[Representations of high blood pressure in France: An exploratory study]. / Représentations de l'hypertension artérielle : étude exploratoire en France.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Non-adherence to treatment is one of the problems practitioners face with regard to hypertension. This lack of compliance is often attributed to disease representations. Understanding their nature can therefore help to better target therapeutic education messages and thus, increase compliance. METHOD: It is in this context that the « groupe infirmiers et acteurs de la SFHTA ¼ initiated a qualitative exploratory study of the representations of arterial hypertension in France. The study covered three sites: Bordeaux, Lyon and Nancy. Interviews with patients were conducted by the members of the group. Questions included the disease definition, its causes and consequences. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim; they were analyzed with Nvivo pro® 11 software. RESULTS: HTA is discovered accidentally. Patients define the disease according to their experience of symptoms, their perceptions of risks and the disease's consequences. The thresholds of systolic and diastolic blood pressure are unknown; most of the patients ignore their levels of both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Besides, the fluctuating levels of blood pressure and conflicting messages about "lifestyle" generate confusion. HTA remains associated with stress. Regarding the burden of the disease, having to take a daily medication engendered anxieties, before being integrated into daily routines. The study also showed that patients have the desire to "pay attention" to their diet primarily. CONCLUSION: This study showed the need to strengthen the training of health professionals and harmonize educational messages, which would allow patients to integrate new recommendations without stress.

[Delivery outcome of adolescents in Far North Cameroon]. / Accouchement des adolescentes à l'Extrême Nord du Cameroun: des proportions inadmissibles!

UNLABELLED: Delivery in teenager is associated with increased risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of teenagers (10-19 years or less) to the total number of deliveries over a 10 year period in the Maroua provincial hospital (Cameroon) This was a retrospective study. The deliveries of 3.328 teenagers were analysed as far as their contribution to the deliveries is concerned and how this contribution changed with time from 01/01/1995 to 31/12/2004 at the Provincial Hospital Maroua (Cameroon). Analyses were performed using Excel and Epi Info 6. The chietaiota2 tests of the tendency, taking in account all ten age groups, was used to appreciate the phenomenon over time. This trend was considered significant if p<0.05. RESULTS: During the study period 13.026 women delivered, 489 cases were excluded because the age was not specified. Finally, 3.328 teenagers were analysed out of a total of 12537 cases, as far as their contribution to the number of deliveries from 1995 to 2004 in the Maroua provincial hospital. Teenagers contributed for 26,54% of total deliveries in Maroua Provincial Hospital, (Cameroon). Teenagers of 16 and less contributed for 7,58%, and those aged 17 to 19 years contributed for 18,25%. We found out that the trend over the study period, has not changed (p>0.05). This study emphasizes the need of redynamisation of adolescents health services in Extreme North Cameroon. Studies should be done to determine the impact of young age on the delivery outcome.

Reversible antispermatogenic and antifertility activities of Mondia whitei L. in male albino rat.

Chronic administration of Mondia whitei L. root bark extract (400 mg/kg/day) for 55 days caused testicular lesions resulting in the cessation of spermatogenesis, degenerative changes in the seminiferous tubules and epididymides. The wet weight of the seminal vesicle increased, whereas the weights of testes, epididymides and ventral prostate were unchanged. The treatment also resulted in a partial antifertility effect, and an increase in the protein content of the testes and epididymides. The cholesterol contents of the testes were significantly elevated after 55 days, whereas testosterone and 17beta-oestradiol contents of the testes were unchanged. Serum protein was elevated but serum testosterone was unchanged. A recovery period resulted in normal spermatogenesis and fertility, suggesting reversible antispermatogenic and antifertility effects of the plant.

Effects of aqueous extracts of Hibiscus macranthus and Basella alba in mature rat testis function.

Mature male albino Wistar rats (180-220 g) were given by gastric intubation Hibiscus macranthus Hochst A ex Rich (Malvaceae) and Basella alba L. (Basellaceae) aqueous extract from both fresh and dry leaves, at a dose equivalent to 0.720 or 0.108 g of plant, respectively per kg body weight. This was to evaluate their effects on male reproductive function. Control groups were treated equally, but given water instead of the extract. After the treatment periods, animals were killed, their blood collected, the testes and some annex glands removed for histological and biochemical analysis. Results showed that the extract from fresh leaves significantly increased the body weight of rats by 17% from day 7 as compared to controls, whereas the increase was less pronounced (4%) when the rats were given dry leaf extract. The weight of seminal vesicles of rats given the extracts also increased after 15 days. The histological analysis of testis showed abundant spermatozoa in the lumen of the seminiferous tubulus from day 7 in rats fed with the extract when compared to the controls. The serum level of testosterone was significantly increased on the 15th day by 80% in rats given both types of extracts compared to the controls. Testis of treated rats showed high testosterone production in vitro (136 and 62%, respectively for treated and control after 15 days, compared to those of 3 days). Activity of prostatic acid phosphatase was high in prostate, testis and serum of treated rats in all experimental period. From these findings and observation, it was concluded that the aqueous extract of H. macranthus and B. alba had anabolizing and virilizing effects.

Role des programmes de SMI/PF dans la lutte contre la fecondite

En Afrique; la plupart des adolescents ne savent pas grand-chose des problemes de sexualite et de reproduction. Or les infections genitales sont la cause majeure des infecondites secondaires dont la prevalence est plus elevee dans nos pays que l'infecondite primaire. Ainsi; tout programme dont l'objectif est la prevention de ces infections doit s'adresser a la population cible chez qui ces facteurs ont un impact important. Cette population n'est evidemment que celle des jeunes. Pour etre efficace; cette education des jeunes qui pourrait se faire directement ou indirectement par les services de planning familial et la sante maternelle et infantile

Maternal serum alpha fetoprotein screening test in routine antenatal care : Is it cost effective in Cameroon?

Screening test for maternal serum alpha feoto-protein (MS-AFP) in routine antenatal care is compulsory in most developed countries to detect neural tube defect (NTD). With the cost of suck a programme; there was a need to evaluate its need in our environment. A high risk clinic was choosen for the recruitment of the subjects to maximize the risk. Incidence of NTD could be considered to be low in Cameroon compared to countries where screening for MS-AFP is compulsory. Coupled with the low socio-economic status of our population and the lack of infrastructures; we could conclude that this screening test on a routine basis is not cost-effective

"Custom" synthesis of radioligands for RIA through activated esters. I. Testosterone.

The current method labeling small molecules for radioimmunoassay by coupling iodohistamine to haptens through a mixed anhydride reaction is unacceptable to clinical laboratories. Therefore, we propose the use of a simple two-step procedure: treatment of 125I-2-iodohistamine with the activated ester of a small molecule followed by thin layer chromatography to remove unlabeled ligand. Only one radioactive substance, 125I-2-iodohistamine, need be stocked, and the availability of labeled ligands is limited only by the number of nonradioactive activated esters. This principle is illustrated by the use of testosterone. N-Hydroxysuccinimidyl esters of testosterone hemisuccinate and of testosterone-3-carboxymethyloxime were coupled to 2-iodohistamine, 125I-2-iodohistamine or to 125I-2,5-diiodohistamine. Optimum conditions required reaction of 20-50 fold molar excess of ester in 75 microL of tetrahydrofuran with iodohistamine in 75 microL of buffer at pH 8.5 for 30 min at 4 degrees. The reaction mixture was applied directly to a pre-absorbent TLC plate coated with silica gel and run in the system, benzene:ethanol:acetic acid, 75:24:1 (v:v:v). The desired radioligand was eluted in 85% yield.

The synthesis of 125I-2-iodohistamine for radioimmunoassay.

Recently radioactively labeled iodohistamines have been claimed to have superior shelf-life to the iodophenols more commonly used in radioimmunoassay of small molecules. This claim is based largely on theoretical considerations; no systematic study has appeared. We found that iodination of histamine on a macroscale proceeds rapidly at pH 7-8.4 to yield principally 2-iodohistamine. With a large excess of iodine, substantial diiodination can be achieved. In 0.5 N sodium hydroxide solution, triiodination produces 1,2,5-triiodohistamine; the N-I bond, however, is somewhat labile. 125I-2,5-Diiodohistamine is also somewhat unstable, having a first order decomposition rate of 1.6 X 10(-3) day-1 (t1/2, 182 days), while 125I-2-iodohistamine shows a barely perceptible change in 60 days (7.5 X 10(-5) day-1). The assignment of the first iodine introduced to C-2 is based on a comparison of the NMR spectra of monoiodohistamine and histamine. Iodination with carrier-free iodine-125 using the Hunter-Greenwood procedure (chloramine-T) produces a 76% yield of mono- and a 19% yield of diiodo product which are easily isolable by a single TLC using silica gel in the solvent system, ethanol:ethyl ether:water, 5:5:2.