Impacts of Agricultural Practices and Individual Life Characteristics on Ecosystem Services: A Case Study on Family Farmers in the Context of an Amazonian Pioneer Front.

In tropical forests farmers are among the most important agents of deforestation. At the interface between societies and their environment, ecosystem services (ES) is an integrated working framework through which natural and anthropogenic dimensions can be addressed. Here, we aimed to understand to what extent farmers impact ES availability.

[Down syndrome maternal serum screening: results' comments recommended by accredited biologists].

Down syndrome maternal serum screening is largely used in France. The aim of this article is to specify and to explain the different comments applied on the reports in order to optimize the management of the patient. These comments represent the consensus of the study group of the biologist accredited for Down syndrome maternal serum screening.

HPLC/ESI-MS(n) method for non-amino bisphosphonates: application to the detection of tiludronate in equine plasma.

Tiludronate is a non-nitrogen-containing biphosphonate drug approved in equine veterinary medicine for the treatment of navicular disease and bone sparvin in horse. Its hydrophilic properties and its strong affinity for the bone have made the control of its use quite difficult. After an initial step of method development in plasma and urine, due to a strong matrix effect and erratic detection in urine, the final method development was conducted in plasma.

Carotid surgery in private practice: what kind of change in the last 15 years?

Background: This retrospective study analyzes and compares the results of patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CE) for atherosclerotic stenosis obtained by 2 surgeons during two 5-year periods. Group 1 (G1) represents the first period (January 1994-December 1998) and group 2 (G2) represents the second period (January 2006-December 2010). Our objective was to answer the 2 following questions: (1) Has the population changed between these 2 periods with regard to age, risk factors, and symptoms? (2) Have the techniques we used in G2--local anesthesia and eversion technique--improved the results?

Methods: G1 included 682 CE procedures on 610 patients and G2 included 629 procedures on 592 patients.

Tiludronate treatment improves structural changes and symptoms of osteoarthritis in the canine anterior cruciate ligament model.

Introduction: The aim of this prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind study was to evaluate the effects of tiludronate (TLN), a bisphosphonate, on structural, biochemical and molecular changes and function in an experimental dog model of osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: Baseline values were established the week preceding surgical transection of the right cranial/anterior cruciate ligament, with eight dogs serving as OA placebo controls and eight others receiving four TLN injections (2 mg/kg subcutaneously) at two-week intervals starting the day of surgery for eight weeks. At baseline, Week 4 and Week 8, the functional outcome was evaluated using kinetic gait analysis, telemetered locomotor actimetry and video-automated behaviour capture.