Assessment of the risk of dermal exposure to pesticides during treatment with a back-pack sprayer in the presence and absence of vegetation.

Assessing the dermal exposure of applicators to pesticides is still an important issue, and the measurement methods used remain open to improvement. This is particularly true when it comes to characterising the exposure of applicators using back-pack sprayers. The scenarios used for the different mathematical models continue to be riddled with approximations and uncertainties. With a view to improving these scenarios, test were performed in an open environment to measure the levels of dermal exposure on various parts of an operator's body during treatment with this type of equipment. The main parameters studied are the presence of vegetation and the height of the crop. The method uses a tracer (fluorescein salt) and collectors placed all over the body in order to determine which parts are subject to most contamination during spraying. The quantitative determinations of the tracer show that exposure, in the presence of vegetation, reaches levels of 0.02%, 0.006% and 0.04% of the total quantity applied in treatment, at heights of 0.5, 1 and 2 m respectively. In the absence of vegetation, it stands at 0.21%, 0.61% and 0.62% of the total quantity applied at heights of 0.5, 1 and 2 m. In each of these situations, the lower limbs of the body (shins and thighs) collected large proportions of fluorescein. The contamination of the upper parts of the body increases in proportion to the height of treatment. These results show that the presence of vegetation and the spraying height are important parameters to be considered and to be integrated into the models, to validly assess the exposure of operators using a backpack sprayer.

Phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of Acacia senegal (L.) Willd. root-nodulating bacteria isolated from soils in the dryland part of Senegal.

AIMS: We characterized phenotypically and genotypically root-nodulating bacteria associated with Acacia senegal (L.) Willd. isolated from the soils surrounding A. senegal trees in the dry land area of Senegal. METHODS AND RESULTS: The phenotypical and genotypical characterizations we carried out showed a high diversity of A. senegal root-nodulating bacteria. Phenotypic patterns showed adaptations of the rhizobial strains to many environmental stresses such as heat, drought, and salinity. Twelve molecular groups were distinguished by profiles obtained using polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism techniques from intergenic spacer region rDNA. The highest genetic diversity was found around the A. senegal rhizosphere. Therefore, A. senegal seemed to have a positive influence on occurrence and genotypical diversity of rhizobial populations. Rhizobial isolates obtained in this study belonged phylogenetically to the genera Mesorhizobium and Rhizobium. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provided information about the genetic diversity of the rhizobial strains associated with A. senegal and suggested the adaptability of natural rhizobial populations to major ecological environmental stress within these soil environments. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: These results suggested a potential selection of compatible and well adapted strains under stress conditions as inoculants for successful A. senegal growth in arid lands.

Amputation labiale par morsure humaine: à propos d'un cas à l'hopital national donka

Les morsures humaines représentent 3 % des morsures rencontrées au service d'urgence. Les preuves et le consensus sur les meilleures pratiques en matière de gestion des morsures humaines font défaut d'échec et de déterminer l'intérêt d'une réparation secondaire. Notre première tentative de reconstitution à partir de la pièce amputée étant échouée alors us avons entrepris cette étude dont les objectifs étaient d'identifier les facteurs OBSERVATION:Une patiente de sexe féminin âgée de 24 ans, ménagère A l'examen endo buccal, on notait une ouverture buccale d'amplitude normale. Les 32 et 31 sont exposées du fait de la perte de substance labiale. L'articulé dentaire conservée, l'hygiène bucco-dentaire défectueuse A l'admission, la patiente détenait dans un verre rempli d'eau minérale la pièce amputée de 2 cm x 1,8 cm dont la couleur laissait présager une vitalité compromise par défaut de vascularisation Les examens biologiques n'ont révélé aucune particularité. Le délai entre l'amputation et l'admission dans le Service était de 7h compromettant plus ou moins la vitalité de la pièce. Un délai nettement inférieur à celui trouvé par Roland et al. dans trois études différentes et qui ont trouvé moins de 14 % des patients ont été admis et plus de 80 % se sont présentés dans les 12 ou 24 heures suivant la morsure. CONCLUSION: Une tentative de replacement intentionnel d'une pièce amputée par morsure humaine sans chirurgie vasculaire est vouée à l'échec par une nécrose évolutive. Cependant la réparation chirurgicale de seconde intention donne un résultat esthétique et fonctionnel satisfaisant.

[Anatomical features concerning the spinal accessory nerve. Apropos of 106 dissections of the neck in cadavers]. / Considérations anatomiques concernant le nerf spinal accessoire. A propos de 106 dissections du cou chez le cadavre.

Surgical treatment of cervical metastases from head and neck cancer involves different techniques as a function of indication. An anatomical structure of major importance during this surgery is the spinal accessory nerve, and 106 dissections were performed to examine relations of this nerve with cervical plexus, jugular vein, sterno-cleido-mastoid muscle and mastoid tip. Interesting conclusions were drawn with regard to technical procedures of value to surgeons involved in cervicofacial cancerology.

[Legal restitution of bodily harm in the traumatic rupture of the posterior urethra]. / Réparation juridique du dommage corporel dans les ruptures traumatiques de l'urètre postérieur.

Medical experts are responsible for evaluation of the urinary and sexual sequelae following traumatic rupture of the posterior urethra. Only definite and direct damage is compensated by the courts, which demands a methodical and meticulous examination by the expert. Sexual damage can be evaluated by certain criteria including the results of intracavernous injections.

Genetic diversity and distribution of Bradyrhizobium and Azorhizobium strains associated with the herb legume Zornia glochidiata sampled from across Senegal.

Herb legumes have great potential for rehabilitation of semi-arid degraded soils in Sahelian ecosystems as they establish mutualistic symbiosis with N(2)-fixing rhizobia. A phylogenetic analysis was performed for 78 root nodule bacteria associated with the common Sahelian herb legume Zornia glochidiata Reichb ex DC in Senegal. Based on ITS (rDNA16S-23S) and recA sequences, these strains were shown to belong to the two genera Bradyrhizobium and Azorhizobium. Strains of this latter, although frequent, formed small and ineffective nodules and suggested a parasitism rather than a symbiotic association. A potential negative effect of Azorhizobium on Zornia growth was tested for when inoculated alone or in association with a Bradyrhizobium strain. Bradyrhizobium isolates were distributed in four groups. Groups A and B were two sister clades in a larger monophyletic group also including Bradyrhizobium liaoningense, Bradyrhizobium yuanmingense, and Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Strains of cluster D fell in a sister clade of the photosynthetic Bradyrhizobium sp. group, including ORS278, whereas group C appeared to be divergent from all known Bradyrhizobium clusters. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) clustering was congruent with ITS and recA phylogenies, but displayed much more variability. However, within the main Bradyrhizobium clades, no obvious relationship could be detected between clustering and geographical origin of the strains. Each sub-cluster included strains sampled from different locations. Conversely, Azorhizobium strains showed a tendency in the phylogeny to group together according to the site of sampling. The predominance of ineffective Azorhizobium strains in the nodules of Zornia roots, the large Bradyrhizobium genetic diversity and the geographical genetic diversity pattern are explored.

Profil épidémiologique et clinique des urgences cardiovasculaires à Conakry

Objectif : décrire les aspects épidémiologiques et cliniques des urgences cardiovasculaires au service de Cardiologie de l'Hôpital National Ignace Deen de Conakry. Patients et méthode : Il s'agissait d'une étude prospective descriptive d'une durée de six (06) mois, du 28 janvier au 28 juillet 2017. Elle a porté sur l'ensemble des patients admis et hospitalisés au service pour une urgence cardiovasculaire avec des critères de définition correspondant aux normes internationales pour chaque urgence. Résultats : L'étude a porté sur 119 patients reçus en urgence dans le service pendant la période d'étude. Il y avait 69 hommes (57,9 %) et 50 femmes (42,1). Le sex-ratio H/F était de 1,38. La fréquence des UCV était de 27,9 %. Les principales urgences cardiovasculaires étaient représentées par l'insuffisance cardiaque décompensée (28,6 %) suivie des urgences hypertensives (21,8 %) et de l'infarctus du myocarde (18,5 %). Le délai entre le début des symptômes et l'hospitalisation était en moyenne de 5,7 jours. Les pathologies sous-jacentes les plus fréquentes étaient représentées par l'HTA (48,7 %), les valvulopathies (28,6 %) et les myocardiopathies (10,1 %). Le facteur de risque cardiovasculaire essentiel que nous avons observé était l'hypertension artérielle dans (27,7 %). L'évolution a été favorable dans 85,7% des cas, malheureusement 14, 3 % cas de décès ont été enregistrés. Conclusion : Ces urgences constituent un problème majeur de santé dans notre pays compte tenu de l'insuffisance du plateau technique. L'accent doit être mis sur la prévention des affections cardiovasculaires

The extent of linkage disequilibrium in a large cattle population of western Africa and its consequences for association studies.

Several previous studies concluded that linkage disequilibrium (LD) in livestock populations from developed countries originated from the impact of strong selection. Here, we assessed the extent of LD in a cattle population from western Africa that was bred in an extensive farming system. The analyses were performed on 363 individuals in a Bos indicus x Bos taurus population using 42 microsatellite markers on BTA04, BTA07 and BTA13. A high level of expected heterozygosity (0.71), a high mean number of alleles per locus (9.7) and a mild shift in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were found. Linkage disequilibrium extended over shorter distances than what has been observed in cattle from developed countries. Effective population size was assessed using two methods; both methods produced large values: 1388 when considering heterozygosity (assuming a mutation rate of 10(-3)) and 2344 when considering LD on whole linkage groups (assuming a constant population size over generations). However, analysing the decay of LD as a function of marker spacing indicated a decreasing trend in effective population size over generations. This decrease could be explained by increasing selective pressure and/or by an admixture process. Finally, LD extended over small distances, which suggested that whole-genome scans will require a large number of markers. However, association studies using such populations will be effective.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization and nodulation improve flooding tolerance in Pterocarpus officinalis Jacq. seedlings.

Pterocarpus officinalis (Jacq.) seedlings inoculated with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, Glomus intraradices, and the strain of Bradyrhizobium sp. (UAG 11A) were grown under stem-flooded or nonflooded conditions for 13 weeks after 4 weeks of nonflooded pretreatment under greenhouse conditions. Flooding of P. officinalis seedlings induced several morphological and physiological adaptive mechanisms, including formation of hypertrophied lenticels and aerenchyma tissue and production of adventitious roots on submerged portions of the stem. Flooding also resulted in an increase in collar diameter and leaf, stem, root, and total dry weights, regardless of inoculation. Under flooding, arbuscular mycorrhizas were well developed on root systems and adventitious roots compared with inoculated root systems under nonflooding condition. Arbuscular mycorrhizas made noteworthy contributions to the flood tolerance of P. officinalis seedlings by improving plant growth and P acquisition in leaves. We report in this study the novel occurrence of nodules connected vascularly to the stem and nodule and arbuscular mycorrhizas on adventitious roots of P. officinalis seedlings. Root nodules appeared more efficient fixing N(2) than stem nodules were. Beneficial effect of nodulation in terms of total dry weight and N acquisition in leaves was particularly noted in seedlings growing under flooding conditions. There was no additive effect of arbuscular mycorrhizas and nodulation on plant growth and nutrition in either flooding treatment. The results suggest that the development of adventitious roots, aerenchyma tissue, and hypertrophied lenticels may play a major role in flooded tolerance of P. officinalis symbiosis by increasing oxygen diffusion to the submerged part of the stem and root zone, and therefore contribute to plant growth and nutrition.

The ectomycorrhizal fungus Scleroderma bermudense alleviates salt stress in seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera L.) seedlings.

The purpose of this study was to test the capacity of the ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungus, Scleroderma bermudense, to alleviate saline stress in seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera L.) seedlings. Plants were grown over a range (0, 200, 350 and 500 mM) of NaCl levels for 12 weeks, after 4 weeks of non-saline pre-treatment under greenhouse conditions. Growth and mineral nutrition of the seagrape seedlings were stimulated by S. bermudense regardless of salt stress. Although ECM colonization was reduced with increasing NaCl levels, ECM dependency of seagrape seedlings increased. Tissues of ECM plants had significantly increased concentrations of P and K but lower Na and Cl concentrations than those of non-ECM plants. Higher K concentrations in the leaves of ECM plants suggested a higher osmoregulating capacity of these plants. Moreover, the water status of ECM plants was improved despite their higher evaporative leaf surface. The results suggest that the reduction in Na and Cl uptake together with a concomitant increase in P and K absorption and a higher water status in ECM plants may be important salt-alleviating mechanisms for seagrape seedlings growing in saline soils.

[Globular resistance in bovine erythrocytes]. / Résistance globulaire des hématies bovines.

An analysis of red blood cells resistance has been conducted by exposing red corpuscles of zebu, Baoule and metis zebu x Baoule, to different saline concentrations. The statistical results show no sex influence for all breeds. In zebu, there is a difference according to the type of hemoglobin concerned. The last ones differ also from these in taurine and metis. The data analysis were realised by calculating the mean of hemolysis percentages for all samples, as with NaCl concentrations in respect of a 50 per cent hemolysis. These differences can partly explain anaemia in bovine trypanosomiasis to Trypanosoma vivax or T. congolense, which less severely affects taurine Baoule than zebus.

[The division of the intra-parotid facial nerve. Morphologic and anthropometric study (128 dissections)]. / La division du nerf facial intra-parotidien. etude morphologique (128 dissections) et anthropométrique

The division of the facial nerve in the West African has been studied on 128 dissections. The point of division and the distribution into "morphological types" are fairly identical to those established in subjects of the white race, with two special features: 80% of the nerves divide above the middle of the Tragion-gonion line. 25% of the nerves are of a "triforked" morphological type. The variations of the cephalic index are in close connection with those of the angle of division of the nerve (brachycephalic: average angle 95 degrees; mesocephalic: 107 degrees; dolichocephalic: 125 degrees). On the other hand, the study of the morphological and physiognomical facial indexes does not show any definitive correlation as regards the place of division and the number of secondary branches.