Université de Zinder

While religion is a key determining factor of contraceptive use, few studies examine how religion influences adolescent and youth contraceptive attitudes, beliefs, and use. We use recently collected (August–November 2022) qualitative data from Burkina Faso, Kenya, and Niger among young users of modern contraception who practice Christianity or Islam. In-depth interviews with married and unmarried young women ages 18–24 years were conducted in two sites in each country to obtain a mix of religions and method users. In each country, many young Christian and Muslim women perceived that their religion is not supportive of contraceptive use. Some nuances around perceived acceptability of use were identified in Niger and among Muslim women in Kenya particularly for married women for spacing or health reasons. Reasons given for using related to realities of life, personal choices, and that use is their prerogative and God will forgive them. Most married women felt there would be few consequences if their religious community learned of their use whereas unmarried young women feared more consequences from their religious and broader community. These findings demonstrate that while religion is important in all three study contexts, decisions around contraceptive use among the young women included were not necessarily influenced by their religious beliefs and practices. As a greater number of young people adopt contraception, with or without perceived religious support, social norms are likely to change leading to increased access to contraception for all young women, married and unmarried, when or if they need it.

Abstract Background: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a major public health problem. It corresponds to the descent of female pelvic organs, such as the bladder, uterus or post-hysterectomy vaginal cuff, and the small or large bowel, resulting in protrusion of the vagina, uterus, or both. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence, socio-demographic profile of patients, the management and outcomes of POP in a maternity hospital with limited resources in Niger. Methodology: This was an eight-year retrospective cohort study involving the analysis of medical records from patients who underwent management of POP between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2022 at the Mother and Child Health Centre (MCHC) in Maradi, Niger. The epidemiological data, treatment, and outcomes of POP were collated and subjected to analysis using the statistical software package Epi infos 7.2.5. Comparisons were made using the Chi-squared test. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: During the study period, 358 cases of POP were recorded out of a total of 12536 patients treated in the department, representing a frequency of 2.8%. The mean age of the patients was 46.14 years (range: 17–90 years). The patients were identified as married (307 cases, 85.75%), unemployed (353 cases, 98.6%) and not attending school (332 cases, 92.74%). The largest number of cases were observed in large multiparous women (i.e., those with more than five children), representing 60.05% of the total number of cases (215 patients). The average parity among this group was 6.5 children. The vast majority of patients (269 cases, 75.14%) lived in rural areas. The most frequent motif for consultation were the sensation of mass in the vagina (146 acs,40.78%) and vulvar swelling (138 cas, 38.55%). The most frequent genital prolapses type was middle, made of the hysterocele essentially (150 cases, 41,90%). The stage III of genital prolapses was the most frequent in 76.51% (274 cases). All patients underwent surgical treatment (100%), and the vaginal access was most used in 57.55% (206 cases) of cases. Conservative treatment was performed in the majority of patients (197 cases, 55.02%). The most frequent intraoperative complications were the vesical lesions in 0.56% (2 cases) and ureteral and vascular lesion in 0,28% (1 case). The post-therapeutical evolution was marked by the disappearance of genital prolapses in 100% of cases, no cases of recurrence of prolapse have been observed. Conclusion: Our findings are in close alignment with those previously documented in the literature. POP is a common occurrence in our region. Surgical treatment is the most practiced and hysterectomy by vaginal surgical approach is the most practiced. Treatment by transvaginal polypropylene prostheses is not available in our region.

BackgroundMalaria, a disease transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, is a major public health problem causing millions of deaths worldwide, mostly among children under the age of 5 years. Biotechnological interventions targeting parasite-vector interactions have shown that the microsporidian symbiont Microsporidia MB has the potential to disrupt and block Plasmodium transmission.MethodsA prospective cross-sectional survey was conducted in Zinder City (Zinder), Niger, from August to September 2022, using the CDC light trap technique to collect adult mosquitoes belonging to the Anopheles gambiae complex. The survey focused on collecting mosquitoes from three neighborhoods of Zinder (Birni, Kangna and Garin Malan, located in communes I, II and IV, respectively). Collected mosquitoes were sorted and preserved in 70% ethanol. PCR was used to identify host species and detect the presence of Microsporidia MB and Plasmodium falciparum infection.ResultsOf the 257 Anopheles mosquitoes collected and identified by PCR, Anopheles coluzzii was the most prevalent species, accounting for 97.7% of the total. Microsporidia MB was exclusively detected in A. coluzzii, with a prevalence of 6.8% (17/251) among the samples. No significant difference in prevalence was found among the three neighborhoods. Only one An. coluzzii mosquito tested PCR-positive for P. falciparum.ConclusionsThe results confirm the presence of Microsporidia MB in Anopheles mosquitoes in Zinder, Niger, indicating its potential use as a biotechnological intervention against malaria transmission. However, further studies are needed to determine the efficacy of Microsporidia MB to disrupt Plasmodium transmission as well as its impact on vector fitness.Graphical

In order to study the behavior of the solar photovoltaic 7MW Malbaza depending on the irradiation and temperature, modeling of the various components of the system is essential. It is in this context that we have done modeling of a PV module comprising the solar field of the said plant. In this article, we initially presented the basic mathematical model of the photovoltaic cell, reported the equations models with two diodes and a diode, and later considered the case of the model with a diode to perform modeling PV of the central module. Secondly, we implemented the model developed in MATLAB Simulink to study the current-voltage characteristics for different irradiations considering the constant temperature and then for different temperature keeping constant light. The results are similar to the current-voltage characteristics provided by the manufacturer. This allowed us to conclude that the model developed is reliable. Finally, we will study the influence of radiation and temperature on the production of the module.

Introduction: Since it is impossible to establish a diagnosis in the presence of hyperlymphocytosis not secondary to lymphocytic hyperactivation, we considered a B-lymphoid hematopathy with a non-specific phenotypic profile. We report one case of this. Observation: This is a forty-eight (48) year old patient with hyperlymphocytosis at 139,000 elements per cubic millimeter, heterogeneous splenomegaly at 25.6 cm in diameter on abdominal ultrasound without detectable deep or peripheral lymphadenopathy. Peripheral blood cytology shows lymphocyte cell proliferation suggestive of the circulating phase of chronic lymphoproliferative B syndrome. The expression profile of cell membrane markers did not allow for the definition of a specific phenotypic profile. Faced with this immunophenotyping result, we considered a B-lymphoid hemopathy with a non-specific phenotypic profile. After three courses, the MINICHOP treatment was used to achieve partial remission with wasting of more than 80% of the evaluable masses. Conclusion: Despite the contribution of immunophenotyping in the diagnosis of lymphoproliferative syndromes, it is possible to consider the diagnosis of a B-lymphoid hemopathy with a phenotypic non-specific profile of CD45+, monotypic kappa, CD19+, FMC7+, CD22+, CD5−, CD79b−, CD23−, CD43−, CD38−, CD200−.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the psychic repercussions of sexual assault among female students in Parakou in 2023. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from December 2022 to July 2023 among all students at the University of Parakou. The sampling technique was stratified non-proportional at two levels. The dependent variable was self-reported sexual assault. The psychopathological repercussions linked to sexual assault and explored in these students were: post-traumatic stress disorder assessed with the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-5 (PCL-5) scale; and current depression screened with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale. Results: A total of 376 female students from the University of Parakou meeting the inclusion criteria were surveyed. The average age of the subjects surveyed was 20.56 ± 2.46 years, with extremes of 16 and 32 years. A predominance of subjects under 25 was observed. The prevalence of sexual assault among female students at the University of Parakou was 10.63%. The types of aggression suffered were mostly rape (18 people; 45%) and sexual touching (16 people; 40%), and the aggressors were mainly friends/boyfriends (13; 32.5%), family members (12; 30.0%) and people from the house/neighborhood (9; 22.5%). Psychological repercussions included depression in 72.5% (29) of cases, with mild depression in 30% (12), moderate depression in 37.5% (15) and severe depression in 5% (2). Anxiety disorders were present in 27.50% (11) of victims. The risk factors associated with sexual assault in these students were gravidity (p = 0.014; OR = 15.32), unhappy life events (p = 0.01; OR = 17.24), and age of first sexual intercourse (p = 0.016; OR = 4.608). Conclusion: One in ten female students in Parakou has been sexually assaulted. Once again, preventive action through effective sex education is a means of fighting the problem that should be prioritized for every girl and boy from an early age. Psychological support by specialists should be offered to any victim discovered without delay. Communication on the subject should be multiplied in all family and academic educational environments, from the lowest to the highest levels.

Drought tolerance is not often considered as an independent trait by breeders. The objective of this study was to evaluate and identify drought tolerant genotypes using eight drought tolerance indices namely the Stress Susceptibility Index (SSI), the YSI, the YR (Yr), yield index (YI), tolerance index (TOL), average productivity (MP), mean geometric productivity (GMP) and stress tolerance index (STI) of maize genotypes (Zea mays L.). A field trial was conducted to evaluate four genotypes during the hot dry season of 2016 and 2017 at the irrigated perimeter of Djirataoua. Drought tolerance indices were calculated on the basis of yield under optimal and stressed conditions. The comparison of the means of drought tolerance demonstrated the effects of drought on yield and showed significant differences between genotypes. The correlation coefficient and principal component analysis showed that the GMP, MP and STI indices were able to discriminate drought-sensitive and tolerant genotypes. Two genotypes CZH131001 and CZH142013 produced high grain yield under both optimal and stressed conditions. Overall, GMP, MP, and STI indices can be used as effectively drought tolerance screening indices and able to identify better genotypes, suitable for both optimal and stress conditions.