Definition of low birth weight in domestic mammals: a scoping review.

peer reviewedIn people and animals, low birth weight (LBW) is recognized as highly predictive of health trajectory from the neonatal period to elderly ages. Regarding the neonatal period, although LBW is recognized as a major risk factor for neonatal mortality, there does not appear to be a clear definition of 'when a birth weight should be considered low' in all species. The aim of this work was to use the scientific literature available to map the various thresholds proposed to define LBW in domestic mammals. Using a standardized methodology, a scoping review was conducted through a literature search in three different bibliographic databases. After a two-step screening of 1729 abstracts and full-text publications by two independent reviewers, eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Selected publications represented six mammalian species (rat, mouse, dog, pig, cow, and rabbit). Birth weight thresholds were identified through six different methods. In addition to the scarcity of scientific literature about the definition of LBW, this scoping review revealed the lack of standardization for the description, evaluation or the pertinence these definitions. Because the health consequences of LBW could be preventable, providing early identification of at-risk neonates, a consensus for the standardized definition of LBW is required

Birth weight as a risk factor for neonatal mortality: Breed-specific approach to identify at-risk puppies

Abstract: In numerous species, low birth weight is a risk factor for neonatal mortality. In the canine species, definition of a low birth weight is complex due to the huge interbreed variability in size. To identify puppies at higher risk of neonatal death, data from 6,694 puppies were analysed. The data were collected from 75 French breeding kennels, examining 27 breeds and totaling 1,202 litters of puppies. Generalised linear mixed models allowed to identify birth weight, birth weight heterogeneity within the litter, and size of the breeding kennel as significant risk factors for neonatal mortality. Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) and classification and regression tree (CART) analyses were combined to define breed specific thresholds for birth weight allowing the identification of puppies at higher risk of neonatal mortality. Due to differences in birth weights between breeds, including when belonging to the same breed size, analyses were conducted at the breed level. First, ROC analysis thresholds were successfully established for 12 breeds (area under the ROC ≥ 0.70; sensitivity ≥ 75%; specificity: 45–68%) and they ranged from 162 g in the Maltese to 480 g in the Bernese Mountain dog. Secondly, CART analysis thresholds from 22 breeds ranged from 105 g in the Maltese and 436 g in the Boxer. Puppies were grouped into three categories according to birth weight: low, moderate and high risk of neonatal mortality (higher than the ROC threshold, between ROC and CART thresholds, and lower than the CART threshold respectively). In the current study, 44% of the puppies were classified as at moderate risk and 5.3% for a high risk of neonatal mortality. Thresholds defined by CART analysis (and not ROC analysis) were used to define low birth weight puppies and were sometimes quite different between breeds with similar birth weight distributions suggesting a variable relationship between birth weight reduction and neonatal death. These results allow the identification of puppies at an increased risk of neonatal death, thus requiring specific nursing to improve their chances of survival. With these high risk puppies identified, both animal welfare and kennel productivity is predicted to improve

Coronin-1A Links Cytoskeleton Dynamics to TCRαβ-Induced Cell Signaling

Actin polymerization plays a critical role in activated T lymphocytes both in regulating T cell receptor (TCR)-induced immunological synapse (IS) formation and signaling. Using gene targeting, we demonstrate that the hematopoietic specific, actin- and Arp2/3 complex-binding protein coronin-1A contributes to both processes. Coronin-1A-deficient mice specifically showed alterations in terminal development and the survival of αβT cells, together with defects in cell activation and cytokine production following TCR triggering. The mutant T cells further displayed excessive accumulation yet reduced dynamics of F-actin and the WASP-Arp2/3 machinery at the IS, correlating with extended cell-cell contact. Cell signaling was also affected with the basal activation of the stress kinases sAPK/JNK1/2; and deficits in TCR-induced Ca2+ influx and phosphorylation and degradation of the inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB). Coronin-1A therefore links cytoskeleton plasticity with the functioning of discrete TCR signaling components. This function may be required to adjust TCR responses to selecting ligands accounting in part for the homeostasis defect that impacts αβT cells in coronin-1A deficient mice, with the exclusion of other lympho/hematopoietic lineages

Les karstifications eocène et plioquaternaire dans les Bauges, la Chartreuse septentrionale et les chainons jurassiens voisins ( Savoie, Haute Savoie, Isère) - Alpes françaises

Etude sur le karst des massifs des bauges, Chartreuse. Sont abordés : - apport desl connaissances spéléologiques - l'hydrogéologie karstique -le remplissage des cavités - la karstification éocènepas de résum

La mixité d’espèces contribue à sécuriser et régulariser l’approvisionnement des filières

Séance : Mixité dans les systèmes d’élevage, polyculture élevage, exploitation et territoireInternational audienc

Pulsed OPO brightness improvement by means of intracavity spatial filtering

International audienceThe design and operation of a pulsed optical parametric oscillator (OPO) with an intracavity spatial filter is described. This filter, designed to select a single high-order transverse mode, improves the brightness of the generated parametric waves by decreasing their divergence. This process is confirmed by experiments carried out on a KTP OPO pumped at 532 nm, operating close to degeneracy in a singly resonant regime. Comparison of the output energy and beam quality for the OPO with and without intracavity filtering demonstrated a five-fold increase in brightness

Estimation du coût des violences au sein du couple et de leur incidence sur les enfants en France en 2012 : synthèse de la troisième étude française de chiffrage

Objectifs – Le coût des violences au sein du couple et de leurs conséquences sur les enfants (VSCE) a été calculé pour l’année 2012 en France. Comme dans d’autres études, ce type de calcul contribue depuis quelque vingt ans à faire des violences interpersonnelles une question de santé publique. Nous en discutons la méthode, les résultats et l’apport possible à des politiques sanitaires.Matériel-méthodes – L’étude s’appuie sur 1) des données administratives ; 2) des enquêtes en population générale (prévalence et incidence des phénomènes, étayage des causalités entre violences subies et santé) ; 3) des études spécifiques (données en population générale ou à vocation clinique) ; 4) des compléments qualitatifs recueillis auprès d’experts pour les données les plus lacunaires. Pour la valorisation monétaire des VSCE, c’est la « valeur de la vie statistique » qui est utilisée, selon l’estimation réalisée en France en 2013.Résultats – Le coût total des VSCE est estimé à 3,6 milliards d’euros en 2012, dont 21,5% de coûts directs (médicaux ou non), 66,8% de coûts indirects et 11,7% de coûts pesant sur les enfants. Tant pour les dépenses imputables aux VSCE (coût d’opportunité) que pour les manques à gagner qu’elles engendrent, leurs coûts sont massivement déterminés par la victimation des femmes dans le couple.Discussion – L’augmentation du coût des VSCE depuis la première étude française s’explique par la possibilité de nouveaux chiffrages et ouvre des discussions sur certaines hypothèses émises, dans chacune des études menées, sur des postes spécifiques de coût. Elle s’explique surtout par un accroissement du consentement à payer : renchérie, la « valeur de la vie statistique » vient alourdir le volume et la part des coûts indirects. Des données quantitatives manquent, particulièrement pour les enfants. Des données qualitatives nouvelles permettraient aussi de mieux interpréter la rare et statistiquement atypique victimation des hommes.Conclusion – Le calcul du coût confirme le fardeau considérable des VSCE dans une logique « burden of disease ». Les données restent à compléter et l’opérationnalisation de l’instrument « coût » dans les politiques sanitaires demeure encore inachevée

Management of low birth weight in canine and feline species : breeder profiling

Low birth weight (LBW) has been identified as a major risk factor for neonatal mortality in many species. The aim of this survey was to determine the profiles of canine and feline breeders concerning their perceptions of, and management practices relating to, LBW individuals. An anonymous online survey was addressed to French cat and dog breeders in September 2019 via social networks. Multiple correspondence analysis and hierarchical clustering were used to explore breeders’ profiles. Three clusters were identified among the 649 breeders included in this analysis. Cluster 1 (49%) included dog and cat breeders who weighed newborns (and thus identified LBW) and controlled nursing by the dam (controlled suckling) but did not warm them up. Cluster 2 breeders (21%) of both species did not weigh puppies or kittens to identify LBW or to monitor the evolution of their weight afterwards. Cluster 3 (30%) including mostly cat breeders who weighed neonates routinely as in Cluster 1, but they practiced artificial feeding rather than controlled suckling. This survey provides a basis for better understanding of perceptions and practices regarding LBW puppies and kittens. It will be useful to provide guidelines for neonatal management to increase their chances of survival

Evidence of intramolecular electron transfer between two metallic atoms in a bimetallic complex by electrochemical methods

International audienc