Social representations of animal diseases: anthropological approaches to pathogens crossing species barriers.

Debates about emerging infectious diseases often oppose natural conceptions of zoonotic reservoirs with cultural practices bringing humans into contact with animals. This article compares the representations of cross-species pathogens at ontological levels below the opposition between nature and culture. It describes the perceptions of distinctions between interiority and physicality, between wild and domestic, and between sick and dead in three different contexts where human societies manage animal diseases: Australia, Laos and Mongolia. Our article also argues that zoonotic pathogens are one of the entities mobilized by local knowledge to attenuate troubles in ordinary relations with animals, and shows that the conservation of cultural heritage is a tool of mitigation for infectious diseases emerging in animal reservoirs.

TITLE: Représentations sociales des maladies animales : approches anthropologiques des pathogènes franchissant les barrières d'espèces. ABSTRACT: Les discussions sur les maladies infectieuses émergentes opposent souvent les conceptions naturelles des réservoirs de zoonoses et les pratiques culturelles qui rapprochent les humains des animaux. Cet article compare les représentations des pathogènes qui franchissent les barrières d'espèces à des niveaux ontologiques sous-jacents à l'opposition entre nature et culture. Il décrit les perceptions des distinctions entre intériorité et extériorité, entre sauvage et domestique, entre maladie et mort dans trois contextes où les sociétés humaines gèrent des maladies animales : l'Australie, le Laos et la Mongolie. Il montre également que les pathogènes zoonotiques apparaissent au milieu d'autres entités pour atténuer des troubles dans leurs relations ordinaires avec les animaux, et souligne que la conservation du patrimoine culturel peut être un outil de contrôle des maladies infectieuses qui émergent dans les réservoirs animaux.

Linking humans, their animals, and the environment again: a decolonized and more-than-human approach to "One Health".

This article considers a broad perspective of "One Health" that includes local and animal knowledge. Drawing from various colonial efforts to link human, animal, and environmental health, it first shows that the current "One Health" initiative has its roots in colonial engagement and coincides with a need to secure the health of administrators (controlling that of local populations), while pursing use of resources. In our contemporary period of repeated epidemic outbreaks, we then discuss the need for greater inclusion of social science knowledge for a better understanding of complex socio-ecological systems. We show how considering anthropology and allied sub-disciplines (anthropology of nature, medical anthropology, and human-animal studies) highlights local knowledge on biodiversity as well as the way social scientists investigate diversity in relation to other forms of knowledge. Acknowledging recent approaches, specifically multispecies ethnography, the article then aims to include not only local knowledge but also non-human knowledge for a better prevention of epidemic outbreaks. Finally, the conclusion stresses the need to adopt the same symmetrical approach to scientific and profane knowledge as a way to decolonize One Health, as well as to engage in a more-than-human approach including non-human animals as objects-subjects of research.

TITLE: Relier à nouveau les humains, leurs animaux et l'environnement : une approche décolonisée et plus qu'humaine de « One Health ¼. ABSTRACT: Cet article envisage une perspective élargie de « One Health ¼ (« une seule santé ¼) qui inclut les connaissances locales et celles des animaux. S'inspirant de divers efforts coloniaux pour relier la santé humaine, animale et environnementale, il montre d'abord que l'initiative « One Health ¼ prend ses racines durant la période coloniale et coïncide avec la nécessité de garantir la santé des administrateurs (contrôlant celle des populations locales) tout en poursuivant l'exploitation des ressources. Dans notre période contemporaine d'épidémies à répétition, il aborde ensuite la nécessité d'une plus grande inclusion des travaux des chercheurs en sciences sociales pour une meilleure compréhension des systèmes socio-écologiques complexes. L'article montre comment la mobilisation de l'anthropologie et des sous-disciplines connexes (anthropologie de la nature, anthropologie médicale et études homme-animal), met en évidence les connaissances locales sur la biodiversité ainsi que la façon dont les chercheurs en sciences sociales l'étudient en relation avec d'autres formes de connaissances. Prenant en compte les approches récentes développées dans le domaine, notamment l'ethnographie multi-espèces, il vise alors à inclure non seulement les connaissances profanes mais aussi les connaissances non-humaines pour une meilleure prévention des épidémies. La conclusion souligne la nécessité de mettre sur une même ligne symétrique les connaissances scientifiques et profanes comme moyen de décoloniser One Health, ainsi que de s'engager dans une approche désanthropocentrée en incluant les animaux non humains comme objet-sujet de recherche.

Physiological stress markers during breath-hold diving and SCUBA diving.

This study investigated the sources of physiological stress in diving by comparing SCUBA dives (stressors: hydrostatic pressure, cold, and hyperoxia), apneic dives (hydrostatic pressure, cold, physical activity, hypoxia), and dry static apnea (hypoxia only). We hypothesized that despite the hypoxia induces by a long static apnea, it would be less stressful than SCUBA dive or apneic dives since the latter combined high pressure, physical activity, and cold exposure. Blood samples were collected from 12SCUBA and 12 apnea divers before and after dives. On a different occasion, samples were collected from the apneic group before and after a maximal static dry apnea. We measured changes in levels of the stress hormones cortisol and copeptin in each situation. To identify localized effects of the stress, we measured levels of the cardiac injury markers troponin (cTnI) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), the muscular stress markers myoglobin and lactate), and the hypoxemia marker ischemia-modified albumin (IMA). Copeptin, cortisol, and IMA levels increased for the apneic dive and the static dry apnea, whereas they decreased for the SCUBA dive. Troponin, BNP, and myoglobin levels increased for the apneic dive, but were unchanged for the SCUBA dive and the static dry apnea. We conclude that hypoxia induced by apnea is the dominant trigger for the release of stress hormones and cardiac injury markers, whereas cold or and hyperbaric exposures play a minor role. These results indicate that subjects should be screened carefully for pre-existing cardiac diseases before undertaking significant apneic maneuvers.

Asian Elephant Conservation: Too Elephantocentric? Towards a Biocultural Approach of Conservation.

Drawing from the example of Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) conservation in Laos, this article primarily intends to reveal the elephantocentric vision adopted by mainstream conservation project in direction to the species. In the second part, I will present some ethnographic notes collected among local population who daily live and work with pachyderms. These notes will help in opening up a broader and more ecocentric approach of elephant conservation by highlighting links between biological and cultural diversity. By revealing the cosmo-ecological view of elephants as thought locally, I will then propose an enlarged vision of elephant conservation.

Creation of an intensive care unit and organizational changes in an adult emergency department: Impact on acute stroke management.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Following the reorganization of a University Medical Center onto a single campus, an Intensive Care Unit was created within the adult Emergency Department (ED ICU). We assessed the effects of these organizational changes on acute stroke management and the intravenous administration of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (IV rtPA), as characterized by the thrombolysis rate, door-to-needle time (DNT) and outcome at 3months. METHODS: Between October 2013 and September 2015, we performed a retrospective, observational, single-center, comparative study of patients admitted for ischemic stroke and treated with IV rtPA during two 321-day periods (before and after the creation of the ED ICU). All patients with ischemic stroke were included. Multivariable logistic regression models were performed. The DNT was stratified according to a threshold of 60min. A favorable long-term outcome was defined as a modified Rankin score≤2 at 3months. RESULTS: A total of 1334 ischemic stroke patients were included. Among them, 101 patients received IV rtPA. The frequency of IV rtPA administration was 5.8% (39 out of 676) before the creation of the ED ICU, and 9.3% (62 out of 668) afterwards (odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 1.67 [1.08-2.60]; p=0.02). Additionally, the DNT was shorter (OR [95%CI]: 4.30 [1.17-20.90]; p=0.04) and there was an improvement in the outcome (OR [95%CI]=1.30 [1.01-2.10]; p=0.045). CONCLUSION: Our results highlight the benefits of a separate ED ICU within conventional ED for acute stroke management, with a higher thrombolysis rate, reduced intrahospital delays and better safety.

Recreational Diving Practice for Stress Management: An Exploratory Trial.

Background: Within the components of Scuba diving there are similarities with meditation and mindfulness techniques by training divers to be in a state of open monitoring associated with slow and ample breathing. Perceived stress is known to be diminished during meditation practice. This study evaluates the benefits of scuba diving on perceived stress and mindful functioning. Method: A recreational diving group (RDG; n = 37) was compared with a multisport control group (MCG; n = 30) on perceived stress, mood, well-being and mindfulness by answering auto-questionnaires before and after a 1-week long UCPA course. For the diving group, stability of the effects was evaluated 1 month later using similar auto-questionnaires. Results: Perceived stress did not decrease after the course for the MCG [ The divers showed a significant reduction on the perceived stress score (p < 0.05) with a sustainable effect (p = 0.01)]. An improvement in mood scale was observed in both groups. This was associated to an increase in mindfulness abilities. Conclusions: The practice of a recreational sport improves the mood of subjects reporting the thymic benefits of a physical activity performed during a vacation period. The health benefits of recreational diving appear to be greater than the practice of other sports in reducing stress and improving well-being.