Designing Tuftsin Conjugate for Directing Antimicrobial Ionophores to Macrophages

For all microorganisms, acquisition of metal ions is essential for survival in the environment or their infected host. Metal ions are required in many biological processes as cofactors for proteins or structural elements for enzymes. These ions play a role in chemotaxis, phosphorylation, transport of sugars and proteins, and initiation of DNA replication, among other things. It is critical for bacteria to ensure that metal uptake and availability meet its physiological needs; too little can impede these important biological processes, while too much can be toxic leading to radical formation which can cause damage to proteins and cell structures (Porcheron, Gaelle. et al. 2013). Host defense strategies against infection consist of metal starvation by sequestration using chelators or metal overload with concentrated amounts of metals using ionophores (Norris, V et al. 1996). Ionophores are lipid-soluble molecules that transport ions across a cell membrane. Pyrithione, an ionophore, is a well-known antimicrobial used to control the symptoms of dandruff and dermatitis. It inhibits fungal and bacterial cell division and is active against different bacterial systems such as E. coli and C. neoformans; it has also been found to be toxic to mammalian cells (Helsel, M et al. 2012). The aim of this research project is to target pyrithione to the site of infection - in macrophages. Tuftsin (Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg) is known to be responsible for activation of macrophage cell lines. It is internalized through a receptor- mediated mechanism by macrophages and conjugates can be made without affecting this recognition (Feng, J et al. 2010). Attaching pyrithione to tuftsin would target the ionophore to macrophages, allowing for specificity to pathogens.https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/u_poster_2015/1039/thumbnail.jp

Artificial Intelligence and Fact Checking in Africa: Between the Logic of Dependency and the Limits of Automation

This article focuses on fact-checking initiatives in the context of the rise of artificial intelligence. With reference to theories of the political economy of communication and platform studies, this study sheds light on the very confusing evolution of initiatives in Africa. The approach combines content analysis and distanced observation of two fact-checking platforms, chosen on the basis of their local roots and the experimentation of smart tools: Africa Check and Check4Decision. The results highlight the economic and technological dependencies of African platforms on GAFAM via factchecking services and an automation process that is far from complete with regard to local realities. It appears that the African context provides a different perspective with structural constraints and “cultural” algorithmic biases

Artificial Intelligence and Fact Checking in Africa: Between Logic of Dependency and the Limits of Automation

This article focuses on fact-checking initiatives in the context of the rise of artificial intelligence. With reference to theories of the political economy of communication and platform studies, this study sheds light on the very confusing evolution of initiatives in Africa. The approach combines content analysis and distanced observation of two fact-checking platforms, chosen on the basis of their local roots and the experimentation of smart tools: Africa Check and Check4Decision. The results highlight the economic and technological dependencies of African platforms on GAFAM via fact-checking services and an automation process that is far from complete with regard to local realities. It appears that the African context provides a different perspective with structural constraints and "cultural" algorithmic biases

Covid-19 : Réception de la communication publique et acceptabilité des mesures sanitaires au Sénégal

Résumé : Cet article analyse la communication du Ministère de la Santé et de l’Action Sociale (MSAS) du Sénégal auprès des « publics institutionnels » lors de la pandémie du Coranavirus. L’étude s’appuie sur les théories de la réception et de l’acceptabilité sociale combinée à des enquêtes quantitatives avec une approche qualitative et une observation non participante. Elle est menée à l’échelle des « territoires » ruraux, périurbains et urbains afin de cerner la manière dont les mesures sanitaires « universelles » rencontrent des dynamiques locales préexistantes. Les résultats démontrent que l’environnement informationnel, les réalités socio-économiques et territoriales des publics ne sont pas suffisamment intégrés comme en témoignent la réception limitée des supports écrits, les barrières sémiolinguistiques, les perceptions religieuses sur l’origine l’inacceptabilité de la distanciation sociale et des restrictions interurbaines. In fine, il apparaît que la démocratie sanitaire reste un défi à relever dans les stratégies de communication de santé publique. Mots-clés : Réception, acceptabilité, communication de santé publique, Covid-19, démocratie sanitair

Professionnalisation et politisation des commentaires numériques sur la marque Orange en Afrique de l'Ouest

This article explores the professionalization and politicization of digital commentaries on Orange's brand in sub-Saharan Africa. It’s first underlines the overrepresentation of negative comments published on Facebook and Twitter as well as the diversity of boycott actions initiated by "customer" Internet users: Orangesatch (2013), Boycott-orange-Niger (2015) Stop anarchs of Orange Mali (2015) Africa boycott Orange (2016) or Talatay-Orange (2018). It describes the nature of digital commentaries, ideological, political and even geopolitical issues, as well as the use of Cultural Jamming by contestants who develop technical and social skills. The study exposes the tactics favored by the Orange brand including the establishment of "Team digital" to animate and manage its official pages and accounts and the use of bloggers/influencers to strengthen its reputational authority. Finally, the promotional or entertaining nature of the responses provided by the brand's community managers, in a situation of sensitive communication that can lead to a crisis, questions the skills related to the reputation of the brand.Cet article explore la professionnalisation et la politisation des commentaires numériques sur la marque de l’opérateur mobile Orange en Afrique subsaharienne. Il souligne d’abord la surreprésentation de commentaires négatifs publiés sur Facebook et Twitter ainsi que la diversité des actions de boycott initiées par les internautes « clients » : orangesatch (2013), Boycott-orange-Niger (2015) Stop aux anarques d’orange Mali (2015) Afrique boycott orange (2016) ou encore Talatay-orange (2018). Il détaille ensuite la nature des commentaires numériques, aux soubassements idéologiques, politiques, voire géopolitiques, ainsi que le détournement des messages publicitaires de la marque (Cultural Jamming) par les contestataires disposant a priori de compétences techniques et sociales. L’étude expose les tactiques privilégiées par la marque Orange notamment la mise en place de « Team digitale » pour animer ses pages Facebook et comptes officiels Twitter ainsi que le recours à des blogueurs/influenceurs pour renforcer son autorité réputationnelle. Enfin, le caractère promotionnel ou divertissant des réponses apportées par les community managers de la marque, dans une situation de communication sensible pouvant déboucher sur une crise, interroge les compétences reliées à l’autorité énonciative de la marque

Beyond motivations: A framework unraveling the systemic barriers to organic farming adoption in northern Senegal

Developing organic farming is among the most popular policy options for protecting soil, water, and biodiversity while improving incomes for agricultural producers around the World. Despite its growing success, the adoption as well as the outcomes of organic agriculture remain particularly low in sub-Saharan Africa. In this paper, we propose a multidimensional framework based on farmers' perceived motivations to evaluate the factors enabling or hindering the adoption of organic agriculture, including attitude (the subjective evaluation of a behaviour), ability (the cognitive and technical capacity to perform a behaviour), opportunity (the perceived social, economic, and ecological benefits of a behaviour), and legitimacy (formal and informal values and norms supporting a behaviour). We tested the framework on a sample of around 300 organic and conventional small-scale farmers in a horticultural area in northern Senegal. We found that despite a highly positive attitude towards organic practices among both conventional and organic farmers, adoption remains extremely low, and many have abandoned them. Low perceived ability and a lack of opportunities appeared to be determinant drivers, including difficulties accessing available organic input, knowledge, and tools and lack of both a market and institutional support. Our results suggest that greater emphasis should be placed on creating favourable conditions at the food system level based on broad agroecological principles. This can be achieved, for example, by supporting grassroots farmer organizations, enacting appropriate environmental legislation, securing organic farmers’ productive resources, and enhancing participatory organic certification and alternative food networks. Such efforts are likely to have a more significant impact than training and promotion targeting farmers who are already convinced

Morbidity associated with sickle cell trait carriers

Background: Sickle cell trait carriers has long considered asymptomatic. This affirmation is now challenged because many patients complain of osteoarticular pain and several organic degenerative complications in particular; renal, eye and sudden death have been described. The objective of this study was to evaluate the morbidity of sickle cell trait and identify risk factors associated.Methods: This is a prospective study with duration of 16 months including 50 patients with sickle cell trait received regular visits (every 6 months) for painful events. Biological assessment was carried out systematically to eliminate rheumatic disease (CRP, ASLO, latex Waler Rose) or metabolic disorders (serum calcium, serum magnesium, and serum uric acid). A correlation between clinical and laboratory data was performed to study the relationship between morbidity observed and biological abnormalities.Results: Mean age of patients was 32 years (12-59) and mean age at diagnosis was 24 years (12-55 years). Sex ratio M/F was 0.16. Clinical symptoms were osteoarticular pain (88%), headache (86%), abdominal pain (76%), muscle cramps (70%), dizziness (56%), biliary lithiasis (6%), femoral head osteonecrosis (2%) and gross haematuria (2%). Seventeen patients (34%) had abnormal metabolic or rheumatic analysis. No risk factor associated with morbidity of patients was identified.Conclusions: This work has allowed us to find that the symptoms presented by sickle cell trait patients are dominated by painful events. This morbidity associated with porting sickle cell trait was not secondary to inflammatory or metabolic disorders or physical activity

Study of variations in the broncho-arterial pedicles of the upper right lung lobe

Bronchial distribution and functional arterial vascularization of the upper lobe of the right lung are subject to many anatomical variations. The control of  these variations is essential for endoscopic and agiographic examinations. It also offers a better guarantee for safe and controlled surgery. In this  preliminary work, the exploitation of 15 heart-lung blocks treated by the injection corrosion method allowed us to study the general arrangement of the  broncho-arteries of the right upper lung lobe and their anatomical variations in the Senegalese population. Our results were as follows: the right upper  lobar bronchus was born on average at 1.25 cm from the tracheal bifurcation, with an average length of 1.13 cm. It ended with trifurcation into apical  (B1), dorsal (B2) and ventral (B3) segmental bronchi in 10 cases (66.66%); in 3 cases (20%), it ended with bifurcation into the dorsal segmental bronchus  and the apico-ventral trunk (B1+B3) (1 case), the apico-dorsal trunk (B1+B2) and the ventral segmental bronchus (B3), finally, in ventral and dorsal  segmentary bronchi giving each one an apical branch (1 case); in a last case, it ended by quadrifurcation, giving an external parabronche. The right upper  lobe was vascularized by 1 to 4 arteries, with eight modes of vascularization. It received more frequently two arteries. The anterior mediastinal  artery was the most common (100%). These results allowed us to discuss anatomical variations in the bronchial tree of the right upper lung lobe and the  pulmonary arterial distribution in that lobe. These variations must be taken into account during endoscopic examinations of imaging and surgery of  pulmonary excision, under penalty of accidents.&nbsp

Détermination du débit de filtration glomérulaire au cours de la drépanocytose au Sénégal: Schwartz, Cockcroft et Gault, MDRD, CKD-EPI ou JSCCS ?

La détermination du Débit de Filtration Glomérulaire (DFG) est importante chez les drépanocytaires du fait qu’ils constituent un groupe de patients chez lesquels des atteintes rénales sont fréquemment décrites notamment l’hyperfiltration glomérulaire. Dès lors, à une époque où les calculateurs en ligne proposent simultanément différentes formules de détermination du DFG, il serait important d’évaluer au sein d’une population noire africaine drépanocytaire l’équivalence entre ces formules qui ont été développées et validées sur des populations caucasiennes et afro-américaines à DFG normal ou diminué. Ainsi cette étude avait pour but d’évaluer l’interchangeabilité des différentes formules de détermination du DFG en les appliquant à des drépanocytaires. Des enfants et adultes sénégalais drépanocytaires homozygotes ont été alors recrutés et leur DFG calculé. La fréquence de l’hyperfiltration glomérulaire et celle de l’insuffisance rénale ont été calculées à partir des résultats obtenus avec les formules de Schwartz et du CKD-EPI. La concordance des différentes formules a été évaluée avec la méthode Bland-Altman. Au total 56 adultes et 62 enfants ont été inclus dans l’étude. L’insuffisance rénale a été notée chez 1,78% des adultes et 9,68% des enfants ; l’hyperfiltration glomérulaire chez 66,10% des adultes et 25,8% des enfants. Par rapport aux formules de référence (CKD-EPI, Schwartz), tous les biais relevés étaient significativement différents de zéro à l’exception de celui de Cockcroftet Gault qui était statistiquement nul. Les limites de concordance étaient toutes inacceptablement larges par rapport aux limites attendues à l’exception de celles du CKD-EPI sans ajustement sur la race. Ainsi, la formule de Schwartz n’était pas interchangeable avec celle du JSCCS chez les enfants, tout comme celle du CKD-EPI ne l’était pas non plus avec celles du JSCCS, de Cockcroft, du MDRD ou du CKD-EPI sans ajustement sur la race chez les adultes drépanocytaires.   English title: Determination of glomerular filtration rate in sickle cell disease in Senegal: Schwartz, Cockcroft and Gault, MDRD, CKD-EPI or JSCCS? Determination of Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) is important in patients living with sickle cell disease (SCD) because they constitute a group of patients where kidney dysfunction is frequently described, in particular glomerular hyperfiltration. Therefore, at a time when online calculators simultaneously propose different formulas to estimate GFR, it would be important to evaluate in a black African population living with SCD the equivalence between these formulas which have been developed and validated on Caucasian and African American populations with normal or decreased GFR. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate interchangeability of different GFR formulas in a group of patients living with SCD. Homozygous Senegalese sickle cell children and adults were then recruited and their GFR computed using Schwartz and JSCCS in children, Cockcroft and Gault, CKD-EPI with and without adjustment for ethnicity, MDRD and JSCCS formulas in adults. The frequency of glomerular hyperfiltration and renal failure was computed based on the results generated using Schwartz and CKD-EPI formulas. The agreement between formulas was assessed with BlandAltman method. A total of 56 adults and 62 children were included in this study. Renal failure was observed in 1.78% of adults and 9.68% of children; glomerular hyperfiltration in 66.10% of adults and 25.8% of children. Compared with reference formulas (CKD-EPI, Schwartz), all biases found were significantly different from zero except for Cockcroft and Gault formula bias, which was statistically zero. The limits of agreement were all unacceptably wide compared with the expected limits with the exception of CKD-EPI without adjustment for ethnicity. Thus, Schwartz formula would not be interchangeable with JSCCS formula in children, nor was the CKD-EPI formula interchangeable with the JSCCS, Cockcroft and Gault, MDRD or CKD-EPI without adjustment for ethnicity formulas in adults living with sickle cell anemia

Abnormal thrombosis and neutrophil activation increase hospital-acquired sacral pressure injuries and morbidity in COVID-19 patients

Hospitalized patients have an increased risk of developing hospital-acquired sacral pressure injury (HASPI). However, it is unknown whether SARS-CoV-2 infection affects HASPI development. To explore the role of SARS-CoV-2 infection in HASPI development, we conducted a single institution, multi-hospital, retrospective study of all patients hospitalized for ≥5 days from March 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020. Patient demographics, hospitalization information, ulcer characteristics, and 30-day-related morbidity were collected for all patients with HASPIs, and intact skin was collected from HASPI borders in a patient subset. We determined the incidence, disease course, and short-term morbidity of HASPIs in COVID-19(+) patients, and characterized the skin histopathology and tissue gene signatures associated with HASPIs in COVID-19 disease. COVID-19(+) patients had a 63% increased HASPI incidence rate, HASPIs of more severe ulcer stage (OR 2.0, p<0.001), and HASPIs more likely to require debridement (OR 3.1, p=0.04) compared to COVID-19(-) patients. Furthermore, COVID-19(+) patients with HASPIs had 2.2x increased odds of a more severe hospitalization course compared to COVID-19(+) patients without HASPIs. HASPI skin histology from COVID-19(+) patients predominantly showed thrombotic vasculopathy, with the number of thrombosed vessels being significantly greater than HASPIs from COVID-19(-) patients. Transcriptional signatures of a COVID-19(+) sample subset were enriched for innate immune responses, thrombosis, and neutrophil activation genes. Overall, our results suggest that immunologic dysregulation secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection, including neutrophil dysfunction and abnormal thrombosis, may play a pathogenic role in development of HASPIs in patients with severe COVID-19