Multiparity and Breast Cancer Risk Factor among Women in Burkina Faso

The relative lack of information on breast cancer etiology in Burkina Faso led us to undertake the present work to highlight risk factors. This prospective study was conducted using a questionnaire between January 2015 and February 2016 on women admitted to Yalgado OUEDRAOGO hospital, for consultation or supervision. The characteristics of multiparous breast cancer patients (n = 44) were compared with their non-multiparous counterparts (n = 36). The study found that increased risk of breast cancer among non-multiparous cases was related to body mass index (BMI) (p <0.001), age at menopause (p <0.004) and use of oral contraception (p <0.021) while abortion (p <0.002) was a risk factor among multiparous cases. These results suggest that even if multiparity is associated with a decreased risk in some women, avoidance of abortion during reproductive life should be recommended. The results provide preliminary information, which now need to be supplemented by survey of a larger sample in the national territory.Peer reviewe

Options in human papillomavirus (HPV) detection for cervical cancer screening: comparison between full genotyping and a rapid qualitative HPV-DNA assay in Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Modern cervical cancer screening increasingly relies on the use of molecular techniques detecting high-risk oncogenic human papillomavirus (hr-HPV). A major challenge for developing countries like Ghana has been the unavailability and costs of HPV DNA-based testing. This study compares the performance of careHPV, a semi-rapid and affordable qualitative detection assay for 14 hr-HPV genotypes, with HPV genotyping, for the detection of cytological cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL). METHODS: A study comparing between frequency matched HIV-1 seropositive and HIV-seronegative women was conducted in the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Ghana. A systematic sampling method was used to select women attending clinics in the hospital. Cervical samples were tested for HPV by careHPV and Anyplex-II HPV28 genotyping assay, and by conventional cytology. RESULTS: A total of 175 paired results (94 from HIV-1 seropositive and 81 from HIV-seronegative women) were analyzed based on the ability of both tests to detect the 14 hr-HPV types included in the careHPV assay. The inter-assay concordance was 94.3% (95%CI: 89.7-97.2%, kappa = 0.88), similar by HIV serostatus. The careHPV assay was equally sensitive among HIV-1 seropositive and seronegative women (97.3% vs. 95.7%, p = 0.50) and slightly more specific among HIV-seronegative women (85.0% vs. 93.1%, p = 0.10). careHPV had good sensitivity (87.5%) but low specificity (52.1%) for the detection of low SIL or greater lesions, but its performance was superior to genotyping (87.5 and 38.8%, respectively). Reproducibility of careHPV, tested on 97 samples by the same individual was 82.5% (95%CI: 73.4-89.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The performance characteristics of careHPV compared to genotyping suggest that this simpler and cheaper HPV detection assay could offer a suitable alternative for HPV screening in Ghana

Self-collected vaginal sampling for the detection of genital human papillomavirus (HPV) using careHPV among Ghanaian women.

BACKGROUND: Detection of genital HPV DNA is recommended as an important strategy for modern cervical cancer screening. Challenges include access to services, the reliance on cervical samples taken by clinicians, and patient's preference regarding provider gender. The objective of this research was to determine the acceptability, feasibility and performance of alternative self-collected vaginal samples for HPV detection among Ghanaian women. METHODS: A comparative frequency-matched study was conducted in a systematic (1:5) sample of women attending HIV and outpatient clinics in the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, Ghana. Participants were instructed on self-collection (SC) of vaginal samples using the careHPV brush and a clinician-collected (CC) cervical sample was obtained using a similar brush. Paired specimens were tested for HPV DNA (14 high-risk types) by careHPV assay (Qiagen) and by HPV genotyping (Anyplex II, Seegene). RESULTS: Overall, 194 women of mean age 44.1 years (SD ± 11.3) were enrolled and 191 paired SC and CC results were analysed. The overall HPV detection concordance was 94.2% (95%CI: 89.9-97.1), Kappa value of 0.88 (p < 0.0001), showing excellent agreement. This agreement was similar between HIV positive (93.8%) and negative (94.7%) women. Sensitivity and specificity of SC compared to CC were 92.6% (95%CI: 85.3-97.0) and 95.9% (95%CI: 89.8-98.8) respectively. The highest sensitivity was among HIV positive women (95.7%, 95%CI: 88.0-99.1) and highest specificity among HIV negative women (98.6%, 95%CI: 92.4-100). Overall, 76.3% women found SC very easy/easy to obtain, 57.7% preferred SC to CC and 61.9% felt SC would increase their likelihood to access cervical cancer screening. CONCLUSIONS: The feasibility, acceptability and performance of SC using careHPV support the use of this alternative form of HPV screening among Ghanaian women. This could be a potential new affordable strategy to improve uptake of the national cervical cancer screening program

Mobilité et création littéraire multiculturelle

Il n’est d’aucune utilité de préciser que la panoplie des œuvres produites par J.M.G. Le Clézio, représente une fragmentation chaotique qui est la résultante d’une conglomération d’expériences faites de rencontres, d’exil, et de communion avec des peuples dominés, exploités, abandonnés et brutalisés. Le contexte de la mobilité favorise l’émergence des tensions qui créent des terreaux fertiles pour les écrivains nomades à participer à l’éclosion de nouvelles esthétiques narratives influencées par des expériences personnelles. C’est à juste titre que Philippe Lejeune déclare : « Pour qu’il y ait autobiographie, […] il faut qu’il y ait identité de l’auteur, du narrateur et du personnage » (Lejeune 1996 : 15). Cet article s’intéresse à l’isolation des nouvelles valeurs identitaires qui sont crées grâce à l’écriture migrante. Aussi, il examine les dynamiques contradictoires et complémentaires, au regard des théories abondantes sur la mobilité et l’écriture développées, entre autres, par Patrick Imbert, Fonkoua Romuald-Blaise, Helene Cixous et Alain Mabanckou

Modelling and simulation of a compressed air storage system coupled to a building and to a photovoltaic generator.

By now, the increasing in energy demand, the decrease of fossil resources and the environmental and climate problems caused by these fossil resources are the mains challenges of the researchers. To overcome this issues it is necessary to develop optimized and sustainable energy systems.The Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) and the development of Net Zero Building (Net ZEB) appear as an appropriate solution for island area with a tropical climate and no connected electric grid as Reunion island.The modelisation of a compressed Air Energy Storage system connected photovoltaic generator (PV), a building and the grid will be the main subject of this study

Synchronic macrophage response andPlasmodium falciparummalaria

Human Chitotriosidase (CHIT), produced by activated macrophage, is a member of the chitinase family, a group of enzymes with the capability to hydrolyze chitin. Recently plasma CHIT activity was found elevated in children with acuteP. falciparummalaria compared with healthy African children, as a consequence of macrophage activation due to the presence of parasites. In this study we recruited at the local Centre Medical Saint Camille (CMSC) of Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, 62 African children (30 males and 32 females, aged 2–140 months; median 16.5 months), affected by acuteP. falciparummalaria, born and living in Burkina Faso. Control subjects included 140 healthy African children (79 males and 61 females) with age ranging from 10 to 100 months (median 22 months) at evaluation time. They did not show signs of acute infectious disease and their blood smears forP. falciparumwere negative. This study was approved by the local Ethical Committees of CMSC. Parents of the participating children in the study were orally informed of the scope of this research. For plasma CHIT assay, 3 ml of EDTA-blood was centrifuged and plasma samples were stored at –40°C determination by fluorimetric method at the Centre for Metabolic Diseases— University of Catania, Italy

Sensitivity analysis and optimization of a compressed air energy storage (CAES) system powered by a photovoltaic plant to supply a building

International audienceOne of the handicaps of the large-scale integration of solar energy is due to its variability and its intermittency. The main way to overcome this issue is the energy storage technology. Knowing the high cost of batteries and their impact on the environment, we simulate a storage system based on compressed air and acting as a battery system. The CAES consists in storing the air at a high pressure in a tank during the period when the energy source is abundant, i.e., cheap, or when the energy demand is low. The compressed air is later expanded through an air turbine which generates electricity during the high demand periods, i.e. when the energy source becomes very expensive for instance. This system could be used for decentralized electricity supply or in an area with no electric grid. In order to evaluate the feasibility of a Compressed Air Energy Storage system coupled to a photovoltaic plant and a building that represents a reduced power demand, a numerical model that reflects the instant behaviour has been built. The system is composed of a photovoltaic power plant, an air compression system, a storage vessel, an expansion module, a power grid and a building. The inputs used are, on the one hand, the climate data such as ambient temperature and the global solar irradiation and, on the other hand, the load curve of a building or of the group of buildings, which has to be supplied by electricity. The overall system optimization has then been performed after having done a sensitivity analysis of the key parameters. This optimization allows us to find the most suitable size for each component of the system: compressor, tank size and photovoltaic area. Abstract One of the handicaps of the large-scale integration of solar energy is due to its variability and its intermittency. The main way to overcome this issue is the energy storage technology. Knowing the high cost of batteries and their impact on the environment, we simulate a storage system based on compressed air and acting as a battery system. The CAES consists in storing the air at a high pressure in a tank during the period when the energy source is abundant, i.e., cheap, or when the energy demand is low. The compressed air is later expanded through an air turbine which generates electricity during the high demand periods, i.e. when the energy source becomes very expensive for instance. This system could be used for decentralized electricity supply or in an area with no electric grid. In order to evaluate the feasibility of a Compressed Air Energy Storage system coupled to a photovoltaic plant and a building that represents a reduced power demand, a numerical model that reflects the instant behaviour has been built. The system is composed of a photovoltaic power plant, an air compression system, a storage vessel, an expansion module, a power grid and a building. The inputs used are, on the one hand, the climate data such as ambient temperature and the global solar irradiation and, on the other hand, the load curve of a building or of the group of buildings, which has to be supplied by electricity. The overall system optimization has then been performed after having done a sensitivity analysis of the key parameters. This optimization allows us to find the most suitable size for each component of the system: compressor, tank size and photovoltaic area

Connaissance des OGMs et canaux d’information des acteurs au Burkina Faso

Pour subvenir aux besoins d’une population en croissance, les scientifiques proposent toujours de nouvelles technologies de production. Ces technologies ne sont pas toujours acceptées pour des raisons défendues par les groupes d’acteurs en présence. A la recherche de solutions pour améliorer la productivité agricole, les autorités du Burkina Faso se sont tournées vers l’utilisation des organismes génétiquement modifiés (OGM). L’étude vise à appréhender la connaissance des OGM et les principaux canaux d’information au Burkina Faso. Pour la réalisation de cette étude, une enquête a été conduite auprès de 272 personnes réparties dans 16 communes de trois provinces du Burkina Faso. L’étude a montré que sans discrimination du niveau d’instruction ou du genre, les acteurs ont une certaine connaissance des OGM. Les principaux canaux d’information sont le réseau d’encadrement des sociétés cotonnières (42%) et Internet (34%). Les réseaux d’encadrement sont effectifs dans la diffusion de l’information technologique. Dans la présente étude, il ressort que les technologies de communication sont efficaces pour une diffusion plus large.Mots clés : Burkina Faso ; OGM ; canaux d’information; niveau d’instruction

Antiretroviral (ARV) Therapy in Resource Poor Countries: What do we Need in Real Life?

Significant progresses have been made in the last 5 years towards the ultimate goal to provide universal access to care for all HIV/AIDS patients needing antiretroviral treatment in resource-poor countries. However, many barriers are still to be overcome, including (●) cost of care for the individual, (●) stigma, (●) lack of qualified human resources and infrastructure, especially in the rural setting, (●) rescue drugs for failing patients and (●) pediatric formulations. Priority actions to be promoted if the fight against HIV/AIDS is to be successful include: (i) promoting access to care in the rural areas, (ii) strengthening of basic health infrastructures, (iii) waiving of users’ fee to get ARV, (iv) a larger variety of drugs, with particular regard to fixed dose combination third line drugs and pediatric formulations, (v) local quality training and (vi) high quality basic and translational research. While the universal access to HIV care is crucial in developing countries, a strong emphasis on prevention should be maintained along

Epidemiology of Syphilis in regional blood transfusion centres in Burkina Faso, West Africa

Introduction: Syphilis remains a major public health problem in  sub-Saharan Africa, including Burkina Faso. However, few published data are available on the prevalence of syphilis in the population. This study had two main objectives: to determine the seroprevalence of syphilis in acohort of 37,210 first time blood donors and to study socio-demographic factors associated with the risk of infection by Treponema pallidum.Methods: Antibodies to Treponema pallidum were screened by using  Reagin Rapid Test (RPR) and confirmed by treponema pallidum  haemagglutination test (TPHA). Results: The overall seroprevalence of syphilis was 1.5% among first time blood donors and was significantly different between centers (p &lt;0.001). The infection was significantly higher in men than women among blood  donors in Ouagadougou and Fada N´gourma (P = 0.001 and P = 0.034). The overall seroprevalence of syphilis among blood donors was not  associated with either age group or HIV status. In contrast, a significantly high seroprevalence of syphilis was observed in blood donors with HBsAg (P = 0.014) and anti-HCV (P = 0.007) positive.Conclusion: Our report shows a low seroprevalence of syphilis in the  representative sample of the population of Burkina Faso. The  seroprevalence of syphilis remains unequally distributed between urban and rural areas and was not associated with HIV infection