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Background In countries where hepatitis B virus (HBV) is endemic, including Senegal, the World Health Organization recommends systematic HBV screening of pregnant women and vaccination at birth to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT). This study investigated healthcare workers' (HCW) knowledge and practices regarding HBV prevention and care in the rural region of Fatick in Senegal, as well as challenges they faced in implementing prevention activities related to HBV MTCT. Methods A mixed-methods survey was conducted between May-July 2017 among 112 HCW working in 15 healthcare facilities in two districts of the Fatick region using face-to-face questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics and chi-square/Mann-Whitney tests were used to analyze quantitative data, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Results The study population included 87 HCW in the quantitative component (83% women, median age [interquartile range, IQR] = 35 [31-40] years) and 11 in the qualitative component. A knowledge gap was observed in key areas of HBV infection: only 24, 51 and 38%, respectively, correctly reported that early HBV acquisition is associated with a high risk of developing chronic infection, that perinatal transmission is one of the main modes of HBV transmission in Senegal, and that three to four doses of HBV vaccine are required to ensure immunization in children. Despite good acceptability of systematic screening of pregnant women and vaccination at birth, only 48% of HCW mainly involved in prenatal care and 71% of those involved exclusively in vaccination routinely performed these two key interventions. HCW reported several structural barriers that may hinder their implementation: a lack of training in HBV and in counseling, poor availability of rapid diagnostic tests (RDT), high costs of both screening and treatment, a lack of adequate information on treatment options and missed opportunities for vaccination at birth. Conclusions HCW working in the Fatick region may be insufficiently trained and supported to effectively implement HBV prevention strategies. Our findings suggest an urgent need to strengthen MTCT prevention in this region, by improving HCW knowledge in key areas of HBV infection, providing RDT and antiviral treatment at low cost, and enhancing community-based interventions for the timely vaccination of newborns.

Introduction Though Senegal has one of the highest estimated prevalence rates of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection worldwide, epidemiological data in the general population are lacking and consequences of the infection remain undocumented. The ANRS-12356 AmBASS study aims at evaluating the health and socioeconomic burden of chronic HBV infection at the individual, household and population level. Its specific objectives are (1) to document the epidemiology of chronic HBV infection, including prevalence and risk factors; (2) to assess the acceptability of home-based testing and first clinic visit; (3) to investigate the repercussions of chronic HBV infection on living conditions; and (4) to estimate the public health impact of chronic HBV infection at the population level and the feasibility of a decentralised model of HBV test and treat. Methods and analysis This multidisciplinary cross-sectional survey includes a twofold data collection: (1) home-based screening using dried blood spot (DBS) sampling and collection of sociodemographic, economic and behavioural data, and (2) additional clinical and biological data collection in chronic HBV carriers at the first clinic visit. The prevalence of chronic HBV infection will be estimated in the general population and in key subgroups. Risk factors for HBV acquisition in children will be explored using case-control analysis. HBV burden will be assessed through comparisons of health and economic outcomes between households affected by the disease versus non-affected households. Last, an economic evaluation will assess costs and health benefits of scaling-up HBV care. Ethics and dissemination This study was approved by the Senegalese National Ethical Committee for Research in Health, and received authorisation from the Senegalese Ministry of Health and the French Commission on Information Technology and Liberties (Senegalese Protocol Number: SEN17/15). The study results will be presented in peer-review journals, international conferences and at a workshop with national stakeholders in order to contribute to the design of programmes to address the HBV pandemic.

International audience; We report the case of a 21-month-old child suffering from pulmonary fibrosis, who presented with acute respiratory distress and liver damage, due to an accidental overdose of intravenous lipid emulsion. This poisoning is a rare entity, whose potential severity and almost exclusive iatrogenic effect deserve to be remembered. (C) 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

International audience; We present a new numerical surface process model allowing us to take into account submarine erosion processes due either to submarine landslides or to hyperpycnal currents. A first set of models show that the frequency of hyperpycnal flows influences the development of submarine canyons at the mouth of continental rivers. Further experiments show that an increase in submarine slope leads to faster regressive canyon erosion and a more dentritic canyon network, whereas increasing the height of the unstable sediment pile located on the shelf break leads to wider and less dendritic canyons. The models are then applied to the western segment of the north Ligurian margin (northwestern Mediterranean), which displays numerous submarine canyons with various sizes and morphologies. From west to east, canyon longitudinal profiles as well as margin-perpendicular profiles progressively change from moderately steep, concave-up shapes to steeper linear to convex-up shapes suggesting increasing eastward margin uplift. Moreover, the foot of the margin is affected by a marked slope increase with evidences of mass transport due to landslides. Numerical models which reproduce well the North Ligurian margin morphologic features indicate that the western part of the margin is submitted to rather low (i.e. 0.4 mm yr−1) uplift and intense submarine erosion due to frequent hyperpycnal currents, whereas the eastern part bears more rapid (i.e. 0.7 mm yr−1) uplift and has little or no hyperpycnal currents. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Magnesium hydride was successfully deposited by reactive plasma sputtering on graphite and polyimide foil flexible substrates. As the same time as this study, deposition was also done on silicon nitride substrate. XRD analysis revealed an as-deposited thin film consisting of tetragonal magnesium hydride P42/mnm (a = b = 4.5170 Å; c = 3.0205 Å) and hexagonal magnesium P63/mmc (a = b = 3.2094 Å; c = 5.2112 Å). Thin films hydrogen sorption properties were studied using a HERA volumetric (Sieviert type) apparatus. Sample deposited on graphite was cycled 28 times (70 h) and sample deposited on silicon nitride was cycled 15 times (137 h). Desorption was done under a hydrogen pressure of 4 kPa and absorption was done under 1040 kPa. Temperature was maintained at 350 and 300°C respectively. For practical reasons, absorptions were cycled in automatic mode at approximately 86 % of their final value for sample deposited on graphite. First desorption last respectively 2 and 4 times longer than following absorptions and desorptions. Good cycling stability was observed for sample deposited on graphite. From hydrogen quantity desorbed during first desorption, deduction of respectively 73 and 85 % magnesium hydride as-deposited thin film proportion was made. For sample deposited on graphite, SEM observations revealed a microstructure after cycling made of porous aggregates. Two different grain sizes were revealed: 2 μm-sized grains which could correspond to magnesium hydride, and 300 nm-sized grains which could correspond to magnesium. After cycling, an interface was formed between silicon nitride and magnesium hydride thin film. TEM analysis was done and electronic diffraction pattern analysis revealed that interface was amorphous. Electronic diffraction pattern analysis was also done on the thin film after cycling showing that it was constituted of 30 nm-sized magnesium grains and 8 nm-sized magnesium hydride grains.

International audience; Although there is a common agreement on the importance of conservation of Mediterranean submarine canyons amongst international organizations, their governance is complex: the canyons' extension covers waters and seabeds under various types of jurisdictions (territorial waters, Fisheries Protection Zone, Ecological Protection Zone, including delimitation issues). Conservation of deep-sea features, such as canyons, requires improving our understanding of the biological and ecological role of these ecosystems, threats and conservation issues, limits and chances of national and international jurisdictions. This report has been written with the intention of meeting this need by reviewing interdisciplinary contributions of experts from various Mediterranean countries.

International audience; Periphytic diatoms are an important phototrophic component of river biofilm and are used in situ for the bioindication of pollution as well as in laboratory ecotoxicological tests to assess the toxicity of contaminants. In spring 2009, phototrophic biofilm samples mostly com-posed of diatoms were collected in a small river and their sensitivity to the herbicide diuron was estimated via pho-tosynthesis bioassays. A large difference in tolerance to diuron was demonstrated between two periphytic communities from an upstream unpolluted site and a down-stream site subjected to high seasonal contamination by pesticides. The comparison of diatom community struc-ture between sites revealed important variations of the relative abundance of some species which could explain this difference. Consequently, some of these species were isolated from the river in autumn when toxic pressure was low, and kept in culture for more than six months in uncontaminated water. Acute toxicity tests of diuron based on growth inhibition were then performed on each spe-cies. Surprisingly the sensitivities of the species as esti-mated by EC50 were almost the same. However two strains of another species that could be isolated from each site of the river showed significant differences in toler-ance to diuron and copper, another contaminant of the river. These results suggest the importance of adaptation at the intraspecific level in the induction of periphytic community tolerance to toxicants. Thus, they portend difficulties to fairly assess toxic pollution effects in situ with classical bioindication field methods at the community level.

3rd International Conference on EnvironmentalManagement, Engineering, Planning and Economics (CEMEPE 2011) & SECOTOX Conference, Skiathos, GRC, 19-/06/2011 - 24/06/2011; International audience; Periphytic diatoms are an important phototrophic component of river biofilm and are used in situ for the bioindication of pollution as well as in laboratory ecotoxicological tests to assess the toxicity of contaminants. In spring 2009, phototrophic biofilm samples composed mostly of diatoms were collected in a small river and their sensitivity to the herbicide diuron was estimated via photosynthesis bioassays. A large difference in tolerance to diuron was demonstrated between two periphytic communities from an upstream unpolluted site and a downstream site subjected to high seasonal contamination by pesticides. The comparison of diatom community structure between sites revealed important variations of the relative abundance of some species which could explain this difference. Consequently, some of these species were isolated from the river in autumn when toxic pressure was low, and kept in culture for more than six months in uncontaminated water. Acute toxicity tests of diuron based on growth inhibition were then performed on each species. Surprisingly the sensitivities of the species as estimated by EC50 were almost the same. However two strains of another species that could be isolated from each site of the river showed significant differences in tolerance to diuron and copper, another contaminant of the river. These results suggest the importance of adaptation at the intraspecific level in the induction of periphytic community tolerance to toxicants and the probably low sensitivity of bioindication methods to assess river contaminations.

[Departement_IRSTEA]Eaux [TR1_IRSTEA]BELCA; International audience; Two special issues on "Diatoms" (2010 vol. 60(2) and (3)) follow and integrate results exposed at the 28th ADLaF colloquium held in Banyuls during 7-10 september 2009.

International audience

International audience; Les taux de multiplication d'espèces provenant de biofilms plurispécifiques de terrain et de laboratoire, exposés ou non à une contamination chronique en cadmium, ont été déterminés. On observe une perte de la relation allométrique (i.e. entre vitesse de croissance et taille cellulaire) chez les espèces soumises à un stress métallique. Certaines espèces sensibles subissent une réduction de leurs taux de croissance, tandis que la reproduction des espèces plus tolérantes est favorisée, et ce que l'on étudie des populations issues du milieu naturel ou des canaux artificiels.

It is becoming increasing obvious that the transmission of information is crucial in the global scientific context. One only has to link of the consultation of type specimens from a diatom herbarium or the verification of an identification through electronic consultation of a photographic library. Computerized databases on diatoms could become indispensable tools supporting taxonomic uniformity. We are highlighting some advance in the field of electronic archiving diatom information and this should be regarded only as a short review. Examples are taken from various countries who have created electronic databases on diatoms. At the beginning of this new millennium, we will assist in a proliferation of websites devoted to diatom research. If we work together, we can develop the basis for a new era of research in diatomology, accord greater importance to computerizing the databases and ensuring their transmissibility to our colleagues all over the world., Il devient de plus en plus évident que la transmission d'information est primordiale dans le contexte scientifique global. Il suffit de penser tout simplement à la consultation des spécimens types d'herbier de diatomées ou encore à la vérification d'une identification par la consultation d'une photothèque par voie électronique. Des bases informatisées sur les diatomées peuvent devenir des outils indispensables permettant de supporter une uniformité taxonomique. Cet article se veut une brève revue des bases de données existantes sur les diatomées et, pour cette raison, nous avons surtout mis en évidence les récents avancements technologiques dans le domaine de l'archivage électronique des données sur les diatomées. Des exemples ont été puisés dans divers pays qui ont créé de telles bases de données électroniques sur les diatomées. A l'aube de ce nouveau millénaire, nous allons assister à une prolifération de sites électroniques voués aux diatomées. En travaillant ensemble, il nous sera possible d'élaborer les fondements d'une nouvelle ère de recherche en diatomologie, d'accorder une part plus importante à l'informatisation des bases de données et d'en assurer la transmissibilité auprès de nos collègues du monde entier.

International audience