Micropropagation of a West African wild grape (Lannea microcarpa)

The propagation of Lannea microcarpa (an African wild grape) by seeds causes considerable variation in the offspring, making very difficult the selection, and multiplication of superior genotypes of interest. The species is also very difficult to propagate using conventional asexual technique. Therefore, micro cutting explants of young shoots from seedlings of Lannea microcarpa were grown in vitro on semi-solid Woody Plant Medium (WPM) supplemented for each experiment with three cytokinins at seven different concentrations for shoot formation and development. The cytokinins tested were 2iP (2-isopentenyladenine), TDZ (Thidiazuron), Zea (Zeatin) plus 0.05 µM IAA in the medium. Two subcultures were performed at 35 days interval after the initial in vitro culture establishment. Shoot development occurred primarily from axillaries buds formation that was greatest on a medium containing 56 µM of 2iP (plus 0.05µM IAA), with an average number of 4.5 ± 0.3 shoots per single node cutting and an average length of 4.7 ± 0.7 cm. After removal from culture, the shoots were induced rooting using IAA (Indole-3-Acetic Acid) and IBA (1H-indole-3-butanoic acid) at seven different concentrations. Shoots rooted in response to treatment with auxins (IBA and IAA) in the WPM medium and also in talc. The WPM medium produced an average number of 7 ± 0.5 roots per cutting at 32 µM IBA and with nearly 4.5 ± 0.7 cm in length. But the 1.5% of IBA in talc gave a better result with a higher number of 7.5 ± 0.4 roots per cutting with 5.5 ± 0.6 cm in length. The objective of this study is to develop a reproducible protocol for the rapid propagation of Lannea microcarpa in a semi-solid WPM medium supplemented with various concentrations of hormones.Keywords: In vitro propagation, Sahelean tree, Cytokinins, auxins

Earth blocks stabilized by cow-dung

WOS:000379589500010International audienceIn developing countries, most of the population cannot afford conventional building blocks made with the sand-cement mixture. In addition, these blocks do not provide thermal comfort and have a high embodied energy compared to vernacular materials. The main objective of this work was to produce low cost, resistant and durable (good resistance to water) blocks with a thermal behaviour enabling quality comfort indoor. For that purpose, the effects of cow-dung on microstructural changes in earth blocks (adobes) are investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analyses, scanning electronic microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry, and video microscopy. The effects of these changes on the physical properties (water absorption and linear shrinkage) and mechanical properties (flexural and compressive strengths) of adobe blocks are evaluated. It is shown that cow-dung reacts with kaolinite and fine quartz to produce insoluble silicate amine, which glues the isolated soil particles together. Moreover, the significant presence of fibres in cow-dung prevents the propagation of cracks in the adobes and thus reinforces the material. The above phenomena make the adobe microstructure homogeneous with an apparent reduction of the porosity. The major effect of cow-dung additions is a significant improvement in the water resistance of adobe, which leads to the conclusion that adobes stabilized by cow-dung are suitable as building materials in wet climates

Prévalence et facteurs de risque des mammites subcliniques dans les élevages traditionnels de Kaolack au Sénégal

Les mammites subcliniques sont des affections incideuses de la glande mammaire mais qui impactent négativement la production de la vache laitière. Il s’avère nécessaire de faire le diagnostic en vue de les contrôler.Objectif : Le présent travail avait pour objectif de déterminer la prévalence des mammites subcliniques dans les élevages traditionnels de la région de Kaolack au Sénégal.Méthodologie et résultats : Au total 101 vaches en lactation des élevages traditionnels de la zone périurbaine de Kaolack ont fait l’objet de l’étude. Le California Mastitis Test (CMT) et le Comptages des Cellules Somatiques (CCS) avec le Delaval cells counter (Delval, Tumba, Suède), ont été utilisés pour analyser les échantillons de lait prélevés. Les prévalences ont été de 11,9% et de 10,9% en utilisant le CMT et le CCS respectivement. Il n’y a pas eu de différence significative entre prévalences obtenues par les deux tests (p=0,824). La prévalence des mammites chez les vaches métisses (12,5%) a été significativement plus élevée que celle des vaches de race locale Gobra (11,8%) (p=0,007). Par contre, le rang de mise bas n’a eu aucun effet sur la survenue des mammites (Odds ratio = 1,542 ; 95% IC : [0,884-2,690]).Conclusion : La prévalence des mammites obtenue dans les élevages traditionnels permet de dire qu’il faut envisager une prise en charge efficace des vaches malades et améliorer la production laitière. A la lumière de nos résultats, le test de CMT qui est fiable rapide simple et efficace peut être un bon moyen de détection rapide des mammites subcliniques dans les élevages traditionnelsMots clés : California Mastitis Test, Comptage Cellules Somatiques, Mammite subclinique, vache laitière, SénégalSubclinical mastitis is an insidious infection of the mammary gland which negatively affects the production of the dairy cow. Thus, it is necessary to make the diagnosis in order to control it.Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of subclinical mastitis in traditional livestock (cows) in the region of Kaolack in Senegal.Methodology and results: A total of 101 lactating cows from traditional Kaolack peri-urban farming were studied. The California Mastitis Test (CMT) and Somatic Cell Counts (CCS) using Delaval cells counter (Delval, Tumba, Sweden) were utilized to analyze the milk samples. The prevalences were 11.9% and 10.9% using CMT and CCS respectively. There was no significant difference between the prevalences obtained by the two tests (p = 0.824). The prevalence of mastitis in crossbred cows (12.5%) was significantly higher than that of local Gobra cows (11.8%) (p = 0.007). On the other hand, the calving rank had no effect on the occurrence of mastitis (Odds ratio = 1.542 ; 95% CI : [0.884-2.690]). Conclusion: The prevalence of mastitis obtained in traditional livestock suggests that effective management of sick cows should be considered in order to improve dairy production. In light of our findings, the CMT test which is reliable fast simple and effective can be a good means of rapid detection of subclinical mastitis in traditional dairy farms.Keywords: California Mastitis Test, Somatic cell count, Subclinical mastitis, dairy cow, Senega

The use of sequential mark-release-recapture experiments to estimate population size, survival and dispersal of male mosquitoes of the Anopheles gambiae complex in Bana, a west African humid savannah village

BACKGROUND: Vector control is a major component of the malaria control strategy. The increasing spread of insecticide resistance has encouraged the development of new tools such as genetic control which use releases of modified male mosquitoes. The use of male mosquitoes as part of a control strategy requires an improved understanding of male mosquito biology, including the factors influencing their survival and dispersal, as well as the ability to accurately estimate the size of a target mosquito population. This study was designed to determine the seasonal variation in population size via repeated mark-release-recapture experiments and to estimate the survival and dispersal of male mosquitoes of the Anopheles gambiae complex in a small west African village. METHODS: Mark-release-recapture experiments were carried out in Bana Village over two consecutive years, during the wet and the dry seasons. For each experiment, around 5000 (3407-5273) adult male Anopheles coluzzii mosquitoes were marked using three different colour dye powders (red, blue and green) and released in three different locations in the village (centre, edge and outside). Mosquitoes were recaptured at sites spread over the village for seven consecutive days following the releases. Three different capture methods were used: clay pots, pyrethroid spray catches and swarm sampling. RESULTS: Swarm sampling was the most productive method for recapturing male mosquitoes in the field. Population size and survival were estimated by Bayesian analyses of the Fisher-Ford model, revealing an about 10-fold increase in population size estimates between the end of dry season (10,000-50,000) to the wet season (100,000-500,000). There were no detectable seasonal effects on mosquito survival, suggesting that factors other than weather may play an important role. Mosquito dispersal ranged from 40 to 549 m over the seven days of each study and was not influenced by the season, but mainly by the release location, which explained more than 44% of the variance in net dispersal distance. CONCLUSION: This study clearly shows that male-based MRR experiments can be used to estimate some parameters of wild male populations such as population size, survival, and dispersal and to estimate the spatial patterns of movement in a given locality

Right ventricular outflow tract tachycardia worsened during pregnancy

We report the case of a 35 years old woman without underlying heart disease who was diagnosed with a right ventricular outflow tract tachycardia worsened during pregnancy. The diagnosis of ventricular tachycardia was made early in her pregnancy course but the patient had symptoms three months earlier. Her disease course was marked by rhythmic storms during the second trimester of pregnancy that led to three hospitalizations accounting for about two weeks in total. The combination of nadolol 80 mg and flecainide tablets 150 mg improved her rhythmic storms. Radiofrequency allowed a radical cure of this ventricular tachycardia. The patient is now asymptomatic 27 months after radiofrequency treatment

Yam Daabo interventions’ effects on postpartum family planning use in Burkina Faso at 24 months after childbirth

Introduction After testing the interventions for improving the prevalence of contraceptive use, very few studies have measured the long-term effects thereafter the end of the implementation. This study aimed to measure Yam Daabo interventions’ effects on contraceptive use in Burkina Faso at twelve months after completion of the intervention. Methods Yam Daabo was a two-group, multi-intervention, single-blind, cluster randomized controlled trial. Interventions comprised refresher training for the provider, a counseling tool, supportive supervision, availability of contraceptive services 7 days a week, client appointment cards, and invitation letters for partners. We used generalized linear mixed-effects models (log Poisson) to compare the modern contraceptive prevalence at 12 months post-intervention in the two groups. We collected data between September and November 2018. We conducted an intention-to-treat analysis and adjusted the prevalence ratios on cluster effects and unbalanced baseline characteristics. Results Twelve months after the completion of the Yam Daabo trial, we interviewed 87.4% (485 out of 555 women with available data at 12 months, that is, 247/276 in the intervention group (89.5%) and 238/279 in the control group (85.3%). No difference was observed in the use of hormonal contraceptive methods between the intervention and control groups (adjusted prevalence ratio = 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.91–1.61], p = 0.191). By contrast, women in the intervention group were more likely to use long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) than those in the control group (adjusted prevalence ratio = 1.35; 95% CI = [1.08–1.69], p = 0.008). Conclusion Twelve months after completion of the intervention, we found no significant difference in hormonal contraceptive use between women in the intervention and their control group counterparts. However, women in the intervention group were significantly more likely to use long-acting reversible contraceptives than those in the control group. Trial registration The trial registration number at the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry is PACTR201609001784334. The date of the first registration is 27/09/2016

Phytochemical composition, Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory potential of bioactive fractions from extracts of three medicinal plants traditionally used to treat liver diseases in Burkina Faso

Our aim in this study concerning the ethyl acetate and dichloromethane fractions was to provide a scientific basis for the treatment of hepatitis B in Burkina Faso of these three ethnomedicinal plants. As a result, we evaluated polyphenol content, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory evaluated by lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitory and Xanthine Oxidase (XO) activities of aqueous acetone bioactive fractions from three species of Malvaceae (Sida cordifolia, Sida rhombifolia, S. urens). Folin-ciocalteu; AlCl3 methods and tannic acid respectively were used for polyphenol content research. The antioxidant activity of the samples was evaluate using three separate methods, inhibition of free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydramzyl (DPPH), ABTS radical cation decolorization assay, Iron (III) to iron (II) reduction activity (FRAP). For anti-inflammatoty activity, lypoxygenase and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities were used. Finally, in this study, the ethyl acetate fraction has shown the best results comparatively to the dichloromethane fraction. Keywords: Polyphenol, Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, Medicinal plants, hepatitis B