VetoMed : Un système expert à base d’icônes pour la médecine vétérinaire traditionnelle

Ce travail propose l’utilisation d’icônes pour représenter les faits dans un système expert, en remplacement du contenu textuel. Un générateur de systèmes experts basé sur l’utilisation d’icônes a été conçu et développé à cet effet. Il a permis de créer le système expert VetoMed dans le domaine de la pharmacopée traditionnelle vétérinaire où les acteurs sont souvent  analphabètes. Grâce à son interface iconique adaptée aux utilisateurs illettrés, ce système permet à tout utilisateur de s’affranchir de tout  intermédiaire pour la gestion et l’utilisation de sa base de connaissances.Mots-clés : système expert, générateur de systèmes expert, base de connaissances, médecine traditionnelle vétérinaire, plantes médicinales, interface iconique, tradipraticie

Adherence to Combination Prophylaxis for Prevention of Mother-to-Child-Transmission of HIV in Tanzania

BACKGROUND: Since 2008, Tanzanian guidelines for prevention of mother-to-child-transmission of HIV (PMTCT) recommend combination regimen for mother and infant starting in gestational week 28. Combination prophylaxis is assumed to be more effective and less prone to resistance formation compared to single-drug interventions, but the required continuous collection and intake of drugs might pose a challenge on adherence especially in peripheral resource-limited settings. This study aimed at analyzing adherence to combination prophylaxis under field conditions in a rural health facility in Kyela, Tanzania. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A cohort of 122 pregnant women willing to start combination prophylaxis in Kyela District Hospital was enrolled in an observational study. Risk factors for decline of prophylaxis were determined, and adherence levels before, during and after delivery were calculated. In multivariate analysis, identified risk factors for declining pre-delivery prophylaxis included maternal age below 24 years, no income-generating activity, and enrolment before 24.5 gestational weeks, with odds ratios of 5.8 (P = 0.002), 4.4 (P = 0.015) and 7.8 (P = 0.001), respectively. Women who stated to have disclosed their HIV status were significantly more adherent in the pre-delivery period than women who did not (P = 0.004). In the intra- and postpartum period, rather low drug adherence rates during hospitalization indicated unsatisfactory staff performance. Only ten mother-child pairs were at least 80% adherent during all intervention phases; one single mother-child pair met a 95% adherence threshold. CONCLUSIONS: Achieving adherence to combination prophylaxis has shown to be challenging in this rural study setting. Our findings underline the need for additional supervision for PMTCT staff as well as for clients, especially by encouraging them to seek social support through status disclosure. Prophylaxis uptake might be improved by preponing drug intake to an earlier gestational age. Limited structural conditions of a healthcare setting should be taken into serious account when implementing PMTCT combination prophylaxis

Notch and Presenilin Regulate Cellular Expansion and Cytokine Secretion but Cannot Instruct Th1/Th2 Fate Acquisition

Recent reports suggested that Delta1, 4 and Jagged1, 2 possessed the ability to instruct CD4+ T cell into selection of Th1 or Th2 fates, respectively, although the underlying mechanism endowing the cleaved Notch receptor with memory of ligand involved in its activation remains elusive. To examine this, we prepared artificial antigen-presenting cells expressing either DLL1 or Jag1. Although both ligands were efficient in inducing Notch2 cleavage and activation in CD4+ T or reporter cells, the presence of Lunatic Fringe in CD4+ T cells inhibited Jag1 activation of Notch1 receptor. Neither ligand could induce Th1 or Th2 fate choice independently of cytokines or redirect cytokine-driven Th1 or Th2 development. Instead, we find that Notch ligands only augment cytokine production during T cell differentiation in the presence of polarizing IL-12 and IL-4. Moreover, the differentiation choices of naïve CD4+ T cells lacking γ-secretase, RBP-J, or both in response to polarizing cytokines revealed that neither presenilin proteins nor RBP-J were required for cytokine-induced Th1/Th2 fate selection. However, presenilins facilitate cellular proliferation and cytokine secretion in an RBP-J (and thus, Notch) independent manner. The controversies surrounding the role of Notch and presenilins in Th1/Th2 polarization may reflect their role as genetic modifiers of T-helper cells differentiation

Notch and Presenilin Regulate Cellular Expansion and Cytokine Secretion but Cannot Instruct Th1/Th2 Fate Acquisition

Recent reports suggested that Delta1, 4 and Jagged1, 2 possessed the ability to instruct CD4+ T cell into selection of Th1 or Th2 fates, respectively, although the underlying mechanism endowing the cleaved Notch receptor with memory of ligand involved in its activation remains elusive. To examine this, we prepared artificial antigen-presenting cells expressing either DLL1 or Jag1. Although both ligands were efficient in inducing Notch2 cleavage and activation in CD4+ T or reporter cells, the presence of Lunatic Fringe in CD4+ T cells inhibited Jag1 activation of Notch1 receptor. Neither ligand could induce Th1 or Th2 fate choice independently of cytokines or redirect cytokine-driven Th1 or Th2 development. Instead, we find that Notch ligands only augment cytokine production during T cell differentiation in the presence of polarizing IL-12 and IL-4. Moreover, the differentiation choices of naïve CD4+ T cells lacking γ-secretase, RBP-J, or both in response to polarizing cytokines revealed that neither presenilin proteins nor RBP-J were required for cytokine-induced Th1/Th2 fate selection. However, presenilins facilitate cellular proliferation and cytokine secretion in an RBP-J (and thus, Notch) independent manner. The controversies surrounding the role of Notch and presenilins in Th1/Th2 polarization may reflect their role as genetic modifiers of T-helper cells differentiation

Ecology and Transmission of Buruli Ulcer Disease: A Systematic Review

Buruli ulcer is a neglected emerging disease that has recently been reported in some countries as the second most frequent mycobacterial disease in humans after tuberculosis. Cases have been reported from at least 32 countries in Africa (mainly west), Australia, Southeast Asia, China, Central and South America, and the Western Pacific. Large lesions often result in scarring, contractual deformities, amputations, and disabilities, and in Africa, most cases of the disease occur in children between the ages of 4–15 years. This environmental mycobacterium, Mycobacterium ulcerans, is found in communities associated with rivers, swamps, wetlands, and human-linked changes in the aquatic environment, particularly those created as a result of environmental disturbance such as deforestation, dam construction, and agriculture. Buruli ulcer disease is often referred to as the “mysterious disease” because the mode of transmission remains unclear, although several hypotheses have been proposed. The above review reveals that various routes of transmission may occur, varying amongst epidemiological setting and geographic region, and that there may be some role for living agents as reservoirs and as vectors of M. ulcerans, in particular aquatic insects, adult mosquitoes or other biting arthropods. We discuss traditional and non-traditional methods for indicting the roles of living agents as biologically significant reservoirs and/or vectors of pathogens, and suggest an intellectual framework for establishing criteria for transmission. The application of these criteria to the transmission of M. ulcerans presents a significant challenge

Evaluation De La Performance Nutritionnelle D\'une Farine Infantile Composée Chez De Jeunes Rats

Une farine composée à base de maïs, de niébé et de manioc a été obtenue à partir de fermentation associée et soumise au jeune rat mâle Wistar, comme aliment de complément. Cette farine fermentée (FF) est mieux consommée par les rats (8,0 0,6 g-1j-1) que la farine composée non fermentée (FNF) témoin (5 0,4 g-1j-1). L\'efficacité alimentaire de la farine fermentée est 2 fois plus élevée (0,22 g j-1 g-1) que celle du témoin (0,1 g g-1 / j-1). Par ailleurs, la digestibilité in vitro révèle une meilleure sensibilité de l\'amidon de la farine fermentée (82 %) par rapport à celui de la farine non fermentée (48 %). Ces farines produisent in vivo, essentiellement de l\'hydrogène et des acides gras à chaînes courtes caractéristiques d\'un métabolisme fermentaire des fibres et de l\'amidon résistant par la flore microbienne du cæcum. La performance alimentaire observée serait la conséquence de l\'élimination par la fermentation, de certains facteurs antinutritionnels et de l\'amélioration de la digestibilité in vivo de la farine fermentée.The maize, coopea and cassava bean flour was obtained from associated fementation and given to young male rat wistar as food supplement. The fermented flour was more accepted by the rats (8,0 0,6g-1j-1) than the non fermented composed flour controle (5 0,04 g-1j-1). The food efficiency of the fermented flower two was tinaes higher (0,22 g -1j-1g-1) than that of the control (0,1g-1j-1g-1). Morever, in vitro starch digestibility was found to fermented flower as compared 82 % in to that of non fermented composed flower (48 %). These flours produced in vivo essentially hydrogen and short chain fatty acid characteristic of a fermentation metabolism linked to the microbian flora of the caecum. The food performance observed could be the consequence of the elimination of some anti-nutritional factors and the improvement of the in vivo digestibility of flower by fermentation. Keywords: keydigestibilité, efficacité, flatulence, fermentation, Côte d'Ivoire; digestibility, food efficiency, flatulence, fermentation, Côte d'Ivoire.Agronomie Africaine Vol. 15 (2) 2003: pp. 67-7

Determinants of male involvement in maternal and child health services in sub-Saharan Africa: a review.

INTRODUCTION: Male participation is a crucial component in the optimization of Maternal and Child Health (MCH) services. This is especially so where prevention strategies to decrease Mother-to-Child Transmission (MTCT) of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are sought. This study aims to identify determinants of male partners' involvement in MCH activities, focusing specifically on HIV prevention of maternal to child transmission (PMTCT) in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: Literature review was conducted using the following data bases: Pubmed/MEDLINE; CINAHL; EMBASE; COCHRANE; Psych INFORMATION and the websites of the International AIDS Society (IAS), the International AIDS Conference and the International Conference on AIDS in Africa (ICASA) 2011. RESULTS: We included 34 studies in this review, which reported on male participation in MCH and PMTCT services. The majority of studies defined male participation as male involvement solely during antenatal HIV testing. Other studies defined male involvement as any male participation in HIV couple counseling. We identified three main determinants for male participation in PMTCT services: 1) Socio-demographic factors such as level of education, income status; 2) health services related factors such as opening hours of services, behavior of health providers and the lack of space to accommodate male partners; and 3) Sociologic factors such as beliefs, attitudes and communication between men and women. CONCLUSION: There are many challenges to increase male involvement/participation in PMTCT services. So far, few interventions addressing these challenges have been evaluated and reported. It is clear however that improvement of antenatal care services by making them more male friendly, and health education campaigns to change beliefs and attitudes of men are absolutely needed

UBF activates RNA polymerase I transcription by stimulating promoter escape

Ribosomal RNA gene transcription by RNA polymerase I (Pol I) is the driving force behind ribosome biogenesis, vital to cell growth and proliferation. The key activator of Pol I transcription, UBF, has been proposed to act by facilitating recruitment of Pol I and essential basal factor SL1 to rDNA promoters. However, we found no evidence that UBF could stimulate recruitment or stabilization of the pre-initiation complex (PIC) in reconstituted transcription assays. In this, UBF is fundamentally different from archetypal activators of transcription. Our data imply that UBF exerts its stimulatory effect on RNA synthesis, after PIC formation, promoter opening and first phosphodiester bond formation and before elongation. We provide evidence to suggest that UBF activates transcription in the transition between initiation and elongation, at promoter escape by Pol I. This novel role for UBF in promoter escape would allow control of rRNA synthesis at active rDNA repeats, independent of and complementary to the promoter-specific targeting of SL1 and Pol I during PIC assembly. We posit that stimulation of promoter escape could be a general mechanism of activator function

A novel TBP-associated factor of SL1 functions in RNA polymerase I transcription

In mammalian RNA polymerase I transcription, SL1, an assembly of TBP and associated factors (TAFs), is essential for preinitiation complex formation at ribosomal RNA gene promoters in vitro. We provide evidence for a novel component of SL1, TAF(I)41 (MGC5306), which functions in Pol I transcription. TAF(I)41 resides at the rDNA promoter in the nucleolus and co-purifies and co-immunoprecipitates with SL1. TAF(I)41 immunodepletion from nuclear extracts dramatically reduces Pol I transcription; addition of SL1 restores the ability of these extracts to support Pol I transcription. In cells, siRNA-mediated decreased expression of TAF(I)41 leads to loss of SL1 from the rDNA promoter in vivo, with concomitant loss of Pol I from the rDNA and reduced synthesis of the pre-rRNA. Extracts from these cells support reduced levels of Pol I transcription; addition of SL1 to the extracts raises the level of Pol I transcription. These data suggest that TAF(I)41 is integral to transcriptionally active SL1 and imply a role for SL1, including the TAF(I)41 subunit, in Pol I recruitment and, therefore, preinitiation complex formation in vivo