Critical review of the role of PPE in the prevention of risks related to agricultural pesticide use

Personal protection equipment (PPE) holds a privileged position in safety interventions in many countries, despite the fact that they should only be used as a last resort. This is even more paradoxical because many concerns have arisen as to their actual effectiveness under working conditions and their ability to provide the protection attributed to them by certain occupational safety strategies and marketing authorisation procedures. Are these concerns justified? This article is intended to provide an update on what we know of the issue based on a critical analysis of the literature to date. Analysis focuses on the assessment of the effectiveness of coveralls used to protect from plant protection products in OECD countries. All forms of assessment were retained: discussion of the observed effectiveness of PPE in relation to the underlying assumptions of marketing authorisation procedures, laboratory tests of equipment, practical field tests in which PPE-wearing practices were controlled and uncontrolled, analyses of the efficiency of preventive instructions based on wearing such coveralls. Findings show that recommending the use of PPE is key to the granting of marketing authorisation. Some dangerous products only get marketing authorisation because it is assumed that wearing PPE will considerably limit exposure. They would be banned if it were not for this assumption of protection. However the actual effectiveness of PPE in working conditions may be over-estimated. In addition many factors (cost, availability, thermic and mechanical discomfort) may make instructions to wear PPE inapplicable. Advising the use of PPE does not always mean effective protection

Analysis of an anaerobic digestion model in landfill with mortality term

We study a mathematical model of anaerobic digestion with biomass recirculation, dedicated to landfill problems, and analyze its asymptotic behavior. We show that the global attractor is composed of an infinity of non-hyperbolic equilibria. For non-monotonic growth functions, this set is non connected, which impacts the performances of the bioprocess

Post- moderate intensity exercise energy replacement does not reduce subsequent appetite and energy intake in adolescents with obesity

Exercise modifies energy intake in adolescents with obesity, but whether this is mediated by the exercise-induced energy deficit remains unknown. The present study examined the effect of exercise with and without dietary replacement of the exercise energy expenditure on appetite, energy intake and food reward in adolescents with obesity. Fourteen 12-15 years adolescents with obesity (8girls; Tanner3-4; BMI 34.8+/-5.7kg/m2; BMI-z score 2.3+/-0.4) randomly completed 3 experimental conditions: i) rest control (CON); ii) 30-min cycling (EX); iii) 30-min cycling with dietary energy replacement (EX+R). Ad libitum energy intake (EI) was assessed at lunch and dinner, and food reward (Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire) before and after lunch. Appetite was assessed at regular intervals. Lunch, evening and total EI (excluding the post-exercise snack in EX-R) were similar across conditions. Lunch and total EI including the post-exercise snack in EX+R were higher in EX-R than CON and EX; EX and CON were similar. Total relative EI was lower in EX (1502+/-488 kcal) compared with CON (1713+/-530; p/=0.10). Pre-meal explicit liking for fat was lower in EX compared to CON and EX+R (p=0.05). There was time by condition interaction between EX and CON for explicit wanting and liking for fat (p=0.01). Despite similar appetite and energy intake, adolescents with obesity do not adapt their post-exercise food intake to account for immediate dietary replacement of the exercise-induced energy deficit, favoring a short-term positive energy balance

Bisphenol S Impaired Human Granulosa Cell Steroidogenesis In Vitro

Bisphenol S (BPS) is a structural analog of the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA); it is the main BPA replacement in the plastics industry. Previous studies have shown that BPA and BPS exhibit similar effects on reproduction in fish and rodent species. BPS reportedly alters steroidogenesis in bovine granulosa cells. Luteinised granulosa cells collected from 59 women who were undergoing an in vitro fertilization procedure were cultured for 48 h in the presence or absence of BPS (10 nM, 100 nM, 1 µM, 10 µM or 50 µM). BPS exposure was investigated by assessing follicular fluids from these 59 women for their BPS content. Culture medium, cells, total messenger RNA (mRNA) and total protein extracted from the luteinised granulosa cells were examined for oestradiol and progesterone secretion, cellular proliferation, viability, gene expression, steroidogenic enzyme expression and cell signaling. BPS was measured in follicular fluids using mass spectrometry. Exposure of granulosa cells to 10 or 50 µM BPS for 48 h induced a 16% (p = 0.0059) and 64% (p < 0.0001) decrease, respectively, in progesterone secretion; 50 µM BPS decreased oestradiol secretion by 46% (p < 0.0001). Ten µM BPS also tended to reduce CYP11A1 protein expression by 37% (p = 0.0947) without affecting HSD3B1 and CYP19A1 expression. Fifty µM BPS increased ERRγ expression. Environmental levels of BPS (nanomolar range) did not induce changes in steroidogenesis in human granulosa cells. The effects of BPS were observed after only 48 h of BPS exposure. These acute effects might be similar to chronic effects of physiological BPS levels

A multiscale approach to detect selection in nonmodel tree species: Widespread adaptation despite population decline in Taxus baccata L

Detecting the molecular basis of local adaptation and identifying selective drivers is still challenging in nonmodel species. The use of purely population genetic approaches is limited by some characteristics of genetic systems, such as pleiotropy and polygenic control, and parallel evidence from phenotypic‐based experimental comparisons is required. In long‐lived organisms, the detection of selective pressures might also be precluded by evolutionary lag times in response to the environment. Here, we used the English yew to showcase an example of a multiscale integrative approach in a nonmodel species with limited plant and genomic resources. We combined information from two independent sources, phenotypes in a common environment and genomic data in natural populations, to investigate the signature of selection. Growth differences among populations in a common environment, and phenological patterns of both shoot elongation and male strobili maturation, were associated with climate clines, providing evidence for local adaptation and guiding us in the selection of populations for genomic analyses. We used information on over 25,000 SNPs from c. 1,200 genes to infer the demographic history and to test for molecular signatures of selection at different levels: SNP, gene, and biological pathway. Our results confirmed an overall demographic history of population decline, but we also found evidence for putative local adaptation at the molecular level. We identified or confirmed several candidate genes for positive and negative selection in forest trees, including the pseudo‐response regulator 7 (PRR7), an essential component of the circadian clock in plants. In addition, we successfully tested an approach to detect polygenic adaptation in biological pathways, allowing us to identify the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway as a candidate stress‐response pathway that deserves further attention in other plants. Finally, our study contributes to the emerging view that explaining contemporary standing genetic variation requires considering adaptation to past climates, especially for long‐lived trees

Economic and environmental benefits from crop-livestock complementarities through local legume production: a modelling approach for western France

This Ph.D. thesis studies crop-livestock complementarities enabled by legumes in the region of western France. Economic and environmental assessment of these complementarities is performed from the farm scale to the regional scale. The main contribution of this research is the development of the bio-economic model SYNERGY, which represents local exchanges of crops (including legumes) and manure between crop-oriented farms and livestock-oriented farms. This model represents the pre-crop effect of legumes and includes alternative rations with these high-protein crops. The main simulation results show that coupled subsidies to legumes increase their production but do not lead to better valuation of technical complementarities. One way to increase the use of legumes in animal feed is to label GMO-free animal products. However, since the simulated local exchanges of legumes remain low, these crops are largely imported from outside the region. Thus, the economic and environmental results do not improve at the regional scale, and protein self-sufficiency decreases. Finally, at the scale of the agro-food chain, exchanges of legumes lead to high transaction costs, which current contracts reduce only slightly. Developing markets that value local resources could foster legume production.Cette thèse de doctorat porte sur les complémentarités culture-élevage permises par les légumineuses, dans la région de l'Ouest de la France. Une évaluation économique et environnementale de ces complémentarités est réalisée depuis l’échelle de l’exploitation agricole jusqu’à celle de la région. Le principal apport de cette thèse est l’élaboration d’un modèle bioéconomique SYNERGY qui modélise les échanges locaux de cultures (dont les légumineuses) et d’effluents entre des exploitations de grandes cultures et des exploitations d'élevage. Ce modèle prend en compte l’effet précédent des légumineuses et comprend des rations alternatives avec ces cultures riches en protéines. Les principaux résultats de simulation montrent que les aides couplées aux légumineuses accroissent leur production mais n’engendrent pas une meilleure valorisation des complémentarités techniques. Un moyen d’accroître l'utilisation de légumineuses en alimentation animale est de labelliser les produits animaux sans OGM. Cependant, les échanges locaux simulés restant faibles, les légumineuses sont en grande partie importées de l’extérieur de la région. Ainsi, les résultats économiques et environnementaux ne sont pas améliorés à l’échelle régionale et l'autonomie en protéines diminue. Enfin, à l’échelle des filières, nous montrons que les échanges de légumineuses engendrent des coûts de transaction élevés, peu réduits par les contrats existants. Le développement de marchés valorisant les ressources locales pourrait encourager la culture de légumineuses

High-resolution assessment of French grassland dry matter and nitrogen yields

Grasslands offer many environmental and economic advantages that put them at the heart of future sustainable ruminant production systems. This study aimed to quantify and map the dry matter yield (DMY) and nitrogen yield (NY) of French grasslands resulting from cutting and grazing practices, based on the existing diversity of grassland vegetation, management, soil and climate conditions, using a research version of the STICS crop model called PâturSTICS. This model simulates daily dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N) and water fluxes involved in the functioning of grasslands and crops in response to management and environmental conditions. It was improved to represent deposition of animal waste on grassland soils during grazing and to simulate DM production and N content of grasses and legumes more accurately. Simulations were performed for locations across France on a highresolution grid composed of pedoclimatic units (PCU) obtained by combining the spatial resolutions of climate and soil. The main grassland types and associated management types were determined for each PCU and then simulated over 30 years (1984-2013). Using the simulated values, predictive metamodels of annual grassland DMY and NY were developed from easily accessible explanatory variables using a random forest approach. Annual model predictions were aggregated and averaged at the PCU scale, then compared to regional observations. Predicted DMY agreed with available observations, except in semi-mountainous and mountainous regions, where PâturSTICS tended to overpredict DMY, probably because it ignores effects of snow, frost and slope, and due to how it represents effects of temperature and water stress on plant growth. According to results, three-quarters of French grasslands produce and export at least 7.6 t DM ha-1 yr-1 and 172 kg N ha-1 yr-1, respectively. One-quarter of French grasslands produce and export at least 10.7 t DM ha-1 yr-1 and 254 kg N ha-1 yr-1, respectively. The latter are located mainly in northwestern France, the north-western Massif Central, the French Alps and the western Pyrénées, all of which have environmental conditions favourable for grass growth. The metamodels developed are interesting proxies for PâturSTICS' predictions of grassland DMY and NY. Our results provided valuable knowledge that promotes better use of the potential forage production of French and European grasslands to improve protein selfsufficiency and N fertilisation management in ruminant livestock systems

Neurofibromatosis 1 French national guidelines based on an extensive literature review since 1966.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 is a relatively common genetic disease, with a prevalence ranging between 1/3000 and 1/6000 people worldwide. The disease affects multiple systems with cutaneous, neurologic, and orthopedic as major manifestations which lead to significant morbidity or mortality. Indeed, NF1 patients are at an increased risk of malignancy and have a life expectancy about 10-15 years shorter than the general population. The mainstay of management of NF1 is a patient-centered longitudinal care with age-specific monitoring of clinical manifestations, aiming at the early recognition and symptomatic treatment of complications as they occur. Protocole national de diagnostic et de soins (PNDS) are mandatory French clinical practice guidelines for rare diseases required by the French national plan for rare diseases. Their purpose is to provide health care professionals with guidance regarding the optimal diagnostic and therapeutic management of patients affected with a rare disease; and thus, harmonizing their management nationwide. PNDS are usually developed through a critical literature review and a multidisciplinary expert consensus. The purpose of this article is to present the French guidelines on NF1, making them even more available to the international medical community. We further dwelled on the emerging new evidence that might have therapeutic potential or a strong impact on NF1 management in the coming feature. Given the complexity of the disease, the management of children and adults with NF1 entails the full complement healthcare providers and communication among the various specialties