RotAB Weed toolbox

The toolbox is a handbook of methods for weed monitoring in organic long-term arable experiments. It has been developed based on the expertise of French agronomists in charge of such experiments. The toolbox is composed of an excel file (can be found on Organic Eprints orgprints.org/31937) that provides an overview of the methods and indicators to be calculated and 7 fact sheets detailing different weed monitoring methods. The tool has been developed for organic agriculture but could be used in conventional agriculture. The fact sheets are applicable in all European pedo-climatic conditions

Profil chimique et évaluation des effets antioxydants, anti-inflammatoires et antiprolifératifs des extraits de fruit d’Ammodaucus leucotrichus Coss. & Dur sur le cancer du sein.: Profil chimique et évaluation des effets antioxydants, anti-inflammatoires et antiprolifératifs des extraits de fruit d’Ammodaucus leucotrichus Coss. & Dur sur le cancer du sein.

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Antioxydant and antiproliferative effects of Ammodaucus leucotrichus fruit on breast cancer.

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Nasal Resistance Is Elevated in People with Tetraplegia and Is Reduced by Topical Sympathomimetic Administration

Study Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in individuals with tetraplegia and associated with adverse health outcomes. The causes of the high prevalence of OSA in this population are unknown, but it is important to understand as standard treatments are poorly tolerated in tetraplegia. Nasal congestion is common in tetraplegia, possibly because of unopposed parasympathetic activity. Further, nasal obstruction can induce OSA in healthy individuals. We therefore aimed to compare nasal resistance before and after topical administration of a sympathomimetic between 10 individuals with tetraplegia (T) and 9 able-bodied (AB) controls matched for OSA severity, gender, and age. Methods: Nasal, pharyngeal, and total upper airway resistance were calculated before and every 2 minutes following delivery of ≈0.05 mL of 0.5% atomized phenylephrine to the nostrils and pharyngeal airway. The surface tension of the upper airway lining liquid was also assessed. Results: At baseline, individuals with tetraplegia had elevated nasal resistance (T = 7.0 ± 1.9, AB = 3.0 ± 0.6 cm H2O/L/s), that rapidly fell after phenylephrine (T = 2.3 ± 0.4, p = 0.03 at 2 min) whereas the able-bodied did not change (AB = 2.5 ± 0.5 cm H2O/L/s, p = 0.06 at 2 min). Pharyngeal resistance was non-significantly higher in individuals with tetraplegia than controls at baseline (T = 2.6 ± 0.9, AB = 1.2 ± 0.4 cm H2O/L/s) and was not altered by phenylephrine in either group. The surface tension of the upper airway lining liquid did not differ between groups (T = 64.3 ± 1.0, AB = 62.7 ± 0.6 mN/m). Conclusions: These data suggest that the unopposed parasympathetic activity in tetraplegia increases nasal resistance, potentially contributing to the high occurrence of OSA in this population

Genioglossus reflex responses to negative upper airway pressure are altered in people with tetraplegia and obstructive sleep apnoea

Key points: Protective reflexes in the throat area (upper airway) are crucial for breathing. Impairment of these reflexes can cause breathing problems during sleep such as obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). OSA is very common in people with spinal cord injury for unknown reasons. This study shows major changes in protective reflexes that serve to keep the upper airway open in response to suction pressures in people with tetraplegia and OSA. These results help us understand why OSA is so common in people with tetraplegia and provide new insight into how protective upper airway reflexes work more broadly. Abstract: More than 60% of people with tetraplegia have obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). However, the specific causes are unknown. Genioglossus, the largest upper-airway dilator muscle, is important in maintaining upper-airway patency. Impaired genioglossus muscle function following spinal cord injury may contribute to OSA. This study aimed to determine if genioglossus reflex responses to negative upper-airway pressure are altered in people with OSA and tetraplegia compared to non-neurologically impaired able-bodied individuals with OSA. Genioglossus reflex responses measured via intramuscular electrodes to ∼60 brief (250 ms) pulses of negative upper-airway pressure (∼−15 cmH2O at the mask) were compared between 13 participants (2 females) with tetraplegia plus OSA and 9 able-bodied controls (2 females) matched for age and OSA severity. The initial short-latency excitatory reflex response was absent in 6/13 people with tetraplegia and 1/9 controls. Genioglossus reflex inhibition in the absence of excitation was observed in three people with tetraplegia and none of the controls. When the excitatory response was present, it was significantly delayed in the tetraplegia group compared to able-bodied controls: excitation onset latency (mean ± SD) was 32 ± 16 vs. 18 ± 9 ms, P = 0.045; peak excitation latency was 48 ± 17 vs. 33 ± 8 ms, P = 0.038. However, when present, amplitude of the excitation response was not different between groups, 195 ± 26 vs. 219 ± 98% at baseline, P = 0.55. There are major differences in genioglossus reflex morphology and timing in response to rapid changes in airway pressure in people with tetraplegia and OSA. Altered genioglossus function may contribute to the increased risk of OSA in people with tetraplegia. The precise mechanisms mediating these differences are unknown

Comparison of the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory mechanisms of two medicinal herbs: meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) and harpagophytum (Harpagophytum procumbens).

International audienceBackground: Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) and Harpagophytum (H. procumbens) are two medicinal herbs traditionally used for their anti-inflammatory effect. Nonetheless, if the effects of the single compounds isolated from these plants have been well described, little is known about the molecular mechanisms behind whole extracts.Methods: We studied and compared the effects of methanolic extracts from the aerial parts of F. ulmaria (FUE) and from the roots of H. procumbens (HPE) on different markers of inflammation such as antioxidant capacity, leukocyte ROS production, COX-2/PGE2 pathway or cytokine secretions.Results: FUE proved to be better than HPE in terms of antioxidant capabilities. Even if their effect on COX-2/PGE2 were similar, we found that their immune-modulatory activities were quite different. In the basal state, the FUE favored cytokines associated with Th1 lymphocytes whereas the HPE decreased the secretion of IL-21 and IL-23, associated with Th17 cells. In PHA-stimulated cells, the HPE increased the characteristic cytokines of Th1 cells, whereas the effects of the FUE were more nuanced.Conclusion: Though both plants are known as anti-inflammatory herbs, these results suggested that, apart from their similar anti-inflammatory effect on COX-2/PGE2, both could improve neutrophil and monocyte recruitment, as well as monocytes/macrophages and Th1, and presumably Th17, activation. Therefore, their impact on immune response was more likely immunostimulant

In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory and Immunomodulatory Activities of an Extract from the Roots of Bupleurum rotundifolium

This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological Potential and Medical Use of Natural ExtractsInternational audienceBackground: Some Bupleurum species, such as the Bupleurum chinense DC. or the Bupleurum scorzonerifolium Willd have been extensively studied (especially their roots) for the treatment of inflammation. In contrast, only compounds extracted from the aerial parts of Bupleurum rotundifolium have been studied and showed anti-inflammatory or antiproliferative activities. This study was conducted to investigate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects of Bupleurum rotundifolium roots. Methods: To tackle the various aspects of inflammation, we studied in vitro a methanolic extract from the roots of Bupleurum rotundifolium on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), and the monocytic cells THP-1. Its antioxidant capacities and iron-chelating activity were assessed. The extract was tested on THP-1 differentiation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by leukocytes, neutrophils chemotaxis, cytokines, PGE2 production, and NF-κB activation in PBMCs. Results: The extract showed a decreased ROS production in stimulated cells. It increased PBMC chemokine secretion and up-regulated the differentiation of THP-1 monocytes into macrophage-like cells, indicating a potential interest of the extract in the resolution of acute inflammation. In addition, the analysis of cytokine production suggests that Bupleurum rotundifolium has immunomodulatory properties. Conclusions: Cytokines secretion, especially IL-1β and IL-12p70, provided us with a set of indicators suggesting that the extract might be able to drive the polarization of macrophages and lymphocytes toward a Th2 anti-inflammatory profile in excessive inflammation