Genetic diversity and demographic evolution of baobab (Adansonia digitata L., Bombacoideae, Malvaceae) populations in Senegalese Sahelian areas

This study evaluated the spatial genetic structure of baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) populations from three agroecological sites located in sahelian zone of Senegal using ITS1, 5.8S rDNA and ITS2 gene sequences. To determine the extent of isolation, gene sequences were analyzed between and among three sahelian baobab populations. At least 25 haplotypes of baobab (A. digitata L.) were revealed in Senegal (6, 9 and 10, respectively in Dakar, Bandia and Widou Thiengoly). Private haplotypes found in each locality show that there is an adaptation of the plant to environmental conditions prevailing in each site. Indeed, nucleotide diversity was more important in Dakar (0.00527); it ranges from 0.00483 to 0.00060 for Bandia and Widou populations, respectively. Curves of mismatch distribution show that the population of Ferlo has undergone a recent demographic expansion. Although Bandia and Dakar populations were polyphyletic; each shows a balanced expansion. Fst values ranging from 0.62946 to 0.90712 correlates a strong genetic differentiation between sites. A correlation between geographic and genetic distances was not highlighted by the Mantel’s test but phylogenetic trees of maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference have assigned two clades demonstrating that population of Ferlo (Widou) form a different ecotype from those of Bandia and Dakar.Keywords: ITS1, 5.8S, ITS2, Adansonia digitata, haplotype, genetic diversity, demographic evolutionAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(38), pp. 5627-563

Inflammatory breast cancer: features and outcomes in a breast unit in Dakar, Senegal

Background: The aim of this study was to determine clinical features and outcomes of patients with inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) treated in our breast unit.Methods: This study was performed at Gynaecologic and Obstetric Clinic of Dakar Teaching Hospital, in which a breast unit was created since 2007. All women with diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer in our Breast Unit between January 2010 and December 2013 were included in this study. The diagnosis of IBC was made clinically using the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) and confirmed histologically. The follow-up cut-off for this data set was December 31st, 2014. All analyses for this study were performed using SPSS software (version 20.0).Results: Between 2010 and 2013, 22 women with breast cancer who met eligibility criteria were included out of 161 patients followed for breast cancer leading to a frequency of 13.6%. The median age at diagnosis was 43.4 years (26-79 years). Mean time to diagnosis was 4 months. The mean time to recurrence was 11.2 months. This recurrence was observed in 45.5% of cases. The median overall survival was 13.3 months (CI 95% 8.576-18.526), the survival rate was 31.8%.Conclusions: This series shows a high frequency of inflammatory breast cancer. These tumours are very aggressive with a very poor prognosis

Absence of Wharton's jelly around an umbilical artery

Wharton's jelly is a mucoid, avascular and connective tissue which plays the role of umbilical vessels protection. Its absence exposes to poor neonatal outcomes or fetal death. We report a rare case of Absence of Wharton’s Jelly, diagnosed by examination of the placenta the examination with a live fetus

Analysis of cesarean section rate according to Robson’s classification in an urban health centre in Senegal

Background: Robson, proposed a new classification system, the Robson’s Ten-Group Classification System to allow critical analysis according to characteristics of pregnancy. The objective was to describe caesarean rates in an urban health centre in Dakar using Robson’s Ten groups classificationMethods: This study was performed in Philippe Senghor health centre in Dakar (Senegal), a secondary health centre that performs CS since 2011. Before this date, only midwifes performed deliveries in this centre. The study took place between 1 January and 31 December 2013. All patients who delivered during this period by CS were included.Women were classified in 10 groups according to Robson’s classification, using maternal characteristics and obstetrical history. For each group, we calculated its relative size and its contribution to the overall caesarean rate.Results: The overall rate of caesarean was 18.2%. The main contributors to the overall caesarean rate were primiparous women in spontaneous labour (group 1) and women with previous caesarean section (group 5). Further analysis of group 1 showed that more than half of CS indications in this group were fetal-pelvic disproportion in 55.2% and fetal hypoxia in 27%.Conclusion: The Robson’s classification is easy to use. Each maternity unit can compare its rates with those of units with similar level, to find whether some groups of women have very high rates of caesarean sections. Attention should be made because CS rates is rising up and will be problematic in our low resource countries. It is time to implement obstetric audits to lower the CS rates

Grasses (Poaceae) From Senegal: New Records Checklist, Biogeographical Affinities and Biological Types

Poaceae is one of the most diverse families in Senegal's flora after Fabaceae. It has been the subject of several studies but many species were not taken into account in the evaluation of the current state of its diversity. This paper provides a checklist of new grasses encountered in Senegal. After a detailed scrutiny of the literature and herbarium specimens, we ascertain their identity and report them as new records to the grass flora of Senegal. A total of 24 new species have been listed belonging to 15 genera of which the most represented is Sporobolus with 5 species. The other genera such as Digitaria, Eragrostis, Perotis, Setaria, and Trichanthecium on the one hand and Aristida, Chloris, Cymbopogon, Enteropogon, Leptochloa, Oryza, Panicum, Schizachyrium, Urochloa on the other hand have two and one species respectively. The chorological spectrum shows the dominance of African species (45.83%) followed by those of Afro-Asian origin (33.33%). Like the overall flora of Senegal, this new grass flora is of tropical nature with a preponderance of Sudano-Zambesian species (50%) followed by Guinean- Congolese-Sudano-Zambesian species (29.17%) at continental scale. Biological types based on the life form shows therophytes (62.50%) are predominant, followed by hemicryptophytes (29.17%) and geophytes (8.33%). Taking these new data into account would allow a more precise determination of the Senegalese grass flora composition

Genetic diversity in cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] varieties determined by ARA and RAPD techniques

Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. presents phenotypical variabilities and in order to study the genetic diversity of cultivated Senegalese varieties, two experimental approaches were used. First, a physiological characterization based on nitrogen fixation was used to assess cowpea breeding lines. Inoculation with two Bradyrhizobium strains (NGR234 and ISRA312), showed a difference in nitrogen fixation potential between the cowpea varieties. Diongoma is the highest nitrogen fixing variety, whereas Mouride is the lowest. The second approach employed genetic characterization based on DNA polymorphism to screen. Results suggest that random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technology can be used to reorganize the national germplasm in order to eliminate the putative duplicates, and to identify elite varieties. (African Journal of Biotechnology: 2003 2(2): 48-50

Puerperal uterine inversion: a new case report

Puerperal uterine inversion is a rare and severe affection which the uterine fundus collapses into the endometrial cavity. The diagnosis is essentially made on clinical examination, which also allows to determinate the gravity. The management must be done early, which can be surgical or non-surgical. Through a case study we will review the literature

Influence in vitro de divers facteurs abiotiques (température, pH, salinité) sur la croissance mycélienne de trois souches locales de Trichoderma sp.

Les Trichoderma sont des champignons imparfaits saprophytes que l’on retrouve dans divers milieux comme le sol, le bois mort, les débris des végétaux et les organes aériens des plantes. Ils ont un rôle phytoprotecteur et stimulateur du développement des plantes associées. L’effet de différents facteurs abiotiques (température, pH, salinité) sur la croissance mycélienne de trois souches locales de Trichoderma a été évalué. Ces souches ont été isolées à partir de la rhizosphère de la tomate. Une étude préliminaire a été effectuée sur quatre milieux de culture (PDA, MEA, SB et DOX) pour la sélection du milieu d’étude. Les résultats obtenus montrent que le milieu PDA permet une meilleure croissance des souches de Trichoderma. La température optimale de croissance des différentes souches est de 29 °C et le pH 5 se révèle être le plus adéquat pour la culture des Trichoderma. Cette étude montre également que les souches de Trichoderma résistent à des concentrations de sel (NaCl) allant jusqu’à 3%.© 2016 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Mots clés: Trichoderma, facteurs limitant, température, pH, salinité, milieu de cultureEnglish Title:  In vitro influence of various abiotic factors (température, pH, salinity) on mycelium growth of three local strains of Trichoderma sp.English AbstractTrichoderma are saprophytic imperfect fungi that are found in various environments such as soil, dead wood, vegetable fragments and plant aerial organs. They protect and stimulate development of related plants. Effects of various abiotic factors (temperature, pH, salinity) on mycelium growth of three local Trichoderma strains were investigated. These strains were isolated from tomato rhizosphere. A preliminary study was performed on four culture media (PDA, MEA, SB and DOX) for the selection of the best media. The results  showed that PDA medium was highly growth of Trichoderma strains. The optimum temperature for growth of different strains is 29 °C and pH 5 was found to be most suitable for Trichoderma culture. Indeed, Trichoderma strains resistant to salt concentrations (NaCl) up to 3%.© 2016 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Keywords: Trichoderma, limiting factors, temperature, pH, salinity, culture medi

Meckel-Gruber syndrome: about a case identified during deliver

Meckel-Gruber syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder, usually lethal, most commonly characterised by the classic triad of polycystic kidneys, occipital encephalocele and polydactyly. Antenatal diagnosis can be made by ultrasound between 10 and 14 weeks of amenorrhoea. Recognition of this syndrome is important in order to establish the diagnosis and provide genetic counselling. Finally, well supervised termination of pregnancy should be the rule for lethal fetal malformations in order to relieve the psychological suffering of patients. However, in certain situations or working conditions, the diagnosis can be made late or even discovered during childbirth. We report a case of Meckel Gruber syndrome discovered at birth

A hospital based case control study of female breast cancer risk factors in a Sub-Saharan African country

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women worldwide with over 1.3 million new cases per year. There is a wide variation in the geographical burden of the disease with the highest incidences seen in the developed regions of the world and the lowest incidences observed in the least developed regions. The objective of this study was to understand further the risks for breast cancer in Senegalese population which can then inform public health strategies to try and reduce the burden of breast cancer.Methods: This matched case control study was conducted in 2015 in Aristide Le Dantec Teaching Hospital in Dakar. All women with pathologically confirmed primary breast cancer were considered as cases. For each case, 2 age-matched women were recruited. We collected and compared demographic factors, family history of breast cancer, socioeconomic variables, reproductive variables (age at menarche, age at first pregnancy and first live birth, parity, menopausal status, duration of breastfeeding), and exogenous hormone use up to 6 months. Odds ratios from univariate logistic regression were used to estimate the relative risk of breast cancer associated with the various factors, and their predictive effects.Results: In all, 212 women with breast cancer who were diagnosed as having breast cancer and 424 control women were involved in the study. The mean±SD age of cases and controls was 43.37±11.94 years (range 18-83 years) and 42.04±11.08 years (range 18-84 years), respectively. There were no significant differences between cases and controls with regards to marital status, parity, age at menarche, past oral contraceptive use, age at first last full-term pregnancy and history of breastfeeding. Breast cancer risk was significantly greater in women with a family history of the disease (OR 2.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35-3.31). A significant increase in breast cancer was observed among illiterate women compared to educated women (OR 1.27, CI 1.02-1.58), in premenopausal women and those without occupation.Conclusions: In this study, reproductive factors as early menarche or menopausal status were not associative to the risk of breast cancer and the early age at diagnosis and the positive history of breast cancer suggest a genetic pattern of this disease in Senegalese woman. But this fact is difficult to confirm for financial reasons