Volume 16: Reference Material
Glossary
Dictionary references

Some definitions in this glossary are quoted directly from another source.These sources, abbreviated in the glossary, are listed below.

Term or abbreviation	Meaning (all words in bold type are defined in this glossary)
K
Ketosis	Metabolic disturbance in cattle and sheep. The accumulation in the blood plasma, in significant amounts, of ketones (a by-product of fat metabolism) is commonest in winter in dairy cows kept indoors when receiving a full ration of concentrates. (BVD)
Kinetic	Of, relating to, or resulting from motion. (COD)
Knacker	A person who disposes of dead or unwanted animals. (COD) The person who collects dead and diseased animals from farms in order to salvage any products of value (eg, hides and skins, meat for pet food) and dispose of the remains, usually to a renderer.
Kudu	A large grey-brown African antelope (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) with large annulated spirally twisted horns.
Kuru	A human transmissible spongiform encephalopathy, found in the Fore people in New Guinea. New cases are now extremely rare, after being at a high frequency just a few decades ago.
L
Labile	Chemically unstable.
LACOTS	Local Authorities Co-Ordinating body on food and Trading Standards.
Lairage	Shed or outdoor enclosure for the temporary housing of animals, for example on the way to market, or when they are being transported for export. (DOA)
Lamming Committee	Expert Group on Animal Feedingstuffs.
Länder (German)	Units of German regional government which have extensive policy responsibilities.
LASSA	Licensed Animal Slaughterers and Salvage Association, which represents fallen stock collectors and knackers in Great Britain.
Lasswade	The CVL's Veterinary Laboratory near Edinburgh.
Lateral transmission	See horizontal transmission.
LD50	See median lethal dose.
Lemurs	Nocturnal mammals related to monkeys but usually regarded as constituting a distinct superfamily (Lemuroidea).
Lesion profile	The pattern of brain tissue damage, used as a distinguishing feature for different TSEs.
Leucine	An essential amino acid.
Licensing Authority/ies	In relation to medicines, veterinary products and so on, the relevant Minister (Secretary of State for Health, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, etc) is the Licensing Authority.
Ligand	A molecule that binds to another (usually larger) molecule. (COD)
LINK	A government scheme for 50/50 funding of research projects by government and industry.
Lipid	A substance, containing long chains of fatty acids, which is insoluble in water, but soluble in fat solvents such as alcohol and ether.
Lord President of the Council	The Cabinet Minister presiding at the Privy Council, who may also perform ministerial or other duties at the behest of the Prime Minister.
Louping-ill disease	Virus disease of sheep involving brain inflammation, transmitted by the tick Ixodes ricinus. Has also been found in cattle, horses, dogs and pigs.
LRS	Lymphoreticular system. The tissues and organs (including the bone marrow, spleen, thymus and lymph nodes) which produce and store cells that fight infection, and the network of vessels that carry lymph. Ruminants and humans have an additional primary lymphoid tissue in the gut: the ileal Peyer's patch.
LVI	Licensed Veterinary Inspector, licensed to MAFF.
LVS	Local Veterinary Service.
Lymph	The fluid which circulates the body in the lymphatic vessels - like blood but colourless. Carries T-cells and B-cells.
Lymphocyte	White blood cell that produces an immune response when activated by a foreign molecule (an antigen). T-lymphocytes develop in the thymus and are responsible for cell-mediated immunity (ie, attacking and destroying antigens directly), and for stimulating B-cells. B-lymphocytes develop in the bone marrow in mammals and are responsible for the production of circulating antibodies.
Lymphoid tissue	Tissue involved in the production of lymph, lymphocytes and antibodies. It consists of lymph nodes, thymus, tonsils and spleen.
Lysosomes	Particles found inside the cells. They contain enzymes and may carry out a digestive function for the cell, getting rid of bacteria, etc. (BVD)
M
Macaque	A group of medium-sized monkeys from Africa and Asia.
Macrophage	A monocyte (type of white blood cell) which has migrated into the tissues, where it can act as a scavenger. (BVD)
MAFF	Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
Major histocompatability complex (MHC)	Complex of vertebrate genes coding for a large family of cell-surface proteins that bind peptide fragments of foreign proteins and present them to T-lymphocytes to induce an immune response.
Marmoset	Any of several small species of tropical South American monkey.
Maternal transmission	Transmission from dam to offspring in utero or in the immediate post partum period.
MBM	Meat and bone meal. Animal-derived protein produced by rendering. Used as a protein source in animal feed.
MCA	Medicines Control Agency, a DH Executive Agency. Originally the Medicines Division of the DH, it became a separate body in April 1989 and an Executive Agency in July 1991.
MDSC	Multidisciplinary Scientific Committee, an EU committee set up in 1996 in response to BSE. Replaced by the EU's Scientific Steering Committee in 1997.
Median effective concentration (EC50)	The statistically derived concentration of a toxicant that can be expected to cause a defined non-lethal effect in 50 per cent of the given population of organisms under defined conditions. (IPCS)
Median effective dose (ED50)	The statistically derived single dose of a substance that can be expected to cause a defined non-lethal effect in 50 per cent of a given population of organisms under a defined set of experimental conditions. (IPCS)
Median lethal dose (LD50)	The statistically derived single dose of a chemical that can be expected to cause death in 50 per cent of a given population of organisms under a defined set of experimental conditions. This figure has often been used to classify and compare toxicity among chemicals but its value for this purpose is doubtful. A commonly used classification of this kind is as follows:Category LD50 Orally to a Rat (mg/kg body weight)Very Toxic: less than 25 Toxic: from 25 to 200Harmful: from 200 to 2000. (IPCS)
Medulla oblongata	The hindmost part of the brain, which is continued into the spinal cord. In it are situated several of the nerve-centres which are most essential to life, such as those governing breathing, the action of the heart and swallowing. (BMD)
Meiosis	Special type of cell division by which eggs and sperm cells are produced, involving a reduction in the amount of genetic material.
Membrane protein	Protein that is embedded in the surface membranes of cells and organelles.
Meninges	The membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. (BMD)
Mesencephalon	The midbrain connecting the cerebral hemispheres with the pons and cerebellum. (BMD)
Messenger RNA	Messenger ribonucleic acid: nucleic acid carrying instructions from DNA (the gene) for making specific proteins.
Metabolism	Tissue change: includes all the physical and chemical processes by which the living body is maintained, and also those by which the energy is made available for various forms of work. (BMD)
Metabolite	A product of metabolism.
Metastable	Stable only under small disturbances. (COD)
Methionine	An essential amino acid.
Methyl bromide	Chemical mutagen leaked from a factory in Smarden (Kent) in 1963.
MHS	National Meat Hygiene Service, which took over meat hygiene inspections from local authorities on 1 April 1995.
MHVS	Meat Hygiene Veterinary Section, SVS.
Micro-organism	An organism of microscopic or ultramicroscopic size, including bacteria and viruses.
Midbrain	See mesencephalon.
MINIM	Ministerial Information in MAFF: an information system designed as a planning tool to aid the Department's Ministers and senior management.
Minute	In the civil service, a memorandum is often called a 'minute'. By contrast, the minutes of an internal meeting are often called a 'note'.
MISC 138	Ministerial group dealing with food safety. An ad hoc Cabinet subcommittee (1989-90) set up to deal with issues arising from the Food Bill (which became the Food Safety Act 1990).
Missense	A mutation producing an abnormal form of protein which is normally produced.
MLC	Meat and Livestock Commission. Established under the Agriculture Act 1967.
MMB	Milk Marketing Board. Until 1994, the board which organised the collection and buying of milk from farmers and its sale to customers. In England and Wales the MMB has been replaced by the cooperative Milk Marque. (DOA)
MMC	Monopolies and Mergers Commission (whose functions have now been absorbed by the Competition Commission).
Molecular chaperones	Proteins which facilitate the correct assembly of other polypeptides, but are not themselves part of the functional assembled structure.
Molecular mimicry	Describes bacteria that share molecular sequences with particular human tissues.
Molecular weight	The average mass of a molecule of a compound compared with of the mass of a carbon 12 (12C) atom, and calculated as the sum of the relative atomic weights of the constituent atoms.
Molybdenum	A trace element, commonly present in soil and pasture grasses. Beneficial except when it occurs in excessive amounts, for example in the teart soils of central Somerset, and small areas of Gloucestershire and Warwickshire. Here 'molybdenosis' causes scouring in ruminants, especially cattle. (BVD)
Monogastric	Having only one stomach.
Morbidity	The condition of having a disease. (BMD) Cf. mortality.
Moredun Research Institute (Edinburgh)	Formerly known as the Animal Disease Research Institute, it specialises in the health of small ruminants (covering such diseases as scrapie).
Morphology	The study of the form and structure of an organism and of any of its parts.
Mortality	Death. Cf. morbidity.
Moufflon	Wild sheep.
MRC	Medical Research Council, a non-departmental public body incorporated by Royal Charter in 1920. Accountable to the Office of Science and Technology (OST), which is now part of the DTI. It funds research at universities and at its own research units.
MRI	See Moredun Research Institute.
MRI	Magnetic Resonance Imaging, a kind of brain scan.
MRM	Mechanically recovered meat.
mRNA	Messenger RNA.
MSBT	Advisory committee on the Microbiological Safety of Blood and Tissues.
Multimeric protein structure	The structure of a protein comprising more than one subunit.
Multiple sclerosis	A disease of the brain and spinal cord which produces symptoms such as paralysis and tremors. (BMD)
Murine	Of, or relating to, mice.
Murray Committee	The MRC's Co-ordinating Committee on Research on Spongiform Encephalopathies in Man, 1990-91.
Mutagen	A chemical or a physical procedure that has the property of increasing the rate of mutation among cells. (BMD)
Mutation	A change occurring in the genetic material (DNA) in the chromosomes of a cell. It can be caused by a fault in the replication of a cell's genetic material when it divides to form two daughter cells. It can also occur as a result of exposure to radiation or chemical mutagens.
Mycotoxin	A toxin produced by a fungus.
Myelin	The 'insulation' on some neurons.
Myoclonus	Short abnormal muscular movement or jerk. Hence myoclonic jerk.
Myopathy	Non-inflammatory degeneration of the muscles. (BVD)
N
NALGO	National Association of Local Government Officers. One of the unions that merged to form UNISON.
NAO	National Audit Office.
Nascent	Being, or having recently been, formed.
Natal herd	The herd in which an animal is born.
NBA	National Blood Authority.
NCBA	National Cattle Breeders Association.
NDPB	Non-departmental public body.
Necropsy, necroscopy	Post-mortem examination of a body.
Necrosis	Death of cells or of a limited portion of tissue. (BVD)
Negative-line	A breed or selection line of an animal species which is known to be resistant to particular strains of a disease agent. Cf. positive-line.
Negative rate	A rate calculated by the number of cases where BSE was not confirmed as a proportion of all cases examined pathologically.
Nematode	Phylum of elongated cylindrical worms parasitic in animals or plants, or free-living in soil or water.
Nemavirus	Term given by Dr Harash Narang to 'unique virus-like tubulofilamentous particles' observed in SE-infected brains. Proposed by him as the infectious agent of TSEs.
Nephritis	Inflammation of the kidneys. (BVD)
Nephrosis	A disease of the kidneys, involving damage to the tubules. (BVD)
NERC	Natural Environment Research Council.
Neural	Pertaining to nerves or connected with the nervous system. (Taber)
Neuroblastoma	A malignant haemorrhagic tumour.
Neurology	The scientific study of the nervous system, especially its structure, functions and abnormalities.
Neuron	Nerve cell.
Neuropathogenesis	The origin and development of a neural disease. (Taber)
Neuropathology	The study of diseases of the nervous system and the structural and functional changes occurring in them. (Taber)
Neuropil	In vertebrates, one of a maze of interlacing nerve fibres diffusely distributed through the brain.
Neurotransmitter	A substance which transmits the action of a nerve to another cell.
NFU	National Farmers' Union.
NI	Northern Ireland.
NIBSC	National Institute for Biological Standards and Control.
NIH	National Institutes of Health, USA (Bethesda, Maryland).
NIMR	National Institute for Medical Research: one of the institutes funded by the MRC.
Nitrates	Salts which may be poisonous in excess. Can be found in fertilisers.
NMHS	National Meat Hygiene Service (see MHS).
NOAH	National Office for Animal Health Ltd. Trade association formed in 1985 as the animal medicine division of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). In 1987 it separated from ABPI to become an independent company.
Non-confirmation rate	See negative rate.
Noradrenaline	Hormone responsible for transmission of signals in the sympathetic nervous system and in some parts of the central nervous system.
NPU	Neuropathogenesis Unit. A BBSRC/MRC research unit in Edinburgh working on TSEs. Established in 1981; became part of the IAH in June 1986.
NSE (neuron specific enolase)	Specific enolase found only in nerve cells.
Nucleic acid	Substance constructed out of units known as nucleotides. Two types of nucleic acid occur in nature: deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). (BMD)
Nucleotide	The basic structural unit of nucleic acid. In DNA four types of nucleotide are joined together to form long chains. The sequence of the nucleotides represents the genetic information.
nvCJD	New variant CJD. Identified in 1996 as a previously unrecognised form of CJD, having a novel pathology and consistent disease pattern. Exposure to BSE is the most likely explanation for the emergence of the disease. It is now known as vCJD (variant CJD).
NVL	No Visible Lesion, an abbreviation used by pathologists.
Nyala	A deer-like African ruminant. Cf. gemsbok, eland.
Nystagmus	A rapid involuntary movement of the eyes. (COD)
O
Obex	A small section of the brain at the caudal medulla, that is, in the back of the cow's head and therefore easy to remove as a sample for BSE (histopathological) diagnosis.
Ocelot	A medium-sized South and Central American wild cat (Felis pardalis).
Occipital lobe	The part of the cerebrum at the back of the head.
OCF	Open Contracting Fund (MAFF), for funding research.
Octapeptide	A protein fragment or molecule that consists of eight amino acids.
Oedema	Accumulation of exudate in one or more of the body cavities, or beneath the skin. (BVD)
Offal	Internal organs and entrails of animals.
OIE	Office International des Epizooties (Paris). Set up in 1924 following the realisation that joint action between countries was necessary to control contagious animal diseases. The OIE determines animal health standards for international trade, advises the veterinary services in member countries and aims to work towards the eradication of the most dangerous animal and zoonotic diseases. Membership comprises over 150 countries, and it has a permanent working relationship with international organisations such as the FAO, WHO and WTO. (BVD)
Oleic acid	The commonest of naturally occurring fatty acids. (BMD)
Oleochemical industry	An industry centred on the production of chemical derivatives from naturally occurring animal and vegetable fats and oils, including tallow. Analogous to but separate from the petrochemical industry, which derives products from fossil oils.
Oligo-	Having few; containing a relatively small number of units. (COD)
ONS	Office for National Statistics.
Ontogeny	The origin and development of an individual.
OP	Organophosphate or organophosphorus insecticide: any of several synthetic chemical insecticides, based on chemical compounds including phosphate, which affect the nervous system. (DOA)
OPC	Organophosphorus compound.
OPCS	Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (now part of the Office for National Statistics - ONS).
Open reading frame	A length of DNA or RNA sequence between a start codon and a termination codon which can potentially be translated into a peptide sequence.
OPS	Office of Public Service, part of the Cabinet Office.
Organelles	Specialised cellular compartments, such as the nucleus.
Oryx	Small genus of large, heavily built African and Arabian antelopes.
OST	Office of Science and Technology. Headed by the CSA, the OST was established in 1992 as part of the Cabinet Office. Moved in July 1995 to be part of the DTI.
OTMS	Over Thirty Months Scheme. Provides for the purchase of cattle over 30 months old presented for slaughter and for the carcasses to be incinerated or rendered and destroyed.
Ovine	Of, or relating to, sheep.
OVS	Official Veterinary Surgeon working for local authorities until April 1995, and then for the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS).