Traditional Techniques of oil extraction from Kapok (Ceiba pentandra Gaertn.), Mahogany (Khaya senegalensis) and Neem (Azadirach indica A. Juss.) Seeds from the Far-North Region of cameroon

An investigation was carried out in four localities of the Far-North of Cameroon (Maroua, Mokolo, Kaele and Yagoua in order to improve endogenous methods of oil extraction from kapok (Ceiba pentandra Gaertn.), mahogany (Hhaya Senegalensis) and neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) seed. The questionnaire administered to 75 traditional producers permitted us to note that extraction of oil from kapok is scarce. The traditional extraction processes from these oilseeds vary. But two principal techniques are predominant: the kneading process and the heated paste process. Husking, pounding and extraction make up the bottleneck. The yields are low, averagely six pans (of 1L capacity) are used to obtain one litre of oil. Amelioration of these methods through the introduction of grinders and pressers will not only help reduce strenuousness, but also increase the capacity to treat the yields and oil quality

The intensification of thermal extremes in west Africa

International audienceThis study aims in filling the gap in understanding the relationship between trend and extreme in diurnal and nocturnal temperatures (Tx and Tn) over the Gulf of Guinea area and the Sahel. Time-evolution and trend of Tx and Tn anomalies, extreme temperatures and heat waves are examined using regional and station-based indices over the 1900–2012 and 1950–2012 periods respectively. In investigating extreme temperature anomalies and heat waves, a percentile method is used. At the regional and local scales, rising trends in Tx and Tn anomalies, which appear more pronounced over the past 60 years, are identified over the two regions. The trends are characterized by an intensification of: i) nocturnal/Tn warming over the second half of the 20th century; and ii) diurnal/Tx warming over the post-1980s. This is the same scheme with extreme warm days and warm nights. Finally annual number of diurnal and nocturnal heat waves has increase over the Gulf of Guinea coastal regions over the second half of the 20th century, and even more substantially over the post-1980s period. Although this trend in extreme warm days and nights is always overestimated in the simulations, from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5), those models display rising trends whatever the scenario, which are likely to be more and more pronounced over the two regions in the next 50 years

Genotypic HIV-1 tropism determination might help to identify people with exhausted treatment options and advanced disease

Objectives: To evaluate HIV-1 tropism in 1382 combined antiretroviral therapy (cART)-experienced patients failing therapy to characterize those with exhausted therapeutic options. Methods: HIV-1 genotypic tropism was inferred through Geno2Pheno by estimating the false-positive-rate (FPR) values. Cumulative resistance and drug activity were evaluated by Stanford algorithm. Results: Overall, median (IQR) CD4 count (cells/mm3) nadir and at last genotypic resistance test (GRT) available were 98 (33-211) and 312 (155-517), respectively. Considering HIV-1 tropism, 30.5% had X4/dual-mixed strains (FPR ≤5%: 22.2%; FPR 5%-10%: 8.3%). By stratifying according to tropism, by decreasing FPR, a significant decrease of CD4 nadir and at last GRT was observed. The proportion of individuals with CD4 count <200 cells/mm3, who were perinatally infected and with a long treatment history significantly increased as FPR levels decreased. Regarding resistance, 933 (67.5%) individuals accumulated at least one class resistance, with 52.7%, 48.2%, 23.5% and 13.2% of individuals showing resistance to NRTIs, NNRTIs, PIs and INIs; while 23.2%, 27.2%, 14.3% and 2.8% harboured resistance to 1, 2, 3 and 4 classes, respectively. Individuals with FPR ≤5% showed a significantly higher level of resistance to PIs, NRTIs and INIs compared with others. The proportion of individuals harbouring strains susceptible to ≤2 active drugs was only about 2%; nonetheless, this proportion doubled (4.6%) in patients infected with FPR ≤5%. Conclusions: Our findings showed that a small proportion of cART failing individuals have limited therapeutic options. However, tropism determination might help to identify people who have accumulated a high level of resistance and have a greater risk of advanced disease

Networks, space and organisational performance:a study of the determinants of industrial research income generation by universities

This paper examines the extent to which both network structure and spatial factors impact on the organizational performance of universities as measured by the generation of industrial research income. Drawing on data concerning the interactions of universities in the UK with large research and development (R&D)-intensive firms, the paper employs both social network analysis and regression analysis. It is found that the structural position of a university within networks with large R&D-intensive firms is significantly associated with the level of research income gained from industry. Spatial factors, on the other hand, are not found to be clearly associated with performance, suggesting that universities operate on a level playing field across regional environments once other factors are controlled for

po 8397 viral suppression among cameroonian adults adolescents and children receiving antiretroviral therapy in the test treat era

BackgroundGlobal efforts in meeting the 90–90–90 targets reveal that 70% of infected people know their HIV status, 77% of these are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 82% of treated patients have viral suppression. Since launching the 'test and treat' strategy and wider access to drugs that bring down the viral load (VL), evaluating viral suppression would help to identify those requiring interventions and to make progress towards meeting the targets in Cameroon.MethodsA study was conducted from October 2015 to August 2017 amongst adults (≥20 years), adolescents (10–19) and children (0–9) at 12, 24, 36 and ≥48 months on ART, monitored at the Chantal BIYA International Reference Centre for research on HIV/AIDS prevention and management (CIRCB) in Yaoundé, Cameroon. VL was established using Abbott m2000RT-PCR. VS was defined as VL <1000 copies/ml; with p<0,05 considered significant.ResultsA total of 1979 patients (70% female) were enrolled (1825 adults, 112 adolescents, 42 children); 1865 were on first-line (NNRTI-based, duration: 48 [IQR 24–48] months) vs. 114 on second-line (PI/r-based, duration: 48 [IQR 36–48] months); with 19%(368) at Month2, 14%(274) at Month24, 10%(207) at Month36% and 54% (1130) at ≥Month48. Overall, viral suppression was 79.4%, and 64.3% had controlled viral replication (VL <40). On first-line, viral suppression was 79.7% (1487) vs. 72.2%(83) on second-line (p=0,076). By ART duration, viral suppression was 83.4%(Month12), 85.8%(Month24), 74.9%(Month36) and 77.3% (≥Month48); p=0,0011. By age-range, viral suppression was 76.2% in children, 54.5% in adolescents, and 80.9% in adults (p<0,0001). By age and ART-regimen, viral suppression on first vs. second line was: children 76.5% vs. 60%; adolescents 51.7% vs. 65.2%; and adults 81.2% vs. 74.7%.ConclusionAbout 80% of Cameroonian patients might be experiencing viral suppression, with a declining performance at adolescence and by 3 years of ART experience. Thus, meeting the viral suppression target by 2020 requires a closer VL monitoring strategy and an adapted adherence support mechanism for adolescents living with HIV in resource-limited settings sharing similar challenges

A Genetic Biomarker of Oxidative Stress, the Paraoxonase-1 Q192R Gene Variant, Associates with Cardiomyopathy in CKD: A Longitudinal Study

Background. Oxidative stress is a hallmark of CKD and this alteration is strongly implicated in LV hypertrophy and in LV dysfunction. Methods and Patients. We resorted to the strongest genetic biomarker of paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activity, the Q192R variant in the PON1 gene, to unbiasedly assess (Mendelian randomization) the cross-sectional and longitudinal association of this gene-variant with LV mass and function in 206 CKD patients with a 3-year follow-up. Results. The R allele of Q192R polymorphism associated with oxidative stress as assessed by plasma 8-isoPGF2α (P=0.03) and was dose-dependently related in a direct fashion to LVMI (QQ: 131.4 ± 42.6 g/m2; RQ: 147.7 ± 51.1 g/m2; RR: 167.3 ± 41.9 g/m2; P=0.001) and in an inverse fashion to systolic function (LV Ejection Fraction) (QQ: 79 ± 12%; RQ: 69 ± 9%; RR: 65 ± 10% P=0.002). On longitudinal observation, this gene variant associated with the evolution of the same echocardiographic indicators [LVMI: 13.40 g/m2 per risk allele, P=0.005; LVEF: −2.96% per risk allele, P=0.001]. Multivariate analyses did not modify these associations. Conclusion. In CKD patients, the R allele of the Q192R variant in the PON1 gene is dose-dependently related to the severity of LVH and LV dysfunction and associates with the longitudinal evolution of these cardiac alterations. These results are compatible with the hypothesis that oxidative stress is implicated in cardiomyopathy in CKD patients

Angiotensin-converting enzyme I/D polymorphism and preeclampsia risk: evidence of small-study bias

BACKGROUND: Inappropriate activation of the renin-angiotensin system may play a part in the development of preeclampsia. An insertion/deletion polymorphism within the angiotensin-I converting enzyme gene (ACE-I/D) has shown to be reliably associated with differences in angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity. However, previous studies of the ACE-I/D variant and preeclampsia have been individually underpowered to detect plausible genotypic risks. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A prospective case-control study was conducted in 1,711 unrelated young pregnant women (665 preeclamptic and 1,046 healthy pregnant controls) recruited from five Colombian cities. Maternal blood was obtained to genotype for the ACE-I/D polymorphism. Crude and adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) using logistic regression models were obtained to evaluate the strength of the association between ACE-I/D variant and preeclampsia risk. A meta-analysis was then undertaken of all published studies to February 2006 evaluating the ACE-I/D variant in preeclampsia. An additive model (per-D-allele) revealed a null association between the ACE-I/D variant and preeclampsia risk (crude OR = 0.95 [95% CI, 0.81-1.10]) in the new case-control study. Similar results were obtained after adjusting for confounders (adjusted per-allele OR = 0.90 [95% CI, 0.77-1.06]) and using other genetic models of inheritance. A meta-analysis (2,596 cases and 3,828 controls from 22 studies) showed a per-allele OR of 1.26 (95% CI, 1.07-1.49). An analysis stratified by study size showed an attenuated OR toward the null as study size increased. CONCLUSIONS: It is highly likely that the observed small nominal increase in risk of preeclampsia associated with the ACE D-allele is due to small-study bias, similar to that observed in cardiovascular disease. Reliable assessment of the origins of preeclampsia using a genetic approach may require the establishment of a collaborating consortium to generate a dataset of adequate size