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International audience; We present a new development for the measurement of the Quantum Efficiency (QE) of a Mercury Cadmium Telluride (HgCdTe or MCT) detector array in the long wave infrared (LWIR) spectral band. To measure the incident photon flux on the detector, CEA-LETI has designed and produced a calibrated MCT photodiode which, under the test setup conditions used for the QE measurement, delivers a total (dark plus photonic) current of 1nA at 60K. The readout of such a low level of current makes a standard room temperature amplifier inconvenient due to the length of the wires between the focal plane (FP) at cold and the outside of the cryostat (>2m in the current cryostat). A much better approach is to use High Electron Mobility Transistors (Cryo-HEMTs), optimized by CNRS/C2N laboratory for ultra-low noise at very low temperatures (

Los schwannomas de la cadena cervical del simpático (SC) son tumores benignos e infrecuentes, que se presentan como una masa cervical unilateral de lento crecimiento, y cuyo diagnóstico preoperatorio definitivo suele ser difícil. A pesar de las pruebas disponibles (TAC, RM, eco y angiografía), solo se obtiene en el momento de la cirugía.El tratamiento de elección es la cirugía, y rara vez se produce recidiva omalignización, aunque sí puede variar hastapresentarse el síndrome de Horner.

The Shockley–Read–Hall (SRH) mechanism might be a limiting factor of an infrared (IR) photodiode's dark current. This limitation is twofold. SRH generation might occur in the depletion region of the photodiode. In that case, the corresponding current is usually limiting the low-temperature dark current. Moreover, SRH generation might also occur in the diffusion volume, close to the space charge region, resulting in an increase of the diffusion dark current, usually limiting the high-temperature behavior of the photodiode. Hence, the determination of the SRH lifetime of IR materials is of first importance and has to be measured (or at least estimated) to define upcoming trends in future high-performance IR detectors. During the last few years, a lot of papers have been published about SRH lifetime in III–V materials (InSb, superlattices, InAsSb) and a few other communications have been more focused on comparing different material systems including III–V and II–VI materials. Those latter communications proposed very long SRH lifetimes (longer than ms) for HgCdTe, instead of the classical 10–100 μs usually admitted until now. This paper aims at investigating this SRH lifetime in HgCdTe based on experimental measurements carried out at the Laboratoire d’electronique des technologies de l’information (LETI) on HgCdTe grown in-house. Direct lifetime measurement (photoconductive or photoluminescence decay) as well as indirect estimations from photodiode dark currents are discussed in order to clarify this question of SRH lifetime and its consequences in upcoming advanced IR detection structures. In the end, it appeared that except for p/n extrinsic heterojunctions (for which the narrow gap depleted volume is not well known), most of the devices tested seemed limited by SRH lifetimes in the 10–100-μs range.

[EN] To assess the effect of increasing dietary lignin in isoenergetic diets at two soluble fibre (SF) levels on digestion, performance and carcass quality of growing rabbits, four diets were formulated according a 2 x 2 factorial design: low SF-low lignin (LSF/LL), low SF-high lignin (LSF/HL), high SF-low lignin (HSF/LL) and high SF-high lignin (HSF/HL). On average, in HSF diets SF was increased by 49 g/kg DM, mainly replacing starch ( - 53 g/kg DM), and in HL diets lignin was increased by 40 g/kg, mainly reducing starch (-78 g/kg DM), with increasing EE ( + 31 g/kg DM). Two hundred and sixty crossbred weaned rabbits (35 days old) were assigned to the experimental diets, individually housed and fed ad libitum until 63 days of age. Digestibility (from 49 to 53 days old), growth performance (from 35 to 63 days old), carcass quality (at 63 days old) and caecal environment (at 63 days old) were studied in 12, 65, 45 and 16 rabbits per diet, respectively. High SF diets showed higher CTTAD of fibrous fractions ( + 0.206 +/- 0.011, + 0.207 +/- 0.015, + 0.214 +/- 0.011 and + 0.167 +/- 0.015 for aNDFom, ADFom, hemicelluloses and cellulose, respectively, P < 0.001), OM ( + 0.042 +/- 0.004, P < 0.001) and GE ( + 0.055 +/- 0.005, P < 0.001), resulting in high DE content (10.6 vs. 9.30 MJ/kg DM). In contrast, CTTAD of CP was lower ( - 0.023 +/- 0.009, P = 0.013), as well as the DP content (96.9 vs. 103 g/kg DM). This dietary variation reduced the DM content of caecal digesta ( - 28 +/- 3 g/kg, P < 0.001), besides increasing its VFA concentration ( + 18.0 +/- 4.0 mmol/L, P < 0.001) and reducing its pH ( - 0.28 +/- 0.05, P < 0.001). Feed intake and LW gain decreased, with an improvement of feed to gain ratio ( -13.8 %, - 4.7 %, - 9.4 %, respectively; P < 0.001). The proportion of gastrointestinal tract was increased, with a subsequent reduction in dressing out ( + 19 +/- 2 g/kg LW and -15 +/- 2 g chilled carcass weight/kg LW, respectively, P < 0.001). High lignin diets showed lower CTTAD of OM (-0.055 +/- 0.004, P < 0.001) and GE ( - 0.034 +/- 0.005, P < 0.001) without affecting DE and DP contents. This dietary variation increased DM content of caecal digesta ( +21 +/- 3 g/kg, P < 0.001), but did not affect the other caecal digesta traits. Feed intake was higher ( + 4.9 %, P < 0.001), although differences were dependent on the growth phase and the SF level (maximum difference at 35-49 days with low SF diets, + 11.0 %, P < 0.001; minimum difference at 49-63 days with high SF diets, + 1.0 %, P = 0.689), but did not affect LW gain and consequently impaired the feed to gain ratio ( + 5.1 %, P < 0.001). No effect was observed on dressing out, but the dissectible fat proportion increased ( + 6.7 +/- 1.1 g/kg reference carcass weight, P < 0.001)., Financial support was provided by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (Project AGL2006-07596).

[EN] In recent decades, concern about rabbit welfare and sustainability has increased. The housing system is a very important factor for animal welfare. However, information about how different available housing types for female rabbits affect their health status is scarce, but this is an important factor for their welfare. Hence, the objective of this study was to evaluate the health status of female rabbits in five common housing systems: three different single-housing systems with distinct available surfaces and heights; a single-housing system with a platform; a collective system. Female rabbits in the collective and platform cages had greater cortisol concentrations in hair than those in the single-housing system with no platform. Haptoglobin concentrations and kit mortality rates during lactation were greater for the collective-cage female rabbits. The collective group had more culled females and more lesions than in the other groups. The main reasons for culling in all the groups were reproduction problems and presence of abscesses, and the collective group of females was the most affected. In conclusion, it appears that keeping females together in collective systems negatively affects their health status and welfare, while single-housing systems imply lower kit mortality rates during lactation and cortisol concentrations, and fewer lesions in female rabbits., This study was supported by the INIA-INTERCUN Project (CUN2014-00001-00-00) and by Universidad CEU-Cardenal Herrera (INDI16/07, INDI17/07, INDI18/08). Grants for Sara Perez Fuentes, Asuncion Munoz Silvestre and Elena Moreno Grua from Universidad CEU-Cardenal Herrera, and also for Sara Perez Fuentes from Generalitat Valenciana and FSE (ACIF/2016/085), and for Elena Moreno Grua from Ministerio de Educacion, Cultura y Deporte (FPU17/02708) are also gratefully acknowledged.

Introduction: Trigeminal neuralgia is described by the International Headache Classification 3rd edition as a chronic, painful, and sporadic condition characterized by electric shock-like hemifacial pain. The initial management of trigeminal neuralgia is with medication, if there is persistence of pain, surgical management is the gold standard. Microvascular decompression is a non-destructive technique that improves pain in 98% of cases. In the literature, only 5 cases of CMT-associated trigeminal neuralgia that were surgically managed with microvascular decompression have been published. Case report: A 58-year-old male patient with a personal pathological history of CMT diagnosed at 34 years of age, initially presented with incapacitating right hemifacial electric shock-like pain. The pain had been tolerated with pharmacological management for 5 years. Since the patient had a partial response to carbamazepine and the pain increased suddenly, a trigeminal nerve decompression was performed. Surgical findings were arachnoid adhesions and contact with superior cerebellar artery, the adhesions were liberated and Teflon was placed in the contact area. The patient had no further pain.Four years later, the patient presented again with a similar clinical picture characterized by left hemifacial pain with no control of pain with medication therefore, surgical management was decided. This time around, the surgical findings were adhesions between the trigeminal nerve and the anteroinferior cerebellar artery, which were liberated and teflon was placed between the nerve and the artery. After surgery, the patient had no pain. Discussion: Very few cases of surgical management of trigeminal neuralgia in association with CMT have been reported. The surgical findings, in this case, showed adhesions bilaterally, which could be another factor contributing to the bilateral neuralgia. Microvascular decompression has proven to be a good option for surgical management. Conclusion: The surgical management for trigeminal neuralgia in association with CMT is still an understudied subject, and yet microvascular decompression is a suitable technique for this condition, because it may resolve the vascular decompression by the placement of teflon and may also liberate adhesions if present. Keywords: Bilateral trigeminal neuralgia, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, Surgical management, Microvascular decompression, Arachnoid adhesions

Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) is gaining importance as a new process for the governance of seas and oceans, as maritime nations exercise greater management over their territorial waters and, in many cases, over exclusive economic zones that span a larger area. The purpose of this planning is to reverse the environmental degradation of the seas and facilitate the sustainable use of marine resources, both for mature uses such as fishing and navigation, and for emergent uses, including renewable energies and mariculture. In Europe, the Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning oblige coastal Member States to develop maritime spatial plans at the latest by 31st March 2021. To help in that process, countries have at their disposal a set of existing instruments, including research projects, supporting guidelines, recommendations and sets of tools and data, as the SIMNORAT project, co-funded by the EC – DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE). This paper presents best practices developed in this project on technical, scientific, and social aspects of MSP to overcome barriers of MSPD implementation testing effective cooperation on transboundary areas and providing a set of cross-cutting MSP related recommendations to foster collaborative efforts and to improve the overall transboundary dimension of the MSP Directive., Supporting Implementation of Maritime Spatial Planning in the Northern European Atlantic, SIMNORAT, SI

HgCdTe (MCT) is a very versatile material system for infrared (IR) detection, suitable for high performance detection in a wide range of applications and spectral ranges. Indeed, the ability to tailor the cutoff frequency as close as possible to the needs makes it a perfect candidate for high performance detection. Moreover, the high quality material available today, grown either by molecular beam epitaxy or liquid phase epitaxy, allows for very low dark currents at low temperatures, suitable for low flux detection applications such as science imaging. MCT has also demonstrated robustness to the aggressive environment of space and faces, therefore, a large demand for space applications. A satellite may stare at the earth, in which case detection usually involves a lot of photons, called a high flux scenario. Alternatively, a satellite may stare at outer space for science purposes, in which case the detected photon number is very low, leading to low flux scenarios. This latter case induces very strong constraints onto the detector: low dark current, low noise, (very) large focal plane arrays. The classical structure used to fulfill those requirements are usually p/n MCT photodiodes. This type of structure has been deeply investigated in our laboratory for different spectral bands, in collaboration with the CEA Astrophysics lab. However, another alternative may also be investigated with low excess noise: MCT n/p avalanche photodiodes (APD). This paper reviews the latest achievements obtained on this matter at DEFIR (LETI and Sofradir common laboratory) from the short wave infrared (SWIR) band detection for classical astronomical needs, to long wave infrared (LWIR) band for exoplanet transit spectroscopy, up to very long wave infrared (VLWIR) bands. The different available diode architectures (n/p VHg or p/n, or even APDs) are reviewed, including different available ROIC architectures for low flux detection.

For high operating temperature applications, variation of noise equivalent differential temperature (NETD or NEDT) with temperature is the most relevant figure of merit. NETD(T) models with and without taking into account systemic 1/f noise contribution are presented and compared to recent developments made on P on N technology at Sofradir and CEA-LETI. We show that for mature middle wave infrared HgCdTe technology, no 1/f noise contribution up to 220 K is measured and the focal plane array operation is only limited by the mean performance value degradation, not by an increase of defects.

[EN] To evaluate how rearing programmes could affect resources allocation and reproductive performance of primiparous rabbit females, a total of 118 rabbit females were used to evaluate the effects of five rearing feeding programmes on their performance from 1st to 2nd parturition: CAL, fed ad libitum C diet (11.0 MJ digestible energy (DE), 114 g digestible protein (DP) and 358 g NDF/kg dry matter (DM) until 1st parturition; CR, fed ad libitum with C diet until 12 weeks of age and then C diet restricted (140 g/day) until 1st parturition; F, fed ad libitum with F diet (8.7 MJ DE, 88 g DP and 476 NDF/kg DM) until 1st parturition; FC, fed with F diet ad libitum until 16 weeks of age, and C diet ad libitum until 1st parturition; FCF, fed with F diet ad libitum until 16 weeks of age, then C diet ad libitum until 20 weeks and then F diet ad libitum until 1st parturition. From 1st parturition, C diet was ad libitum offered to all the experimental groups until 2nd parturition. CAL females presented lower feed intake than females of F, FC and FCF groups in the 1st week of lactation (on av. ¿16.6%; P, The authors thank the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (Project AGL2006-07596) for the economic support to conduct this study.

[EN] In society today, there is increasing concern for the welfare of farm animals. New models of rabbit breeding are proposed, such as group housing of rabbit does in a semi-group system or environmental enrichment of individual housing. This work aimed to evaluate the reproductive performance and metabolic aspects of rabbit does housed in collective pens, comparing them to individual cages provided with a platform. Forty-eight animals were distributed in 24 individual cages (40×98×57 cm; width, length and height) and four collective pens (six does per pen; 240×100×65 cm) and remained during four cycles. The does previously housed in collective pens gained less weight and reached lighter weights by the first insemination day (3669 vs. 3872 g; P, The first author thanks the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development Brazil (CNPq) for the postdoctoral fellowship.

International audience; We report on the development of short wave infrared (SWIR) imaging arrays for astronomy and space observation in Europe. LETI and Sofradir demonstrated 640x480 SWIR HgCdTe (MCT) arrays geared at low flux, low dark noise operation. Currently, we are developing 2048x2048 arrays mated to a newly developed ROIC. In parallel, the European Space Agency and the European Commission are funding the development and industrialization of 4 '' CdZnTe substrates and HgCdTe epitaxy. These large wafers are needed to achieve the necessary economies of scale and address the need for even larger arrays. HgCdTe SWIR detector performance at LETI/Sofradir is known from previous programs and will be discussed here. However, we will only be able to summarize the features and specifications of the new 2048x2048 detectors which are still at a prototype stage.

For very high performance infrared (IR) photodetectors, characterization is necessary to understand the impact of fabrication processes. A useful tool to characterize photodetectors is the Electron Beam Induced Current (EBIC) technique. For Very-Long Wavelength InfraRed (VLWIR) HgCdTe (MCT) samples, the dark current is such that measurements can be very noisy. We develop our EBIC setup with the implementation of a cold shield and an AC operation to filter out the parasitic flux and to increase the signal to noise ratio. EBIC measurements are performed on VLWIR HgCdTe and Medium Wavelength InfraRed (MWIR) T2SL photodetectors. For the VLWIR MCT-based sample with a cut-off wavelength of 15 µm at 77 K we determine a diffusion length of 11.4 µm at 120 K while discussing the validity of theoretical models in our situation. This result is compared to a Spotscan measurement. We also determine the minority carrier diffusion length of the MWIR InAs/InAsSb based type-II superlattice (T2SL) with a cut-off wavelength of 4.5 µm at 120 K. These results are discussed in regard to the literature.

A total of 60 nulliparous crossbred rabbit females were, a posteriori, divided into 2 experimental groups according to their natural “decision” to conceive or not at day 11 post first parturition (L: solely-lactating or LP: lactating-pregnant). This design allowed us to study the evolution of body reserves around first parturition and its influence on the future reproductive success of rabbit females. Primiparous rabbit females that failed to conceive when inseminated at day 11 post-partum (L) seemed to have a higher perirenal fat thickness (PFT) 12 d pre-partum (+0.25 mm; P=0.079) than females that conceived (LP). In the subsequent days, L females showed a significantly higher mobilisation rate than LP females (on av.–0.12 and –0.07 mm of PFT per day, respectively; P=0.007), reaching a lower PFT at partum (5.17 mm vs. 5.62 mm, respectively; P = 0.002). However, due to a greater recovery rate observed in L females (+0.15 vs. +0.08 mm of PFT per day for L and LP females, respectively; P=0.007), PFT at 10 d post-partum was similar (on av. 5.86 mm). These different patterns showed that PFT level at 12 d pre-partum and PFT mobilisation rate onwards seems to drive the start of a new pregnancy. It also seems to modify the energy metabolism of rabbit females, allowing does to recover perirenal fat tissue without compromising the production of milk necessary for the current litter., The authors acknowledge Juan Carlos Moreno for his technical support and the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (Project AGL2014-53405-C2-1-P) for the economic support to conduct this study.

We report recent developments at Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique-Laboratoire d’Electronique des Technologies de l’Information Infrared Laboratory on the processing and characterization of p-on-n HgCdTe (MCT) planar infrared focal plane arrays (FPAs) operating in the long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) and very-long-wavelength infrared (VLWIR) spectral bands. The active layers in these FPAs were grown by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) on a lattice-matched CdZnTe substrate. This technological process results in lower dark current and lower serial resistance than for n-on-p vacancy-doped architecture and thus is better adapted for lower flux detection or higher operating temperature. This architecture was evaluated for space applications in the LWIR and VLWIR spectral bands with cutoff wavelengths from 10 to 17 μm at 78 K. Innovations have been introduced to the technological process to form a heterojunction by use of an LPE growth technique. The initial objective was to reduce the dark current at low temperatures, by reducing the transition temperature from diffusion-limited to depletion-limited dark current. Another advantage is that the wider bandgap obtained in the vicinity of the junction ensures less sensitivity to the defects present at the interface between MCT and passivation layers. Electro-optical characterization of p-on-n photodiodes was performed on quarter video graphics array format FPAs with 25 and 30 μm pixel pitches. The results revealed excellent operabilities in current and responsivity, with low dispersion, and noise limited by current shot noise. Studies performed on the dark current show that dark current densities at 78 K are consistent with the heuristic prediction law “Rule 07”. Below this temperature, dark current varies as a pure diffusion current for a variety of devices from different manufacturers, introducing a temperature range limitation in the description of the “Rule 07” law.

Infrared detection is widely used in astrophysics and plays a key role in several space missions aiming for example at scanning the sky to discover new objects (coolest stars, dust-obscured galaxies, exo-planets …) or studying the evolution of the universe, where light is redshifted in the infrared range. In many cases the space telescope involves an HgCdTe infrared detector operating at low frame rate over long integration time. Due to the very low input signal, dark current and readout noise are essential figures that must be minimized to get the best detector sensitivity. This kind of application also requires very large focal plane array (FPA) often relying on a butting arrangement of large detectors. The trend is to increase the single detector format from 1Kx1K to 2Kx2K and 4Kx4K. For very large formats, material quality and detector process may affect the production yield and the global infrared FPA cost. As a result the detector format could result from a trade-off taking into account producibility.

Detection for space application is very demanding on the IR detector: all wavelengths, from visible-NIR (2- 3um cutoff) to LWIR (10-12.5um cutoff), even sometimes VLWIR (15um cutoff) may be of interest. Moreover, various scenarii are usually considered. Some are imaging applications where the focal plane array (FPA) is used as an optical element to sense an image. However, the FPA may also be used in spectrometric applications where light is triggered on the different pixels depending on its wavelength. In some cases, star pointing is another use of FPAs where the retina is used to sense the position of the satellite. In all those configurations, we might distinguish several categories of applications: • low flux applications where the FPA is staring at space and the detection occurs with only a few number of photons. • high flux applications where the FPA is usually staring at the earth. In this case, the black body emission of the earth and its atmosphere ensures usually a large number of photons to perform the detection. Those two different categories are highly dimensioning for the detector as it usually determines the level of dark current and quantum efficiency (QE) requirements. Indeed, high detection performance usually requires a large number of integrated photons such that high QE is needed for low flux applications, in order to limit the integration time as much as possible. Moreover, dark current requirement is also directly linked to the expected incoming flux, in order to limit as much as possible the SNR degradation due to dark charges vs photocharges. Note that in most cases, this dark current is highly depending on operating temperature which dominates detector consumption. A classical way to mitigate dark current is to cool down the detector to very low temperatures. This paper won't discuss the need for wavefront sensing where the number of detected photons is low because of a very narrow integration window. Rigorously, this kind of configuration is a low flux application but the need for speed distinguishes it from other low flux applications as it usually requires a different ROIC architecture and a photodiode optimized for high response speed.

The Laboratoire Electronique et Traitement de l’Information (LETI) of the Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique (CEA, Grenoble, France) has been involved in the development of infrared detectors based on HgCdTe (MCT) material for over 30 years, mainly for defence and security programs [1]. Once the building blocks are developed at LETI (MCT material process, diode technology, hybridization, …), the industrialization is performed at SOFRADIR (also in Grenoble, France) which also has its own R&D program [2]. In past years, LETI also developed infrared detectors for space astrophysics in the mid infrared range – the long wave detector of the ISOCAM camera onboard ISO – as well as in the far infrared range – the bolometer arrays of the Herschel/PACS photometer unit –, both instruments which were under the responsibility of the Astrophysics department of CEA (IRFU/SAp, Saclay, France). Nowadays, the infrared detectors used in space and ground based astronomical instruments all come from vendors in the US. For programmatic reasons – increase the number of available vendors, decrease the cost, mitigate possible export regulations, …– as well as political ones – spend european money in Europe –, the European Space Agency (ESA) defined two roadmaps (one in the NIR-SWIR range, one in the MWIR-LWIR range) that will eventually allow for the procurement of infrared detectors for space astrophysics within Europe. The French Space Agency (CNES) also started the same sort of roadmaps, as part of its contribution to the different space missions which involve delivery of instruments by French laboratories. It is important to note that some of the developments foreseen in these roadmaps also apply to Earth Observations. One of the main goal of the ESA and CNES roadmaps is to reduce the level of dark current in MCT devices at all wavelengths. The objective is to use the detectors at the highest temperature where the noise induced by the dark current stays compatible with the photon noise, as the detector operating temperature has a very strong impact at system level. A consequence of reaching low levels of dark current is the need for very low noise readout circuits. CEA and SOFRADIR are involved in a number of activities that have already started in this framework. CEA/LETI does the development of the photo-voltaic (PV) layers – MCT material growth, diode technologies–, as well as some electro-optical characterisation at wafer, diode and hybrid component levels, and CEA/IRFU/SAp does all the electro-optical characterisation involving very low flux measurements (mostly dark current measurements). Depending of the program, SOFRADIR can also participate in the development of the hybrid components, for instance the very low noise readout circuits (ROIC) can be developed either at SOFRADIR or at CEA/LETI. Depending of the component specifications, the MCT epitaxy can be either liquid phase (LPE, which is the standard at SOFRADIR for production purposes) or molecular beam (MBE), the diode technology can be n/p (standard at LETI and SOFRADIR) or p/n (under development for several years now) [3], and the input stage of the ROIC can be Source Follower per Detector (SFD for very low flux low noise programs) or Capacitive Trans Impedance Amplifier (CTIA for intermediate flux programs) [4]. This paper will present the different developments and results obtained so far in the two NIR-SWIR and MWIR-LWIR spectral ranges, as well as the perspectives for the near future. CEA/LETI is also involved in the development of MCT Avalanche Photo Diodes (APD) that will be discussed in other papers [5,6].

HgCdTe is very unique material system for infrared (IR) detection. In combination with its lattice matched native substrate CdZnTe, this semiconductor alloy allows to address the whole infrared (IR) band, from the near IR (NIR, 2?m cutoff) to the middle wave IR (MWIR, 5μm cutoff), the long wave IR (LWIR, 10μm cutoff), up to the very long wave IR (VLWIR, cutoffs larger than 14μm).

The aim of this study was to assess changes in antibiotic resistance, epidemiology and outcome among patients with Enterococcus faecalis infective endocarditis (EFIE) and to compare the efficacy and safety of the combination of ampicillin and gentamicin (A+G) with that of ampicillin plus ceftriaxone (A+C). The study was a retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort of EFIE patients treated in our centre from 1997 to 2011. Thirty patients were initially treated with A+G (ampicillin 2 g/4 h and gentamicin 3 mg/kg/day) and 39 with A+C (ampicillin 2 g/4 h and ceftriaxone 2 g/12 h) for 4–6 weeks. Increased rates of high-level aminoglycoside resistance (HLAR; gentamicin MIC ≥512 mg/L, streptomycin MIC ≥1024 mg/L or both) were observed in recent years (24% in 1997–2006 and 49% in 2007–2011; p 0.03). The use of A+C increased over time: 1997–2001, 4/18 (22%); 2002–2006, 5/16 (31%); 2007–2011, 30/35 (86%) (p

[EN] The present work evaluates how a rabbit line selected for robustness and two other lines selected for productive criteria, could have affected the physiological maturity and blood leukocytes counts of young rabbits at weaning, as well as their possible effect on the subsequent performance and health status during the growing period. The study was conducted on a total of 2904 young rabbits weaned at 30 days, belonging to three different genetic types (line H, founded for litter size at birth and selected for litter size at weaning during 17 generations; line LP, characterised by robustness founded for reproductive longevity criteria and selected for litter size at weaning for 7 generations; and line R, founded and selected during 25 generations for average daily gain from the 4th to the 9th week of life). Two different diets were used during lactation. The two diets were both isoenergetic and isoprotein buttheir main energy source differed, being either animal fat(AF) or cereal starch (CS). Leucocyte subsets were characterised at weaning, and growing performance was studied until 58 days of age (feed intake, live weight, mortality by digestive disorders and morbidity) for both medicated and non-medicated dietary versions. At weaning, young rabbits fed an AF lactating diet evidenced greater B lymphocyte count(on av. +8.6 ± 3.5 × 106/L; P < 0.05)than those fed a CS diet. With respectto H and R rabbits, blood from LP ones had higher counts for total (on av. 591 ± 167 × 106/L; P < 0.05), B (on av. +11.05 ± 4.3 × 106/L; P < 0.05), T CD5+ (on av. +266 ± 83 × 106/L; P < 0.05) and CD8+ lymphocytes (on av. +72.5 ± 28 × 106/L; P < 0.05), and with respect to R, higher counts of CD4+ (on av. +121 ± 47 × 106/L; P < 0.05) lymphocytes (on av. +12.3 ± 4.1 × 106/L; P < 0.05), monocytes (on av. +66 ± 32 × 106/L; P < 0.05) and granulocytes (on av. +567 ± 182 × 106/L; P < 0.05) at weaning. LP line rabbits also showed lower mortality by digestive disorders (on av. −8 points of percentage) and morbidity (on av. −4 points) than those from H and R lines during the growing period (P < 0.05). R animals presented higher feed intake and daily weight gain, and a lower feed conversion ratio than H and LP animals (on av. +16.7 ± 2.7 g dry matter/day, +10.3 ± 0.4 g/day and −0.22 ± 0.04 g dry matter/g, respectively). In conclusion, the foundation of a line for reproductive longevity, which has been previously reported to give greater robustness (low environmental sensitivity) to their reproductive stock, could have conferred higher leukocytes counts at weaning to their offspring, as well as a better ability to confront digestive disorders as compared to other lines founded or selected exclusively for productive criteria. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved., This study has been supported by the Interministerial Commission for Science and Technology (CICYT) from the Spanish Government and the General Direction of Universities from the Valencia Government. Grants number AGL2011-30170-C02-01, AGL2011-30170-C02-02 and ACOMP/2013/017 are gratefully acknowledged. Grants for Ana Garcia-Quiros from Universidad CEU-Cardenal Herrera, and Mariola Penades and Alberto Arnau from the Ministerio de Educacion, Cultura y Deporte (AP2010-3907 and BES-2012-052345, respectively) are also gratefully acknowledged.

[EN] The present work was performed to study the effect of dietary inclusion of different fatty acid combinations (saturated, n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids; PUFA) on caecal fermentation activity, feed intake, growth rate and feed efficiency of young rabbits around weaning (17 to 44 d) and fattening rabbits (28 to 63 d of age). Five diets were formulated using the same raw materials and including 3% of lard (A diet, rich in saturated fat), sunflower oil (S diet, rich in n-6 PUFA), linseed oil (L diet, rich in n-3 PUFA), sunflower oil and lard at 1:1 rate (SA diet), or linseed oil and lard at 1:1 rate (LA diet). In the first trial, the effect of the 5 diets on rabbit performance was evaluated in a fattening period from 28 to 63 d of age, with 490 rabbits allocated in individual cages; mortality rates were measured with 1670 rabbits (750 allocated in individual cages and 920 in collective cages, 8 rabbits/cage). In the second trial, 120 young rabbits were used from 17 to 44 d of age, weaned at 28 d, allocated in collective cages and randomly fed with A, S or L diets, evaluating performance and gut weight and caecum fermentation activity. The use of animal fat or vegetable oil and the richness in n-3 or n-6 PUFA of vegetable oils had no significant effect on the feed intake (130 g dry matter/d) and growth rate of fattening rabbits (45.5 g/d), but the inclusion of sunflower oil in diet improved feed conversion rate (2.79 for S diet vs. 2.87 for the rest of diets; P, This work was supported by a Ministry of Science and Technology grant (AGL2003-06559-C02-02).

InAs/GaSb superlattice pin photodiodes, having an asymmetric period design, exhibited cut-off wavelength in the midwave infrared domain (MWIR) at 5 μm at 77 K. Electrical characterizations including dark-current and capacitance–voltage measurements were performed on single detectors in the temperature range (77–300 K). The SL photodiode measurements revealed carrier concentrations of about 6 × 1014 cm−3 at 77 K, dark-current densities J = 4 × 10−8 A/cm2 at 77 K for Vbias = −50 mV and the measured R0A product is higher than 1.5 × 106 Ω cm2 at 77 K. Comparison to classical pin diodes with symmetric period design show that the differential resistance area product is improved by more than one order of magnitude. This result obtained demonstrates the strong influence of the period on the electrical properties of SL MWIR photodiodes.

[EN] The effects of the composition of pen-weaning diets on apparent ileal digestibility of nutrients and caecal environment were studied in growing rabbits. Eight diets were formulated according to a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design to increase acid detergent fibre (ADF) from 230 to 290 g kg(-1) dry matter (DM) at the expense of mainly starch, to increase neutral detergent soluble fibre (NDSF) from 145 to 185 g kg(-1) DM at the expense of mainly starch, and to reduce crude protein (CP) content from 175 to 145 g kg(-1) DM. A total of 32 litters of eight kits were randomly assigned to the diets at 17 days of age, weaned at 28 days of age and slaughtered at 35 days of age to collect samples of ileal and caecal contents. The substitution of ADF for starch reduced the coefficient of apparent ileal digestibility (CAID) of DM (0.292 vs. 0.229; P, Financial support was provided by the Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia of Spain (Proyecto AGL2006-07596). Authors thank J. Garcia from the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (Spain) for the analyses of ytterbium.

We studied the Ga-free InAs/InAsSb type-II superlattice (T2SL) period, thickness and antimony composition, in order to define an optimized structure suitable for detection of the full mid-wavelength infrared domain (MWIR). The SL structures were fabricated by MBE on n-type GaSb substrates and exhibited cut-off wavelengths between 5μm and 5.5μm at 150K. The growth procedure used to achieve strain-balanced structures is reported and first structural and optical results, made of high-resolution Xray diffraction pattern, AFM image scan, photoluminescence (PL) and time resolved photoluminescence measurements (TRPL), are presented and analyzed.

HgCdTe (MCT) is a very versatile material for IR detection. Indeed, the ability to tailor the cutoff frequency as close as possible to the detection needs makes it a perfect candidate for high performance detection in a wide range of applications and spectral ranges. Moreover, the high quality material available today, either by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) or molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) allows for very low dark currents at low temperatures and make it suitable for very low flux detection application such as science imaging. MCT has also demonstrated its robustness to aggressive space environment and faces therefore a large demand for space application such as staring at the outer space for science purposes in which case, the detected photon number is very low This induces very strong constrains onto the detector: low dark current, low noise, low persistence, (very) large focal plane arrays. The MCT diode structure adapted to fulfill those requirements is naturally the p/n photodiode. Following the developments of this technology made at DEFIR and transferred to Sofradir in MWIR and LWIR ranges for tactical applications, our laboratory has consequently investigated its adaptation for ultra-low flux in different spectral bands, in collaboration with the CEA Astrophysics lab. Another alternative for ultra low flux applications in SWIR range, has also been investigated with low excess noise MCT n/p avalanche photodiodes (APD). Those APDs may in some cases open the gate to sub electron noise IR detection.. This paper will review the latest achievements obtained on this matter at DEFIR (CEA-LETI and Sofradir common laboratory) from the short wave (SWIR) band detection for classical astronomical needs, to the long wave (LWIR) band for exoplanet transit spectroscopy, up to the very long waves (VLWIR) band.

Background Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common infection in renal transplant patients, but it is necessary to determine the risk factors for bacterial UTI in recipients of other solid organ transplants (SOTs), as well as changes in etiology, clinical presentation, and prognosis. Methods In total, 4388 SOT recipients were monitored in 16 transplant centers belonging to the Spanish Network for Research on Infection in Transplantation (RESITRA). The frequency and characteristics of bacterial UTI in transplant patients were obtained prospectively from the cohort (September 2003 to February 2005). Results A total of 192 patients (4.4%) presented 249 episodes of bacterial UTI (0.23 episodes per 1000 transplantation days); 156 patients were kidney or kidney–pancreas transplant recipients, and 36 patients were liver, heart, and lung transplant recipients. The highest frequency was observed in renal transplants (7.3%). High frequency of cystitis versus pyelonephritis without related mortality was observed in both groups. The most frequent etiology was Escherichia coli (57.8%), with 25.7% producing extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL). In all transplants but renal, most cases occurred in the first month after transplantation. Cases were uniformly distributed during the first 6 months after transplantation in renal recipients. Age (odds ratio [OR] per decade 1.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02–1.17), female gender (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.42–2.13), and the need for immediate post-transplant dialysis (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.29–2.05) were independent variables associated with bacterial UTI in renal and kidney–pancreas recipients. The independent risk factors identified in non-renal transplants were age (OR per decade 1.79, 95% CI 1.09–3.48), female gender (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.43–2.49), and diabetes (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.001–1.040). Conclusions UTI was frequent in renal transplants, but also not unusual in non-renal transplants. Because E. coli continues to be the most frequent etiology, the emergence of ESBL-producing strains has been identified as a new problem. In both populations, most cases were cystitis without related mortality. Although the first month after transplantation was a risk period in all transplants, cases were uniformly distributed during the first 6 months in renal transplants. Age and female gender were identified as risk factors for UTI in both populations. Other particular risk factors were the need for immediate post-transplant dialysis in renal transplants and diabetes in non-renal transplants.

A total of 190 rabbit females were used to evaluate five feeding programmes from 9 weeks of age to the first parturition: CAL, fed ad libitum with a control diet (C: 11.0 MJ digestible energy (DE) and 114 g digestible protein (DP)/kg dry matter (DM)) until first parturition; CR, fed ad libitum with C diet until 12 weeks of age and then C diet restricted (140 g/day) until first parturition; F, fed ad libitum with a low-energy, high-fibre diet (F: 8.7 MJ DE and 88 g DP/kg DM) until first parturition; FC, fed with F diet ad libitum until 16 weeks of age, and C diet ad libitum until first parturition; FCF, fed with F diet ad libitum until 16 weeks of age, then C diet ad libitum until 20 weeks and then F diet ad libitum until first parturition. The rabbits were artificially inseminated at 18 weeks of age. CAL group had a higher mortality rate compared with the other groups between 9 and 12 weeks of age (34% v. 3%; P,0.05) and during the last 3 weeks of first pregnancy (14% v. 3%; P,0.05). The CAL and FC females presented higher BW and perirenal fat thickness (PFT) than CR females at 11 days of pregnancy (10.41 kg and 10.6 mm; P,0.05), with F females showing medium values. The type of feeding procedure did not affect the fertility rate of young females at first artificial insemination. Differences in BW disappeared at parturition, when only CAL females presented a greater PFT than CR and FC females (10.3mm; P,0.05). In comparison with FCF, CAL females had smaller and thinner live born litters (22.5 kits and 2139 g, respectively; P,0.05), with CR, F and FC females showing medium values. The low number of kits born alive for CAL females was because of their lesser total number of kits born (21.7 kits; P,0.05) and the greater mortality of their litters at birth (113.9%; P,0.05) compared with FCF females. Non-esterified fatty acid was higher in the blood of females fed C diet (CAL and CR) than in others at partum day (on average 10.15 mmol/l; P,0.05). In conclusion, the ad libitum use of diets for lactating rabbit does throughout the rearing period could lead young rabbit females to present a higher risk of early death and smaller litter size at first parturition. Feed restriction or earlier use of suitably fibrous diets led females to achieve the critical BW and fat mass at first mating to ensure reproduction., The authors thank the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (Project AGL2006-07596) for the economic support to conduct this study.

International audience; In this communication we report on temperature dependence performances of short period InAs/GaSb pin superlattice (SL) photodiode grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy on p-type GaSb substrate. SL symmetrical structure with 3 mu m thick active region, adapted for detection in the MWIR domain with cutoff wavelength varying from 4.6 mu m to 5.5 mu m in the temperature range 80-300 K, was processed in mesa photodiode in order to perform dark current measurements as a function of temperature. Extracted from current-voltage characteristics. R(0)A products above 1 x 10(6) Omega cm(2) at 80K and around 0.15 Omega cm(2) at 200 K were measured, and the quantitative analysis of the J-V curves allowed us to identify the dominant dark current mechanism in each operating temperature range. As a result, SL photodiode is dominated by generation-recombination (GR) processes at low temperature and becomes diffusion limited above 140 K. Such results are discussed and minority carrier lifetimes were extracted from J-V curve fitting.

The effects of including 30 g of recycled frying oil per kilogram of diet on the performance of growing rabbits were studied. A batch of vegetal oil was used, fresh (FO) or recycled (RO) after being used in industrial frying, and then heated at 165–170 °C for 8 h. In Experiment 1, 24 rabbits aged 42 days were used to determine apparent digestibility coefficients (CTTAD) of main nutrients (dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre). In Experiment 2, 230 weaned rabbits were used to record rabbit performance between 28 and 63 days. In Experiment 3, 16 rabbits were slaughtered at day 63 to study caecal fermentation traits (pH, dry matter content, NH3 and volatile fatty acids) and serum markers of hepatic (gamma glutamyl transferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase and alkaline phosphatase) or renal (urea and creatinine) damage. The inclusion of RO in the diet in substitution of FO did not affect nutrient digestibility, growth performance, fermentation pattern in the caecum or concentration in serum of diverse enzymes and metabolites related to hepatic or renal functioning (P>0.10). Nevertheless, the use of RO increased the CTTAD of the aNDFom and ADFom (P