Modelling of flood hazard extent in data sparse areas: a case study of the Oti River basin, West Africa

Study region: Terrain and hydrological data are scarce in many African countries. The coarse spatial resolution of freely available Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission elevation data and the absence of flow gauges on flood-prone reaches, such as the Oti River studied here, make flood inundation modelling challenging in West Africa. Study focus: A flood modelling approach is developed here to simulate flood extent in data scarce regions. The methodology is based on a calibrated, distributed hydrological model for the whole basin to simulate the input discharges for a hydraulic model which is used to predict the flood extent for a 140 km reach of the Oti River. New hydrological insight for the region: Good hydrological model calibration (Nash Sutcliffe coefficient: 0.87) and validation (Nash Sutcliffe coefficient: 0.94) results demonstrate that even with coarse scale (5 km) input data, it is possible to simulate the discharge along this region's rivers, and importantly with a distributed model, derive model flows at any ungauged location within basin. With a lack of surveyed channel bathymetry, modelling the flood was only possible with a parametrized sub-grid hydraulic model. Flood model fit results relative to the observed 2007 flood extent and extensive sensitivity testing shows that this fit (64%) is likely to be as good as is possible for this region, given the coarseness of the terrain digital elevation model

ETIOLOGIES DES PLEURESIES DU SUJET AGE AU TOGO

Objective: The aim of this study was to review the current aetiologic profile of pleurisies in the elderly people. Materials and method: We carried out a retrospective study based on the data of 126 patients, old of at least 55 years, hospitalised from January 2007 to December 2011 for pleurisy in the pneumology department of Sylvanus Olympio teaching hospital of Lome. Results: Pleurisies represent 23,11 % of elderly people’s hospitalisation motives. The Sex-ratio was 1 and the average age of the patients 65 ± 09 years old. The clinical aspect was dominated by thoracic pain (88,88 %) and cough (69,84 %). The chest X-ray revealed pleural effusion at the left side in 48,41 %, at right side in 46,83% and of medium abundance in 57,93 %. The liquid was citrine in 53,97 %, haematic in 30,95% and purulent in 15,08% . Pleurisies were of cancerous origin in 32,54 %, tubercular in 17,46 % and bacterial not tubercular in 14,58%. No aetiology had been found in 33,33 %. The mortality was 27,78 % and due to cancers and idiopathic pleurisies in 86 % during three months’ follow up. Conclusion: Cancers are the first aetiology of pleurisies followed by tuberculosis in elderly people. The acquisition of the new means of pleural exploration is important to reduce the proportion of idiopathic pleurisies

Geographic distribution and abundance of the Afrotropical subterranean scale insect Stictococcus vayssierei (Hemiptera: Stictococcidae), a pest of root and tuber crops in the Congo basin

Stictococcus vayssierei is a major pest of root and tuber crops in central Africa. However, data on its ecology are lacking. Here we provide an updated estimate of its distribution with the aim of facilitating the sustainable control of its populations. Surveys conducted in nine countries encompassing 13 ecological regions around the Congo basin showed that African root and tuber scale was present in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Uganda. It was not found on the sites surveyed in Chad and Nigeria. The pest occurred in the forest and the forest-savannah mosaic as well as in the savannah where it was never recorded before. However, prevalence was higher in the forest (43.1%) where cassava was the most infested crop, compared to the savannah (9.2%) where aroids (cocoyam and taro) were the most infested crops. In the forest habitat, the pest was prevalent in all but two ecological regions: the Congolian swamp forests and the Southern Congolian forest-savanna mosaic. In the savannah habitat, it was restricted to the moist savannah highlands and absent from dry savannahs. The scale was not observed below 277 m asl. Where present, the scale was frequently (87.1% of the sites) attended by the ant Anoplolepis tenella. High densities (>1000 scales per plant) were recorded along the Cameroon-Gabon border. Good regulatory measures within and between countries are required to control the exchange of plant materials and limit its spread. The study provides information for niche modeling and risk mapping

ETIOLOGIES DES PLEURESIES DU SUJET AGE AU TOGO

Objective: The aim of this study was to review the current aetiologic profile of pleurisies in the elderly people. Materials and method: We carried out a retrospective study based on the data of 126 patients, old of at least 55 years, hospitalised from January 2007 to December 2011 for pleurisy in the pneumology department of Sylvanus Olympio teaching hospital of Lome. Results: Pleurisies represent 23,11 % of elderly people’s hospitalisation motives. The Sex-ratio was 1 and the average age of the patients 65 ± 09 years old. The clinical aspect was dominated by thoracic pain (88,88 %) and cough (69,84 %). The chest X-ray revealed pleural effusion at the left side in 48,41 %, at right side in 46,83% and of medium abundance in 57,93 %. The liquid was citrine in 53,97 %, haematic in 30,95% and purulent in 15,08% . Pleurisies were of cancerous origin in 32,54 %, tubercular in 17,46 % and bacterial not tubercular in 14,58%. No aetiology had been found in 33,33 %. The mortality was 27,78 % and due to cancers and idiopathic pleurisies in 86 % during three months’ follow up. Conclusion: Cancers are the first aetiology of pleurisies followed by tuberculosis in elderly people. The acquisition of the new means of pleural exploration is important to reduce the proportion of idiopathic pleurisies

Muscle fiber conduction velocity is more affected after eccentric than concentric exercise

It has been shown that mean muscle fiber conduction velocity (CV) can be acutely impaired after eccentric exercise. However, it is not known whether this applies to other exercise modes. Therefore, the purpose of this experiment was to compare the effects of eccentric and concentric exercises on CV, and amplitude and frequency content of surface electromyography (sEMG) signals up to 24 h post-exercise. Multichannel sEMG signals were recorded from biceps brachii muscle of the exercised arm during isometric maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and electrically evoked contractions induced by motor-point stimulation before, immediately after and 2 h after maximal eccentric (ECC group, N = 12) and concentric (CON group, N = 12) elbow flexor exercises. Isometric MVC decreased in CON by 21.7 ± 12.0% (± SD, p < 0.01) and by 30.0 ± 17.7% (p < 0.001) in ECC immediately post-exercise when compared to baseline. At 2 h post-exercise, ECC showed a reduction in isometric MVC by 24.7 ± 13.7% (p < 0.01) when compared to baseline, while no significant reduction (by 8.0 ± 17.0%, ns) was observed in CON. Similarly, reduction in CV was observed only in ECC both during the isometric MVC (from baseline of 4.16 ± 0.3 to 3.43 ± 0.4 m/s, p < 0.001) and the electrically evoked contractions (from baseline of 4.33 ± 0.4 to 3.82 ± 0.3 m/s, p < 0.001). In conclusion, eccentric exercise can induce a greater and more prolonged reduction in muscle force production capability and CV than concentric exercis

The effect of massage on localized lumbar muscle fatigue

BACKGROUND: There is not enough evidence to support the efficacy of massage for muscle fatigue despite wide utilization of the modality in various clinical settings. This study investigated the influence of massage application on localized back muscle fatigue. METHODS: Twenty-nine healthy subjects participated in two experimental sessions (massage and rest conditions). On each test day, subjects were asked to lie in the prone position on a treatment table and perform sustained back extension for 90 seconds. Subjects then either received massage on the lumbar region or rested for a 5 minute duration, then repeated the back extension movement. The median frequency (MDF), mean power frequency (MNF), and root mean square (RMS) amplitude of electromyographic signals during the 90 second sustained lumbar muscle contraction were analyzed. The subjective feeling of fatigue was then evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). RESULTS: MDF and MNF significantly declined with time under all conditions. There was no significant difference in MDF, MNF or RMS value change between before and after massage, or between rest and massage conditions. There was a significant increase in fatigue VAS at the end of the 2(nd) back extension with rest condition. There was a significant difference in fatigue VAS change between massage and rest condition. CONCLUSIONS: A significant difference was observed between massage and rest condition on VAS for muscle fatigue. On EMG analysis, there were no significant differences to conclude that massage stimulation influenced the myoelectrical muscle fatigue, which is associated with metabolic and electrical changes

On the Implications of a Sex Difference in the Reaction Times of Sprinters at the Beijing Olympics

Elite sprinters offer insights into the fastest whole body auditory reaction times. When, however, is a reaction so fast that it represents a false start? Currently, a false start is awarded if an athlete increases the force on their starting block above a given threshold before 100 ms has elapsed after the starting gun. To test the hypothesis that the fastest valid reaction times of sprinters really is 100 ms and that no sex difference exists in that time, we analyzed the fastest reaction times achieved by each of the 425 male and female sprinters who competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. After power transformation of the skewed data, a fixed effects ANOVA was used to analyze the effects of sex, race, round and lane position. The lower bounds of the 95, 99 and 99.9% confidence intervals were then calculated and back transformed. The mean fastest reaction time recorded by men was significantly faster than women (p<0.001). At the 99.9% confidence level, neither men nor women can react in 100 ms, but they can react in as little as 109 ms and 121 ms, respectively. However, that sex difference in reaction time is likely an artifact caused by using the same force threshold in women as men, and it permits a woman to false start by up to 21 ms without penalty. We estimate that female sprinters would have similar reaction times to male sprinters if the force threshold used at Beijing was lowered by 22% in order to account for their lesser muscle strength

Advances in crop insect modelling methods—Towards a whole system approach

A wide range of insects affect crop production and cause considerable yield losses. Difficulties reside on the development and adaptation of adequate strategies to predict insect pests for their timely management to ensure enhanced agricultural production. Several conceptual modelling frameworks have been proposed, and the choice of an approach depends largely on the objective of the model and the availability of data. This paper presents a summary of decades of advances in insect population dynamics, phenology models, distribution and risk mapping. Existing challenges on the modelling of insects are listed; followed by innovations in the field. New approaches include artificial neural networks, cellular automata (CA) coupled with fuzzy logic (FL), fractal, multi-fractal, percolation, synchronization and individual/agent based approaches. A concept for assessing climate change impacts and providing adaptation options for agricultural pest management independently of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emission scenarios is suggested. A framework for estimating losses and optimizing yields within crop production system is proposed and a summary on modelling the economic impact of pests control is presented. The assessment shows that the majority of known insect modelling approaches are not holistic; they only concentrate on a single component of the system, i.e. the pest, rather than the whole crop production system. We suggest system thinking as a possible approach for linking crop, pest, and environmental conditions to provide a more comprehensive assessment of agricultural crop production.Peer reviewe

Numerical and functional defects of blood dendritic cells in early- and late-stage breast cancer

The generation of antitumour immunity depends on the nature of dendritic cell (DC)–tumour interactions. These have been studied mostly by using in vitro-derived DC which may not reflect the natural biology of DC in vivo. In breast cancer, only one report has compared blood DC at different stages and no longitudinal evaluation has been performed. Here we conducted three cross-sectional and one one-year longitudinal assessments of blood DC in patients with early (stage I/II, n=137) and advanced (stage IV, n=36) disease compared to healthy controls (n=66). Patients with advanced disease exhibit markedly reduced blood DC counts at diagnosis. Patients with early disease show minimally reduced counts at diagnosis but a prolonged period (1 year) of marked DC suppression after tumour resection. While differing in frequency, DC from both patients with early and advanced disease exhibit reduced expression of CD86 and HLA-DR and decreased immunostimulatory capacities. Finally, by comparing a range of clinically available maturation stimuli, we demonstrate that conditioning with soluble CD40L induces the highest level of maturation and improved T-cell priming. We conclude that although circulating DC are compromised by loco-regional and systemic breast cancer, they respond vigorously to ex vivo conditioning, thus enhancing their immunostimulatory capacity and potential for immunotherapy