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

Study of the hygrothermal behavior of refractory ceramic materials based on aluminous binders for containment of liquid aluminum

Ces travaux de thèse visent à trouver des solutions pour minimiser autant que possible la présence de microporosités dans les alliages aéronautiques conventionnels et nouveaux. Ces microporosités résultent notamment de la réaction de l’aluminium liquide, durant la phase de coulée, avec l’hydrogène apportée par la vapeur d’eau contenue dans les réfractaires. La plupart de ces produits sont des bétons hydrauliques à matrice cimentaire alumineuse. Dans une première étape, l’identification physico-chimique et minéralogique des matériaux et des produits élaborés a été réalisée. Le comportement thermo-hydrique de différentes de bétons et de pâtes cimentaires durcies a ensuite été étudié par des essais de reprise d'humidité réalisés dans diverses conditions hygrothermiques, y compris à températures élevées (300°C). On montre ainsi que les variations hydriques dépendent fortement de la nature du liant, en particulier de sa teneur en alumine. Les phénomènes de physisorption et chimisorption sont mobilisés. Parallèlement, le comportement thermique d'une goulotte réfractaire a été modélisé, première étape pour quantifier les transferts de vapeur d’eau au sein des matériaux. Des mesures continues de température et de pression ont été obtenues sur des éprouvettes de pâtes et de bétons diversement conditionnées, placées au contact d’une frette métallique maintenue à 700°C. D’autres mesures ont été faites. Elles ont consisté à immerger des échantillons (pâtes et bétons), préalablement conservés dans différentes conditions hygrothermiques, dans l’aluminium liquide, afin de comparer leur réactivité en termes de relargage d’hydrogène, d’oxygène et de vapeur d’eauThis thesis aims to find solutions to minimize as much as possible the presence of micro-porosities in conventional and new aerospace alloys. These micro-porosities resulting especially from the reaction of the molten aluminum, during the casting phase, with the hydrogen provided by the steam contained in the refractory castables. Most of these castables are composites obtained with hydraulic binders based on aluminous cements. Firstly, a physico-chemical and mineralogical characterization of the basic materials and processed products was performed. Then, the thermo-hydric behavior of different castables and hardened cement pastes (principal source of the physical water and the chemical water) was then studied by moisture pick up tests made in various hygrothermal conditions, including at high temperatures (300 °C). It was shown that the hydric variations amplitudes strongly depend on the binder’s nature, in particular on its alumina content. The phenomena of physisorption and chemisorption are mobilized. Meanwhile, the transient thermal behavior in the time through the thickness of a refractory launder was modeled as a first step to quantify the water vapor transfer in the materials. Continuous measurements of temperature and pressure were obtained on pastes and concretes samples variously packged, placed in contact with a heated metal band maintained at 700 °C. Other measurements were made. They consisted into immersing samples (cement pastes and castables), previously stored in different hygrothermal conditions in liquid aluminum, in order to compare their reactivity in terms of release of hydrogen, oxygen and water vapo

Comportement mécanique au feu de composites à matrice thermoplastique pour applications aéronautiques

International audienc

Comportement mécanique au feu de composites à matrice thermoplastique pour applications aéronautiques

International audienc

Thermo-hydrous behavior of hardened cement paste based on calcium aluminate cement

International audienceRefractory castables based on aluminous hydraulic binders are commonly used in aluminium casthouses (furnaces, ducts, etc.). Their selection is based on their good mechanical strength, thermal behavior and compatibility with molten aluminium. However, few studies focus on their hydrous evolution in operation, whereas this property can also have an influence on the produced metal quality. In this article, the internal moisture of twelve hardened cement pastes fired at high temperature, made with four aluminous hydraulic binders and three different Water/Binder ratios was registered under diverse thermo-hydrous conditions, including at high temperature. The water trapped by physisorption and chemisorption can be significant for some products, and it strongly depends on the mineralogy and porosity of the hardened cement paste. The more the binders contain alumina phase, the more the hardened cement pastes mobilize and render moisture

Facteurs pronostiques du décès par envenimation scorpionique dans la région de Marrakech, Maroc

Objectif : L’objectif de notre étude était d’identifier les facteurs pronostiques du décès par envenimation scorpionique dans la région de Marrakech. Méthodes : Nous avons mené une étude cas-témoins. Elle a concerné les enfants hospitalisés au service de réanimation pédiatrique du CHU de Marrakech suite à une envenimation scorpionique entre le 1er octobre 2009 et le 31 octobre 2012. Une fiche d’exploitation a été remplie à partir des dossiers d’hospitalisations conçus par le Centre Anti Poison du Maroc. Les cas (n = 30) sont représentés par les enfants résidant dans la région et qui sont décédés au cours de leur hospitalisation. Pour chaque cas, nous avons sélectionné 4 témoins parmi les survivants. Une analyse descriptive, bi- et multivariée a été réalisée. Résultats : L’âge médian était de 5 ans [2 mois−14 ans]. Le sex-ratio M/F était de 1,5. Le délai médian entre piqûre et admission au service de réanimation (TPP2) était de 3 h 40 [30 min−25 h]. Les signes cliniques fréquemment rapportés étaient les vomissements (83 %), le priapisme (72 %) et l’hypersudation (70 %). Sur le plan biologique, l’hyperleucocytose, les troubles d’hémostase, l’hyperglycémie et l’hyperurémie étaient statistiquement liés au décès. L’analyse multivariée a montré qu’un TPP2 > 5 h a augmenté 5 fois le risque d’évoluer vers le décès en ajustant sur l’âge et les détresses vitales (IC 95 % : 1,6–17). Conclusion : La mise à niveau du plateau technique et le renforcement en personnel spécialisé des services de réanimation provinciaux restent les éléments clés pour réduire le TPP2 qui constitue un facteur pronostique important du décès par envenimation scorpionique dans la région Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz

Evaluation of Pistacia lentiscus seed oil and phenolic compounds for in vitro antiproliferative effects against BHK21 cells

International audienceContext: Within the global context of increasing cancer diseases, natural products are important in devising new drugs and providing unique ideas in cancer therapy. In Tunisian folk medicine, Pistacia lentiscus L. (Anacardiaceae) fixed oil is used for cancer treatment.Objective: This investigation studied, for the first time, the antiproliferative effect of Pistacia lentiscus fixed oil and its phenolic extract on BHK21 cancer cells.Materials and methods: Oil was extracted from fruits harvested in northwest Tunisia and the phenolic fraction was obtained by mixing with methanol. The anti-proliferative activity of the two tested substances on BHK 21 cells were investigated in vitro using trypan blue assays. Cells were treated with different concentrations of P. lentiscus oil (0.009, 0.018, 0.036, and 0.09 g/mL) and the phenolic extract (0.007, 0.014, 0.03, and 0.07 g/mL) for 24, 48, and 72 h.Results: The inhibitory effect of Pistacia lentiscus fixed oil increases with the increase in dose. The IC50 value was estimated at 0.029 g/mL. The percentage of cell viability was 42.46 ± 3.4% at a dose of 0.09 g/mL and was significantly lower than that of the untreated control (96.24 ± 2.5%, p<0.01). The phenolic extract demonstrated a dose- and time-dependent inhibitory effect on BHK21 cell growth. After 48 h of incubation, the IC50 value was estimated at 0.15 g/mL.Discussion and conclusion: The results demonstrated the potential of Pistacia lentiscus fixed oil in treating cancer, as it is used in traditional medicine