Relationship between Younger Age, Autoimmunity, Cardiometabolic Risk, Oxidative Stress, HAART, and Ischemic Stroke in Africans with HIV/AIDS

Background and Purpose. It now appears clear that both HIV/AIDS and antiretroviral therapy (HAART) use are associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease such as stroke. In this study, we evaluated the prevalence, the risk factors, and the cardiometabolic comorbidities of stroke in HIV/AIDS Central African patients. Methods. This hospital-based cross-sectional study collected clinical, laboratory, and imaging data of black Central African heterosexual, intravenous drug nonuser, and HIV/AIDS patients. Results. There were 54 men and 62 women, with a female to male ratio of 1.2 : 1. All were defined by hypercoagulability and oxidative stress. Hemorrhagic stroke was reported in 1 patient, ischemic stroke in 17 patients, and all stroke subtypes in 18 patients (15%). Younger age <45 years (P = .003), autoimmunity (P < .0001), and metabolic syndrome defined by IDF criteria (P < .0001) were associated with ischemic stroke. Conclusions. Clustering of several cardiometabolic factors, autoimmunity, oxidative stress, and lifestyle changes may explain accelerated atherosclerosis and high risk of stroke in these young black Africans with HIV/AIDS. Prevention and intervention programs are needed

Xeno-monitoring of molecular drivers of artemisinin and partner drug resistance in P. falciparum populations in malaria vectors across Cameroon

Background: Monitoring of drug resistance in Plasmodium populations is crucial for malaria control. This has primarily been performed in humans and rarely in mosquitoes where parasites genetic recombination occurs. Here, we characterized the Plasmodium spp populations in wild Anopheles vectors by analyzing the genetic diversity of the P. falciparum kelch13 and mdr1 gene fragments implicated in artemisinin and partner drug resistance across Cameroon in three major malaria vectors. Methods: Anopheles mosquitoes were collected across nine localities in Cameroon and dissected into the head/thorax (H/T) and abdomen (Abd) after species identification. A TaqMan assay was performed to detect Plasmodium infection. Fragments of the Kelch 13 and mdr1 genes were amplified in P. falciparum positive samples and directly sequenced to assess their drug resistance polymorphisms and genetic diversity profile. Results: The study revealed a high Plasmodium infection rate in the major Anopheles vectors across Cameroon. Notably, An. funestus vector recorded the highest sporozoite (8.0%) and oocyst (14.4%) infection rates. A high P. falciparum sporozoite rate (80.08%) alongside epidemiological signatures of significant P. malariae (15.9%) circulation were recorded in these vectors. Low genetic diversity with six (A578S, R575I, G450R, L663L, G453D, N458D) and eight (H53H, V62L, V77E, N86Y, G102G, L132I, H143H, Y184F) point mutations were observed in the k13 and mdr1 backbones respectively. Remarkably, the R575I (4.4%) k13 and Y184F (64.2%) mdr1 mutations were the predominant variants in the P. falciparum populations. Conclusion: The emerging signal of the R575I polymorphism in the Pfk13 propeller backbone entails the regular surveillance of molecular markers to inform evidence-based policy decisions. Moreover, the high frequency of the 86N184F allele highlights concerns on the plausible decline in efficacy of artemisinin-combination therapies (ACTs); further implying that parasite genotyping from mosquitoes can provide a more relevant scale for quantifying resistance epidemiology in the field

Multiple glacial refugia and contemporary dispersal shape the genetic structure of an endemic amphibian from the Pyrenees

Historical factors (colonization scenarios, demographic oscillations) and contemporary processes (population connectivity, current population size) largely contribute to shaping species’ present-day genetic diversity and structure. In this study, we use a combination of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers to understand the role of Quaternary climatic oscillations and present-day gene flow dynamics in determining the genetic diversity and structure of the newt Calotriton asper (Al. Dugès, 1852), endemic to the Pyrenees. Mitochondrial DNA did not show a clear phylogeographic pattern and presented low levels of variation. In contrast, microsatellites revealed five major genetic lineages with admixture patterns at their boundaries. Approximate Bayesian computation analyses and linear models indicated that the five lineages likely underwent separate evolutionary histories and can be tracked back to distinct glacial refugia. Lineage differentiation started around the Last Glacial Maximum at three focal areas (western, central and eastern Pyrenees) and extended through the end of the Last Glacial Period in the central Pyrenees, where it led to the formation of two more lineages. Our data revealed no evidence of recent dispersal between lineages, whereas borders likely represent zones of secondary contact following expansion from multiple refugia. Finally, we did not find genetic evidence of sex-biased dispersal. This work highlights the importance of integrating past evolutionary processes and present-day gene flow and dispersal dynamics, together with multilocus approaches, to gain insights into what shaped the current genetic attributes of amphibians living in montane habitats.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Viral to metazoan marine plankton nucleotide sequences from the Tara Oceans expedition

A unique collection of oceanic samples was gathered by the Tara Oceans expeditions (2009-2013), targeting plankton organisms ranging from viruses to metazoans, and providing rich environmental context measurements. Thanks to recent advances in the field of genomics, extensive sequencing has been performed for a deep genomic analysis of this huge collection of samples. A strategy based on different approaches, such as metabarcoding, metagenomics, single-cell genomics and metatranscriptomics, has been chosen for analysis of size-fractionated plankton communities. Here, we provide detailed procedures applied for genomic data generation, from nucleic acids extraction to sequence production, and we describe registries of genomics datasets available at the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA, www.ebi.ac.uk/ena). The association of these metadata to the experimental procedures applied for their generation will help the scientific community to access these data and facilitate their analysis. This paper complements other efforts to provide a full description of experiments and open science resources generated from the Tara Oceans project, further extending their value for the study of the world's planktonic ecosystems

La transition écologique et sociale pour un changement de paradigme de la politique européenne d’aide au développement à destination de l’Afrique

International audienc

Le projet de directive-cadre sur la protection des sols. Etat de la question

International audienc

La transition écologique et sociale pour un changement de paradigme de la politique européenne d’aide au développement à destination de l’Afrique

International audienc

Les interstices et les communs urbains dans la construction de la ville « écologique »

International audienceLa présente proposition appréhende la thématique des interstices et des communs urbains à travers le prisme du droit de l’environnement sous l’angle original de la protection des sols. Afin d’atténuer les effets du changement climatique, le sol urbain doit être perçu comme un milieu naturel dont la valorisation des fonctions écologiques concourt à l’édification d’une ville « résiliente » aux changements globaux. Les potentialités écologiques des espaces interstitiels ont été valorisées par des initiatives citoyennes visant à végétaliser (jardins urbains) ou à entretenir les sols urbains à des fins agricoles (potagers collectifs). Une telle mobilisation des interstices urbains concourt à la réalisation d’objectifs environnementaux tels que la « neutralité en matière de dégradation des terres » ou celui de « ville durable » lesquels peinent à être misen œuvre sur le terrain législatif et règlementaire. Aveux d’impuissance ou non, les pouvoirs publics prêtent une attention particulière à ces initiatives proposant de les encourager voire de les encadrer. Partant de ce constat, cette proposition questionne les contours de la « citoyenneté environnementale », notion iconoclaste faisant débat dans la doctrine juridique. Force est de constater qu’en verdissant de tels espaces, les populations citadines font valoir leur droit, selon les termes de la Charte de l’environnement, « à un environnement équilibré et respectueux de la santé » de même qu’ils remplissent leur « devoir » en prenant part à « la préservation et à l’amélioration de [leur] environnement ». Si cette citoyenneté environnementale s’exerce en dehors des plateformes institutionnelles spécifiquement érigées pour son expression, elle satisfait à une volonté d’agir collectivement pour la défense d’un projet de société faisant senspour la communauté. Cette réflexion sur la « citoyenneté environnementale » s’accompagne nécessairement d’une étude du concept de biens « communs ». Comme le souligne Jean-Marc Sauvé dans le rapport dénommé La démocratie environnementale. Un cycle de conférences au Conseil d’Etat, « la citoyenneté environnementale (...) est liée à la seule existence d’un bien public » puisque « l’environnement est le patrimoine commun des êtres humains ». Nul doute alors que les éléments naturels qui composent les interstices urbains, au nombre desquelles figurent les sols, puissent être considérés comme des « communs environnementaux ». La reconnaissance d’un tel statut justifierait l’édification d’un nouveau régime juridique, superposé ou substitué à la propriété privée et à la domanialité publique, pérennisant l’usage collectif de ces espaces ainsi que les initiatives écologiques qui y sont nées. Cet aménagement du droit, nécessaire pour sécuriser l’occupation et la gestion collective des interstices urbains, concourrait à l’édification d’une ville « durable », objectif poursuivi par les politiques publiquesqui, à force de résistances, restent finalement lettre mort