The E00-110 experiment in Jefferson Lab's Hall A: Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering off the Proton at 6 GeV

We present final results on the photon electroproduction ($\vec{e}p\rightarrow ep\gamma$) cross section in the deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) regime and the valence quark region from Jefferson Lab experiment E00-110. Results from an analysis of a subset of these data were published before, but the analysis has been improved which is described here at length, together with details on the experimental setup. Furthermore, additional data have been analyzed resulting in photon electroproduction cross sections at new kinematic settings, for a total of 588 experimental bins. Results of the $Q^2$- and $x_B$-dependences of both the helicity-dependent and helicity-independent cross sections are discussed. The $Q^2$-dependence illustrates the dominance of the twist-2 handbag amplitude in the kinematics of the experiment, as previously noted. Thanks to the excellent accuracy of this high luminosity experiment, it becomes clear that the unpolarized cross section shows a significant deviation from the Bethe-Heitler process in our kinematics, compatible with a large contribution from the leading twist-2 DVCS$^2$ term to the photon electroproduction cross section. The necessity to include higher-twist corrections in order to fully reproduce the shape of the data is also discussed. The DVCS cross sections in this paper represent the final set of experimental results from E00-110, superseding the previous publication.Comment: 48 pages, 32 figure

The experiments with the High Resolution Kaon Spectrometer at JLab Hall C and the new spectroscopy of Λ12B{}^{12}_{\Lambda}\text{B} hypernuclei

Since the pioneering experiment, E89-009 studying hypernuclear spectroscopy using the $(e,e^{\prime}K^+)$ reaction was completed, two additional experiments, E01-011 and E05-115, were performed at Jefferson Lab. These later experiments used a modified experimental design, the "tilt method", to dramatically suppress the large electromagnetic background, and allowed for a substantial increase in luminosity. Additionally, a new kaon spectrometer, HKS (E01-011), a new electron spectrometer, HES, and a new splitting magnet were added to produce precision, high-resolution hypernuclear spectroscopy. These two experiments, E01-011 and E05-115, resulted in two new data sets, producing sub-MeV energy resolution in the spectra of ${}^{7}_{\Lambda}\text{He}$, ${}^{12}_{\Lambda}\text{B}$ and ${}^{28}_{\Lambda}\text{Al}$ and ${}^{7}_{\Lambda}\text{He}$, ${}^{10}_{\Lambda}\text{Be}$, ${}^{12}_{\Lambda}\text{B}$ and ${}^{52}_{\Lambda}\text{V}$. All three experiments obtained a ${}^{12}_{\Lambda}\text{B}$, spectrum, which is the most characteristic $p$-shell hypernucleus and is commonly used for calibration. Independent analyses of these different experiments demonstrate excellent consistency and provide the clearest level structure to date of this hypernucleus as produced by the $(e,e^{\prime}K^+)$ reaction. This paper presents details of these experiments, and the extraction and analysis of the observed ${}^{12}_{\Lambda}\text{B}$ spectrum

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Predictive factors of Uterine Rupture

Objectives: To assess the frequency and predictive factors of uterine rupture on no-scar uterus and on scarred uterus in an intermediate level health hospital in Dakar. Method of study: This retrospective was carried out by the Philippe Maguilen Senghor Health Center in Yoff (Dakar) during the period from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2017. It included all the women who gave birth there'' a single pregnancy after 22 weeks of amenorrhea with a longitudinal fetal presentation or admitted after childbirth. We had studied socio-demographic characteristics and risk factors for uterine rupture. The extracted data was analyzed first on Microsoft Excel 2016 and then on EPI info. Results: Over 7 years, 29,332 deliveries of single pregnancies were recorded in our structure with 54 uterine ruptures, and a frequency of 0.18%. Induction of labor was spontaneous in 47 of the patients who presented with uterine rupture; labor was artificially induced in only 7 patients, with frequencies of 0.17% and 0.36% of all uterine ruptures, respectively. Considering the risk factors of uterine rupture, 5 parameters were discriminating: multiparity (p&lt;0.0001), transfer from another health facility for admission (p&lt;0.0001), type of fetal presentation (p=0.0001), the presence of a uterine scar (p&lt;0.0001) and the age class (p&lt;0.0001). Conclusion: The rate of uterine rupture in our structure is certainly low but should call for more vigilance during labor with a focus on evacuated patients who have started their work in another structure, patients with a uterine scar and multiparous. Childbirth on a scar uterus is a reasonable option after eliminating a potential cause of obstructed labor. Keywords: Ruptured uterus; Scar uterus; Risk factors</jats:p

Severe Preeclampsia Epidemiological, Diagnostic, Therapeutic and Prognostic Aspects at the Thies Regional Hospital Center about 443 Cases

Objectives: Are to study the epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic and prognostic aspects of severe pre-eclampsia in the Obstetrics Gynecology Department of the Regional Hospital of THIES. Materials and Methods: This were a prospective, descriptive and analytical study of patients received for PES at the Maternity Department of the Regional Hospital of Thies between June 20, 2015 and June 20, 2017. We studied the diagnostic, epidemiological, therapeutic and prognostic aspects. The data were entered and analyzed by the EPINFO software version 6.04dfr. In order to study the influence of certain prognostic factors, we used the comparison of proportions and the Chi-square test with a significance level of 0.05. Results: We recorded 443 cases of Severe Peclampsia (SEP) out of 15,744 pregnant women, i.e. a frequency of 2.81%. It represented 52.05% of all hypertensive states associated with pregnancy during the study and a frequency of 3.12% of deliveries. The typical epidemiological profile found was that of a young woman aged 20-24 (25.05%), married (91.19%), housewife (80.8%) from the commune of Thies (50.56 %), primiparous (52.37%), carrier of a single pregnancy (96.4%), followed in a health post (97.21%) and evacuated in 89.4% of cases. The time between admission and delivery was on average 3.85 ± 3.91 days with extremities ranging from 0 to 42 days. The main signs found were: headache (96.61%), hypertension with SBP ≥160/110mmHg (93.90%), edematous syndrome (90.29%), proteinuria on the test strip ≥ ++ (95.48%), hyper uricemia &gt;60mg/l (66.13%). Therapeutically, calcium channel blockers were the main antihypertensive agent used (99.32%). Magnesium sulfate was administered to almost all patients (97.29%). Corticosteroids were administered to 223 patients (50.23%). The blood transfusion had been done in 45 patients or 10.08%, and 05 of our patients had presented an acute renal failure requiring a transfer to Dakar for dialysis. Fetal evacuation was performed by Caesarean section in 49.88% of cases. Maternal complications were dominated by: eclampsia (24.78%), retro-placental hematoma (3.61%) and Hellp syndrome (3.61%). We recorded 18 cases of maternal death, i.e. a specific lethality of 4.06% and 69 cases of neonatal death, or a perinatal mortality rate of 4.87 per 1000 live births. On the fetal side, the main complications were fetal hypotrophy (51.46%) and prematurity (41.08%). The main factors of poor maternal prognosis were young age (20-24 years), primi gestity and primiparity. The fetal risk factors included prematurity and the low Apgar score.</jats:p

Thyroglossal duct cyst: About a case and review of the literature

Aim: The aim of this study is to discuss the diagnostic and surgical aspects of TDC, based on an observation. Observation: This is a 35-years-old patient, with no pathological history, who consulted for the management of an anterior cervical mass progressing for approximately 2 years. This mass was painless and was not associated with digestive disorders such as dysphagia or respiratory disorders such as dyspnea and it reported a preserved clinical condition. The examination found a good general condition, an anterior cervical mass high, firm, mobile relative to the superficial plane and ascends with the traction of the tongue. There were no cervical lymphadenopathies and the rest of the examination was unremarkable. The ultrasound found a supra-isthmic mass, independent of the normal thyroid gland. The thyroid biology (ultrasensitive TSH and free T4) was normal. She underwent a cervicotomy which showed exploration of a supra-isthmic tumor lesion, with a thyroid without macroscopic abnormality. An excision was carried out according to the Sistrunk technique and the operating suites were simples. The microscopic examination of the tumor showed a thyroglossal tract cyst. Conclusion: The thyroid gland cyst is a rare tumor whose the optimal surgical treatment rests on a good knowledge of its embryological birth</jats:p

A 14 years old woman with a giant mucinous adenocarcinoma of the ovary

The diagnosis of ovarian tumor in pediatrics is often difficult and delayed due to unspecific call signs and polymorphic imaging presentations. These tumors are rare, estimated in children at around 2.6 / 100,000 girls per year, functional lesions being excluded. Ten to 20% of them are malignant [1-2] and represent 3% of cancers in girls under the age of 15 [3]. The World Health Organization classifies these tumors into three main groups based on whether they are derived from the surface epithelium, germline cells or ovarian stroma or sex cords. Primary or secondary locations are possible in leukemias and lymphomas [4-5]. Giant ovarian cystadenocarcinomas are rarely described. The huge ovarian masses are mostly benign, but the malignancy should be ruled out by pathology exams. Giant cysts require resection by laparotomy because of compression symptoms or the risk of malignancy, but also to prevent perforation and spillage of cystic fluid into the peritoneal cavity [6]. Here we report an observation made in a 14-year-old girl who was diagnosed with a large ovarian tumor and who was found to be a malignant tumor on pathology with papillary-type mucinous cystadenocarcinoma.</jats:p

Management of placenta percreta. A case report

The placenta accreta designates an abnormality of the placental insertion characterized, on the anatomopathological level, by an absence of deciduous deciduous between the placenta and the myometrium. This insertion anomaly may interest all or only part of the placenta. We distinguish within this terminology the terms of - placenta accreta when the placenta is simply attached to the Myometrium. - placenta increta when the placenta invades the myometrium. - placenta percreta when the placenta enters the serosa uterine, or even the neighboring organs (bladder, peritoneum, etc.) [1]. Placentas accretas are a high-risk situation for severe postpartum hemorrhage and its inherent complications such as disseminated intravascular coagulation, hemostasis hysterectomy, surgical wounds to the ureters, bladder, multiple organ failure, or even maternal death, particularly in the case of placenta percreta [2,3]. Risk factors for placenta percreta include a history of cesarean, uterine curettage or manual removal of placenta, presence of placenta previa, endometriosis, high parity and advanced maternal age [4]. We report the case of a 30-year-old woman, IIGIIP, who had a previous cesarean section during her first pregnancy and who had a placenta percreta and who underwent hysterectomy without cystectomy and without ligation of the hypogastric arteries.</jats:p

Localized esophageal cancers: A bi-centric experience and problems of management

INTRODUCTION: Esophageal cancer has a poor prognosis. For a long time, surgery was the standard treatment for localized esophageal cancer. Since the Herskovic trial, radiotherapy combined with platinum-based chemotherapy has become the standard neoadjuvant or exclusive treatment for esophageal cancer. We report the experiences of two public radiotherapy centers in Dakar, focusing on the problems related to the follow-up of treated localized forms of esophageal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients treated with radiotherapy in the Radiotherapy Departments of Aristide le Dantec and Dalal Jamm Hospitals from 2018 to 2021 for histologically proven localized esophageal cancer were included. Retrospectively, we called all families to get updates on the follow-up conditions and death of the patients. RESULTS: From 2018 to 2021, 152 patients were treated for localized esophageal cancer. The median age was 48 years (18 – 68) with a majority of men (55.9%). The classical risk factors of alcohol and tobacco were low, 4.6% and 11.2% respectively. The WHO 3 general condition was more common (58.5%). Squamous cell carcinoma was the histological type found with good cellular differentiation (57.2%). Overall, the patients were classified as T3 in 52.6% of cases and 82 (54%) of patients were classified as N1. The extension workup did not find any distant disease. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was performed in 85 (55.9%) patients, concomitant chemotherapy in 131 (86.2%) patients. All patients had radiotherapy at a median dose of 47 Gy (30 – 50) with a fractionation of two Gy (1.8 to two). After a median follow-up of 21.23 months, a complete clinical response was noted in 91 (59.8%) patients and 13 patients had a complete histological response following biopsy and pathological examination requested by their referring physicians. Seven patients died during the treatment due to an alteration of the general state. After treatment, 62 (40.7%) patients died. Alteration of general condition following gastrostomy was the main cause of death (66.1%) reported by the families. Twenty-seven (17.7%) patients were considered lost to follow-up after several telephone calls. CONCLUSION: The prognosis of esophageal cancer in Senegal is appalling. This work shows that more organization is needed in the patient circuit and especially in the follow-up.</jats:p