Prediction of soil water retention properties after stratification by combining texture, bulk density and the type of horizon

International audienceAmong the numerous pedotransfer functions (PTFs) published, class-PTfs have received little attention because their accuracy is often considered limited. However, recent studies show that performance of class-PTFs can be similar to the more popular continuous-PTFs. In this study, we compare the performance of PTFs that were derived from a set of 456 horizons collected in France grouped by combinations of texture, bulk density and type of horizon (topsoil and subsoil). The performance of these class-PTFs was validated against water retained at −33 and −1500 kPa. Our results show that the best performance was obtained with class-PTFs that used both texture and bulk density (texture-structural class-PTFs). They also showed that incorporation of horizon type into the PTF did not improve prediction performance. Comparison of performance at −33 and −1500 kPa showed very little difference, thus indicating no bias according to the value of water potential. Finally, the class-PTFs developed are well suited for predicting water retention properties at the continental and national scales because only very basic soils data are available at these scales. A map of the available water capacity (AWC) was established for France using the 1:1 000 000 Soil Geographical Database of France and an averaged AWC of 104 mm was computed for France

Candida albicans colonization and dissemination from the murine gastrointestinal tract : the influence of morphology and Th17 immunity

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust (086558, 080088, 102705), a Wellcome Trust Strategic Award (097377) and a studentship from the University of Aberdeen. D.K. was supported by grant 5R01AI083344 from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and by a Voelcker Young Investigator Award from the Max and Minnie Tomerlin Voelcker Fund.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Note sur la structure du virus de la peste des petits ruminants

L'étude de la structure du virus PPR en coloration négative montre sa ressemblance avec le virus bovipestique et le virus morbilleux. Il est formé d'une enveloppe hérissée de projections et d'un filament interne à symétrie hélicoïdale représentant la nucléocapside. Cependant, la taille des particules est plus grande que celle du virus bovipestique

Correlation between the Extraordinary Hall Effect and Resistivity

We study the contribution of different types of scattering sources to the extraordinary Hall effect. Scattering by magnetic nano-particles embedded in normal-metal matrix, insulating impurities in magnetic matrix, surface scattering and temperature dependent scattering are experimentally tested. Our new data, as well as previously published results on a variety of materials, are fairly interpreted by a simple modification of the skew scattering model

Fungal Chitin Dampens Inflammation through IL-10 Induction Mediated by NOD2 and TLR9 Activation

Funding: JW and NARG thank the Wellcome Trust (080088, 086827, 075470), The Wellcome Trust Strategic Award in Medical Mycology and Fungal Immunology (097377) and the European Union ALLFUN (FP7/2007 2013, HEALTH-2010-260338) for funding. MGN was supported by a Vici grant of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. AJPB and DMM were funded by STRIFE, ERC-2009-AdG-249793 and AJPB additionally by FINSysB, PITN-GA-2008-214004 and the BBSRC [BB/F00513X/1]. MDL was supported by the MRC (MR/J008230/1). GDB and SV were funded by the Wellcome Trust (086558) and TB and MK were funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Bi 696/3-1; Bi 696/5-2; Bi 696/10-1). MS was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Sch 897/1-3) and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (R01 DE017514-01). TDK and RKSM were funded by the National Institute of Health (AR056296, AI101935) and the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Mise en place de la réglementation issue du décret du 11 décembre 2007 pour les digues maritimes des départements côtiers de la Manche et de Bretagne : état d'avancement, exemples marquants et perspectives

Colloque National Digues Maritimes et Fluviales de Protection contre les Submersions, Aix-en-Provence, FRA, 12-/06/2013 - 14/06/2013National audienceIn France, a national Decree signed on the 11th of December 2007 has significantly strengthened the safety obligations of the fluvial and coastal dike owners. In February 2010, the Xynthia catastrophic storm resulted in an increased awareness of those working on coastal dikes whether they are owners - such as local authorities, owners syndicate ... - or State control authorities.Furthermore, the importance of the French Flash Flood Prevention Program is growing and the first grants for the dike reinforcement have been issued.In this context, three specialized teams of the "regional directions for the environment " (ie the regional level of the French state administration responsible for the control of dike safety) working on the coastline of the English Channel (ie “La Manche”) present in this paper:• a quick overlook of the inventory of coastal and river dikes;• the feedback of the damage caused by the Xynthia storm in the French region of Calvados;• the state-of-progress of the implementation of the regulations created by the 2007 Decree;• Some examples of dike owners who partnered up in order to conduct assessment survey on their embankment system or to realize dikereinforcement work.Le décret de décembre 2007 a significativement renforcé les prescriptions de sécurité s'appliquant aux responsables des digues de protection contre les submersions d'origine fluviale et/ou maritime.La tempête catastrophique Xynthia de février 2010 a sensibilisé de nombreux acteurs agissant dans le domaine des digues de défense maritime - que ceux-ci relèvent de la Maîtrise d'Ouvrage (collectivités territoriales etassociations de défense contre la mer, pour l'essentiel) comme de la mission de Contrôle (DDTM puis DREAL) - pour une mise en oeuvre efficace et pragmatique de cette réglementation. Enfin, le Plan de lutte contre lesSubmersions rapides monte en puissance avec la labellisation des premiers dossiers de travaux de confortement.Dans ce contexte, plusieurs services de DREAL intervenant dans les départements côtiers de la Manche et de Bretagne s'associent pour proposer la présente communication qui vise à :• dresser un rapide état des lieux du recensement et du classement des digues de front de mer ou de cours d'eau sous influence maritime sur ces côtes, dans lesquelles sont parfois englobés des éléments naturels tels que des cordons dunaires ;• rapporter le retour d'expérience suite à la tempête Xynthia et les dégâts qu'elle a causés sur les digues du département du Calvados ;• préciser l'avancement de la mise oeuvre du décret de 2007 ;• présenter quelques exemples de mutualisation et de regroupement de la maîtrise d'ouvrage pour la conduite des études à l'échelle de systèmesd'endiguement ainsi que pour la réalisation de travaux

eDNA metabarcoding biodiversity of freshwater fish in the Alpine area

Environmental DNA (eDNA) based methods are proving to be a promising tool for freshwater fish biodiversity assessment in Europe within the Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC) especially for large rivers and lakes where current fish monitoring techniques have known shortcomings. Many freshwater fish are experiencing critical population declines with risk of local or global extinction because of intense anthropogenic pressure and this can have serious consequences on freshwater ecosystem functioning and diversity. Within the EU project Eco-AlpsWater, advanced high throughput sequencing (HTS) techniques are used to improve the traditional WFD monitoring approaches by using environmental DNA (eDNA) collected in Alpine waterbodies. An eDNA metabarcoding approach specifically designed to measure freshwater fish biodiversity in Alpine lakes and rivers has been extensively evaluated by using mock samples within an intercalibration test. This eDNA method was validated and used to study fish biodiversity of eight lakes and six rivers of the Alpine region including four EC countries (Austria, France, Italy, Slovenia) and Switzerland. More in detail, this metabarcoding approach, based on HTS sequencing of a section of the 12S rRNA gene, was used to assess freshwater fish biodiversity and their distribution in the different habitats. These data represent the first attempt to provide a comprehensive description of freshwater fish diversity in different ecosystems of the Alpine area confirming the applicability of eDNA metabarcoding analyses for the biomonitoring of fish inhabiting Alpine and perialpine lakes and rivers

Differential adaptation of Candida albicans in vivo modulates immune recognition by dectin-1

Author Summary Dectin-1 is a pattern recognition receptor recognising the fungal cell-wall component, β-glucan, and plays an essential role in controlling C. albicans infections in both mouse and man. Candida albicans is part of the normal human microflora, yet is capable of causing superficial mucosal infections as well as life-threatening invasive diseases, particularly in patients whose immune function is compromised. Here we found that the contribution of Dectin-1 is limited to specific strains of C. albicans ; effects which are due to the differential adaptation of these pathogens during infection. Importantly, C. albicans strains showed variations in both the composition and nature of their cell walls, and it was these differences which influenced the role of Dectin-1. Crucially, we found that we could alter the fungal cell wall, and subsequent interactions with the host, using antifungal drugs. These findings have substantial implications for our understanding of the factors contributing to human susceptibility to infections with C. albicans , but also treatment strategies

Can HIV self-testing reach first-time testers? A telephone survey among self-test end users in Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, and Senegal

BACKGROUND: Coverage of HIV testing remains sub-optimal in West Africa. Between 2019 and 2022, the ATLAS program distributed ~400 000 oral HIV self-tests (HIVST) in Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, and Senegal, prioritising female sex workers (FSW) and men having sex with men (MSM), and relying on secondary redistribution of HIVST to partners, peers and clients to reach individuals not tested through conventional testing. This study assesses the proportion of first-time testers among HIVST users and the associated factors. METHODS: A phone-based survey was implemented among HIVST users recruited using dedicated leaflets inviting them to anonymously call a free phone number. We collected socio-demographics, sexual behaviours, HIV testing history, HIVST use, and satisfaction with HIVST. We reported the proportion of first-time testers and computed associated factors using logistic regression. RESULTS: Between March and June 2021, 2 615 participants were recruited for 50 940 distributed HIVST (participation rate: 5.1%). Among participants, 30% received their HIVST kit through secondary distribution (from a friend, sexual partner, family member, or colleague). The proportion who had never tested for HIV before HIVST (first-time testers) was 41%. The main factors associated with being a first-time tester were sex, age group, education level, condom use, and secondary distribution. A higher proportion was observed among those aged 24 years or less (55% vs 32% for 25-34, aOR: 0.37 [95%CI: 0.30-0.44], and 26% for 35 years or more, aOR: 0.28 [0.21-0.37]); those less educated (48% for none/primary education vs 45% for secondary education, aOR: 0.60 [0.47-0.77], and 29% for higher education, aOR: 0.33 [0.25-0.44]). A lower proportion was observed among women (37% vs 43%, aOR: 0.49 [0.40-0.60]); those reporting always using a condom over the last year (36% vs 51% for those reporting never using them, aOR: 2.02 [1.59-2.56]); and those who received their HISVST kit through primary distribution (39% vs 46% for secondary distribution, aOR: 1.32 [1.08-1.60]). CONCLUSION: ATLAS HIVST strategy, including secondary distribution, successfully reached a significant proportion of first-time testers. HIVST has the potential to reach underserved populations and contribute to the expansion of HIV testing services in West Africa