EPIdemiology of Surgery-Associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) : Study protocol for a multicentre, observational trial

More than 300 million surgical procedures are performed each year. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after major surgery and is associated with adverse short-term and long-term outcomes. However, there is a large variation in the incidence of reported AKI rates. The establishment of an accurate epidemiology of surgery-associated AKI is important for healthcare policy, quality initiatives, clinical trials, as well as for improving guidelines. The objective of the Epidemiology of Surgery-associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) trial is to prospectively evaluate the epidemiology of AKI after major surgery using the latest Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) consensus definition of AKI. EPIS-AKI is an international prospective, observational, multicentre cohort study including 10 000 patients undergoing major surgery who are subsequently admitted to the ICU or a similar high dependency unit. The primary endpoint is the incidence of AKI within 72 hours after surgery according to the KDIGO criteria. Secondary endpoints include use of renal replacement therapy (RRT), mortality during ICU and hospital stay, length of ICU and hospital stay and major adverse kidney events (combined endpoint consisting of persistent renal dysfunction, RRT and mortality) at day 90. Further, we will evaluate preoperative and intraoperative risk factors affecting the incidence of postoperative AKI. In an add-on analysis, we will assess urinary biomarkers for early detection of AKI. EPIS-AKI has been approved by the leading Ethics Committee of the Medical Council North Rhine-Westphalia, of the Westphalian Wilhelms-University Münster and the corresponding Ethics Committee at each participating site. Results will be disseminated widely and published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences and used to design further AKI-related trials. Trial registration number NCT04165369

Spatial characterisation of eye-growing kinetics in semi-hard cheeses with propionic acid fermentation

An important characteristic of semi-hard cheeses with propionic acid fermentation is the eyes. However, growth mechanisms of the eyes are only qualitatively understood. In this study, X-ray computed tomography was used to monitor eye growth inside cheeses during ripening without disrupting any mechanism. Chemical and rheological analyses carried out in two different zones of the cheeses revealed a spatial-dependency, with the position the eyes significantly correlated to their final volume, and a different CO2 production by CO2-producing propionic acid bacteria with 27.7 mmol kg(-1) in the centre and 18.7 mmol kg(-1) in the outer zone. Furthermore, the present study allowed quantification using image processing: the overall cheese porosity grew from 0.03% at the beginning of ripening up to 4.60% at the end. Moreover, the porosity was 10 times lower, and the volume of eyes 13 times lower, in the outer zone than in the centre of the cheese

Quantification des tissus musculaire et adipeux dans les carcasses et les pièces de découpe de porc à l'aide de l'imagerie par résonance magnétique

[Departement_IRSTEA]EA [TR1_IRSTEA]TEPSA / IRMFOODL'objectif de ce travail était d'établir la possibilité de prédire la composition tissulaire des carcasses et pièces de découpe de porc à partir d'images des pièces obtenues par IRM (Imagerie par Résonance Magnétique). Les carcasses de 24 animaux présentant une grande variabilité de composition corporelle ont été découpées. Des images des pièces de découpe ont été acquises sur un imageur IRM bas champ, puis analysées pour différencier les pixels représentant les différentes fractions tissulaires pertinentes en termes de qualité des produits (muscle, gras sous-cutané et gras intermusculaire). Enfin, les pièces ont été disséquées pour mesurer le poids de leurs fractions tissulaires. L'IRM permet de bien prédire la teneur en muscle des pièces et de la carcasse avec des R2 compris entre 0,970 et 0,997. La prédiction des tissus adipeux est un peu moins bonne (0,95

The use of computer tomography to estimate reticulo-rumen content in Alpine goats

International audienceEstimation of reticulo-rumen content (volume and mass) is required in ruminant nutrition to determine effects ofdiet and environment on gut filling, nutrient turnover and to model digestive processes. Reticulo-rumen content is commonly measured via a rumen cannula. Animal scientists continuously seek to refine experimental procedures by developing less invasive techniques. The objective was to compare reticulo-rumen volume assessed by computer tomography (CT) with post mortem measurement of reticulo-rumen content mass in dairy goats. Twenty Alpine dairy goats (3±0.6 years old; 226±9 DIM) with body weight ranging from 47 to 72 kg were used. Goats were housed in a free-stall barn, had free access to hay and water, and were offered 0.75 kg/d of concentrate. Goats were anesthetised and placed in an inflatable mattress before duo CT scan (Siemens, Erlange, Germany) was performed. Between 400 to 500 images were generated per goat and analysed semi-automatically (www.turtleseg.org). The volume of reticulorumen and omasum were determined separately. Each goat was slaughtered within 15 min after CT, the reticulo-rumen and omasum were weighed full and after removing the digesta, and content weights were obtained by difference. The SAS GLM procedure was used to test simple regressions between organ volume obtained with CT and digesta mass measured post mortem. Volume of reticulo-rumen and omasum determined by CT were good estimators of digesta mass measured post mortem [R2=0.72 and 0.73, residual standard deviation (rSD)=1.18 and 0.10 kg and residual coefficient of variation (rCV)=11 and 22%, respectively, n=20]. The regression was improved for omasum content when one individual with an extremely low digesta mass (22 g) was excluded (R2=0.87, rSD=0.06 kg, rCV=12%, n=19). The use of CT may constitute a promising non-invasive method to estimate volume and mass of reticulo-rumem digestive content in small ruminants. Further research is warranted to test the ability of this technique to discriminate dietary treatments that induce differential rumen fill

Guide for implementing ecological intensification of aquaculture systems

The rapid development of aquaculture in the world has offered, depending on the species and territory, examples of "success stories" but has sometimes also led to social or environmental crises. The issue of food security in 2050 requires improving technology and practices while moving toward practices of "sustainable aquaculture". These changes promote territorial integration and need to be better recognized and mastered. The framework proposed by ecological intensification of agricultural systems offers an opportunity to redefine objectives for aquaculture by promoting ecological mechanisms to maintain or increase production in these systems. It thus consists of diversifying pathways to sustainable aquaculture and promoting the strengthening of ecological functions while considering sociological and governance constraints. Thus, the objective of this guide, the fruit of an interdisciplinary research project among French, Brazilian, and Indonesian partners, is to propose pathways for implementation of ecological intensification in aquatic ecosystems of aquaculture. To do so, it supplies (i) many potential objectives based on concepts of agro-ecology, ecosystem services, and processes for co-constructing eco-innovations; (ii) assessment tools (indicators); and (iii) examples of experiments in four types of contrasting aquaculture systems. This guide is addressed to a wide public: representatives of supply chains or aquaculture producers, representatives of territorial governments or administrations, and more generally, all members of NGOs or associations interested in development of aquaculture and/or setting up of integrated territorial projects, but also researchers and students as well as all actors wishing to implement ecological intensification, including outside the field of aquaculture

Phénotypage fin de la composition corporelle chez le ruminant :mise au point et calibration de huit méthodes innovantes

International audienc

In vivo estimation of body composition: comparison of eight methods in dairy goats

International audienceThe objective was to test 8 methods for estimation of empty body lipid (EBL) and protein (EBP) mass in dairy goats. The methods tested on 20 Alpine goats (3±0.6 years old; 226±9 DIM; 47 to 72 kg of BW) were: adipose cell size; deuterium oxide dilution space (D2OS); 3-dimension (3D) imaging: whole body 3D-scan and automatic 3D assessment of body condition score (3D-BCS); manual sternal and lumbar BCS and ultrasound imagery; computer tomography and bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BIS). Simple and multiple regressions (Proc GLM, SAS) were tested between different variables and EBL and EBP mass measured by chemical analyses after slaughter. Perirenal adipose tissue mass and cell diameter combined with BW provided the most accurate predictive equations for EBL (R2=0.95, residual coefficient of variation, rCV=12%). Nonetheless, such predictors can only be measured postmortem. The best equations for EBL derived from in vivo variables included BW combined with 1/ the volume of fatty tissues measured by computer tomography (R2=0.92, rCV=17%), 2/ the D2OS (R2=0.91, rCV=19%), and 3/ the BIS (R2=0.87, rCV=23%). D2OS combined with BW provided the best equation for EBP (R2=0.97, rCV=3%), whereas BW alone provided a fair EBP estimate (R2=0.92, rCV=4%). Manual BCS combined with BW provided good EBL and EBP estimations (R2=0.80 and 0.94, rCV=28 and 4%, respectively). BCS is a non-invasive technique and does not require particular equipment, but it is subjective and prone to operator bias. Compared to manual BCS, 3D-BCS combined with BW slightly decreased the accuracy of the predictive equation for EBL (R2=0.74, rCV=32%), and did not improve the estimation of EBP compared with BW alone. Ultrasound and whole body 3D imaging techniques were not satisfactory estimators of EBL and EBP (R2≤0.40)

Phénotypage fin de la composition corporelle chez le ruminant :mise au point et calibration de huit méthodes innovantes

International audienc

The prediction of lean meat and subcutaneous fat with skin content in pork cuts on the carcass meatness and weight

Early post-mortem, objective and non-destructive prediction of tissue distribution in the major pork cuts is a challenge for the meat industry. Mathematical models to predict pig carcass composition using total lean meat percentage and carcass weight were evaluated in this study. The data were obtained from 455 cold pig carcasses which were dissected according to the EU reference method; total lean meat percentage and carcass weight ranged from 42.45 to 69.21% and from 23.26 to 55.22 kg, respectively. Developed empirical models gave a reasonable fit to the experimental data and successfully predicted the carcass composition and tissue distribution in primal cuts. The second order polynomial models showed high coefficients of determination for prediction of experimental results (between 0.612 and 0.929), while the artificial neural network (ANN) model, based on the Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno iterative algorithm, showed better prediction capabilities (overall r(2) was 0.889). The newly developed software, based on ANN model is easy, fast, cheap and with sufficient precision for application in the meat industry