The impact of global changes on agriculture: the case of Ivorian Basin of Comoe River. [P-3330-16]

Since some decades, the Ivorian Comoe river Basin faced environmental and climatic changes. As one of rainfed agriculture leading forces, climate conditions display (here) a major role in agriculture transformations. The simulation of water need requirements, coupled with farming systems, shows that actual global changes mainly benefit to annual crops such as corn (Zea mays), and allows the upgrading of the trees crop as cashew (Anacardium occidentale), rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), etc. However, the precariousness of the production systems, whose practices have not deeply changed, has to be linked with the combined effects of land saturation, agricultural policies and need of cash faced by farming communities. Therefore, the diversification and reconversion toward rubber plantation, are to be considered as farmers' strategies aiming at finding alternatives for old speculations such as coffee. (Texte intégral

Stationary and pulsating dissipative light bullets from a collective variable approach

A collective variable approach is used to map domains of existence for (3+1) -dimensional spatiotemporal soliton solutions of a complex cubic-quintic Ginzburg-Landau equation. A rich variety of evolution behaviors, which include stationary and pulsating dissipative soliton dynamics, is revealed. Comparisons between the results obtained by the semianalytical approach of collective variables, and those obtained by a purely numerical approach show good agreement for a wide range of equation parameters. This also demonstrates the relevance of the semianalytical method for a systematic search of stability domains for spatiotemporal solitons, leading to a dramatic reduction of the computation time. © 2009 The American Physical Society.Peer Reviewe

Stationary and pulsating dissipative light bullets from a collective variable approach

A collective variable approach is used to map domains of existence for (3+1)-dimensional spatiotemporal soliton solutions of a complex cubic-quintic Ginzburg-Landau equation. A rich variety of evolution behaviors, which include stationary and pulsating dissipative soliton dynamics, is revealed. Comparisons between the results obtained by the semianalytical approach of collective variables, and those obtained by a purely numerical approach show good agreement for a wide range of equation parameters. This also demonstrates the relevance of the semianalytical method for a systematic search of stability domains for spatiotemporal solitons, leading to a dramatic reduction of the computation time

Multi-criteria assessment of the Representative Elementary Watershed approach on the Donga catchment (Benin) using a downward approach of model complexity

International audienceThis study is part of the AMMA – African Multidisciplinary Monsoon Analysis – project and aims at a better understanding and modelling of the Donga catchment (580 km2, Benin) behaviour. For this purpose, we applied the REW concept proposed by Reggiani et al. (1998, 1999), which allows the description of the main local processes at the sub-watershed scale. Such distributed hydrological models, which represent hydrological processes at various scales, should be evaluated not only on the discharge at the outlet but also on each of the represented processes and in several points of the catchment. This kind of multi-criteria evaluation is of importance in order to assess the global behaviour of the models. We applied such multi-criteria strategy to the Donga catchment (586 km2), in Benin. The work is supported by a strategy of observation, undertaken since 1998 consisting in a network of 20 rain gauges, an automatic meteorological station, 6 discharge stations and 18 wells. The first goal of this study is to assess the model ability to reproduce the discharge at the outlet, the water table dynamics in several points of the catchment and the vadose zone dynamics at the sub-catchment scale. We tested two spatial discretisations of increasing resolution. To test the internal structure of the model, we looked at its ability to represent also the discharge at intermediary stations. After adjustment of soil parameters, the model is shown to accurately represent discharge down to a drainage area of 100 km2, whereas poorer simulation is achieved on smaller catchments. We introduced the spatial variability of rainfall by distributing the daily rainfall over the REW and obtained a very low sensitivity of the model response to this variability. Our results suggest that processes in the unsaturated zone should first be improved, in order to better simulate soil water dynamics and represent perched water tables which were not included in this first modelling study

A Trial of Early Antiretrovirals and Isoniazid Preventive Therapy in Africa

BACKGROUND: In sub-Saharan Africa, the burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated tuberculosis is high. We conducted a trial with a 2-by-2 factorial design to assess the benefits of early antiretroviral therapy (ART), 6-month isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT), or both among HIV-infected adults with high CD4+ cell counts in Ivory Coast. METHODS: We included participants who had HIV type 1 infection and a CD4+ count of less than 800 cells per cubic millimeter and who met no criteria for starting ART according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: deferred ART (ART initiation according to WHO criteria), deferred ART plus IPT, early ART (immediate ART initiation), or early ART plus IPT. The primary end point was a composite of diseases included in the case definition of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), non-AIDS-defining cancer, non-AIDS-defining invasive bacterial disease, or death from any cause at 30 months. We used Cox proportional models to compare outcomes between the deferred-ART and early-ART strategies and between the IPT and no-IPT strategies. RESULTS: A total of 2056 patients (41% with a baseline CD4+ count of ≥500 cells per cubic millimeter) were followed for 4757 patient-years. A total of 204 primary end-point events were observed (3.8 events per 100 person-years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3 to 4.4), including 68 in patients with a baseline CD4+ count of at least 500 cells per cubic millimeter (3.2 events per 100 person-years; 95% CI, 2.4 to 4.0). Tuberculosis and invasive bacterial diseases accounted for 42% and 27% of primary end-point events, respectively. The risk of death or severe HIV-related illness was lower with early ART than with deferred ART (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.41 to 0.76; adjusted hazard ratio among patients with a baseline CD4+ count of ≥500 cells per cubic millimeter, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.94) and lower with IPT than with no IPT (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.88; adjusted hazard ratio among patients with a baseline CD4+ count of ≥500 cells per cubic millimeter, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.36 to 1.01). The 30-month probability of grade 3 or 4 adverse events did not differ significantly among the strategies. CONCLUSIONS: In this African country, immediate ART and 6 months of IPT independently led to lower rates of severe illness than did deferred ART and no IPT, both overall and among patients with CD4+ counts of at least 500 cells per cubic millimeter. (Funded by the French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis; TEMPRANO ANRS 12136 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00495651.)

An overview of anti-diabetic plants used in Gabon: Pharmacology and Toxicology

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Ethnopharmacological relevance: The management of diabetes mellitus management in African communities, especially in Gabon, is not well established as more than 60% of population rely on traditional treatments as primary healthcare. The aim of this review was to collect and present the scientific evidence for the use of medicinal plants that are in currect by Gabonese traditional healers to manage diabetes or hyperglycaemia based here on the pharmacological and toxicological profiles of plants with anti-diabetic activity. There are presented in order to promote their therapeutic value, ensure a safer use by population and provide some bases for further study on high potential plants reviewed. Materials and methods: Ethnobotanical studies were sourced using databases such as Online Wiley library, Pubmed, Google Scholar, PROTA, books and unpublished data including Ph.D. and Master thesis, African and Asian journals. Keywords including ‘Diabetes’ ‘Gabon’ ‘Toxicity’ ‘Constituents’ ‘hyperglycaemia’ were used. Results: A total of 69 plants currently used in Gabon with potential anti-diabetic activity have been identified in the literature, all of which have been used in in vivo or in vitro studies. Most of the plants have been studied in human or animal models for their ability to reduce blood glucose, stimulate insulin secretion or inhibit carbohydrates enzymes. Active substances have been identified in 12 out of 69 plants outlined in this review, these include Allium cepa and Tabernanthe iboga. Only eight plants have their active substances tested for anti-diabetic activity and are suitables for further investigation. Toxicological data is scarce and is dose-related to the functional parameters of major organs such as kidney and liver. Conclusion: An in-depth understanding on the pharmacology and toxicology of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is lacking yet there is a great scope for new treatments. With further research, the use of Gabonese anti-diabetic plants is important to ensure the safety of the diabetic patients in Gabon.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Assessment of the Human Health Risks Associated with Heavy Metals in Surface Water Near Gold Mining Sites in C\uf4te d’Ivoire

\ua9 2025 by the authors. Heavy metals are a major cause for concern in relation to water systems, due to their high toxicity at elevated levels. The metals can originate from both natural processes, including geological weathering and volcanic activity, as well as anthropogenic activi-ties such as industrial discharges, agricultural runoff, mining, and urbanization, which significantly contribute to water pollution and environmental degradation. The as-sessment of these risks is crucial for protecting public health, especially in populations reliant on contaminated water sources. Exposure to such contaminants can result in severe health consequences, including neurological impairments, organ deterioration, and an elevated risk of cancer. To conduct this assessment study, six surface water sampling sites were selected (i.e., S1 (Gobia), S2 (Kouamefla), S3 (Benkro), S4 (Dou-kouya), S5 (Doka), and S6 (Zengue)) due to their proximity to mining activities. We used the hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) methods to estimate the levels of non-carcinogenic health risk associated with heavy metals. Then, the assessment of carcinogenic health risk was carried out using the Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) methods. First, the highest ILCR total values were observed in the Doya locality (i.e., 0.4237 for the children and 0.5650 for the adults) and during the great dry season (i.e., 0.4333 for the children and 0.5743 for the adults). These findings highlight that populations in this locale experience heightened exposure during the period of the Great Rainy Season. The results indicated that the population exposed to Cd and Hg may experience health concerns irrespective of season and locality. For As and Pb, risks are present in both seasons (i.e., Short Dry Season (SDS) and Short Rainy Season (SRS)). On the other hand, the HIs are well above 1, indicating that the population may be exposed to non-carcinogenic diseases associated with the metals, regardless of the season or locality. To further explore the results, the assessment by ILCR was em-ployed, which demonstrated that for all the designated localities, the ILCRs of As and Cd are well above 10−4 for the entire population, indicating that the population con-suming this water may develop major carcinogenic risks. In addition, the highest ILCR values were obtained for Cd, regardless of the age group. It should be noted that sea-sonal variation had no significant effect on the trend in ILCRs determined for the en-tire population

FoxO1 Links Insulin Resistance to Proinflammatory Cytokine IL-1β Production in Macrophages

© 2009 by the American Diabetes Association.[Objetives]: Macrophages play an important role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance via the production of proinflammatory cytokines. Our goal is to decipher the molecular linkage between proinflammatory cytokine production and insulin resistance in macrophages.[Research design and methods]: We determined cytokine profiles in cultured macrophages and identified interleukin (IL)-1 gene as a potential target of FoxO1, a key transcription factor that mediates insulin action on gene expression. We studied the mechanism by which FoxO1 mediates insulin-dependent regulation of IL-1 expression in cultured macrophages and correlated FoxO1 activity in peritoneal macrophages with IL-1 production profiles in mice with low-grade inflammation or insulin resistance.[Results]: FoxO1 selectively promoted IL-1 production in cultured macrophages. This effect correlated with the ability of FoxO1 to bind and enhance IL-1 promoter activity. Mutations of the FoxO1 binding site within the IL-1 promoter abolished FoxO1 induction of IL-1 expression. Macrophages from insulinresistant obese db/db mice or lipopolysaccharide-inflicted mice were associated with increased FoxO1 production, correlating with elevated levels of IL-1 mRNA in macrophages and IL-1 protein in plasma. In nonstimulated macrophages, FoxO1 remained inert with benign effects on IL-1 expression. In response to inflammatory stimuli, FoxO1 activity was augmented because of an impaired ability of insulin to phosphorylate FoxO1 and promote its nuclear exclusion. This effect along with nuclear factor-B acted to stimulate IL-1 production in activated macrophages.[Conclusions]: FoxO1 signaling through nuclear factor-B plays an important role in coupling proinflammatory cytokine production to insulin resistance in obesity and diabetesThis study was supported in part by American Diabetes Association and National Health Institute Grant DK-066301. No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article were reported.Peer reviewe

The dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist, tirzepatide, improves lipoprotein biomarkers associated with insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 diabetes

Aim To better understand the marked decrease in serum triglycerides observed with tirzepatide in patients with type 2 diabetes, additional lipoprotein-related biomarkers were measured post hoc in available samples from the same study. Materials and Methods Patients were randomized to receive once-weekly subcutaneous tirzepatide (1, 5, 10 or 15 mg), dulaglutide (1.5 mg) or placebo. Serum lipoprotein profile, apolipoprotein (apo) A-I, B and C-III and preheparin lipoprotein lipase (LPL) were measured at baseline and at 4, 12 and 26 weeks. Lipoprotein particle profile by nuclear magnetic resonance was assessed at baseline and 26 weeks. The lipoprotein insulin resistance (LPIR) score was calculated. Results At 26 weeks, tirzepatide dose-dependently decreased apoB and apoC-III levels, and increased serum preheparin LPL compared with placebo. Tirzepatide 10 and 15 mg decreased large triglyceride-rich lipoprotein particles (TRLP), small low-density lipoprotein particles (LDLP) and LPIR score compared with both placebo and dulaglutide. Treatment with dulaglutide also reduced apoB and apoC-III levels but had no effect on either serum LPL or large TRLP, small LDLP and LPIR score. The number of total LDLP was also decreased with tirzepatide 10 and 15 mg compared with placebo. A greater reduction in apoC-III with tirzepatide was observed in patients with high compared with normal baseline triglycerides. At 26 weeks, change in apoC-III, but not body weight, was the best predictor of changes in triglycerides with tirzepatide, explaining up to 22.9% of their variability. Conclusions Tirzepatide treatment dose-dependently decreased levels of apoC-III and apoB and the number of large TRLP and small LDLP, suggesting a net improvement in atherogenic lipoprotein profile.Peer reviewe