Agri-food clusters: Does French policy match with real spatial dynamics?

In this paper, we attempt to ascertain to what extent the clusters identified in the agricultural and agri-food space rely on a spatial dynamic involving real agricultural and agri-food activities in the relevant geographic area. We use explanatory spatial data analysis (ESDA) to detect the spatial structure and dynamics of agri-food activities and to connect them to the competitiveness clusters’ locations. Results show that the six clusters specifically studied have different profiles because of their proximity to dynamic areas of agricultural and agri-food production and because of their collaborations with other clusters. Keywords: French Competitiveness Clusters, spatial analysis, inter cluster collaboration.

Yinde Zhang, Mo Yan, le lieu de la fiction

Après avoir publié de nombreux ouvrages sur la littérature contemporaine chinoise, comme Le monde romanesque chinois au XXe siècle : modernités et identités, Le Roman chinois moderne 1918-1949, ouenfin Littérature comparée et perspectives chinoises, Yinde Zhang, professeur d'études chinoises et directeur de recherche au Centre d'études et de recherches comparatistes de l’Université Sorbonne Nouvelle-Paris 3, se penche ici sur un écrivain chinois contemporain désormais connu du public : Mo Yan..

Management of grapevine trunk diseases: knowledge transfer, current strategies and innovative strategies adopted in Europe

Since the early 1990s, grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) have posed threats for viticulture. Esca complex, Eutypa- and Botryosphaeria- diebacks, mostly detected in adult vineyards, are currently responsible for considerable economic losses in the main vine-growing areas of the world. Other GTDs, such as Petri- (Esca complex) and Black-foot diseases, are emerging problems in grapevine nurseries (resulting in grafting failures and/or loss of saleable plants) and in young vineyards. The impacts of GTDs in modern viticulture depend on several factors, some related to their complexity, and others linked to host plant characteristics, changes in vineyard management and to the scarcity of simple tools for their control. For these reasons control of GTDs remains difficult, also depending on knowledge transfer from research to field and vice versa. This paper outlines the main preventive and curative techniques currently applied, scientifically tested or not that have resulted from the outcomes of “Winetwork”, a European Union funded project with special emphasis on the promising and innovative approaches.

Cabbage and fermented vegetables : From death rate heterogeneity in countries to candidates for mitigation strategies of severe COVID-19

Large differences in COVID-19 death rates exist between countries and between regions of the same country. Some very low death rate countries such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, or the Balkans have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods. Although biases exist when examining ecological studies, fermented vegetables or cabbage have been associated with low death rates in European countries. SARS-CoV-2 binds to its receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). As a result of SARS-CoV-2 binding, ACE2 downregulation enhances the angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT(1)R) axis associated with oxidative stress. This leads to insulin resistance as well as lung and endothelial damage, two severe outcomes of COVID-19. The nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) is the most potent antioxidant in humans and can block in particular the AT(1)R axis. Cabbage contains precursors of sulforaphane, the most active natural activator of Nrf2. Fermented vegetables contain many lactobacilli, which are also potent Nrf2 activators. Three examples are: kimchi in Korea, westernized foods, and the slum paradox. It is proposed that fermented cabbage is a proof-of-concept of dietary manipulations that may enhance Nrf2-associated antioxidant effects, helpful in mitigating COVID-19 severity.Peer reviewe

Nrf2-interacting nutrients and COVID-19 : time for research to develop adaptation strategies

There are large between- and within-country variations in COVID-19 death rates. Some very low death rate settings such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, the Balkans and Africa have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods whose intake is associated with the activation of the Nrf2 (Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2) anti-oxidant transcription factor. There are many Nrf2-interacting nutrients (berberine, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, quercetin, resveratrol, sulforaphane) that all act similarly to reduce insulin resistance, endothelial damage, lung injury and cytokine storm. They also act on the same mechanisms (mTOR: Mammalian target of rapamycin, PPAR gamma:Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, NF kappa B: Nuclear factor kappa B, ERK: Extracellular signal-regulated kinases and eIF2 alpha:Elongation initiation factor 2 alpha). They may as a result be important in mitigating the severity of COVID-19, acting through the endoplasmic reticulum stress or ACE-Angiotensin-II-AT(1)R axis (AT(1)R) pathway. Many Nrf2-interacting nutrients are also interacting with TRPA1 and/or TRPV1. Interestingly, geographical areas with very low COVID-19 mortality are those with the lowest prevalence of obesity (Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia). It is tempting to propose that Nrf2-interacting foods and nutrients can re-balance insulin resistance and have a significant effect on COVID-19 severity. It is therefore possible that the intake of these foods may restore an optimal natural balance for the Nrf2 pathway and may be of interest in the mitigation of COVID-19 severity

Poetics of the drift in contemporary literature (Laurent Mauvignier, Lin Bai, Imre Kertész, )

Cette thèse s’attache à étudier la notion de dérive, à travers un corpus de récits français, hongrois et chinois écrits respectivement par Laurent Mauvignier, Imre Kertész et Lin Bai, et parus entre les années 1990 et 2014. Conçue par Guy Debord comme l’outil principal pour appréhender le relief psychogéographique de la ville, la dérive permet d’étudier, au sein des fictions contemporaines, l’importance de l’errance des personnages qui sont privés d’existence et donc de territoire : leur identité n’est plus fixée par un lieu, mais dissoute dans des lieux multiples ou des non-lieux. Nous nous attacherons donc à étudier en termes topographiques la brisure du lien entre le sujet et son territoire, comme premier symptôme d’une crise de l’identité. Cette perte du lieu invite ensuite à se pencher sur les manifestations de la disparition de soi, du malaise existentiel jusqu’aux formes de dissolution fantomatique du sujet. Enfin, la dérive pose la question éminente de la représentation car il s’agit de mettre des mots sur une identité flottante, qui a perdu le sens de l’existence comme de la parole : comment exprimer ce flottement, comment figurer la reconstruction du sujet contemporain ? Notre thèse s’appliquera à montrer en quoi la dérive constitue une véritable poétique, une vision aquatique du monde et de la littérature.This thesis aims to study the concept of drift, through a corpus of French, Hungarian and Chinese texts written by Laurent Mauvignier, Imre Kertész and Lin Bai, and published between the 1990s and 2014. Described by Guy Debord as a key word to experience the psychogeographic dimension of the city, the drift enables to study, through contemporary fictions, the important wandering of characters because they are deprived of existence and thus of a territory : their identity is no more attached to a place, but dissolved in many places or what is called non-places. We will thus study a topography of the gap between the self and its territory, as a first signal of an identity crisis. Then, this loss of a location invites us to focus on all the symptoms of the disappearance of the self, from living distress to any kind of ghostly dissolution of the self. Finally, the concept of drift questions representation because the writers have to express a floating identity, which has lost the meaning of existence and the meaning of language : how express this movement, how figure out the reconstruction of a contemporary self? Our thesis will show how the drift is a real poetics, an aquatic vision of the world and of literature

La prise en charge des hypoglycémies du nouveau-né en maternité (mise en place d'un nouveau protocole)

Introduction : Le risque d hypoglycémie en maternité est fréquent, la sélection des enfants concernés est l objet de nombreuses controverses mais leur surveillance comporte des stimulations douloureuses. Il faut donc cibler au mieux cette population, et développer des moyens de prévention pour éviter les hypoglycémies. L objectif de ce travail était de réécrire le protocole actuel après revue de la littérature et d en évaluer sa faisabilité. Matériel et méthodes : Après la revue de la littérature, le protocole a été modifié pour être mis en adéquation avec les données récentes et le rythme physiologique du nouveau-né : exclusion si poids 2500-2800 g ou 4000-4200g, alimentation précoce en salle de naissance, suppression de la glycémie capillaire systématique à une heure de vie. Une étude rétrospective sur trois mois évaluant la prise en charge des risques d hypoglycémie a été effectuée à la maternité du CHU d Amiens, puis les mêmes items ont été repris avec le protocole mis à jour. Ensuite, une enquête de faisabilité a été proposée au personnel. Résultats : Six nouveau-nés (16%) n auraient pas subi de dépistage mais aucune hypoglycémie n aurait été méconnue. Le nombre de glycémie capillaire par enfant diminuerait de 9%. La prévention par alimentation précoce se fait déjà dans environ 40% des cas. La majorité du personnel serait prête à adopter ces changements pour améliorer la qualité des soins. Conclusion : Ce changement de pratique est faisable sur le plan théorique et pratique. Il entre dans le cadre de l IHAB sur l accueil du nouveau-né et pourra être poursuivi par une étude prospective (évaluation des pratiques professionnelles) lors de sa mise en place.Introduction: The risk of hypoglycemia in the maternity ward is frequent. The selection of the concerned children has led to numerous controversies, but their monitoring includes painful stimulations. It is, thus, necessary to target at best this population, and to develop means of prevention to avoid hypoglycemia. The aim of this study was to rewrite the current protocol based on literature and to estimate its practicability. Material and methods: After the review of the literature, the protocol was modified to match the recent data as well as the physiological pace of the newborn: except if weight 2500-2800g or 4000-4200g, premature food in the delivery room, abolition of systematic capillary blood glucose one hour after birth. A retrospective three-month-study estimating the coverage of risks of hypoglycemia was conducted in the maternity of the CHU of Amiens. The same items were resumed with the updated protocol before a survey of feasibility was proposed to the staff. Results: 6 newborn children (16 %) would not have screening but no hypoglycemia would have been ignored. The amount of capillary blood glucose per child would decrease in 9 % of the cases. Prevention through premature food is already done in about 40 % of the cases. The majority of the staff would be ready to adopt these changes to improve the quality of cares. Conclusion: This change of practice is possible both in theory and practice. It is part of the development care for welcoming newborn children and can be pursued through an evaluation of professional practices while it is implemented.AMIENS-BU Santé (800212102) / SudocSudocFranceF

Cyclic versus linear polylactide: Straightforward access using a single catalyst

International audienceThe ability of lanthanide trisborohydrides Ln(BH4)3(THF)3 (Ln = La, Nd, and Sm) to produce either macrocyclic or linear poly(l-lactide) was established. The polymerization of l-lactide conducted under bulk conditions lead to the formation of cyclic polymers. When the same reaction was performed in the presence of benzyl alcohol as the transfer agent, it afforded alcohol-terminated linear polylactide in agreement with the occurrence of fully efficient transfer reactions to the alcohol