Analyse de la performance économique de production de Chou (Brassica oleracea) biologique dans les communes de Cotonou et de Sèmè Kpodji au Sud-Bénin

Le chou, une importante culture maraîchère des communes de Cotonou et de Sèmè-Kpodji, est l’objet d’une forte pression parasitaire. Il est en conséquence objet de beaucoup de traitement à base des pesticides chimiques et source de contamination pour les consommateurs. Face à ce problème, les producteurs du réseau AMAP (Association pour le Maintien d’une Agriculture Paysanne) ont adopté la production de chou biologique. La production de chou biologique est-elle performante économiquement ? Notre étude se propose d’analyser la performance économique de production de chou biologique. Les données ont été collectées auprès de quarante (40) producteurs de chou biologique et quarante (40) producteurs de chou conventionnel. Les résultats ont montré que le rendement de chou biologique était inférieur à celui de chou conventionnel. La valeur ajoutée, l’excédent brut d’exploitation et le résultat net d’exploitation de chou biologique étaient supérieur à ceux de chou conventionnel. La proportion de revenu net annuel apporté par la production de chou biologique dans la dépense totale annuelle de consommation du ménage de producteur était 78,5 %. La dépense alimentaire annuelle des ménages de producteur de chou biologique représentait 49,5% dans la dépense totale annuelle de consommation. Le revenu net annuel apporté par la production de chou biologique dans le ménage du producteur était élevé pour nourrit le ménage du producteur. La production de chou biologique permet de nourrir le producteur et son ménage

Rare manifestation of a c.290 C\u3eT, p.Gly97Glu VCP mutation

Introduction. The valosin-containing protein (VCP) regulates several distinct cellular processes. Consistent with this, VCP mutations manifest variable clinical phenotypes among and within families and are a diagnostic challenge. Methods. A 60-year-old man who played ice hockey into his 50’s was evaluated by electrodiagnostics, muscle biopsy, and molecular genetics. Results. With long-standing pes cavus and toe walking, our patient developed progressive weakness, cramps, memory loss, and paresthesias at age 52. An axonal sensorimotor neuropathy was found upon repeated testing at age 58. Neuropathic histopathology was present in the quadriceps, and exome sequencing revealed the VCP mutation c.290 C>T, p.Gly97Glu. Conclusions. Our patient reflects the clinical heterogeneity of VCP mutations, as his neurological localization is a spectrum between a lower motor neuron disorder and a hereditary axonal peripheral neuropathy such as CMT2. Our case demonstrates a rare manifestation of the c.290 C>T, pGly97Glu VCP mutation

Does Falling Smoking Lead to Rising Obesity?

The strong negative correlation over time between smoking rates and obesity have led some to suggest that reduced smoking is increasing weight gain in the U.S.. This conclusion is supported by the findings of Chou et al. (2004), who conclude that higher cigarette prices lead to increased body weight. We investigate this issue and find no evidence that reduced smoking leads to weight gain. Using the cigarette tax rather than the cigarette price and controlling for non-linear time effects, we find a negative effect of cigarette taxes on body weight, implying that reduced smoking leads to lower body weights. Yet our results, as well as Chou et al., imply implausibly large effects of smoking on body weight. Thus, we cannot confirm that falling smoking leads in a major way to rising obesity rates in the U.S

MUC1-C drives myeloid leukaemogenesis and resistance to treatment by a survivin-mediated mechanism

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is an aggressive haematological malignancy with an unmet need for improved therapies. Responses to standard cytotoxic therapy in AML are often transient because of the emergence of chemotherapy-resistant disease. The MUC1-C oncoprotein governs critical pathways of tumorigenesis, including self-renewal and survival, and is aberrantly expressed in AML blasts and leukaemia stem cells (LSCs). However, a role for MUC1-C in linking leukaemogenesis and resistance to treatment has not been described. In this study, we demonstrate that MUC1-C overexpression is associated with increased leukaemia initiating capacity in an NSG mouse model. In concert with those results, MUC1-C silencing in multiple AML cell lines significantly reduced the establishment of AML in vivo. In addition, targeting MUC1-C with silencing or pharmacologic inhibition with GO-203 led to a decrease in active β-catenin levels and, in-turn, down-regulation of survivin, a critical mediator of leukaemia cell survival. Targeting MUC1-C was also associated with increased sensitivity of AML cells to Cytarabine (Ara-C) treatment by a survivin-dependent mechanism. Notably, low MUC1 and survivin gene expression were associated with better clinical outcomes in patients with AML. These findings emphasize the importance of MUC1-C to myeloid leukaemogenesis and resistance to treatment by driving survivin expression. Our findings also highlight the potential translational relevance of combining GO-203 with Ara-C for the treatment of patients with AML

Solution of the Three--Anyon Problem

We solve, by separation of variables, the problem of three anyons with a harmonic oscillator potential. The anyonic symmetry conditions from cyclic permutations are separable in our coordinates. The conditions from two-particle transpositions are not separable, but can be expressed as reflection symmetry conditions on the wave function and its normal derivative on the boundary of a circle. Thus the problem becomes one-dimensional. We solve this problem numerically by discretization. $N$-point discretization with very small $N$ is often a good first approximation, on the other hand convergence as $N\to\infty$ is sometimes very slow.Comment: 15 pages, LaTeX2.0

Does Falling Smoking Lead to Rising Obesity?

The strong negative correlation over time between smoking rates and obesity have led some to suggest that reduced smoking is increasing weight gain in the U.S.. This conclusion is supported by the findings of Chou et al. (2004), who conclude that higher cigarette prices lead to increased body weight. We investigate this issue and find no evidence that reduced smoking leads to weight gain. Using the cigarette tax rather than the cigarette price and controlling for non-linear time effects, we find a negative effect of cigarette taxes on body weight, implying that reduced smoking leads to lower body weights. Yet our results, as well as Chou et al., imply implausibly large effects of smoking on body weight. Thus, we cannot confirm that falling smoking leads in a major way to rising obesity rates in the U.S.

POINT ESTIMATION OF THE PROCESS CAPABILITY INDEX C(pk)

In this paper point estimation of the process capability index C(pk) is considered. In order to improve on the natural estimator, a simple alternative estimator is proposed and its mean square error is evaluated numerically

Attaques en rase-mottes dans les cultures maraîchères biologiques suisses

De nombreux ravageurs des légumes, comme p. ex. la mouche de la carotte, la mouche du chou ou la cécidomyie du chou, font vraiment du rase-mottes: ils se déplacent dans la végétation ou très bas au-dessus d’elle. Des filets verticaux, véritables clôtures anti-insectes, permettent de les stopper à leur entrée dans les cultures