Evolution of the germline mutation rate across vertebrates

The germline mutation rate determines the pace of genome evolution and is an evolving parameter itself1. However, little is known about what determines its evolution, as most studies of mutation rates have focused on single species with different methodologies2. Here we quantify germline mutation rates across vertebrates by sequencing and comparing the high-coverage genomes of 151 parent–offspring trios from 68 species of mammals, fishes, birds and reptiles. We show that the per-generation mutation rate varies among species by a factor of 40, with mutation rates being higher for males than for females in mammals and birds, but not in reptiles and fishes. The generation time, age at maturity and species-level fecundity are the key life-history traits affecting this variation among species. Furthermore, species with higher long-term effective population sizes tend to have lower mutation rates per generation, providing support for the drift barrier hypothesis3. The exceptionally high yearly mutation rates of domesticated animals, which have been continually selected on fecundity traits including shorter generation times, further support the importance of generation time in the evolution of mutation rates. Overall, our comparative analysis of pedigree-based mutation rates provides ecological insights on the mutation rate evolution in vertebrates

Erratum to: 36th International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13054-016-1208-6.]

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome associated with COVID-19: An Emulated Target Trial Analysis.

RATIONALE: Whether COVID patients may benefit from extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) compared with conventional invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) remains unknown. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the effect of ECMO on 90-Day mortality vs IMV only Methods: Among 4,244 critically ill adult patients with COVID-19 included in a multicenter cohort study, we emulated a target trial comparing the treatment strategies of initiating ECMO vs. no ECMO within 7 days of IMV in patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (PaO2/FiO2 <80 or PaCO2 ≥60 mmHg). We controlled for confounding using a multivariable Cox model based on predefined variables. MAIN RESULTS: 1,235 patients met the full eligibility criteria for the emulated trial, among whom 164 patients initiated ECMO. The ECMO strategy had a higher survival probability at Day-7 from the onset of eligibility criteria (87% vs 83%, risk difference: 4%, 95% CI 0;9%) which decreased during follow-up (survival at Day-90: 63% vs 65%, risk difference: -2%, 95% CI -10;5%). However, ECMO was associated with higher survival when performed in high-volume ECMO centers or in regions where a specific ECMO network organization was set up to handle high demand, and when initiated within the first 4 days of MV and in profoundly hypoxemic patients. CONCLUSIONS: In an emulated trial based on a nationwide COVID-19 cohort, we found differential survival over time of an ECMO compared with a no-ECMO strategy. However, ECMO was consistently associated with better outcomes when performed in high-volume centers and in regions with ECMO capacities specifically organized to handle high demand. This article is open access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives License 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Veterinary management of european pond turtle reintroductions

International audienceReintroductions are considered as operational measures to limit present biodiversity erosion. They consist in releasing captive bred and raised individuals of a species at a place it used to live. Its success relies on the quality of the release site, but also on the quantity and quality of released individuals. The later depends on the management of conservatory captive facilitie

Veterinary management of european pond turtle reintroductions

International audienceReintroductions are considered as operational measures to limit present biodiversity erosion. They consist in releasing captive bred and raised individuals of a species at a place it used to live. Its success relies on the quality of the release site, but also on the quantity and quality of released individuals. The later depends on the management of conservatory captive facilitie

VETERINARY MANAGEMENT OF EUROPEAN POND TURTLE REINTRODUCTIONS

International audienceReintroductions are considered as operational measures to limit present biodiversity erosion. They consist in releasing captive bred and raised individuals of a species at a place it used to live. Its success relies on the quality of the release site, but also on the quantity and quality of released individuals. The later depends on the management of conservatory captive facilitie

The anaesthetic management of a lemur ( Prolemur simus ) undergoing craniotomy for brain tumour resection

International audienceA nine-year-old greater bamboo lemur (Prolemur simus) was presented for the resection of a 3×2 cm occipital brain tumour. Intracranial surgery has not been previously reported in lemurs. Pain management, maintenance of an adequate perfusion pressure in the CNS, maintenance of autoregulation, provision of neuroprotection and prevention of the complications induced by the surgical technique (positioning, haemorrhage, seizures, etc) are the challenges associated to this surgery in domestic animals. The management of anaesthesia for such a condition in a wild animal is even more challenging. This report illustrates how difficult the management of anaesthesia is in a wild animal undergoing a procedure that requires intensive care and restraint, while published information on anaesthesia and critical care in this species is limited

Tests de prédation de la moule zébrée Dreissena polymorpha par la cistude d’Europe Emys orbicularis

International audienceDans le contexte actuel de la 6ème crise de la biodiversité, les programmes de réintroduction sont considérés comme une stratégie d’avenir à long terme pour la gestion durable de espaces et des espèces. Toutefois, les actions de réintroduction, mais également de renforcement de populations, peuvent induire des impacts imprévisibles sur les espèces déjà présentes dans le milieu, et de manière plus globale, sur le fonctionnement des écosystèmes. Dans le cadre du programme de relâcher de cistudes en Alsace (NE de la France, porté par le Conseil Général du Bas-Rhin), nous avons réalisé des tests de prédation de cette tortue d’eau douce de taille moyenne sur une espèce invasive, la moule zébrée, déjà présente sur le site de relâcher. La moule zébrée est une espèce d’eau douce de petite taille ( 25 mm. La consommation était supérieure sur proies mortes que sur proies vivantes, les cistudes consommant ≥ 65% de proies mortes disponibles 25% des proies mortes disponibles > 25 mm. De la même manière, au cours des 4 jours de run, les cistudes sélectionnaient en premier lieu les petites proies vivantes avant de passer (lorsqu’elles le faisaient) aux proies vivantes plus grandes, indépendamment des conditions d’ensoleillement. Dans nos conditions expérimentales, la taille des cistudes n’avait pas d’effet sur leur comportement de prédation. Cette étude préliminaire montre que la cistude d’Europe est un consommateur potentiel de la moule zébrée. Les tortues sélectionnent les moules les plus petites, probablement du fait que celles-ci sont plus faciles à ouvrir que les grandes moules. Cette première hypothèse est confortée par le fait que les cistudes consomment de grandes moules mais seulement lorsque celles-ci sont mortes. La manipulation de proie semble donc être ici un facteur important. Des expériences utilisant des moules fixées sur un substrat sont nécessaires pour tester cette seconde hypothèse. Enfin, des tests à grande échelle sont nécessaires pour tester l’impact potentiel des grandes populations de cistudes sur les moules zébrées en milieu naturel. Remerciements: Bertille Marquet, Virginie Malvaso, Sandra Avril et Adélie Krellenstei

Predatory tests of the European pond turtle Emys orbicularis on the invasive zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha.

International audienc