PERFORMANCE OF DURUM WHEAT VARIETIES (TRITICUM DURUM Desf.) UNDER CONVENTIONAL AND ORGANIC AGRICULTURE

Field experiments were conducted for four years to determine the effects of organic and conventional systems and fourteen varieties (nine old and five improved) on growth, yield and quality of durum wheat crop. The experiments conducted at two sites (low semi-arid and higher semi-arid) were laid out in a split-plot design with four replicates. Studied parameters included (i) grain yield, (ii) technological and nutritional quality of the whole grain, dry matter, specific weight, proteins, amino acids, mineral content, gluten and baking strength. Results of the agronomic traits indicated that grain yield is on the average lower under organic cultivation compared to conventional methods (2.32 and 2.98 t/ha SEM=0.18 qx/ha respectively). However, varieties performance under this environment changed in dry year. Data analysis indicated high production potential of some varieties such as Khiar, Ben Bechir and INRAT69 (2.47, 2.46 and 2.44 t/ha respectively) under organic farming method. INRAT69 was found stable for grain yield under organic farming with low coefficient of variation (33 %) and a linear regression coefficient close to one (bi=0.94). Khiar and Ben Bechir varieties, identified for organic cultivation, were unstable. Results of the technological and nutritional quality were influenced by the cultivation method. The organic method affected positively proline contents (1.154 vs 1.146 g/100g of FM) and cystéine (0.216 vs 0.186 g/100g of FM) and gluten index which is responsible for the rheological properties of dough (64.73 vs 61.46 %). Contrary to the organic method, grain protein content is better in the conventional method (13.9 vs 13.5 %/MF, ESM=0.008 %/MF). Organic cultivation of INRAT69 variety was found to be associated with high nutritional and technological quality parameters such us grain weight, dry matter, total amino acids content and gluten index. Regardless of the cultivation method, results showed that old varieties Badri, Jnah Khortifa and Hamira have high protein and total amino acids content (> 16 %/FM and > 14.5 g/100g FM, respectively). These varieties should be considered by breeders in selection and breeding programs of durum wheat for organic farming. Based on these results, only INRAT69 variety could be potentially used in organic agriculture not only because its stable yield, but also because of its higher technological and nutritional quality. This variety could also be adapted for manufacturing organic pasta and couscous

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

On the determinants of industry-CDS index spreads: Evidence from a nonlinear setting

International audienc

Hedging and diversification across commodity assets

International audienceWe investigate the conditional cross effects and volatility spillover between equity markets and commodity markets (oil and gold), Fama and French HML and SMB factors, volatility index (VIX) and bonds using different multivariate GARCH specifications considering the potential asymmetry and persistence behaviours. We analyse the dynamic conditional correlation between the US equity market and a set of commodity prices and risk factors to forecast the transmission of shock to the equity market firstly, and to determine and compare the optimal hedge ratios from the different models based on the hedging effectiveness of each model. Our findings suggest that all models confirm the significant returns and volatility spillovers. More importantly, we find that GO-GARCH is the best-fit model for modelling the joint dynamics of different financial variables. The results of the current study have implications for investors: (i) the equity market displays inverted dynamics with the volatility index suggesting strong evidence of diversification benefit; (ii) of the hedging assets gold appears the best hedge for the US equity market as it has a higher hedge effectiveness than oil and bonds over time; and (iii) despite these important results, a better hedge may be obtained by using well-selected firm sized and profitability-based portfolios

Contagion and bond pricing: The case of the ASEAN region

International audienc

Genetic analysis of hereditary multiple exostoses in Tunisian families: a novel frame-shift mutation in the EXT1 gene

International audienceHereditary multiple exostoses (HME) is an autosomal dominant orthopaedic disorder most frequently caused by mutations in the EXT1 gene. The aim of the present study is to determine the underlying molecular defect of HME in two multigenerational Tunisian families with 21 affected members and to examine the degree of intrafamilial variability. Linkage analysis was performed using three microsatellite markers encompassing the EXT1 locus and mutation screening was carried out by direct sequencing. In family 1, evidence for linkage to EXT1 was obtained on the basis of a maximum LOD score of 4.26 at theta = 0.00 with D8S1694 marker. Sequencing of the EXT1 revealed a heterozygous G > T transversion (c.1019G > T) in exon 2, leading to a missense mutation at the codon 340 (p.Arg340Leu). In family 2 we identified a novel heterozygous 1 bp deletion in the exon 1 (c.529\₅31delA) leading to a premature codon stop and truncated EXT1 protein expression (p.Lys177LysfsX15). This mutation was associated with the evidence of an intrafamilial clinical variability and considered to be a novel disease-causing mutation in the EXT1 gene. These findings provide additional support for the involvement of EXT1 gene in the HME disease

Avulsion of the Lesser Trochanter Following a Shot Put Sport Session

Avulsion of the lesser trochanter is an uncommon injury. In children and adolescents it usually occurs as a sports injury via traumatic avulsion of the psoas major tendon. In adults, isolated fractures of the lesser trochanter are most commonly pathological due to metastatic tumor invasion of the proximal femur. This case report documents how a 14-year-old boy, who presented with an avulsion of the lesser trochanter of the proximal femur following a seemingly atraumatic shot put session at a track and field event, was diagnosed and successfully treated with a conservative approach

Avulsion of the Lesser Trochanter Following a Shot Put Sport Session

Avulsion of the lesser trochanter is an uncommon injury. In children and adolescents it usually occurs as a sports injury via traumatic avulsion of the psoas major tendon. In adults, isolated fractures of the lesser trochanter are most commonly pathological due to metastatic tumor invasion of the proximal femur. This case report documents how a 14-year-old boy, who presented with an avulsion of the lesser trochanter of the proximal femur following a seemingly atraumatic shot put session at a track and field event, was diagnosed and successfully treated with a conservative approach

Avulsion of the Lesser Trochanter Following a Shot Put Sport Session

Avulsion of the lesser trochanter is an uncommon injury. In children and adolescents it usually occursas a sports injury via traumatic avulsion of the psoas major tendon. In adults, isolated fractures of thelesser trochanter are most commonly pathological due to metastatic tumor invasion of the proximalfemur. This case report documents how a 14-year-old boy, who presented with an avulsion of thelesser trochanter of the proximal femur following a seemingly atraumatic shot put session at a trackand field event, was diagnosed and successfully treated with a conservative approach