Désengagement de l’État et réponses paysannes au Cameroun

Poussé par les bailleurs de fonds, l’État du Cameroun s’est désengagé des secteurs de production et partant, des subventions multiformes de l’agriculture. En réaction à cette situation, les paysans ont décidé de se prendre en main eux-mêmes en créant ou renforçant les associations locales. L’émergence des associations locales de toutes sortes et la multiplication des initiatives locales ont contribué également à l’amélioration des conditions et du cadre de vie des populations rurales. La population s’organise pour contribuer financièrement, physiquement et matériellement pour construire, aménager et réhabiliter les infrastructures diverses. Ces initiatives communautaires, souvent appuyées financièrement et techniquement par les ONG locales, nationales, internationales et aussi par la coopération internationale constituent autant de tentatives de réponse à la dégradation des conditions de vie et de l’incapacité de l’État camerounais à assurer un fonctionnement correct et régulier des services publics et des équipements ruraux. Malgré les efforts multiformes faits par les associations locales, aucun village n’a atteint un degré de développement appréciable. Toutefois, la situation aurait été catastrophique si elles n’existaient pas.Disengagement of the national Government of Cameroon in the development of rural areas and reactions of the peasants The emergence of all types of local associations and the rapid increase of local initiatives to ameliorate their living conditions is today a very important phenomenon in the development of rural areas. Organised and contributing in cash, labour and materially to construct bridges, taps, schools, open up roads and renovate old infrastructures, these community initiatives supported financially and technically by local, national and international NGOs and by micro projects finance departments of Embassies and cooperation constitute some reactions to the degradating living conditions and the incapability of the state to assure a correct functioning and provide public services and rural infrastructures. Yet, no village is developed

Two cases of spinal muscular atrophy type II with eosinophilic oesophagitis.

Although primarily characterised by loss of motor neurons from the anterior horn of spinal cord and muscle atrophy, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is now recognised as a multi-systemic disorder. Here, we report two SMA Type II patients with eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE), a rare, chronic immune/antigen-mediated condition. One patient presented with dysphagia and poor weight gain, and the second patient had symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) and poor weight gain. In both patients, macroscopic observations during gastroscopy indicated typical signs of EoE, which were verified during histological examination of oesophageal biopsies. Given that there is a specific treatment strategy for EoE, these cases highlight the importance of considering this condition in clinical investigations - especially for patients with SMA - who have GOR, discomfort, and oral aversion

Formation of double-Λ\Lambda hypernuclei at PANDA

We study the formation of single- and double-$\Lambda$ hypernuclei in antiproton-induced reactions relevant for the forthcoming PANDA experiment at FAIR. We use the Giessen Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (GiBUU) transport model with relativistic mean-fields for the description of non-equilibrium dynamics and the statistical multifragmentation model (SMM) for fragment formation. This combined approach describes the dynamical properties of strangeness and fragments in low energy $\bar{p}$-induced reactions fairly well. We then focus on the formation of double-$\Lambda$ hypernuclei in high energy $\bar{p}$-nucleus collisions on a primary target including the complementary $\Xi$-induced reactions to a secondary one, as proposed by the PANDA collaboration. Our results show that a copious production of double-$\Lambda$ hyperfragments is possible at PANDA. In particular, we provide first theoretical estimations on the double-$\Lambda$ production cross section, which strongly rises with decreasing energy of the secondary $\Xi$-beam.Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures, Nuclear Physics A, in pres

The Role of TSLP in IL-13-Induced Atopic March

Although atopic dermatitis (AD) is the initial step of the “atopic march”, a progression from AD to asthma, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Selective expression of IL-13 in the skin of mice caused an AD phenotype resembling human AD, and the disorder was associated with enhanced production of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in the AD skin with a systemic Th2 immunity. Here we show that IL-13 transgenic mice with AD had significantly enhanced lung inflammation, mucus hypersecretion, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) when sensitized and challenged by allergen. In addition, the level of TSLP was significantly higher in acute AD than in chronic AD. Furthermore, elimination of TSLP signaling significantly diminished the allergic asthma responses, immune cell production of Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-13), and serum IgE. These studies indicate that IL-13 induces AD and atopic march via a TSLP dependent mechanism

The Atopic March: Progression from Atopic Dermatitis to Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory disease characterized by pruritic skin lesions. The pathogenesis of AD may include disrupted epidermal barrier function, immunodysregulation, and IgE-mediated sensitization to food and environmental allergens. AD is also part of a process called the atopic march, a progression from AD to allergic rhinitis and asthma. This has been supported by multiple cross-sectional and longitudinal studies and experimental data. Research on the mechanisms of AD has been centered on the adaptive immune system with an emphasis on the T-helper 1 (Th1)-Th2 paradigm. Recently, the conceptual focus has largely shifted to include a primary defect in the epithelial barrier as an initial event in AD providing a significant insight into the disease initiation and pointing to a complex secondary interplay of environmental and immunological sequelae with barrier disruption. Further understanding of AD will help the development of more effective treatment for AD and ultimately, preventative algorithms for the atopic march. In this review we highlight recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of AD and the atopic march