Heritability of polyphenols, anthocyanins and antioxidant capacity of Cameroonian cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) beans

This study investigates the heritability of polyphenolic, anthocyanin and antioxidant capacity of beans derived from four cocoa clones and their offsprings. These compounds were analyzed at 280 nm (polyphenols) and 520 nm (anthocyanins) by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method using a photodiode array detector (PDA). The antioxidant capacity of methanolic extracts prepared from cocoa beans was measured by the DPPH and ABTS assays. Samples displayed catechin and epicatechin as the two main polyphenols. Epicatechin, which represents 1 to 5% of defatted cocoa seed powder, was hundred-fold higher than catechin while cyanidin-3-arabinoside was three-fold higher than cyanidin-3-galactoside. The two main anthocyanins found in our samples represent about 0.05% of defatted cocoa seed powder. All these compounds were genotype-dependent. Unidentified substances called A, B and C were also found in cocoa seeds. Substance A is discussed as a derivative of caffeic acid and an ester-bound compound. Substances B and C are oligomers of proanthocyanidins. Antioxidant capacity of cocoa beans obtained by 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) assay was higher than those obtained by DPPH assay. According to correlation tests, flavanols contributed better in the antioxidant capacity than anthocyanin. No maternal effect was detected in the transmission of polyphenol compounds suggesting a nuclear heritability.Key words: Theobroma cacao, cocoa beans, polyphenolic compounds, anthocyanins, heritability

COMMUNAUTES ET DEVELOPPEMENT LOCAL DANS LE PROJET HYDROELECTRIQUE DE LOM PANGAR : LA RESPONSABILITE SOCIETALE DU MAITRE D’OUVRAGE

Local communities nowadays play an important role in the implementation of development project. This study gives room for an assessment of the societal impact of an ongoing project in the energy sector in Cameroon. It is of keen interest to international financial institutions sponsoring the project to a great extent. However, it comes out that CSR in its contribution to sustainable development goes beyond the implementation of a project

Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis in infants: is it a congenital or acquired disorder? Reflections on 2 cases

Based on evidence from two collected and treated clinical observations of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis in children of 5 and 12 months of age, the authors give their point of view on the unresolved issue of the etiology of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis. They emphasize that there are more and more factors to prove this is an acquired condition

Phenolic content and heritability of resistance in four hybrid populations of Theobroma cacao L. after leaves inoculation with Phytophthora megakarya Bras. et Grif

Cocoa is cultivated in Cameroon for its broad beans. The commercialization of cocoa seeds constitutes a major source of income to farmers. Nevertheless, cacao black pod disease caused by Phytophthora megakarya is responsible of about 80% of cocoa production loss in Cameroon without any protection method. To assess the resistance of cocoa plants against this pathogen, necrotic lesions and phenolic content were conducted on 3 clones (SNK16, ICS40, Sca12) and their progenies (families F40, F12, F20 and F25) after leaves inoculation. The existence of strong hybrid vigour has been shown. All hybrid genotypes manifested a positive heterosis effect for this symptom suggesting the existence of hybrid vigour. Some hybrids like F40.6, F40.7, F40.8, F40.9, F40.10, F12.10, F12.15, F20.7, F20.10, F25.2, F25.5 and F25.7 were characterized by localized lesions. A negative correlation between the size of necrotic lesions and the total phenolic compound was demonstrated. Three genotypes of the F40 family (F40.8, F40.9 and F40.13), one of the F12 (F12.15) and two of the F25 (F25.2 and F25.8) had small lesions and high concentrations of phenols. These six genotypes can be considered as elite clones with high tolerance to P. megakarya. The values of the heritability of lesion size and the total phenolic content in offsprings don’t show the maternal effect.Keywords: Cocoa, Phytophthora megakarya, heterosis, heritability, necrosis, phenol

HETEROSIS AND HERITABILITY ESTIMATES OF PURINE ALKALOIDS AND POLYPHENOLS IN COCOA

Cocoa ( Theobrama cacao L. ) is an important allogamous tropical tree crop, whose centre of diversity is considered to be in Central America. Dry cocoa beans from five cocoa clones, and their intercrossed hybrids were analysed based on the variation of alkaloids and polyphenolic compounds contents, in order to gain insights on the heterosis and broad-sense heritability. Polyphenols and alkaloids were analysed at 280 nm by HPLC, using a Photodiode Array Detector (PDA); while anthocyanins were separated with the SEP-PAK Vac 6cc 1000 mg (waters) column and measured at 520 nm with a PDA. Dry cocoa beans displayed high content of purine alkaloids (2.1 and 8.8 mg g-1 for caffein and theobromine, respectively), and polyphenols (25 and 2978 \ub5g g-1 for catechin and epicatechin, respectively). Among the five cocoa clones, SNK16 was the highest in purine alkaloid (caffein and theobromin) and flavanol (catechin and epicatechin); while T79/467 possessed the greatest quantity of cyanidin-3-galactoside and cyanidin-3-arabinoside. From all the parameters studied, anthocyanins (Cyanidin-3-galactoside and cyanidin-3-arabinoside) exhibited the highest level of heterosis. Parental genotypes SNK16 and T79/467 showed good aptitudes for the combination of characters because their reciprocal hybrids F5 and F9, distinguished themselves by better levels of mid-parent heterosis values. Besides, the heritability value in strict sense of this Cyanidin-3-galactoside was very high. Absence of significant difference between genotypes, coming from reciprocal crossbreeding for Cyanidin-3-galactoside, suggests that this character in cocoa would be nuclear contrary to purine alkaloids and flavan-3-ols, where their transmission to offsprings can be stated as cytoplasmic.Le cacaoyer ( Theobrama cacao L. ) est une importante plante tropicale allogame originaire d\u2019Am\ue9rique Centrale. Les teneurs en alcalo\uefdes et en polyph\ue9nols ont \ue9t\ue9 analys\ue9es sur des f\ue8ves de cinq clones de cacao et de leurs descendants issus des croisements r\ue9ciproques afin de d\ue9terminer l\u2019h\ue9t\ue9rosis et l\u2019h\ue9ritabilit\ue9 de ces m\ue9tabolites. Les alcalo\uefdes et les polyph\ue9nols ont \ue9t\ue9 analys\ue9s par HPLC \ue0 280nm utilisant un d\ue9tecteur \ue0 barrettes de photodiode (PDA) alors que les anthocyanines l\u2019ont \ue9t\ue9 sur une colonne SEP-PAK Vac 6cc 1000 mg \ue0 520nm utilisant le PDA. Ces f\ue8ves ont des teneurs \ue9lev\ue9es en alcalo\uefdes puriques (2,1 et 8,8 mg.g-1 de caf\ue9ine et de th\ue9obromine respectivement) et en polyph\ue9nols (25 \ub5g.g-1 de cat\ue9chine et 2978 \ub5g.g-1 d\u2019epicat\ue9chine). Des cinq clones utilis\ue9s, SNK16 s\u2019est distingu\ue9 par des teneurs les plus \ue9lev\ue9es en caf\ue9ine, th\ue9obromine, cat\ue9chine et \ue9picat\ue9chine. De tous les param\ue8tres analys\ue9s, les anthocyanines ont montr\ue9 un niveau d\u2019h\ue9t\ue9rosis \ue9lev\ue9. Les g\ue9notypes SNK16 et T79/467 ont pr\ue9sent\ue9 une meilleure aptitude \ue0 la combinaison et les hybrides issus de leur croisement r\ue9ciproque (F5 et F9) ont pr\ue9sent\ue9 une meilleure h\ue9t\ue9rosis par rapport au meilleur parent. L\u2019utilisation de ces deux clones dans un champ semencier serait tr\ue8s importante pour des industries pharmaceutiques car leur croisement g\ue9n\ue8re des hybrides \ue0 haut potentiel en alcalo\uefdes et en polyph\ue9nols. De plus, l\u2019absence d\u2019une diff\ue9rence significative de cyanidine-3-galactoside entre hybrides r\ue9ciproques sugg\ue8re que l\u2019h\ue9ritabilit\ue9 de ce caract\ue8re serait nucl\ue9aire contrairement aux alcalo\uefdes puriques et aux flavan-3-ols dont l\u2019h\ue9ritabilit\ue9 serait de nature cytoplasmique

Central African Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program: building and strengthening regional workforce capacity in public health

The Central African Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (CAFELTP) is a 2-year public health leadership capacity building training program. It was established in October 2010 to enhance capacity for applied epidemiology and public health laboratory services in three countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The aim of the program is to develop a trained public health workforce to assure that acute public health events are detected, investigated, and responded to quickly and effectively. The program consists of 25% didactic and 75% practical training (field based activities). Although the program is still in its infancy, the residents have already responded to six outbreak investigations in the region, evaluated 18 public health surveillance systems and public health programs, and completed 18 management projects. Through these various activities, information is shared to understand similarities and differences in the region leading to new and innovative approaches in public health. The program provides opportunities for regional and international networking in field epidemiology and laboratory activities, and is particularly beneficial for countries that may not have the immediate resources to host an individual country program. Several of the trainees from the first cohort already hold leadership positions within the ministries of health and national laboratories, and will return to their assignments better equipped to face the public health challenges in the region. They bring with them knowledge, practical training, and experiences gained through the program to shape the future of the public health landscape in their countries

Fifteen Years of Annual Mass Treatment of Onchocerciasis with Ivermectin Have Not Interrupted Transmission in the West Region of Cameroon

We followed up the 1996 baseline parasitological and entomological studies on onchocerciasis transmission in eleven health districts in West Region, Cameroon. Annual mass ivermectin treatment had been provided for 15 years. Follow-up assessments which took place in 2005, 2006, and 2011 consisted of skin snips for microfilariae (mf) and palpation examinations for nodules. Follow-up Simulium vector dissections for larval infection rates were done from 2011 to 2012. mf prevalence in adults dropped from 68.7% to 11.4%, and nodule prevalence dropped from 65.9% to 12.1%. The decrease of mf prevalence in children from 29.2% to 8.9% was evidence that transmission was still continuing. mf rates in the follow-up assessments among adults and in children levelled out after a sharp reduction from baseline levels. Only three health districts out of 11 were close to interruption of transmission. Evidence of continuing transmission was also observed in two out of three fly collection sites that had infective rates of 0.19% and 0.18% and ATP of 70 (Foumbot) and 300 (Massangam), respectively. Therefore, halting of annual mass treatment with ivermectin cannot be done after 15 years as it might escalate the risk of transmission recrudescence

Les interactions verbales en formation et d'apprentissage des publics adultes

This article is located in a multi-referential register at the border of several complementary disciplinary fields. This is an essential condition for understanding the complexity of the problem of verbal interaction in training and learning of adult audiences (Altet, 1994, p.137). We thus analyzed this “phenomenon” of verbal interaction by mobilizing variables from the field of pedagogy and didactics in relation to variables from the field of psychology. This allows us to consider two main entry points. The first door, of an energetic nature, is the realization of the conditions for an adult training session to arouse verbal interaction, and the second, of a directional nature (Apostel, 1981, p. 162), is the realization of the conditions for behaviors favoring verbal interaction to develop in adults in training.Cet article se situe dans un registre multiréférentielle à la frontière de plusieurs champs disciplinaires complémentaires. C'est une condition essentielle pour comprendre la complexité du problème de l'interaction verbale en formation et l'apprentissage des publiques adultes (Altet, 1994, p.137). Nous avons ainsi analysé ce « phénomène » de l'interaction verbale en mobilisant des variables du champ de la pédagogie et de la didactique en relation avec des variables du champ de la psychologie. Cela nous permet d'envisager deux portes d'entrée principales. La première porte, de nature énergétique, est la réalisation des conditions pour qu'une session de formation d'adultes suscite l'interaction verbale, et la seconde, de nature directionnelle (Apostel, 1981, p. 162), est la réalisation des conditions pour que des comportements favorisant l'interaction verbale se développent chez les adultes en formation

Préface

Entreprendre une recherche sur l'histoire de la presse africaine n'est pas une entreprise aisée. Ce livre est donc le bienvenu, car, malgré des difficultés nombreuses dues en grande partie à l'éparpillement, voire au manque de documents et d'archives fiables, il dresse une histoire crédible et riche de la presse africaine. L'histoire de cette presse introduite dans le continent par la colonisation et, qui n'a cessé de voir ses titres éclore, puis mourir avec la même aisance, ne peut qu'intére..

Enseigner l'éducation à l'environnement et au développement durable aux élèves issus des communautés indigènes à la lisière du Parc national Bouba Ndjidda, Cameroun

International audienceThe mobilisation of school-based knowledge within indigenous communities requires "re-problematisation". Because the knowledge of one world does not necessarily make sense to the actors of another world, it becomes relevant that educational and pedagogical guidelines must be anchored in the cultural and local context. This article examines the issue of taking social practices into account in the development of school content. The research was conducted in eighteen (18) schools. It involved teachers, pupils and members of indigenous communities, whom we organised into three (03) focus groups made up of young people, women and the elderly. The results of the research made it possible to envisage bridges between school knowledge and social practices, as a teaching strategy that can optimise the intellectual appropriation of school knowledge in environmental education and sustainable development and its transfer to out-of-school contexts.La mobilisation des savoirs scolaires au sein des communautés indigènes requiert des « reproblématisations ». Parce que les savoirs d'un monde ne font pas nécessairement sens pour les acteurs d'un autre monde, il devient pertinent que les orientations éducatives et pédagogiques soient ancrées dans le contexte culturel et local. Cet article examine la question de la prise en compte des pratiques sociales dans le développement des contenus scolaires. La recherche a été menée dans dix-huit (18) écoles. Elle a concerné les enseignants, les élèves, ainsi que les populations issues des communautés indigènes que nous avons organisées en trois (03) focus groupes constitués de jeunes, de femmes et d'ainés. Les résultats de la recherche ont permis d'envisager les passerelles entre savoirs scolaires et pratiques sociales, comme stratégie d'enseignement qui peut optimiser l'appropriation intellectuelle des savoirs scolaires en éducation à l'environnement et au développement durable et leur transfert dans les contextes de nature extrascolaire