Investigating the Potassium Fertilization Effect on Morphological and Agrophysiological Indicators of Durum Wheat under Mediterranean Rain-Fed Conditions

It is well known that balanced and optimal mineral fertilization (i.e., nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) can increase yield and improve wheat quality. However, there is little scientific knowledge on the specific effect of potassium (K) fertilization on the morphological and qualitative characteristics of rainfed durum wheat under Mediterranean conditions, especially in the context of Algerian agriculture. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to provide crucial information on this important type of durum wheat mineral nutrition for farmers and researchers working in similar areas. The field study was conducted in the Northern Algerian region of Mitidja during the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 growing seasons. The effect of K fertilization was evaluated within five contrasted rates of K: 0 kg k2O ha−1, 100 kg k2O ha−1, 200 kg k2O ha−1, 300 kg k2O ha−1, and 400 kg k2O ha−1, which were applied on one of the most commonly cultivated cultivars of durum wheat (Simeto). Results showed that increasing potassium levels had a positive and significant impact only on grain yield, spike length, spike neck, and dry matter. Hence, the highest grain yield of durum wheat (2.58 t ha−1) was demonstrated under low K application (100 kg k2O ha−1). This rate leads to an increase in grain yield by more than 0.6 t ha−1, as compared to the unfertilized control. Moreover, the thousand-grain weight of durum wheat was significantly increased by 4.11 g and 1.96 g, respectively, under low and moderate (200 kg k2O ha−1) K-fertilization, as compared to the control. In terms of grain yield quality, low K application provides an increase of 1.21% in protein content as compared to that measured under the control treatment. The major finding confirmed that both growth and yield indicators of durum wheat were globally optimized under low K application. Based on grain yield and evaluated agronomic traits, this research revealed that an applied K rate of 100 kg k2O ha−1 is recommended as the most effective dose to maximize durum wheat yield and quality under Algerian sub-humid conditions

Abiraterone acetate versus docetaxel for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a cohort study within the French nationwide claims database

International audienc

Les empreintes du temps : calendriers et rythmes sociaux

L’histoire du temps, telle qu’elle a été jusqu’alors construite par l’historiographie, a porté essentiellement sur l’expérience occidentale. Le regain récent des études sur le temps, lié au phénomène d’accélération et de déstructuration de celui-ci dans la modernité, a encore enrichi les savoirs, notamment sur la diversité des temps sociaux (temps du travail, du loisir, de la famille…). Or la place des espaces non-occidentaux dans ces réflexions demeure assez modeste. En outre, en ce qui concerne ces derniers, le temps est d’abord référé à la culture, et donc essentiellement à la dimension religieuse. Si celle-ci a une part importante dans la structuration du temps, notamment à travers l’élaboration des calendriers, le temps est aussi façonné par les multiples pratiques sociales imposées par les pouvoirs politiques et les autorités sociales et religieuses dominantes, ou initiées par les acteurs eux-mêmes. Les scansions calendaires et les cadres temporels nés des diverses activités induisent à leur tour des rythmes sociaux, à de multiples échelles, dont l’observation permet de saisir la façon dont ces temporalités sont choisies, appropriées, vécues par les individus et les groupes. Ce numéro propose quelques incursions dans l’espace arabe et musulman à partir de ces questionnements nouveaux sur et par le temps. Elles révèlent la façon dont s’est construite, sur la longue durée, une pluralité de références temporelles et calendaires dans cette région. Le temps ne peut en effet y être réduit à un seul « temps de l’islam », mais il s’inscrit dans un système complexe de circulation de modèles, d’emprunts, et aussi de conflits. Dans ce contexte, les acteurs ont appris à développer des compétences particulières pour passer d’un registre de temps à un autre

Rare predicted loss-of-function variants of type I IFN immunity genes are associated with life-threatening COVID-19

BackgroundWe previously reported that impaired type I IFN activity, due to inborn errors of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I interferon (IFN) immunity or to autoantibodies against type I IFN, account for 15-20% of cases of life-threatening COVID-19 in unvaccinated patients. Therefore, the determinants of life-threatening COVID-19 remain to be identified in similar to 80% of cases.MethodsWe report here a genome-wide rare variant burden association analysis in 3269 unvaccinated patients with life-threatening COVID-19, and 1373 unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals without pneumonia. Among the 928 patients tested for autoantibodies against type I IFN, a quarter (234) were positive and were excluded.ResultsNo gene reached genome-wide significance. Under a recessive model, the most significant gene with at-risk variants was TLR7, with an OR of 27.68 (95%CI 1.5-528.7, P=1.1x10(-4)) for biochemically loss-of-function (bLOF) variants. We replicated the enrichment in rare predicted LOF (pLOF) variants at 13 influenza susceptibility loci involved in TLR3-dependent type I IFN immunity (OR=3.70[95%CI 1.3-8.2], P=2.1x10(-4)). This enrichment was further strengthened by (1) adding the recently reported TYK2 and TLR7 COVID-19 loci, particularly under a recessive model (OR=19.65[95%CI 2.1-2635.4], P=3.4x10(-3)), and (2) considering as pLOF branchpoint variants with potentially strong impacts on splicing among the 15 loci (OR=4.40[9%CI 2.3-8.4], P=7.7x10(-8)). Finally, the patients with pLOF/bLOF variants at these 15 loci were significantly younger (mean age [SD]=43.3 [20.3] years) than the other patients (56.0 [17.3] years; P=1.68x10(-5)).ConclusionsRare variants of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I IFN immunity genes can underlie life-threatening COVID-19, particularly with recessive inheritance, in patients under 60 years old