The Diagnosis of Human Fascioliasis by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Using Recombinant Cathepsin L Protease

Background:Fascioliasis is a worldwide parasitic disease of domestic animals caused by helminths of the genus Fasciola. In many parts of the world, particularly in poor rural areas where animal disease is endemic, the parasite also infects humans. Adult parasites reside in the bile ducts of the host and therefore diagnosis of human fascioliasis is usually achieved by coprological examinations that search for parasite eggs that are carried into the intestine with the bile juices. However, these methods are insensitive due to the fact that eggs are released sporadically and may be missed in low-level infections, and fasciola eggs may be misclassified as other parasites, leading to problems with specificity. Furthermore, acute clinical symptoms as a result of parasites migrating to the bile ducts appear before the parasite matures and begins egg laying. A human immune response to Fasciola antigens occurs early in infection. Therefore, an immunological method such as ELISA may be a more reliable, easy and cheap means to diagnose human fascioliasis than coprological analysis.Methodology/Principal findings:Using a panel of serum from Fasciola hepatica-infected patients and from uninfected controls we have optimized an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) which employs a recombinant form of the major F. hepatica cathepsin L1 as the antigen for the diagnosis of human fascioliasis. We examined the ability of the ELISA test to discern fascioliasis from various other helminth and non-helminth parasitic diseases.Conclusions/Significance:A sensitive and specific fascioliasis ELISA test has been developed. This test is rapid and easy to use and can discriminate fasciola-infected individuals from patients harbouring other parasites with at least 99.9% sensitivity and 99.9% specificity. This test will be a useful standardized method not only for testing individual samples but also in mass screening programs to assess the extent of human fascioliasis in regions where this zoonosis is suspected. © 2013 Gonzales Santana et al

Effect of Deep-Fat Frying on Chemical Properties of Edible Vegetable Oils Used By Senegalese Households

Deep-fat frying performed at high temperatures under atmospheric pressure is a common method of preparing dishes in Senegalese culinary practices. This operation can lead to deterioration of physical, chemical, nutritional and sensory properties of oil, which affects its frying performance. It also results in the production of volatile products such as aldehydes and non volatile fraction which remains in the frying medium. Some of these remaining products have been implicated in producing adverse health effects. Highly oxidized oils may also produce polyaromatic hydrocarbons, which have carcinogenic effect. This work was intended to evaluate the effect of frying on chemical properties of edible vegetable oils. Frying process was applied to meat, fish and potatoes in Senegalese culinary conditions. Ten (10) oil samples, each of three different brands, were purchased from wholesalers and retailers in different neighborhoods of Dakar. The samples were subjected to frying at 220°C for 40 min and then oils were withdrawn in amber bottles samples of which were taken for analysis. Acid value, peroxide value and total polar components were used to evaluate the quality of these oils after initial determination of the iodine value and the moisture and volatile matter content. Acid value increased after 40 min of frying and values ranged from 0.62 to 1.08 mg/kg after frying fish, while those for meat and potatoes ranged from 0.39 to 0.73 and 0.37 to 0.51 mg/kg, respectively. Peroxide value increased slightly for peanut oil (A) and sharply for peanut oil (B) and sunflower oil (C). Frying fish led to high values of total polar components whereas those obtained after frying meat and potatoes during 40 min did not exceed 15.27% except for peanut oil (A). Therefore, frying affects chemical parameter values of edible vegetable oils, which increase at a level depending on the product to be fried. A sharp Total Polar components increase was obtained after frying fish using the three types of oil with values exceeding, sometimes, the maximum level set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. This latter chemical parameter is considered a good indicator of overall quality of frying oil. Thus in Senegalese culinary practices where frying oil is often reused in families with low-income, such a situation may lead to significant sanitary risks. In view of these results, investigations need to be extended to other types of oil marketed in Senegal.Keywords: edible-oils, quality, frying, fish, mea

Management of neuropathic pain in Senegal: Expertise of National Center of Orthopedic Equipment, Dakar

IntroductionNeuropathic pain is serious and its treatment difficult. Treatment is efficient, when quality of life is increased [1].ObjectiveTo determine the frequency of neuropathic pain at the National Centre of Orthopaedic Equipment, Dakar, Senegal and to study the difficulties of management of neuropathic pain according to international guidelines.MethodologyA prospective study was undergone in the National Centre of Orthopaedic Equipment in Dakar, Senegal. Study took place from October 2014 to January 2015. Patients with pain over one month answered the neuropathic pain questionnaire and those with over 4 points were enrolled. Pain intensity was evaluated with Visual Analogic Scale, motor function with Medical Research Council Test. Major function (prehension, work, daily activity, professional activity and sleep) were appreciated. We verified the conformity of complementary exams. Evaluation was done before treatment, three weeks and two months after. Treatment was based on international guidelines.ResultsForty-three patients suffered neuropathic pain. The sex-ratio was 0.96. The mean age was 52.22. The mean score of Visual Analogic Scale was 5.75. Working was difficult (33.96%), impossible (4 cases), and up and down stair climbing impossible (18.83%). Among the patients 18.86% could not walk more than 1000 meters and 13.20% of patients could not pick something up. Professional activity was stopped in 2 cases. Sleep disorders were noted in 33.96%. Complementary exams were done in 54.71% and 9.43% were not compliant with international guidelines. Most of the patients received Amitryptiline (54. 71%) and adverse effects were noted only in 3 cases. With a two months follow-up, dimensions of quality of life were improved in 94.53% of cases.Discussion and ConclusionTreatment of neuropathic pain improved quality of life. In African country, the choice of molecule must take into account its efficacy and its accessibility. Rehabilitation is important in management of neuropathic pain. It increases function and improves quality of life. The unnecessary complementary exams increase the cost, and general practitioners need a specific piece of information about the neuropathic pain and its treatment

Transmission properties of slanted annular aperture arrays. Giant energy deviation over sub-wavelength distance

International audienceThis paper is devoted to the study of the transmission properties of Slanted Annular Aperture Arrays made in perfectly conducting metal. More precisely, we consider the transmission based on the excitation of the cutoff-less guided mode, namely the TEM mode. We numerically and analytically demonstrate some intrinsic properties of the structure showing a transmission coefficient of at least 50% of an unpolarized incident beam independently of the illumination configuration (angle and plane of incidence). The central symmetry exhibited by the structure is analytically exploited to demonstrate the existence of a polarization state for which all the incident energy is transmitted through the sub-wavelength apertures when the eigenmode is excited, whatever are the illumination and the geometrical parameters. For this state of polarization, the laminar flow of the energy through the structure can exhibit giant deviation over very small distances. An example of energy flow deviation of 220 degrees per wavelength is presented for illustration. The results presented in this paper could be considered as an important contribution to the understanding of the enhanced transmission phenomenon based on the excitation of guided modes. (C) 2015 Optical Society of Americ

Enhanced pool-boiling heat transfer and critical heat flux on femtosecond laser processed stainless steel surfaces

In this paper, we present an experimental investigation of pool boiling heat transfer on multiscale (micro/nano) functionalized metallic surfaces. Heat transfer enhancement in metallic surfaces is very important for large scale high heat flux applications like in the nuclear power industry. The multiscale structures were fabricated via a femtosecond laser surface process (FLSP) technique, which forms self-organized mound-like microstructures covered by layers of nanoparticles. Using a pool boiling experimental setup with deionized water as the working fluid, both the heat transfer coefficients and critical heat flux were investigated. A polished reference sample was found to have a critical heat flux of 91 W/cm2 at 40 °C of superheat and a maximum heat transfer coefficient of 23,000 W/m2 K. The processed samples were found to have a maximum critical heat flux of 142 W/cm2 at 29 °C and a maximum heat transfer coefficient of 67,400 W/m2 K. It was found that the enhancement of the critical heat flux was directly related to the wetting and wicking ability of the surface which acts to replenish the evaporating liquid and delay critical heat flux. The heat transfer coefficients were also found to increase when the surface area ratio was increased as well as the microstructure peak-to-valley height. Enhanced nucleate boiling is the main heat transfer mechanism, and is attributed to an increase in surface area and nucleation site density

Acute febrile illness and influenza disease burden in a rural cohort dedicated to malaria in Senegal, 2012-2013

Background African populations are considered to be particularly vulnerable to fever illnesses, including malaria, and acute respiratory disease, owing to limited resources and overcrowding. However, the overall burden of influenza in this context is poorly defined and incidence data for African countries are scarce. We therefore studied the fever syndrome incidence and more specifically influenza incidence in a cohort of inhabitants of Dielmo and Ndiop in Sokone district, Senegal. Methods Daily febrile-illness data were prospectively obtained from January 2012 to December 2013 from the cohort of the villages of Dielmo and Ndiop, initially dedicated to the study of malaria. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from, and malaria diagnosis tests (thick blood smears) carried out on, every febrile individual during clinical visits; reverse transcriptase- polymerase chain reaction was used to identify influenza viruses in the samples. Binomial negative regression analysis was used to study the relationship between the monthly incidence rate and various covariates. Results In Dielmo and Ndiop, the incidence ofmalaria has decreased, but fever syndromes remain frequent. Among the 1036 inhabitants included in the cohort, a total of 1,129 episodes of fever were reported. Influenza was present all year round with peaks in October-December 2012 and August 2013. The fever, ILI and influenza incidence density rates differed significantly between age groups. At both sites, the adjusted incidence relative risks for fever syndromes and ILI were significantly higher in the [6-24 months) than other age groups: 7.3 (95% CI: [5.7-9.3]) and 16.1 (95% CI: [11.1-23.3]) respectively. The adjusted incidence relative risk for influenza was significantly higher for the [0-6 months) than other age groups: 9.9 (95% CI: [2.9-33.6]). At both sites, incidence density rates were lowest among adults > = 50 years. Conclusions In this rural setting in Senegal, influenza was most frequent among the youngest children. Preventive strategies targeting this population should be implemented

Структурные изменения в системе гемостаза у больных меланомой кожи на ранней стадии ее развития

Мета дослідження – оцінка показників системи гемостазу у 27 хворих на меланому шкіри. Виявлено подовження активованого часткового тромбопластинового часу, подовження часткового тромбопластинового часу, подовження часу рекальцифікації, зниження рівня антитромбіну III, підвищення рівня розчинних фібрін-мономерних комплексів. Таким чином, мають місце серйозні структурні зміни системного гемостазу - гіпокоагуляція і гіперфібриноліз. Діагностика та корекція цих змін допоможе поліпшити клінічний перебіг і прогноз захворювання.A research aim is an estimation of indexes of the system of hemostasis at 27 patients by the melanoma of skin. Lengthening of the activated partial tromboplastin time, lengthening of partial tromboplastin time, lengthening of time of recalcification, decline of level of antithrombin of III, increase of level of soluble fibrinmonomers complexes is educed. Thus, the serious structural changes in the system of hemostasis - incoagulability and hyperfibrinolysis take place. Diagnostics and correction of these changes will help to improve a clinical flow and prognosis of disease

La sclerose en plaques en milieu hospitalier a Libreville. A propos de deux cas et revue de la litterature

Introduction: La sclérose en plaques est une pathologie rarement diagnostiquée en Afrique noire. Description: Nous rapportons le cas de deux patientes, respectivement âgées de 23 ans et de 18 ans au début des troubles. La première patiente a été vue initialement pour des troubles visuels et présenta par la suite des signes encéphaliques cérébelleux et pyramidaux. Deux ans plus tard, survenait une seconde poussée marquée par l‘installation d‘un syndrome lésionnel. L‘imagerie par résonance magnétique cérébrale objectivait de nombreuses plaques de démyélinisation sus et sous-tentorielles. Ultérieurement, l‘imagerie médullaire réalisée mettait en évidence une plaque au niveau cervical. La deuxième patiente, rapportait également au début une baisse de l‘acuité visuelle puis plus tard un trouble sensitivo-moteur. L‘étude du LCR a objectivé une discrète augmentation de l‘index IgG.  L‘imagerie cérébrale concluait à des multiples hypersignaux flair et T2 disséminés de la substance blanche péri-ventriculaire, du tronc cérébral et de la moelle épinière cervicale. Au niveau médullaire, on notait la présence de plaques de démyélinisation médullaire cervicale en regard de C3. Le diagnostic de sclérose en plaques dans sa forme rémittente a été retenu dans les deux cas sur la dissémination spatio-temporelle apportée par les critères clinico-radiologiques. Le traitement prescrit était uniquement celui de la poussée inflammatoire vu l‘absence d‘immunomodulateurs. Conclusion: La sclérose en plaques au Gabon parait avoir les mêmes caractéristiques cliniques que dans les zones tempérées.   L‘avènement de l‘imagerie par résonance magnétique ces dernières années pourrait expliquer la fréquence des cas rapportés.   English title: Multiple sclerosis in Libreville, Gabon. about two cases and literature review   Introduction: Multiple sclerosis is a disease rarely diagnosed in Africa. We report the case of two patients, 23-years-old and 18- years-old, at the beginning of the disorders. Description: The first patient was seen initially for visual disturbances and presented cerebellar and pyramidal encephalic features. Two years later, there was a second surge marked by the installation of an injury  syndrome. Cerebral MRI revealed many additional demyelinated sustentorial and infratentorial plaques. Subsequently, the spinal cord imaging showed a cervical plaque. The second patient, also reported at first a decrease in visual acuity and later a sensory-motor disorder. The CSF study showed a slight increase in the IgG index. Brain imaging showed multiple FLAIR and T2 hyperintensities disseminated on the periventricular white matter, brainstem and cervical spinal cord. On the spinal cord, there were cervical demyelinating plaques opposite to the C3 vertebra. The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in its relapsing form was retained in both cases on the spatio-temporal dissemination provided by clinico-radiological criteria. The treatment was only corticotherapy given the absence of immunomodulators. Multiple sclerosis in Gabon seems to have the same clinical features as in temperate zones. The advent of magnetic resonance imaging in recent years may explain the reported case frequency

Demonstration of Bloch Surface Waves in crystals with LiNbO3 thin films

A novel one dimensional photonic crystal (1DPHC) sustaining Bloch surface waves (BSWs) with a single crystal thin film lithium niobate (TFLN) as a part of a multilayer is theoretically and experimentally investigated. Properties of the dielectric multilayer platform with optical anisotropy introduced by X-cut TFLN are studied