Fonctionnement Hydrique du Baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) en Moyenne et Haute Casamance (Sénégal)

Cette étude aborde le fonctionnement hydrique du baobab afin de mieux appréhender ses relations en eau avec ses phases phénologiques et l’effet induit par les saisons climatiques et de celui de la toposéquence. Pour cela, l’humidité du sol, la teneur relative en eau (TRE) et le potentiel hydrique foliaire (Ψ) ont été étudiés. Les données ont été collectées sur deux sites, en plateau et dans le bas-fond, en saison sèche chaude (SSC), en pleine saison des pluies (PSP) et en saison sèche fraiche (SSF). La SSC correspond à l’apparition des premières feuilles. La PSP correspond à la pleine feuillaison et la fin de la floraison et au début de la fructification. La SSF correspond à la maturation avancée des fruits et à la pleine chute des feuilles. Le logiciel R version 3.4.2 a été utilisé pour traiter les données. Il a permis d’effectuer des tests pour l’analyse des données. Les résultats montrent une variation saisonnière de l’humidité du sol autour de la zone racinaire du baobab. En effet, en SSC, l’humidité du sol est à son niveau le plus faible contrairement en MSP et en SSF. Cependant, la faible disponibilité en eau du sol en SSC n’empêche pas l’état hydrique interne du baobab d’être élevé. En effet, espèce caduque à tronc succulent, les Ψ et les TRE trouvés du baobab sont plus élevés en saison sèche qu’en saison pluvieuse. Egalement, en fonction des saisons climatiques, les différences obtenues sur les Ψ d’une part, et sur les TRE d’autre part, sont statistiquement significatives (P<0,05) sur le plateau contrairement au bas-fond. Ce dernier bénéficie des conditions hydriques du sol plus favorables pendant la saison sèche, ce qui a probablement minimisé ces différences, d’où le rôle important de la toposéquence sur la recharge de l’eau du sol. Ces résultats sont importants dans le but de mieux encourager la propagation les plantations de baobab grâce à sa capacité d’adaptation aux saisons climatiques et au milieu, et de sa tolérence à la sècheresse saisonnière du sol, afin de palier la dégradation de la ressource et faire face aux effets du changement climatique. This study deals with the baobab's water functioning in order to better understand its water relations with its phenological phases and the effect induced by the climatic seasons and that of the toposequence. For this, the soil moisture, the relative water content (TRE) and the leaf water potential (Ψ) were studied. Data were collected at two sites, in the upland and in the lowland, in the hot dry season (SSC), in the middle of the rainy season (PSP) and in the cool dry season (SSF). SSC corresponds to the appearance of the first leaves. The PSP corresponds to full leafing and the end of flowering and early fruiting. SSF is the advanced ripening of fruits and the full fall of leaves. The R version 3.4.2 software was used to process the data. It allowed to test the data analysis. The results show a seasonal variation ofsoil moisture around the baobab root zone. Indeed, in SSC, soil moisture is at its weakest level, unlike in MSP and SSF. However, the low water availability of soil in SSC does not prevent the internal water condition of baobab from being high. Indeed, succulent trunk deciduous species, Ψ and TRE found baobab are higher in the dry season than in the rainy season. Also, according to the climatic seasons, the differences obtained on Ψ on the one hand, and on the TREs on the other hand, are statistically significant (P <0.05) on the upland contrary to the lowland. The latter benefits from more favorable soil moisture conditions during the dry season, which probably minimized these differences, hence the important role of toposequence on groundwater recharge. These results are important in order to better encourage the spread of baobab plantations through its ability to adapt to the climatic seasons and the environment, and its tolerance of seasonal soil drought, in order to mitigate the degradation of the resource and cope with the effects of climate change

A PfRH5-Based Vaccine Is Efficacious against Heterologous Strain Blood-Stage Plasmodium falciparum Infection in Aotus Monkeys

SummaryAntigenic diversity has posed a critical barrier to vaccine development against the pathogenic blood-stage infection of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. To date, only strain-specific protection has been reported by trials of such vaccines in nonhuman primates. We recently showed that P. falciparum reticulocyte binding protein homolog 5 (PfRH5), a merozoite adhesin required for erythrocyte invasion, is highly susceptible to vaccine-inducible strain-transcending parasite-neutralizing antibody. In vivo efficacy of PfRH5-based vaccines has not previously been evaluated. Here, we demonstrate that PfRH5-based vaccines can protect Aotus monkeys against a virulent vaccine-heterologous P. falciparum challenge and show that such protection can be achieved by a human-compatible vaccine formulation. Protection was associated with anti-PfRH5 antibody concentration and in vitro parasite-neutralizing activity, supporting the use of this in vitro assay to predict the in vivo efficacy of future vaccine candidates. These data suggest that PfRH5-based vaccines have potential to achieve strain-transcending efficacy in humans

Phase 1 Study of Two Merozoite Surface Protein 1 (MSP1(42)) Vaccines for Plasmodium falciparum Malaria

OBJECTIVES: To assess the safety and immunogenicity of two vaccines, MSP1(42)-FVO/Alhydrogel and MSP1(42)-3D7/Alhydrogel, targeting blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum parasites. DESIGN: A Phase 1 open-label, dose-escalating study. SETTING: Quintiles Phase 1 Services, Lenexa, Kansas between July 2004 and November 2005. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty healthy malaria-naïve volunteers 18–48 y of age. INTERVENTIONS: The C-terminal 42-kDa region of merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP1(42)) corresponding to the two allelic forms present in FVO and 3D7 P. falciparum lines were expressed in Escherichia coli, refolded, purified, and formulated on Alhydrogel (aluminum hydroxide). For each vaccine, volunteers in each of three dose cohorts (5, 20, and 80 μg) were vaccinated at 0, 28, and 180 d. Volunteers were followed for 1 y. OUTCOME MEASURES: The safety of MSP1(42)-FVO/Alhydrogel and MSP1(42)-3D7/Alhydrogel was assessed. The antibody response to each vaccine was measured by reactivity to homologous and heterologous MSP1(42), MSP1(19), and MSP1(33) recombinant proteins and recognition of FVO and 3D7 parasites. RESULTS: Anti-MSP1(42) antibodies were detected by ELISA in 20/27 (74%) and 22/27 (81%) volunteers receiving three vaccinations of MSP1(42)-FVO/Alhydrogel or MSP1(42)-3D7/Alhydrogel, respectively. Regardless of the vaccine, the antibodies were cross-reactive to both MSP1(42)-FVO and MSP1(42)-3D7 proteins. The majority of the antibody response targeted the C-terminal 19-kDa domain of MSP1(42), although low-level antibodies to the N-terminal 33-kDa domain of MSP1(42) were also detected. Immunofluorescence microscopy of sera from the volunteers demonstrated reactivity with both FVO and 3D7 P. falciparum schizonts and free merozoites. Minimal in vitro growth inhibition of FVO or 3D7 parasites by purified IgG from the sera of the vaccinees was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The MSP1(42)/Alhydrogel vaccines were safe and well tolerated but not sufficiently immunogenic to generate a biologic effect in vitro. Addition of immunostimulants to the Alhydrogel formulation to elicit higher vaccine-induced responses in humans may be required for an effective vaccine

Effect of red blood cell variants on childhood malaria in Mali: a prospective cohort study

Red blood cell (RBC) variants protect African children from severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Their individual and interactive impacts on mild disease and parasite density, and their modification by age-dependent immunity, are poorly understood

Human vaccination against RH5 induces neutralizing antimalarial antibodies that inhibit RH5 invasion complex interactions.

The development of a highly effective vaccine remains a key strategic goal to aid the control and eventual eradication of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. In recent years, the reticulocyte-binding protein homolog 5 (RH5) has emerged as the most promising blood-stage P. falciparum candidate antigen to date, capable of conferring protection against stringent challenge in Aotus monkeys. We report on the first clinical trial to our knowledge to assess the RH5 antigen - a dose-escalation phase Ia study in 24 healthy, malaria-naive adult volunteers. We utilized established viral vectors, the replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus serotype 63 (ChAd63), and the attenuated orthopoxvirus modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA), encoding RH5 from the 3D7 clone of P. falciparum. Vaccines were administered i.m. in a heterologous prime-boost regimen using an 8-week interval and were well tolerated. Vaccine-induced anti-RH5 serum antibodies exhibited cross-strain functional growth inhibition activity (GIA) in vitro, targeted linear and conformational epitopes within RH5, and inhibited key interactions within the RH5 invasion complex. This is the first time to our knowledge that substantial RH5-specific responses have been induced by immunization in humans, with levels greatly exceeding the serum antibody responses observed in African adults following years of natural malaria exposure. These data support the progression of RH5-based vaccines to human efficacy testing

Human Antibodies that Slow Erythrocyte Invasion Potentiate Malaria-Neutralizing Antibodies.

The Plasmodium falciparum reticulocyte-binding protein homolog 5 (PfRH5) is the leading target for next-generation vaccines against the disease-causing blood-stage of malaria. However, little is known about how human antibodies confer functional immunity against this antigen. We isolated a panel of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against PfRH5 from peripheral blood B cells from vaccinees in the first clinical trial of a PfRH5-based vaccine. We identified a subset of mAbs with neutralizing activity that bind to three distinct sites and another subset of mAbs that are non-functional, or even antagonistic to neutralizing antibodies. We also identify the epitope of a novel group of non-neutralizing antibodies that significantly reduce the speed of red blood cell invasion by the merozoite, thereby potentiating the effect of all neutralizing PfRH5 antibodies as well as synergizing with antibodies targeting other malaria invasion proteins. Our results provide a roadmap for structure-guided vaccine development to maximize antibody efficacy against blood-stage malaria. Copyright © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Vaccination with Plasmodium vivax Duffy-binding protein inhibits parasite growth during controlled human malaria infection

There are no licensed vaccines against Plasmodium vivax. We conducted two phase 1/2a clinical trials to assess two vaccines targeting P. vivax Duffy-binding protein region II (PvDBPII). Recombinant viral vaccines using chimpanzee adenovirus 63 (ChAd63) and modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) vectors as well as a protein and adjuvant formulation (PvDBPII/Matrix-M) were tested in both a standard and a delayed dosing regimen. Volunteers underwent controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) after their last vaccination, alongside unvaccinated controls. Efficacy was assessed by comparisons of parasite multiplication rates in the blood. PvDBPII/Matrix-M, given in a delayed dosing regimen, elicited the highest antibody responses and reduced the mean parasite multiplication rate after CHMI by 51% (n = 6) compared with unvaccinated controls (n = 13), whereas no other vaccine or regimen affected parasite growth. Both viral-vectored and protein vaccines were well tolerated and elicited expected, short-lived adverse events. Together, these results support further clinical evaluation of the PvDBPII/Matrix-M P. vivax vaccine

A framework of optimum cleaning schedule and its financial impact in a large-scale PV solar plant: a case study in Senegal

The performance of large-scale PV solar plant installed in sub-Saharan regions is affected by the deposition of dust on the surface of the PV modules. Frequent cleaning of the PV modules increases the profitability of PV solar plants. The objective of this study is to determine the optimal cleaning cycle of a PV solar plant subjected to a wind loaded with sand and dust. This study took place in a PV solar plant installed in Senegal. The measurement data are analysed for a period of two years and used to extract soiling rate. Optimization was done based on the total cost caused by dust on the PV solar plant to minimize the number of days between cleaning events. The results showed that the soiling rate between June and May is 0.34%/day, while a rate of 0.33%/day was recorded in October. The highest soiling rates of 0.42%/day and 0.49%/day were recorded in December and between February and March, respectively. The optimal cleaning cycle for the PV solar plant is 14 days. The total cost of cleaning is reduced by 31% using this optimal cleaning cycle proposed

Lighting controls and energy savings potential in tropical zone

Reducing global energy consumption is a challenge to limit the rise in average earth temperature. The use of lighting controls in the building leads to energy savings. The objective of this study is to evaluate the energy savings potential in buildings in tropical zone due to lighting controls. The results of the simulations show that 47.6% of energy savings could be obtained with a dimming control and 33.3% with an on/off control in this office considered

Theoretical study of an NH3–H2O absorption chiller powered by a linear Fresnel system modelled by combining ray tracing and CFD

This paper analyses the performance of a NH3–H2O absorption machine powered with a linear Fresnel reflector. , The various components of the absorption machine and the linear Fresnel reflector were dimensioned for a power of 10 kW. A numerical model combining Monte Carlo ray tracing and Computational Fluid Dynamics was developed to evaluate the outlet temperature of the linear Fresnel reflector. The outlet temperature is used as input data for the simulation of the thermodynamic model of the NH3–H2O absorption machine using the commercial software Engineering Equation Solver. The results showed that the linear Fresnel reflector consists of 30 reflectors with a length of 10 m and a wide of 0.2 m each, 5 absorber tubes with a height of 4 m each and 1 trapezoidal cavity with a length of 10 m and a height of 4.065 m. A hot source temperature of 169.24 °C was recorded when the coefficient of performance reaches 0.510