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Background: Esophagus cancer is cancer of poor prognosis, of often late diagnosis. The objective of this study was to describe the factors associated with esophagus cancers in the Togolese population. Methods: It was a retrospective descriptive, cross-sectional study, on esophagus cancers histologically diagnosed at the Pathological Laboratory of Lomé over a period of 31 years (1990-2021). Results: We have collected 144 cases of esophagus cancer. The average age of patients was 57 ± 12 years, and the sex ratio was 2.34. The most applicant service was the service of Hepato Gastroenterology of CHU Campus (30.6%). Alcohol (57.6%), tobacco (45.8%) were the most present risk factors. Biopsies were the most addressed (97.2%). The average duration of symptom evolution was 6.42 months and the main symptom at the time of diagnosis was dysphagia (36.8%). The location of cancer was the lower third for 71.5% of cases. At histology, epidermoid carcinoma was the dominant type (90.3%). Male sex was statistically associated with the occurrence of epidermoid carcinoma and female sex with the occurrence of adenocarcinoma (P <.001). Alcohol, smoking, and consumption of hot foods were statistically associated with the occurrence of epidermoid carcinoma in this study (P <.05). Conclusion: Esophagus cancer remains a serious condition for late diagnosis. These are mainly epidermoid carcinomas and having alcohol and tobacco as risk factors. The awareness of the population on the main risk factors would reduce the incidence of oesophagus cancers within the Togolese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Proper utilization of maternal healthcare services plays a major role on pregnancy and birth outcomes. In sub-Saharan Africa, maternal and child mortality remains a major public health concern, especially in least developed countries such as Togo. In this study, we aimed to analyze factors associated with use of maternal health services among Togolese women aged 15–49 years. Methods: This study used data from third round of nationally representative Demographic and Health Survey conducted in Togo in 2013. Analysis included 4,631 women aged 15–49 years. Outcome variables were timely first antenatal care (ANC) visits, adequate ANC4 + visits, and health facility delivery. Data were analyzed using Stata version 16. Results: Overall, proportion of maternal healthcare utilization was 27.53% for timely first ANC visits, 59.99% for adequate ANC visits, and 75.66% for health facility delivery. Our multivariable analysis showed significant differences among women in highest wealth quintile, especially in rural areas with increasing odds of timely first ANC visits (Odds ratio (OR) = 3.46, 95% CI = 2.32,5.16), attending adequate ANC visits (OR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.48,3.24), and delivering in health facilities (OR = 8.53, 95% CI = 4.06, 17.92) compared to those in the poorest quintile. Also, women with higher education had increased odds of timely first ANC visits (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.11,1.69), and attending adequate ANC visits (OR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.42,2.12) compared to those with no formal education. However, having higher parity and indigenous beliefs especially in rural areas decreased odds of using healthcare services. Conclusions: Findings from this study showed that socio-economic inequality and socio-cultural barriers influenced the use of maternal healthcare services in Togo. There is therefore a need to improve accessibility and the utilization of maternal healthcare services through women's economic empowerment and education to reduce the barriers. Plain language summary: Utilization of healthcare services by women of childbearing age has been shown to reduce maternal and child mortality. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, maternal and child mortality remains a major public health issue. This is especially the case in Togo, one of the smallest countries in West Africa. The objective of this study was to assess the factors associated with utilization of maternal healthcare services among Togolese women aged 15–49 years. This was a cross-sectional study that used data from the Togo 2013 Demographic and Health Survey, a nationally representative household survey of women of childbearing age in Togo. Findings from the current study showed that the overall proportion of maternal healthcare utilization was 27.53% for timely first antenatal care visits, 59.99% for adequate antenatal care visits, and 75.66% for health facility delivery. Also, this study found that socio-economic inequality and socio-cultural barriers influenced the use of maternal healthcare services in Togo. For instance, women in the highest wealth quintile, those with higher education, and those who were covered by health insurance had higher odds of utilizing maternal healthcare service. Whereas, women who had indigenous beliefs, those from other ethnicities, who lived in the Savanes and Plateaux regions, as well as those with higher parity had lower odds of using maternal healthcare services. The results indicate that there is an urgent need to promote women's economic empowerment and education to improve accessibility and the utilization of maternal healthcare services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The frequency of breast cancer in young women, corresponding to women under 40 years of age; varies from 5% to 7% in developed countries. The objective of this study was to contribute to the improvement of the management of breast cancer in young women in Togo, by establishing the molecular classification of these cancers. Methodology: This was a retrospective descriptive and analytical study from January 2010 to December 2020. Results: About 35 cases of breast cancer were identified in women under 40 years of age. The average age was 35.4 ± 3.5 years. The right breast was affected in 18 cases (51.43%). Histologically, 30 cases (85.72%) were invasive carcinoma of no special type (NST), 2 cases (5.71%) were invasive lobular carcinoma and micro-papillary carcinoma respectively, and 1 case (2.86%) was tubular carcinoma. There were 6 cases (17.1%) of grade I, 25 cases (71.4%) of grade II, and 4 cases (11.4%) of grade III. Molecularly, there were 20 cases (57.1%) of triple-negative subtype, 6 cases (17.1%) of Luminal B subtype, 05 cases (14.3%) of HER2-enriched subtype and 4 cases (11.4%) of Luminal A subtype. Conclusion: Breast cancers of young Togolese women express very weakly hormone receptors, with a predominance of a triple negative subtype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence has shown that symptoms of grief co-occur with posttraumatic growth following loss. Using latent class analysis among a Togolese sample of middle-aged/older widowed persons, we identified three classes along their experiences of grief-growth interaction (combined grief/growth, predominantly growth, and low-medium growth classes). The combined grief/growth class members were more likely to have lost their spouses recently and to report greater marital relationship satisfaction with their spouse before their death. The perceived social support from family was predictive of the predominantly growth class membership. The findings provide a nuanced understanding of grief, which is dominated by psychopathology and negative outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, and its incidence and mortality rates are expected to increase significantly over the next few years, particularly in developing countries. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical, radiological, histopathological, and prognostic aspects of breast cancer in Togo. Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed at our Department of Pathology of Lomé all cases of breast cancer in women confirmed by histology over a period of 20 years (2000-2019). Results: We collected 804 cases of breast cancer in women. The median age was 46.7 years (range, 12-86 years). Patients aged <40 years represented 48.38% of cases, and the left breast was more affected (51.24%). Most women were sexually active (71.52%) and resided in urban areas (66.29%). Carcinomas represented the predominant histological group (796 cases, 99.00%) with a predominance of invasive nonspecific type carcinoma (92.34%). These cancers were diagnosed at late stage III using Nottingham grading (55.10%). The TNM classification showed a predominance of grades T2NxMx (72.45%) and T4N1Mx (17.76%). The luminal B profile (40.85%) was found mostly, and the mutation of BRCA2 and BRCA1 genes was found in 2.61% of cases. Mastectomy was performed in 7.59%, radiotherapy in 3.61%, and chemotherapy in 18.66%. Conclusion: Breast cancer is a frequent pathology in Togolese women, predominant in young adults, often diagnosed at a late stage with limited possibilities of treatment. The establishment of early care programs is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New media and African literatures are in a constant dialogue. While digital space offers new possibilities for the worldwide circulation of literature, new media formats have become important elements of intermedial writing. This essay analyzes contemporary examples of genre innovation in African romance and chick-lit novels, focusing on the use of new media forms. The concept of remediation serves as a theoretical starting point. Not only does digital space remediate previous media, but the novel in its classical book format remediates new media as well. Through a cross-reading of two novels that rely on a plot of romance —Cunie by the Togolese writer Chris-Edgar Locoh and Now Following You by the South African writer Fiona Snyckers—the forms and functions of new media in the listed texts are examined. This analysis shows that remediation allows for creative, but not necessarily subversive, genre rewriting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Combretum hypopilinum is used in Togolese traditional medicine to alleviate various ailments including hepatic disorders. Objective: This study evaluates the hepatoprotective activities of crude ethanolic extract of C. hypopilinum root bark (CECH) and its possible mechanism(s) of action in Wistar rats. Materials and methods: In vitro antioxidant potential was evaluated using DPPH, Ferric-reducing power and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays. Hepatoprotective activity was assessed using CCl4-induced acute hepatotoxicity in rats. Animals were pretreated orally with different doses of CECH (200 and 400 mg/kg) once daily for 7 consecutive days and were subjected to intraperitoneal single injection of CCl4 (1 mL/kg). Serum markers of hepatic damage, hepatic endogenous antioxidants, NO, TNF-α and lipid peroxidation contents were measured out. Results: The pretreatment with CECH significantly decreased levels of hepatic enzymes (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.001) and MDA in pretreated rats (p < 0.05, p < 0.01). CECH restored the decreased levels of hepatic antioxidants including SOD (p < 0.01), CAT (p < 0.05 at 400 mg/kg) and GSH (p < 0.05 at 400 mg/kg) and significantly inhibited hepatic production of NO (p < 0.05, p < 0.01).as well as the level of TNF-α (p < 0.001) in pretreated rats. Protective effects of CECH were confirmed by histopathological examinations. CECH exhibited antioxidant in vitro and contains also total phenol and flavonoid. Conclusion: This study suggests that CECH protected the liver from CCl4-induced hepatic damage possibly via antioxidant and anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Abbreviations Used: CECH: Crude ethanolic extract of combretum hypopilinum root bark, CCl4: Carbon tetrachloride, DPPH: 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, AlCl3: Aluminum chloride, ALT: Alanine aminotransferase, AST: Aspartate aminotransferase, LDH: Lactate dehydrogenase, ALP: Alkaline phosphatase, TC: Total cholesterol, TG: Triglycerides, TB: Total bilirubin, TP: Total protein, MDA: Malondialdehyde, SOD: Superoxide dismutase, CAT: Catalase, GSH: Glutathione, NO: Nitric oxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Overweight and obesity in childhood are serious public health issues, both in developing and developed countries. The present study aimed to ascertain overweight and obesity prevalence rates among Togolese schoolchildren in Lomé, Togo, and their correlation with physical activity, socio-economic conditions and eating habits.Design: Cross-sectional survey conducted in December 2015. Overweight and obesity were defined using age- and sex-specific BMI cut-off points of the International Obesity Task Force. Physical activity, socio-economic conditions and eating habits were assessed with a standardized questionnaire. Specially trained medical students interviewed children and collected the data. After bivariate regression analyses, factors associated with overweight/obesity were identified by multivariate logistic regression. Statistical significance was two-sided P<0·05.Setting: Lomé, Togo.Subjects: Representative sample of 634 children (288 boys, 346 girls), aged 8-17 years, who were studying in primary schools.Results: Overweight and obesity respectively affected 5·2 and 1·9 % of children surveyed. Watching television (>4 h) on weekends (OR; 95 % CI: 3·8; 1·2, 12·0, P=0·02) and medium dietary diversity score (3·0; 1·1, 8·1, P=0·03) were independently associated with overweight/obesity in a multivariate regression model. Eating breakfast in the school cafeteria (0·2; 0·1, 0·8, P=0·03) and eating fruits (0·4; 0·1, 0·9, P=0·03) significantly reduced the risk of overweight/obesity.Conclusions: Overweight and obesity prevalence were linked with sedentary behaviour and non-optimal food diversity. Promoting physical activity and fruit consumption should be explored as interventions to reduce and prevent overweight and obesity in Lomé schoolchildren. In addition, preventive approaches in the social environment of children should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among clinic-based studies, intimate partner violence (IPV) has been shown to contribute to HIV/AIDS among young girls and women. Results from studies among the general population have been less consistent. This study evaluated the associations between HIV infection, any sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and IPV in a population-based sample of Togolese women. Data from the Togo 2013-2014 Demographic and Health Survey were utilized for these analyses. Women aged 15-49, who were currently married, had HIV test results, and answered the Domestic Violence Module were analyzed (n = 2386). Generalized linear mixed-models adjusting for sociodemographic variables, risk behaviors, and cluster effect were used to estimate HIV and STI risks with experience of IPV. HIV prevalence was 2.8%. Prevalence of IPV was 39% among HIV-positive women and 38% among HIV-negative women. Significant associations between IPV and HIV infection were not detected. Adjusted models found significant associations between experience of any IPV and having had STIs (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.25-3.35). The high rates of violence in this setting warrant community-based interventions that address abuse and gender inequity. These interventions should also discuss the spectrum of STIs in relation to IPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This pioneering study in sub-Saharan African context examined the role played by religious strategies (religious coping, religious community support (RCS)) in the conjugal bereavement process and its outcomes depending on the expected or unexpected death. Based on cross-sectional approach, the study targeted Togolese bereaved spouses (N = 162). The mean period of mourning was 112.52 months (SD = 94.72). The results of a hierarchical regression revealed that RCS was positively associated with grief symptoms when the death was expected and, unsurprisingly, the negative religious coping predicted grief symptoms when the death was sudden and unexpected. Religious strategies would play a threefold role: providing refuge and comfort, regulating the bereavement distress and serving resources to give meaning to the loss of the beloved. Theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this study was to map Togolese people's positions regarding the breaking of bad news to elderly patients. Two hundred eleven participants who had in the past received bad medical news were presented with 72 vignettes depicting communication of bad news to elderly female patients and asked to indicate the acceptability of the physician's conduct in each case. The vignettes were all combinations of five factors: (a) the severity of the disease, (b) the patient's wishes about disclosure, (c) the level of social support during hospitalization, (d) the patient's psychological robustness, and (e) the physician's decision about how to communicate the bad news. Five qualitatively different positions were found. Two percent of the participants preferred that the physician always tell the full truth to both the patient and her relatives, 8% preferred that the truth be told depending on the physician's perception of the situation, 15% preferred that the physician tell the truth but understood that in some cases nondisclosure to the patient was not inappropriate, 33% preferred that the physician tell the full truth to the relatives but not as much information to the patient, and 42% preferred that the physician tell the full truth to the relatives only. These findings present a challenge to European physicians taking care of African patients living in Europe or working in African hospitals, and to African physicians trained in Europe and now working in their home countries. If these physicians respect the imperative of always telling the truth directly to their patients, their behavior may trigger anger and considerable misunderstanding among African patients and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Journal of West African Languages is the property of Council of the West African Linguistic Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Few studies have examined the association between childhood maltreatment (CM) and personality disorders (PDs) in adulthood in two different cultural contexts, including sub-Saharan Africa. The aims of this study were to compare the frequency of CM between patients in treatment in France and Togo for a major depressive disorder (MDD), to explore the link between CM and PDs, and to examine the mediating effect of personality dimensions in the pathway from CM to PDs in 150 participants (75 in each country). The 28-item Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, the International Personality Item Pool, and the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire (PDQ-4+) were used to assess CM, personality dimensions, and PDs respectively. Togolese participants reported sexual and physical abuse (PA) and emotional and physical neglect significantly more frequently than French participants. In Togo, severe PA was associated with schizoid, antisocial, narcissistic, obsessive-compulsive, depressive, and negativist PDs whereas in France, PA was only linked to paranoid PD. In Togo, emotional instability partly mediated the relationship between CM and PDs while in France, no personality dimension appeared to mediate this link. Our results support the hypothesis that CM is more common in low-income countries and suggest that the links between CM and PDs are influenced by social environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This study analyses rice consumer preferences in Togo and estimates consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for the quality attributes of locally produced rice. For that purpose, a random utility model is applied to elicit the WTP for the most important rice purchase criteria. The model is estimated using a survey of consumers from 15 prefectures in Togo. The results show that imported rice is largely preferred to local rice, especially in urban areas. Cleanness and whiteness appear to be the most preferred attributes, especially for imported rice. Togolese consumers are willing to pay a premium of up to 46% of the actual price for cleanness and 53% for whiteness in locally produced rice. Also, taste and swelling capacity play an important role in the preference for locally produced rice. The results might be useful for breeders and policy makers in the ongoing effort to improve the competitiveness of local rice in West Africa both from quality and price perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To study the views on the acceptability of physician-assisted-suicide (PAS) of lay people and health professionals in an African country, Togo. Method In February -- June 2012, 312 lay people and 198 health professionals (75 physicians, 60 nurses and 63 health counsellors) in Togo judged the acceptability of PAS in 36 concrete scenarios composed of all combinations of four factors: (a) the patient's age, (b) the level of incurability of the illness, (c) the type of suffering and (d) the patient's request for PAS. In all scenarios, the patients were women receiving the best possible care. The ratings were subjected to cluster analysis and analyses of variance. Results Most lay people (59%) were not systematically opposed to PAS, whereas most health professionals (80%) were systematically opposed to it. The most important factors in increasing acceptability among people not systematically opposed were advanced age of the patient and incurability of the illness. Additional acceptability was provided by the patient's request to have her life ended, although much less so than in studies in Western countries, and by suffering characterised by complete dependence rather than by extreme physical pain. Conclusions These empirical findings -- the first ones gathered in the African continent -- suggest that most Togolese lay people are not categorically for or against PAS, but judge its degree of acceptability as a function of concrete circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the links between migration and development emphasized by international organizations. This discourse, which encourages migrants to work at their level, toward the development of their country has become consensual. But if one looks closely, these natural links seem fragile, both in international migration policies and social experiments of migration. By studying the case of the Togolese migration, this article shows that the institutionalization of this new paradigm is weak and that the recent implementation of migration policies in Togo just seems to be an answer to the requirements of international partners. More than a real programmatic issue, the role of the diaspora in development becomes an obligatory resource in negotiations with sponsors. Then, if the discourse on development began to emerge among migrants themselves, it is not necessarily synonymous with the growth of a strong culture of transnational or diasporic commitment. Few associative structures are actually created and migration trajectories and histories are first and foremost thought of in an individual or familial frame, far from social imperatives of community development. Finally, if we analyze the more general logic of these migrations in Togo, while they seem to foster identity transformations they may primarily function as a driving force behind reproduction of social inequalities in the country of origin. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Knowledge of cancer risk factors has been shown to be an important step for cancer prevention. This study examines the beliefs and correlates of knowledge of cancer risk factors among people in Lomé, Togo and addresses the challenges for cancer education and prevention among Togolese. Data were obtained from 325 people about their beliefs and knowledge of cancer risk factors by means of a survey. Participants were first asked about their beliefs regarding risk factors of cancer and then were presented with a list of 10 established risk factors. They were then asked whether or not these 10 factors are cancer risk factors. We used binary logistic regression models in which one of the established risk factors was regressed on several independent variables to assess factors that affect knowledge of cancer risk factors among Togolese. Knowledge of cancer risk factors is very limited among study participants. With regard to the correlates that affected knowledge of risk factors of cancer, findings were rather surprising because very few sociodemographic characteristics affected knowledge of each cancer risk factor. In order for people in Togo to adopt healthy lifestyles and reduce their risks of cancer, cancer education is necessary. Awareness of cancer risk factors may lead to a positive behavioral change and eventually reduce the burden of cancer in Togo in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay uses a crime novel, Ici-bas, tout se paie (1966–67) by Togolese author Félix Couchoro (1900–68) to understand how critical reception and historical circumstances condition the production of popular literature in francophone Africa. Though the author’s early L’Esclave (1929) is one of the first novels of the francophone African literary canon, he is rarely mentioned beyond this foundational role. Couchoro continued to write and he published serialized fiction for the Togolese national newspaper throughout the 1960s. These later works correspond in many ways to what was going on in anglophone and vernacular popular literatures throughout the rest of the continent – most notably Onitsha market literature in Nigeria. Unfortunately, these later works also made him an awkward fit in the pre-established literary genealogy of francophone African fiction and a cause of consternation for a critical field uncomfortable with the idea of the popular. Nevertheless, that these later works also deviate from their anglophone counterparts in important ways suggests a uniquely francophone African voice that could open up new analytical possibilities. These might help finally to break the Paris-centered aesthetic standards that continue to haunt the discipline and lead to a greater appreciation of the potential for popular aesthetic and literary production in francophone Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a worldwide increase in obesity, little is known about obesity in Africa and factors related to attempting weight loss (AWL) in high-risk populations. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of obesity among patients in a Togolese cardiology clinic and determine predictors of reporting AWL and physician advice for weight loss. We recruited French-speaking men and women, aged > or = 18 years from this academic cardiology clinic to complete a questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. Among 135 patients, 33% were overweight and 24% were obese. Among overweight and obese patients (n = 76), logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) for predictors of AWL and physician advice. 53% reported AWL and 49% received physician advice. Obese participants were 11 times more likely than overweight participants to report AWL (OR = 11.14; P < .0001). AWL was more common in those reporting physician advice (OR = 7.58; P = .0001) and women (OR = 2.78; P = .04). Obesity and female sex were also associated with reporting physician advice to lose weight. Age and education were not associated with AWL or physician advice. Physician advice highly correlates with AWL; however only half of participants received it. Physicians should make efforts to incorporate weight loss advice in their routine care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The end of the Neogene in the emerged part of the Togolese coastal basin corresponds to a sandy–argillaceous complex of continental appearance devoid of marine fauna and generally attributed to the “Continental terminal” in the neighboring West-African basins. Although the Neogene/Quaternary boundary is identified in this sandy–argillaceous complex in most of the boreholes studied and also in field sections, the lack of precise dating data especially paleontological evidence makes the definition of this boundary difficult. In the present state of knowledge, this boundary merges with an erosional paleosurface which coincides with the erosional discordance that separates the two units composing the sandy–argillaceous complex of the “Continental terminal” in this basin. The two units are the Kpogame pebble bearing formation which corresponds to “Continental terminal sensu stricto” (upper Miocene–Pliocene) and the “Formation de la Terre de barre” of Quaternary age. Future investigations will allow a more accurate determination of the Neogene/Quaternary boundary in this basin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objectives: The study, which is a ethnobiologic characterization, investigated α1-antitrypsin gene polymorphism in the togolese ethnic groups. We aimed to determine the existence of rare or deficient alleles predisposing to pulmonary or hepatic genetic diseases. Patients and methods: We focused our study on healthy subjects of two samples by comparing 205 Adélé from relative isolated ethnic group alive in mountain region and 255 subjects from pluriethnic population living on Atlantic coastal region. Data analysis was performed by α1-antitrypsin level quantification and serum isoelectric focusing. Results: The two alleles Pi M et Pi F frequencies are respectively 0.834 and 0.166 in Adélé; 0.989 and 0.011 in the subjects from pluriethnic population. Phenotypes MM and FM distribution in the two groups is significantly different (p <0.001). However, α1-antitrypsin polymorphism does not significantly influence proteinic and lipidic profiles of the subjects in the two samples. Conclusion: The Pi F allele of α1 antitrypsin is rare allele in the world global populations. Its very high frequency in Adélé explained by preferential endogamic marriage in this ethnic group. Compared to the subjects from pluriethnic population, more than 30 Adélé subjects present a higher risk to develop pulmonary diseases according to isoform F properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The relationships between the circumstances in which amnesties are granted and Togolese laypeople's judgments of their acceptability were examined. The 351 participants were instructed to read stories created by the authors in which a former police officer testified in front of a commission to receive amnesty. The stories were based on a five-factor design: quality of the information revealed, presence-absence of apologies, opportunity given to the victims for telling their story, compensation, and punishment of the applicant. Several interactions involving the truth and the apology factors were observed: Acceptability required the simultaneous presence of several positive aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To investigate the antimalarial effect of a few plants in Togo folk medicine. Methods: After ethnobotanical survey, Opilia celtidifolia, Pavetta corymbosa (P. corymbosa) and Tamarindus indica (T. indica) were selected for screening. In vitro antimalarial tests were performed on crude extracts against fresh clinical isolates of Plasmodium falciparum using the semi microtest. Results: Different IC50 values of the extracts ranged from 2.042 to 100.000 μg/mL. According to the results, the methanol extract of aerial part of P. corymbosa followed by aqueous extract of fruit of T. indica were the most active (IC50 of 2.042 and 4.786 μg/mL, respectively). Qualitative test revealed the presence of alkaloids in the leaves of P. corymbosa that may be responsible for the activity of the plant. Conclusions: Our study provides scientific evidence for usage of plant in the folk medicine, and further studies are needed for identification and purification of the active principles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The way Togolese people estimate the risk of becoming HIV-infected as a result of sexual contact was examined. The participants were presented with scenarios depicting a number of sexual acts, use of protective devices, and the probability that the partner is infected. Findings support the appropriate use of protective behavior information, as well as the appropriate use of probability information. Number of sexual acts was, however, perceived to have minimal impact on risk. Togolese people should be made aware, through systematic information campaigns, of the relationship between number of sexual acts and risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva induced by human papillomavirus in a 23-year-old woman, in whom we experienced diagnostic difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a broad theory of human motivation, the study examined the psychological structure of the reasons evoked by Togolese people for not attending medical facilities when they think they have malaria. Five hundred and thirty-two persons living in Lome, Togo were presented with a questionnaire of motives. Through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, a seven-factor structure of motives was found. Participants explained their reluctance to attend medical facilities by the facts that (a) malaria is not a serious illness that deserves much investment, (b) caregivers behave in an aggressive way and try to extort extra money, (c) malaria has always been self-treated at home, and (d) attending the health care facilities is too alarming for the family. The reasons for not attending were not related to the participants' mistrust in biomedicine, their willingness to keep control over things nor a personal feeling of unease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is a multistep disease and its management is exceedingly expensive. Nowadays medicinal plants are gaining more attention in drug discovery and approximately 70% of anticancer drugs were developed from natural products or plants. A strong candidate from medicinal plant with anticancer potential should have four major properties: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and cytotoxic activities. In order to assess Togolese traditional healer's claims about the anticancer potential of medicinal plants and obtain candidate plants for anticancer drug discovery, some species were selected from surveys and evaluated for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and cytotoxic activities. Four species, Cochlospermum planchonii (CP), Piliostigma thonningii (PT), Paullinia pinnata (PP), and Securidaca longipedunculata (SL) were selected and analyzed to detect the phytochemical components. The mentioned bioactivities were evaluated using in vitro , ex vivo and in vivo assays. Relative to SL extract, CP and PT have shown significantly high polyphenols and flavonoids content. The DPPH, FRAP, and TAC of the extracts revealed that CP, PT, and PP have a potent antioxidant effect compared to SL. MDA analysis revealed the same antioxidant activity as CP, PT and PP showed a minor MDA level. The egg albumin denaturation assay showed that IC50 of CP and PP was significantly higher than control (P < 0.05). In contrast, the Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) results showed a nonsignificant effect (P > 0.05). Notably, SL extract was nonsignificant to control in both Egg Albumin and BSA. Furthermore, angiogenesis assay showed that SL at 50 μg/ml and PP at 100 μg/ml effectively reduced the number of blood vessels than control and showed a potent anti-angiogenic effect (2.7-fold and 2.5-fold, respectively, P < 0.05). No cytotoxicity on PBMC was reported for CP, PP, and PT up to 1000 μg/ml, whereas SL at 1000 μg/ml exhibit benign cytotoxicity (P < 0.0001). This study provided in vitro evidence supporting further evaluation on cancer cell lines and tumors in vivo. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence against women has been recognized as an important social and human rights issue that affects all cultures and societies. Although this issue has been more frequently studied in high-income countries, such as the United States, the scholarly research of violence against women in Africa, especially West Africa, has been scarce. Using a representative sample, this study examined violence against women in Togo, particularly the types of violence that Togolese women endure, and factors that affect a Togolese woman's chance of being victimized by her intimate partner. The findings indicated that Togolese women experienced different forms of violence. Also, some covariates at the individual level significantly affected a woman's risk of experiencing intimate partner violence. Several policy recommendations have been made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses how the Tuskegee expedition and the German government identified Togolese as Negroes who would be subjected lo labor-coercive regimes analogous to those imposed upon African American cotton growers. It references to Booker T. Washington's address at the 1895 Atlanta Exposition. It discusses the reason why psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan classifies identity in the register of the imaginary. It explains why the intentions of class conflict failed and why the expedition succeeded in creating a cotton-growing peasantry in Togo.

Abstract: Five species of Combretaceae growing in Togo were investigated for their antifungal activity against 20 pathogenic fungi (10 yeast and 10 filamentous fungi). The five hydroethanolic extracts of Terminalia glaucescens and Anogeissus leiocarpus appeared to be the most active, their MICs ranging from 0.25 mg/ml to 4 mg/ml. The results confirm the traditional therapeutic properties of these plants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To assess the impact of a daily oral iron supplementation on hematological status, cell-mediated immunity and susceptibility to infections in children living in an environment where iron deficiency, malaria and other infections are frequent.Design: Randomized, double-blind iron supplementation including a placebo group.Setting: A village in Togo, West Africa.Subjects: Of the 229 6-36-month-old children of both sexes recruited, 197 with hemoglobin concentration >/=80 g/l were included and 163 completed the study.Intervention: Children received daily a placebo (n=79) or a dose of 2-3 mg of elemental iron per kg of body weight (n=84) for 3 months. Hematological, nutritional and immune status were assessed at the beginning and at the end of the supplementation period, and 6 months later. Morbidity was recorded throughout the study.Results: Iron supplementation had a significant and positive effect on iron status of children and no impact on the incidence of infections, especially malaria. Its probable effect on immune status was masked by interference of infections and their treatment, which contributed to improve hematological and immune status in both groups.Conclusion: According to the negative consequences of anemia and iron deficiency on global child development, control of iron deficiency by oral iron supplementation in young children has to be conducted, associated with prophylaxis and treatment of malaria and repeated deworming.Sponsorship: Program supported by IRD. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2000) 54, 29-35 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important meeting of women was held an important meeting of women was held at Lomé the capital of Togo, in July 1958. It was attended by 300 representatives of States of West Africa-Cameroun, Belgian Congo, French Congo, Ivory Coast, Dabomey, Ghana, Guinea, Upper Volta, Nigeria, Togo-and also by Miss du Rostu, president of the World Union of Catholic Women's Organizations, who was responsible for initiating these discussions. For the first time, the women of Africa demonstrated solemnly not only that they were capable of thinking but also in fact were thinking about their own problems. The problem of women is a very wide one. It therefore appears that more essential than ever, from the point of view both of the sociology of the family and of the sociology of knowledge, to carry out an inquiry into attitudes of African women. In many African societies the education of girls devolves, in most cases, on the mother, and that of boys on the father. This split between two worlds-male and female-from early infancy may have repercussions on the attitude of the sexes to one another in everyday life. important.

Abstract: Objective: To characterize the Togolese public''s understanding of hepatitis C (HC). Method: Two convenience samples in Togo—282 lay people and 30 health professionals (22 nurses, 8 physicians)—indicated in 2006 their level of agreement with the same 94 statements about HC evaluated by French hepatologists (the reference group of experts) in 2003 and by French lay people in 1997. Their mean responses were compared using Student''s T-test, and correlations were calculated between each group''s series of responses and between their significant differences from the experts. Results: The mean absolute differences between experts and Tologese lay persons, nurses, and physicians were 4.33, 3.72, and 2.57 (on a scale of 0–10). The correlations between the mean responses of experts and Togolese lay persons, nurses, and physicians were .34, .42, and .44. For the significant differences from experts, the correlation between Tologese lay persons and French lay people in 1997 was .94, and the correlations between Tologese lay persons and Togolese nurses and doctors were .94 and .74. For all these results, p <.001. Conclusions: Togolese lay persons, and even health professionals, appear to have misconceptions about HC that may lead to stigmatization and incorrect treatment of persons infected with HC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We examined the extent of Togolese users' knowledge of the health risks associated with the regular use of bleaching agents. Amassive underestimation of some of the main risks was discovered. The more frequent the use of bleaching agents, the higher the underestimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports that the Togolese government and opposition parties have held talks in Lome to jump start the inter-Togolese parties dialogue interrupted since 1993. Political parties, civil societies and organizations that attended the meeting; Union for the Forces of Change vice president Patrick Lawson's declaration that the commencement of dialogue would contribute to easing political tension in the country; Failure of the opposition and the government to reach a consensus on the framework for dialogue and adopting an agenda.

Discusses the different ethnic groups and their political involvement in Togolese government.

Presents facts about the country of Togo. Former presidents; Estimated number of Togolese who are Animists and Christians; Estimated number of the Togolese army.