Class dynamics of development: a methodological note

This article argues that class relations are constitutive of developmental processes and central to understanding inequality within and between countries. In doing so it illustrates and explains the diversity of the actually existing forms of class relations, and the ways in which they interplay with other social relations such as gender and ethnicity. This is part of a wider project to re- vitalise class analysis in the study of development problems and experiences

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Ultralight vector dark matter search using data from the KAGRA O3GK run

Among the various candidates for dark matter (DM), ultralight vector DM can be probed by laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors through the measurement of oscillating length changes in the arm cavities. In this context, KAGRA has a unique feature due to differing compositions of its mirrors, enhancing the signal of vector DM in the length change in the auxiliary channels. Here we present the result of a search for U(1)B−L gauge boson DM using the KAGRA data from auxiliary length channels during the first joint observation run together with GEO600. By applying our search pipeline, which takes into account the stochastic nature of ultralight DM, upper bounds on the coupling strength between the U(1)B−L gauge boson and ordinary matter are obtained for a range of DM masses. While our constraints are less stringent than those derived from previous experiments, this study demonstrates the applicability of our method to the lower-mass vector DM search, which is made difficult in this measurement by the short observation time compared to the auto-correlation time scale of DM

Activité de la régulation au SAMU de Paris et analyse de la pertinence de l'alerte "carte vigilance canicule" au mois d'août 2003

PARIS-BIUM (751062103) / SudocCentre Technique Livre Ens. Sup. (774682301) / SudocSudocFranceF

Referent d-dimer enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay testing is of limited value in the exclusion of thromboembolic disease: result of a practical study in an ED.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess in clinical practice the accuracy of a referent d-dimer enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the exclusion of venous thromboembolic disease (VTED). PATIENTS AND METHODS: An observational prospective study took place in an emergency department; 205 consecutive outpatients suspected of having VTED were included. Blood samples were collected at admission for VIDAS DD measurement. Venous thromboembolic disease was confirmed by standard clinical imaging. All patients were followed up at 3 months. RESULTS: Venous thromboembolic disease was confirmed in 57 patients (28%). The sensitivity and negative predictive value of a DD assay lower than 500 ng/mL were 78% (95% confidence interval = 67%-87%) and 84% (95% confidence interval = 73%-90%), respectively. Twelve patients had a false-negative DD with one or more of the following: (a) symptoms reported for more than 15 days (n = 2), (b) prior anticoagulation (n = 3), (c) distal VTED (n = 5), or (d) high clinical probability (n = 3). CONCLUSION: In our cohort of patients, DD was less accurate than previously reported, with an upper estimate of the sensitivity of only 87%

Extracorporeal Life Support in a Case of Fatal Flecainide and Betaxolol Poisoning Allowing Successful Cardiac Allograft

International audienc

Comprendre et surveiller l'évolution de l'épidémie de Covid-19 à partir des appels au numéro 15: l'exemple de l'agglomération parisienne

International audienceWe portray the evolution of the Covid-19 epidemic during the crisis ofMarch-April 2020 in the Paris area, by analyzing the medical emergencycalls received by the EMS of the four central departments of this area(Centre 15 of SAMU 75, 92, 93 and 94). Our study reveals strongdissimilarities between these departments. We show that the logarithmof each epidemic observable can be approximated by a piecewise linearfunction of time. This allows us to distinguish the different phasesof the epidemic, and to identify the delay between sanitary measuresand their influence on the load of EMS. This also leads to analgorithm, allowing one to detect epidemic resurgences. We rely on atransport PDE epidemiological model, and we use methods fromPerron-Frobenius theory and tropical geometry.Nous décrivons l'évolution de l'épidémie de Covid-19 dans l'agglomération parisienne, pendant la crise de Mars-Avril 2020, en analysant les appels d'urgence au numéro 15 traités par les SAMU des quatre départements centraux de l'agglomération (75, 92, 93 et 94). Notre étude révèle de fortes disparités entres ces départements. Nous montrons que le logarithme de toute observable épidémique peut être approché par une fonction du temps linéaire par morceaux. Cela nous permet d'identifier les différentes phases d'évolution de l'épidémie, et aussi d'évaluer le délai entre la prise de mesures sanitaires et leur effet sur la sollicitation de l'aide médicale urgente. Nous en déduisons un algorithme permettant de détecter une resurgence éventuelle de l'épidémie. Notre approche s'appuie sur un modèle d'EDP de transport de l'évolution épidémique, ainsi que sur des méthodes de théorie de Perron-Frobenius et de géométrie tropicale