Effet de trois légumineuses de couverture sur l’assemblage des termites (Isoptera : Termitidae) dans les jachères au Centre Ouest de Côte d’Ivoire (Oumé)

Les termites contribuent pour beaucoup dans le recyclage de la matière organique des sols. Toutefois, avec le raccourcissement des cycles de jachère, on assiste à une diminution des espèces sur ces milieux. L’objectif de cette étude était d’apprécier l’effet de trois (3) plantes de couverture (Cajanus cajan, Mucuna pruriens et Pueraria phaseoloides) sur le mode d’assemblage des termites dans des jachères de 2 ans dans la région d’Oumé. Des mesures de la biodiversité des termites ont été effectuées sur des jachères non traitées en plantes légumineuses (témoin) et des jachères qui contiennent des légumineuses (traitée) selon la méthode d’estimation rapide des termites. Les résultats, obtenus montrent l’effet de la variabilité des plantes de couverture (P. phaseoloides et C. cajan) sur la richesse spécifique et l’abondance des termites. Aussi, la qualité de la litière en relation avec la composition du groupe trophique des termites a-t-elle été mise en évidence. Ceci par la présence de l’espèce Astalotermes sp1 fortement liée à la matière organique du sol. Ces observations révèlent que les jachères peuvent constituer des milieux de conservation de la biodiversité selon la durée de la mise en repos de ces sols.Mots clés: Plante de couverture, termite, jachèreEnglish Title:  Effect of tree land cover plants on termites (isoptera : termitidae) assembling in fallow : case of Cajanus cajan, Mucuna pruriens and Pueraria phaseoloides (fabaceae)English AbstractTermites contribute significantly in the recycling of organic matter in soils. However, with shorter of fallow cycles there is a decrease in the number of their species. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of three (3) land cover plants (Cajanus cajan, Mucuna pruriens and Pueraria phaseoloides) on the assembling of termites in 2 years fallow area in the region of Oumé. Measures of biodiversity for termites were performed on untreated fallows with land cover plants (control) and fallow which were also treated with land cover plants (processed) by the rapid method of termites’ estimation. The results obtained show the effect of the variability of the land cover plants (P. phaseoloides and C. cajan) on species richness and abundance of termites. Besides the quality of the litter in connection with the composition of the food group of termites has been demonstrated by the presence of the species of Astalotermes sp1 strongly related to soil organic matter. In sum, these observations show that fallow land may consist of shelter areas for the conservation of biodiversity depending on the time of the rest of these soils.Keywords: Land cover plant, termite, Fallo

Induction et prolifération de cals à partir de l’axe embryonnaire du Voandzou [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc. Fabaceae] : effet de la segmentation de l’explant, des phytohormones, de la source de carbone et du génotype

Le Voandzou [Vigna subterranea, (L.) Verdc.], occupe une place importante dans les stratégies élaborées pour assurer la sécurité alimentaire en Afrique subsaharienne. Le développement de systèmes de régénération in vitro de plantes, préalable au transfert de gènes nécessite l’établissement de conditions optimales de la callogenèse. Au cours du présent travail, l’étude des facteurs influençant l’induction et la prolifération des cals chez le Voandzou a été réalisée. L’axe embryonnaire issu de graines matures a été placé sur le milieu de base de Murashige et Skoog (1962) additionné avec les vitamines B5 et supplémenté avec différentes concentrations et combinaisons de phytohormones. Après quatre semaines de culture, les résultats ont montré que l’induction et la prolifération de cals ont été favorisées avec le 2,4-D (0,5 mg/l). La partie basale de l’axe embryonnaire a été la zone la plus favorable à la callogenèse. La meilleure source de carbone a été le saccharose à la concentration optimale de 84 mM. Les meilleurs taux d’induction (100 %) et de prolifération de cals (3) ont été exprimés avec les écotypes Ci2, Ci3, Ci4, Ci5, Ci6, Ci7, Ci10 et Ci21.Mots-clés : voandzou, axe embryonnaire, callogenèse, phytohormones.Callus induction and proliferation from embryonic axis in Bambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc. Fabaceae]: effect of explants section, plant growth regulators, carbon source and genotypeBambara groundnut [Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc. ] contributes to food security in sub-Saharan Africa. Development of efficient systems of in vitro plant regeneration a prerequisite to gene transfer requires establishment of optimal conditions for callus formation. In this work, factors influencing callus induction and proliferation in Bambara have been studied. Embryonic axis derived mature seeds were placed on Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium supplemented with vitamins B5 (MSB5), including different concentrations and combinations of plant growth regulators. After four weeks of culture, results showed that 2,4-D (0.5 mg/L) exhibited the best frequency and proliferation index of callus. Basal part of embryonic axis was the explants of choice for callus induction and proliferation. Sucrose at optimum concentration of 84 mM was favorable to the process of callus formation. Highest callus induction frequency (100 %) and proliferation index (3) were expressed by ecotypes Ci2, Ci3, Ci4, Ci5, Ci6, Ci7, Ci10 and Ci21.Keywords : bambara groundnut, embryonic axis, callogenesis, plant growth regulators

Impact of Trivalent Arsenicals on Selenoprotein Synthesis

BACKGROUND: Exposure to arsenic has been associated with development of skin, lung, bladder, liver, and kidney cancer. Recent evidence suggests that an increase in oxidative stress in cells treated with arsenicals represents the molecular mechanism behind arsenic-induced carcinogenesis. Selenium, in the form of selenocysteine, is necessary for the activity of several enzymes with a role in defense against reactive oxygen species. A mutual sparing effect between arsenic and selenium has been shown in animal studies when both metalloids are present in high concentrations. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether changes in selenoprotein synthesis may be an underlying mechanism behind arsenic-induced carcinogenesis, we analyzed the new synthesis of selenoproteins within cells after exposure to inorganic or methylated arsenicals using a human keratinocyte cell model. RESULTS: Addition of arsenite to culture medium blocked new synthesis of selenoproteins when selenium was present in the form of selenite, and appeared to stimulate the use of serum-derived selenium. Monomethylarsonous acid (MMA(III)) treatment of cells, in contrast, did not block all new synthesis of selenoproteins but did result in an increase in cytosolic thioredoxin reductase (TrxR1) at both the mRNA and protein levels. MMA(III) also reduced the new synthesis of cellular glutatione peroxidase (cGpx) and other smaller selenoproteins. Dimethylarsinous acid (DMA(III)) stimulated selenoprotein synthesis by an as yet unknown mechanism. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that arsenite and MMA(III) are key metabolites that trigger higher levels of TrxR1, and both lead to a reduction in the expression of cGpx. Together these effects certainly could lead to carcinogenesis given the knowledge that many cancers have higher levels of TrxR, and reduced Gpx levels will reduce the cell’s ability to defend against reactive oxygen species. Based on these results, the impact of the trivalent arsenicals arsenite and MMA(III) on selenoprotein synthesis may indeed represent a potential molecular mechanism for the higher rates of cancer observed in populations exposed to high levels of arsenic

Indirect inguinal hernia masquerading as a Spigelian hernia

Inguinal hernia usually developed and descended into scrotum. The clinical presentation is inguinal or inguino-scrotal swelling. Abdominal wall weakness as it is frequently seen in African tropical zones produces often rare clinical case. We report a case of inguinal hernia presented as an abdominal wall swelling clinically suggestive of a Spigelian hernia and discuss the mechanism

The combination of a blood test and Fibroscan improves the non-invasive diagnosis of liver fibrosis

Background and aims: Blood tests and liver stiffness evaluation (LSE) by ultrasonographic elastometry are accurate tools for diagnosing liver fibrosis. We evaluated whether their synchronous combination in new scores could improve the diagnostic accuracy and reduce liver biopsy requirement in algorithm. Methods: Three hundred and ninety patients with chronic liver disease of miscellaneous causes were included. Five blood fibrosis tests were evaluated: APRI, FIB-4, Hepascore, Fibrotest and FibroMeter. The reference was fibrosis Metavir staging. Results: Diagnosis of significant fibrosis (Metavir F≥2). The most accurate synchronous combination was FibroMeter+LSE, which provided a significantly higher area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.892) than LSE alone (0.867, P=0.011) or Fibrometer (0.834, P<10−3). An algorithm using the FibroMeter+LSE combination and then a liver biopsy in indeterminate cases had 91.9% diagnostic accuracy and required significantly fewer biopsies (20.2%) than previously published Bordeaux algorithm (28.6%, P=0.02) or sequential algorithm for fibrosis evaluation (SAFE) (55.7%, P<10−3). The Angers algorithm performance was not significantly different between viral hepatitis and other causes. Diagnosis of cirrhosis. The most accurate synchronous combination was LSE+FibroMeter, which provided ≥90% predictive values for cirrhosis in 90.6% of patients vs 87.4% for LSE (P=0.02) and 57.9% for FibroMeter (P<10−3). An algorithm including the LSE+FibroMeter combination, and then a liver biopsy in indeterminate cases, had a significantly higher diagnostic accuracy than the SAFE algorithm (91.0 vs 79.8%, P<10−3), and required significantly fewer biopsies than the Bordeaux algorithm (9.3 vs 25.3%, P<10−3). Conclusion: The synchronous combination of a blood test plus LSE improves the accuracy of the non-invasive diagnosis of liver fibrosis and, consequently, markedly decreases the biopsy requirement in the diagnostic algorithm, notably to <10% in cirrhosis diagnosis

Long-term changes in population size and the age-structure and sex-ratio of Waterbuck in a Sudanian savannah of Burkina Faso

The waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus), though widespread throughout Africa, is suspected to be declining overall. Data on population numbers and structure are lacking for many parts of its range, especially in West Africa, where the subspecies defassa is found. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the abundance, distribution and attributes of waterbuck populations in the Nazinga Forest Reserve, southern Burkina Faso. We investigated waterbuck population trends in the park using transect data collected in 1985-2019. For the more detailed analyses of population structure and distribution of the animals we used census data gathered during 2019. Most animals were adults (46.6%), and the sex ratio was heavily skewed towards females (5:1). Most animals were concentrated along the larger rivers. There was no influence of poacher activity on waterbuck distribution. In the long term (1985-2019), the population dynamics of waterbuck can be roughly divided into two main periods: a phase of population increase from 1985 to 2005, and one of ongoing population collapse from 2007-2019 Although the declining population trend was obvious, coefficients of determination were low indicating that the years explained poorly the number of individuals and the number of sightings obtained. Waterbuck numbers in the Nazinga Forest Reserve are declining, but we found no single reason to explain this trend. It is likely that a combination of factors, including global warming (increased aridity) and illegal activities such as poaching, are responsible. Because there are probably multiple reasons for the observed waterbuck population decline in our study area, we suggest that a multifaceted approach should be adopted in order to enhance the conservation status of the local waterbuck populations

Dynamics of antigenemia and transmission intensity of Wuchereria bancrofti following cessation of mass drug administration in a formerly highly endemic region of Mali

Background After seven annual rounds of mass drug administration (MDA) in six Malian villages highly endemic for Wuchereria bancrofti (overall prevalence rate of 42.7%), treatment was discontinued in 2008. Surveillance was performed over the ensuing 5 years to detect recrudescence. Methods Circulating filarial antigen (CFA) was measured using immunochromatographic card tests (ICT) and Og4C3 ELISA in 6–7 year-olds. Antibody to the W. bancrofti infective larval stage (L3) antigen, Wb123, was tested in the same population in 2012. Microfilaraemia was assessed in ICT-positive subjects. Anopheles gambiae complex specimens were collected monthly using human landing catch (HLC) and pyrethrum spray catch (PSC). Anopheles gambiae complex infection with W. bancrofti was determined by dissection and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of mosquito pools. Results Annual CFA prevalence rates using ICT in children increased over time from 0% (0/289) in 2009 to 2.7% (8/301) in 2011, 3.9% (11/285) in 2012 and 4.5% (14/309) in 2013 (trend χ 2  = 11.85, df =3, P = 0.0006). Wb123 antibody positivity rates in 2013 were similar to the CFA prevalence by ELISA (5/285). Although two W. bancrofti-infected Anopheles were observed by dissection among 12,951 mosquitoes collected by HLC, none had L3 larvae when tested by L3-specific RT-PCR. No positive pools were detected among the mosquitoes collected by pyrethrum spray catch. Whereas ICT in 6–7 year-olds was the major surveillance tool, ICT positivity was also assessed in older children and adults (8–65 years old). CFA prevalence decreased in this group from 4.9% (39/800) to 3.5% (28/795) and 2.8% (50/1,812) in 2009, 2011 and 2012, respectively (trend χ 2  = 7.361, df =2, P = 0.0067). Some ICT-positive individuals were microfilaraemic in 2009 [2.6% (1/39)] and 2011 [8.3% (3/36)], but none were positive in 2012 or 2013. Conclusion Although ICT rates in children increased over the 5-year surveillance period, the decrease in ICT prevalence in the older group suggests a reduction in transmission intensity. This was consistent with the failure to detect infective mosquitoes or microfilaraemia. The threshold of ICT positivity in children may need to be re-assessed and other adjunct surveillance tools considered

A Trial of Early Antiretrovirals and Isoniazid Preventive Therapy in Africa

BACKGROUND: In sub-Saharan Africa, the burden of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated tuberculosis is high. We conducted a trial with a 2-by-2 factorial design to assess the benefits of early antiretroviral therapy (ART), 6-month isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT), or both among HIV-infected adults with high CD4+ cell counts in Ivory Coast. METHODS: We included participants who had HIV type 1 infection and a CD4+ count of less than 800 cells per cubic millimeter and who met no criteria for starting ART according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: deferred ART (ART initiation according to WHO criteria), deferred ART plus IPT, early ART (immediate ART initiation), or early ART plus IPT. The primary end point was a composite of diseases included in the case definition of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), non-AIDS-defining cancer, non-AIDS-defining invasive bacterial disease, or death from any cause at 30 months. We used Cox proportional models to compare outcomes between the deferred-ART and early-ART strategies and between the IPT and no-IPT strategies. RESULTS: A total of 2056 patients (41% with a baseline CD4+ count of ≥500 cells per cubic millimeter) were followed for 4757 patient-years. A total of 204 primary end-point events were observed (3.8 events per 100 person-years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3 to 4.4), including 68 in patients with a baseline CD4+ count of at least 500 cells per cubic millimeter (3.2 events per 100 person-years; 95% CI, 2.4 to 4.0). Tuberculosis and invasive bacterial diseases accounted for 42% and 27% of primary end-point events, respectively. The risk of death or severe HIV-related illness was lower with early ART than with deferred ART (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.41 to 0.76; adjusted hazard ratio among patients with a baseline CD4+ count of ≥500 cells per cubic millimeter, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.94) and lower with IPT than with no IPT (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.88; adjusted hazard ratio among patients with a baseline CD4+ count of ≥500 cells per cubic millimeter, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.36 to 1.01). The 30-month probability of grade 3 or 4 adverse events did not differ significantly among the strategies. CONCLUSIONS: In this African country, immediate ART and 6 months of IPT independently led to lower rates of severe illness than did deferred ART and no IPT, both overall and among patients with CD4+ counts of at least 500 cells per cubic millimeter. (Funded by the French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis; TEMPRANO ANRS 12136 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00495651.)

Reproducibility of blood tests of liver fibrosis in clinical practice

Objectives:To evaluate the inter-laboratory reproducibility of blood test for liver fibrosis: FibroMeter, Fibrotest, APRI and their composites variables. Design and methods: Four studies, including 147 patients, were performed: study #1 included 2 metachronous blood samples and 2 laboratories; studies #2, #3 and #4 included synchronous samples with assays delayed at day 1 in 12 laboratories, at day 0 in 10 laboratories and at day 0 or 1 in 2 laboratories, respectively. Agreement was evaluated by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ric). Results: In studies #1, #2 and #4, ric for FibroMeter was 0.893, 0.942 and 0.991, respectively. In study #3, the ric were: FibroMeter: 0.963, Fibrotest: 0.984, APRI: 0.949. Large simulated variations in composite variables had a weak impact on FibroMeter. Conclusions: When blood marker limits are controlled, inter-laboratory agreement of blood tests is excellent in clinical practice conditions. Blood tests are robust against the variability of composite blood variables