The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

: Cas de la Division Forage

International audience" Une entreprise qui ne gagne que de l'argent est bien pauvre ! " disait Henry Ford. Cette phrase résume en fait la philosophie du " Balanced Sorecard ". En 1996, Kaplan et Norton formalisent pour la première fois, le concept de " The Balanced Scorecard ". La traduction française du Balanced Scorecard est " tableau de bord équilibré ", même si les concepteurs insistent sur le fait qu'il n'est pas un simple tableau de bord mais un système intégré de management pour suivre la mise en œuvre de la stratégie. Il organise les indicateurs en quatre perspectives : 1. Perspective " Financière " : chiffre d'affaires, résultats, retour sur investissements, etc. 2. Perspective " Client " : satisfaction, fidélité, image de marque, qualité des services, etc. 3. Perspective " Processus interne " : organisation, durée, coûts, chaîne logistique, etc. 4. Perspective " Apprentissage et croissance " : développement des compétences, capitalisation des connaissances métier, pérennisation, capacité d'innovation, etc. Ces quatre perspectives visent à concentrer l'attention du management sur les questions fondamentales pour l'atteinte des objectifs : * Comment devrions-nous être perçus par nos actionnaires ? * Comment devrions-nous être perçus par nos clients ? * Pour satisfaire nos actionnaires et nos clients, sur quels processus critiques devons-nous s'appuyer et exceller ? * Comment garder notre capacité de s'adapter et de s'améliorer ? Cette approche contribue à dépasser les indicateurs financiers pour s'intéresser aux sources de performances : les clients, les processus et la dynamique de croissance de l'entreprise. Elle facilite le passage de la simple vision comptable à une vision plus globale de la performance c'est-à-dire, à la mise en avant du propre de l'entreprise, de sa culture et de ses hommes. Il ne s'agit pas de favoriser un type de performance au détriment des trois autres domaines. Un manager décideur peut vérifier que toutes ses décisions sont équilibrées. Le BSC est donc, un outil de pilotage et de suivi des performances. Il se présente comme un ensemble d'indicateurs liés à la stratégie de l'entreprise en offrant au manager, l'opportunité de piloter tous les déterminants de la performance. Ces derniers représentent les facteurs clefs de succès et sont déclinés par des actions et des résultats de nature financière, non financières, quantitatives et qualitatives avec des orientations à court et à long terme. La problématique du pilotage de la performance et la définition des indicateurs fiables de sa mesure demeure une préoccupation permanente des managers et actionnaires des entreprises. Elle se traduit par des questionnements fondamentaux : * Quels sont les outils ou indicateurs de pilotage existants dans l'entreprise ? * Quelles sont les forces et les faiblesses des outils actuels ? * Quelles méthodes sont utilisées ? * Quels sont les avantages et les limites de chaque indicateur ? * Qui les utilise, qui les analyse, qui les valorise ? * Quels nouveaux objectifs sont fixés pour créer un système de pilotage efficace? Le but de cette communication est d'approcher ces préoccupations en se basant sur la capitalisation des expériences managériales. Une application à la Division Forage sera proposée

The possibility of using inflorescence analysis to evaluate the nutritional status of olive trees

1 .pdf (2 Tabls.) copia del Póster original presentado por los autores. Se acompaña de 1 .pdf copia del resumen oficial.The main objective of this work was to evaluate if inflorescence analysis can be considered as an alternative to foliar diagnosis in determining the nutritional status of olive orchards. Olive leaves from cv. Arbequina, planted under high density planting system in two different sites (Tunisia and Spain), were sampled at 5 developmental stages (inflorescence emergence, fruit set, pit hardening, fruit development and fruit maturity) during two years, 2006 and 2007.This study was supported by AECI-MAE projects A/3005/05 and A/5 199/06.Peer reviewe

Inflorescence analysis as alternative to leaf analysis to evaluate the nutritional status of olive trees

The objective of this study was to explore the possibility of using inflorescences instead of leaves as tree organ to assess the nutritional status in olive orchards. Leaves and inflorescences of olive trees (cv. Arbequina), planted under a high density planting system in two different sites (SE of Tunisia and NE of Spain), were used. The experiment was carried out in two consecutive years, 2006 and 2007. Leaf samples were taken at five different developmental stages: inflorescence emergence, fruit set, pit hardening, fruit development and fruit maturity. Inflorescences were sampled at the stage of white button, when the corolla changes from green to white colour. No significant correlations were found between inflorescence and leaf concentrations of N, P, K, Ca and Mg for each site in both years. However, some significant correlations were obtained between leaf and inflorescence mineral contents in both years when analyzing the full set of data for both locations, although correlations were different in each year. At the pit hardening stage, which coincides with the standard date for leaf sampling, significant correlations between leaves and inflorescence concentrations were obtained only for N (r=-0.827**) in 2006, and for N (r=-0.604*), K (r=-0.527*), P (r=0.760**) and Ca (r=-0.824**) in 2007.This study was supported by AECI-MAE projects A/3005/05, A/5199/06, A/8333/07 and A/017280/08.Peer Reviewe

Effect of MoO3 in the cathode buffer layer on the behaviour of layered organic solar cells

The behaviour of small-molecule organic solar cells based on copper-phthalocyanine/fullerene with different cathode buffer layer is investigated as a function of air exposure duration. The effect of MoO3 on the properties of photovoltaic solar cells (OPVCs) when it is introduced in the cathode buffer layer (CBL), has been studied. Photovoltaic performances were measured as a function of time of air exposure. During the first days of air exposure, the efficiency of the OPVCs with MoO3 in their CBL increases significantly, while it decreases immediately after air exposure in the case of reference OPVCs, i.e. without MoO3 in the CBL. Nevertheless, the lifetime of the OPVCs with MoO3 in their CBL is around 60 days, while it is only 10 days in the case of reference OPVCs. The initial increase of the OPVC with MoO3 in their CBL is attributed to the slow decrease of the work function of MoO3 due to progressive contamination. Then, the progressive degradation of the OPVCs efficiency is due to water vapour and oxygen contamination of the organic layers. The use of double CBL, Alq3/MoO3, allows to interrupt the growth of pinholes, defects and increases the path of permeating gas. Also it can prevent the contamination of the organic layer by Al. All this results in significant increase of the lifetime of the OPVCs

Abstracts of 1st International Conference on Computational & Applied Physics

This book contains the abstracts of the papers presented at the International Conference on Computational & Applied Physics (ICCAP’2021) Organized by the Surfaces, Interfaces and Thin Films Laboratory (LASICOM), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University Saad Dahleb Blida 1, Algeria, held on 26–28 September 2021. The Conference had a variety of Plenary Lectures, Oral sessions, and E-Poster Presentations. Conference Title: 1st International Conference on Computational & Applied PhysicsConference Acronym: ICCAP’2021Conference Date: 26–28 September 2021Conference Location: Online (Virtual Conference)Conference Organizer: Surfaces, Interfaces, and Thin Films Laboratory (LASICOM), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University Saad Dahleb Blida 1, Algeria