Differential viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus genotype IVb infection in fin fibroblast and epithelial cell lines from walleye, Sander vitreus (Mitchill), at cold temperatures.

A cell line, WE-cfin11e, with an epithelial-like morphology was developed from a caudal fin of walleye, Sander vitreus (Mitchill), characterized as distinct from the established walleye caudal fin fibroblast-like cell line, WE-cfin11f, and compared with WE-cfin11f for susceptibility to VHSV IVb. Immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy were used to localize the intermediate filament protein, vimentin, the tight junction protein, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), the extracellular matrix protein, collagen I, and the viral protein, G. Although both cell lines contained vimentin, only WE-cfin11e stained for ZO-1 and only WE-cfin11f stained for collagen I. Ascorbic acid increased the accumulation of collagen I and caused the appearance of collagen fibres only in WE-cfin11f cultures. At 14 °C, both cell lines produced VHSV IVb, but the infection developed more rapidly in WE-cfin11f. At 4 °C, both cell lines became infected with VHSV IVb as judged by the expression of viral proteins, N and G, but only WE-cfin11f produced virus. The results suggest that cold temperatures can modulate viral tropism.

Development of a walleye cell line and use to study the effects of temperature on infection by viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus group IVb.

A cell line, WE-cfin11f, with a fibroblast-like morphology was developed from a walleye caudal fin and used to study the intersection of thermobiology of walleye, Sander vitreus (Mitchill), with the thermal requirements for replication of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) IVb. WE-cfin11f proliferated from 10 to 32 °C and endured as a monolayer for at least a week at 1-34 °C. WE-cfin11f adopted an epithelial shape and did not proliferate at 4 °C. Adding VHSV IVb to cultures at 4 and 14 °C but not 26 °C led to cytopathic effects (CPE) and virus production. At 4 °C, virus production developed more slowly, but Western blotting showed more N protein accumulation. Infecting monolayer cultures at 4 °C for 7 days and then shifting them to 26 °C resulted in the monolayers being broken in small areas by CPE, but with time at 26 °C, the monolayers were restored. These results suggest that at 26 °C, the VHSV IVb life cycle stages responsible for CPE can be completed, but the production of virus and the initiation of infections cannot be accomplished.

[Legal aspects of ritual circumcision]. / Juristische Aspekte der rituellen Zirkumzision.

Female circumcision (genital mutilation) is a criminal violation of human rights under German law. Even with consent of the person to be circumcised and/or her legal representative this procedure must not be carried out since a consent to female circumcision is unethical and therefore void. As much consent as there is on female circumcision the legal situation with ritual male circumcision is very unclear. In practice and unnoticed by the public male circumcision is carried out - be it for medical or ritual reasons - without deeper-going reflexions on the clearness of the medical indication or the legal situation with ritual circumcision. From the medical aspect there are big differences between female and male circumcision but also certain parallels. Various reasons, partly founded in prejudice and misinformation, make people refrain from regarding circumcision of boys also as illegal. Contrary to the prevailing opinion male circumcision also represents a bodily harm which a doctor can only carry out after a preoperative interview and with the consent of the affected person. Since ritual male circumcision does not serve the wellbeing of a child it is not possible for the parents to give their consent to the circumcision in lieu of the child. Male circumcision is only permitted if the child has given his consent and is thus only legally permitted if the child has reached an age at which he is mature enough to understand the meaning and extent of such an action which is hardly the case before he has completed his 16 (th) year.