The smallest of its kind: Description of a new cryptic Amnirana species (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae) from West African rainforests.

The distribution of the White-Lipped Frog Amnirana albolabris was long assumed to extend from eastern-central to western African rainforests. However, recent molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed that this taxon likely represents several undescribed species. Because the name-bearing types were collected in Gabon, the distantly related West African populations clearly represent an undescribed species that partly occurs in sympatry with Amnirana fonensis. Based on an integrative taxonomic approach, including molecular, morphological, and acoustic data, we describe the 'albolabris' populations from the Upper Guinean Forest Zone as a new species, and redescribe the morphologically similar A. fonensis on the bases of a larger series of genotyped individuals, including the first known females. We also provide new biological information for A. fonensis, including their advertisement call, habitat, and reproductive data. The new species is sister to A. fonensis and the two species differ by 5.8% in the mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Morphologically, males of the new species are smaller and have relatively smaller humeral glands. Females of the new species seem to have shorter legs than A. fonensis. In comparison to A. fonensis, the advertisement call of the new species has a higher dominant frequency and more pronounced frequency modulation. The two species differ in their distribution and habitat preferences, as revealed by environmental niche modelling. Whereas the new species is restricted to the Upper Guinean forests and thus is a true lowland-rainforest inhabitant, A. fonensis lives predominantly in Guinean montane forests in the forest-savanna mosaic zone.

Aspects particuliers des myomes utérins en IRM multimodale en milieu tropical / Features of uterine myomas explored with multimodal MRI in a tropical environment

Objectif. Décrire les caractéristiques de la prise en charge des myomes utérins dans une unité d'IRM multimodale en Afrique subsaharienne. Matériels et méthodes. Étude transversale descriptive rétrospective, d'une durée de 08 mois, réalisée au service d'imagerie médicale de l'hôpital mère enfant de Bingerville. Nous avons inclus les patientes dont le motif et ou les résultats des examens faisaient mention de myomes utérins. Les paramètres étudiés étaient l'âge des patientes, le motif d'examen et les résultats de l'examen d'IRM. Résultats. Nous avons recruté 103 patientes. Leur âge moyen était de 40 ans. Dans 95,1% des cas, les indications portaient sur la cartographie et l'exploration des myomes utérins déjà connus. Les myomes étaient de découverte fortuite dans 5% des cas. Les myomes étaient uniques dans 9% et en nombre supérieur à 5 dans 61% des cas. Ils étaient majoritairement hyalins, en isosignal homogène T1 FSE (86%), en hyposignal homogène T2 PROPELLER et diffusion (97%) avec rehaussement homogène (85%). Il y avait des complications dégénératives dans 12% des cas et mécaniques dans 3% des cas. Elles étaient corrélées à un nombre de myomes supérieur à 5 (p=0,05), mais pas à la taille des myomes ni à l'âge des patientes. Les pathologies pelviennes associées (53%) étaient : lésions ovariennes non tumorales (45%), adénomyose (30%) et cancer du col utérin (25%). Conclusion. À Abidjan, les myomes utérins sont une pathologie de la femme en activité génitale, en période préménopausique. L'IRM est utilisée quasi exclusivement en seconde intention après l'échographie pour la cartographie préopératoire ou pré embolisation. La découverte de pathologies associées dont le cancer du col, devrait faire préférer l'IRM pour toute exploration diagnostique et pré thérapeutique

Objective. To describe the characteristics of the management of uterine myomas in a multimodal MRI unit of Sub-Saharan Africa. Methods. This was a cross sectional retrospective descriptive study of eight months duration that was carried out in the medical imaging department of the mother and child hospital in Bingerville. The patients whose indications and/or results of the MRI mentioned uterine myomas were included. The parameters studied were the age of the patients, the reason and the results of the MRI examination. Results. We studied 103 patients. Their average age was 40 years. In 95.1% of the cases, the indications were for mapping and exploring already known uterine myomas. Incidental myomas accounted for 5%. The myomas were unique in 9% and more than 5 in 61%. They were mostly hyaline, in homogeneous T1 FSE isosignal (86%), in homogeneous T2 PROPELLER and diffusion hyposignal (97%) with homogeneous enhancement (85%). Degenerative complications were noted in 12% and mechanical complications in 3%. They were correlated with a number of myomas greater than 5 (p=0.05) but not with size of myomas or age of patients. Associated pelvic diseases (53,4%) were mainly non tumoral ovarian lesions (45%), adenomyosis (30%) and cervical cancer (25%). Conclusion. In our setting, uterine myomas affect mainly the genitally active woman in the premenopausal period. MRI is used almost exclusively as a second line after ultrasound, for preoperative or preembolization mapping. The discovery of associated pathologies, including cervical cancer, should make MRI preferable for all diagnostic and pre-therapeutic exploration.

Comparative Antidiabetic Activity of Aqueous, Ethanol, and Methanol Leaf Extracts of Persea americana and Their Effectiveness in Type 2 Diabetic Rats.

Native to Mexico, Persea americana Mill. (avocado) is a fruit tree whose different parts (leaf, bark, roots, and stone) are used in traditional medicine especially against diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to investigate the beneficial effects of 28-day treatment with aqueous, ethanolic, and methanolic leaf extracts on glucose homeostasis in type 2 diabetic mellitus using Wistar rats. Type 2 diabetes was induced with nicotinamide (120 mg/kg, i.p.) and streptozotocin (65 mg/kg, i.p.). After 28 days of treatment, histopathological examination of the pancreas, kidneys, liver, and muscle (tibialis anterior) were realized. Biochemical markers were determined and an intestinal absorption test of D-glucose was performed. All extracts (100 mg/kg/day, p.o.) significantly (p < 0.001) reduced blood glucose level at the 28th day of treatment with a more pronounced effect for methanolic extract. The treatments were well tolerated and induced a restoration of T-CHOL and HDL-C levels compared to the control group. Methanolic extract reduced the AIP (atherogenic index of plasma) by 45%. Histopathological analyzes of the pancreas showed regeneration of islets of Langerhans. Methanolic extract was the most effective in preventing intestinal glucose uptake up to 60.90% in relation to metformin. These results justify the use of this plant in traditional medicine against type 2 diabetes. However, other complementary studies should be done to identify the molecules responsible for this activity and their signaling voice.

A new species of Puddle Frog, genus Phrynobatrachus (Amphibia: Anura: Phrynobatrachidae) from Ghana.

We describe a new species of Phrynobatrachus from the eastern part of the Upper Guinea forest region, Ghana, West Africa. Morphologically, the new species can be distinguished from all of its congeners by the combination of a slender body, short and pointed snout, a relatively warty dorsum, a black-spotted throat in both sexes, a gular flap in males, a dark spotted chest, a white-greyish venter with occasional blackish spots, rudimentary pedal webbing, none to slightly dilated finger tips and strongly delated toe tips, presence of both inner and outer metatarsal tubercles and absence of a dark face mask, eyelid tubercles and longer dorsal ridges. We collected mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence data from the 16S rRNA gene to measure the genetic diversity of the new species, and to estimate phylogenetic relationships. The new species is a distinct and monophyletic evolutionary lineage most closely related to Phrynobatrachus gutturosus, P. fraterculus and P. maculiventris. The discovery of this new species highlights that the biodiversity of West African forests is still incompletely known and that the few remaining forests need urgent protection.

A new Puddle Frog, genus Phrynobatrachus (Amphibia: Anura: Phrynobatrachidae), from the eastern part of the Upper Guinea biodiversity hotspot, West Africa.

We describe a new species of Phrynobatrachus from swamp forests in the southern border region of Ivory Coast and Ghana. The new species differs from all other known West African Phrynobatrachus by the combination of adult snout-vent-length being between 20 and 30 mm; absence of a spiny tubercle on the eyelid; presence of a dark face mask; a black throat in adult males; narrow and partly indistinct scapular ridges or comma shaped warts; distinct spinulae on males' throats and dorsal surfaces; pronounced pedal webbing; round finger- and toe tips, not enlarged to discs; a white belly with small blackish spots in both sexes; more than one wide dark cross bar on hind legs; and rosé to reddish colour on ventral parts of hind legs in both sexes. It is further defined by its genetic and acoustic characters. It is morphologically and genetically most similar to P. liberiensis and P. intermedius.

Les aspects tomodensitométriques et le profil épidémio-clinique des tumeurs du foie en Afrique subsaharienne

Contexte : La pathologie tumorale hépatique est marquée par la hantise du cancer primitif avec son pronostic effroyable. Son exploration fait appel à l'imagerie médicale de façon incontournable notamment le scanner qui est de plus en plus disponible dans nos contrées.Objectif : Décrire le profil épidémio-clinique et les aspects scanographiques des tumeurs hépatiques rencontrées en Afrique subsaharienne notamment à Abidjan.Méthodologie : Etude rétrospective descriptive, basée sur les scanners hépatiques réalisés sur la période de janvier 2012 à Décembre 2012, selon le protocole de la triple acquisition après injection de produit de contraste iodé. Tous les examens ont été réalisés à l'aide d'un scanner Toshiba de 64 barrettes. Tous les patients ayant une tumeur hépatique dont le type a été confirmé à l'anatomopathologie ont été retenus.Résultats : L'âge moyen des patients était de 61,7 ans avec des extrêmes de 41 et de 82 ans. Le sex ratio était de 2/3. Les principales indications étaient les foies hétéronodulaires (38,9%) et les bilans d'extension (27,7%). Nous avons dénombré 25 cas de tumeurs hépatiques. Il s'agissait de tumeurs malignes dans 64% versus 36% de tumeurs bénignes. Les tumeurs malignes étaient représentées par les hépatocarcinomes (40%), les métastases (24%) et le cholangiocarcinome (4%). Les tumeurs bénignes quant à elles étaient les kystes biliaires (28%), et l'angiome (4%).Conclusion : Les tumeurs malignes du foie sont plus fréquemment explorées au scanner. Elles sont dominées par le carcinome hépatocellulaire dans un contexte de cirrhose

[Contribution of transvaginal ultrasound to hysterosalpingography in the etiological research on female infertility in Abidjan]. / Apport de l'echographie transvaginale associée a l'hystérosalpingographie dans la recherche etiologique de l'infertilité féminine a Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire).

We performed hysterosalpingography (HSG) and transvaginal ultrasound (TVU) in 124 Ivorian women as part of an infertility evaluation. The aim was to investigate the causes of infertility and show the advantages of combining HSG and TVU as part of a comprehensive evaluation of infertility in African woman. TVU and HSG were normal in 35.5% of cases, while in 64.5% of cases, at least one disease was demonstrated. This included uterine pathology in 50.3%, tubal disease in 25.2%, ovarian pathology in 7.5% and peritoneal pathology in 7% of cases. Of all the diseases identified by the association HSG and TVU, 71.3% were found by TVU, while 61.5% were confirmed by HSG. TVU was more efficient in identifying uterine and ovarian pathologies while HSG excelled in tubal pathology. HSG and TUV had identical performances on the peritoneal pathology. The association HSG-ETV should be systematic in the full assessment of female infertility in sub-Saharan Africa.