Age au premier vêlage et intervalle entre vêlages de quatre races bovines en zone périurbaine de N’Djaména, Tchad

L’objectif de l’étude est de déterminer l’âge au premier vêlage et l’intervalle entre vêlages des vaches de quatre races bovines en zone périurbaine de N’Djaména au Tchad. Les races locales concernées ont été : Arabes, Bororo, Bokolodji et Kouri. Un échantillon de 43 vaches pour l’évaluation de l’intervalle entre vêlages et 34 pour l’âge au premier vêlage a été constitué et suivi de 1997 à 2014. Les valeurs moyennes obtenues ont été: 47,41 ± 9,92 mois pour l’âge de premier vêlage, 493,09 ± 187,30 jours pour l’intervalle entre vêlages, 91,18 ± 26,31 jours pour l’intervalle vêlage – saillie fécondante et 285,73 ± 8,76 jours pour la durée de gestation. Les différents facteurs de variation de ces paramètres ont été analysés ont révélé que la race et l’année de naissance des vaches ont influencé l’âge au premier vêlage alors que c’est le type de saillie seul qui a influencé la durée de l’intervalle entre les vêlages. La fécondité de bovins tchadiens a été acceptable dans le contexte africain mais n’a pas permis d’atteindre l’objectif d’un veau par vache et par an. D’où l’importance de la conduite de la reproduction sur l’intervalle entre vêlages. L’amélioration des performances de reproduction des bovins tchadiens doit passer par le croisement avec les races exotiques pour les premiers vêlages et la mise au point d’un protocole pratique d’induction de chaleur, en période post-partum immédiat afin de programmer la remise en reproduction des vaches pour réduire l’intervalle entre vêlages.Mots-clés: âge premier vêlage, intervalle vêlage-vêlage, bovins, zone périurbaine, N’Djaména, Tchad. Age at the first calving and interval between calving’s of four bovine breeds in N'Djamena per urban area, ChadThe aim of the study was to determine the age with the first calving and the interval between calving’s of the cows of four bovines breed in per urban area of N’Djamena at Chad. The local’s breeds concerned were: Arabs, Bororo, Bokolodji and Kuri. A sample of 43 cows for the evaluation from the interval between calving’s and 34 for the age with the first calving was made up and followed from 1997 to 2014. The average values obtained were: 47.41 ± 9.92 months for the age of first calving, 493.09 ± 187.30 days for the interval between calving, 91.18 ± 26.31 days for the interval calving – covered fertilizing and 285.73 ± 8.76 days for the gestation period. The various factors of variation of these parameters were analyzed and revealed that the breed and the year of birth of the cows influenced the age with the first calving whereas it is the type of projection alone which influenced the duration of the interval between the calving’s. The fertility of Chadians bovines was acceptable in the African context but did not allow achieving the goal of a calf per cow and per annum. From where importance of the control of the reproduction on the interval between calving’s. The improvement of the performances of reproduction of the Chadians bovine must pass by the crossing with the exotic races for the first calving’s and the development of a practical protocol of induction of heat, in period immediate postpartum in order to program the handing-over in reproduction of the cows to reduce the interval between calving’s.Keywords: age first calving, interval calving-calving, bovines, per urban area, N’Djamena, Chad

Paramètres de reproduction des vaches Kouri au Lac Tchad

Objectif : évaluer les performances de reproduction des vaches de la race Kouri au Tchad et proposer les actions d’amélioration.Méthodologie et résultats : une enquête longitudinale a été réalisée sur 101 vaches durant 10 ans, allant de novembre 2003 à avril 2013 au Centre de Sauvegarde de cette race taurine en pleine zone sahélienne du Tchad. Les performances de reproduction de la vache Kouri ont été: l’âge au premier vêlage de 41,43 ± 0,66 mois (n=70), une durée de gestation moyenne de 298,74 ± 5,11 jours avec un poids moyen des veaux à la naissance de 22,87 3,53 kg, l’intervalle entre vêlages moyen de 477,23 ±118,58 jours (n=126) et a varié en fonction de rang de vêlage, un taux de fécondité moyen de 76,48%, la fertilité en première saillie de 80,77%, un indice coïtal moyen de 1,53 ± 0,14. Les vêlages ont eu lieu toute l’année mais les périodes de forte concentration se situent entre les mois de février et avril.Conclusion et perspectives : Les performances de reproduction de la vache Kouri ont été faibles et ne permettent pas d’atteindre l’objectif d’un intervalle entre vêlages classique de 365 jours. L’intervalle entre vêlages a été plus long que l’intervalle standard d’un an. Ces performances ne peuvent être améliorées que par la mise en place d’une meilleure conduite des pratiques d’élevage et d’un programme de suivi de la reproduction. Ces actions permettront la remise en reproduction des vaches dans les 3 mois après vêlageMots clés : Vache Kouri, Reproduction, Lac-Tchad

Étude de l’oestrus et de la fertilité après un traitement de maîtrise des cycles chez les femelles zébus

La recherche a visé à établir les taux de réponse et conception des animaux synchronisés au Crestar® associé à la PMSG. 39 femelles zébus (Bos indicus) Goudali et Azawak constitué de vaches et de génisses ont été utilisées dans l’étude. L’insémination artificielle a été faite de façon systématique 48 heures après l’arrêt du traitement. Le diagnostic de gestation a été déterminé 60 jours après insémination par palpation rectale. Le taux global de l’oestrus induit a été de 94,87%. La parité et la race de femelles n’ont eu aucun effet significatif sur la réponse de l’oestrus. Le délai d’apparition de l’oestrus a été de 30,11 ± 6,24 heures et 32,76 ± 4,75 heures après la fin du traitement respectivement pour les femelles zébus Goudali et Azawak. La durée moyenne de l’oestrus a été de 12,20 ± 1,30 heures (n = 5). Le taux global de fertilité a été de 41,03%. La parité et la race de femelles n’ont eu aucun effet significatif sur la fertilité.Mots clés: Insémination artificielle, Crestar, taux de gestation, synchronisation, Nige

Application de l’échographie en reproduction chez le zebu Goudali

Les travaux traitant de l’utilisation de l’échographie en reproduction animale ont été revus. Cette synthèse s’intéresse au contexte de l’application pratique de l’échographie en reproduction bovine, particulièrement le suivi de la croissance folliculaire jusqu’à l’ovulation après la synchronisation et l’induction des chaleurs, le diagnostic et le suivi de gestation chez les femelles zébus Goudali inséminées par la semencede Holstein. Toutes ces applications ont pu se réaliser grâce à l’échographie d’ultrasons (Pie Medical 6227, Philispweg 1, Maastricht, Pays-Bas). La détermination de la période d’ovulation après la fin d’un traitement de synchronisation de chaleur et de l’ovulation, le diagnostic précoce de gestation représentent des domaines prometteurs de l’utilisation de l’échographie. Cette technologie permettra d’améliorer nos connaissances en reproduction bovine et de rassurer les éleveurs des résultats de la pratique des biotechnologies de la reproduction. Malgré le coût élevé de la méthode échographique, elle prend de l’avance sur les autres méthodes de détermination des paramètres de la reproduction bovine (hormonologie et palpation rectale) car elle donne les résultats immédiats et observables par tous les acteurs présents sur place. L’échographie s’est avérée un outil fiable pour le suivi de la croissance folliculaire, la détermination de l’intervalle entre le début des chaleurset l’ovulation et un outil diagnostique fiable dès le 28ème jour post-insémination.Mots clés: Echographie, croissance folliculaire, diagnostic de gestation, bovins

Diagnostic accuracy of the vegetative and minimally conscious state: Clinical consensus versus standardized neurobehavioral assessment

BACKGROUND: Previously published studies have reported that up to 43% of patients with disorders of consciousness are erroneously assigned a diagnosis of vegetative state (VS). However, no recent studies have investigated the accuracy of this grave clinical diagnosis. In this study, we compared consensus-based diagnoses of VS and MCS to those based on a well-established standardized neurobehavioral rating scale, the JFK Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R). METHODS: We prospectively followed 103 patients (55 +/- 19 years) with mixed etiologies and compared the clinical consensus diagnosis provided by the physician on the basis of the medical staff's daily observations to diagnoses derived from CRS-R assessments performed by research staff. All patients were assigned a diagnosis of 'VS', 'MCS' or 'uncertain diagnosis.' RESULTS: Of the 44 patients diagnosed with VS based on the clinical consensus of the medical team, 18 (41%) were found to be in MCS following standardized assessment with the CRS-R. In the 41 patients with a consensus diagnosis of MCS, 4 (10%) had emerged from MCS, according to the CRS-R. We also found that the majority of patients assigned an uncertain diagnosis by clinical consensus (89%) were in MCS based on CRS-R findings. CONCLUSION: Despite the importance of diagnostic accuracy, the rate of misdiagnosis of VS has not substantially changed in the past 15 years. Standardized neurobehavioral assessment is a more sensitive means of establishing differential diagnosis in patients with disorders of consciousness when compared to diagnoses determined by clinical consensus

Autonomic pain responses during sleep: a study of heart rate variability

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) reacts to nociceptive stimulation during sleep, but whether this reaction is contingent to cortical arousal, and whether one of the autonomic arms (sympathetic/parasympathetic) predominates over the other remains unknown. We assessed ANS reactivity to nociceptive stimulation during all sleep stages through heart rate variability, and correlated the results with the presence of cortical arousal measured in concomitant 32-channel EEG. Fourteen healthy volunteers underwent whole-night polysomnography during which nociceptive laser stimuli were applied over the hand. RR intervals (RR) and spectral analysis by wavelet transform were performed to assess parasympathetic (HF(WV)) and sympathetic (LF(WV) and LF(WV)/HF(WV) ratio) reactivity. During all sleep stages, RR significantly decreased in reaction to nociceptive stimulations, reaching a level similar to that of wakefulness, at the 3rd beat post-stimulus and returning to baseline after seven beats. This RR decrease was associated with an increase in sympathetic LF(WV) and LF(WV)/HF(WV) ratio without any parasympathetic HF(WV) change. Albeit RR decrease existed even in the absence of arousals, it was significantly higher when an arousal followed the noxious stimulus. These results suggest that the sympathetic-dependent cardiac activation induced by nociceptive stimuli is modulated by a sleep dependent phenomenon related to cortical activation and not by sleep itself, since it reaches a same intensity whatever the state of vigilance

Causal hierarchy within the thalamo-cortical network in spike and wave discharges

Background: Generalised spike wave (GSW) discharges are the electroencephalographic (EEG) hallmark of absence seizures, clinically characterised by a transitory interruption of ongoing activities and impaired consciousness, occurring during states of reduced awareness. Several theories have been proposed to explain the pathophysiology of GSW discharges and the role of thalamus and cortex as generators. In this work we extend the existing theories by hypothesizing a role for the precuneus, a brain region neglected in previous works on GSW generation but already known to be linked to consciousness and awareness. We analysed fMRI data using dynamic causal modelling (DCM) to investigate the effective connectivity between precuneus, thalamus and prefrontal cortex in patients with GSW discharges. Methodology and Principal Findings: We analysed fMRI data from seven patients affected by Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy (IGE) with frequent GSW discharges and significant GSW-correlated haemodynamic signal changes in the thalamus, the prefrontal cortex and the precuneus. Using DCM we assessed their effective connectivity, i.e. which region drives another region. Three dynamic causal models were constructed: GSW was modelled as autonomous input to the thalamus (model A), ventromedial prefrontal cortex (model B), and precuneus (model C). Bayesian model comparison revealed Model C (GSW as autonomous input to precuneus), to be the best in 5 patients while model A prevailed in two cases. At the group level model C dominated and at the population-level the p value of model C was ∼1. Conclusion: Our results provide strong evidence that activity in the precuneus gates GSW discharges in the thalamo-(fronto) cortical network. This study is the first demonstration of a causal link between haemodynamic changes in the precuneus - an index of awareness - and the occurrence of pathological discharges in epilepsy. © 2009 Vaudano et al

Complexity of multi-dimensional spontaneous EEG decreases during propofol induced general anaesthesia

Emerging neural theories of consciousness suggest a correlation between a specific type of neural dynamical complexity and the level of consciousness: When awake and aware, causal interactions between brain regions are both integrated (all regions are to a certain extent connected) and differentiated (there is inhomogeneity and variety in the interactions). In support of this, recent work by Casali et al (2013) has shown that Lempel-Ziv complexity correlates strongly with conscious level, when computed on the EEG response to transcranial magnetic stimulation. Here we investigated complexity of spontaneous high-density EEG data during propofol-induced general anaesthesia. We consider three distinct measures: (i) Lempel-Ziv complexity, which is derived from how compressible the data are; (ii) amplitude coalition entropy, which measures the variability in the constitution of the set of active channels; and (iii) the novel synchrony coalition entropy (SCE), which measures the variability in the constitution of the set of synchronous channels. After some simulations on Kuramoto oscillator models which demonstrate that these measures capture distinct ‘flavours’ of complexity, we show that there is a robustly measurable decrease in the complexity of spontaneous EEG during general anaesthesia

Tinnitus Intensity Dependent Gamma Oscillations of the Contralateral Auditory Cortex

Non-pulsatile tinnitus is considered a subjective auditory phantom phenomenon present in 10 to 15% of the population. Tinnitus as a phantom phenomenon is related to hyperactivity and reorganization of the auditory cortex. Magnetoencephalography studies demonstrate a correlation between gamma band activity in the contralateral auditory cortex and the presence of tinnitus. The present study aims to investigate the relation between objective gamma-band activity in the contralateral auditory cortex and subjective tinnitus loudness scores. In unilateral tinnitus patients (N = 15; 10 right, 5 left) source analysis of resting state electroencephalographic gamma band oscillations shows a strong positive correlation with Visual Analogue Scale loudness scores in the contralateral auditory cortex (max r = 0.73, p<0.05). Auditory phantom percepts thus show similar sound level dependent activation of the contralateral auditory cortex as observed in normal audition. In view of recent consciousness models and tinnitus network models these results suggest tinnitus loudness is coded by gamma band activity in the contralateral auditory cortex but might not, by itself, be responsible for tinnitus perception

PfHRP2 and PfLDH antigen detection for monitoring the efficacy of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) in the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>An assessment of the accuracy of two malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) for the detection of <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>histidine-rich protein 2 (<it>Pf</it>HRP2) or <it>Pf </it>lactate dehydrogenase (<it>Pf</it>LDH) was undertaken in children aged between six and 59 months included in an anti-malarial efficacy study in Benin.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In Allada (Benin), 205 children aged 6-59 months with falciparum malaria received either artesunate-amodiaquine (ASAQ), artemether-lumefantrine (AL), or sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP). Children included in the study were simultaneously followed by both RDT and high-quality microscopy for up to 42 days.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At the time of inclusion, <it>Pf</it>HRP2-based tests were positive in 203 children (99%) and <it>Pf</it>LDH-based tests were positive in 204 (99.5%). During follow-up, independent of the treatment received, only 17.3% (28/162) of children effectively cured were negative with the <it>Pf</it>HRP2 RDT at day 3, with a gradual increase in specificity until day 42. The specificity of antigen detection with the <it>Pf</it>LDH test was 87% (141/162) on day 3, and between 92% and 100% on days 7 to 42. A statistical difference was observed between the persistence of <it>Pf</it>HRP2 and <it>Pf</it>LDH antigenaemia during follow-up in children treated with artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) but not with SP.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although both RDTs are as sensitive as microscopy in detecting true malaria cases, the <it>Pf</it>HRP2 RDT had very low specificity during follow-up until day 28. On the other hand, the <it>Pf</it>LDH test could be used to detect failures and, therefore, to assess anti-malarial efficacy.</p