Utilisation des moyens de protection individuelle au laboratoire de prothèse dentaire: étude descriptive auprès de techniciens au Sénégal / Use of personal protective devices in dental laboratory: a descriptivestudy among senegalese technicians

Introduction : L'élaboration de prothèses dentaires nécessite la manipulation de plusieurs matériaux et produits chimiques favorisant l'exposition du Technicien de Laboratoire de Prothèse (TLP) à des risques professionnels. Cette étude avait pour objectif d'évaluer les moyens de protection utilisés par les TLP et le niveau de connaissance des risques. Matériel et Méthode : Il s'est agi d'une étude descriptive, transversale qui a inclus une population de 45 TLP sénégalais. Cette étude s'est basée sur un auto-questionnaire qui comportait des items sur les données sociodémographiques et professionnelles, la protection individuelle, et la connaissance des TLP sur les risques professionnels. L'analyse statistique des variables a été faite avec le logiciel Excel et SPSS. Résultats : Les TLP ont un âge moyen 41,73 ± 8, 03 ans, 82,20% sont des hommes et 68,9% exercent dans la région de Dakar. Tous les 45 TLP ayant répondu au questionnaire portent un vêtement de travail soit 100%. Seulement 5 soit 11,1% des TLP n'utilisent pas de protecteurs d'yeux et du visage. Pour les types de protecteurs, seulement 7,5% font usage d'écrans faciaux, 8,9% portent parfois des bouchons d'oreilles en guise de protecteurs auditifs. En ce qui concerne les gants, plus de la moitié des TLP les utilise, soit 60%. Les gants à usage unique sont les plus utilisés. Enfin, presque tous les TLP soit 97,8% ont connaissance des risques liés à leur métier. Conclusion : Cette étude révèle qu'au-delà des équipements de protection auditive qui sont peu utilisés par les techniciens de laboratoire, le port des vêtements de travail est systématique. L'usage des moyens de protection respiratoire, des yeux et du visage est généralisé, et la fréquence du port des gants sur le poste de travail de la décontamination est relativement élevée.

Background/aim: Development of dentures requires handling of several materials and chemicals put Prosthetic Laboratory Technicians (PLTs) at occupational risks. This study aimed to assess the level of risk awareness and the means ofprotection used by PLTs. Material and Method: It was a descriptive, cross-sectional study that included a population of 45 Senegalese PLTs. This study was based on a self-questionnaire that included four items including socio-demographic and occupational data, individual protection and knowledge of PLTs on occupational risks. The statistical analysis of the variables was done using the Excel and SPSS software, and the results presented as frequencies, averages with standard deviation.Results: Average age of PLT was 41,73 ± 8, 03 years and68,9% of them were working in Dakar city. Among these 45 TLPs with 82,20% men who responded to the questionnaire,100% wore a work garment, only 11.1% (or 5) TLPs do not use eye and face protectors against 88.9 (or 40). As for the typesof protectors, only 7.5% (or 3) of face shields. For hearing protectors, only 8.9% of TLPs sometimes wore earplugs. As forgloves, more than half of TLPs used them, or 60%. Disposable gloves are the most used at the expense of reusable gloves. Moreover, almost all TLPs, or 97.8%, are aware of the risks related to their business. Conclusion: This study reveals that in addition to hearing protection equipment that is rarely used by laboratory technicians, the wearing of work clothes is systematic. The use of respiratory, eye and face protection is widespread and frequency of wearing gloves on the decontamination workstation is relatively high

Profil vaccinal des chirurgiens-dentistes de la région de Dakar (Sénégal) / Vaccination profile of dental surgeons in Dakar Region (Senegal)

Introduction : Plusieurs mesures de contrôle dont la vaccination du personnel soignant ont été élaborées pour empêcher la propagation des infections. Longtemps négligée, la vaccination connaît aujourd'hui un regain d'intérêt notamment avec la pandémie du Covid 19. L'objectif de cette étude était de décrire le profil vaccinal des chirurgiens-dentistes de la région de Dakar. Méthodes : Il s'agissait d'une étude descriptive, transversale, effectuée de Mars 2017 à Mars 2018 auprès des chirurgiens-dentistes de la région de Dakar. Tous les chirurgiens-dentistes consentants, inscrits aux tableaux de l'Ordre National des Chirurgiens-Dentistes du Sénégal et exerçant dans la région de Dakar ont été inclus dans cette étude. L'étude a utilisé un questionnaire auto-administré comportant des items sur les données socioprofessionnelles, le statut vaccinal ainsi que les vaccins effectués. Résultats et Discussion : Au total, 176 chirurgiens- dentistes ont été contactés, 150 parmi eux ont accepté de participer à l'enquête, soit un taux de participation de 85,2%. L'échantillon comprenait 89 hommes soit 59% et 61 femmes soit 41%. Le nombre d'année d'expérience moyenne des praticiens était de 11 ans ± 8,6. Dans la région de Dakar, 70,7% des chirurgiens-dentistes interrogés sont vaccinés contre 29,3% de chirurgiens-dentistes qui ne le sont pas. Le profil vaccinal montre une fréquence plus élevée de la vaccination contre l'hépatite B soit 65,3%. Seulement 32,7% des chirurgiens-dentistes interrogés affirment être vaccinés contre la tuberculose tandis que 42,7% déclarent l'être contre le tétanos. Conclusion : Cette étude a révélé une couverture vaccinale faible et disparate des chirurgiens-dentistes de Dakar.

Introduction: Several control measures, including vaccination of healthcare personnel, have been developed to prevent the spread of infections. Long neglected, vaccination is now experiencing a renewed interest, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this study was to describe the vaccination profile of dentists in the Dakar region. Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted from March 2017 to March 2018 among dentists in the Dakar region. All consenting dentists, registered with the National Order of Dentists of Senegal and practicing in the Dakar region, were included in this study. The study used a self-administered questionnaire containing items on sociodemographic data, vaccination status, and administered vaccines. Results and Discussion: A total of 176 dentists were contacted, of whom 150 agreed to participate in the survey, resulting in a participation rate of 85.2%. The sample included 89 men (59%) and 61 women (41%). The average years of experience of the practitioners was 11 years ± 8.6. In the Dakar region, 70.7% of the dentists surveyed are vaccinated, while 29.3% are not. The vaccination profile shows a higher frequency of vaccination against hepatitis B at 65.3%. Only 32.7% of the surveyed dentists claim tobe vaccinated against tuberculosis, while 42.7% declare vaccination against tetanus. Conclusion: This study revealed low and disparate vaccination coverage among dentists in Dakar.

Contribution to a better analysis of spermatic and ultrasound testicular parameters in the follow-up of male infertility at the Histology Embryology Cytogenetic Laboratory of Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD).

INTRODUCTION: In Senegal, marital infertility is a real problem for society. We undertook the study of this subject to make an analysis of the spermatic parameters of the infertile Senegalese man and to better understand the impact of testicular morphological anomalies on male fertility. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive, retrospective study of 100 infertile patients followed at the Histology-Embryology-Cytogenetics laboratory of UCAD in Dakar, during the year 2020. Sperm parameters, presence of varicocele, and testicular volume were evaluated in our patients. RESULTS/DISCUSSION: The mean age of the patients was 35.17±8.7 years. A history of sexually transmitted infections was found in 57% of patients. The mean duration of infertility was 5.67±3.2 years. The mean sperm count was 14,871,230/ml±4,950,000. Necrospermia was the most frequent abnormality found (60%), followed by asthenospermia (51%). The high rate of necrospermia could be explained by the high frequency of sexually transmitted infections. Other abnormalities were oligospermia (48%, including 09% cryptospermia), azoospermia (19%), teratospermia (19%), and hypospermia (13%). The predominance of azoospermia and oligospermia should prompt a search for a genetic predisposition in these subjects. The mean testicular volume was 10.3±4.9 cc on the right and 9.5±4.8 cc on the left. A single or bilateral varicocele was found in 43% of subjects. Patients with azoospermia and teratospermia were associated with testicular hypotrophy with a significant value (p=0.04). CONCLUSION: Overall, the senegalese man consulting for infertility is a young adult, married for an average of 5 years. Necrospermia is the most frequently found anomaly. The severity of both qualitative and quantitative abnormalities should lead to a systematic search for a genetic origin. The etiological research of infertile patients must be done within a multidisciplinary framework to propose better management of these patients.

Infected urachal cyst in an adult, report of two observations.

INTRODUCTION: Urachus is an embryonic remnant that usually involutes before birth. Abnormal persistence of this structure gives embryologic malformation like an urachal cyst. Infection or malignancy degeneration can complicated it. CASE PRESENTATION: Case 1: We report 20 years old female patient consulted with acute abdominal pain. Clinical examination showed fever and infra-umbilical tender mass. The abdominal Computerized Tomography showed pelvic mass between umbilicus and bladder. The open laparotomy found infra-abdominal semi-solid mass. A complete resection was done and histological exam confirmed infected urachal cyst. Case 2: A 19 years old male patient presented with abdominal pain and fever. Physical examination found tenderness in lower abdomen. Biology revealed leukocytosis, and Ultrasonography found a heterogeneous infra-umbilical mass. Surgical exploration by mini-laparotomy found an abscess urachal cyst that is confirm by histological exam after complete resection. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: Urachal cyst in adult patient is rare. Clinical symptoms without complications are insignificant. Because of malignancy risk, adult urachal cyst are managed by surgery. CONCLUSION: Infection cyst is the most common complication of urachal cyst. Complete resection is recommended because of malignancy degeneration risk.

Synthetic biology as driver for the biologization of materials sciences.

Materials in nature have fascinating properties that serve as a continuous source of inspiration for materials scientists. Accordingly, bio-mimetic and bio-inspired approaches have yielded remarkable structural and functional materials for a plethora of applications. Despite these advances, many properties of natural materials remain challenging or yet impossible to incorporate into synthetic materials. Natural materials are produced by living cells, which sense and process environmental cues and conditions by means of signaling and genetic programs, thereby controlling the biosynthesis, remodeling, functionalization, or degradation of the natural material. In this context, synthetic biology offers unique opportunities in materials sciences by providing direct access to the rational engineering of how a cell senses and processes environmental information and translates them into the properties and functions of materials. Here, we identify and review two main directions by which synthetic biology can be harnessed to provide new impulses for the biologization of the materials sciences: first, the engineering of cells to produce precursors for the subsequent synthesis of materials. This includes materials that are otherwise produced from petrochemical resources, but also materials where the bio-produced substances contribute unique properties and functions not existing in traditional materials. Second, engineered living materials that are formed or assembled by cells or in which cells contribute specific functions while remaining an integral part of the living composite material. We finally provide a perspective of future scientific directions of this promising area of research and discuss science policy that would be required to support research and development in this field.

Serum total periostin is an independent marker of overall survival in bone metastases of lung adenocarcinoma.

More than 35% of lung adenocarcinoma patients have bone metastases at diagnosis and have a poor survival. Periostin, a carboxylated matrix protein, mediates lung cancer cell dissemination by promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and is involved in bone response to mechanical stress and bone formation regulation. This suggests that periostin may be used as a biomarker to predict survival in lung cancer patients. Serum periostin was assessed at diagnosis in a prospective cohort of 133 patients with lung adenocarcinoma of all stages. Patients were divided into localized and bone metastatic groups. Both groups were matched to healthy controls. Survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards models were conducted in the total population and in bone metastatic group. The median serum periostin level was higher in bone metastatic (n = 67; median: 1752 pmol/L) than in the localized group (n = 66; 861 pmol/L; p < 0.0001). Patients with high periostin (>median) had a poorer overall survival in the whole population (33.3 weeks vs. NR; p < 0.0001) and the bone metastatic group (24.4 vs. 66.1 weeks; p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, patients with high periostin had increased risk of death (HR = 2.09, 95%CI [1.06-4.13]; p = 0.03). This was also found in the bone metastatic group (HR = 3.62, 95%CI [1.74-7.52]; p = 0.0005). Immunohistochemistry on bone metastasis biopsies showed periostin expression in the bone matrix and nuclear and cytoplasmic staining in cancer cells. Serum periostin was an independent survival biomarker in all-stage and in bone metastatic lung adenocarcinoma patients. IHC data suggest that periostin might be induced in cancer cells in bone metastatic niche in addition to bone microenvironment expression.

Skin biological responses to urban pollution in an ex vivo model.

The skin epidermis is continuously exposed to external aggressions, including environmental pollution. The cosmetic industry must be able to offer dedicated products to fight the effects of pollutants on the skin. We set up an experimental model that exposed skin explants maintained in culture to a pollutant mixture. This mixture P representing urban pollution was designed on the basis of the French organization 'Air Parif' database. A chamber, called Pollubox®, was built to allow a controlled nebulization of P on the cultured human skin explants. We investigated ultrastructural morphology by transmission electron microscopy of high pressure frozen skin explants. A global transcriptomic analysis indicated that the pollutant mixture was able to induce relevant xenobiotic and antioxidant responses. Modulated detoxifying genes were further investigated by laser micro-dissection coupled to qPCR, and immunochemistry. Both approaches showed that P exposure correlated with overexpression of detoxifying genes and provoked skin physiological alterations down to the stratum basale. The model developed herein might be an efficient tool to study the effects of pollutants on skin as well as a powerful testing method to evaluate the efficacy of cosmetic products against pollution.

Insulin therapy in childhood type 1 diabetes: Knowledge and practice in Senegal.

INTRODUCTION: Childhood type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic condition with serious repercussions on both the quality of life of the child and the family. Insulin therapy is the cornerstone of optimal blood sugar control. The main objective of our study was to assess the level of knowledge of physicians about insulin therapy in diabetes. METHODS: This was a multicenter survey over a period of 5 months (from March 5 to August 2, 2018). It took place in five reference university hospital centers in the Dakar region. RESULT: The number of doctors interviewed in our study was 82, 47.6% of whom were confirmed pediatricians or pediatricians in the process of specialization. The number of years of experience in the field of diabetes was on average 3 years. Fast-acting regular insulins were recommended by 75.6% of doctors and mixtures of insulin (intermediate and rapid-acting) by 50% of doctors. Overall, 91% of doctors recommend a variation in insulin injection sites. The "basal bolus" treatment regimen with insulin analogs was recommended by 50% of doctors, while 31.7% recommended it with human insulin. Regarding adapting insulin doses for leisure and sports activities, more than half (54.9%) of the doctors had to reduce the doses. CONCLUSION: This study enabled us to assess the level of knowledge of insulin therapy among doctors caring for children with diabetes in Senegal, which proved to be limited. We recommend the reinforcement and follow-up of training on the management of T1D for providers at the different facilities.

[Epidemiological profile of female victims of psychological violence during the pre and postpartum periods in the Sédhiou region, Senegal]. / Profil épidémiologique des femmes victimes de violences psychologiques en période pré- et post-partum dans la région de Sédhiou, Sénégal.

BACKGROUND: In Senegal, psychological violence remains a taboo subject insofar as it often arises in the closed circle of family life. It has a highly negative impact on the health of pregnant women. The objective of this work was to study the epidemiological profile of female victims of psychological violence before and after birth in the Sédhiou region. METHOD: An observational, cross-sectional and analytical study was carried out from December 4, 2018 to April 4, 2019. The study population consisted of all the women received for postnatal consultation in one of the referral health structures in the Sédhiou region. Data were collected using a survey form and a questionnaire administered to the women having met the inclusion criteria. The data were entered using CS Pro software and subsequently analyzed using R 3.4.4 software. RESULTS: The mean age of the women was 25.4±7.8 (14-43 years). A total of 222 women (55.5 %) had suffered psychological violence during the prepartum period. Isolated psychological violence represented 44.3 % of the surveyed population, while psychological violence associated with sexual or physical violence represented 8.0 % and 5.4 % of the respondent population, respectively. The factors associated with psychological violence during the prepartum period were pursuit of a professional activity [ORaj=4.7 (1.3-17.0)], high educational status [ORaj=7.0 (4.2-11.5)] and performance of fewer than 3 antenatal consultations (ANC) [ORaj=2.2 (1.2-4.0)]. Maternal, fetal and neonatal complications were more frequent among victims of psychological violence (P<0.05). During the postpartum period, 26.5 % of the women who had been victims of violence during the prepartum period mentioned the fact that the aggression had ceased. The other women continued to endure violence, which was even more intense among 2.5 %. CONCLUSION: Psychological violence among pregnant women has a negative impact on the health of the mother and the newborn. This state of affairs should induce health care providers to increase popular awareness of its detrimental effects. Communication efforts aimed at behavioral change will need to be combined during prenatal consultations with strengthened screening for violence, the objective being to achieve improved care.

Wrist opener splint: An effective way to treat chronic wrist flexion contracture.

In Senegal, patients are seen an average of 16 months after their injury in a specialized hand and upper limb surgery department. Because of this lengthy delay, these patients have severe functional sequelae, such as wrist flexion contracture, averaging 45 degrees in our case series (range, 35 to 90 degrees). After reviewing the literature, we did not find any splint that was well suited to these patients. Inspired by the general splinting rules set out by Schultz, MacConaill and Brand, we constructed a volar/dorsal splint to reduce these contractures. We have been using this serial static splint for 2 years. We performed a prospective study of 17 wrists to evaluate its therapeutic benefit, describe its use and outline its optimal application.