Knowledge, attitudes and practices relating to epilepsy and associated factors in the student population of Brazzaville.

Introduction:Epilepsy is, after headaches, the second most common chronicneurological pathology in the world. In sub-Saharan Africa,the socio-cultural representations attached to this pathologyconstitute a real obstacle to its effective care (PEC). In orderto improve the management of EVPs, we have done this workwith the general objective of describing the socio-cultural representationsof epilepsy.Population and methods:We carried out a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical studyof CAP type in all UMNG institutions and in the two privateUniversities of the city of Brazzaville (ESGAE and EST) fora period of two months. In total, 264 students were includedin our study. They were selected by simple random sampling.These students were subjected to a questionnaire inspired bythe EMIC and allowing to describe the socio- demographiccharacteristics, to evaluate the level of knowledge, attitude andpractice as well as the different therapeutic itineraries chosenfor the care of EVPs.Results:The median age of the respondents was 24 years old. There wasa clear male predominance (sex ratio = 1.7). The most representedethnic groups were KONGO (61.7%), TEKE (20.1%)and BANGALA (17.1%). One hundred percent of the studentsknew the disease called "epilepsy", they knew its denominationin mother tongue: mpouka (KONGO), itsoua (TEKE), otsinga(BANGALA). In Lingala and Kituba, it was "malade yandeke". However, only 26.9% had a good level of knowledgeabout epilepsy according to our judgment criteria, the associatedones are the highest level of education (OR = 2.08, p =0.010) and having already observed an epileptic seizure (OR =5.04, p = 0.009). It was noted that 11.7% of students expressedstigmatizing attitudes toward the POIs and practical actions inthe face of a seizure victim were inadequate. On the other hand70.5% would choose the Hospital as first aid.Conclusion:Epilepsy remains poorly known and subject to stigmatizationeven in the most educated populations. Hence the need forawareness campaigns

Abdominal epilepsy at the Loandjili general hospital: about two cases

Abdominal epilepsy is a rare cause of paroxysmal abdominal pain, often overlooked and forgotten by physicians. We report two observations collected over a period of 05 years. The diagnosis was confirmed by electroencephalography. The treatment based on sodium valproate was effective in both cases as they became seizure free during the follow-u

Sociocultural representations of epilepsy among students in Brazzaville

Introduction. Sociocultural representations in Africa remain a limitation in the care, integration and insertion of people living with epilepsy (PWE). African youth is an ideal target for advocacy policies.Aim. To analyse knowledge about epilepsy and sociocultural considerations and attitudes towards the PWE in the student population of Brazzaville.Population and methods. A prospective descriptive study was conducted for two months in Marien Ngouabi University of Brazzaville and two accredited private institutions of higher education. It involved 264 students, to whom an approved questionnaire was submitted.Results. The word "epilepsy" was known to all respondents; their entourage was the main source of information. It was considered frequent in 25.8% and of natural origin in 62.9%. It was designated as severe in 95.5%, contagious in 14%, and curable in 77.3%. The initial treatment was prayer in 48% and traditional medicine in 64.2% of people. The main factors triggering seizures were stress (37.3%), noise (17.5%) and alcohol intake (11.9%). Contact with a PWE was considered harmful in 21.2%. PWE could be educated, practice a leisure activity, sport, and job in respectively 92%, 96.6%, 70.1% and 90.9%. PWE could be married or procreated in 97% and 98.5% respectively. The main actions recommended for a seizure were the removal of all contact (29.5%) and security (20.5%).Conclusion. Although the sociocultural representations of epilepsy in our subjects are rather positive, there are still popular beliefs in this educated layer that are subject to the stigmatization and social disability of PWE

Intermittent Low-Dose Thalidomide Plus Dexamethasone as Maintenance Therapy in Patients with Multiple Myeloma

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Multiple benefits of legumes for agriculture sustainability: an overview

Food security, lowering the risk of climate change and meeting the increasing demand for energy will increasingly be critical challenges in the years to come. Producing sustainably is therefore becoming central in agriculture and food systems. Legume crops could play an important role in this context by delivering multiple services in line with sustainability principles. In addition to serving as fundamental, worldwide source of high-quality food and feed, legumes contribute to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, as they release 5–7 times less GHG per unit area compared with other crops; allow the sequestration of carbon in soils with values estimated from 7.21 g kg−1 DM, 23.6 versus 21.8 g C kg−1 year; and induce a saving of fossil energy inputs in the system thanks to N fertilizer reduction, corresponding to 277 kg ha−1 of CO2 per year. Legumes could also be competitive crops and, due to their environmental and socioeconomic benefits, could be introduced in modern cropping systems to increase crop diversity and reduce use of external inputs. They also perform well in conservation systems, intercropping systems, which are very important in developing countries as well as in low-input and low-yield farming systems. Legumes fix the atmospheric nitrogen, release in the soil high-quality organic matter and facilitate soil nutrients' circulation and water retention. Based on these multiple functions, legume crops have high potential for conservation agriculture, being functional either as growing crop or as crop residue. Open image in new window Graphical abstract

Effect of Soil Tillage and Crop Sequence on Grain Yield and Quality of Durum Wheat in Mediterranean Areas

Abstract: Conservation agriculture (CA) can be very strategic in degradation prone soils of Mediterranean environments to recover soil fertility and consequently improve crop productivity as well as the quality traits of the most widespread crop, durum wheat, with reference to protein accumulation and composition. The results shown by two years of data in a medium long-term experiment (7-year experiment; split-plot design) that combined two tillage practices (conventional tillage (CT) and zero tillage (ZT)) with two crop sequences (wheat monocropping(WW)and wheat-faba bean (WF)) are presented. The combination ZT + WF (CA approach) induced the highest grain yields (617 and 370 g m-2 in 2016 and 2017, respectively), principally due to an increased number of ears m-2; on the other hand, the lowest grain yield was recorded under CT + WW(550 and 280 g m-2 in 2016 and 2017, respectively). CA also demonstrated significant influences on grain quality because the inclusion of faba bean in the rotation favored higher N-remobilization to the grains (79.5% and 77.7% in 2017). Under ZT and WF, all gluten fractions (gliadins (Glia), high molecular-weight glutenins (GS), and low molecular-weight GS) as well as the GS/Glia ratio increased. In durum wheat-based farming systems in Mediterranean areas, the adoption of CA seems to be an optimal choice to combine high quality yields with improved soil fertility

Effect of soil tillage and crop sequence on grain yield and quality of durum wheat in Mediterranean areas

Conservation agriculture (CA) can be very strategic in degradation prone soils of Mediterranean environments to recover soil fertility and consequently improve crop productivity as well as the quality traits of the most widespread crop, durum wheat, with reference to protein accumulation and composition. The results shown by two years of data in a medium long-term experiment (7-year experiment; split-plot design) that combined two tillage practices (conventional tillage (CT) and zero tillage (ZT)) with two crop sequences (wheat monocropping (WW) and wheat-faba bean (WF)) are presented. The combination ZT + WF (CA approach) induced the highest grain yields (617 and 370 g m(-2) in 2016 and 2017, respectively), principally due to an increased number of ears m(-2); on the other hand, the lowest grain yield was recorded under CT + WW (550 and 280 g m(-2) in 2016 and 2017, respectively). CA also demonstrated significant influences on grain quality because the inclusion of faba bean in the rotation favored higher N-remobilization to the grains (79.5% and 77.7% in 2017). Under ZT and WF, all gluten fractions (gliadins (Glia), high molecular-weight glutenins (GS), and low molecular-weight GS) as well as the GS/Glia ratio increased. In durum wheat-based farming systems in Mediterranean areas, the adoption of CA seems to be an optimal choice to combine high quality yields with improved soil fertility

Desfolha e nutrição do S no rabanete: crescimento, polifenóis e atividade antiradical

ABSTRACT Experiments were carried out to study patterns of artificial defoliation in radish in combination with sulphur (S) fertilization, to evaluate the contribution of younger and older leaves on plant growth and phenolics accumulation in storage roots. Biomass accumulation and partitioning were related to leaf age, magnitude and timing of the clipping treatments. Older leaves increased biomass production and translocation into the storage organ; besides, they induced higher accumulation of phenolic compounds compared to the younger leaves. The highest S fertilization rate (120 kg ha-1) significantly enhanced the polyphenols accumulation, as well as the antiradical activity. The modulation of S inputs in combination with slightly induced stress from defoliation could effectively enhance the concentration of some important phytochemicals, providing higher nutritionally improved vegetables, without affecting yield