Monitoring biosecurity in poultry production: an overview of databases reporting biosecurity compliance from seven European countries

Compliance with required on-farm biosecurity practices reduces the risk of contamination and spread of zoonotic and economically important diseases. With repeating avian influenza epidemics in the poultry industry, the need to monitor and improve the overall level of biosecurity is increasing. In practice, biosecurity compliance is assessed by various actors (e.g., academic, private and public institutions), and the results of such assessments may be recorded and gathered in databases which are seldom shared or thoroughly analyzed. This study aimed to provide an inventory of databases related to the assessment of biosecurity in poultry farms in seven major poultry-producing European countries to highlight challenges and opportunities associated with biosecurity data collection, sharing, and use. The institutions in charge of these databases were contacted and interviewed using a structured questionnaire to gather information on the main characteristics of the databases and the context of their implementation. A total of 20 databases were identified, covering the gamut of poultry species and production types. Most databases were linked to veterinary health authorities or academia, and to a lesser extent interbranch organizations. Depending on the institutions in charge, the databases serve various purposes, from providing advice to enforcing regulations. The quality of the biosecurity data collected is believed to be quite reliable, as biosecurity is mostly assessed by trained farm advisors or official veterinarians and during a farm visit. Some of the databases are difficult to analyze and/or do not offer information concerning which biosecurity measures are most or least respected. Moreover, some key biosecurity practices are sometimes absent from certain databases. Although the databases serve a variety of purposes and cover different production types, each with specific biosecurity features, their analysis should help to improve the surveillance of biosecurity in the poultry sector and provide evidence on the benefits of biosecurity

Élaboration de recommandations de pratique clinique : les inhibiteurs de l'enzyme de conversion dans l'insuffisance cardiaque

Les inhibiteurs de l'enzyme de conversion (IEC) constituent la classe thérapeutique incontournable du traitement de l'insuffisance cardiaque. Cependant, de la littérature internationale aux données régionales, il est fait état de leur sous-prescription en pratique cardiologique. Malgré l'abondance des conférences de consensus, aucune ne cible en particulier la stratégie thérapeutique par IEC. Dans ce contexte, des recommandations de pratique clinique sur la prise en charge de l'insuffisance cardiaque par IEC ont été formalisées par des cardiologues hospitaliers lorrains. Cette formalisation s'est déroulée selon une méthode standardisée combinant l'analyse de la littérature et les opinions d'experts. Au final, 17 recommandations ont été adoptées et classées en quatre rubriques : indications et contre-indications ; posologies et modalités de surveillance ; gestion des effets indésirables ; et associations déconseillées. La formalisation de ces recommandations est l'étape clé d'une démarche d'amélioration de la qualité, initiée en 1999 dans les services de cardiologie de la région

Novel in situ gelling ophthalmic drug delivery system based on gellan gum and hydroxyethylcellulose: Innovative rheological characterization, in vitro and in vivo evidence of a sustained precorneal retention time

International audienceAchieving drug delivery at the ocular level encounters many challenges and obstacles. In situ gelling delivery systems are now widely used for topical ocular administration and recognized as a promising strategy to improve the treatment of a wide range of ocular diseases. The present work describes the formulation and evaluation of a mucoadhesive and ion-activated in situ gelling delivery system based on gellan gum and hydroxyethylcellulose for the delivery of phenylephrine and tropicamide. First, physico-chemical characteristics were assessed to ensure suitable properties regarding ocular administration. Then, rheological properties such as viscosity and gelation capacity were determined. Gelation capacity of the formulations and the effect of hydroxyethylcellulose on viscosity were demonstrated. A new rheological method was developed to assess the gel resistance under simulated eye blinking. Afterward, mucoadhesion was evaluated using tensile strength test and rheological synergism method in both rotational and oscillatory mode allowing mucoadhesive properties of hydroxyethylcellulose to be point out. Finally, residence time on the ocular surface was investigated in vivo, using cyanine 5.5 dye as a fluorescent marker entrapped in the in situ gelling delivery systems. Residence performance was studied by non-invasive optical imaging on vigilant rabbits, allowing eye blinking and nasolacrimal drainage to occur physiologically. Fluorescence intensity profiles pointed out a prolonged residence time on the ocular surface region for the developed formulations compared to conventional eye drops, suggesting in vitro/in vivo correlations between rheological properties and in vivo residence performances

Leucocytes and neutrophil granulocytes at 24 hours (H24) and their correlation with myocardial infarct size (IS).

<p><b>A</b>; Leucocytes count at H24 was significantly correlated with IS as measured by peak troponin release. <b>B</b>; At H24 neutrophil count was available for 24 patients only. For these patients, we found a significant correlation between neutrophil count and IS as measured by peak troponin release. Dotted line shows 95% confidence bands.</p

In-hospital management.

<p>In-hospital management.</p

IL-17A activity assessed by ΔIL-8 on Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC) and its correlation with infarct size (IS) in STEMI patients.

<p><b>A, B and C</b>; IL-17A activity (ΔIL-8) at H0 was not correlated with IS as measured by peak troponin level (A) (r = 0.2576, p = 0.27) peak CK level (B) (r = 0.1753, p = 0.45) or Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) (C) (r = -0.09123, p = 0.71). <b>D, E and F</b>; ΔIL-8 at H4 was not correlated with IS as measured by peak troponin level (D) (r = 0.03628, p = 0.88) peak CK level (E) (r = 0.2137, p = 0.36) or CMR (F) (r = -0.1615, p = 0.50). Correlations were tested using Spearman correlation. CK: Creatine Kinase.</p

Principal biological characteristics of the study population at admission and myocardial biomarkers peak values.

<p>Principal biological characteristics of the study population at admission and myocardial biomarkers peak values.</p

IL-17A functional test with Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells (HUVEC).

<p><b>A</b>; HUVECs were incubated 48 hours with the serum of each patient. IL-8 production by HUVECs was significantly higher in STEMI patient (at H0 and at H4) compared to healthy control. <b>B</b>; HUVECs were also incubated with each patient serum in the presence of anti-IL-17A antibody (neutralizing antibody). The difference between IL-8 secretion by HUVECs without and with IL-17A neutralizing antibody (named ΔIL-8) represented the secretion of IL-8 due to IL-17A. ΔIL-8 was significantly increased at H0 for STEMI patients compare to healthy controls but not at H4. STEMI: ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction. *p<0.05, **p<0.01.</p

Sex Differences in Medicine Acceptability: A New Factor to Be Considered in Medicine Formulation

International audiencePalatability is a recognized driver of medicine acceptability in pediatrics but deemed less relevant in older populations due to sensory decline. Preliminary findings from an observational study implicated palatability problems with one Alzheimer's medicine. Among 1517 observer reports combining multiple measures on medicines uses in patients aged over 64, we focused on two original formulations of memantine (Ebixa (R), tablets (n = 25) and oral solution (n = 60)). Evaluations were scored with an acceptability reference framework (CAST), the rodent Brief Access Taste Aversion (BATA) model tested aversiveness. Focusing on women treated with Ebixa (R) (n = 54), the oral formulation sub-group was classified as negatively accepted, while the coated tablet was associated with the positively accepted cluster. In men, both formulations belonged to the positively accepted profile. Using BATA, the original oral solution was categorized as highly aversive/untolerated while solutions of excipients only were well tolerated. Furthermore, the number of licks was significantly lower in female than in male rats. These results revealed that medicine palatability remains important for acceptability in older populations. Moreover, converging results from humans and animal models highlighted that palatability profiles can significantly vary between the sexes. These drivers should be closely considered during drug development to enhance acceptability in this population