Fast visible imaging of turbulent plasma in TORPEX

Fast framing cameras constitute an important recent diagnostic development aimed at monitoring light emission from magnetically confined plasmas, and are now commonly used to study turbulence in plasmas. In the TORPEX toroidal device [A. Fasoli et al., Phys. Plasmas 13, 055902 (2006)], low frequency electrostatic fluctuations associated with drift-interchange waves are routinely measured by means of extensive sets of Langmuir probes. A Photron Ultima APX-RS fast framing camera has recently been acquired to complement Langmuir probe measurements, which allows comparing statistical and spectral properties of visible light and electrostatic fluctuations. A direct imaging system has been developed, which allows viewing the light, emitted from microwave-produced plasmas tangentially and perpendicularly to the toroidal direction. The comparison of the probability density function, power spectral density, and autoconditional average of the camera data to those obtained using a multiple head electrostatic probe covering the plasma cross section shows reasonable agreement in the case of perpendicular view and in the plasma region where interchange modes dominate.This work is partly funded by the “Fonds National Suisse de la Recherche Scientifique.

Maternal-fetal prognosis of obstetric emergencies at the maternity ward of the Mamou regional hospital

Background: Pregnant women may be at risk of unpredictable obstetric complications such as: bleeding, dystocia, acute fetal suffering, pre-eclampsia and eclampsia. This maternal-fetal prognosis of obstetric emergencies is influenced by factors that are most often related to complications that alter the course or outcome of a pregnancy and require prompt care. The objectives of this study are to analyze the factors that influence the maternal-fetal prognosis of obstetric emergencies; determine their frequency, describe the clinical profiles of patients and evaluate the maternal-fetal prognosis.Methods: The study was conducted at the Mamou Regional Hospital. It was a 6-month quantitative, descriptive and analytical study, from July 1st to December 31st, 2016, including all parturient women whose term is greater than or equal to 28 weeks of amenorrhoea.Results: The study covered 377 obstetric emergencies out of a total of 1273 deliveries, or 29.61%. Factors influencing the prognosis were: young age, parity, unfavorable socio-economic conditions and difficult baseline conditions. The main obstetric emergencies recorded were acute fetal suffering, disproportion and narrowed pelvis. The dominant mode of delivery was caesarean section with a frequency of 89.65%. Maternal lethality is 3.44% and fetal lethality is 5.14%.Conclusions: Obstetric emergency is a frequent situation where better management would improve the prognosis of the mother and fetus

Etude Comparee Des Complications Des Avortements Clandestins: Misoprostol versus autres méthodes abortives.

L’objectif était de comparer le taux des complications infectieuses parmi les femmes utilisant le Misoprostol (groupe 1) et celles utilisant d’autres méthodes abortives (groupe 2). L’étude est transversale et analytique avec un mode de recrutement prospectif. Elle a été conduite au Centre Hospitalier de Libreville (CHL) du 1er janvier au 31 décembre 2008 et a concerné les femmes admises pour complications d’un avortement clandestin. Il y a eu plus de cas d’infection dans le groupe 2 (

Insecticide-treated curtains reduce the prevalence and intensity of malaria infection in Burkina Faso

A large, randomized controlled trial to investigate the impact of insecticide-treated curtains (ITC) on child mortality was conducted in an area of seasonal, holoendemic malaria in Burkina Faso. 158 communities totalling some 90,000 people were censused and grouped into 16 geographical clusters, 8 of which were randomly selected to receive ITC in June-July 1994, just prior to the rainy season. In September-October 1995, at the peak period of malaria transmission, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in 84 of the villages. A random sample of 905 children aged 6-59 months was identified and visited. 763 children (84%) were present at the time of the visit and recruited into the study. Mothers were asked about fever in the past 24 h, the child's temperature was taken, and a sample of blood collected to identify and quantify malaria infections and to measure haemoglobin (Hb) levels. Children protected by ITC were less likely to be infected with Plasmodium falciparum (risk ratio = 0.92; 95% CI 0.86, 0.98) or P. malariae (risk ratio = 0.42, 95% CI 0.19, 0.95). The mean intensity of P. falciparum infections was lower among children protected by ITC (899 vs. 1583 trophozoites/microliter; P < 0.001), while the mean Hb level was 0.4 g/dl higher (P < 0.001). While we found no evidence that ITC had an impact on the prevalence of malaria-associated fever episodes, the confidence intervals around our estimates of the impact of ITC on malaria morbidity were wide. We conclude that widespread implementation of ITC in this area of high malaria transmission led to a modest reduction in the prevalence of malaria infection and to a more substantial reduction in the intensity of these infections which caused increased Hb levels. We were unable to demonstrate any impact of ITC on malaria morbidity, but the wide confidence intervals around our point estimates do not preclude the possibility of a substantial impact

Child mortality in a West African population protected with insecticide-treated curtains for a period of up to 6 years

Objectives To determine the impact of insecticide-treated curtains (ITC) on all-cause child mortality (6–59 months) over a period of six years. To determine whether initial reductions in child mortality following the implementation of ITC are sustained over the longer term or whether “delayed” mortality occurs. Methods A rural population of ca 100 000 living in an area with high, seasonal Plasmodium falciparum transmission was studied in Burkina Faso. Annual censuses were conducted from 1993 to 2000 to measure child mortality. ITC to cover doors, windows, and eaves were provided to half the population in 1994 with the remainder receiving ITC in 1996. Curtains were re-treated or, if necessary, replaced annually. Findings Over six years of implementation of ITC, no evidence of the shift in child mortality from younger to older children was observed. Estimates of the reduction in child mortality associated with ITC ranged from 19% to 24%. Conclusions In our population there was no evidence to suggest that initial reduction in child mortality associated with the introduction of insecticide-treated materials was subsequently compromised by a shift in child mortality to older-aged children. Estimates of the impact of ITC on child mortality in this population range from 19% to 24%. Keywords Malaria/epidemiology/mortality; Bedding and linens/utilization/statistics; Child, Preschool; Infant mortality; Plasmodium falciparum/immunology; Malaria, Falciparum/prevention and control/transmission; Anopheles; Mosquito control; Permethrin; Remission induction; Age factors; Regression analysis; Incidence; Survival rate; Randomized controlled trials; Burkina Faso/epidemiology (source: MeSH, NLM). Mots clés Paludisme/épidémiologie/mortalité; Literie et linge/utilisation/statistique; Enfant âge pré-scolaire; Mortalité nourrisson; Plasmodium falciparum/immunologie; Paludisme plasmodium falciparum/prévention et contrôle/transmission; Anophèles; Lutte contre moustique; Perméthrine; Traitement induction rémission; Facteur âge; Analyse régression; Incidence; Taux survie; Essai clinique randomisé; Burkina Faso/épidémiologie (source: MeSH, INSERM). Palabras clave Paludismo/epidemiología/mortalidad; Ropa de cama y ropa blanca/utilización/estadística; Infante; Mortalidad infantil; Plasmodium falciparum/inmunología; Paludismo falciparum/prevención y control/ transmisión; Anopheles; Control de mosquitos; Permetrina; Inducción de remisión; Factores de edad; Análisis de regresión; Incidencia; Tasa de supervivencia; Ensayos controlados aleatorios; Burkina Faso/epidemiología (fuente: DeCS, BIREME). Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2004;82:85-91

Obstetric emergencies in the maternity ward of the Ignace Deen national hospital CHU of Conakry: sociodemographic, therapeutic and maternal fetal prognosis aspects

Background: Despite government efforts to reduce maternal mortality, the risk of a woman dying from obstetric complications is about one in six in the poorest regions of the world compared to one in thirty thousand in North Europe. The objective was therefore to describe the clinical socio-demographic aspects and to establish the maternal and fetal prognosis of obstetric emergencies.Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional prospective study over a 6-month period from January 1 to June 30, 2020 carried out at the maternity ward of the Ignace Deen national hospital (Conakry university hospital) in Guinea. The study looked at a continuous series of 662 obstetric emergency cases.Results: The frequency of admission of obstetric emergencies was 22.62%. They concerned young women (29.5 years old) on average, first-time mothers (53.32%), with low income professional activities, evacuated from a peripheral maternity unit (63.14%), no schooling (44.9%), married (92.3%), using the more often a means of public transport (66.5%) and whose pregnancies were poorly monitored (63.9%). Fetal emergencies were dominated by acute fetal distress (91.3%) and maternal emergencies were dominated by hypertensive emergencies (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia 37.44%) followed by hemorrhagic emergencies (last trimester hemorrhage and postpartum hemorrhage 34.34%). Pregnant and parturient women were more frequently admitted to labor (62.7%) and gave birth more frequently by caesarean section (86.70%). the staff reacted promptly to make a treatment decision in 75.5% of cases within fifteen minutes. emergency procedures were performed in less than fifteen minutes in almost all cases (97.4%), specific treatment was carried out in less than an hour in the majority of cases (68.3%). The maternal case fatality rate was 4.1% with the main cause of death being hemorrhagic shock of 51.8%. The stillbirth rate was 17.4%.Conclusions: The anticipation of emergency obstetric care (SOU) and close collaboration between the obstetrician, the anesthesiologist-resuscitator are essential in the management of obstetric emergencies

Impact of annual praziquantel treatment on urogenital schistosomiasis in a seasonal transmission focus in central Senegal

In Sub-Saharan Africa, urogenital schistosomiasis remains a significant public health problem, causing 150.000 deaths/year with approximately 112 million cases diagnosed. The Niakhar district is a disease hotspot in central Senegal where transmission occurs seasonally with high prevalences. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of annual treatment over 3 years on the seasonal transmission dynamics of S. haematobium in 9 villages in the Niakhar district. Adults and children aged between 5 and 60 years were surveyed from 2011 to 2014. Urine samples were collected door-to-door and examined for S. haematobium eggs at baseline in June 2011, and all participants were treated in August 2011 with PZQ (40 mg/kg). After this initial examination, evaluations were conducted at 3 successive time points from September 2011 to March 2014, to measure the efficacy of the annual treatments and the rates of reinfection. Each year, during the transmission period, from July to November-December, malacological surveys were also carried out in the fresh water bodies of each village to evaluate the infestation of the snail intermediate hosts. At baseline, the overall prevalence of S. haematobium infection was 57.7%, and the proportion of heavy infection was 45.3%, but one month after the first treatment high cure rates (92.9%) were obtained. The overall infection prevalence and proportion of heavy infection intensities were drastically reduced to 4.2% and 2.3%, respectively. The level of the first reinfection in February-March 2012 was 9.5%. At follow-up time points, prevalence levels varied slightly between reinfection and treatment from 9.5% in June 2012 to 0.3% in March 2013, 11.2 in June 2013, and 10.1% April 2014. At the end of the study, overall prevalence was significantly reduced from 57.7% to 10.1%. The overall rate of infested Bulinid snails was reduced after repeated treatment from 0.8% in 2012 to 0.5% in 2013. Repeated annual treatments are suggested to have a considerable impact on the transmission dynamics of S. haematobium in Niakhar, due to the nature of the epidemiological system with seasonal transmission. Thus, to maintain this benefit and continue to reduce the morbidity of urogenital schistosomiasis, other approaches should be integrated into the strategy plans of the National program to achieve the goal of urogenital schistosomiasis elimination in seasonal foci in Senegal