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Late presentation of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) presents usually after the neonatal period and often misdiagnosed for other respiratory pathologies. It is crucial to differentiate late presentation of CDH from other potential causes of respiratory distress and gastrointestinal symptoms. Herein, we present 2 cases of delayed presentation of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in infants. Initially, both cases were managed as respiratory conditions in outpatient settings, with no significant improvement. The correct diagnosis was eventually made through radiological evaluation at our tertiary centre, leading to successful surgical management. Delayed presentation of CDH beyond the neonatal period is rare, owing to the wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. Early diagnosis and surgical management are crucial to reduce morbidity and mortality, making a high index of suspicion essential for timely intervention.

BACKGROUND: Tirofiban has been shown to be superior to aspirin in achieving functional independence at 3 months for acute ischemic stroke of atheromatous or microatheromatous origin. As intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) has previously been shown to be nonsuperior to aspirin in achieving functional independence at 3 months for anterior choroidal or paramedian pontine infarction (ACI/PPI), we aimed to compare the outcomes of Caucasian patients receiving IVT plus tirofiban (IVT + T) with those receiving tirofiban alone for acute ACI/PPI. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in patients aged ≥ 18 years with ACI/PPI treated in our stroke unit between December 1, 2020, and April 30, 2023, who received therapeutic intervention within 9 hours of symptom onset or after awakening with stroke symptoms. Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ≤ 1 at 3 months was the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints were National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) ≤ 2 at day 7 or discharge and post-procedural neurological deterioration (PPND) within 72 hours. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) and major systemic bleeding (MSB) were the safety measures of the study. RESULTS: A total of 24 patients were enrolled in the tirofiban group and 43 patients in the IVT + T group. Compared to tirofiban alone, IVT + T was associated with a higher probability of achieving mRS ≤1 at 3 months (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 8.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.06–37.52; P = 0.003) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale ≤2 at day 7 or discharge (aOR, 3.70; 95% CI, 1.05–12.99; P = 0.041). No significant difference was seen between the two groups in preventing postprocedural neurological deterioration. One case of SICH and two cases of MSB occurred in the IVT + T group and no cases in the tirofiban group. One case of inhospital mortality was recorded in the IVT + T group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that IVT + T may be safe and effective in Caucasian patients with acute ACI/PPI.

In order to achieve a sustainable, low-carbon energy future, it is necessary to develop innovative and integrated solutions. However, one of the main obstacles to the advancement of renewable energy is storage. With this in mind, hybrid systems combining solar energy and hydrogen production have great potential. This article focuses on the evaluation of a solar PV/T (photovoltaic-thermal) system coupled with an electrolyser for the joint production of hydrogen and heat. Simulations are performed in MATLAB. The analysis reveals that with PV/T power supply, the production potential is estimated at 179.6 W and 551.9 W respectively for electrical and thermal power. An in-depth study aimed at optimizing the system by evaluating the quality of the energy used in the water electrolysis process makes it possible to analyze the effect of certain operating parameters. With a water flow of 5.7 ×10−3 m3/h, a current density of 200 mA/ cm2 and an electrolyzer temperature of 60 °C, the monthly production of hydrogen and oxygen reaches the maximum values of 4.85 m3 and 2.42 m3 respectively. This led to a maximum exergy efficiency of 57.8 %. This study demonstrates the linearity between hydrogen production and current density which at high density reduces exergy performance.

This article presents the suitability analysis of onshore wind farm sites using an AHP (Hierarchical Analysis Process) multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach based on geographic information system modeling (GIS). It is based on different technical aspects (wind speed, elevation, slope), economic (proximity to the electricity network, proximity to roads) and social (proximity to residential areas, population density). The introduction of the factor “population density” and the constraint “required area” rarely used in previous studies makes it possible to refine the results. The data is classified into several categories in a gradual manner, namely unsuitable (0); less suitable (1); suitable (2); highly suitable (3) and most suitable (4). The results show us that the largest percentage relating to spatial coverage is observed in the “suitable” range with 50.89 % and the corresponding theoretical wind power potential (TWPP) is 1377.926 GW; it is followed by “highly suitable” 5.67 % and a TWPP of 153.652 GW; then “less suitable” with 1.04 % and a TWPP of 28.163 GW. No areas were identified in “most suitable” and finally the “unsuitable” range with 42.4 %. Also, the most favorable areas are located in the part of the far north of the country corresponding to the strong wind zone. The sensitivity analysis was carried out based on scenario tests (technical, economic and equal-weight) in order to give greater visibility of choice to the different stakeholders who would like to invest in onshore wind energy in Cameroon. Furthermore, a study of hybrid solar-wind systems could improve the efficiency of electricity parks in Cameroon.

An effective teaching contributes to the students' performance and this depends on qualified-trained teachers, school administration, parents and conducive environment for teaching and learning. It is proven that students are more successful in their academic achievements, in the societies where teachers perceive their profession as their job. This paper explores the impact of the society's perception on teachers' professionalism. The method employed in this paper is qualitative by using interview technique and used audio-recorded to ensure a complete transcript. The result indicated that in some developing countries including Cameroon, Kenya and Fiji has various reasons for their job. Teaching profession was affected by how the society considers teachers whereby they are perceived as disadvantaged population who cannot fully take part in the social and economic activities due to the fact that their salary is very low compared other public servants. This low salary and loss of respect of teachers by the society lead to the job dissatisfaction and made the teaching profession as a transitional job before waiting to move to another different professional field.

With the aim of diversifying different energy sources and achieving net zero emissions, hybrid renewable energy sources (HRES) represent the future of the world. However, several HRES simulation software do not integrate the Photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system. This article designs an optimal design model for a tri-hybrid Photovoltaic/thermal/hydroelectric (PV/T/H) system for a rural locality in the North Cameroon region. The two Demand Side Management (DSM) strategies used reveal that the DSM strategy significantly reduced the energy cost by 59 % and the emission by CO2 22 % compared to the No-DSM mode. Although the use of battery storage (BSS) is used in both cases, the optimal solutions obtained thanks to the multi-objective optimization method implemented on Matlab led to 418 PV/T panels, 2 MH generators, 2 diesel generators (DG) and 217 PV/T panels and 1 DG for DSM and No-DSM mode respectively. This study is a demonstration of the effect of dynamic tariffs and active demand management technologies on PV/T/H modeling and optimization. It also reveals the need to hybridize PV/T with other energy systems to increase performance and achieve net zero emissions.

The Stirling refrigerator is a device capable of using green energies such as solar power. In this work, a refrigerator-Stirling/photovoltaic system is proposed to harness solar energy for cold production. The system consists of photovoltaic (PV) panels that capture solar energy and convert it into electricity, and a transmission belt linking the motor to the Stirling beta refrigerator to use the electricity for cooling purposes. The system is modeled on the basis of finite-dimensional thermodynamics, taking into account the refrigerator's internal and external irreversibilities. In addition, the wiring loss, dust coverage and shading of the photovoltaic system and the mechanical power loss of the Stirling refrigerator are taken into account in this model. Power equality has been considered as a system constraint. Finally, the effects of operational and design parameters on system performance are investigated. A numerical code is written in Matlab. The effects of PV module efficiency, Stirling regenerator efficiency and PV derating factor on system performance are quantified, also the optimum operating parameters obtained. The refrigerator-Stirling/photovoltaic has a high COP and a low cooling capacity, in contrast to the refrigerator-Stirling/Dish-Stirling. The optimum solar electric COP and maximum cooling rate are 0.7063 and 1413 W respectively at an optimum panel area of 2 m2. Optimum exergy efficiency is 38.5 % at fv = 0.1, ecological coefficient of performance (ECOP) is 20.3 % at N = 48 rot.s−1, optimum exergy destroyed is 33.31 W at K1 = 21.5 W.K−1. This system can be used to preserve vaccines in hospitals.

The use of nanofluids (NFs) as heat transfer fluids (HTFs) is one way of improving the thermal performance of parabolic trough solar collectors (PTSCs). This study presents a comparative analysis of the thermal performance of a PTSC using nanofluids as HTF. Two categories of nanoparticles (NPs) (green and conventional) and two base fluids (water and Syltherm 800) giving eight nanofluids are used in a one-dimensional quasi-static thermal model, simulated from a numerical code written in Matlab. After numerical validation of the proposed model, the comparative analysis in static and dynamic regimes linked to solar radiation shows that green NPs present not only differentiated positive but also negative effects on thermal performance depending on the base fluids compared to conventional NPs, and that the combination of green nanoparticles with high thermal capacity base fluids presents more positive than negative thermal effects. The impact of conventional NPs is more significant with water, at around 0.005 MWh, than with Syltherm 800, which averages around 0.002 MWh. The use of HTF configurations based on Syltherm 800 increases production by around 1 MWh more than that of water. HTF configurations based on Syltherm 800 generate around $0.004/kWh less than water on average. HTFs based on Syltherm 800 produce around 7.5 kgCO2/year more than water.

Background: The hemodynamic performance of cardiovascular medical devices and their potential to cause blood damage are critical factors in ensuring patient safety and device efficacy. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has emerged as a valuable tool for simulating blood flow within these devices and predicting the risk of blood damage.Objective: This study aims to utilize CFD simulations to evaluate the local hemodynamic performance of a particular implantable device and to provide precise predictions about likely adverse clinical effects, cutting-edge techniques like LDA or PIV must be accessible.Methods: A patient-specific CFD model of the cardiovascular system and medical devices was developed based on medical imaging data. Hemodynamic parameters such as shear stress and flow recirculation were computed to identify regions of potential blood damage. The simulations were validated against data.Results: The CFD simulations revealed intricate flow patterns and areas of concern within the medical devices. Elevated shear stresses and prolonged residence times were identified in certain regions, indicating a risk of blood damage (Figure 2). By quantifying these parameters, the study provided a comprehensive assessment of potential blood damage locations and severity levels.Conclusion: Computational Fluid Dynamics proved to be a robust approach for evaluating blood flow within cardiovascular devices and predicting potential blood damage. The study highlighted specific design modifications that could mitigate the risk of blood damage, thus contributing to the improvement of device safety. The integration of CFD with patient-specific data offers clinicians and engineers a powerful tool for optimizing cardiovascular device design and minimizing patient risk.

Abstract Hybrid PV/T (Photovoltaic/thermal) systems are a robust alternative to the limitations of PV panels and thermal collectors in energy production. Improving their performance is therefore necessary. This article presents a new configuration of hybrid photovoltaic and thermal (PV/T) air/water-CuO/MgO/TiO2 collector which is optimized by seeking a better combination of design parameters which maximize the exergy performance. An energy and exergy analysis of the system is carried out and a multi-objective optimization with the genetic algorithm is developed using Matlab. These to determine the values of these nine (9) design parameters such as collector tilt angle, collector area, center to center distance between tubes, inside and outside diameter of tubes and thicknesses of the cells, of the glass layer, of the insulation, of the absorber. The other parameters are taken constant and a set of optimal solutions are sought for 1000 generations. The comparison of the different numerical results from this article with the design parameters from previous work shows good agreement. It is observed that the total exergy efficiency is maximum between the values of 23.41–36.6% and the majority of the design parameters studied in general are minimum. The discussions deduced that the minimization of the components of the bi-fluid PV/T hybrid collector could reduce the losses inside the latter by favoring the cooling as well as the displacement of the heat at the back of the PV cell. This work shows that the mixture of water and ternary nanoparticles with a flow rate of 0.00575 kg/s cooled more than air at 0.008 kg/s, but the system performed better when the two fluids operated simultaneously at 0.0035 kg/s. Due to the requirement of optimal efficiency and minimum costs, the hybridization of nanoparticles presents better thermo-economic performances.

Agricultural productivity in the Great Lakes Countries of Central Africa, including Burundi, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, is affected by a wide range of diseases and pests which are mainly controlled by chemical pesticides. However, more than 30% of the pesticides used in the region are banned in European Union due to their high toxicity. Globally available safe and eco-friendly biological alternatives to chemicals are virtually non-existent in the region. Bacillus PGPR-based biocontrol products are the most dominant in the market and have proven their efficacy in controlling major plant diseases reported in the region. With this review, we present the current situation of disease and pest management and urge the need to utilize Bacillus-based control as a possible sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides. A repertoire of strains from the Bacillus subtilis group that have shown great potential to antagonize local pathogens is provided, and efforts to promote their use, as well as the search for indigenous and more adapted Bacillus strains to local agro-ecological conditions, should be undertaken to make sustainable agriculture a reality in the region.

Photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) hybrid systems have until now encountered a real problem of sustainability-energy-cost concordance. Faced with this situation, new types of designs are in full expansion aimed at filling the limits of some. This therefore involves a very appropriate decision-making process. The energy, exergy, economic, environmental, energo-environmental, exergo-environmental, enviro-economic, energy-enviro-economic, exergo-enviro-economic and ergonomic analysis is carried out on seven PV/T configurations and therefore the simplified models are presented for a better interpretation of the mechanisms from different perspectives and the integration of a selection algorithm. Thus, an optimal selection methodology using the hybridization of genetic algorithms and multi-objective optimization by particle swarms based on ten performance indicators is proposed. The results obtained with good convergence and precision allow us to observe that the Air PV/T model is better. However, the study shows good viability of PV/T models with a cost of energy and a return on investment time all lower than 0.1$/kWh and 3 years, respectively. Models with phase change materials (PCM) minimize thermal losses better than those with air, nanofluids or thermoelectric generator (TEG). The bifacial model stands out with a good energy-environmental balance compared to the water model which has a better durability index greater than 2.0 and a good ergonomic factor.

This paper aims to highlight the use of different heat transfer fluid (HTF) configurations based on vegetable oils in Parabolic Trough Solar Concentrator (PTSC). Rapeseed and jatropha oils as innovative heat transfer materials combined with SiO2 and Al2O3 to obtain six (6) HTF configurations are used in a 1-dimensional PTSC model. The thermophysical properties of the nanofluids are determined from correlations derived from the literature, using Gauss-Seidel method from a numerical code developed in Matlab software. Model validation is obtained. Thermal sensitivity analysis shows that the use of rapeseed increases the thermal efficiency of the PTSC by around 4.21 % compared with jatropha. The use of nanofluids reduces thermal losses within the system due to thermal gradients. For a fixed irradiance and each 1 %–4 % increase in volume fraction, thermal efficiency increases by around 1.96 % when Al2O3/rapeseed is used and by 0.47 % when SiO2/rapeseed is used compared with rapeseed. Similarly, thermal efficiency increases by around 1.98 % when Al2O3/jatropha is used and decreases by around 0.20 % when SiO2/jatropha is used compared with jatropha. However, the positive effects of nanoparticles on thermal conductivity alone are not always sufficient to improve thermal efficiency, and thermal effects on heat capacity should also be considered.

To assess the production potential, economic profitability and ecobalance of the photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system in Cameroon, different configurations of HTF based on water, vegetable and synthetic oils, coupled with different forms of titanium dioxide (TiO2) are used. A numerical code is written in Matlab. The PV/T model connected in direct contact PV-absorber is validated and a multi-objective optimization of the system is performed. The hourly evolution of PV cell temperature for the six HTF configurations revealed a value below 36 °C with Coton/TiO2. The platelets-and spherical-shaped nanoparticles increase the convection transfer coefficient between the fluids and the tubes. TiO2 showed a higher thermal influence in vegetable and synthetic oils than in water at a volume concentration of 4 %. The cotton/TiO2 configuration showed a 12.08 % improvement in electrical efficiency over conventional PV systems with low exergy efficiency compared to water. Configurations with therminolVP-1/TiO2 are better, with the proposed energy cost reduced to 33 % of the price of electricity in Cameroon. The PV/T-Palm/TiO2 system showed an energy cost of $0.03 with a net present value of $568.45, an emission rate of 7.78 kg, a reversibility index of 1.95, an annual cost of $7.07 and a payback time of 5.97yr. This shows that PV/T systems based on vegetable oils are economical.

Abstract Health shocks are common and have serious consequences for households in developing countries where health insurance is lacking. In this study, we examine whether out-of-pocket health expenditures crowd out household consumption of non-healthcare necessities, such as education items in Benin using a sample of 14,952 households from the global vulnerability and food security analysis survey. We estimated a system of conditional Engel curves with three stage least squared (3SLS) and seemingly unrelated regression (SURE) for seven categories of goods using the Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System (QUAIDS) in the form of budget shares corresponding to proportions of total non-health expenditure. Findings show that out of pocket health expenditure leads households to spend more on health care that in fine crowd out expenditure in other necessity goods such as education item. These findings highlight the need for social protection programs to mitigate the impact of health shocks on vulnerable households in Benin.

L’objectif de cette étude a été d’évaluer l’effet de la forme de présentation et du mode de distribution des aliments sur les performances des poulets de chair nourris à base de compléments mis point au Bénin. L’essai a porté sur 400 poussins Ross, répartis en 5 traitements alimentaires de 4 répétitions de 20 poussins élevés sur litière pendant 7 semaines. Les traitements étaient basés sur deux aliments présentés sous forme farineuse et granulée. Il s’agit d’un aliment complet et d’un complément alimentaire protéique au maïs grain. Les traitements ont été respectivement, les aliments complets farineux et granulé (ACF et ACG) qui ont été les témoins et servi en continu; le complément farineux et le complément granulé servi en séquentiel (CFm et CGm) et le complément granulé mélangé au maïs servi en continu (CGM). Les résultats ont montré que le complément granulé permet une meilleure croissance pondérale alors que le complément farineux donne une meilleure rentabilité en mode séquentiel. Mots clés: Compléments alimentaires, mode de distribution, Forme de présentation, poulets de chair, Bénin

This study aimed to assess the impact of the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) cage fish farming on the water quality in two selected bays of the Bukavu basin, Lake Kivu. Physicochemical parameters (pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, salinity, dissolved oxygen, transparency) were measured in situ using a COMBO HI 98129 multi-parameter probe, PCE-PHD1 probe, and a Black and White Secchi disk. Water samples at different depths were collected using a Van-Dorn Sampler and phosphate, ammonia, nitrite, silicate, and chlorophyll-a were analyzed using a UV-VIS spectrophotometer. The results revealed that the pH, temperature, total dissolved solids, salinity, and transparency were significantly different (p = 0.05) between the bays with cages and at the control bay, which may be due to the low movement of water, and the density of fish inside the cages. The water nutrients such as phosphate, ammonia, nitrite, silicate, and primary productivity were significantly different (p = 0.05) within the bays with cages than at the control bay without cages. Overall, the results demonstrate that Tilapia cage culture contributes to the deterioration of water quality parameters accelerating the eutrophication process in Bukavu basin, Lake Kivu. Therefore, the study recommends relocating the cages to the bays not impacted by the anthropogenic activities from the catchment and regulating fish feeding according to the bioavailability of nutrients in the bays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schoolchildren are in their formative years, and therefore at an ideal stage in their lives to take in knowledge and best practices that will guide their future behavior. Through the Roll Back Antimicrobial Resistance (RBA) Initiative in Tanzania, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) School Clubs have successfully educated and empowered schoolchildren to become antibiotic guardians and AMR champions. Using appropriate language and consideration of the local context, the project has employed a variety of innovative activities, including AMR arts and crafts, competitions, storytelling and interactive learning that would teach children in an engaging and enjoyable manner. The School Club project has demonstrated how a mix of fun-based knowledge and skills transfer methods and rewarding competitions can change antimicrobial use knowledge and practice in schoolchildren.

BACKGROUND: Tirofiban has been shown to be superior to aspirin in achieving functional independence at 3 months for acute ischemic stroke of atheromatous or microatheromatous origin. As intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) has previously been shown to be nonsuperior to aspirin in achieving functional independence at 3 months for anterior choroidal or paramedian pontine infarction (ACI/PPI), we aimed to compare the outcomes of Caucasian patients receiving IVT plus tirofiban (IVT + T) with those receiving tirofiban alone for acute ACI/PPI. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted in patients aged ≥ 18 years with ACI/PPI treated in our stroke unit between December 1, 2020, and April 30, 2023, who received therapeutic intervention within 9 hours of symptom onset or after awakening with stroke symptoms. Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ≤ 1 at 3 months was the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints were National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) ≤ 2 at day 7 or discharge and post-procedural neurological deterioration (PPND) within 72 hours. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) and major systemic bleeding (MSB) were the safety measures of the study. RESULTS: A total of 24 patients were enrolled in the tirofiban group and 43 patients in the IVT + T group. Compared to tirofiban alone, IVT + T was associated with a higher probability of achieving mRS ≤1 at 3 months (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 8.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.06–37.52; P = 0.003) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale ≤2 at day 7 or discharge (aOR, 3.70; 95% CI, 1.05–12.99; P = 0.041). No significant difference was seen between the two groups in preventing postprocedural neurological deterioration. One case of SICH and two cases of MSB occurred in the IVT + T group and no cases in the tirofiban group. One case of inhospital mortality was recorded in the IVT + T group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that IVT + T may be safe and effective in Caucasian patients with acute ACI/PPI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

L’essor de l’élevage des caprins au Bénin est limité par des contraintes liées à la santé et aux pratiques d’élevage. L’objectif de l’étude présentée était de connaître l’opinion des éleveurs sur les pathologies circulant dans les élevages traditionnels de caprins au Bénin. Pour cela, une enquête semi-structurée a été conduite en 2019 dans quatre pôles de développements agricoles du Bénin, fondée sur des groupes de discussion et des entretiens individuels menés auprès de 480 éleveurs de caprins. Des données sur les pratiques d’élevage, la gestion sanitaire des animaux et les maladies rencontrées ont été collectées. Les résultats ont montré que les caprins étaient principalement élevés pour l’épargne, et à un moindre degré pour la production de viande et des raisons socioculturelles. Tous les éleveurs enquêtés pratiquaient la divagation au moins une partie de l’année mais, en saison pluvieuse, certains mettaient les animaux au piquet ou les gardaient en semi-claustration. Les principales pathologies animales signalées par les éleveurs étaient la peste des petits ruminants (PPR), la gale, les parasitoses digestives, les maladies respiratoires, la fièvre aphteuse et la trypanosomose. Le contrôle des parasites était réalisé généralement en cas de nécessité et rarement de façon routinière. La vaccination contre la PPR était pratiquée par trois-quarts des éleveurs. L’élevage des caprins au Bénin est lié au système d’élevage traditionnel et de ce fait victime de nombreuses maladies qui limitent son développement. Il serait nécessaire d’approfondir les connaissances sur ces pathologies à travers des études de diagnostic étiologique afin de mieux orienter les objectifs de surveillance de ces pathologies.

Macrophages play a key role in the inflammatory phase of wound repair and foreign body reactions—two important processes in the Masquelet-induced membrane technique for extremity reconstruction. The macrophage response depends largely on the nature of the biomaterials implanted. However, little is known about the influence of the macrophage microenvironment on the osteogenic properties of the induced membrane or subsequent bone regeneration. We used metakaolin, an immunogenic material, as an alternative spacer to standard polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) in a Masquelet model in rats. Four weeks after implantation, the PMMA- and metakaolin-induced membranes were harvested, and their osteogenic properties and macrophage microenvironments were investigated by histology, immunohistochemistry, mass spectroscopy and gene expression analysis. The metakaolin spacer induced membranes with higher levels of two potent pro-osteogenic factors, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and bone morphogenic protein-2 (BMP-2). These alternative membranes thus had greater osteogenic activity, which was accompanied by a significant expansion of the total macrophage population, including both the M1-like and M2-like subtypes. Microcomputed tomographic analysis showed that metakaolin-induced membranes supported bone regeneration more effectively than PMMA-induced membranes through better callus properties (+58%), although this difference was not significant. This study provides the first evidence of the influence of the immune microenvironment on the osteogenic properties of the induced membranes.

Several studies have shown that low levels of adiponectin (ADP) and high levels of alpha tumor necrosis factor (NFT) increase the risk or severity of many cardiometabolic diseases associated with insulin resistance. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the association between plasma adipokines and IR measured by HOMA-IR. The secondary objective was to determine the biomarker of the potential inflammation to predict IR in Congolese melanoderm subjects residing in Brazzaville. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 234 apparently healthy participants over the age of 18. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected. Biological data, including the total ADP and NFT dosage, were measured using the ELISA method. Participants were categorized into two groups according to HOMA-IR ≥ 2.5. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify risk factors for insulin resistance. An optimized model was obtained after the logistic regression. The analysis of the receptor's operating characteristics (OCR) was performed to determine the optimal threshold value and diagnostic characteristics, as well as the area under the curve (ASC). ADP averages were significantly low (11.49 ± 7.61 ng/mL; P < 0.001) while those of TNF were significantly higher (96.03 ± 44.09 pg/mL) in the HOMA-IR group ≥ 2.5. There was a positive and significant correlation (p < 0.05) between BMI, TT, CRPhs, TNF and HOMA-IR. And a negative and significant correlation was noted between ADP and HOMA-IR (r = - 0.39; P < 0.01). Similarly, a negative and significant correlation (p < 0.01) was noted between BMI, TT, TNF, CRPhs and ADP. The optimal threshold value of the total ADP for predicting IR was 17.52 ng/mL with a sensitivity of 89% [IC 95% (0.83–0.95)], 56% specificity [IC 95% (0.47–0.65)] and a CSA of 0.76 [IC 95% (0.69–0.81)]. After logistic regression, the CSA of the optimized model was 0.84 [IC 95% (0.79–0.89)]. ADP can be used as a highly plausible IR prediction biomarker.

La particularité anatomique observée au cours d´une appendicectomie par voie de Mac Burney (APMB) chez une nullipare âgée de 24 ans, est une structure anatomique non décrite dans la littérature (A, double flèche). La position variable du corps et de l´apex de l´appendice, associée à la présence de cette particularité anatomique a créé d´énormes difficultés au cours de l´APMB. Classiquement l´ombilic est situé aux deux tiers internes de l´incision au point de Mac Burney. L´appendice (B) se retrouve à la face interne du bas fond caecal, au point de convergence des trois bandelettes musculaires longitudinales après exploration de la fosse iliaque droite ; ou encore au-dessous et en arrière de la valvule iléo-caecale point d´arrivée de l´iléon dans le caecum. L´élargissement de l´incision de Mac Burney a permis d´avoir un meilleur jour et de découvrir la particularité anatomique et son rapport avec l´utérus (B, tenu par hystérolab) et ses annexes. Cette structure anatomique s´étendait de la face postérieure du caecum (C, carré) au bord inférieur de l´ovaire droit (C) et a été dénommée ligament caeco-ovarien droit. Ce ligament pourrait très facilement se confondre à un appendice au début d´un plastron, une adhérence pelvienne ancienne ou alors un ovaire accessoire. Après l´identification et la description de ce ligament, l´appendicectomie a été faite et les suites opératoires étaient simples. Ce rapport est nécessaire pour préparer un chirurgien peu expérimenté à prendre des précautions lors des éventuelles interventions chez des patients présentant les mêmes caractéristiques.

This work is part of the dynamic of proposing a solution to the problem of access to electricity in Chad, which has a rate of access to electricity of 3%. N’Djamena has significant solar potential that can be harnessed to generate electricity. In this paper, we present a theoretical study of the performances of the Dish/Stirling system with the purpose of producing electricity, based on a mathematical model taking into account each of the subparts of the system (concentrator, solar cavity receiver, and Stirling engine). Hydrogen is preferred to helium as the working fluid for operating the Stirling engine at high temperatures. This coupled model made it possible to estimate the monthly average of the electric power produced by this modular system and also its overall solar electricity yield.

Chad is like many African countries with no meteorological station at the moment to measure solar radiation throughout the country. Thus, theoretical models are used to estimate incident solar radiation. These models are established in correlation form. Our objective was to present a model, which allows the determination of the solar component on two surfaces (horizontal and inclined). This model allowed us to determine, over time, the component of global, direct, and diffuse solar radiation over a period that will cover the different seasons of the year. The calculation is done according to Klein’s days over all the months of the year. The hourly results of the global, direct, and diffuse radiation obtained for all the planes going from January to December are satisfactory compared to the results of the other authors quoted in the literature, which give the maximum and minimum values very close to theirs. These results allowed us to validate the applicability of this model in a climate other than the desert climate.

Objective(s): The use of a co-culture of islets with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) is a promising therapy in islet transplantation to revert hyperglycaemia, but the resulting insulin-producing cells (IPCs) express low levels of pancreas endocrine developmental genes. This study aims to investigate the morphochronology of a co-culture of islets with MSCs from injured adult pancreata, and characterize pancreatic duodenal homeobox protein-1 (Pdx1), neurogenin-3 (Ngn3) and insulin protein expressions to establish the fate of their interaction. Materials and Methods: Islets and MSCs were isolated from sham operated control (SOC) and duct-ligated (PPDL) pancreata. Islets from SOC or PPDL tissues were cultured with or without MSCs in RPMI1640, supplemented by 1% Penicillin-Streptomycin, and maintained at 37 °C±1 °C at 95% relative humidity and 95% /5% air/CO2. Pdx1, Ngn3 and insulin expressions were determined by immunohistochemistry and islet morphochronological changes were assessed. Results: Pdx1 was expressed in all islet-cell cultures with or without MSCs. Pdx1+ islet cells were significantly increased in the presence of MSCs compared to the islet culture without MSCs. Similarly, Ngn3 was highly expressed in all cultures with MSCs from both SOC and PPDL tissues and the expression was prolonged in cultures using PPDL tissues before it was down-regulated, thereby, extending the period of Ngn3+ cell expansion and differentiation into mature functional islets. Conclusion: In vitro, MSCs maintain a pool of Ngn3+ that contributes to insulin production from mature beta cells but the activation of insulin production from non-beta cells may not be induced by direct signals from MSCs.