Methyl group dynamics in a confined glass

We present a neutron scattering investigation on methyl group dynamics in glassy toluene confined in mesoporous silicates of different pore sizes. The experimental results have been analysed in terms of a barrier distribution model, such a distribution following from the structural disorder in the glassy state. Confinement results in a strong decreasing of the average rotational barrier in comparison to the bulk state. We have roughly separated the distribution for the confined state in a bulk-like and a surface-like contribution, corresponding to rotors at a distance from the pore wall respectively larger and smaller than the spatial range of the interactions which contribute to the rotational potential for the methyl groups. We have estimated a distance of 7 Amstrong as a lower limit of the interaction range, beyond the typical nearest-neighbour distance between centers-of-mass (4.7 Amstrong).Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures. To be published in European Physical Journal E Direct. Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop on Dynamics in Confinemen

Criteres Du Traitement Non Operatoire Des Contusions Abdominales En Milieu Sous Equipe

The criteria of non-operative operative management (NOM) of blunt abdominal trauma remains poorly defined in the context of low-income countries. Purpose: To validate a protocol for blunt abdominal trauma by specifying indications for NOM in a resource-limited setting. Material and Method: The study was prospective, carried out over a period of 12 months at Sylvanus Olympio Teaching Hospital Lomé (Togo). It included all patients over 15 years admitted for abdominal blunt trauma. Patients were subjected to NOM or surgery according to systolic blood pressure, response to resuscitation measures, clinical examination, peritoneal tap, abdominal plain radiograph and ultrasound. Results: Sixty-four patients, including 53 men and 11 women, were admitted in the study. The mean age was 27.8 years. Road traffic accidents were the circumstance of the occurrence in all cases. Pneumopéritoneum was found in 3 patients (5.45%). Abdominal ultrasound identified a solid organ injury in 24 patients (43.6%). Spleen lesions were the most frequent injuries. An extra-abdominal lesion was present in 23 patients (35.9%). NOM was initiated in 52 patients (81.25%) and effective in 46 patients (88.4%). The failure of the NOM was due to small intestine perforation in 2 patients, a bladder injury in 1 patient, active bleeding in 1 patient and hemodynamic instability resulting in nontherapeutic laparotomy in 2 patients. Death was observed in 8 patients (12.5%), 2 of whom were in the NOM group. Conclusion: criteria for the NOM of blunt abdominal trauma can be defined according to the local possibilities. Early diagnosis of digestive perforation should remain a priority during clinical monitoring

Accuracy of intra-operative PTH measurement during subtotal parathyroidectomy for tertiary hyperparathyroidism after renal transplantation

Background and aims: Intra-operative parathyroid hormone (IOPTH) results are not known in the setting of tertiary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) after renal transplantation. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of 35 tertiary HPT patients who all underwent subtotal parathyroidectomy and IOPTH monitoring was conducted. Results: The mean follow-up time was 2.2±1.4years. Thirty-four patients were cured; one patient (2.8%) had a persistent disease and was cured after reoperation. Median parathyroid hormone (PTH) (median percent decrease from highest) at baseline and at 5, 10, 20, and 30min were 244, 78 (69%), 63 (75%), 53 (79%), and 49pg/ml (83%), respectively. Four patients who were cured had a decrease of 50% at 10min. The sensitivity of the test was 94% at 10min using the Miami criteria. Conclusion: This study shows that IOPTH in tertiary hyperparathyroidism has a high sensitivity. However, because of the low risk of persistent hyperparathyroidism when a subtotal parathyroidectomy is performed, its potential impact on the overall success rate is very small. We therefore do not recommend the routine use of IOPTH in tertiary hyperparathyroidis

Perception Et Criteres De Choix De La Specialisation En Chirurgie Par Les Etudiants En Medecine A La Faculte Des Sciences De La Sante De L’universite De Lome (Togo)

Objectif : connaître la perception de la spécialisation en chirurgie et les facteurs de choix des spécialités chirurgicales par les étudiants en médecine. Cadre et Méthode : il s’est agi d’une étude analytique transversale menée en décembre 2017 à la Faculté des Sciences de la Santé de l’Université de Lomé (TOGO) et ayant inclus les étudiants de deuxième cycle. Les paramètres étudiés étaient les données démographiques, la perception et les critères de choix de spécialisation. Résultats : 384 étudiants ont répondu soit un taux de participation de 65,41%. L’âge moyen des étudiants était de 22,40 ans avec des extrêmes de 17 et 30 ans. 71,58% des fiches ont été remplies par des étudiants de sexe masculin donnant une sex-ratio de 2,55. 54,52% des étudiants ont choisi des spécialités chirurgicales mais la proportion diminue au fil des années d’études. Ainsi, de 65% en 3 ème année, on passe à 36% des externes de 6 ème année optant pour la chirurgie. La spécialité la plus citée était la traumatologie. Le choix de la chirurgie n’était lié ni au sexe des étudiants ni au nombre de stages en chirurgie. La principale motivation était le défi intellectuel. La non-disponibilité de certaines spécialités chirurgicales et le mode de vie des chirurgiens étaient les facteurs décourageants. Conclusion : cette étude révèle un désintérêt des étudiants en médecine pour la spécialisation en chirurgie au fil de leur cursus. Des solutions sont à envisager en vue d’accroitre à terme le nombre de chirurgiens. Objective: understand the perception of specialization in surgery and the factors of choice ofsurgical specialties by medicalstudents. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional analytical study conducted in december 2017 at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Lome (TOGO) and including graduate students. Studied parameters were the demography, the perception and factors of choice of specialization. Results: 384 students answered either a participation rate of 65.41%. The average age of students was 22.40 years with extremes of 17 and 30 years. 71.58% of the charts were completed by male students giving a sex ratio of 2.55. 54.52% chose surgery but the proportion decreases with the years of study. So, we go from 65% in the third year to 36% in sixth year. The choice depends neither on students’ sex nor on the number of completed surgical trainings. The favorite specialty was traumatology. As the year of study increases, fewer students choose surgery. The main motivation is the intellectual challenge. Non-availability of certain surgical specialties and lifestyle are discouraging factors. Conclusion: this study revealed a lack of interest in medical’ students for specialization in surgery during their training. Solutions must be found to increase the number of surgeons long-term

Morbidité et mortalité après adénomectomies prostatiques par voie transvésicale au CHU Kara (Togo)

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Is Surgery Beneficial for MEN1 Patients with Small (≤2 cm), Nonfunctioning Pancreaticoduodenal Endocrine Tumor? An Analysis of 65 Patients from the GTE

Background: The management of small, nonfunctioning pancreaticoduodenal endocrine tumors (NFPET) in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) patients is still controversial. We therefore investigated the effect of surgery on survival and tumor progression in MEN1 patients with NFPET ≤2 cm by analyzing data from the Groupe des Tumeurs Endocrines (GTE) registry. Materials and Methods: Among 579 MEN1 patients in the registry, 65 had NFPET ≤ 2 cm. Fifteen (23%) underwent pancreatectomy, 9 at least segmental pancreatectomies and 6 biopsies or enucleations (the surgery group), and 50 (77%) were followed conservatively (the no surgery group). Age at MEN1 and NFPET diagnosis was similar in both groups, as was size of the primary tumor. Seven (10.8%) patients had metastases. Five metastases were synchronous, and 2 (one in each group) were metachronous. Tumor size was similar in patients with or without metastasis. Results: There was no perioperative mortality. The average follow-up time after NFPET diagnosis was 6.7 years in the surgery group and 3.3 years in the no surgery group. Three (4.6%) patients died during follow-up, 2 due to NFPET and 1 due to thymus tumor. The 2 patients who died of NFPET had undergone pancreatic surgery at the time of NFPET diagnosis. The 2 groups did not differ significantly with respect to tumor progression [5/15 (33%) vs 6/38 (16%), P = 0.16]. Overall life expectancy of patients with NFPET ≤2 cm was not different than that of the 229 MEN1 patients in the registry without any pancreaticoduodenal tumor (P = 0.33). Conclusions: This study suggests that surgery may not be beneficial for MEN1 patients with NFPET ≤2 c

Prostate cancer revealed by skin metastasis: A case report in black African man

AbstractIntroductionProstate cancer is the most common male malignancy in Togo. Most patients present with advanced and metastatic disease. Skin metastasis from prostate cancer is very rare and it occurs late and often with a poor prognosis. We report a case in a 52-year-old Togolese man where the skin lesions reveal the disease and with a good prognosis three years after treatment.ObservationIn 2012, a 52-year-old man presented in dermatology with multiple painless skin nodules on his chest. He did not have lower urinary tract symptoms The biopsy of the skin lesion (three nodules) showed a metastasis of adenocarcinoma type tumor and tumor markers performed pointed toward prostate as primary site. In urology a diagnostic biopsy (12 cores) of prostate revealed a high-grade (Gleason grade 4+4) adenocarcinoma. We performed a bilateral orchiectomy as androgen deprivation therapy and one month after this treatment the skin lesions have disappeared.ConclusionSkin metastasis of prostate cancer is rare and their recognition remains poor among practitioners requiring biopsy of the lesions. The prognosis could be better in newly diagnosed prostate cancer

Rich polymorphism of a rod-like liquid crystal (8CB) confined in two types of unidirectional nanopores

We present a neutron and X-rays scattering study of the phase transitions of 4-n-octyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl (8CB) confined in unidirectional nanopores of porous alumina and porous silicon (PSi) membranes with an average diameter of 30 nm. Spatial confinement reveals a rich polymorphism, with at least four different low temperature phases in addition to the smectic A phase. The structural study as a function of thermal treatments and conditions of spatial confinement allows us to get insights into the formation of these phases and their relative stability. It gives the first description of the complete phase behavior of 8CB confined in PSi and provides a direct comparison with results obtained in bulk conditions and in similar geometric conditions of confinement but with reduced quenched disorder effects using alumina anopore membranesComment: Accepted in EPJ E - Soft Matte

Circulation of human influenza viruses and emergence of Oseltamivir-resistant A(H1N1) viruses in Cameroon, Central Africa

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>While influenza surveillance has increased in most developing countries in the last few years, little influenza surveillance has been carried out in sub-Saharan Africa and no information is available in Central Africa. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of influenza viruses circulating in Yaounde, Cameroon and determine their antigenic and genetic characteristics.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Throat and/or nasal swabs were collected from November 2007 to October 2008 from outpatients with influenza-like illness (ILI) in Yaounde, Cameroon and analyzed by two different techniques: a one-step real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and virus isolation in MDCK cells. Typing and subtyping of virus isolates was performed by hemagglutination inhibition (HI), and viruses were sent to the WHO Collaborating Centre in London, UK for further characterization and analyses of antiviral resistance by enzyme inhibition assay and nucleotide sequencing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 238 patients with ILI were sampled. During this period 70 (29%) samples were positive for influenza by RT-PCR, of which only 26 (11%) were positive by virus isolation. By HI assay, 20 of the 26 isolates were influenza type A (10 H3N2 and 10 H1N1) and 6 were influenza type B (2 B/Victoria/2/87 lineage and 4 B/Yagamata/16/88 lineage). Seven (70%) of the H1N1 isolates were shown to be resistant to oseltamivir due to a H275Y mutation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study confirmed the circulation of influenza A(H1N1), A(H3N2) and B viruses in the human population in Central Africa and describes the emergence of oseltamivir-resistant A(H1N1) viruses in Central Africa.</p