Search

La détection olfactive canine de la CoViD-19 a fait l’objet de nombreux travaux internationaux démontrant son efficacité. Ceci nous a conduit à évaluer le positionnement du grand public à travers le monde vis-à-vis de cette nouvelle méthode de détection médicale. Le questionnaire, élaboré par l’équipe française NOSAÏS, fut traduit en 6 langues et diffusé à travers les différents continents grâce à une implication forte de l’équipe allemande de TiHo (École Vétérinaire de Hanovre) et de l’OMS (Organisation Mondiale de la Santé). Certaines carences reconnues par les auteurs en matière de représentativité des échantillons n’ont pas permis d’avoir recours à la notion d’interférence, mais des grandes tendances apparaissant fiables ont pu être extraites des résultats des questionnaires. La grande majorité des répondants de par le monde (95 à 97p100 hors Chine et Russie) présente un engouement certain pour la méthode et une totale acceptation de la détection olfactive canine de la COVID-19. Les répondants chinois sont, quant à eux, positionnés en opposition à la mise en place de la méthode, vraisemblablement par manque d’information et culture ancestrale plus éloignée du chien. Les répondants russes s’avèrent plus mitigés, ne montrant pas un intérêt débordant pour la méthode, mais ne s’opposant malgré tout pas à sa valorisation. Les commentaires libres laissés par les répondants à la fin du questionnaire ont permis de cibler les quelques inquiétudes existantes, essentiellement d’ordre éthique (bien-être animal) et scientifique. Les résultats de cette étude pourraient être pris en compte par les décideurs administratifs et politiques de nombre de pays pour enfin envisager un déploiement officiel de la méthode de test, surtout en cas de reprises pandémiques. Mots-Clés : Enquête, Grand Public, Olfaction canine, COVID-19, innovation cynotechnique

Tire and road wear particles (TRWP) account for an important part of the polymer particles released into the environment. There are scientific knowledge gaps as to the potential bioaccessibility of chemicals associated with TRWP to aquatic organisms. This study investigated the solubilization and bioaccessibility of seven of the most widely used tire-associated organic chemicals and four of their degradation products from cryogenically milled tire tread (CMTT) into fish digestive fluids using an

Background Early screening for COVID-19 is needed to limit the spread of the virus. The aim of this study is to test if the sniffer dogs can be successfully trained to identify subjects with COVID-19 for ‘proof of concept’ and ‘non-inferiority’ against PCR. We are calling this method, Dognosis (DN). Methods Four hundred and fifty-nine subjects were included, 256 (Group ‘P’) were known cases of COVID-19 (PCR positive, some with and some without symptoms) and 203 (Group ‘C’) were PCR negative and asymptomatic (control). Samples were obtained from the axillary sweat of each subject in a masked fashion. Two dogs trained to detect specific Volatile Organic Compounds for COVID-19 detection were used to test each sample. Results [DN] turned out positive (+) in all the cases that were PCR positive (100% sensitivity). On the other hand, [DN] turned positive (+) in an average of 12.5 cases (6.2%) that were initially PCR negative (apparent specificity of 93.8%). When the PCR was repeated, true specificity was 97.2%. These parameters varied in subgroups from 100% sensitivity and 99% specificity in symptomatic patients to 100% sensitivity and 93% specificity in asymptomatic patients. Conclusion DN method shows high sensitivity and specificity in screening COVID-19 patients.

Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is currently the standard diagnostic method to detect symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals infected with Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, RT-PCR results are not immediate and may falsely be negative before an infected individual sheds viral particles in the upper airways where swabs are collected. Infected individuals emit volatile organic compounds in their breath and sweat that are detectable by trained dogs. Here, we evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of dog detection against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Fifteen dogs previously trained at two centres in Australia were presented to axillary sweat specimens collected from known SARS-CoV-2 human cases (n = 100) and non-cases (n = 414). The true infection status of the cases and non-cases were confirmed based on RT-PCR results as well as clinical presentation. Across dogs, the overall diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) was 95.3% (95%CI: 93.1-97.6%) and diagnostic specificity (DSp) was 97.1% (95%CI: 90.7-100.0%). The DSp decreased significantly when non-case specimens were collected over 1 min rather than 20 min (p value = .004). The location of evaluation did not impact the detection performances. The accuracy of detection varied across dogs and experienced dogs revealed a marginally better DSp (p value = .016). The potential and limitations of this alternative detection tool are discussed.

Objectives: Dogs can be trained to identify several substances not detected by humans, corresponding to specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The presence of VOCs, triggered by SARS-CoV-2 infection, was tested in sweat from Long COVID patients. Patients and methods: An axillary sweat sample of Long COVID patients and of COVID-19 negative, asymptomatic individuals was taken at home to avoid any hospital contact. Swabs were randomly placed in olfaction detection cones, and the material sniffed by at least 2 trained dogs. Results: Forty-five Long COVID patients, mean age 45 (6-71), 73.3% female, with prolonged symptoms evolving for a mean of 15.2 months (5-22) were tested. Dogs discriminated in a positive way 23/45 (51.1%) Long COVID patients versus 0/188 (0%) control individuals (p

La crise mondiale de la CoViD-19 a conduit plus de 60 équipes de par le monde à travailler sur la détection olfactive canine du portage du virus SARS-CoV-2 actif. L’équipe NOSAÏS, à l’Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort (France) fut un des tout premiers groups à débuter ce travail en mars 2020. Depuis, des dizaines de publications ont montré que le chien se révélait plus efficace, en termes de sensibilité et de spécificité, que les tests salivaires ou les tests de diagnostic rapide, et dans la plupart des cas au moins aussi performant que les examens par RT-PCR nasopharyngée. De tels résultats se doivent d’être pris en compte pour le futur, et les décideurs médicaux doivent ouvrir leur esprit à ce qui constitue un indéniable paradigme nouveau, incarnant parfaitement le concept “Une santé, Une médecine” : le chien et ses extraordinaires qualités olfactives peut jouer un rôle important en santé humaine et de manière plus large en détection biomédicale, tout comme les chiens de recherche d’explosifs ou de drogues le font depuis des années déjà avec succès. Mots-Clés : chien, olfaction, CoViD-19, détection biomédicale

A Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test of a nasal swab is still the ‘gold standard’ for detecting a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, PCR testing could be usefully complemented by non-invasive, fast, reliable, cheap methods for detecting infected individuals in busy areas (e.g. airports and railway stations) or remote areas. Detection of the volatile, semivolatile and non-volatile compound signature of SARS-CoV-2 infection by trained sniffer dogs might meet these requirements. Previous studies have shown that well-trained dogs can detect SARS-CoV-2 in sweat, saliva and urine samples. The objective of the present study was to assess the performance of dogs trained to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in axillary-sweat-stained gauzes and on expired breath trapped in surgical masks. The samples were provided by individuals suffering from mild-to-severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), asymptomatic individuals, and individuals vaccinated against COVID-19. Results: Seven trained dogs tested on 886 presentations of sweat samples from 241 subjects and detected SARS-CoV-2 with a diagnostic sensitivity (relative to the PCR test result) of 89.6% (95% confidence interval (CI): 86.4%–92.2%) and a specificity of 83.9% (95% CI: 80.3%–87.0%)—even when people with a low viral load were included in the analysis. When considering the 207 presentations of sweat samples from vaccinated individuals, the sensitivity and specificity were respectively 85.7% (95% CI: 68.5%–94.3%) and 86.0% (95% CI: 80.2%–90.3%). The likelihood of a false-positive result was greater in the two weeks immediately after COVID-19 vaccination. Four of the seven dogs also tested on 262 presentations of mask samples from 98 subjects; the diagnostic sensitivity was 83.1% (95% CI: 73.2%–89.9%) and the specificity was 88.6% (95% CI: 83.3%–92.4%). There was no difference (McNemar’s test P = 0.999) in the dogs’ abilities to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in paired samples of sweat-stained gauzes vs surgical masks worn for only 10 min. Conclusion: Our findings confirm the promise of SARS-CoV-2 screening by detection dogs and broaden the method’s scope to vaccinated individuals and easy-to-obtain face masks, and suggest that a ‘dogs + confirmatory rapid antigen detection tests’ screening strategy might be worth investigating.

The aim of the present study is to apply the canine olfactory sensitivity to detect COVID-19-positive axillary sweat samples as a One Health approach in Latin America. One hundred volunteers with COVID-like symptoms were invited to participate, and both axillary sweat samples for dog detection and nasopharynx/oropharynx swabs for qPCR were collected. Two dogs, previously trained, detected 97.4% of the samples positive for COVID-19, including a false-negative qPCR-test, and the positive predictive value was 100% and the negative predictive value was 98.2%. Therefore, we can conclude that canine olfactory sensitivity can detect a person infected with COVID-19 through axillary sweat successfully and could be used as an alternative to screen them without invasive testing.

In order to protect conifer logs against attacks from the striped ambrosia beetle (Trypodendron lineatum ) during spring in Swiss forests, logs are treated with the insecticide cypermethrin. Rainfall can cause the insecticide to leach into the ground, potentially threatening the groundwater quality. Forest groundwater is widely used for drinking water, which means that any contaminants within it should be avoided. This study assesses the risk of groundwater contamination in field conditions. The two study areas are located on unconsolidated sediments (Censie`res, or CS) and on karstic rocks (Grand Bochat, or GB). An analytical method was developed to determine the concentration of cypermethrin and its degradation products 3-PBA and DCVA in water samples. Intensive rainfall was simulated in order to mimic a situation that threatens groundwater. The study’s results show that, when treated according to the manufacturer’s instructions, a certain amount of insecticide was leached during the first rainfall event (2.2 g or 4.4 % of the applied cypermethrin). This leaching threatens groundwater quality, but can be avoided by decreasing the pesticide amount applied while maintaining a satisfactory protection. The insecticide amount that reached the groundwater was very low and was related to simulated rainfall, not natural rainfall. In Censie`res, only one groundwater sample presented a cypermethrin concentration (4 l g/l). In Grand Bochat, after a simulated rainfall of 36 mm, 3.3 % of the insecticide (5 g) was leached and 0.05 % of the total applied insecticide amount (corresponding to 1.5 % of the leached insecticide) reached the groundwater under the epikarst layer.

The sorption of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOC) onto microplastics is relatively well reported in the literature, while their desorption remains poorly investigated, especially in biological fluids. The present study investigated the sorption and desorption of progesterone on polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) microplastics. The sorption experiments showed that the equilibrium was reached in a few hours for all plastics. A sorption efficiency of 357.1 μg g−1 was found for PE and PS, and 322.6 μg g−1 for PP. Sorption experiments indicated that adsorption would certainly happen via surface sorption and a potentially pore-filling mechanism. The desorption was carried out in Simulated Gastric Fluid (SGF) and Simulated Intestinal Fluid (SIF), whose formulations were more complex than similar models reported so far. It has been found that the desorption was higher in SIF as compared to SGF, due to micelle formation in SIF promoting the pollutant solubilization. The sorption of pepsin onto microplastics has also been revealed, suggesting a competition between pollutants and pepsin for sorption sites and a potent reduction in pollutant solubilization. This study indicates that the ingestion of microplastics could be considered as an additional route of exposure to pollutants and therefore emphasizes pollutant bioavailability for aquatic organisms.

Facing the COVID-19 pandemic, testing individuals in order to promptly isolate positive people is one of the key actions. One approach to rapid testing might be to consider the olfactory capacities of trained detection dogs in order to develop a non-invasive, rapid and cheap mass detection approach, through the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) signature of SARS-CoV-2 infection.The goal of this study was to determine the individual values of sensitivity and specificity of trained dogs when performing olfactory detection of COVID-19 on axillary sweat samples. Seven dogs were used to sniff a total of 218 samples (62 COVID-19 positive and 156 COVID-19 negative samples), based on a randomised and double-blinded protocol carried out on olfaction cone line-ups. To ensure a wide olfactory range as close as possible to operational conditions, the samples were retrieved from 13 different sites.Sensitivities varied from 87% to 94% for 6 dogs, and were above 90% for 3 of them. Only one dog, whose sensitivity was 60%, was not selected to subsequently enter the operational stage. Specificities varied from 78% to 92%, with 6 dogs over 85% and 4 dogs over 90%.Based on the calculated sensitivity and specificity for each dog, positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV) were calculated according to several prevalence rates of SARS-CoV-2 scenarii, and were compared to PPV and NPV of an “almost perfect” diagnostic tool. For 6 out of the 7 dogs, and for a prevalence rate of SARS-CoV-2 lower or equal than 40%, the NPV of the dogs were virtually the same as the one of the “almost perfect” tool. Along with other studies on olfactory detection of COVID-19 by dogs these positive and encouraging results suggest that olfactory dogs may play an important part in mass COVID-19 pre-testing situations.

The contamination of water resource and food chain by persistent organic pollutants (POPs) constitutes a major environmental and human health concern worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of POPs in irrigation water, soil and in Amaranthus viridis (A. viridis) from different gardening sites in Kinshasa to evaluate the potential environmental and human health risks. A survey study for the use of pesticides and fertilizers was carried out with 740 market gardeners. The levels of POPs (including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)) were analyzed in irrigation water and 144 vegetable samples collected from different gardening sites. The assessment of potential human health risk was estimated by calculating daily intake and toxic equivalency to quantify the carcinogenicity. The results show highest PAH levels in A. viridis from all studied sites. The concentrations of the sum of seven PCBs (Σ7PCBS) congeners in analyzed plants ranged between 15.89 and 401.36 ng g−1. The distributions of OCPs in both water and A. viridis were congener specific, chlorpyrifos-ethyl and p,p′-DDE were predominantly detected. Among PBDEs, only BDE47 was quantified with noticeable concentration in A. viridis, while no PBDEs were detected in irrigation water. Higher estimated daily intake values indicate that consuming leafy vegetables might associate with increased human health risks. However, calculated incremental lifetime cancer risk values indicates no potential carcinogenic risk for the local population. The results of this study provide important information on A. viridis contamination by POPs and strongly recommend implementing the appropriate measures to control the use of chemicals used in studied gardening areas. Thus in Kinshasa, urban agriculture control programs for POPs and fertilizers is very important in order to protect the public health through direct and dietary exposure pathways., Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image, Highlights • Survey study was performed for the use of pesticides and fertilizers. • Persistence Organic Pollutants (POPs) in soil, water and A. viridis were investigated. • Highest PAH levels were observed in soil, water and A. viridis from all studied sites. • Estimated daily intake indicates potential health risks associated to leafy vegetables consumption. • Incremental lifetime cancer risk values indicate no potential carcinogenic.

This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity of 21 dogs belonging to different United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Interior (MOI), trained for COVID-19 olfactory detection.The study involved 17 explosives detection dogs, two cadaver detection dogs and two dogs with no previous detection training. Training lasted two weeks before starting the validation protocol. Sequential five and seven-cone line-ups were used with axillary sweat samples from symptomatic COVID-19 individuals (SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive) and from asymptomatic COVID-19 negative individuals (SARS-CoV-2 PCR negative). A total of 1368 trials were performed during validation, including 151 positive and 110 negative samples. Each line-up had one positive sample and at least one negative sample. The dog had to mark the positive sample, randomly positioned behind one of the cones. The dog, handler and data recorder were blinded to the positive sample location.The calculated overall sensitivities were between 71% and 79% for three dogs, between83% and 87% for three other dogs, and equal to or higher than 90% for the remaining 15 dogs (more than two thirds of the 21 dogs).After calculating the overall sensitivity for each dog using all line-ups, “matched” sensitivities were calculated only including line-ups containing COVID-19 positive and negative samples strictly comparable on confounding factors such as diabetes, anosmia, asthma, fever, body pain, diarrhoea, sex, hospital, method of sweat collection and sampling duration. Most of the time, the sensitivities increased after matching.Pandemic conditions in the U.A.E., associated with the desire to use dogs as an efficient mass-pretesting tool has already led to the operational deployment of the study dogs.Future studies will focus on comparatives fields-test results including the impact of the main COVID-19 comorbidities and other respiratory tract infections.

International audience; Carbamazepine (CBZ) and Hg are widespread and persistent micropollutants in aquatic environments. Both pollutants are known to trigger similar toxicity mechanisms, e.g. reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Here, their effects were assessed in the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha, frequently used as a freshwater model in ecotoxicology and biomonitoring. Single and co-exposures to CBZ (3.9 µg•L-1) and MeHg (280 ng•L-1) were performed for 1 and 7 days. Metabolomics analyses evidenced that the co-exposure was the most disturbing after 7 days, reducing the amount of 25 metabolites involved in protein synthesis, energy metabolism, antioxidant response and osmoregulation, and significantly altering cells and organelles' structure supporting a reduction of functions of gills and digestive glands. CBZ alone after 7 days decreased the amount of α-aminobutyric acid and had a moderate effect on the structure of mitochondria in digestive glands. MeHg alone had no effect on mussels' metabolome, but caused a significant alteration of cells and organelles' structure in gills and digestive glands. Single exposures and the co-exposure increased antioxidant responses vs control in gills and digestive glands, without resulting in lipid peroxidation, suggesting an increased ROS production caused by both pollutants. Data globally supported that a higher number of hyperactive cells compensated cellular alterations in the digestive gland of mussels exposed to CBZ or MeHg alone, while CBZ+MeHg co-exposure overwhelmed this compensation after 7 days. Those effects were unpredictable based on cellular responses to CBZ and MeHg alone, highlighting the need to consider molecular toxicity pathways for a better anticipation of effects of pollutants in biota in complex environmental conditions.

The aim of this proof-of-concept study was to evaluate if trained dogs could discriminate between sweat samples from symptomatic COVID-19 positive individuals (SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive) and those from asymptomatic COVID-19 negative individuals. The study was conducted at 2 sites (Paris, France, and Beirut, Lebanon), followed the same training and testing protocols, and involved six detection dogs (three explosive detection dogs, one search and rescue dog, and two colon cancer detection dogs). A total of 177 individuals were recruited for the study (95 symptomatic COVID-19 positive and 82 asymptomatic COVID-19 negative individuals) from five hospitals, and one underarm sweat sample per individual was collected. The dog training sessions lasted between one and three weeks. Once trained, the dog had to mark the COVID-19 positive sample randomly placed behind one of three or four olfactory cones (the other cones contained at least one COVID-19 negative sample and between zero and two mocks). During the testing session, a COVID-19 positive sample could be used up to a maximum of three times for one dog. The dog and its handler were both blinded to the COVID-positive sample location. The success rate per dog (i.e., the number of correct indications divided by the number of trials) ranged from 76% to 100%. The lower bound of the 95% confidence interval of the estimated success rate was most of the time higher than the success rate obtained by chance after removing the number of mocks from calculations. These results provide some evidence that detection dogs may be able to discriminate between sweat samples from symptomatic COVID-19 individuals and those from asymptomatic COVID-19 negative individuals. However, due to the limitations of this proof-of-concept study (including using some COVID-19 samples more than once and potential confounding biases), these results must be confirmed in validation studies.

The aim of this study is to evaluate if the sweat produced by COVID-19 persons (SARS-CoV-2 PCR positive) has a different odour for trained detection dogs than the sweat produced by non COVID-19 persons. The study was conducted on 3 sites, following the same protocol procedures, and involved a total of 18 dogs. A total of 198 armpits sweat samples were obtained from different hospitals. For each involved dog, the acquisition of the specific odour of COVID-19 sweat samples required from one to four hours, with an amount of positive samples sniffing ranging from four to ten. For this proof of concept, we kept 8 dogs of the initial group (explosive detection dogs and colon cancer detection dogs), who performed a total of 368 trials, and will include the other dogs in our future studies as their adaptation to samples scenting takes more time.The percentages of success of the dogs to find the positive sample in a line containing several other negative samples or mocks (2 to 6) were 100p100 for 4 dogs, and respectively 83p100, 84p100, 90p100 and 94p100 for the others, all significantly different from the percentage of success that would be obtained by chance alone.We conclude that there is a very high evidence that the armpits sweat odour of COVID-19+ persons is different, and that dogs can detect a person infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

In this investigation, a new, green photo-Fenton process for wastewater treatment is proposed, involving the use of a natural iron source and natural additives, deriving from wastes, acting as iron chelators. The use of mineral iron as precursor in the photo-Fenton process, instead of iron salts, was still able to promote E. coli inactivation. Furthermore, the addition of four low weight organic acids (citric, tartaric, ascorbic and caffeic) showed a significant enhancement of the process, reaching total inactivation except for caffeic acid, which showed no significant effects. Two natural products, rich in the promising organic acids were tested as additives, lime and orange juice, plus their infusion. Lime-based additives showed better results compared to orange-based ones, which could be attributed to the excessive addition of organic matter in the orange systems. The formation of photoactive complexes with the mineral iron and the organic acids from the natural products induced the production of reactive species and ferrous ion, sustaining a homogeneous Fenton reaction. Finally, the proposed modified process was tested against different secondary effluents from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Total bacterial inactivation was reached in the lime-based system, with no visible microorganism regrowth after 48 h. Additionally, the process was able to eliminate 40% of the total identified micropollutants of the secondary effluent reaching almost 50% of removal of the total effluent organic matter.

In this work, the use of Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) against the degradation of an emerging contaminant has been subjected under systematic investigation. The optimization of treatment of the anti-depressant drug Venlafaxine (VFA) was performed, using UV light, the combined UV/H 2 O 2 process, solar light, Fenton and finally the solar photo-Fenton process in laboratory scale. The degradation kinetics, the time necessary to remove 90% of the contaminant and the optimal reactants concentration were proposed. The treatment in pure water, (synthetic) wastewater and urine was assessed, in an effort to identify the opportunities and pitfalls the application of process would encounter in a field application. Treatment by the UV-based methods was found sufficiently efficient and the application of the solar photo-Fenton process showed feasibility in a potential field application with appropriate context. Real urban wastewater effluents after biological and physicochemical treatment were tested, as well as human urine, as a proposal for on-site collection and treatment was also treated. Biological treatment before applying the tested AOPs improved their efficiency, and the strategy of diluting urine prior to treatment greatly enhanced the efficacy of the process. Finally, the identification of the degradation pathway and the biodegradability tests of AOPs treated VFA solutions exhibit promising results concerning the strategy of treatment for similar pollutants of emerging concern.

International audience

Improving operational performances of working dog–human dyads is receiving more and more attention. Despite this interest, the associations between human personality, dog personality, dog-human personality matching and dyad performances have rarely been addressed. This study explores the links between human and dog personality traits, their matching, the human-dog relationship, and dyad performances of handlers and working dogs belonging to the canine unit of the Paris Firefighters Brigade. Using a repeated searching task in a training field, we evaluated the performances of 14 dyads using three parameters: searching speed, searching precision and speed improvement of the dyad. Using a questionnaire, we assessed the quality of life of dogs (activities, relationship between handlers and their dog). Personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, conscientiousness) and subtraits of handlers (30 subtraits belonging to the five human traits) were determined using the NEO-PI-R questionnaire, and personality traits of the dogs were investigated through six subtests that allowed us to characterize five dog personality traits. We compared the performances of dyads in relation to the human-dog relationship and correlated these with human, dog personality traits and their matching. Dyad performances were different depending on the quality of life of the dog and the human-dog relationship: dogs with toys at home showed a lower improvement capacity, while dogs with few physical punishments showed a lower number of errors in the searching task. The dog personality trait “human familiarity” was correlated with dyad performances, with a higher improvement (r = 0.52, p = 0.05) but a lower performance speed (correlation with total time of the searching task: r = 0.55, p = 0.05). Human “deliberation” (i.e. “conscientiousness”), “aesthetics” (i.e. “openness”) and “modesty” (i.e. “agreeableness”) were all positively related with precision of the searching task (correlation with the number of errors: r = −0.48, p = 0.08; r = −0.52, p = 0.05; r = −0.51, p = 0.07). Human “dutifulness” (i.e. “conscientiousness”) and “activity” (i.e. extraversion”) were positively related with dyad improvement (r = 0.61, p = 0.02; r = 0.52, p = 0.06; respectively) while human “excitement seeking” was negatively related to dyad improvement (r = −0.50, p = 0.07). Dyads with handlers higher on “gregariousness” (i.e. “extraversion”) were more efficient when speed was considered (r = −0.60, p = 0.023). Matching dogs and humans on “neuroticism” traits (human “anxiety” and dog “neuroticism”) was negatively correlated with improvement (r = −0.52, p = 0.06). Matching of dog “activity-exploration” and human related subtraits to “extraversion” (“activity”, “positive emotions”) was correlated with higher speed (human “activity” and dog “activity-exploration” r = −0.50, p = 0.07 for time searching) but a lower precision (human “activity” and dog “activity-exploration” r = 0.45, p = 0.11 for number of errors) and a lower improvement (human “positive emotions” and dog “activity-exploration” r = −0.47, p = 0.09). However, matching on human subtraits “positive emotions” and “activity” and the dog trait “human familiarity” was positively correlated with speed (r = −0.53, p = 0.05 with time), precision (r = −0.55, p = 0.04) and improvement performance (r = 0.62, p = 0.02). This preliminary study provides new hypotheses for future examination of factors associated with the performances of working dogs and their handlers that could lead to selection of more efficient dyads.

In this work, iron oxides have been proposed as low-cost heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalysts for the simultaneous disinfection and reduction of microcontaminant load from urban wastewater in raceway pond reactors at near-neutral pH. The objective was not finding the best operating conditions but understanding the mechanisms of FeOx driven disinfection and the implications presented by the matrix constituents, namely organic matter and (bi)carbonates, as well as the possibility to apply this system after different secondary treatments in continuous flow mode. Notable bacterial inactivations were obtained in both batch and continuous flow modes by any iron oxide used, with total inactivation (5 log reduction) in the case of Hematite. The heterogeneous photo-Fenton process was proven to be the driving bacterial inactivation force in urban wastewaters. Additionally, monitoring the elimination of 25 emerging contaminants in the secondary effluents was performed. The operation mode (batch-continuous) was assessed, attaining a minimum of 35% micropollutant removal.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) were determined in fish (Salmo trutta forma lacustris) from Lake Geneva. Brominated flame retardants were detected in all nine samples with an average concentration for the sum of BDE-28, BDE-47, BDE-49, BDE-66, BDE-99, BDE-100, BDE-119, BDE-153, BDE-154 and BDE-209 of 207 ng per g lipid weight (ng g lw(-1)). The congener patterns were dominated by BDE-47. The average concentration of HBCD was 168 ng g lw(-1).

In this work, solar disinfection (SODIS) was enhanced by moderate addition of Fe and sodium perox- ydisulfate (PDS), under solar light. A systematic assessment of the activating factors was performed, firstly isolated, then in pairs and concluded in the combined Fe/heat/solar UV-PDS activation process. Solar light was the most effective (single) activator, and its combination with Fe and heat (double activation) yielded high level of synergies (up to S 1⁄4 2.13). The triple activation was able to reduce the bacterial load up to 6-log in less than 1 h, similarly to the photo-Fenton process done in comparison (SODIS alone: >5 h). Fe-oxides were suitable activators of PDS under the same conditions while the presence of organic matter enhanced bacterial inactivation by the triple activated PDS process. The degradation of a (selected) mixture of micropollutants (i.e. drugs, pesticides) was also achieved in similar order of magnitude, and faster than the photo-Fenton process. Finally, the removal of a viral pathogen indicator (MS2 bacteriophage) was attained at minute-range residence times. The aforementioned facts indicate the suitability of the mild, combined process, as a potential SODIS enhancement, producing safe drinking water for sunny and especially for developing countries.

The increasing contamination of fresh water resource by toxic metals and Persistence Organic Pollutants (POPs) is a major environmental concern globally. In the present investigation, surface sediments collected from three main rivers named, Makelele, Kalamu and Nsanga, draining through the city of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, were characterized for grain size, organic matter, toxic metals, POPs (including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), poly- brominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Furthermore, enrichment factor (EF) and geoaccumulation index (Igeo) were performed to determine metal source and pollution status. The results highlighted high concentration of toxic metals in all sediment samples, reaching the values (mg kg-1) of 325 (Cu), 549 (Zn), 165 (Pb) and 1.5 (Cd). High values of PCBs and OCPs were detected in sediment samples, e.g. in Makelele river, PCB values ranged from 0.9 to 10.9 with total PCBs (∑7 PCBs x 4.3): 169.3 mg kg-1; OCPs from 21.6 to 146.8 with ∑OCPs: 270.6 mg kg-1. The PBDEs concentrations were higher in investigated rivers comparatively with values detected in many rivers from Sub-Saharan Africa. The SPAHs value ranged from 22.6 to 1011.9 mg kg-1. River contamination may be explained by local intense domestic activities, urban and agricultural runoff, industrial and hospital wastewaters discharge into the rivers without prior treatment. This research provides not only a first baseline information on the extent of contamination in this tropical ecosystem but also represents useful tools incorporated to evaluate sediment quality in the river receiving systems which can be applied to similar aquatic environments.

This is a comparative study of photolytic degradation under exposure to UV254 nm and solar-simulator irradiation of a mixture of eight equally concentrated relevant micropollutants in the presence of H2O2 and Fe(II) in ultrapure water, Lake Geneva water, and effluent from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The electron-spin resonance (ESR) experiments point to a low efficiency of singlet oxygen formation by the mixture of micropollutants. This finding corroborates with the chemical stability of the micropollutants under UVC irradiation (in decreasing order: gabapentin, metformin, metoprolol, atenolol, clarithromycin, primidone, methylbenzotriazole, and benzotriazole). The oxidation rate increased in the presence of low-concentration H2O2 and Fe(II), except for metformin and gabapentin. Gabapentin and metformin were the most persistent compounds, less than 24% were removed after 60 minutes of UV254/H2O2/Fe(II) treatment. The low micropollutant removal rates were observed in WWTP effluent and lake water, and using sunlight simulation. Guanylurea, phenol, oxalic acid, tartronic acid, glycolic acid, oxamic acid, and maleic acid, could also be detected as fragmental oxidation products. Furthermore, up to 300 µg/L of nitrate and ammonia were identified as final degradation products. Ecotoxicological tests showed that the degradation products are more toxic for algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii than the parent compounds themselves.

The trichomonad species Tritrichomonas fetus and Pentatrichomonas hominis were recently identified in the feces of dogs with diarrhea. However the prevalence and pathogenicity of these parasites in the canine population still remained poorly resolved. Therefore the aim of the present study was (1) to determine the prevalence of trichomonads infecting puppies living in French breeding kennels, (2) to confirm the predominance of P. hominis in dogs, (3) to investigate the genetic diversity of P. hominis isolates identified in the French canine population and (4) to evaluate the risk factors for infection by P. hominis and the influence of the parasite on feces consistency. A total of 215 both diarrheic and non-diarrheic puppies from 25 French breeding kennels were included in this epidemiological survey. Fecal samples from each puppy were examined for 6 gastrointestinal pathogens: parvovirus type 2 (CPV2), coronavirus, Toxocara canis, Cystoisospora ohioensis-complex, Cystoisospora canis, and Giardia intestinalis. A part of each collected stool was also tested for the presence of motile trichomonads by microscopy after culturing. The prevalence of trichomonad infection was 15.8% (34/215) among puppies and 20% (5/25) among breeding kennels. DNA from 26 of the 34 positive samples was successfully amplified using a trichomonad-specific primer pair. Analysis of the sequences of PCR products indicated that P. hominis was the only trichomonad infecting the canine population. All the puppies infected with P. hominis belonged to large breed dogs. Moreover, puppies from large breeding kennels, excreting a high level of G. intestinalis and/or excreting a high level of C. canis oocysts showed a higher probability of being positive for P. hominis infection. Univariate analysis also revealed an increased risk for P. hominis infection in puppies with abnormal feces. However, in a multivariate analysis, CPV2 was the only gastrointestinal pathogen associated with abnormal feces. Since enteropathogens were commonly found in dogs infected by P. hominis, the pathogenic potential of this trichomonad species remained uncertain and has to be further evaluated by experimental infection studies.

The (137)Cs and (210)Pb dating of a 61-cm long sediment core retrieved from a drinking water reservoir (Lake Brêt) located in Switzerland revealed a linear and relatively high sedimentation rate (~1 cm year(-1)) over the last decades. The continuous centimeter scale measurement of physical (porewater and granulometry), organic (C(org), P, N, HI and OI indexes) and mineral (C(min) and lithogenic trace elements) parameters therefore enables reconstructing the environmental history of the lake and anthropogenic pollutant input (trace metals, DDT and PCBs) at high resolution. A major change in the physical properties of the lowermost sediments occurred following the artificial rise of the dam in 1922. After ca. 1940, there was a long-term up-core increase in organic matter deposition attributed to enhance primary production and anoxic bottom water conditions due to excessive nutrient input from a watershed predominantly used for agriculture that also received domestic effluents of two wastewater-treatment plants. This pattern contrasts with the terrigenous element input (Eu, Sc, Mg, Ti, Al, and Fe) which doubled after the rising of the dam but continuously decreased during the last 60 years. By comparison, the trace metals (Cu, Pb and Hg) presented a slight enrichment factor (EF) only during the second part of the 20th century. Although maximum EF Pb (2) occurred synchronously with the use of leaded gasoline in Switzerland (between ca. 1947 and 1985) the Hg and Cu profiles exhibited a relatively similar trend than Pb during the 20th century, therefore excluding the alkyl-lead added to petrol as the dominant (atmospheric) source of lead input to Lake Brêt. Conversely, the Cu profile that did not follow the decrease registered in Pb and Hg during the last 10 years, suggests an additional source of Cu probably linked to the impact of agricultural activities in the area. In absence of heavy industries in the catchment, the atmospheric deposition of DDT and PCBs via surface runoff followed the historical emissions of POPs in Switzerland. Such result highlights the regional contamination of freshwater resources by the large-scale emission of toxic industrial chemicals in the 1960s and 1970s as well as the efficiency of the regulatory measures subsequently taken.

Native mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis are used as bioindicator organisms to assess the concentration levels and toxic effects of persistent chemicals, polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heavy metals using biomarker responses, such as catalase (CAT), glutathione s-transferase (GST), and condition indices, for the Algerian coast. The results show that mussels of Oran Harbour are extremely polluted by PCBs and PAHs, i.e., 97.6 and 2892.1 μg/kg d.w., respectively. Other sites present low levels of pollution. Furthermore, high concentrations of zinc, lead and cadmium are found in mussels from fishing, agricultural and estuarine sites, respectively, while low concentrations of copper are found in all of the sites studied. CAT activity is negatively correlated with Cd and Cu, and Zn is positively correlated with GST and CAT. Site classification tools reveal the potential toxicity of coastal areas exposed to anthropogenic pressure and a gradient of toxicity along the Algerian west coast.

BACKGROUND Fecal calprotectin and immunoglobulin A (IgA) are markers of intestinal inflammation and immunity in adult dogs. HYPOTHESIS Fecal calprotectin and IgA concentrations in puppies are not influenced by fecal moisture in puppies but by enteropathogen shedding. ANIMALS Three hundred and twenty-four puppies. METHODS Fecal consistency was assessed by gross examination. Fecal moisture was evaluated before and after lyophilization. Canine parvovirus and coronavirus were detected in feces by qPCR and qRT-PCR respectively. Giardia intestinalis antigen was quantified by ELISA. The standard McMaster flotation technique was used to detect eggs and oocysts in feces. Fecal calprotectin and IgA concentrations were quantified by in-house radioimmunoassays. RESULTS For each marker (IgA and calprotectin), a strong positive correlation was observed between concentration in fresh feces and concentration in fecal dry matter. 75.6% of the puppies were found to be infected by at ≥1 of the enteropathogens evaluated. Fecal calprotectin concentration was significantly influenced by age (P = .001), with higher concentrations in younger puppies, but not by viral (P = .863) or parasitic infection (P = .791). Fecal IgA concentration was significantly influenced by enteropathogen shedding (P = .01), with a lower fecal IgA concentration in puppies shedding at ≥1 enteropathogen compared to puppies without any enteropathogen shedding, but not by age. CONCLUSIONS Fecal calprotectin and IgA are of no diagnostic value to detect presence of enteropathogens in clinically healthy puppies or puppies with abnormal feces, but could help to better understand the maturation of digestive tract.

This study focuses on the removal of 32 selected micropollutants (pharmaceuticals, corrosion inhibitors and biocides/pesticides) found in an effluent coming from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (MWTP) based on activated sludge. Dissolved organic matter was present, with an initial total organic carbon of 15.9 mg L(-1), and a real global quantity of micropollutants of 29.5 μg L(-1). The treatments tested on the micropollutants removal were: UV-light emitting at 254 nm (UV(254)) alone, dark Fenton (Fe(2+,3+)/H(2)O(2)) and photo-Fenton (Fe(2+,3+)/H(2)O(2)/light). Different irradiation sources were used for the photo-Fenton experiences: UV(254) and simulated sunlight. Iron and H(2)O(2) concentrations were also changed in photo-Fenton experiences in order to evaluate its influence on the degradation. All the experiments were developed at natural pH, near neutral. Photo-Fenton treatments employing UV(254), 50 mg L(-1) of H(2)O(2), with and without adding iron (5 mg L(-1) of Fe(2+) added or 1.48 mg L(-1) of total iron already present) gave the best results. Global percentages of micropollutants removal achieved were 98 and a 97% respectively, after 30 min of treatments. As the H(2)O(2) concentration increased (10, 25 and 50 mg L(-1)), best degradations were observed. UV(254), Fenton, and photo-Fenton under simulated sunlight gave less promising results with lower percentages of removal. The highlight of this paper is to point out the possibility of the micropollutants degradation in spite the presence of DOM in much higher concentrations.

Les theories implicites de l’intelligence designent les croyances formees par les enfants concernant la modifiabilite relative de leur intelligence (theorie statique ou theorie dynamique). L’article recense les travaux conduits sur la nature, l’origine et les effets de ces systemes de croyance sur le developpement. Il rapporte ensuite les donnees d’une etude montrant que chez des enfants d’âge scolaire presentant un trouble de l’apprentissage (de type dyslexique), la conviction que l’intelligence peut etre modifiee par l’effort et l’apprentissage est moins pregnante que chez des enfants tout-venant de meme âge chronologique. Une reflexion est engagee sur les causes possibles de ce phenomene ainsi que sur ses implications.

Resume Face au developpement constant des differentes disciplines de sports faisant appel a l’animal (cheval, chien), et compte-tenu de l’ampleur et des enjeux de certaines manifestations, le respect de l’animal comme de l’ethique sportive passe par la necessaire mise en œuvre de controles antidopage. Dans le domaine equestre, ces derniers touchent l’ensemble des activites de courses et de concours d’equitation. Chez le chien, les courses de levriers (Etats-Unis, Australie, Grande-Bretagne) et celles de pulka et traineau a chiens (Etats-Unis, Europe) font figures de precurseurs en disposant d’ores et deja de reglementations internationales. L’auteur en envisage les modalites pratiques de mise en œuvre, mais egalement les nombreuses questions ethiques soulevees.

Dioxin is the common name for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and is abbreviated as PCDD/Fs. In the case of Southern Vietnam, is of high concern dioxin contamination in the areas affected by past-use chemical defoliants. Our study related to the zone considered as a "hot spot"--Bien Hoa Airbase and surrounding areas (Bien Hung Lake). Although the war ended over 30 years ago, the adverse effects on this territory still continue. Soil and sediment were selected for our research as they act as a sink for PCDD/Fs. The samples were taken and analyzed in CECOTOX laboratory following certified procedures. The total amounts of PCDD/Fs (2,3,7,8 related congeners) in the samples were converted into WHO-TEQ and compared with standard values proposed by Canadian environmental quality guidelines. The obtained data shows a relatively high risk (up to 20.4 times higher than (probable effect level) PEL value for sediment and 46 times higher than standard value for soil). The research is continuing on the assessment of dioxin transport in food chain. Moreover, considering the obtained data a complete solution should be found urgently to solve the problem of dioxin contamination in the studied areas.

Background Equations based on single-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis at 50 kHz for determination of total body water content (TBW) have been previously validated in healthy non-sedated beagle dogs. We investigated whether these equations are predictive of TBW in various canine breeds by comparing the results of these equations with TBW values evaluated directly by deuterium oxide (D2O) dilution. Methods Total body water content of 13 healthy adult pet dogs of various breeds was determined directly using D2O dilution and indirectly using previous equations based on values obtained with a portable bioelectric impedance device. Paired Student’s t-tests were used to compare TBW obtained by single-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis and D2O dilution. A p-value of

In this work, a method combining polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) and ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was assessed for the determination of two corrosion inhibitors (benzotriazole and methylbenzotriazole), seven pesticides (atrazine, diuron, isoproturon, linuron, metolachlor, penconazole, terbuthylazine), and four pharmaceuticals (carbamazepine, diclofenac, metformin, sulfamethoxazole) in river water. As a first step, two POCIS sorbents, hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) and Strata X-CW, were compared. The comparison of the uptake profiles of the studied compounds showed that the HLB sorbent provides better uptake (higher sampled amount and better linearity) than Strata X-CW except for the basic compound metformin. Since the sampling rate (R s) of POCIS depends on environmental factors, seven compounds were evaluated as potential performance reference compounds (PRCs) through kinetic experiments. Deisopropylatrazine-d5 (DIA-d5) and, as far as we know, for the first time 4-methylbenzotriazole-d3 showed suitable desorption. The efficiency of both compounds to correct for the effect of water velocity was shown using a channel system in which POCIS were exposed to 2 and 50 cm s(-1). Finally, POCIS were deployed upstream and downstream of agricultural wine-growing and tree-growing areas in the Lienne River and the Uvrier Canal (Switzerland). The impact of the studied areas on both streams could be demonstrated.

In this study, wastewater from the output of three different secondary treatment facilities (Activated Sludge, Moving Bed Bioreactor and Coagulation-Flocculation) present in the municipal wastewater treatment plant of Vidy, Lausanne (Switzerland), was further treated with various oxidation processes (UV, UV/H2O2, solar irradiation, Fenton, solar photo-Fenton), at laboratory scale. For this assessment, 6 organic micropollutants in agreement with the new environmental legislation requirements in Switzerland were selected (Carbamazepine, Clarithromycin, Diclofenac, Metoprolol, Benzotriazole, Mecoprop) and monitored throughout the treatment. Also, the overall removal of the organic load was assessed. After each secondary treatment, the efficiency of the AOPs increased in the following order: Coagulation-Flocculation < Activated Sludge < Moving Bed Bioreactor, in almost all cases. From the different combinations tested, municipal wastewater subjected to biological treatment followed by UV/ H2O2 resulted in the highest elimination levels. Wastewater previously treated by physicochemical treatment demonstrated considerably inhibited micropollutant degradation rates. The degradation kinetics were determined, yielding: k (UV) < k (UV/H2O2) and k (Fenton) < k (solar irradiation) < k (photo-Fenton). Finally, the evolution of global pollution parameters (COD & TOC elimination) was followed and the degradation pathways for the effluent organic matter are discussed.

Tamoxifen and 5-fluorouracil are widely used in cancer therapy. They are highly toxic (teratogenic, mutagenic, etc.), as are most of the anticancer drugs. Two methods were set up to analyse these drugs in wastewaters to evaluate the potential for environmental contamination by cytostatic agents. Liquid–liquid extraction followed by purification on OASIS® MCX cartridge and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detection (GC-MS) was used for the analysis of tamoxifen. 5-Fluorouracil was extracted with an ENV+ (Isolute) cartridge (solid-phase extraction), derivatized with pentafluorobenzyl bromide (PFBBr) and detected by GC-MS. Both methods showed good recoveries (>70%), repeatability (RSD

The occurrence and fate of five acidic drugs (Mefenamic acid, Ibuprofen, Ketoprofen, Diclofenac and Clofibric acid) were analysed in three sewage treatment plants (STP) over 4-7 consecutive days. The results point out that the five substances were persistent in wastewater effluents after municipal wastewater treatment. At the most, half of Mefenamic acid was eliminated. Ibuprofen was well removed (80%) by one sewage treatment plant. The removal of Ibuprofen is dependent on the residence time of wastewater in the STPs. A long raining period induce an important decrease of removal of Ibuprofen and Ketoprofen. Removal rates showed a great variability according to sewage treatment plants and types of treatments (e.g. biological, physico-chemical). The concentrations of Ibuprofen, Mefenamic acid and Diclofenac were relatively high in the effluents (150-2000 ng/l), showing a potential contamination of surface water. An environmental risk assessment is presented. Mefenamic acid seems to present a risk for the aquatic environment, with a ratio PEC/PNEC higher than one.