Global warming induced hybrid rainy seasons in the Sahel

Open Access JournalThe small rainfall recovery observed over the Sahel, concomitant with a regional climate warming, conceals some drought features that exacerbate food security. The new rainfall features include false start and early cessation of rainy seasons, increased frequency of intense daily rainfall, increasing number of hot nights and warm days and a decreasing trend in diurnal temperature range. Here, we explain these mixed dry/wet seasonal rainfall features which are called hybrid rainy seasons by delving into observed data consensus on the reduction in rainfall amount, its spatial coverage, timing and erratic distribution of events, and other atmospheric variables crucial in agro-climatic monitoring and seasonal forecasting. Further composite investigations of seasonal droughts, oceans warming and the regional atmospheric circulation nexus reveal that the low-to-mid-level atmospheric winds pattern, often stationary relative to either strong or neutral El-Niño-Southern-Oscillations drought patterns, associates to basin warmings in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea to trigger hybrid rainy seasons in the Sahel. More challenging to rain-fed farming systems, our results suggest that these new rainfall conditions will most likely be sustained by global warming, reshaping thereby our understanding of food insecurity in this region

Emergence of an environmental citizenship in Senegalese rural areas: local development initiatives by the Fannabara association in Missirah (Fatick, Senegal) / Émergence d’une écocitoyenneté en milieu rural sénégalais : initiatives de gouvernance locale de la biodiversité par l’Association Fannabara à Missirah (Région de Fatick, Sénégal)

In Missirah, a village in Senegal, a group of young ecologists who are part of an association called Fannabara, developed initiatives with the objective of restoring deteriorating ecosystems and promoting local culture. Along with the many numerous to their credit, in cooperation with partners such as the IUCN and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Fannabara is trying to establish itself as a framework within which the interests of the Missirah communities can be defended. The projects undertaken are in line with a perspective that promotes public-awareness, education and actions for a sustainable development. The project is dependent on obtaining the necessary resources to meet the ecological, economic, social and cultural challenges faced in Missirah. This research shows that the decentralization and accountability context for community-level players – associated with the changes taking place in rural areas, namely as they relate to the participation of populations in the governance of biodiversity – has greatly contributed to the promotion of new local development dynamics. ******* À Missirah, village du Sénégal, des initiatives ont été développées par un groupe de jeunes écologistes regroupés au sein de l’association Fannabara. Leurs objectifs visent la restauration des écosystèmes en dégradation et la promotion de la culture locale. Tout en comptant à son actif de nombreuses réalisations, avec des partenaires comme l’UICN et le Fonds pour l’Environnement Mondial (FEM), Fannabara cherche à se positionner comme le cadre de défense des intérêts des populations de Missirah. Les projets initiés s’inscrivent dans une perspective de sensibilisation, d’éducation et d’actions pour un environnement durable. Le tout étant conditionné par l’obtention de moyens permettant de les réaliser pour répondre aux défis écologiques, économiques, sociaux et culturels à Missirah. Cette recherche montre que le contexte de décentralisation et de responsabilisation des acteurs à la base, associé aux mutations dans les zones rurales, notamment dans leurs dimensions liées à la participation des populations dans la gouvernance de la biodiversité, ont grandement favorisé les nouvelles dynamiques de développement local

Emergence of an environmental citizenship in Senegalese rural areas: local development initiatives by the Fannabara association in Missirah (Fatick, Senegal)

In Missirah, a village in Senegal, a group of young ecologists who are part of an association called Fannabara, developed initiatives with the objective of restoring deteriorating ecosystems and promoting local culture. Along with the many numerous to their credit, in cooperation with partners such as the IUCN and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Fannabara is trying to establish itself as a framework within which the interests of the Missirah communities can be defended. The projects undertaken are in line with a perspective that promotes public-awareness, education and actions for a sustainable development. The project is dependent on obtaining the necessary resources to meet the ecological, economic, social and cultural challenges faced in Missirah. This research shows that the decentralization and accountability context for community-level players – associated with the changes taking place in rural areas, namely as they relate to the participation of populations in the governance of biodiversity – has greatly contributed to the promotion of new local development dynamics.À Missirah, village du Sénégal, des initiatives ont été développées par un groupe de jeunes écologistes regroupés au sein de l’association Fannabara. Leurs objectifs visent la restauration des écosystèmes en dégradation et la promotion de la culture locale. Tout en comptant à son actif de nombreuses réalisations, avec des partenaires comme l’UICN et le Fonds pour l’Environnement Mondial (FEM), Fannabara cherche à se positionner comme le cadre de défense des intérêts des populations de Missirah. Les projets initiés s’inscrivent dans une perspective de sensibilisation, d’éducation et d’actions pour un environnement durable. Le tout étant conditionné par l’obtention de moyens permettant de les réaliser pour répondre aux défis écologiques, économiques, sociaux et culturels à Missirah. Cette recherche montre que le contexte de décentralisation et de responsabilisation des acteurs à la base, associé aux mutations dans les zones rurales, notamment dans leurs dimensions liées à la participation des populations dans la gouvernance de la biodiversité, ont grandement favorisé les nouvelles dynamiques de développement local.En Missirah, una aldea de Senegal, un grupo de jóvenes ecologistas que forman parte de una asociación llamada Fannabara, desarrolló iniciativas con el objetivo de restaurar los deteriorados ecosistemas y promover la cultura local. Contando en su haber con numerosas realizaciones, en cooperación con socios como el IUCN y el Fondo Mundial para el Medio Ambiente (FMMA), Fannabara está tratando de establecerse como un marco dentro del cual los intereses de las comunidades de Missirah puedan ser defendidas. Los proyectos emprendidos están en consonancia con una perspectiva que promueve la concienciación pública, la educación y las acciones para un desarrollo sostenible. El proyecto depende de obtener los recursos necesarios para enfrentarse a los desafíos ecológicos, económicos, sociales y culturales en Missirah. Esta investigación muestra que el contexto de descentralización y responsabilidad de los actores a nivel de la comunidad, asociado a los cambios que tienen lugar en áreas rurales, particularmente en lo referente a su relación con la participación de las poblaciones en el gobierno de la biodiversidad, ha contribuido mucho a la promoción de nuevas dinámicas de desarrollo local

Infected Necrosis in Severe Pancreatitis - Combined Nonsurgical Multi-Drainage with Directed Transabdominal High-Volume Lavage in Critically Ill Patients

Background: Infection of pancreatic necrosis is a life-threatening complication during the course of acute pancreatitis. In critically ill patients, surgical or extended endoscopic interventions are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Minimally invasive procedures on the other hand are often insufficient in patients suffering from large necrotic areas containing solid or purulent material. We present a strategy combining percutaneous and transgastric drainage with continuous high-volume lavage for treatment of extended necroses and liquid collections in a series of patients with severe acute pancreatitis. Patients and Methods: Seven consecutive patients with severe acute pancreatitis and large confluent infected pancreatic necrosis were enrolled. In all cases, the first therapeutic procedure was placement of a CT-guided drainage catheter into the fluid collection surrounding peripancreatic necrosis. Thereafter, a second endosonographically guided drainage was inserted via the gastric or the duodenal wall. After communication between the separate drains had been proven, an external to internal directed high-volume lavage with a daily volume of 500 ml up to 2,000 ml was started. Results: In all patients, pancreatic necrosis/liquid collections could be resolved completely by the presented regime. No patient died in the course of our study. After initiation of the directed high-volume lavage, there was a significant clinical improvement in all patients. Double drainage was performed for a median of 101 days, high-volume lavage for a median of 41 days. Several endoscopic interventions for stent replacement were required (median 8). Complications such as bleeding or perforation could be managed endoscopically, and no subsequent surgical therapy was necessary. All patients could be dismissed from the hospital after a median duration of 78 days. Conclusion: This approach of combined percutaneous/endoscopic drainage with high-volume lavage shows promising results in critically ill patients with extended infected pancreatic necrosis and high risk of surgical intervention. Neither surgical nor endoscopic necrosectomy was necessary in any of our patients. Copyright (C) 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel and IA

The differential effects of low birth weight and Western diet consumption upon early life hepatic fibrosis development in guinea pig

Key points: Postnatal intake of a high saturated fat/high sugar diet, the Western diet (WD), is a risk factor for liver fibrosis. Recently, adverse in utero conditions resulting in low birth weight (LBW) have also been associated with postnatal fibrosis development. We demonstrate that suboptimal in utero conditions resulting in LBW are associated with changes in hepatic profibrotic genes in conjunction with minimal liver fibrosis in young non-overweight adult guinea pigs. Our results also indicate that WD promotes liver steatosis, enhanced expression of hepatic genes and proteins of the proinflammatory, profibrotic, cell death and collagen deposition pathways in conjunction with mild hepatic fibrosis. Our data highlight that pathways responsible for the initiation of a profibrotic state and ultimately hepatic fibrosis appear different depending upon the insult, an in utero-induced LBW outcome or a postnatal WD exposure. Postnatal intake of an energy dense diet, the Western diet (WD), is a strong risk factor for liver fibrosis. Recently, adverse in utero conditions resulting in low birth weight (LBW) have also been associated with postnatal fibrosis development. We assessed the independent and possible synergistic effects of placental insufficiency-induced LBW and postnatal WD consumption on liver fibrosis in early adulthood, with a specific focus on changes in inflammation and apoptosis pathways in association with fibrogenesis. Male LBW (uterine artery ablation) and normal birth weight (NBW) guinea pig pups were fed either a control diet (CD) or WD from weaning to 150 days. Significant steatosis, mild lobular inflammation, apoptosis and mild stage 1 fibrosis (perisinusoidal or portal) were evident in WD-fed offspring (NBW/WD and LBW/WD). In LBW/CD versus NBW/CD offspring, increased transforming growth factor-beta 1 and matrix metallopeptidase mRNA and sma- and Mad-related protein 4 (SMAD4) were present in conjunction with minimal stage 1 portal fibrosis. Further, connective tissue growth factor mRNA was increased and miR-146a expression decreased in LBW offspring, irrespective of diet. Independent of birth weight, WD-fed offspring exhibited increased expression of fibrotic genes as well as elevated inflammatory and apoptotic markers. Moreover, the augmented expression of collagen, type III, alpha 1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha was associated with increased recruitment of RNA polymerase II and enhanced histone acetylation (K9) to their respective promoters. These data support a role for both LBW and postnatal WD as factors contributing to hepatic fibrosis development in offspring through distinct pathways

Acetabular fractures: epidemiological, lesional, therapeutic and evolutionary aspects

Background: Fractures of the acetabulum are serious because they affect a deep, load-bearing joint that is difficult to repair surgically at first. They occur in a context of polytrauma. The aim of our work is to study the epidemiological, lesional, therapeutic and evolutionary aspects of acetabulum fractures.Methods: This is a 5-year retrospective study from January 2012 to December 2016 including 45 patients treated for acetabulum fracture.Results: 45 patients including 38 men and 7 women with a mean age of 36 years (extremes 18 and 74). The circumstances of occurrence were dominated by road traffic accidents with 42 cases (93.3%).According to the Judet-Letournel classification, we observed 28 elementary fractures (16 posterior wall fractures, 11 posterior column fractures, 1 anterior column fracture) and 17 complex fractures (7 posterior column and posterior wall fractures, 6 transverse and posterior wall fractures, 3 posterior and anterior column fractures, 1 anterior column and posterior hemi-transverse fracture). The association of a dislocation with an acetabulum fracture was found in 32 cases. Associated lesions (fractures) were observed in 23 patients. One case of associated TCE was noted. Treatment was orthopedic in 18 patients, surgical in 18 patients and functional in 9 patients. According to the Matta criteria we obtained after treatment 46.7% good reduction, 51.1% satisfactory and 2.2% unsatisfactory reduction. According to the Postel-Merle D'Aubigné rating, 16 patients obtained excellent results with overall 93.3% satisfactory results. The complications found were coxarthrosis (15 cases), para-articular ossification (2 cases) and vicious callus (1 case).Conclusions: The treatment of acetabulum fractures depends on the type of fracture, the age and activities of the patients. Orthopedic, surgical as well as functional treatment can give good acetabular reconstructions and functional results

La lithotripsie extracorporelle: expérience d’un centre Sénégalais

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