Etude Ethnobotanique des plantes médicinales utilisées dans le traitement traditionnel des hépatites virales B et C dans quelques départements du Bénin

L’étude ethnobotanique a été réalisée sur les plantes médicinales utilisées dans le traitement traditionnel des hépatites virales B et C. Elle a été menée dans cinq (05) départements du Bénin et avait pour objectif général d’inventorier et d’apporter davantage d’informations sur quelques plantes médicinales utilisées par la médecine alternative dans le traitement des infections virales B et C. Au cours de cette étude, une comparaison des résultats avec ceux des données bibliographiques concernant l’utilisation des plantes dans le traitement des hépatites virales a été réalisée. Au total, 54 plantes ont été recensées avec leurs modes d’utilisation. La décoction et la boisson sont les modes de préparation et d’administration les plus fréquents. Les feuilles constituent la partie de la plante la plus utilisée au cours des traitements. Aristolochia albida, Euphorbia hirta, Phyllanthus amarus et Opilia celtidifolia sont largement utilisées par les tradipraticiens du Bénin dans le traitement des hépatites virales B et C. Les propriétés antivirales de ces plantes sont certainement induites par des composés chimiques qui devront être identifiés ultérieurement à travers les recherches phytochimiques.Mots clés: Plantes hépatoprotectrices, activité antivirale, hépatite virale, tradithérapeutes, Bénin

Prévalence de l’anémie chez les enfants malnutris de 6 à 59 mois hospitalisés au CHD/Zou-Collines dans le plateau d’Abomey (Centre du Bénin)

L’anémie constitue un grand problème de santé publique associée à un risque accru de morbidité et de mortalité, surtout pour les femmes  enceintes et les jeunes enfants. L’objectif de cette étude est de cerner la prévalence de l’anémie chez les enfants de moins de 5 ans malnutris hospitalisés dans le service de pédiatrie du Centre Hospitalier  Départemental/Zou-Collines. Il s’agit d’une étude prospective, descriptive et analytique sur une période de six (6) mois porté sur 251 enfants malnutris hospitalisés et leurs mères. Il ressort de notre étude que 41,43% des enfants sont anémiés et que la prévalence de l’anémie est beaucoup plus  remarquable chez les enfants de moins 24 mois. Par ailleurs, 55,8% des enfants souffrent d’une anémie sévère. La principale cause de l’anémie reste la carence en  fer (78,80%). La mauvaise pratique de sevrage, l’insuffisance de consommation des aliments riches en fer biodisponible et des fruits seraient les facteurs mis en  cause dans l’avènement de l’anémie nutritionnelle au sein de la population étudiée. Il urge de mener des stratégies de lutte préventive en matière de soins de santé  primaire, d’intensification des campagnes d’information, d’éducation et de sensibilisation des populations par rapport aux pratiques  d’allaitement maternel  exclusif, à la diversification alimentaire et de conseil aux mères sur les avantages des surveillances pédiatriques.Mots clés : Bénin, enfants malnutris, anémie, carence en fer, pratique de sevrage

Prévalence et rôle des lipides dans l’avènement de l’obésité au Bénin

Le recueil des mesures anthropométriques des étudiants de l’Institut National Médico-Social (INMES) au Bénin nous a permis de calculer l’Indice de Masse Corporelle de cette population, seul indicateur pour évaluer l’état nutritionnel des adultes de point de vue énergétique. Au terme de cette évaluation, il ressort que la prévalence de l’obésité est plus élevée chez les femmes (9,81%) que chez les hommes (0,8%). L’indice de Masse Corporelle (IMC) médian est estimé à 23,03 chez les femmes contre 21,45 chez les hommes. Pour savoir les causes éventuelles de l’obésité, nous avons prélevé le sang de 41 étudiants supposés obèses et 92 ensurpoids et avons dosé les paramètres biologiques comme Cholestérol Total, Cholestérol-HDL, Cholestérol-LDL et Triglycérides. Il ressort de cette étude que, sur les quatre (04) composants lipidiques dosés, seul letaux de cholestérol-LDL est élevé au sein de cette population avec une valeur médiane de 1,52 g/l. Aussi, nous constatons une disparité dans les paramètres dosés. Par ailleurs, presque le quart (25%) des individus ensurpoids ou obèses ont une lipidémie normale. D’après nos résultats, c’est le métabolisme de Cholestérol-LDL qui est perturbé et que l’état d’obésité serait lié à d’autres facteurs tels que génétiques, hormonaux et autres

Image Enhancement via Extrapolation Techniques: A Two Dimensional Iterative Scheme a Direct Matrix Inversion Scheme

In [1] and [2], we have developed a model and three dimensional inversion algorithm for detecting flaw in structures. The model, based on rigorous electromagnetic theory, and the algorithm have as their main objective the high resolution imaging of the flaw. The algorithm is computationally intensive and, like other inversion techniques, involves the solution of some ill conditioned problems

Cognitive and Composite Behavioural Welfare Assessments of Pet Cats between the Ages of 9–22 Months, Living in Single and Multi-Cat Households

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Although agonistic interactions between cats are often regarded clinically as a source of stress, there is currently limited research evidence regarding the welfare impact of keeping multiple cats as pets. The aim of this study was to compare welfare indicators between cats living in single and multi-cat households, as well as between cats living in multi-cat households where agonistic behaviour was/was not reported by owners. Indicators included a spatial judgment bias task (JBT) and the cat stress score (CSS). CSSs were higher in cats from single compared with multi-cat households. CSSs were lower for cats that showed a more ‘pessimistic’ response in the JBT, suggesting these cats appeared to be less stressed. JBT results did not vary depending on the presence of, or reports of agonistic behaviours between, cohabiting cats. These data suggest that mood states (as measured by the JBT) were not impacted by the social groupings investigated, and that cats from single-cat households showed more signs of stress (as measured by CSS) than those in multi-cat households. Alternative explanations cannot be discounted, particularly due to the narrow sample population and broad scope of husbandry conditions that were unaccounted for. Further research is warranted to explore the extent to which variables that could not be controlled may have confounded findings. ABSTRACT: Although agonistic interactions between cats are often regarded clinically as a source of stress, there is currently limited research evidence regarding the welfare impact of keeping multiple cats as pets. The aim of this study was to compare welfare indicators between cats living in domestic single and multi-cat households, as well as between multi-cat households where agonistic behaviour was/was not reported by owners. Indicators included a spatial judgment bias task (JBT), where longer latencies to ambiguous probes are interpreted as being related to a more ‘pessimistic’ mood state, and the cat stress score (CSS), where high scores are indicative of high stress levels. Of 128 focal cats between the ages of 9–22 months, 94 were from multi-cat households, 126 had useable CSS data and 42 had JBT results suitable for analysis. CSSs were significantly lower for cats showing a more ‘pessimistic’ response in the JBT. It is possible that the cats that appeared to be the most relaxed may have been showing inactivity relating to negative affective states and/or were the least active/food motivated, and therefore slower in the JBT. CSSs were significantly higher in cats from single compared with multi-cat households, and did not vary with reports of agonistic interactions in multi-cat households. JBT results did not vary depending on the presence of, or reports of agonistic behaviours between, cohabiting cats. These data suggest that cats from single-cat households may be more likely to show signs of acute stress than those in multi-cat households. Alternative explanations are possible. For example, lower CSSs in the multi-cat group may reflect ‘relief’ effects resulting from separating cats for the test period, or inactivity relating to negative affective states. Due to the narrow sample population and broad scope of husbandry conditions, the potential for confounding variables limits the degree by which results can be used to inform causation of the relationships identified. Further research is warranted to replicate this work and explore potential confounders

The particularities of protein fraction in the apoptosis of lymphocytes of patients with Asthma

The emergence of various diseases specifically severe diseases such as bronchial asthma is associated with apoptosis of lymphocytes. One of the major biochemical features of apoptosis is chromosome DNA fragmentation implemented by apoptotic nucleases. The inactivation of these apoptotic nucleases produces undigested DNA and is linked to a number of autoimmune disorders. Instead of this we have studied the enzymatic activities of the cytoplasmic and nucleic proteins of lymphocytes from healthy donors and patients with bronchial asthma. The study of enzymatic activities of the nuclease of lymphocytes was assessed by flow cytometry, spectrofluorimetiy and electrophoresis method in agarose gel. In the peripheral blood cells of healthy donors undergoing apoptosis, we found a DNAse activated by Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions. Lymphocytes of patients with bronchial asthma contain DNAses, the activity of which depends on the seriousness of the desease. In patients cells, the activity of the Mn2+-dependent DNAse increases, whereas the activity of the Ca2+, Mg2+-dependent DNase decreases. Taking into consideration the role of the Ca2+, Mg2+-dependent DNAse in apoptosis, we can propose that there is a link between the reduction of the rate of apoptosis of lymphocytes in patients with bronchial asthma and the dysfunction of the induction of "apoptotical" Ca2+, Mg2+-dependent nuclease. According to the results obtained, we can assume that why apoptosis of lymphocytes resist in patients with bronchial asthma is a reduction in concentration of endocellular calcium and an increase of manganese ions content, which results in the triggering of activation mechanism for Mn2+-dependent endonuclease activity. This leads to the change of DNA fragmentation nature in lymphocytes and as a consequence, to disorders in process of apoptotic bodies' formation, thus, hindering apoptosis of lymphocytes in patients with bronchial asthma. © 2013 Asian Network for Scientific Information

Role of autoantibody in the pathogenesis of patients with atopic bronchial asthma

© 2015 Asian Network for Scientific. Bronchial Asthma is considered as the most spreading human chronic diseases. The diagnostic of the disease at its beginning is very difficult because the light forms of the disease can’t be diagnosed as the symptoms are not very well developed at the outbreak of the disease. The objective of this study was to correlate the climatic and geographic factors and the environmental conditions in the occurrence of Atopic Bronchial Asthma and other autoimmune phenomena, for example the prevalence of abzymes in the pathogenesis of Atopic Bronchial Asthma. In the present work, enzyme linked to immune sorbent assay method and the methods of electrophoresis in agarose gel were used. The results of our study showed the discovery of an excessive auto-antibodies to DNA in the blood vessels of patients with atopic bronchial asthma and there was a direct correlation dependence (r = 0.0005) between the level of auto-antibodies to DNA and the severity of the Atopic Bronchial Asthma. The detected auto-antibodies possess catalytic activity of DNA, enzymatic specificity which is associated with the degree of severity of disease. The auto antibodies in patients suffering from severe forms of Bronchial Asthma are specific for monofilament DNA and antibodies in the blood serum of the patients with the light form of asthma is heterogenic: besides antibodies with monofilament substratum, some specific antibodies with bi-filament DNA circulate. Therefore, in the serum of the patients suffering from Atopic Bronchial Asthma antibodies with Catalytic activity DNA was observed-that is abzymes. It was suggested that these “abzymes” maybe directly involved in the removal of debris produced by the metabolism of organism under physiological conditions. Considering all these facts, Abzymes can be regarded as serological markers of autoimmunity and needs to be tested while investigating autoimmunity especially in Atopic Bronchial Asthma and it may also serve as an additional criterion for the diagnosis of asthma even in the early stages and can also help in the evaluation of the effectiveness of the treatment