Discriminating the quality of local pork from crossbred pork from extensive production of ethnic minorities in mountainous northern Vietnam

Developing short food supply chains for products from local pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) breeds may offer chances for smallholders in rural areas to participate in niche markets and obtain additional income. Because the authenticity and distinctness of products are crucial for establishing marketing, this study compared selected product characteristics of pork from the Vietnamese Ban breed with pork from crossbreds, each derived at their typical market weight and from their respective extensive and semi-extensive production environment; thus resembling the combination, the products are available for customers. Traditional Ban pork could be effectively discriminated from crossbred pork through cut dimensions, exemplified by the significantly reduced loin eye area (P 0.001), and by the significantly reduced backfat thickness (P 0.001). Also, marbling fat was significantly decreased in local pork (P 0.001), whereas differences in further meat quality parameters were rather weakly expressed. The significantly higher share of polyunsaturated fatty acids in loins of traditionally produced Ban pigs (P = 0.003) could possibly result in a preferred nutritional value, but lower oxidative stability of the products. This study provides novel information to improve the marketing of specialty pork in Vietnam and comparable situations in the Southeast Asian Massif

Inland extent of the Weddell Sea Rift imaged by new aerogeophysical data

Peer reviewedPostprin

Minimally Invasive Approaches for the Management of “Difficult” Colonic Polyps

Traditionally, patients with colonic polyps not amenable to endoscopic removal require open colectomy for management. We evaluated our experience with minimally invasive approaches including endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), laparoscopic-assisted endoscopic polypectomy (LAEP), and laparoscopic-assisted colectomy (LAC). Patients referred for surgery for colonic polyps were selected for one of three minimally invasive modalities. A total of 123 patients were referred for resection of “difficult” polyps. Thirty underwent EMR, 25 underwent LAEP, and 68 underwent LAC. Of those selected to undergo EMR or LAEP, 76.4% were successfully managed without colon resection. The remaining 23.6% underwent LAC. Nine complications were encountered, including two requiring reoperative intervention. Of the 123 patients, three were found to have malignant disease on final pathology. Surgical resection can be avoided in a significant number of patients with “difficult” polyps referred for surgery by performing EMR and LAEP. In those who require surgery, minimally invasive resection can be achieved

Paramétrisation du potentiel de ruissellement des bassins versants au moyen de la Télédétection et des systèmes d'Informations Géographiques. Application à des bassins versants du Pays de Caux

International audienceThe increasing number of run-off damages occurring in Pays de Caux is a serious concern for regional authorities. The suggested method aims the assessmenl of run-off parameters using Remote Sensing and GIS. This method allows an objective comparison of the intrinsic and anthropic pressures of cultivated catchment from 1000 to 5000 ha. The potenliaI ron-off characteristics are analysed using land use components increasing or limiting run-off. and their spoliaI distrihulion on three different functional units. The selected parameters are the grassland proportion and compacity around concentrated surficial water channels (80 m wide), the proportion and compacity of the soil surfaces contributive to run-off on the top of catchments and, finally, the simple proportion of grassland and forest upon high sloped areas. The temporal evolution of these indices and the comparison between calchments show the signiflcant recorded changes whÎch favour the increase of surfaces contributing la mn-off between 1990 and /997. The interest of Ihese indices is to identify areas sensitive to run-off and to act as a decision supporl tool for a lerritorial management policy aimed al run-off reduclion on catchments. The outlook of this study is to generalize these parameters for regional applications

Polymer-grafted gold nanoparticles for cancer treatment: synthesis and evaluation of their radiosensitizing properties

International audienceToday, even though treatments have much improved, cancer is still a leading cause of death in the world, being responsible for 1 death out of 6. Radiotherapy is widely used for tumor treatment, but suffers from side effects due to the irradiation of healthy surrounding tissues. Another issue is the radioresistance developed by some tumor cells, which implies to increase the involved doses. The challenge remains to deliver curative doses to tumor tissues while sparing sound ones. Hence the use of tumor-located radiosensitizers is a promising way to improve the efficacy of radiotherapy. High-Z materials have been known for several decades to amplify the damaging effects of both photon and ion radiations. Various nanoparticles have already been developed to take advantage of this property: gold, platinum and gadolinium are amongst the most investigated elements. A well-controlled synthesis is key to obtain stable and scalable nano-objects. Here, various polymers were grafted onto metallic nanoparticles to improve stability and biocompatibility and to facilitate subsequent functionalization. Advanced methods of characterization attested both robustness and reproducibility of the synthesis procedure. Moreover, promising results were obtained regarding the radioenhancing properties of these hybrid nanocompounds. Therefore, special attention has been given to the underlying mechanisms of the assessed radiosensitization, since they are not fully understood yet. Synthesis of polymer-grafted gold nanoparticles was performed through an in situ method, via the reduction of gold salts in the presence of polymeric ligands mainly prepared using controlled radical polymerization. The resulting nano-objects were fully characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), transmission electronic microscopy and small-angle x-ray and neutron scattering. Interactions between our nanocompounds and biological systems were studied in order to better understand the mechanisms at play. At the cellular scale, three aspects were examined for each type of nanoparticles: cellular uptake, cytotoxicity and radiosensitizing properties, through ICP-MS measurements, cell proliferation assays and clonogenic assays respectively. All irradiations were performed while keeping the delivered doses to low values (under 30 Gy) that are typical of clinic reality. Different types of radiations were tested, in order to compare their effects and their synergy with the nanocompounds. The synthesized nano-objects have shown great potential to enhance radiation cancer treatment. Their stability and controlled surface chemistry have allowed to develop multiple strategies in order to optimize their radiosensitizing effect and in vitro behavior

APOE genotype influences the gut microbiome structure and function in humans and mice: relevance for Alzheimer’s disease pathophysiology

Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype is the strongest prevalent genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Numerous studies have provided insights into the pathologic mechanisms. However, a comprehensive understanding of the impact ofAPOEgenotype onmicroflora speciation and metabolismis completely lacking. In this study,we investigated the association between APOE genotype and the gut microbiome composition in human and APOE–targeted replacement (TR) transgenic mice. Fecal microbiota amplicon sequencing from matched individuals with different APOE genotypes revealed no significant differences in overall microbiota diversity in group aggregated human APOE genotypes. However, several bacterial taxa showed significantly different relative abundance between APOE genotypes. Notably, we detected an association of Prevotellaceae and Ruminococcaceae and several butyrate-producing genera abundances with APOE genotypes. These findings were confirmed by comparing the gutmicrobiota ofAPOE-TRmice. Furthermore, metabolomic analysis of murine fecalwater detected significant differences in microbe-associated amino acids and short-chain fatty acids between APOE genotypes. Together, these findings indicate that APOE genotype is associated with specific gut microbiome profiles in both humans and APOE-TR mice. This suggests that the gut microbiome is worth further investigation as a potential target to mitigate the deleterious impact of the APOE4 allele on cognitive decline and the prevention of A

Studying Past Deep-ocean Circulation and the Paleoclimate Record in the Gulf of Cadiz

Deep marine currents are strongly influenced by climatic changes. They also deposit, rework, and sort sediment, and can generate kilometer-scale sedimentary bodies (drifts). These drifts are made of thoroughly bioturbated, stacked sedimentary sequences called contourites [Gonthier et al., 1984]. As a consequence, change in the direction or intensity of currents can be recorded in the sediment

Early-onset catatonia associated with SHANK3 mutations: looking at the autism spectrum through the prism of psychomotor phenomena

BackgroundIndividuals with Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS) present with a wide range of diagnoses: autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, or schizophrenia. Differences in the genetic background could explain these different neurodevelopmental trajectories. However, a more parsimonious hypothesis is to consider that they may be the same phenotypic entity. Catatonic disturbances occasionally reported from adolescence onwards in PMS prompts exploration of the hypothesis that this clinical entity may be an early-onset form of catatonia. The largest cohort of children with childhood catatonia was studied by the Wernicke-Kleist-Leonhard school (WKL school), which regards catatonia as a collection of qualitative abnormalities of psychomotricity that predominantly affecting involuntary motricity (reactive and expressive). The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of psychomotor signs in three young adults carrying a mutation or intragenic deletion of the SHANK3 gene through the prism of the WKL school conception of catatonia.MethodsThis study was designed as an exploratory case study. Current and childhood psychomotor phenomena were investigated through semi-structured interviews with the parents, direct interaction with the participants, and the study of documents reporting observations of the participants at school or by other healthcare professionals.ResultsThe findings show catatonic manifestations from childhood that evolved into a chronic form, with possible phases of sub-acute exacerbations starting from adolescence.ConclusionThe presence of catatonic symptoms from childhood associated with autistic traits leads us to consider that this singular entity fundamentally related to SHANK3 mutations could be a form of early-onset catatonia. Further case studies are needed to confirm our observations

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in Children and Adolescents: Progress Through Effective Collaboration, Current Knowledge, and Challenges Ahead

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the fourth most common malignancy in children, has an even higher incidence in adolescents, and is primarily represented by only a few histologic subtypes. Dramatic progress has been achieved, with survival rates exceeding 80%, in large part because of a better understanding of the biology of the different subtypes and national and international collaborations. Most patients with Burkitt lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma are cured with short intensive pulse chemotherapy containing cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, and high-dose methotrexate. The benefit of the addition of rituximab has not been established except in the case of primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma. Lymphoblastic lymphoma is treated with intensive, semi-continuous, longer leukemia-derived protocols. Relapses in B-cell and lymphoblastic lymphomas are rare and infrequently curable, even with intensive approaches. Event-free survival rates of approximately 75% have been achieved in anaplastic large-cell lymphomas with various regimens that generally include a short intensive B-like regimen. Immunity seems to play an important role in prognosis and needs further exploration to determine its therapeutic application. ALK inhibitor therapeutic approaches are currently under investigation. For all pediatric lymphomas, the intensity of induction/consolidation therapy correlates with acute toxicities, but because of low cumulative doses of anthracyclines and alkylating agents, minimal or no long-term toxicity is expected. Challenges that remain include defining the value of prognostic factors, such as early response on positron emission tomography/computed tomography and minimal disseminated and residual disease, using new biologic technologies to improve risk stratification, and developing innovative therapies, both in the first-line setting and for relapse

Subglacial controls on dynamic thinning at Trinity-Wykeham Glacier, Prince of Wales Ice Field, Canadian Arctic

Mass loss from glaciers and ice caps represents the largest terrestrial component of current sea level rise. However, our understanding of how the processes governing mass loss will respond to climate warming remains incomplete. This study explores the relationship between surface elevation changes (dh/dt), glacier velocity changes (du/dt), and bedrock topography at the Trinity-Wykeham Glacier system (TWG), Canadian High Arctic, using a range of satellite and airborne datasets. We use measurements of dh/dt from ICESat (2003-2009) and CryoSat-2 (2010-2016) repeat observations to show that rates of surface lowering increased from 4 m yr-1 to 6 m yr-1 across the lowermost 10 km of the TWG. We show that surface flow rates at both Trinity Glacier and Wykeham Glacier doubled over 16 years, during which time the ice front retreated 4.45 km. The combination of thinning, acceleration and retreat of the TWG suggests that a dynamic thinning mechanism is responsible for the observed changes, and we suggest that both glaciers have transitioned from fully grounded to partially floating. Furthermore, by comparing the separate glacier troughs we suggest that the dynamic changes are modulated by both lateral friction from the valley sides and the complex geometry of the bed. Further, the presence of bedrock ridges induces crevassing on the surface and provides a direct link for surface meltwater to reach the bed. We observe supraglacial lakes that drain at the end of summer and are concurrent with a reduction in glacier velocity, suggesting hydrological connections between the surface and the bed significantly impact ice flow. The bedrock topography thus has a primary influence on the nature of the changes in ice dynamics observed over the last decade.</p