Effets du remplacement de la farine de poisson par les termites (Macrotermes Sp.) sur l’evolution ponderale et les caracteristiques de carcasse de la volaille locale au Burkina Faso

The high cost and the accessibility of animal protein sources is a major issue in poultry farming in Burkina Faso. The present study aimed to assess the suitability of two termite species as feed for traditional chicken (Gallus domesticus) and guinea fowl (Numida meleagris), comparatively to commercial fishmeal available in this country. The study was carried out during eight weeks in Burkina Faso on ninety chickens and ninety guinea fowls, sixteen weeks old. Two termite species (dry Macrotermes subhyalinus and fresh Macrotermes bellicosus) and commercial fishmeal for poultry feed formulation that is available in the country were used as animal protein ingredients in three feeding management regimes. The birds were allocated to the three feeding treatments, with two replicates per treatment: i) treatment 1 (R1) with a diet including 2.5% of dried termites; ii) treatment 2 (R2) diet with no animal protein ingredient included, but with fresh termites given separately and the amount was depending on the daily capture; iii) treatment 3 (R3) diet including 2.5% of fishmeal. The results showed an average daily feed consumption of 65.5 g per bird. Average daily gain (ADG) for chickens was 7.7 g, 7.8 g and 7.5 g for treatment R1, R2 and R3, respectively. ADG for guinea fowl was 5.64g, 5.34 g and 5.35 g for R1, R2 and R3, respectively. Carcass characteristics studied on male guinea fowl showed a mean carcass percentage of 66.4%. Data on the taste and tenderness showed that R1 and R2 gave a better taste to guinea fowl meat, while R3 and R2 gave more tender meat. Average dry matter contents of the thighs were 42.4%, 41.8% and 40.6% for the groups R1, R2 and R3, respectively. No significant difference (p>0.05) was observed between treatments for all the parameters. Thus, dry and fresh Macrotermes spp. can be suitable animal protein ingredients that can substitute fishmeal in traditional chickens and guinea fowl feeding in rural area.Keywords: termites, fishmeal, feeding, local poultry, live weight performances, Burkina Fas

Calf muscle stimulation with the Veinoplus device results in a significant increase in lower limb inflow without generating limb ischemia or pain in patients with peripheral artery disease

OBJECTIVE: Increase in arterial inflow to the lower limbs is important to obtain functional improvement in peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients with claudication. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of electrical stimulation of calf muscles on arterial inflow and tissue oxygen content in PAD in the area of stimulation.METHODS: Fifteen adult patients [mean (standard deviation) age, 62 (12 ) years; height, 165 (8)cm; weight, 76 (13) kg; lowest ankle-brachial index 0.66 (0.19)] with stable arterial claudication were recruited. All patients performed a treadmill test (3.2 km/h, 10% slope) associated with a transcutaneous oximetry test expressed as decrease from rest of oxygen pressure (DROP) index values (calf changes minus chest changes from rest) with a maximum walking distance (median [25th/75th percentiles]) of 295 [133-881] m. The DROP index on the symptomatic side was -25 [-18/-34] mm Hg. On another day the patients underwent electrical stimulation in the seated position on the leg that was the most symptomatic on the treadmill. After resting values were recorded, the gastrocnemius was stimulated for 20minutes at increasing contraction rates at 5-minute steps of 60, 75, 86, and 100bpm on the most symptomatic side. Arterial blood inflow with duplex Doppler ultrasound scanning of the femoral artery, DROP transcutaneous oxygen pressure value, and oxygen concentration (O2Hb) from the near-infrared spectroscopic signal of the calf were recorded on both sides. Patients were instructed to report eventual contraction-induced pain in the stimulated calf. Results are given as mean (standard deviation) or median [25th/75th percentiles] according to distribution, and the level of statistical significance was set at P < .05 on two-tailed tests. RESULTS: Lower limb inflow (mL/min) was 64 [48/86] vs 63 [57/81] (P> .05) before stimulation, 123 [75/156] vs 57 [44/92] (P < .01) at 60bpm, 127 [91/207] vs 49 [43/68] (P < .01) at 75bpm, 140 [84/200] vs 57 [45/71] (P < .01) at 86bpm, and 154 [86/185] vs 55 [46/94] (P < .01) at 100bpm on the stimulated vs nonstimulated limb, respectively. No apparent decrease or significant leg difference was observed in DROP index or O2Hb values. None of the patients reported contraction-induced pain in the leg. CONCLUSIONS: Electrical stimulation of calf muscle with the Veinoplus device results in a significant increase of arterial inflow without measurable muscle ischemia or pain. Potential use of this device as an adjuvant treatment to improve walking capacity in PAD patients remains to be evaluated

Modalites de consommation et valeur nutritionnelle des legumineuses alimentaires au Burkina Faso

Au Burkina Faso les légumineuses constituent une source importante de nutriments pour les populations. La présente étude a eu pour objectif de déterminer la valeur nutritionnelle et la place des légumineuses dans le régime alimentaire des ménages à Ouagadougou, Kaya, Lebda et Nobéré. La méthodologie a consisté en une enquête de consommation alimentaire auprès de 325 ménages et à déterminer les teneurs en macronutriments et en minéraux fer, zinc et calcium de six (6) variétés de légumineuses. Il en résulte que les principales légumineuses consommées dans les ménages sont l’arachide (Arachis hypogea L.), le niébé (Vigna unguiculata L.), le voandzou (Vigna subterranea L.), le soja (Glycine max L.) et le zamnè (Acacia macrostachya R.). L’arachide, le niébé et le voandzou sont consommées plus 2 à 4 fois dans le mois par l’ensemble des ménages sous forme de mets au sein des ménages tandis que le soja et le zamnè sont consommés hors ménage. A l’exception du voandzou qui est consommé au déjeuner par 38,30% des ménages à Ouagadougou, 60% à Kaya, 66,67% à Lebda et 43,18% à Nobéré, les autres légumineuses sont consommées à tout moment de la journée par plus de 80 % des ménages enquêtés. Les légumineuses niébé, voandzou et zamnè sont consommées sous forme de ragout et de plats associés à des céréales respectivement par 99%, 93% et 76%. L’arachide et le soja sont utilisés comme des ingrédients ou comme des collations. Les légumineuses ont des teneurs importantes en protéines, 35,76%, 31,04%, 27,29%, 22,55% et 20,38% respectivement pour le zamnè, le soja, l’arachide, le niébé et le voandzou. Les teneurs en lipides sont faibles et contribuent à moins de 7% à la valeur énergétique. Le niébé et le voandzou ont des teneurs en carbohydrates élevées, près de 60%. Les teneurs en fer des légumineuses varient de 1,77 mg/100g (voandzou) à 6,50 mg/100g (soja). Celles en zinc varient de 5,34 mg/100 g (zamnè) à 4,33 mg/100g (soja). Le soja et le zamnè ont d’importantes teneurs en calcium, respectivement 57,42 mg/100g et 68,40 mg/100g. Du fait de leur valeur nutritionnelle intéressante en micronutriments ces deux légumineuses nécessitent une attention particulière pour l’enrichissement des produits locaux. La diversification des produits issus de ces légumineuses ainsi que celle des méthodes de consommation au sein des ménages permettront un meilleur profilage de leur bénéfice nutritionnel auprès des populations.Mots clés: Légumineuses, importance, consommation, ménages, nutriments, urbain, rural, Burkina Fas

Effects of a four-year health systems intervention on the use of maternal and infant health services: results from a programme evaluation in two districts of rural Chad

BACKGROUND: Attendance of maternal and infant care services in rural Chad are consistently low. Our study aimed to assess the use of antenatal (ANC) and postnatal care (PNC) services, health facility delivery and infant health services after 4 years of a health systems intervention for improving the infrastructure, supplies, training and sensitization for maternal and infant health in two districts of rural Chad. METHODS: Data from a repeated cross-sectional household survey conducted in Yao and Danamadji in 2015 and in 2018 were analyzed. A stratified two-stage cluster sampling methodology was applied to achieve a representative sample of the rural settled and mobile population groups in the study area. A generalized linear model was applied to determine the health care utilization rates. Multivariate regression models were used to assess the association between the programme intervention and utilization outcomes of selected maternal and infant health services. RESULTS: Complete datasets were available for 1284 households at baseline. The endline analysis included 1175 households with complete survey data. The use of at least one ANC amongst pregnant women increased in both settled communities (from 80% in 2015 to 90% in 2018) and amongst mobile pastoralist communities (from 48% in 2015 to 56% in 2018). The rate of home delivery among settled communities and mobile pastoralists changed little between baseline and endline and remained high for both population groups. Individuals that were covered by the health systems intervention were however significantly more likely to attend ANC and less likely to give birth at home. PNC services only showed improvements amongst the settled communities (of 30%). Infants' reported health outcomes and vaccination coverage considerably improved; the latter especially among mobile pastoralist (from 15% in 2015 to 84% in 2018). CONCLUSION: A combination of health systems strengthening interventions was associated with an increased use of certain maternal and infant health services. However, to facilitate equitable access to and use of health care services in particular in times of increased vulnerability and by certain population groups in hard-to-reach areas, reinforced health education and culturally adapted communication strategies, including gender-specific messaging will be needed over a sustained period

Biological status and dietary intakes ofiIron, zinc and vitamin A among women and preschool children in rural Burkina Faso

Background Food-based approaches such as biofortification are meant to sustainably address micronutrient deficiencies in poor settings. Knowing more about micronutrient intakes and deficiencies is a prerequisite to designing and evaluating interventions. Objective The objectives of the study were to assess biological status and dietary intakes of iron, zinc and vitamin A among women and children aged 36-59 months in rural Burkina Faso and to study relationships between intake and status to better inform future food-based interventions. Design A cross-sectional survey was carried out in two rural provinces of Burkina Faso on a random cluster sample of 480 mother-child pairs. Dietary data was obtained by 24-hour recalls repeated on a random sub-selection of 37.5% of subjects to allow calculation of nutrient's probability of adequacy (PA). Biomarkers were measured on a sub-sample of 180 mother-child pairs. Blood samples were analyzed for hemoglobin, serum ferritin, soluble transferrin receptors (sTfR), C-reactive protein, alpha-1-glycoprotein, serum zinc concentration (SZnC) and retinol. For each micronutrient the relationship between biomarker and dietary intake was investigated by multiple linear regression models accounting for inflammatory biomarkers. Results Mean PA for iron, zinc and vitamin A was 0.49, 0.87 and 0.21 among women and 0.61, 0.95 and 0.33 among children, respectively. Prevalence of anemia, corrected low serum ferritin and high sTfR was 37.6%, 4.0% and 77.5% among women and 72.1%, 1.5% and 87.6% among children, respectively. Prevalence of low SZnC and corrected low serum retinol was 39.4% and 12.0% among women and 63.7% and 24.8% among children, respectively. There was a tendency for a positive relationship between vitamin A intakes and serum retinol among women (beta = 0.0003, P = 0.06). Otherwise, no link was found between micronutrients biomarkers and intakes. Conclusion Our study depicted different images of micronutrient deficiencies when based on dietary intakes or biomarkers results, thus highlighting the need for more suitable biomarkers and more precise measures of absorbable micronutrient intakes at the individual level. It thus points to challenges in the design and evaluation of future biofortification or other food-based interventions in rural areas of Burkina Faso

Spasmolytic Effects of Aqueous Extract of Sterculia setigera Delile on Isolated Rat Trachea

The spasmolytic properties of aqueous extract of Sterculia setigera was tested on Rat isolated trachea. Inhibition of the contraction was observed in presence of the aqueous extract (EC50 = 0.91mg/mL ± 0.02) after a pre contraction of the trachea by acetylcholine (10-5M). In the presence of propranolol (10-6M), the spasmolytic activity of the extract was inhibited. The EC50 value was 0.46mg/mL ± 0,11. The aqueous extract of Sterculia setigera also inhibited contraction induced by KCl (4.10-2 M) with EC50 value = 1.9mg/mL ± 0.48).  These results clearly show a relaxing effect of aqueous extract of Sterculia setigera on the trachea isolated from rat. This effect involves at least in part β-adrenergic receptor inhibition

Feeding behaviors during home-based treatment of moderate acute malnutrition using corn-soy blends or lipid-based nutrient supplements.

Feeding behaviors have an important impact on children's nutritional status and are essential to consider when implementing nutrition programs. The objective of this study was to explore and compare feeding behaviors related to supplementary feeding with corn-soy blends (CSB) and lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) based on best practice feeding behaviors. The study was conducted as part of a randomized controlled trial assessing the effectiveness of new formulations of CSB and LNS and comprised 1,546 children from 6 to 23 months. The study included a mixed methods approach using questionnaires, focus group discussions and home visits and interviews with a subsample of 20 caretakers of trial participants. We found that LNS, compared to CSB, were more likely to be mixed into other foods (OR [95% CI] 1.7 [1.3-2.2], p = <.001), served with a meal (OR [95% CI] 1.6 [1.1-2.3], p = <.018)or between meals (OR [95% CI] 1.5 [1.1-1.9], p = <.005), and fed using an encouraging feeding style (mean difference in percentage points [95% CI] 23% [6%:40%], p = .01). CSB were more likely to be fed using a forced feeding style (mean difference in percentage points [95% CI] 18% [3%:33%], p = .02) and were often observed to be served unprepared. The main differences in feeding behaviors between the two diet groups were linked to how and when supplements were served. Educational instructions should therefore be adapted according to the supplement provided; when providing CSB, efforts should be made to promote an encouraging feeding style, and emphasis should be made to ensure preparations are made according to recommendations