La production biologique de porcs en Europe - Gestion de la santé des porcs dans les élevages de production

Les éleveurs de porcs biologiques ont développé en Europe différents systèmes de logement qui dépendent de la disponibilité des terres, des caractéristiques du sol et du climat, des traditions et des schémas de certification. Ce guide décrit les principaux systèmes de logement des porcs biologiques. Il compare les avantages et les inconvénients de chacun et donne des recommandations aux éleveurs pour mieux agir sur la santé des animaux

An overview of the progress and challenges of peatland restoration in Western Europe

Peatlands are the most efficient terrestrial carbon store on Earth, and deliver multiple other ecosystem services including climate regulation, water purification, preservation of ecological and archaeological records, etc. Disturbed and degraded peatlands do not provide the same ecological services and thus bear a significant cost to society. Because this cost may be alleviated by appropriate restoration measures, money is being invested in peatland restoration projects around the world. Here, we review over 25 years of restoration in Western Europe. First, we provide an overview of techniques used in different contexts and evaluate the status of the evidence base for restoration outcomes. Between 1993 and 2015, the EU-LIFE nature programme alone invested 167.6M € in 80 projects, which aim to restore over 913 km2 of peatland habitats in Western European countries, mostly in protected sites part of the Natura 2000 EU network. This represents less than 2% of the total remaining area of peatlands in these countries, most of which have been impacted to some degree by anthropogenic disturbances. Potential for restoration should be considered in nondesignated sites. We reviewed a number of case studies covering a range of restoration approaches used in different parts of Western Europe. We found that published evidence of restoration progress was limited to specific sites/areas, and in many cases lacked baseline measurements and clear goals, that is, measurable target or contemporary reference(s). We discuss barriers and opportunities to turn the tide for peatland restoration in Western Europe and promote the establishment of robust, standardized monitoring schemes

Plasma?-III tubulin, neurofilament light chain and glial fibrillary acidic protein are associated with neurodegeneration and progression in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a progressive disorder characterized by multiple psychotic relapses. After every relapse, patients may not fully recover, and this may lead to a progressive loss of functionality. Pharmacological treatment represents a key factor to minimize the biological, psychological and psychosocial impact of the disorder. The number of relapses and the duration of psychotic episodes induce a potential neuronal damage and subsequently, neurodegenerative processes. Thus, a comparative study was performed, including forty healthy controls and forty-two SZ patients divided into first-episode psychosis (FEP) and chronic SZ (CSZ) subgroups, where the CSZ sub group was subdivided by antipsychotic treatment. In order to measure the potential neuronal damage, plasma levels of beta-III tubulin, neurofilament light chain (Nf-L), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were performed. The results revealed that the levels of these proteins were increased in the SZ group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, multiple comparison analysis showed highly significant levels of beta-III tubulin (P = 0.0002), Nf-L (P = 0.0403) and GFAP (P < 0.015) in the subgroup of CSZ clozapine-treated. In conclusion, beta-III tubulin, Nf-L and GFAP proteins may be potential biomarkers of neurodegeneration and progression in SZ

Disease recurrence in paediatric renal transplantation

Renal transplantation (Tx) is the treatment of choice for end-stage renal disease. The incidence of acute rejection after renal Tx has decreased because of improving early immunosuppression, but the risk of disease recurrence (DR) is becoming relatively high, with a greater prevalence in children than in adults, thereby increasing patient morbidity, graft loss (GL) and, sometimes, mortality rate. The current overall graft loss to DR is 7–8%, mainly due to primary glomerulonephritis (70–80%) and inherited metabolic diseases. The more typical presentation is a recurrence of the full disease, either with a high risk of GL (focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis 14–50% DR, 40–60% GL; atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome 20–80% DR, 10–83% GL; membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis 30–100% DR, 17–61% GL; membranous nephropathy ∼30% DR, ∼50% GL; lipoprotein glomerulopathy ∼100% DR and GL; primary hyperoxaluria type 1 80–100% DR and GL) or with a low risk of GL [immunoglobulin (Ig)A nephropathy 36–60% DR, 7–10% GL; systemic lupus erythematosus 0–30% DR, 0–5% GL; anti-neutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated glomerulonephritis]. Recurrence may also occur with a delayed risk of GL, such as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, sickle cell disease, endemic nephropathy, and sarcoidosis. In other primary diseases, the post-Tx course may be complicated by specific events that are different from overt recurrence: proteinuria or cancer in some genetic forms of nephrotic syndrome, anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies-associated glomerulonephritis (Alport syndrome, Goodpasture syndrome), and graft involvement as a consequence of lower urinary tract abnormality or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) nephropathy. Some other post-Tx conditions may mimic recurrence, such as de novo membranous glomerulonephritis, IgA nephropathy, microangiopathy, or isolated specific deposits (cystinosis, Fabry disease). Adequate strategies should therefore be added to kidney Tx, such as donor selection, associated liver Tx, plasmatherapy, specific immunosuppression protocols. In such conditions, very few patients may be excluded from kidney Tx only because of a major risk of DR and repeated GL. In the near future the issue of DR after kidney Tx may benefit from alternatives to organ Tx, such as recombinant proteins, specific monoclonal antibodies, cell/gene therapy, and chaperone molecules

New Insights into the Apoptotic Process in Mollusks: Characterization of Caspase Genes in Mytilus galloprovincialis

Apoptosis is an essential biological process in the development and maintenance of immune system homeostasis. Caspase proteins constitute the core of the apoptotic machinery and can be categorized as either initiators or effectors of apoptosis. Although the genes encoding caspase proteins have been described in vertebrates and in almost all invertebrate phyla, there are few reports describing the initiator and executioner caspases or the modulation of their expression by different stimuli in different apoptotic pathways in bivalves. In the present work, we characterized two initiator and four executioner caspases in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Both initiators and executioners showed structural features that make them different from other caspase proteins already described. Evaluation of the genes’ tissue expression patterns revealed extremely high expression levels within the gland and gills, where the apoptotic process is highly active due to the clearance of damaged cells. Hemocytes also showed high expression values, probably due to of the role of apoptosis in the defense against pathogens. To understand the mechanisms of caspase gene regulation, hemocytes were treated with UV-light, environmental pollutants and pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and apoptosis was evaluated by microscopy, flow cytometry and qPCR techniques. Our results suggest that the apoptotic process could be tightly regulated in bivalve mollusks by overexpression/suppression of caspase genes; additionally, there is evidence of caspase-specific responses to pathogens and pollutants. The apoptotic process in mollusks has a similar complexity to that of vertebrates, but presents unique features that may be related to recurrent exposure to environmental changes, pollutants and pathogens imposed by their sedentary nature

Energy and protein values of lucerne leaf meal in growing pigs

Forage legumes efficiently utilise the growing season and represent a relevant way to ensure soil cover and to produce high protein yields. Among the range of forage, leaf fraction of lucerne would be considered as a valuable protein source for swine. Two experiments were thus conducted to determine the energy and the protein values of lucerne leaf meal (LLM) in growing pigs. In the first experiment, total tract digestibility coefficient (TTD) of energy was measured on a total of 25 pigs (60 kg BW) randomly allotted to five different dietary treatments: 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% of LLM was incorporated in a wheat-soybean meal diet. On a dry matter basis, the average crude protein (CP), lysine, crude fibre and gross energy contents of LLM were 25.3%, 1.09%, 15.5% and 19.3 MJ/kg, respectively. After 10-days adaptation period, faeces and urines were collected during seven consecutive days. In the second experiment, the apparent (AID) and standardized (SID) ileal digestibility coefficient of AA were measured on five pigs (32.4 kg) fitted with ileo-rectal anastomosis and arranged in a 5×5 Latin square design with 6 periods and five diets containing 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% of LLM. Pigs were fed each of the five diets during one 7-days period, and ileal digesta were collected on d 5, 6 and 7. On the 6th period, all the pigs were fed with a free protein diet for the measurement of the basal ileal endogenous. As expected, the TTD of energy linearly decreased with increasing inclusion of LLM in the diet. On average, the TTD value and the digestible energy content of leaf meal were 45.4% and 8.5 MJ/kg. Increasing the rate of incorporation of LLM reduced the AID for crude protein and amino acids. This reduction was linear (P<0.05). On average, the AID and SID of lysine were 57.7 and 62.5%, respectively. These low digestibility of energy and lysine are probably explained by the presence of anti-nutritional factors (saponins, polyphenols, etc.) at a high concentration in the LLM

GH responses to GHRH and GHRP-6 in Streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats

GH responses to GHRH, the physiologic hypothalamic stimulus, and GHRP-6, a synthetic hexapeptide that binds the Ghrelin receptor, were studied in rats treated with streptozotocin (STZ), an experimental model of diabetes. Sprague-Dawley male rats received a single injection either of STZ (70 mg/Kg in 0.01 M SSC, i.p.) or of the vehicle (0.01 M SSC). GH responses were challenged with two different doses of GHRH (1 and 10 μg/kg) or GHRP-6 (3 and 30 μg/kg) and with a combination of both at low (1 + 3 μg/kg) or high (10 + 30 μg/kg) doses, respectively. We observed a dose-dependent effect for GH responses to GHRH both in STZ-treated rats and in controls. However, we could not find significant differences between STZ-rats and controls. GH responses to GHRP-6 occurred in a dose-dependent manner in STZ-rats, but not in controls. GH responses to GHRP-6 in both groups were clearly lower than those elicited by GHRH. GH responses to 30 μg/Kg of GHRP-6 were significantly greater in STZ-rats than in controls (AUC: 3549.9 ± 1001.4 vs. 2046.4 ± 711.7; p < 0.05). The combined administration of GHRH plus GHRP-6 was the most potent stimuli for GH in both groups. The administration of doses in the lower range (1 + 3 μg/Kg, GHRH + GHRP-6 respectively) induced a great peak of GH in STZ-rats and in control rats, revealing a synergistic effect of GHRH and GHRP-6 in both groups. When the higher doses were administered (10 + 30 μg/kg), GH levels in time 5, and AUC were significantly higher in control rats. In addition, a negative correlation between WT (weight tendency) values and GH responses, represented as AUC, could be established in STZ-rats (r 2 = -0.566, p = 0.004 for GHRH; r2 = -0.412, p = 0.028 for GHRP-6). Thus, the more negative the values of WT were, the more severe the metabolic alteration and, therefore, the higher the GH response to GHRH and GHRHP-6. In conclusion, our results do not support the existence of a functional hypothalamic hypertone of SS in diabetic rats, as GH responses were not usually reduced in STZ-rats, except when both secretagogues were administered together at the higher doses. Besides, GH responses to GHRH and GHRP-6 were inversely correlated with the severity of the metabolic alteration in STZ-rats, meaning that worse glycaemic control promoted higher GH secretion. These results resemble those found in humans, where GH responses to secretagogues are increased in type-1 diabetes and depend on hyperglycaemia, and are representative of not well-controlled insulin-dependent diabetic status. © 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Peer Reviewe

Impact de la concentration en nutriments de l'aliment sur les performances de lactation des truies et de leur portée

National audienc