Understanding consumer demand for bushmeat in urban centers of Cameroon with a focus on pangolin species

Bushmeat consumption remains significant in urban Central Africa. Increasing urbanization has fueled bushmeat trade and become a threat to endangered species like the pangolin. Behavioral change interventions may help reduce demand for pangolins in urban centers. However, there is still a lack of adequate locally-specific research on consumer behavior and drivers of demand to effectively guide such interventions. Our study addressed this knowledge gap through semistructured interviews to investigate consumer preferences and bushmeat consumption habits and perceptions of 597 participants in Bertoua and Ebolowa, Cameroon. Bushmeat, in general, was positively perceived as a tasty, healthy, and luxurious item that meets cultural needs, while domestic meat was negatively perceived as an unhealthy and intensively processed product. The biggest barriers to bushmeat consumption were its illegality and high price. Pangolin was among the most desired types of bushmeat. Nearly half of pangolin consumers were willing to pay more for a pangolin meal. Despite being fully protected by national laws, pangolins were consistently found in local bushmeat markets and restaurants, suggesting the ineffectiveness in law enforcement and/or communication with the public about the legal protection and current status of pangolins. Our findings provide an understanding of sociocultural consumer behavior and drivers that can help guide bushmeat demand reduction interventions in urban centers of Cameroon

Does chemotherapy-induced neutropaenia result in a postponement of adjuvant or neoadjuvant regimens in breast cancer patients? Results of a retrospective analysis

In 2005, 224 patients received adjuvant/neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer in a single institution according to daily practices. Regimens consisted of epirubicin-based chemotherapy (FEC100, four or six cycles), or three cycles of FEC100 followed by three cycles of docetaxel. An absolute blood count was carried out every 3 weeks, 1–3 days before planned chemotherapy cycle. Overall, 1238 cycles were delivered. An absolute neutrophil count (ANC) <1.5 × 109 l−1 before planned chemotherapy was found in 171 cycles. Of these, 130 cycles (76%) were delivered as planned regardless of whether ANC levels recovered, and 41 (24%) were delayed. None of these patients developed a febrile neutropaenia. Haematopoietic support (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)) was required in 12 cycles. We found that the majority of patients with an ANC <1.5 × 109 l−1 before planned chemotherapy received planned doses, without complications and need for G-CSF

20-Year Risks of Breast-Cancer Recurrence after Stopping Endocrine Therapy at 5 Years

The administration of endocrine therapy for 5 years substantially reduces recurrence rates during and after treatment in women with early-stage, estrogen-receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer. Extending such therapy beyond 5 years offers further protection but has additional side effects. Obtaining data on the absolute risk of subsequent distant recurrence if therapy stops at 5 years could help determine whether to extend treatment

Long-term outcomes for neoadjuvant versus adjuvant chemotherapy in early breast cancer: meta-analysis of individual patient data from ten randomised trials

Background Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for early breast cancer can make breast-conserving surgery more feasible and might be more likely to eradicate micrometastatic disease than might the same chemotherapy given after surgery. We investigated the long-term benefits and risks of NACT and the influence of tumour characteristics on outcome with a collaborative meta-analysis of individual patient data from relevant randomised trials. Methods We obtained information about prerandomisation tumour characteristics, clinical tumour response, surgery, recurrence, and mortality for 4756 women in ten randomised trials in early breast cancer that began before 2005 and compared NACT with the same chemotherapy given postoperatively. Primary outcomes were tumour response, extent of local therapy, local and distant recurrence, breast cancer death, and overall mortality. Analyses by intention-to-treat used standard regression (for response and frequency of breast-conserving therapy) and log-rank methods (for recurrence and mortality). Findings Patients entered the trials from 1983 to 2002 and median follow-up was 9 years (IQR 5–14), with the last follow-up in 2013. Most chemotherapy was anthracycline based (3838 [81%] of 4756 women). More than two thirds (1349 [69%] of 1947) of women allocated NACT had a complete or partial clinical response. Patients allocated NACT had an increased frequency of breast-conserving therapy (1504 [65%] of 2320 treated with NACT vs 1135 [49%] of 2318 treated with adjuvant chemotherapy). NACT was associated with more frequent local recurrence than was adjuvant chemotherapy: the 15 year local recurrence was 21·4% for NACT versus 15·9% for adjuvant chemotherapy (5·5% increase [95% CI 2·4–8·6]; rate ratio 1·37 [95% CI 1·17–1·61]; p=0·0001). No significant difference between NACT and adjuvant chemotherapy was noted for distant recurrence (15 year risk 38·2% for NACT vs 38·0% for adjuvant chemotherapy; rate ratio 1·02 [95% CI 0·92–1·14]; p=0·66), breast cancer mortality (34·4% vs 33·7%; 1·06 [0·95–1·18]; p=0·31), or death from any cause (40·9% vs 41·2%; 1·04 [0·94–1·15]; p=0·45). Interpretation Tumours downsized by NACT might have higher local recurrence after breast-conserving therapy than might tumours of the same dimensions in women who have not received NACT. Strategies to mitigate the increased local recurrence after breast-conserving therapy in tumours downsized by NACT should be considered—eg, careful tumour localisation, detailed pathological assessment, and appropriate radiotherapy

A Solve-RD ClinVar-based reanalysis of 1522 index cases from ERN-ITHACA reveals common pitfalls and misinterpretations in exome sequencing

Purpose Within the Solve-RD project (https://solve-rd.eu/), the European Reference Network for Intellectual disability, TeleHealth, Autism and Congenital Anomalies aimed to investigate whether a reanalysis of exomes from unsolved cases based on ClinVar annotations could establish additional diagnoses. We present the results of the “ClinVar low-hanging fruit” reanalysis, reasons for the failure of previous analyses, and lessons learned. Methods Data from the first 3576 exomes (1522 probands and 2054 relatives) collected from European Reference Network for Intellectual disability, TeleHealth, Autism and Congenital Anomalies was reanalyzed by the Solve-RD consortium by evaluating for the presence of single-nucleotide variant, and small insertions and deletions already reported as (likely) pathogenic in ClinVar. Variants were filtered according to frequency, genotype, and mode of inheritance and reinterpreted. Results We identified causal variants in 59 cases (3.9%), 50 of them also raised by other approaches and 9 leading to new diagnoses, highlighting interpretation challenges: variants in genes not known to be involved in human disease at the time of the first analysis, misleading genotypes, or variants undetected by local pipelines (variants in off-target regions, low quality filters, low allelic balance, or high frequency). Conclusion The “ClinVar low-hanging fruit” analysis represents an effective, fast, and easy approach to recover causal variants from exome sequencing data, herewith contributing to the reduction of the diagnostic deadlock

Reflexion sur l'amenagement des forets de production dans le basin du Congo

Management in the production forest concessions of the Congo Basin is based on rotation principles, with the concessionary industry involved at every stage in the drafting and implementation of the felling permit granted. In this process, forest organization by area, based on management inventory and indicating timber volumes, seems the most appropriate option. Management should focus on a limited number of relatively abundant species with recognized technical properties and which markets already appreciate. Rotations should be defined essentially on the basis of economic and profitability considerations, and should ideally cover the same duration as the concession and the management scheme. Applying minimum felling diameters is a way of taking biological constraints into account to avoid compromising forest regeneration and to promote the natural dynamics of the forest

Analysis and management of cochlear implant explantation in adults

International audienceObjectives: Cochlear implants have a 10-year manufacturer's warranty and may remain functional for more than 25 years after implantation. With the increasing number of users, the number of explantations is set to increase in the future. The main objective of the present study was to determine reasons for cochlear explantation in adults and the proportion carried out during the warranty period.Material and methods: A single-centre retrospective multidisciplinary study of cochlear explantation in adults was performed over a 33-month period. Explantation reasons, interval since implantation and warranty application were analysed.Results: 54% of the 71 explantations were for medical reasons, 45% due to failure (35% "hard failure", 10% "soft failure") and 1% could not be classified; 69% were followed by reimplantation. Failure was confirmed before explantation in 66% of cases. Manufacturer warranties were applicable in 70% of explantations for breakdown, for a total of €335,500.Conclusions: This analysis provides decision support for reimplantation and allows better patient information. Follow-up is essential to optimise warranty application and to promote the proper implant use

Analyse et prise en charge des explantations d’implants cochléaires chez l’adulte

International audienceObjectifs : Les implants cochléaires bénéficient d’une garantie du fabricant d’une durée de 10 ans et peuvent rester fonctionnels plus de 25 ans après leur implantation. Cependant, du fait de l’augmentation de la file active des patients, le nombre d’explantations va s’accroître dans le futur. L’objectif principal était de déterminer les motifs d’explantations cochléaires chez l’adulte et la part de ces explantations réalisées pendant la période de garantie. Matériel et méthode : Un suivi pluridisciplinaire rétrospectif monocentrique des explantations cochléaires chez l’adulte a été réalisé sur une période de 33 mois. Les motifs d’explantation, les délais depuis l’implantation et l’application des garanties des fabricants ont notamment été analysés. Résultats : Sur 71 explantations, 54 % étaient dues à une raison médicale, 45 % à une panne (dont 35 % de hard failures et 10 % de soft failures) et 1 % n’a pas pu être classifié ; 69 % ont été suivies d’une réimplantation. Les pannes étaient confirmées avant l’explantation dans 66 % des cas. Les garanties des fabricants étaient applicables dans 69 % des explantations pour panne, représentant un montant de 335 500 €. Conclusion : Cette analyse permet une aide à la décision de réimplantation et une meilleure information du patient. Le suivi est indispensable pour appliquer au mieux les garanties des fabricants et favoriser le bon usage de ces implants

ELASTIC AND ANELASTIC EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH PRECIPITATION PHENOMENA IN NON STOICHIOMETRIC SPINELS

(Al2O3)nMgO compounds with n ~ 3 - 3.5 have two phases at equilibrium : α corundum precipitates in a γ spinel matrix. The splat cooling due to plasma spraying (polycrystals) and Verneuil's method (single crystals) lead to a metastable γ cubic state. Subsequent annealing gives the stable state. The evolutions are related to a strong increase of elastic moduli, and a decrease of the damping. This was obtained through three steps : the first two due to preprecipitation and precipitation, the third one to sintering