Impact of animal health programmes on poverty reduction and sustainable livestock development. / Impacts des programmes de santé animale sur la réduction de la pauvreté et le développement durable de l'élevage.

Based on data from publications and field observations, this study analyses the interactions between animal health, rural poverty and the performance and environmental impact of livestock farming in low-income countries and middle-income countries. There are strong statistical correlations between the quality of Veterinary Services, livestock productivity and poverty rates. In countries with effective Veterinary Services, livestock growth stems mainly from productivity gains and poverty rates are the lowest. Conversely, these analyses identify no statistical link between the quality of Veterinary Services and increased livestock production volumes. However, where animal diseases are poorly controlled, productivity is low and livestock growth is extensive, based mainly on a steady increase in animal numbers. Extensive growth is less effective than intensive growth in reducing poverty and aggravates the pressure of livestock production on natural resources and the climate.

En s'appuyant sur des données de publications et sur des observations de terrain, l'étude analyse les interactions entre la santé animale, la pauvreté rurale, les performances et les impacts environnementaux de l'élevage dans des pays à faible revenu et dans des pays à revenu intermédiaire. Il existe de fortes corrélations statistiques entre la qualité des Services vétérinaires, le niveau de la productivité de l'élevage et le taux de pauvreté. Dans les pays où les Services vétérinaires sont efficaces, la croissance de l'élevage est principalement le résultat de gains de productivité et le taux de pauvreté est plus faible. En revanche, les analyses n'ont pas montré de liaison statistique entre la qualité des Services vétérinaires et l'augmentation des volumes des productions animales. Toutefois, lorsque les maladies animales sont mal contrôlées, la productivité est faible et la croissance de l'élevage est extensive, due principalement à l'augmentation constante du nombre d'animaux. La croissance extensive est moins efficace que la croissance intensive pour réduire la pauvreté et elle aggrave la pression de l'élevage sur les ressources naturelles et sur le climat.

El autor describe un estudio que, a partir de datos tomados de publicaciones y de observaciones realizadas sobre el terreno, tiene por objeto analizar las interacciones entre sanidad animal, pobreza rural y rendimiento e impacto ambiental de la ganadería en países de bajo nivel de renta y en países de nivel medio de renta. Existen fuertes correlaciones estadísticas entre la calidad de los Servicios Veterinarios, el nivel de productividad de la ganadería y el índice de pobreza. En los países dotados de Servicios Veterinarios eficaces, el crecimiento de la ganadería resulta principalmente del aumento de productividad y los índices de pobreza son menores. En cambio, los análisis no demostraron relación estadística alguna entre la calidad de los Servicios Veterinarios y el incremento de los volúmenes de producción animal. Sin embargo, cuando no se lucha adecuadamente contra las enfermedades animales, la productividad es escasa y el crecimiento de la ganadería es extensivo, fruto esencialmente de un aumento constante del número de animales. El crecimiento extensivo, además de ser menos eficaz que el crecimiento intensivo para reducir la pobreza, agrava la presión que la ganadería ejerce sobre los recursos naturales y el clima.

The Yin and Yang of Toll-like receptors in cancer.

Recognition of non-self molecular patterns by pattern recognition receptors is a cornerstone of innate immunity. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) exert a key role in recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) but have also been implicated in the recognition of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). As such, TLRs regulate a wide range of biological responses including inflammatory and immune responses during carcinogenesis. The high expression of TLRs by antigen-presenting cells, including dendritic cells, and their ability to induce antitumor mediators such as type I interferon has led to efforts to utilize TLR agonists in tumor therapy in order to convert the often tolerant immune response toward antitumor responses. However, TLRs are also increasingly recognized as regulators of tumor-promoting inflammation and promoters of tumor survival signals. Here, we will review in detail the dichotomous role of TLRs in tumor biology, focusing on relevant TLR-dependent pro- and antitumor pathways, and discuss clinical applications of TLR-targeted therapies for tumor prevention and treatment.

Improving animal health and livestock productivity to reduce poverty.

This study is based on scientific publications, statistics and field observations. It shows the importance of livestock in the economy and in the risk management strategies implemented by poor farming households. A comparison of livestock performance trends with the evolution of rural poverty in developing countries indicates that growth in livestock production alone is not enough to reduce rural poverty. To help reduce poverty, sustainable production should be based on productivity gains. Prerequisites for improving productivity include better public policies, enhanced research and the reduction of animal disease risk. The study draws attention to the economic, social and environmental consequences of inadequate support for animal health and production in the least developed countries, especially those of sub-Saharan Africa.

Delayed blockade of the kinin B1 receptor reduces renal inflammation and fibrosis in obstructive nephropathy.

Renal fibrosis is the common histological feature of advanced glomerular and tubulointerstitial disease leading to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, specific antifibrotic therapies to slow down the evolution to ESRD are still absent. Because persistent inflammation is a key event in the development of fibrosis, we hypothesized that the proinflammatory kinin B1 receptor (B1R) could be such a new target. Here we show that, in the unilateral ureteral obstruction model of renal fibrosis, the B1R is overexpressed and that delayed treatment with an orally active nonpeptide B1R antagonist blocks macrophage infiltration, leading to a reversal of the level of renal fibrosis. In vivo bone marrow transplantation studies as well as in vitro studies on renal cells show that part of this antifibrotic mechanism of B1R blockade involves a direct effect on resident renal cells by inhibiting chemokine CCL2 and CCL7 expression. These findings suggest that blocking the B1R is a promising antifibrotic therapy.

Altered food consumption in mice lacking lysophosphatidic acid receptor-1.

The release of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) by adipocytes has previously been proposed to play a role in obesity and associated pathologies such as insulin resistance and diabetes. In the present work, the sensitivity to diet-induced obesity was studied in mice lacking one of the LPA receptor subtype (LPA1R). Conversely to what was observed in wild type (WT) mice, LPA1R-KO-mice fed a high fat diet (HFD) showed no significant increase in body weight or fat mass when compared to low fat diet (LFD). In addition, in contrast to what was observed in WT mice, LPA1R-KO mice did not exhibit over-consumption of food associated with HFD. Surprisingly, when fed a LFD, LPA1R-KO mice exhibited significant higher plasma leptin concentration and higher level of adipocyte leptin mRNA than WT mice. In conclusion, LPA1R-KO mice were found to be resistant to diet-induced obesity consecutive to a resistance to fat-induced over-consumption of food that may result at least in part from alterations in leptin expression and production.

Synthesis of thiaazaheterocycle nucleoside analogues.

The syntheses of thiazinone, thiazinedione and thiazolinone base modified nucleoside analogues have been discussed in both the deoxy- and ribosyl series. Both inter- and intramolecular N-glycosylations were evaluated.

Synthesis of 3'-O2-(azaheterocycle)-thymidines.

The synthesis of 3'-O2-(azaheterocycle)-thymidines is presented from 1-thia-3-aza- 1,3-butadiene precursors (N-thioacylamidines). A variety of heterocycles is accessible using the dienic, the electrophilic or the nucleophilic reactivity of these thia-azabutadiene systems. 3'-O2-(azaheterocycle)-thymidine analogues are regarded as potential substrates to interfere with the DNA-polymerization process.

A novel synthesis of alpha-D-Galp-(1-->3)-beta-D-Galp-1-O-(CH2)3-NH2, its linkage to activated matrices and absorption of anti-alphaGal xenoantibodies by affinity columns.

Pig organs transplanted into primates are rapidly rejected because of the interaction between Gal alpha(1-->3)Gal epitopes carried by the graft and natural antibodies (anti-alphaGal antibodies) present in the blood of the recipient. This report describes a simplified synthesis of the xenogeneic disaccharide and its linkage to activated gel matrices. The digalactosides alpha-D-Galp-(1-->3)-alpha,beta-D-Galp-OAll were synthesized by the condensation of the trichloroacetimidoyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside donor with the 3,4-unprotected allyl 2,6-di-O-benzyl-alpha- or beta-D-galactopyranoside acceptor precursor. Deallylation and hydrogenolysis led to the free digalactoside, whereas hydrogenolysis alone resulted in the 1-O-propyl digalactoside. Both products were tested by inhibition ELISA of natural anti-Gal alpha(1-->3)Gal antibodies. The alpha-D-Galp-(1-->3)-beta-D-Galp-OPr was found to be the best inhibitor. Thus, the allyl group of the partially benzylated alpha-D-Galp-(1-->3)-beta-D-Galp-OAll was engineered, via the hydroxy-, the tosyloxy- and the azidopropyl intermediates, into an aminopropyl group amenable to binding to N-hydroxysuccinimide-activated agarose gel matrices in order to obtain specific immunoabsorption columns. Columns made of gel substituted with 5 micromol of disaccharide per milliliter were found efficient for the immunoabsorption of anti-alphaGal antibodies from human plasma.