Phylogeography of Sub-Saharan Mitochondrial Lineages Outside Africa Highlights the Roles of the Holocene Climate Changes and the Atlantic Slave Trade.

Despite the importance of ancient DNA for understanding human prehistoric dispersals, poor survival means that data remain sparse for many areas in the tropics, including in Africa. In such instances, analysis of contemporary genomes remains invaluable. One promising approach is founder analysis, which identifies and dates migration events in non-recombining systems. However, it has yet to be fully exploited as its application remains controversial. Here, we test the approach by evaluating the age of sub-Saharan mitogenome lineages sampled outside Africa. The analysis confirms that such lineages in the Americas date to recent centuries-the time of the Atlantic slave trade-thereby validating the approach. By contrast, in North Africa, Southwestern Asia and Europe, roughly half of the dispersal signal dates to the early Holocene, during the "greening" of the Sahara. We elaborate these results by showing that the main source regions for the two main dispersal episodes are distinct. For the recent dispersal, the major source was West Africa, but with two exceptions: South America, where the fraction from Southern Africa was greater, and Southwest Asia, where Eastern Africa was the primary source. These observations show the potential of founder analysis as both a supplement and complement to ancient DNA studies.

Acute and Repeated Dose 28-Day Oral Toxicity Study of the Aqueous Extracts from the Leafy Stem and Fruit of Pedalium murex D.Royen EX.L in Wistar Rats.

Background: Pedalium murex (P. murex) is used in folk medicine for treatment of male infertility. However, scientific data on its safety are limited. Objective: This study was carried out to assess the acute and repeated dose 28-day oral toxicity of the aqueous extracts from P. murex leafy stem and fruit in Wistar rats. Methods: The acute toxicity test was performed according to the line 423 of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guidelines. The rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 3). The control group received distilled water, while the experimental groups were given at a single dose, 5000 mg/kg of each extract. The repeated dose 28-day oral toxicity was performed according to the line 407 of the OECD guidelines. 35 rats divided into 7 groups of 5 male rats each were daily treated for 28 days with each extract at 200 mg/kg, 400 mg/kg, and 800 mg/kg, respectively. The in-life parameters were recorded during the follow-up. At the end of this study, organ weights, hematology, biochemistry, and histology parameters were analyzed. Results: In the acute oral toxicity test, there was no morbidity or mortality related to the treatments. Both extracts belong therefore to category 5 of the globally harmonized system (GHS) of classification. In the repeated dose 28-day oral toxicity test, both extracts did not alter animal's behavior. However, both extract administration led to proteinuria and renal damages. Conclusion: P. murex leafy stem and fruit aqueous extracts exhibited potential nephrotoxicity. Therefore, care should be taken when they are used over an extended period.

[Gamete intrafallopian transfer in the treatment of infertility: knowledge, attitude and perception of students at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences in Cotonou- Benin]. / Le don de gamètes dans la prise en charge de l'infertilité du couple: connaissances, attitudes et perception des étudiants en médecine de la Faculté des Sciences de la Santé de Cotonou-Bénin.

Introduction: infertility is a real public health problem. Medically Assisted Procreation (MAP) with donor gametes is one of the possible solutions. In Benin, despite a well-defined legislative framework (children´s code), MAP using donated gametes has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of students at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences in Cotonou about the donation of gametes. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional and descriptive study among second or third-year medical students at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences (FHMS) in Cotonou. Results: the surveyed sample consisted of 236 students, of whom 54% (n=127) were male and 46% (n=109) were female; the representative age range was between 18 and 24 years (87%). The knowledge of MAP using donated gametes was 90.6% (n=214). The possibility that this treatment might be performed in Benin was known to be 55.6% (n=131). More that eighty-eight percent (n=209) of respondents were unaware of the existence of legislation in force since 2015 on this matter and 69.5% (n=164) refused to donate gametes. Among the reasons mentioned, the ethical reason dominated. Conclusion: in Benin, students´ knowledge about MAP using donated gametes is adequate but there is a widespread refusal to donate their gametes among them, mainly because of ethical issues.

Aqueous extract of Pedalium murex D. Royen ex L. leafy stem protects against lead induced testicular toxicity in Wistar rats.

OBJECTIVES: Lead exposure seriously impairs male reproductive function. The protective capacity of Pedalium murex leafy stem and fruit aqueous extracts against lead testicular toxicity is evaluated to find herbals drugs able to improve semen quality. METHODS: Phytochemical screening were performed according to classical methods. Twenty four male rats were divided into four groups of six rats each and received the following treatments via oral route: distilled water; 0.2% lead acetate in drinking water; 0.2% lead acetate in drinking water with 400 mg/kg P. murex aqueous leafy stem extract; 0.2% leaded water with 400 mg/kg P. murex aqueous fruit extract. Treatments were administered for 70 days. Body and reproductive organs weights, sperm parameters and testicular histological sections of each group were examined. RESULTS: Flavonoids, tannins, coumarins, alkaloids, and lignans were found in both extracts. Lead intoxication reduced sperm motility and count but increased the percentage of morphologically abnormal sperms. The germinal epithelium of seminiferous tubules histoarchitecture was disorganized by lead. The leafy stem extract was effective in reducing lead induced testicular disruption whereas fruit has not shown any beneficial effect. CONCLUSIONS: P. murex leafy stem aqueous extract is effective against semen alterations caused by lead.

A 90-Day Oral Toxicity Study of an Ethanolic Root Extract of Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb. in Wistar Rats.

BACKGROUND: Plant medicine is the oldest form of health care known to mankind; hence, studies on their safety for use are essential for the control of adverse drug effects. In Benin, Caesalpinia bonduc is one of many medicinal plants used as aphrodisiac, and for treatment of various ailments including prostatic hyperplasia. Despite its numerous ethnomedicinal benefits, toxicological information associated with its chronic use is currently limited. OBJECTIVE: The present study therefore assessed the toxicity of an ethanolic root extract of Caesalpinia bonduc in Wistar rats. METHODS: Caesalpinia bonduc root extract was administered by oral gavage at doses of 31.25, 125, and 500 mg/kg/day for 90 days to male Wistar rats, after which body weight changes, food consumption, urinary parameters, hematological and blood biochemical parameters, organ weights changes, gross pathology, and histopathology of vital organs were assessed. RESULTS: There were no death or abnormal clinical signs, no significant changes in body weight gain or urinary parameters, and no changes in necropsy and histopathology findings of vital organs associated with extract treatment. However, some indices such as erythrocytes, total cholesterol, and aspartate amino transferase increased in rats treated with high doses of the extract, as well as relative weight of testes, followed by a decrease in food intake and prostate relative weight. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that an ethanolic root extract of Caesalpinia bonduc does not cause significant adverse effects and suggest its tolerability up to 500 mg/kg for daily administration of 90 days.

Adiponectin, in contrast to leptin, is not associated with body mass index, waist circumference and HOMA-IR in subjects of a west-African population.

Factors associated with plasma levels of adiponectin and leptin were studied in adult subjects without diabetes from Cotonou in Benin (West-Africa). Seventy (70) men and 45 women were included in the study. Anthropometric variables were measured and a venous blood sample was drawn from each subject, after an overnight fasting period, for measurement of plasma glucose, insulin, leptin, and adiponectin levels. HOMA-IR was determined to assess insulin resistance. Adiponectin and leptin levels were higher in women than in men (with adiponectin 18.48 ± 12.77 vs.7.8 ± 10.39 µg/mL, P < 0.0001, and leptin 30.77 ± 19.16 vs. 8.66 ± 8.24 ng/mL, P < 0.0001). Fasting insulin level and HOMA-IR were also higher in the females. Hyperleptinemia was observed in 66,96% of subjects and hypoadiponectinemia was present in 44.35% of subjects. In both men and women, leptin correlated with age (r = 0.2; P = 0.02), BMI (r = 0.572; P < 0.0001), waist circumference (r = 0.534; P < 0.0001), fasting insulin (r = 0.461; P < 0.001), and HOMA-IR (r = 0.430; P < 0.0001). No significant correlation was observed for adiponectin levels with these variables. Only in women, adiponectin was inversely correlated with fasting glucose (r = -0.423; P < 0.004). These data confirm previous descriptions of leptin but suggest that variations in factors determining serum adiponectin levels observed between ethnicities could also been seen between populations from the same ethnicity.

HLA Class II Allele, Haplotype, and Genotype Associations with Type 1 Diabetes in Benin: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported the implication of HLA-DR/DQ loci in the susceptibility to type 1 diabetes (T1D). Since no such study has yet been performed in Benin, this pilot one aimed at assessing HLA class II allele, haplotype, and genotype associations with T1D. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Class II HLA genotyping was performed in 51 patients with T1D and 51 healthy unrelated controls by means of the PCR-SSP method. The diagnosis of T1D was set up according to American Diabetes Association criteria. Odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated to assess the associations between T1D and HLA alleles, haplotypes, and genotypes. RESULTS: Participants were aged 1-24 years. T1D was significantly associated with DR3, DQA1∗05:01, DQB1∗02:01, and DR3-DR4. No significant associations were observed with DR4, DQB1∗03:02, and DQB1∗06:02. CONCLUSION: Certain HLA class II alleles, haplotypes, and genotypes were related to T1D and may be used as genetic susceptibility markers to T1D in Benin.