COVID-19, systemic crisis, and possible implications for the wild meat trade in sub-Saharan Africa

Wild animals play an integral and complex role in the economies and ecologies of many countries across the globe, including those of West and Central Africa, the focus of this policy perspective. The trade in wild meat, and its role in diets, have been brought into focus as a consequence of discussions over the origins of COVID-19. As a result, there have been calls for the closure of China’s “wet markets”; greater scrutiny of the wildlife trade in general; and a spotlight has been placed on the potential risks posed by growing human populations and shrinking natural habitats for animal to human transmission of zoonotic diseases. However, to date there has been little attention given to what the consequences of the COVID-19 economic shock may be for the wildlife trade; the people who rely on it for their livelihoods; and the wildlife that is exploited. In this policy perspective, we argue that the links between the COVID-19 pandemic, rural livelihoods and wildlife are likely to be more complex, more nuanced, and more far-reaching, than is represented in the literature to date. We develop a causal model that tracks the likely implications for the wild meat trade of the systemic crisis triggered by COVID-19. We focus on the resulting economic shockwave, as manifested in the collapse in global demand for commodities such as oil, and international tourism services, and what this may mean for local African economies and livelihoods. We trace the shockwave through to the consequences for the use of, and demand for, wild meats as households respond to these changes. We suggest that understanding and predicting the complex dynamics of wild meat use requires increased collaboration between environmental and resource economics and the ecological and conservation sciences

Stroke Thrombus Segmentation on SWAN with Multi-Directional U-Nets

International audienceThe thrombus causing a stroke can be seen on the susceptibility weighted angiography (SWAN) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequence. But it is very small and hard to detect by humans. Up to date the thrombus is identified by trained human experts. But as stroke needs quick treatment, an automatic detection of the thrombus would be useful to speed up the diagnosis of acute stroke. We propose a method for automatic thrombus detection from SWAN using three separate U-Nets which work on the axial, coronal and sagittal planes

Ocho grandes conciertos

Direcció Artística Napoleone AnnovazziEmpresa José F. ArquerEs van interpretar les següents obres: Habanera, de L. Aubert; la Suite en si menor i el Concert per a dos violins en re menor, de J. S. Bach; l'obertura Leonora núm. 2, i les simfonies núm. 2, 5 i 6 de L. v. Beethoven; les simfonies núm. 1 i 3 de J. Brahms; la Simfonia núm. 4 d'A. Bruckner; Napoli, de Impresiones de Italia, de G. Charpentier; la Simfonia en si bemoll d' E. Chausson; el Concert núm. 2 en fa menor, per a piano i orquestra, de F. Chopin; la suite de El sombrero de tres picos, de M. de Falla; La Peri, de P. Dukas; la Suite Francesa, de W. Egk; Pavane, Sicilienne i Fileuse, de G. Fauré; l'obertura de Le Roi d'Ys, i el Concert per a Violoncel, d'E. Lalo; l'obertura de Les Noces de Fígaro, de W. A. Mozart; Fantasia Vasca, de G. Pierné; La procesión nocturna, de H. Rabaud; el Concert núm. 3 per a piano i orquestra de S. Rachmaninoff; Alborada del gracioso, de M. Ravel; l'obertura de La Scala di seta, de G. Rossini; la Simfonia núm. 1 de J. Sibelius; l'obertura de La novia vendida, de B. Smetana; Don Juan, de R. Strauss; l'obertura de El buque fantasma, el preludi de Parsifal, els Encants del Divendres Sant de Parsifal, l'obertura de Rienzi i la Cabalgata de La Walkiria, de R. Wagner; l'obertura de Oberon i l'obertura de Der Freischutz, de C. M. v. WeberOrquesta Sinfónica del Gran Teatro del Liceo; Orchestre Lamoureux; directors Napoleone Annovazzi; Hugo Balzer; Eugène Bigot; Franz Konwitschny; Carlos SuriñachPianista: Witold Malcuzynski ; Soprano : Consuelo Rubi

Protective effect of a new biomaterial against the development of experimental osteoarthritis lesions in rabbit: a pilot study evaluating the intra-articular injection of alginate-chitosan beads dispersed in an hydrogel.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the structural benefit of a new biomaterial composed of alginate-chitosan (AC) beads dispersed in an hydrogel (H) derived from chitosan on the development of osteoarthritis (OA) in rabbit. Design: OA was induced by the surgical transection of the anterior cruciate ligament in rabbits. Animals received a single intra-articular injection (900 μl) of AC beads in H hydrogel, H hydrogel alone or saline one week after surgery. OA development was followed by X-rays. Blood samples were collected throughout the study to measure biological markers (PGE2 and CRP). Macroscopic observation and histological evaluation of articular cartilage and synovial membrane were performed 6 weeks after surgery. Results: AC beads in H hydrogel prevented from the development of OA based on the reduction of the Kellgren & Lawrence (K&L) score. It also significantly reduced the histological score of cartilage lesion severity. This effect was homogenous on every joint compartment. It was due to a significant effect on cartilage structure and cellularity scores. The injection of AC beads in H hydrogel also tended to reduce the synovial membrane inflammation. No significant variation of biological markers was noted. Conclusions: The present pilot study provides interesting and promising results for the use of AC beads in H hydrogel in animal. It indeed prevented the development of OA cartilage lesions without inflammatory signs. The potencies of this biomaterial to protect OA joint should be further documented. It could then represent a new alternative for viscosupplementation in human OA management

Factors contributing to sex differences in functional outcomes and participation after stroke

Objective To examine factors contributing to the sex differences in functional outcomes and participation restriction after stroke. Methods Individual participant data on long-term functional outcome or participation restriction (i.e., handicap) were obtained from 11 stroke incidence studies (1993–2014). Multivariable log-binomial regression was used to estimate the female:male relative risk (RR) of poor functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score &gt;2 or Barthel Index score &lt;20) at 1 year (10 studies, n = 4,852) and 5 years (7 studies, n = 2,226). Multivariable linear regression was used to compare the mean difference (MD) in participation restriction by use of the London Handicap Scale (range 0–100 with lower scores indicating poorer outcome) for women compared to men at 5 years (2 studies, n = 617). For each outcome, study-specific estimates adjusted for confounding factors (e.g., sociodemographics, stroke-related factors) were combined with the use of random-effects meta-analysis. Results In unadjusted analyses, women experienced worse functional outcomes after stroke than men (1 year: pooled RRunadjusted 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18–1.48; 5 years: RRunadjusted 1.31, 95% CI 1.16–1.47). However, this difference was greatly attenuated after adjustment for age, prestroke dependency, and stroke severity (1 year: RRadjusted 1.08, 95% CI 0.97–1.20; 5 years: RRadjusted 1.05, 95% CI 0.94–1.18). Women also had greater participation restriction than men (pooled MDunadjusted −5.55, 95% CI −8.47 to −2.63), but this difference was again attenuated after adjustment for the aforementioned factors (MDadjusted −2.48, 95% CI −4.99 to 0.03). Conclusions Worse outcomes after stroke among women were explained mostly by age, stroke severity, and prestroke dependency, suggesting these potential targets to improve the outcomes after stroke in women.</p

Sex differences in long-term mortality after stroke in the INSTRUCT (INternational STRoke oUtComes sTudy): A meta-analysis of individual participant data

Background: Women are reported to have greater mortality after stroke than men, but the reasons are uncertain. We examined sex differences in mortality at 1 and 5 years after stroke and identified factors contributing to these differences.Methods and Results: Individual participant data for incident strokes were obtained from 13 population-based incidence studies conducted in Europe, Australasia, South America, and the Caribbean between 1987 and 2013. Data on sociodemographics, stroke-related factors, prestroke health, and 1- and 5-year survival were obtained. Poisson modeling was used to estimate the mortality rate ratio (MRR) for women compared with men at 1 year (13 studies) and 5 years (8 studies) after stroke. Study-specific adjusted MRRs were pooled to create a summary estimate using random-effects meta-analysis. Overall, 16 957 participants with first-ever stroke followed up at 1 year and 13 216 followed up to 5 years were included. Crude pooled mortality was greater for women than men at 1 year (MRR 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.24-1.47) and 5 years (MRR 1.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-1.38). However, these pooled sex differences were reversed after adjustment for confounding factors (1 year MRR, 0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.72-0.92 and 5-year MRR, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.65-0.89). Confounding factors included age, prestroke functional limitations, stroke severity, and history of atrial fibrillation.Conclusions: Greater mortality in women is mostly because of age but also stroke severity, atrial fibrillation, and prestroke functional limitations. Lower survival after stroke among the elderly is inevitable, but there may be opportunities for intervention, including better access to evidence-based care for cardiovascular and general health

Sex differences in long-term mortality after stroke in the INSTRUCT (INternational STRoke oUtComes sTudy): A meta-analysis of individual participant data

Background Women are reported to have greater mortality after stroke than men, but the reasons are uncertain. We examined sex differences in mortality at 1 and 5 years after stroke and identified factors contributing to these differences. Methods and Results Individual participant data for incident strokes were obtained from 13 population-based incidence studies conducted in Europe, Australasia, South America, and the Caribbean between 1987 and 2013. Data on sociodemographics, stroke-related factors, prestroke health, and 1- and 5-year survival were obtained. Poisson modeling was used to estimate the mortality rate ratio (MRR) for women compared with men at 1 year (13 studies) and 5 years (8 studies) after stroke. Study-specific adjusted MRRs were pooled to create a summary estimate using random-effects meta-analysis. Overall, 16 957 participants with first-ever stroke followed up at 1 year and 13 216 followed up to 5 years were included. Crude pooled mortality was greater for women than men at 1 year (MRR 1.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.24–1.47) and 5 years (MRR 1.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.12–1.38). However, these pooled sex differences were reversed after adjustment for confounding factors (1 year MRR, 0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.72–0.92 and 5-year MRR, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.65–0.89). Confounding factors included age, prestroke functional limitations, stroke severity, and history of atrial fibrillation. Conclusions Greater mortality in women is mostly because of age but also stroke severity, atrial fibrillation, and prestroke functional limitations. Lower survival after stroke among the elderly is inevitable, but there may be opportunities for intervention, including better access to evidence-based care for cardiovascular and general health.</p