible by reason of an express contrary provision of the Constitution’ (decisions of, inter alia, 10 June 2004, no. 2004-496 DC and 29 July 2004, no. 2004-498 DC). Very recently, the Conseil d'Etat, France's highest administrative court, took a similar stance in a case in which the constitutionality of a government decree implementing a directive was at stake (Decision of 8 February 2007, Société Arcelor Atlantique et Lorraine et autres).