Typologie des exploitations agropastorales du terroir de la NEMA (Sénégal, West Africa)

Dans le terroir de la Néma, pour améliorer les rendements dans un contexte de baisse drastique des superficies cultivables et de la fertilité des sols, les agro-pasteurs ont recours à une gestion intégrée des productions agricoles et animales. Ainsi, suivant leur structure, les exploitations agricoles présentent des formes d’organisation diverses. Pour appréhender cette diversité, deux approches ont été utilisées: l’approche socio-économique (enquête) pour définir les caractéristiques des exploitations et l’approche agronomique visant à évaluer les ressources agricoles. Le traitement des données a permis de distinguer suivant la production et l’utilisation des résidus de récolte, deux groupes d’exploitations : celles qui produisent et utilisent, outre les autres résidus, les résidus de sorgho (A) et celles qui ne produisent et n’utilisent pas ces derniers (B); et suivant la taille, trois groupes d’exploitations: celles de grande taille (B1), de taille moyenne (A et B2) et de petite taille (B3). Si la production et l’épandage du fumier sont généralisés dans les groupes d’exploitations A, B1 et B2, ils sont peu développés dans les petites exploitations (B3). Et ce, du fait de l’absence ou de l’insuffisance du cheptel et de l’outillage agricole dans ces dernières, mais aussi de la faiblesse de la main d’oeuvre. La main d’oeuvre suivant les groupes d’exploitations est évaluée à 3,4 actifs agricoles dans le groupe B3 contre 6,4 ; 7,8 et 17 actifs agricoles respectivement pour les groupes d’exploitations B2, A et B1.Mots clés: Résidus de récolte, gestion intégrée, fertilité, fumier, unités agricole

Salmonella-induced thrombi in mice develop asynchronously in the spleen and liver and are not effective bacterial traps

Thrombosis is a frequent, life-threatening complication of systemic infection, associated with multiple organ damage. We have previously described a novel mechanism of inflammation-driven thrombosis induced by Salmonella Typhimurium infection of mice. Thrombosis in the liver develops 7 days post-infection persisting after the infection resolves, and is monocytic cell-dependent. Unexpectedly, thrombosis was not prominent in the spleen at this time, despite carrying a similar bacterial burden as the liver. In this study, we show that thrombosis does occur in the spleen but with strikingly accelerated kinetics compared to the liver, being evident by 24 h and resolving rapidly thereafter. The distinct kinetics of thrombosis and bacterial burden provide a test of the hypothesis that thrombi form in healthy vessels to trap or remove bacteria from the circulation, often termed immunothrombosis. Remarkably, despite bacteria being detected throughout infected spleens and livers in the early days of infection, immunohistological analysis of tissue sections show that thrombi contain very low numbers of bacteria. In contrast, bacteria are present throughout platelet aggregates induced by Salmonella in vitro. Therefore, we show that thrombosis develops with organ-specific kinetics and challenge the universality of immunothrombosis as a mechanism to capture bacteria in vivo

Zootechnical and economic analysis of pig farming systems in Casamance (Senegal)

To understand better the zootechnical and economic characteristics of pig farming, a diagnostic study was conducted on 324 pig farms from March to June 2016, in the form of cross-sectional and retrospective surveys in the three regions of Southern Casamance, Senegal. The results showed that pig farming was practiced by both married and educated men and women. They were mainly of the Diola, Mancagne and Balante ethnic groups and combined pig breeding with agriculture, private activity or trade. They operated in three different farming systems (traditional, semi-intensive or intensive), with a marked predominance of the traditional system (85.5% of farms). The latter was characterized by improved traditional hog barns (51.1%) or makeshift sheds (28.4%), where mostly local swine (90.4% of farms) were bred. The average size of the herd was 19.2 ± 20.1 pigs. In 97% of cases, breeders fed the animals from kitchen waste, and agricultural and agro-industrial by-products. The mean age at breeding was 7.6 ± 1.8 months and the mean litter size was 7.4 ± 2.2 piglets. This livestock subsector has a real poverty alleviation potential because it generates net incomes of 5435 to 7566 FCFA per fattened pig per year, depending on the system. Nevertheless, the lack of training of livestock farmers, inadequate pig housing, and feed and health constraints remain the main factors hindering the development of pig farming in the region. It would be useful to find alternative ways to improve housing conditions, feeding and health monitoring of pigs, along with better organization and capacity building of producers and other actors in the pig sector

Outcome of Ph negative myeloproliferative neoplasms transforming to accelerated or leukemic phase

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) are chronic disorders that can sometimes evolve into accelerated or leukemic phases. We retrospectively identified 122 patients with such blastic phases. The overall median survival was four months: 10.2 months for patients treated with intensive treatments compared to three months for best supportive care (p = .005). Azacytidine, intensive chemotherapies, or allogeneic stem cell transplantation gave the highest median survivals with 9, 10.2, and 19.4 months, respectively. Accelerated phases (AP) had a longer median survival compared to acute leukemia (4.8 months vs. 3.1 months; p = .02). In this retrospective and observational study, we observe that the longest survivals are seen in patients eligible for intensive treatments. Azacytidine shows interesting results in patients non-fit for intensive chemotherapy. Supportive care should probably be restricted to elderly patients and those with unfavorable karyotype. An early diagnosis of AP could also result in a better survival rate

Immunological parameters in girls with Turner syndrome

Disturbances in the immune system has been described in Turner syndrome, with an association to low levels of IgG and IgM and decreased levels of T- and B-lymphocytes. Also different autoimmune diseases have been connected to Turner syndrome (45, X), thyroiditis being the most common. Besides the typical features of Turner syndrome (short stature, failure to enter puberty spontaneously and infertility due to ovarian insufficiency) ear problems are common (recurrent otitis media and progressive sensorineural hearing disorder). Levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD and the four IgG subclasses as well as T- and B-lymphocyte subpopulations were investigated in 15 girls with Turners syndrome to examine whether an immunodeficiency may be the cause of their high incidence of otitis media. No major immunological deficiency was found that could explain the increased incidence of otitis media in the young Turner girls

Symptomatic Skeletal Events and the Use of Bone Health Agents in a Real-World Treated Metastatic Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer Population:Results From the CAPRI-Study in the Netherlands

Background: Patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) are at risk of symptomatic skeletal events (SSE). Bone health agents (BHA, ie bisphosphonates and denosumab) and new life-prolonging drugs (LPDs) can delay SSEs. The aim of this study is to investigate the use of BHAs in relation to SSEs in treated real-world mCRPC population. Patients and Methods: We included patients from the CAPRI registry who were treated with at least one LPD and diagnosed with bone metastases prior to the start of first LPD (LPD1). Outcomes were SSEs (external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) to the bone, orthopedic surgery, pathologic fracture or spinal cord compression) and SSE-free survival (SSE-FS) since LPD1. Results: One-thousand nine hundred and twenty-three patients were included with a median follow-up from LPD1 of 16.7 months. Fifty-two percent (n = 996) started BHA prior or within 4 weeks after the start of LPD1 (early BHA). In total, 41% experienced at least one SSE. SSE incidence rate was 0.29 per patient year for patients without BHA and 0.27 for patients with early BHA. Median SSE-FS from LPD1 was 12.9 months. SSE-FS was longer in patients who started BHA early versus patients without BHA (13.2 vs. 11.0 months, P =.001). Conclusion: In a real-world population we observed an undertreatment with BHAs, although patients with early BHA use had lower incidence rates of SSEs and longer SSE-FS. This finding was irrespective of type of SSE and presence of risk factors. In addition to LPD treatment, timely initiation of BHAs is recommended in bone metastatic CRPC-patients with both pain and/or opioid use and prior SSE