Building Bridges for Innovation in Ageing: Synergies between Action Groups of the EIP on AHA.

The Strategic Implementation Plan of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA) proposed six Action Groups. After almost three years of activity, many achievements have been obtained through commitments or collaborative work of the Action Groups. However, they have often worked in silos and, consequently, synergies between Action Groups have been proposed to strengthen the triple win of the EIP on AHA. The paper presents the methodology and current status of the Task Force on EIP on AHA synergies. Synergies are in line with the Action Groups' new Renovated Action Plan (2016-2018) to ensure that their future objectives are coherent and fully connected. The outcomes and impact of synergies are using the Monitoring and Assessment Framework for the EIP on AHA (MAFEIP). Eight proposals for synergies have been approved by the Task Force: Five cross-cutting synergies which can be used for all current and future synergies as they consider overarching domains (appropriate polypharmacy, citizen empowerment, teaching and coaching on AHA, deployment of synergies to EU regions, Responsible Research and Innovation), and three cross-cutting synergies focussing on current Action Group activities (falls, frailty, integrated care and chronic respiratory diseases).

The zoonotic importance of Mycobacterium bovis.

The zoonotic importance of Mycobacterium bovis has been the subject of renewed interest in the wake of the increasing incidence of tuberculosis in the human population. This paper considers some of the conditions under which transmission of M. bovis from animals to humans occurs and reviews current information on the global distribution of the disease. The paper highlights the particular threat posed by this zoonotic disease in developing countries and lists the veterinary and human public health measures that need to be adopted if the disease is to be contained. The association of tuberculosis with malnutrition and poverty has long been recognized and the need to address these basic issues are as crucial as specific measures against the disease itself.

Low frequency of the scrapie resistance-associated allele and presence of lysine-171 allele of the prion protein gene in Italian Biellese ovine breed.

Frequencies of polymorphisms at codons 136, 154 and 171 of the prion protein (PrP) gene were studied in 1207 pure-bred and cross-bred Italian Biellese rams, a small ovine breed of about 65 000 head in Italy. Aside from the five most common alleles (VRQ, ARQ, ARR, AHQ and ARH), the rare ARK allele was also found, with the highest frequency reported so far in an ovine breed (2.5 %). ARK/--- genotypes had a total frequency of 4.9 %. The resistance-associated ARR allele was seen at a low frequency (8.3 %). Only 1.4 % of animals examined had a resistant ARR/ARR PrP genotype. Semi-resistant (ARR/ARQ, ARR/ARH and ARR/AHQ) PrP genotypes had a total frequency of 12.6 % and PrP genotypes that are associated with high scrapie susceptibility (e.g. VRQ/VRQ and ARQ/ARQ) had a total frequency of 81.1 %. Statistical analysis comparing PrP allele frequencies between pure-bred and cross-bred animals showed that the ARR allele occurred at a significantly lower frequency in pure-bred rams. Furthermore, comparison of PrP allele frequencies between pure-bred rams over 18 months of age and those below 18 months of age showed a significant decrease in the ARR allele in breeding rams over 18 months of age. Based on these results, breeding for scrapie resistance in the Biellese breed will have to take into account the low frequency of the ARR allele, which also seems to be subject to negative selection by farmers. Further investigation is required to understand whether the ARK allele is also associated with resistance to transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.