Participative design of conservation agriculture cropping systems in organic agriculture

This paper compares to co-design processes aiming at defining innovative cropping systems that combine conservation agriculture and organic farming

Co-designing innovative cropping systems to improve soil functioning in organic farming

Organic agriculture is called upon to raise production to meet growing demand all the while ensuring the respect of the environment. In this context, improving the soil biological activity is crucial. Farmers are taking great interest in agroecological practices, such as conservation tillage associated with soil cover crops. The inclusion of these practices into current organic crop management systems calls for profound changes in the whole system.In this paper, we present aeight steps method to help farmers designing innovative prototypes of cropping systems. The method involves three design workshops, starting with a given decontextualized situation, before progressively integrating farmers‟ constraints. The method was run with two groups of six and seven farmers respectively in two different regions of France.Of the 28 completed prototypes designed, we present here only the seven most detailed. They differ greatly from current cropping systems in their increased use of cover crops (four times more frequent) and greatly decreased reliance on deep soil tillage (mouldboard plowing was eight times less frequent). Farmers initiated the adoption of these innovations by anticipating technical and pedoclimatic constraints. The method, involving researchers and farmers, produced conditions thatencouraged the famers to act creatively. Further studies in the form of ex post trials are necessary to accurately assess the consequences of such innovative cropping systems on soil functioning and crop performance

Vaccine breakthrough hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia in patients with auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs

Life-threatening `breakthrough' cases of critical COVID-19 are attributed to poor or waning antibody response to the SARS- CoV-2 vaccine in individuals already at risk. Pre-existing autoantibodies (auto-Abs) neutralizing type I IFNs underlie at least 15% of critical COVID-19 pneumonia cases in unvaccinated individuals; however, their contribution to hypoxemic breakthrough cases in vaccinated people remains unknown. Here, we studied a cohort of 48 individuals ( age 20-86 years) who received 2 doses of an mRNA vaccine and developed a breakthrough infection with hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia 2 weeks to 4 months later. Antibody levels to the vaccine, neutralization of the virus, and auto- Abs to type I IFNs were measured in the plasma. Forty-two individuals had no known deficiency of B cell immunity and a normal antibody response to the vaccine. Among them, ten (24%) had auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs (aged 43-86 years). Eight of these ten patients had auto-Abs neutralizing both IFN-a2 and IFN-., while two neutralized IFN-omega only. No patient neutralized IFN-ss. Seven neutralized 10 ng/mL of type I IFNs, and three 100 pg/mL only. Seven patients neutralized SARS-CoV-2 D614G and the Delta variant (B.1.617.2) efficiently, while one patient neutralized Delta slightly less efficiently. Two of the three patients neutralizing only 100 pg/mL of type I IFNs neutralized both D61G and Delta less efficiently. Despite two mRNA vaccine inoculations and the presence of circulating antibodies capable of neutralizing SARS-CoV-2, auto-Abs neutralizing type I IFNs may underlie a significant proportion of hypoxemic COVID-19 pneumonia cases, highlighting the importance of this particularly vulnerable population

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

Co-infection VIH et Histoplasma capsulatum variant capsulatum en France métropolitaine à l'ère des multithérapies anti-rétrovirales

L histoplasmose à Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum est une mycose d importation en France métropolitaine. C est une infection opportuniste au cours de l infection à VIH définissant le SIDA dans sa forme extra-pulmonaire. Peu de données sont disponibles sur l histoplasmose au cours du SIDA dans les zones non endémiques ainsi que sur son pronostic et son évolution. Ce travail est une étude rétrospective recensant tous les cas de co-infection histoplasmose-VIH diagnostiqués en France métropolitaine entre 1997 et 2006. Soixante-quatre patients ont été identifiés. Les principales informations issues de l analyse de ces observations sont que l histoplasmose est une pathologie d importation pouvant survenir jusqu à 15 ans après le retour de zone d endémie, qu elle est fréquemment (42% des cas) révélatrice de l infection par le VIH et qu elle survient dans un contexte d immunodépression profonde (taux moyen de CD4 28/ L). Certains tableaux sont particulièrement évocateurs : atteinte cutanéo-muqueuse (45%), syndrome d activation macrophagique (14%). La mortalité élevée (23%) et précoce rend nécessaire un diagnostic rapide. Les moyens diagnostiques à privilégier sont les examens directs et les cultures (dont hémoculture). La sérologie a un faible intérêt et la place de la détection du galactomannane reste à établir. L incidence du syndrome inflammatoire de reconstitution immunitaire est remarquablement élevée (13%).Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum histoplasmosis is not endemic in metropolitan France. Extra-pulmonary histoplasmosis is an AIDS-defining opportunistic infection. Few data are available about AIDS-related histoplasmosis in non-endemic areas. All (i.e. 64) AIDS-related histoplasmosis cases diagnosed in metropolitan France between 1997 and 2006 have been included in the retrospective study. Analysis of these cases indicated that histoplasmosis can occur more than 15 years after the last travel in an endemic area, that histoplasmosis is frequently (42%) the first HIV-infection manifestation and that patients with histoplasmosis are deeply immucompromised (mean CD4 count 28/ L). Muco-cutaneous lesions (45%) and hemophagocytic syndrome (14%) are suggestive of histoplasmosis. High early mortlaty rate (23%) is a plea for an ealier diagnosis. Direct examination and fungal cultures are the most useful diagnosis tools. Anti-histoplasma antibodies detection sensitvity is very low. The usefulness of galactomannan remains to be evaluated. Interestingly, immune restoration inflammatory syndrome is frequent (13%).ST QUENTIN EN YVELINES-BU (782972101) / SudocSudocFranceF

Coronary Spasm after an Injection of Vincristine

Cardiotoxicity, including heart failure, thromboembolic events, and myocardial ischemia, is a concern for cardiologists and oncologists. The most frequently involved drugs are anthracyclines. We report an episode of coronary spasm due to vincristine, a vinca alkaloid, in a 49-year-old man treated for a diffuse undifferentiated carcinoma. The patient suffered recurrent episodes of typical chest pain with ST-elevation in the inferior area. Coronary spasm was confirmed by an angiogram, which showed normal coronary arteries. No recurrence occurred with the medical management. Coronary spasm induced by vincristine is a newly described facet of chemotherapy-related cardiotoxicity.</jats:p

Farmers and agronomists design new biological agricultural practices for organic cropping systems in France

New organic cropping systems are needed to keep pace with the growing demand for organic food. Those systems should ideally give more yield and safe for the environment. Current innovations such as non-inversion tillage with cover crops are promising, but investigations usually do not take farmers view into account. Therefore, research work should include farmer participation to maximize success. We present here a method to help farmers in designing innovative cropping systems. This method involves several design workshops with farmers. The first steps of the method foster creativity by changing ways in which farmers thought and worked. The final steps of the method facilitated learning. Participatory tools are used to exchange views and knowledge. System prototypes were developed. The method was applied using groups of six and seven farmers from two French regions. The farmers generated 14 system prototypes. We found that system prototypes differed radically from current practices because prototypes are based on biological rather than mechanical methods. Indeed, cover crop use was almost four times more frequent in prototypes than in current systems. Moldboard plowing and mechanical weeding frequencies were, respectively, two and eight times lower. The main benefits of our method are (1) the involvement of volunteer farmers in the design process, (2) the combination of farmer knowledge and scientific knowledge, and (3) the use of various methodological supports