RESUMEN
This study carried out an assessment of sanitary risks connected to the consumption of Senna rotundifolia Linn. contaminated with lead and cadmium. This plant was collected and analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results revealed a contamination of plants from markets of Dantokpa, Vossa, and Godomey with heavy metals. Senna from Vossa was higher in cadmium and lead levels (Pb: 2.733 mg/kg ± 0.356 mg/kg; Cd: 0.58 mg/kg ± 0.044 mg/kg) compared to the two other places (Pb: 1.825 mg/kg ± 0.133 mg/kg, Cd: 0.062 mg/kg ± 0.015 mg/kg and Pb: 1.902 mg/kg ± 0.265 mg/kg, Cd: 0.328 mg/kg ± 0.024 mg/kg), respectively, for Dantokpa and Godomey. In terms of risk assessment through the consumption of Senna, the values recorded for lead were nine times higher with children and six times higher with adults than the daily permissive intake (Pb: 3.376 × 10(-2) mg/kg/day for children and 2.105 × 10(-2) mg/kg/day for adults versus 3.6 × 10(-3) mg/kg/day for DPI). With respect to cadmium, there was no significant difference between the recorded values and the DPI (Cd: 1 × 14 10(-3) mg/ kg/day for children and Cd: 0.71 × 10(-3) mg/ kg/day for adults versus Cd: 1 × 10(-3) mg/kg/day for adults). This exposure of the population to lead and cadmium through the consumption of antimalarial healing plants could pose public health problems.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the contribution of poses screen pre-impregnated (PSP) installed at openings and eaves of dwellings in the reduction of malaria transmission in the commune of Aguégués in Bénin. METHODS: The PSP were manufactured from preimpregnated Olyset Net. They were installed at windows, eaves and doors of 70 dwellings. 320 children aged 6-59 months were treated and 311 children were recruited in the control zone. Variables measured are: plasmodic index (IP), gametocyte index, parasite density (PD), fever, hemoglobin, anemia. RESULTS: The global IP was 16.62% with PSP and 72.20% without PSP. Gametocyte index did not differ significantly between the treated zone (27.8) and the control zone (29.1). The total geometric mean of DP was 309 in the treated zone and 600 in the control zone. Hemoglobin level is 8.7 in the control zone and 9.5 in the treated zone. We noted a predominance of anemia in the control zone compared to the treated zone. CONCLUSIONS: The PSP have contributed to a significant reduction in morbidity in the commune of Aguégués.
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Mosquiteros Tratados con Insecticida , Malaria/prevención & control , Anemia/epidemiología , Anemia/parasitología , Animales , Benin/epidemiología , Preescolar , Femenino , Fiebre/epidemiología , Fiebre/parasitología , Hemoglobinas/metabolismo , Humanos , Lactante , Malaria/epidemiología , Malaria/parasitología , Malaria/transmisión , Masculino , Parasitemia/epidemiología , Parasitemia/parasitología , Parasitemia/prevención & control , PrevalenciaRESUMEN
Sub-Saharan Africa suffers from an excessively high endemicity of hepatitis B virus (HBV), but little is known about the prevalent genotypes. In this study, we investigated the PreS1/PreS2/S genes of 127 viruses obtained from 12 locations in Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Except for those obtained from the Cameroon HIV cohort (18/22 HBV genotype A), 96 of 105 sequences belonged to HBV genotype E (HBV/E), and viral DNA was very similar (1.67% diversity) throughout this vast HBV/E crescent, which spans 6000 km across Africa. The low diversity suggests that HBV/E may have a short evolutionary history. Considering a typical mutation rate of DNA viruses, it would take only 200 years for the strain diversity of HBV/E viruses to develop from a single introductory event. The relatively recent introduction of HBV/E into humans would also explain its conspicuous absence in the Americas, despite the forced immigration of slaves from west Africa, until the early 19th century. Infection during infancy is mostly associated with chronic carrier status, and this combination can account for the explosive spread of virtually identical viruses within a community, but whether other routes of long-range transmissions must be considered becomes an important question.
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Variación Genética , Virus de la Hepatitis B/genética , Hepatitis B/epidemiología , Hepatitis B/virología , Adolescente , Adulto , África Occidental/epidemiología , Anciano , Portador Sano/virología , Niño , Preescolar , ADN Viral/química , ADN Viral/aislamiento & purificación , Enfermedades Endémicas , Femenino , Genes Virales , Genotipo , Hepatitis B/transmisión , Antígenos de Superficie de la Hepatitis B/genética , Virus de la Hepatitis B/aislamiento & purificación , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Mutación , Filogenia , Precursores de Proteínas/genética , Análisis de Secuencia de ADNRESUMEN
Magnesium and zinc are both involved in a high number of enzymic activities vital for mammals. They are found in prostate in remarkably high concentrations and released into seminal fluid. Furthermore, drastic reduction of Zn and Mg concentrations in the semen fluid may lead to disorders in male fertility. We aimed to analyse the differences in Mg and Zn levels in the seminal plasma of 213 males including 48 normozoospermic, 30 azoospermic, 28 oligoasthenozoospermic, 22 asthenozoospermic and 85 chronic prostatitis. Mg and Zn concentrations were measured using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. While zinc levels did not show correlation either with the volume of the sperm or the percentage of pathological forms, magnesium concentrations in seminal plasma were significantly decreased in chronic prostatitis patients as compared to other groups or normozoospermic patients (p<0.001). We propose therefore magnesium as a marker of prostatitis.
Asunto(s)
Magnesio/análisis , Prostatitis/diagnóstico , Prostatitis/metabolismo , Semen/química , Enfermedad Crónica , Humanos , Magnesio/metabolismo , Masculino , Semen/metabolismo , Zinc/análisis , Zinc/metabolismoRESUMEN
Transgenic mice provide a unique tool for studying the tissue specificity and mutagenic potential of chemicals. Because 3-methylcholanthrene (3MC) was found mutagenic in bacteria, clastogenic in bone marrow, and induces DNA adducts in animals, we were interested to determinine whether this xenobiotic provokes (1) cell proliferation, (2) transcriptional activity changes, (3) DNA adducts, and (4) hepatic mutations in transgenic Big Blue mice carrying the lambdaLIZ phage shuttle vector. Big Blue C57/Bl male mice were treated with a single intraperitoneal dose of 80 mg/kg 3MC for 1, 3, 6, 14, or 30 days. Cell proliferation was checked by 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine labeling and immunohistochemical detection. The maximal increase of the mitotic index was evidenced after 3 days (2.9 times the control value; P < 0.01). The relative nucleus area, reflecting the transcriptional activity, was also the highest in the treated group after 3 days: 1.86 times the control value, on average (P < 0.01). Four major DNA adducts, determined according to the [(32)P]-postlabeling method, were evidenced in liver DNA of treated mice, 6 days after the treatment: the spot intensities increased in a time-dependent manner. The mutant frequency of liver DNA was the highest after 14 days: 20.3 +/- 2.9 x 10(-5) in the treated vs. 7.6 +/- 2.7 x 10(-5) in the control mice (P < 0.01). Sequencing of the lambda lacI mutant plaques showed mainly G:C --> T:A and C:G --> A:T transversions. In conclusion, 3MC at first induced nuclear enlargement and a slight increase of cell proliferation in liver, followed by parallel formation of DNA adducts and mutations. This study shows how transgenic models allow in vivo evaluation of mechanistically simultaneous endpoints.
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Proteínas de Escherichia coli , Hígado/efectos de los fármacos , Metilcolantreno/toxicidad , Mutágenos/toxicidad , Animales , Proteínas Bacterianas/genética , Secuencia de Bases , División Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Aductos de ADN , Cartilla de ADN , Represoras Lac , Hígado/citología , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Ratones Transgénicos , Mutación , Tamaño de los Órganos , Proteínas Represoras/genéticaRESUMEN
The presence of the c-erbB2 oncoprotein was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in a study involving 173 mammary lesions. The lesions included infiltrating cancers, non-invasive neoplasia, as well as atypical and benign lesions. Our aim was to investigate the correlation between the c-erbB2 oncoprotein overexpression and the morphological features of the different mammary tissues analyzed to obtain a better characterization for the growth potential of certain lesions, with emphasis placed on the non-invasive neoplasia and the atypical lesions. Nearly 30% of infiltrating ductal carcinomas (27/89 cases) and 2 out of 24 infiltrating lobular carcinomas were positive. The comedocarcinomas were mostly stained (83%). In contrast, the intraductal carcinomas of cribriform or papillar patterns were consistently negative. No staining was observed in the atypical epithelial hyperplasia located in the vicinity of positive cancers for anti-oncoprotein c-erbB2 antibody. Furthermore, the only 5 positive cases for c-erbB2 out of 32 cancer-free cases were three fibroadenomas and two fibrocystic diseases with atypical ductal hyperplasia. A close correlation was thus observed between c-erbB2 oncoprotein overexpression and cancerous cell morphology, characterized by a marked nuclear hypertrophy often associated with cellular pleomorphism. However, predictive abnormalities of malignant transformation in non-neoplastic epithelial proliferation was difficult to identify, considering only the c-erbB2 expression. A group of tumors with little nuclear abnormalities were found positive for c-erbB2 immunostaining. These probably corresponded to a particular cellular phenotype. Further studies involving other oncogenes should lead to a better characterization of the different tumor phenotypes and help to clarify breast carcinogenesis.
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Neoplasias de la Mama/clasificación , Neoplasias de la Mama/metabolismo , Receptor ErbB-2/análisis , Neoplasias de la Mama/diagnóstico , Carcinoma Ductal de Mama/clasificación , Carcinoma Ductal de Mama/diagnóstico , Carcinoma Ductal de Mama/metabolismo , Femenino , Humanos , Inmunohistoquímica , Receptor ErbB-2/inmunologíaRESUMEN
A nose-only inhalation chamber is described: this chamber being computer automated has been particularly designed for mice on which it was validated using a crocidolite aerosol at a nominal concentration of 13.6 mg/m3, 6 h/day during 5 days. A month later the mice showed typical inflammatory bronchoalveolar liquids with many polynucleated or activated macrophages and asbestos bodies. The burden of crocidolite fibers ranged from 345,000 to 1,300,000 fibers per mg of dried lung. This study demonstrates that during the month that followed a short-term mice exposure to crocidolite fibers, the inflammatory response was still persistent. These toxicological endpoints validate the nose-only inhalation chamber to be useful for common or transgenic mice.
Asunto(s)
Asbesto Crocidolita/toxicidad , Líquido del Lavado Bronquioalveolar/citología , Pulmón/patología , Administración por Inhalación , Animales , Asbesto Crocidolita/administración & dosificación , Asbesto Crocidolita/análisis , Líquido del Lavado Bronquioalveolar/química , Macrófagos Alveolares/ultraestructura , Masculino , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos BALB C , Microscopía Electrónica , Microscopía Electrónica de Rastreo , Fibras Minerales/toxicidad , Nebulizadores y Vaporizadores , Tamaño de la Partícula , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Factor de Necrosis Tumoral alfa/biosíntesisRESUMEN
Marshall's observation that "toxicology goes molecular", is turning out to be more true than ever; namely as it is observed that toxicological endpoints are the point of interaction between proteins and genes following the administration of toxicants. Transgenic mice represent a valuable tool for studying the adverse effects of chemicals in genetically engineered animals such as p53 deficient mice, or mice carrying the v-Ha-ras oncogene. The latter were used in our laboratory for such toxicological assessments of chemicals. In order to verify that the transgene was expressed in normal, as well as in tumor cells, the transgene was detected in different tissues fixed with various solutions using in situ hybridization. It was also specifically retrotranscribed from paraffin-embedded tissues and consequently sequenced using a Taq polymerase reaction. We found that the transgene was expressed in various organs. It carries a specific mutation of codon 12 leading to the activation of its encoded product (transducin: p21v-Ha-ras). Moreover using a laser scanning densitometer, it has been demonstrated that 2 to 3 copies of the transgene were present per genome-equivalent in some tissues. All experiments were realized using non-radioactive labelling and detection (chemiluminescent or colorigenic) methods. Indeed, the screening of such animals was realized in a easier and a safer manner using the methods described in this paper than the usual methods based on the use of radiolabelled precursors.
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Genes ras , Técnicas Genéticas , Ratones Transgénicos/genética , Animales , Secuencia de Bases , Cartilla de ADN/genética , ADN de Neoplasias/genética , Femenino , Amplificación de Genes , Expresión Génica , Hibridación in Situ , Masculino , Neoplasias Mamarias Experimentales/genética , Ratones , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa , RadioisótoposRESUMEN
A quantitative method of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using both digoxigenin and radioactive labelled probes has been used for the detection of the c-erbB-2 proto-oncogene amplification in breast carcinomas with formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections. c-erbB-2 proto-oncogene amplification has been demonstrated in 14 infiltrating ductal carcinomas. The technique consisted of the co-amplification of c-erbB-2 and IFN-gamma (interferon-gamma) genes. The latter was considered as a single copy gene per genome-equivalent. The aim of this study was to compare two quantitative PCR techniques based on the incorporation of either digoxigenin-11-dUTP or 32P-dCTP, during amplification. For the colorigenic method, using the Dig system, after electrophoresis and transfer, the specific bands were revealed with a chromogenic substrate of phosphatase. Their intensity estimated by scanning photometry following blot transparisation. After electrophoresis, the radioactive gel was submitted to radioautography and the band intensities evaluated by scanning spectrophotometry. For the 14 samples, a good agreement between both methods was noted. The colorigenic method is a valuable alternative to radiolabelling due to: i) time saving, ii) reagent conservation, iii) safe manipulation and iv) sensitivity of the same order for both methods.
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Neoplasias de la Mama/genética , Amplificación de Genes , Genes erbB-2 , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa/métodos , Secuencia de Bases , Carcinoma Ductal de Mama/genética , Colorimetría , Cartilla de ADN/genética , ADN de Neoplasias/genética , Digoxigenina , Estudios de Evaluación como Asunto , Femenino , Humanos , Interferón gamma/genética , Sondas Moleculares , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Radioisótopos de Fósforo , Proto-Oncogenes MasRESUMEN
An overexpression of the c-erbB-2 oncoprotein has been demonstrated in the breast cancer and has been associated with a poor prognosis. Our study involved 23 cases of mammary Paget's disease which was found to be associated with the intraductal carcinomas in 13 cases, the intraductal carcinomas supposed micro-invasive in 2 cases, the infiltrating ductal carcinomas with predominant intraductal component in 6 cases and the infiltrating ductal carcinomas in 2 cases. The presence of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein has been determined immunohistochemically with 3 different antibodies: rabbit anti-human c-erbB-2 oncoprotein A485 (Dako), c-erbB-2 oncoprotein (internal domain) mouse monoclonal antibody NCL-CB11 (Novocastra), and c-erbB-2 oncoprotein (external domain) mouse monoclonal antibody NCL-CBE1 (Novocastra). An overexpression of the c-erbB-2 oncoprotein has been observed in 21 of the 23 studied cases. We noted an intense membrane staining in the intraepidermal or intraglandular tumour cells of mammary Paget's disease. Any staining has been observed in 2 cases with glandular component of pure intraductal type. These results are identical whatever the antibody used. In a previous study concerning mammary Paget's disease, it has been noted a correlation between this overexpression and presence of large malignant cells. We also have found this notion in mammary Paget's disease where the c-erbB-2 positive neoplastic cells in the different tumour components were large with prominent cytoplasm. The obtained results argue strongly for adenocarcinomatous origin for mammary Paget's disease and exhibit that the overexpression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein was not constantly in correlation with a poor prognosis.
Asunto(s)
Neoplasias de la Mama/química , Carcinoma Ductal de Mama/química , Carcinoma Intraductal no Infiltrante/química , Enfermedad de Paget Mamaria/química , Receptor ErbB-2/análisis , Anticuerpos Monoclonales , Neoplasias de la Mama/inmunología , Neoplasias de la Mama/patología , Carcinoma Ductal de Mama/inmunología , Carcinoma Ductal de Mama/patología , Carcinoma Intraductal no Infiltrante/inmunología , Carcinoma Intraductal no Infiltrante/patología , Femenino , Humanos , Inmunohistoquímica , Enfermedad de Paget Mamaria/inmunología , Enfermedad de Paget Mamaria/patologíaRESUMEN
In Togo, since 1940, yaws declared endemic has been controlled after the 1956 and 1961 eradication campaign. Nowadays, unfortunately, the mutilating treponematosis has reappeared in force. Hence, Togolese Health Officers are in search of ways and means to eradicate the disease so as to prevent handicaps for future generations.
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Buba/epidemiología , Humanos , Togo/epidemiología , Buba/prevención & controlRESUMEN
After several years of control effort using multidrug therapy, there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. There remain, however, many obstacles preventing the Programme from achieving a better health status for sufferers. The Togo Government, in cooperation with its partners, is preparing a National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Action Plan.