Establishment of a colony of Anopheles darlingi from French Guiana for vector competence studies on malaria transmission

Sec. Vector BiologyInternational audienceAnopheles darlingi is a major vector of both Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax in South and Central America including French Guiana. However, the vector competence and physiology of this mosquito species have been scarcely studied due to difficulties in rearing it in the laboratory. Here, we report the successful establishment of a robust colony, from a mosquito collection in French Guiana. We describe our mosquito colonization procedure with relevant information on environmental conditions, mating ability, larval development, and survival, recorded over the first six critical generations. Experimental infection showed that our An. darlingi colony has a moderate permissiveness to in vitro produced gametocytes of the P. falciparum NF54 strain originating from Africa. This colony, which has reached its 21st generation, will allow further characterization of An. darlingi life-history traits and of Plasmodium –mosquito interactions with South American malaria parasites

Anopheles gambiae maternal age and parous state control offspring susceptibility to Plasmodium falciparum

Maternal effects have been reported in many organisms whereby exposure to environmental stress, either toxics or pathogens will impact on progeny response to these stresses. Here we show that Anopheles gambiae susceptibility to Plasmodium falciparum is dependent upon maternal effects driven by females not previously exposed to the parasite. The maternal effect involved both mother age and reproductive state. Offspring of old females or from a 4 th gonotrophic cycle are more susceptible than offspring from young females. These maternal effects also contribute to overall better fitness of the offspring. As mosquito population age structure contributes heavily shaping malaria transmission, consequences of this novel finding should be taken into account in further strategies for controlling malaria transmission

Can the Inca site of Choqek'iraw be considered an agro-pastoral calendar?

International audience"Situated in the heart of the Vilcabamba cordillera in Peru, some 150 km northwest of Cuzco, the ancient Inca state capital, Choqek'iraw or Choquequirao (“the golden cradle” in Quechua), is one of the most beautiful achievements of Inca architecture, and one of the very few pre-Hispanic sites displaying large wall mosaics, the only one known from Inca times. This article will attempt to demonstrate that the figures represented on the walls convey cosmological significance and are laid out following textile principles. After describing the site and its geo-cultural setting, the mosaics' main characteristics will be examined in detail, in an attempt to grasp their meaning. Finally, the author suggests that some of the scenes depicted could have been inspired by pre-Columbian myths and could be linked to astronomical concepts." (source éditeur)"Ubicado en el corazón de la cordillera de Vilcabamba, a unos 150 kilómetros de Cuzco, la antigua capital del estado inca, Choqek'iraw o Choquequirao (la cuna del oro en quechua), es uno de los logros más hermosos de la arquitectura Inca y el único sitio de época inca, con un gran mosaico mural. En este trabajo se intentará demostrar que las figuras representadas en las paredes podrían transmitir significado cosmológico y se distribuyen siguiendo principios textiles. Asimismo, después de hacer una breve descripción del sitio, ubicándolo en sus contextos geográfico y cultural, se analizarán las principales decoraciones que allí se encuentran para tratar de entenderlas. Los temas representados podrían referirse a antiguos mitos andinos y concepciones de orden astronómicos." (source éditeur

Women and health professionals’ perspectives on a conditional cash transfer programme to improve pregnancy follow-up: a qualitative analysis of the NAITRE randomised controlled study

Objectives Women of low socioeconomic status have been described as having suboptimal prenatal care, which in turn has been associated with poor pregnancy outcomes. Many types of conditional cash transfer (CCT) programmes have been developed, including programmes to improve prenatal care or smoking cessation during pregnancy, and their effects demonstrated. However, ethical critiques have included paternalism and lack of informed choice. Our objective was to determine if women and healthcare professionals (HPs) shared these concerns.Design Prospective qualitative research.Setting We included economically disadvantaged women, as defined by health insurance data, who participated in the French NAITRE randomised trial assessing a CCT programme during prenatal follow-up to improve pregnancy outcomes. The HP worked in some maternities participating in this trial.Participants 26 women, 14 who received CCT and 12 who did not, mostly unemployed (20/26), and - 7 HPs.Interventions We conducted a multicentre cross-sectional qualitative study among women and HPs who participated in the NAITRE Study to assess their views on CCT. The women were interviewed after childbirth.Results Women did not perceive CCT negatively. They did not mention feeling stigmatised. They described CCT as a significant source of aid for women with limited financial resources. HP described the CCT in less positive terms, for example, expressing concern about discussing cash transfer at their first medical consultation with women. Though they emphasised ethical concerns about the basis of the trial, they recognised the importance of evaluating CCT.Conclusions In France, a high-income country where prenatal follow-up is free, HPs were concerned that the CCT programme would change their relationship with patients and wondered if it was the best use of funding. However, women who received a cash incentive said they did not feel stigmatised and indicated that these payments helped them prepare for their baby’s birth.Trial registration number NCT0240285