2008, une année d'animations au service des sciences de la Terre en Bretagne.

Bilan régional de l'Année Internationale de la Planète TerreVous trouverez dans ce rapport un bilan du "programme CAREN" pour l'Année de la Terre, ou plus exactement de l'Année Internationale de la Planète Terre 2008. Il s'agit d'une année patronnée par l'UNESCO et l'Union Internationale des Sciences Géologiques (IUGS) avec un programme scientifique et des animations de sensibilisation du "grand public" partout dans le monde, avec une idée forte : "Les Géosciences au service de l'humanité" L'effort du programme scientifique a porté sur 10 grands thèmes multidisciplinaires, concernant la société : - la Terre et la santé - construire un environnement sain - le climat - climats anciens, climats futurs - les eaux souterraines - pour un usage durable - l'océan - la Planète Bleue - les sols - l'épiderme de la Terre - la Terre profonde - de la croûte au noyau - les mégapoles - aller plus loin, construire autrement - les risques naturels - minimiser les risques, maximiser la prévention - les ressources - vers un usage durable - la Terre et la vie - origine de la biodiversité (thème co-dirigé par l'Allemagne et la France) La Fédération Française de Géologie (dont Cécile Robin - MC à l'université de Rennes 1 / Géosciences Rennes - est la correspondante en Bretagne) et le CAREN (Centre armoricain de recherches en environnement, et plus particulièrement le laboratoire de Géosciences Rennes), ainsi que le BRGM Bretagne, se sont engagés dans cette manifestation internationale et ont proposé un ensemble d'animations de culture scientifique sur le thème "Représenter et comprendre la Terre" (sous la forme d'expositions, festivals, conférences, excursions, interventions dans les écoles, etc. etc.), qui ont touché au final près de 8000 personnes.Vous trouverez donc dans ce rapport un bilan complet de ce programme d'animations en Bretagne

Hepatic tumor diagnosis by analysing dense transport fields in contrast-enhanced ultrasound

International audienceDynamic contrast agent enhanced ultrasound (DCEUS) is considered as a safe, noninvasive, accurate, and economic tool for analysing blood perfusion of various organs [1]. Gas-filled mi-crobubble contrast agents are used as intravascular flow tracers. In this study, a new methodology is proposed to quantify the divergence (i.e sources, sinks), curl (i.e sheering) and amplitude in the apparent microbubble transports during the bolus arrival. The efficiency of proposed methodology is evaluated in-vivo, for the classification of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) and inflammatory hepatic adenomas (I-HCA)

A maximum likelihood framework for protein design

BACKGROUND: The aim of protein design is to predict amino-acid sequences compatible with a given target structure. Traditionally envisioned as a purely thermodynamic question, this problem can also be understood in a wider context, where additional constraints are captured by learning the sequence patterns displayed by natural proteins of known conformation. In this latter perspective, however, we still need a theoretical formalization of the question, leading to general and efficient learning methods, and allowing for the selection of fast and accurate objective functions quantifying sequence/structure compatibility. RESULTS: We propose a formulation of the protein design problem in terms of model-based statistical inference. Our framework uses the maximum likelihood principle to optimize the unknown parameters of a statistical potential, which we call an inverse potential to contrast with classical potentials used for structure prediction. We propose an implementation based on Markov chain Monte Carlo, in which the likelihood is maximized by gradient descent and is numerically estimated by thermodynamic integration. The fit of the models is evaluated by cross-validation. We apply this to a simple pairwise contact potential, supplemented with a solvent-accessibility term, and show that the resulting models have a better predictive power than currently available pairwise potentials. Furthermore, the model comparison method presented here allows one to measure the relative contribution of each component of the potential, and to choose the optimal number of accessibility classes, which turns out to be much higher than classically considered. CONCLUSION: Altogether, this reformulation makes it possible to test a wide diversity of models, using different forms of potentials, or accounting for other factors than just the constraint of thermodynamic stability. Ultimately, such model-based statistical analyses may help to understand the forces shaping protein sequences, and driving their evolution

Use of dehydrated sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) in rabbit feeding. 2 - Effects of a high dietary incorporation on performance and health of does and growing rabbits, under a sub-optimal breeding commercial environment

[EN] The effects of a high dietary (26%) incorporation of dehydrated sainfoin (DS) (Perly cultivar) on the performance and health of reproductive does and growing rabbits were analysed in a sub-optimal professional breeding environment (presenting previous coccidiosis), and over two non-consecutive reproductive cycles (2 replicates). Performance and health of does and growing rabbits were compared for 2 groups of 194 does and associated litters, when fed isonutritive feeds containing either 0 or 26% DS (DS0 and DS26 groups). Dietary DS incorporation had no effect on doe live weight, fertility rate, mortality, culling rate and doe coccidia excretion levels (P>0.05). In replicate 1, kit growth before weaning was similar among the two groups, but was 12% lower for the DS26 group in the 2nd replicate (significant interaction). Similarly, a significant interaction was detected between the effect of the diet and the replicate for the mortality rate of kits before weaning, i.e. a higher mortality was detected for DS26 (3.3 vs. 1.8%) in replicate 1, while in replicate 2 it was lower (2.1 vs. 4.4%). After weaning, the post-weaning growth rate was improved by 4% (P=0.02) for the DS26 group, while the mortality rate decreased (7.1 vs. 4.5%, P<0.001). Coccidia excretions of growing rabbits were not affected by dietary sainfoin or by replicates. A high incorporation of DS (26%) should be recommended after weaning to improve the performance of growing rabbits without impact on reproducing does.Arrivé-Bellanné, Multifolia and ANRT funding this project and the doctoral programme (ANRT, CIFRE Programme)Gayrard, C.; Bretaudeau, A.; Gombault, P.; Hoste, H.; Gidenne, TN. (2024). Use of dehydrated sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) in rabbit feeding. 2 - Effects of a high dietary incorporation on performance and health of does and growing rabbits, under a sub-optimal breeding commercial environment. World Rabbit Science. 32(1):11-20. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2024.19848112032

Dog predation over flocks of sheep in the Luberon area

Le Parc naturel régional du Luberon a toujours soutenu l’élevage pastoral en tant qu’outil majeur de gestion de la biodiversité sur son territoire. L’inquiétude exprimée par les éleveurs face à l’éventualité de l’arrivée de loups a amené le PNRL, en collaboration avec le CERPAM, à réaliser une enquête sur la prédation due aux chiens, afin de constituer un état des lieux préalable sur le sujet. Une enquête exhaustive a été menée auprès des éleveurs sur l’ensemble du territoire du Luberon, afin de recenser les attaques de chiens et de comprendre les conditions de cette prédation. Les résultats montrent une faible fréquence d’attaques et un faible taux de prédation par les chiens dans cette région où le cheptel ovin est important. Quelques séquences d’attaques concentrent la majorité des dommages. L’essentiel des problèmes est lié à la divagation de chiens du voisinage, très rarement à des chiens réellement « errants ». Enfin, les attaques de chiens n’ont rien de discret, ces derniers sont repérés visuellement dans 85% des épisodes de prédation. Les résultats ont été comparés à d’autres études menées dans d’autres régions. La prédation due aux chiens est faible dans un autre massif des Alpes du Sud, mais plus forte dans les régions où le poids économique de l’élevage ovin est résiduel. L’ambition du gestionnaire, au travers de cette étude, est d’améliorer la sensibilisation de tous les acteurs concernés pour limiter la divagation des chiens (résidents, touristes, communes, chasseurs) mais aussi de se donner les moyens de gérer avec la plus grande transparence l’éventualité du retour des loups sur ce territoire.The pastoral breeding has always been supported by the Regional Natural Park of the Luberon as the tool for biodiversity maintenance. The sheep breeders anxiety of potential wolves predation has led the PNRL, in collaboration with the CERPAM (a technical breeders’ organization), to realise a study of the predation of dog origin, in order to define the state of the situation. An exhaustive inquiry of dogs attack has been carried on over the whole Luberon area breeders to count and to understand the conditions of this phenomenon. The results display a weak frequency of attacks of predation by the dogs in this region of important sheep concentration. Some attack events are concentrating the majority of the damage. The principal problem is neighbourhood dog wandering, and rarely from stray dogs. These dogs attacks are not discrete because for 85% of them, they were visually noticed. The results were then compared to other studies from different regions. This predation is also weak in an other area of the South Alps but is found more frequent in the regions with a limited sheep farming. The ambition of the Park of the Luberon with this study is to improve the sensibilisation of the territory actors in order to reduce this dog wandering but also, to have the necessary knowledge and conditions to face with clearness a potential wolf attack

[The person of trust, a new tool in the physician-patient relationship.]

THE NOTION OF A PERSON OF TRUST: Introduced by the law dated March 4th 2002, the person of trust is there to accompany the patient in all his/her measures of care; this person is also conceived as an helper in medical decisions or when the patient participates in biomedical research protocols. DESIGNATION MODALITIES: Any adult, unprotected patient can designate a person of trust, whose intervention is not only limited to hospitalisation (the nursing staff are obliged to propose such a person), but can also intervene during care at home or at the doctor's. The designation is made in writing and can be revoked at any time. The person of trust can be a relative, a friend or even the treating physician. A SPECIFIC ROLE: The person of trust can be of help in medical measures in routine medicine when the patients needs to be accompanied, and in the case of diagnosis or serious prognosis, and when the patient is incapable of expressing him/herself