Apport de l’échographie dans les traumatismes oculaires à Parakou (Bénin)

Introduction: Décrire l’apport de l’échographie réalisée avec un appareil polyvalent dans les traumatismes oculaires. Méthodes: Il s’agit d’une étude prospective descriptive réalisée du 01 février au 01 aout 2010 dans le service d’imagerie médicale du CHD Borgou. Trente deux (32) patients présentant un traumatisme oculaire avec baisse de l’acuité visuelle ont bénéficié d’une échographie oculaire réalisée grâce à un échographe polyvalent. Résultats: L’âge moyen de nos patients était de 29,40 ans (extrêmes 1 et 68 ans). Le sexe ratio (H/F) était de 1,67.Sur 39 yeux traumatisés, l’il droit était atteint dans 22 cas (56,4%), et l’il gauche dans 17 (43,6%) cas. Les contusions ont constitué la variété anatomo-clinique la plus fréquente : 32 cas (82%). Les différentes lésions observées étaient : une hémorragie isolée du vitré 13 cas (33,3%), un décollement rétinien 6 cas (15,4%), un décollement choroïdien 6 cas (15,4%), un décollement postérieur du vitré 5 cas (12,8%), une cataracte 5 cas (12,8%) et une luxation postérieure du cristallin dans 3 cas (7,7%). Conclusion: L’échographie oculaire même réalisée avec un appareil polyvalent permet un bilan lésionnel satisfaisant des traumatismes oculaires.Key words: Traumatisme oculaire, échographie, hémorragie vitréenne, décollement de la rétin

Phytochemical screening of Saye, a traditional herbal remedy for malaria

phytochemical assay was conducted to establish the chemical profile of “Saye”, a mixture of leaf of Cassia alata, root of Cochlospermum planchonii and whole plant of Phyllantus amarus, used as antimarial remedy. Water and organic extracts were prepared. Characterization of phytoconstituents using specific chemical reagents was performed in tubes, by thin layer chromatography and by high performance liquid chromatography. Steroids and/or triterpenes, cathechic tannins were identified in the decocted and the macerated water extracts of “Saye”. An anthraquinone with a retention time Rt corresponding to 3.34 min was identified by the HPLC analysis.© 2015 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Keywords: Chemical profile, anthraquinones, steroids, triterpenes, tannins

New ecological options for the management of horticultural crop pests in Sudano-Sahelian agroecosystems of west Africa

The agroecological approach to agroecosystem management relies on two pillars: vegetational diversification and soil biological activity enhancement. Although crop pests and their natural enemies may be diversely affected by measures derived from these principles, those generally result in increased agroecosystem resilience visà- vis both aerial and soil pests. Earlier studies by ICRISAT and CIRAD and their partners in West Africa showed the potential of the implementation of these principles for the management of some major pests of both staple food and horticultural crops, and their limitations for others, notably in the water-saving and income-generating systems mixing cereals, legumes, and high-value crops currently promoted in the Sudano-Sahelian zones, such as the drip irrigation-based African Market Garden (AMG) and the water harvesting-based Bio-Reclamation of Degraded Lands (BDL) systems. Pigeon-pea showed potential for trap-cropping tomato fruit worm (TFW) on okra, while Andropogon grass was dismissed for such management of stem-borer on pearl millet, and mixed results were obtained with castor bean and other potential trap crops for panicle-feeding bug management on sorghum. The results presented highlight the potential for mobilizing either aerial or soil-bound biological processes for managing fruit flies (FF), the main pest of grafted jujube tree, and leaf worm, the main pest of the Moringa tree, for sustainable production of these two major crops (in BDL and AMG systems, respectively), without having to rely on synthetic pesticide sprays. Studies on the social acceptability of the proposed management options (e.g., pigeon-pea in okra-based BDL) are also underway. The potential of the Jatropha shrub grown as a live-fence around these systems, either for its top-down effects or via the use of its extracts in an assisted push-pull strategy, is discussed. These studies on targeted pathosystems serve the dual purpose of finding solutions to local problems and contribute more globally to the design of pest resilient agrosystems

New ecological options for the management of horticultural crop pests in Sudano-Sahelian agroecosystems of west Africa

The agroecological approach to agroecosystem management relies on two pillars: vegetational diversification and soil biological activity enhancement. Although crop pests and their natural enemies may be diversely affected by measures derived from these principles, those generally result in increased agroecosystem resilience visà- vis both aerial and soil pests. Earlier studies by ICRISAT and CIRAD and their partners in West Africa showed the potential of the implementation of these principles for the management of some major pests of both staple food and horticultural crops, and their limitations for others, notably in the water-saving and income-generating systems mixing cereals, legumes, and high-value crops currently promoted in the Sudano-Sahelian zones, such as the drip irrigation-based African Market Garden (AMG) and the water harvesting-based Bio-Reclamation of Degraded Lands (BDL) systems. Pigeon-pea showed potential for trap-cropping tomato fruit worm (TFW) on okra, while Andropogon grass was dismissed for such management of stem-borer on pearl millet, and mixed results were obtained with castor bean and other potential trap crops for panicle-feeding bug management on sorghum. The results presented highlight the potential for mobilizing either aerial or soil-bound biological processes for managing fruit flies (FF), the main pest of grafted jujube tree, and leaf worm, the main pest of the Moringa tree, for sustainable production of these two major crops (in BDL and AMG systems, respectively), without having to rely on synthetic pesticide sprays. Studies on the social acceptability of the proposed management options (e.g., pigeon-pea in okra-based BDL) are also underway. The potential of the Jatropha shrub grown as a live-fence around these systems, either for its top-down effects or via the use of its extracts in an assisted push-pull strategy, is discussed. These studies on targeted pathosystems serve the dual purpose of finding solutions to local problems and contribute more globally to the design of pest resilient agrosystems

National action plan on antimicrobial resistance: An evaluation of implementation in the World Health Organization Africa region

In line with global instruments, within the last five years, two-thirds of all countries in the WHO Africa Region (WHO AFR) have developed a National Action Plan (NAP) on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). We sought to evaluate progress made across the countries implementing NAP for effective response to AMR. A semi-structured survey tool was administered to obtain information from national focal persons on the implementation of strategic elements of NAP on AMR. This was followed by a Lessons Learnt Workshop in June 2019 at Douala, Cameroon, where focal persons made presentations on the country’s progress. Later, a desktop review of the LLW report and other key documents was conducted. Countries in WHO AFR that have set up a national surveillance system and are enrolled into the WHO global antimicrobial resistance surveillance system have progressively increased to 30 (of 47 countries), of which 15 are already submitting surveillance data. Of the 20 countries at the Lessons Learnt Workshop, 14 have infection prevention and control (IPC) policies and functional healthcare facility IPC programs, 15 participate in the commemoration of the annual world hand hygiene days. Although almost all countries surveyed have national standard treatment guidelines, only five have incorporated the WHO AWaRe classification into the national essential medicines list. Fourteen of 20 countries have established an active/functional national secretariat/coordinating center for AMR. Discernible progress is being made on the implementation of NAP in WHO AFR region. Gaps identified in the strategic elements of action plans need to be filled for effective AMR control

Numerical study of circulation on the inner Amazon Shelf

Author Posting. © Springer, 2008. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Springer for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Ocean Dynamics 58 (2008): 187-198, doi:10.1007/s10236-008-0139-4.We studied the circulation on the coastal domain of the Amazon Shelf by applying the hydrodynamic module of the Estuarine and Coastal Ocean Model and Sediment Transport - ECOMSED. The first barotropic experiment aimed to explain the major bathymetric effects on tides and those generated by anisotropy in sediment distribution. We analyzed the continental shelf response of barotropic tides under realistic bottom stress parametrization (Cd), considering sediment granulometry obtained from a faciologic map, where river mud deposits and reworked sediments areas are well distinguished, among others classes of sediments. Very low Cd values were set in the fluid mud regions off the Amapa coast (1.0 10-4 ), in contrast to values around 3:5 10-3 for coarser sediment regions off the Para coast. Three-dimensional experiments represented the Amazon River discharge and trade winds, combined to barotropic tide influences and induced vertical mixing. The quasi-resonant response of the Amazon Shelf to the M2 tide act on the local hydrodynamics by increasing tidal admittance, along with tidal forcing at the shelf break and extensive fluid mud regions. Harmonic analysis of modeled currents agreed well with analysis of the AMASSEDS observational data set. Tidal-induced vertical shear provided strong homogenization of threshold waters, which are subject to a kind of hydraulic control due to the topographic steepness. Ahead of the hydraulic jump, the low-salinity plume is disconnected from the bottom and acquires negative vorticity, turning southeastward. Tides act as a generator mechanism and topography, via hydraulic control, as a maintainer mechanism for the low-salinity frontal zone positioning. Tidally induced southeastward plume fate is overwhelmed by northwestward trade winds so that, along with background circulation, probably play the most important role on the plume fate and variability over the Amazon Shelf

Impact of the addition of azithromycin to antimalarials used for seasonal malaria chemoprevention on antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

OBJECTIVE: A trial was conducted in Burkina Faso and Mali to investigate whether addition of azithromycin to the antimalarials used for seasonal malaria chemoprevention reduces mortality and hospital admissions of children. We tested the sensitivity of nasal isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae obtained during this trial to azithromycin and other antibiotics. METHODS: Azithromycin or placebo was administered monthly, in combination with the antimalarials used for seasonal malaria chemoprevention, for four months, over the annual malaria transmission seasons of 2014, 2015, and 2016. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from 2773 Burkinabe and 2709 Malian children on seven occasions: in July and December each year prior to and after drug administration, and at a final survey in early 2018. Pneumococci were isolated from nasopharyngeal swabs and tested for sensitivity to azithromycin and other antibiotics. RESULTS: A total of 5482 samples were collected. In Burkina Faso, the percentage of pneumococcal isolates resistant to azithromycin among children who had received it increased from 4.9% (95% CI: 2.4%, 9.9%) before the intervention to 25.6% (95% CI: 17.6%, 35.7%) afterward. In Mali, the increase was from 7.6% (95% CI: 3.8%, 14.4%) to 68.5% (95% CI: 55.1%, 79.4%). The percentage of resistant isolates remained elevated (17.7% (95% CI: 11.1%, 27.1%) in Burkina Faso and 19.1% (95% CI: 13.5%, 26.3%) in Mali) among children who had received azithromycin 1 year after stopping the intervention. An increase in resistance to azithromycin was also observed in children who had received a placebo but it was less marked. CONCLUSION: Addition of azithromycin to the antimalarial combination used for seasonal malaria chemoprevention was associated with an increase in resistance of pneumococci to azithromycin and erythromycin, which persisted 1 year after the last administration of azithromycin

Long Distance Dispersal and Connectivity in Amphi-Atlantic Corals at Regional and Basin Scales

Among Atlantic scleractinian corals, species diversity is highest in the Caribbean, but low diversity and high endemism are observed in various peripheral populations in central and eastern Atlantic islands and along the coasts of Brazil and West Africa. The degree of connectivity between these distantly separated populations is of interest because it provides insight into processes at both evolutionary and ecological time scales, such as speciation, recruitment dynamics and the persistence of coral populations. To assess connectivity in broadly distributed coral species of the Atlantic, DNA sequence data from two nuclear markers were obtained for six coral species spanning their distributional ranges. At basin-wide scales, significant differentiation was generally observed among populations in the Caribbean, Brazil and West Africa. Concordance of patterns in connectivity among co-distributed taxa indicates that extrinsic barriers, such as the Amazon freshwater plume or long stretches of open ocean, restrict dispersal of coral larvae from region to region. Within regions, dispersal ability appears to be influenced by aspects of reproduction and life history. Two broadcasting species, Siderastrea siderea and Montastraea cavernosa, were able to maintain gene flow among populations separated by as much as 1,200 km along the coast of Brazil. In contrast, brooding species, such as Favia gravida and Siderastrea radians, had more restricted gene flow along the Brazilian coast