Mobilité relative des métaux lourds issus de la décharge d’Akouédo et risque de contamination de la nappe du Continental Terminall (Abidjan - Côte d’Ivoire)

Relative mobility of heavy metals resulting from Akouédo landfill and assessment of Continental Terminal groundwater contamination risk(Abidjan-Côte d'Ivoire)The aim of this study is to know the geochemical mechanisms which control the vertical migration of heavy metals and to evaluate the risk of the Continental Terminal groundwater contamination resulting from Akouedo landfill. The chemical analyses of 56 samples showed that the soil of Akouedo landfill is rich in Cu (20-369.7 ppm), Fe (850-12500 ppm), Zn (18.6-1163.7 ppm), Pb (10.3-1450 ppm), Cd (1-11.5 ppm) and Cr (27.7-125ppm). Adsorption, principal geochemical mechanism in the soil, allows the retention of the majority of metals (Cu, Fe, Zn, Pb, Cd) on the organic matter (NTK and Corg) very abundant in the surface layers and on the clayed layers. But chromium is not much adsorbed and migrates more towards the deep layers. Cr is thus able to reach the groundwater easily and to cause a contamination of this one

Genetic Diversification and Selection Strategies for Improving Sorghum Grain Yield Under Phosphorous-Deficient Conditions in West Africa

Sorghum, a major crop for income generation and food security in West and Central Africa, is predominantly grown in low-input farming systems with serious soil phosphorus (P) deficiencies. This study (a) estimates genetic parameters needed to design selection protocols that optimize genetic gains for yield under low-phosphorus conditions and (b) examines the utility of introgressed backcross nested association mapping (BCNAM) populations for diversifying Malian breeding materials. A total of 1083 BC1F5 progenies derived from an elite hybrid restorer “Lata-3” and 13 diverse donor accessions were evaluated for yield and agronomic traits under contrasting soil P conditions in Mali in 2013. A subset of 298 progenies were further tested under low-P (LP) and high-P (HP) conditions in 2014 and 2015. Significant genetic variation for grain yield was observed under LP and HP conditions. Selection for grain yield under LP conditions was feasible and more efficient than the indirect selection under HP in all three years of testing. Several of the BCNAM populations exhibited yields under LP conditions that were superior to the elite restorer line used as a recurrent parent. The BCNAM approach appears promising for diversifying the male parent pool with introgression of diverse materials using both adapted Malian breed and unadapted landrace material from distant geographic origins as donors

Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria provides substantial protection against malaria in children already protected by an insecticide-treated bednet in Mali: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that in areas of seasonal malaria transmission, intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in children (IPTc), targeting the transmission season, reduces the incidence of clinical malaria. However, these studies were conducted in communities with low coverage with insecticide-treated nets (ITNs). Whether IPTc provides additional protection to children sleeping under an ITN has not been established. METHODS AND FINDINGS: To assess whether IPTc provides additional protection to children sleeping under an ITN, we conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of IPTc with sulphadoxine pyrimethamine (SP) plus amodiaquine (AQ) in three localities in Kati, Mali. After screening, eligible children aged 3-59 mo were given a long-lasting insecticide-treated net (LLIN) and randomised to receive three rounds of active drugs or placebos. Treatments were administered under observation at monthly intervals during the high malaria transmission season in August, September, and October 2008. Adverse events were monitored immediately after the administration of each course of IPTc and throughout the follow-up period. The primary endpoint was clinical episodes of malaria recorded through passive surveillance by study clinicians available at all times during the follow-up. Cross-sectional surveys were conducted in 150 randomly selected children weekly and in all children at the end of the malaria transmission season to assess usage of ITNs and the impact of IPTc on the prevalence of malaria, anaemia, and malnutrition. Cox regression was used to compare incidence rates between intervention and control arms. The effects of IPTc on the prevalence of malaria infection and anaemia were estimated using logistic regression. 3,065 children were screened and 3,017 (1,508 in the control and 1,509 in the intervention arm) were enrolled in the study. 1,485 children (98.5%) in the control arm and 1,481 (98.1%) in the intervention arm completed follow-up. During the intervention period, the proportion of children reported to have slept under an ITN was 99.7% in the control and 99.3% in intervention arm (p = 0.45). A total of 672 episodes of clinical malaria defined as fever or a history of fever and the presence of at least 5,000 asexual forms of Plasmodium falciparum per microlitre (incidence rate of 1.90; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.76-2.05 episodes per person year) were observed in the control arm versus 126 (incidence rate of 0.34; 95% CI 0.29-0.41 episodes per person year) in the intervention arm, indicating a protective effect (PE) of 82% (95% CI 78%-85%) (p<0.001) on the primary endpoint. There were 15 episodes of severe malaria in children in the control arm compared to two in children in the intervention group giving a PE of 87% (95% CI 42%-99%) (p = 0.001). IPTc reduced the prevalence of malaria infection by 85% (95% CI 73%-92%) (p<0.001) during the intervention period and by 46% (95% CI 31%-68%) (p<0.001) at the end of the intervention period. The prevalence of moderate anaemia (haemoglobin [Hb] <8 g/dl) was reduced by 47% (95% CI 15%-67%) (p<0.007) at the end of intervention period. The frequencies of adverse events were similar between the two arms. There was no drug-related serious adverse event. CONCLUSIONS: IPTc given during the malaria transmission season provided substantial protection against clinical episodes of malaria, malaria infection, and anaemia in children using an LLIN. SP+AQ was safe and well tolerated. These findings indicate that IPTc could make a valuable contribution to malaria control in areas of seasonal malaria transmission alongside other interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00738946. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary

Requirements modelling and formal analysis using graph operations

The increasing complexity of enterprise systems requires a more advanced analysis of the representation of services expected than is currently possible. Consequently, the specification stage, which could be facilitated by formal verification, becomes very important to the system life-cycle. This paper presents a formal modelling approach, which may be used in order to better represent the reality of the system and to verify the awaited or existing system’s properties, taking into account the environmental characteristics. For that, we firstly propose a formalization process based upon properties specification, and secondly we use Conceptual Graphs operations to develop reasoning mechanisms of verifying requirements statements. The graphic visualization of these reasoning enables us to correctly capture the system specifications by making it easier to determine if desired properties hold. It is applied to the field of Enterprise modelling

Exposition à un risque d’infection rabique à l’unité de prévention du service de maladies infectieuses et tropicales du CHNU de Fann à Dakar: Caractéristiques et prise en charge thérapeutique

Objectif: Décrire les caractéristiques épidémiologiques et les modalités de prise en charge préventive des patients. Résultats : Cent cinquante-deux (152) patients ont consulté suite à une exposition au risque d’infection rabique principalement à la suite d’une morsure par un chien (133cas/152). Aucun animal mordeur n’a été mis en observation. La majorité (90%) provenait de Dakar. L’âge médian était de 22 ans [1 - 90 ans] et les hommes étaient les plus touchés avec un sex ratio (H/F) de 1,8. Les blessures de catégorie II étaient les plus fréquentes (100 cas). Près de deux tiers des personnes exposées ont été prises en charge dans les 48 heures. La quasi-totalité des patients avaient bénéficié du protocole Zagreb mais environ 41% d’entre eux avaient abandonné leur prophylaxie post exposition (PPE) en cours de suivi, soit un taux de complétude de 59%. Conclusion : Composante essentielle de la lutte contre la rage, la prophylaxie post exposition doit être améliorée par la sensibilisation et la collaboration avec les services vétérinaires. Tout ceci dans l’esprit du one health ou santé unique ainsi que l’amélioration de l’accessibilité financière des vaccins et des immunoglobulines antirabique

Oral microbial pathogens isolates in newly diagnosed HIV positive patients. A baseline survey of the sociale institute of health and hygiene of Dakar

ABSTRACT The subjects were evaluated in correlation of the CD4 count, viral load and types of oral microbes isolated and the fungal infections in newly diagnosed patients with HIV infection prior to commencement of the highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART). Fifty -seven newly diagnosed HIV positive patients were included in this on going study. The CD4 count, viral load were obtained. Oral examination was carried out and Buccal swabs was taken for Microscopy, Culture and Sensitivity. Males were 14(24.6%) and 43(75.4%) were females. About 39% of the patients are within 30-39 years.The pattern of microbial pathogens isolated were: Pseudomonas spp 16.5% , Klebsiella spp. 15.3% , Proteus spp. 12.9% Staphylococcus aureus in 12.9% Escherichia coli 9.40%, Candida albican 7.1%, Streptococcus faecalis 2.4%, Non Haemolytic streptococcus 2.4% and Staphylococcus albus 21.2%. Concomitant tuberculosis infection was found in 3 patients .An inverse correlation was noted between the CD4 count and the viral load, which was statistically significant. The frequency of the oral lesions and the microbial isolates increased with high viral load. Seventy percent of the newly diagnosed HIV patients had CD4 counts less than 500 mm 3. The reduction of the oral microbial load may decrease the incidence of opportunistic infection. Unmet oral health needs of people living with HIV/AIDS have been consistently documented and finding new strategies for meeting these needs is urgent

Knowledge/Attitude/Practices of HPV & Cervical Cancer, Willingness to Participate in Vaccine Trial in Preparation for HIV & HPV Vaccine Trials in Mali

Oral Presentation from AIDS Vaccine 2012 Boston, MA, USA. 9-12 September 201

Strong fisheries management and governance positively impact ecosystem status

Fisheries have had major negative impacts on marine ecosystems, and effective fisheries management and governance are needed to achieve sustainable fisheries, biodiversity conservation goals and thus good ecosystem status. To date, the IndiSeas programme (Indicators for the Seas) has focussed on assessing the ecological impacts of fishing at the ecosystem scale using ecological indicators. Here, we explore fisheries Management Effectiveness' and Governance Quality' and relate this to ecosystem health and status. We developed a dedicated expert survey, focused at the ecosystem level, with a series of questions addressing aspects of management and governance, from an ecosystem-based perspective, using objective and evidence-based criteria. The survey was completed by ecosystem experts (managers and scientists) and results analysed using ranking and multivariate methods. Results were further examined for selected ecosystems, using expert knowledge, to explore the overall findings in greater depth. Higher scores for Management Effectiveness' and Governance Quality' were significantly and positively related to ecosystems with better ecological status. Key factors that point to success in delivering fisheries and conservation objectives were as follows: the use of reference points for management, frequent review of stock assessments, whether Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) catches were being accounted for and addressed, and the inclusion of stakeholders. Additionally, we found that the implementation of a long-term management plan, including economic and social dimensions of fisheries in exploited ecosystems, was a key factor in successful, sustainable fisheries management. Our results support the thesis that good ecosystem-based management and governance, sustainable fisheries and healthy ecosystems go together.IOC-UNESCO; EuroMarine; European FP7 MEECE research project; European Network of Excellence Eur-Oceans; FRB EMIBIOS project [212085]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

ASPECTS EPIDEMIOLOGIQUE, CLINIQUE, THERAPEUTIQUE ET EVOLUTIF DES PLEURESIES PURULENTES AU SERVICE DE PNEUMO-PHTISIOLOGIE DU CENTRE HOSPITALIER UNIVERSITAIRE DU POINT G.

Résumé Objectif : Nous avons mené une étude prospective, descriptive pour étudier les aspects épidémiologique, clinique, thérapeutique et évolutif des pleurésies purulentes en milieu pneumologique spécialisé à Bamako. Patients et méthode : Du 1er Janvier au 31 décembre 2012 nous avons inclus tous les patients hospitalisés dans le service et/ou vus en ambulatoire (consultations externes) présentant une pleurésie purulente et ayant bénéficié d’au moins une radiographie pulmonaire standard de face et de l’étude bactériologique du liquide pleural. Résultats : La pleurésie purulente représentait 1,95% des pathologies respiratoires dans le service. Le sexe masculin était majoritaire soit 73,3% (22/30) avec un sexe ratio de 2,74. La tranche d’âge la plus observée était de 21 à 40 ans avec 63,3% (19/30). Le syndrome de détresse respiratoire était le plus retrouvé avec 93,3% (28/30) suivi du syndrome d’épanchement liquidien (83,3%). Les pleurésies droites étaient retrouvées dans 60% (18/30) des cas avec une prédominance des cas de moyenne abondance 40%. La culture était stérile chez 76,7% (23/30) des patients et 42,8% des cultures positives concernaient le Staphylococcus aureus L’association Amoxicilline-acide clavulanique + métronidazole + gentamicine 23,3% (7/30) était l’antibiothérapie la plus utilisée, La ponction itérative et la kinésithérapie ont été les gestes pratiqués chez tous les malades. Seul 16,7% (5/30) ont bénéficié d’un drainage thoracique. L’évolution a été favorable chez plus de la moitié des patients soit 60%(18/30nombre patients) des cas et nous avons enregistré 1 cas de décès. Conclusion : Les pleurésies purulentes sont fréquentes chez les sujets jeunes de sexe masculin. La prise en charge reste confrontée à la difficulté d’identification des germes par une antibiothérapie abusive préalable et d’évacuation des épanchements purulents. Le Staphylocoque aureus occupe une place importante des étiologies bactériennes