Land tenure regularisation for sustainable land use in informal urban settlements: Case study of Lalaouia and Mesguiche, Souk Ahras, Algeria

Land is a topic of increasing importance in cities in developing countries. In Algeria, the issue of land is also complex and delicate. Furthermore,  problems related to land are more acute when it concerns informal (or illegal) settlements. Since 1945, a ruralurban migration movement in Souk  Ahras has resulted in the emergence of informal settlements that had developed on the agricultural land situated on the outskirts of the colonial urban centre. In general, under a formal pattern of urban development, access to land titles precedes the act of building and occupation. In the case of informal settlements, the acquisition of landownership ultimately occurs, after the occupation of land, through regularisation procedures. This  article focuses on the experience of land tenure regularisation carried out in two informal settlements, namely Lalaouia and Mesguiche, in the city  of Souk Ahras, Algeria. The article seeks to identify elements that have contributed to the greater or lesser success of land regularisation. The main  finding of this research is that the regularisation of land tenure in Lalaouia and Mesguiche reflects the general tendency of the Algerian government toward informal settlements that is based essentially on the recognition of these informal settlements. Thus, a land tenure  regularisation strategy is implemented. It consists of a combination of physical upgrading programmes that have been ongoing since the mid-1970s, on the one hand, and land-titling measures supported by a set of legal texts to handle the issue of informal tenure, on the other. It is found that the regularisation of the informal settlements relies on an accurate land-information system. The approach adopted within the selected informal settlements can be assessed as positive, since it enabled a relative tenure security, the stability of residents, and the improvement of life standards. Nevertheless, these technical and legal tools are applied separately, instead of a unified approach of regularisation. Besides the fact that the regularisation process is often tedious and time consuming, the article also highlights the main challenges and obstacles that impede the regularisation process: historical complexity of land status, and lack of human, technical and financial resources. These issues are exacerbated by social conflicts that are often associated with heritage.&nbsp

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

Factors Explaining Adolescent Girls’ Eating Habits in Urban Benin: A Qualitative Study

Adolescence is a period between childhood and adulthood with eating habits often against the nutritional needs of adolescents. The present study used a socio-ecological approach to investigate personal and environmental factors influencing the eating habits of 15- to 19-years old Beninese urban schoolgirls. Eleven focus groups (n = 77) and seven individual interviews were conducted with adolescent girls attending school in Cotonou, Benin. Focus groups were as homogeneous as possible regarding age group and school character. Transcripts were analyzed using an inductive-deductive thematic method using the socio-ecological model. Taste preference for sweet foods, insufficient dietary knowledge and low personal income were factors explaining unhealthy food choices, while higher self-efficacy and healthy outcome expectations mainly characterized their healthy eating habits at the intrapersonal level. Family influence was beneficial for healthy eating while friends’ pressure led to an unhealthy diet at the interpersonal level. At the organizational level, adolescents reported unhealthy school food environments and urban areas increased their unhealthy eating habits. It appears that one factor alone is not enough to influence adolescent girls’ eating habits. Therefore, this study presents the need of elaborating interventions in a school context to improve eating habits in adolescents focusing on different factors in Beninese adolescent schoolgirls

Perception of secondary school adolescent girls on their own diet and health status in urban Benin

From childhood to adulthood, adolescence phase transition, implies many lifestyle changes. This study aims to investigate the perception of adolescent girls of their own diet and health status. A cross-sectional study, using a structured face-to-face administered questionnaire, were carried out in 395 adolescent girls 15 - 19 years old in secondary schools in Cotonou, in Benin. Chi 2 and Wilcoxon - Mann Whitney tests were performed to appreciate the variables associations. Logistic regression was executed to appraise the effect of self-perception on dietary practices. The average age of the participants was 16.7 ± 1.26 years. The prevalence of self-reported anaemia, diet quality and overweight/obesity was 18.23%; 57.72% and 9.87% respectively. Considering school character, more adolescents in private schools perceived themselves as being “overweight/obese” (22.8%) compared to their peers from public schools (0.4%). Self-perceived anaemia was related to dark green leafy vegetable and vitamin C-rich fruits consumption while self-perceived overweight/obesity decrease the consumption of meat and meat products. Adolescents who perceived their own diet as healthy reached the Minimum Dietary Diversity. The findings of this study highlight the importance of self-perception in adolescents eating habits and this should be considered in interventions improving their diet quality

Factors Explaining Adolescent Girls’ Eating Habits in Urban Benin: A Qualitative Study

Adolescence is a period between childhood and adulthood with eating habits often against the nutritional needs of adolescents. The present study used a socio-ecological approach to investigate personal and environmental factors influencing the eating habits of 15- to 19-years old Beninese urban schoolgirls. Eleven focus groups (n = 77) and seven individual interviews were conducted with adolescent girls attending school in Cotonou, Benin. Focus groups were as homogeneous as possible regarding age group and school character. Transcripts were analyzed using an inductive-deductive thematic method using the socio-ecological model. Taste preference for sweet foods, insufficient dietary knowledge and low personal income were factors explaining unhealthy food choices, while higher self-efficacy and healthy outcome expectations mainly characterized their healthy eating habits at the intrapersonal level. Family influence was beneficial for healthy eating while friends’ pressure led to an unhealthy diet at the interpersonal level. At the organizational level, adolescents reported unhealthy school food environments and urban areas increased their unhealthy eating habits. It appears that one factor alone is not enough to influence adolescent girls’ eating habits. Therefore, this study presents the need of elaborating interventions in a school context to improve eating habits in adolescents focusing on different factors in Beninese adolescent schoolgirls

Investigation of the Critical Behavior, Magnetocaloric Effect and Hyperfine Structure in the Fe72Nb8B20 Powders

International audienceMicrostructure as well as magnetic, thermal and magnetocaloric properties of the mechanically alloyed Fe72Nb8B20 powders have been investigated by means of Mössbauer spectrometry, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and magnetic measurements. The Mössbauer spectrometry results showed the formation of nanostructured Fe(B) and Fe(Nb) solid solutions, Fe2B boride, and an amorphous phase. The endothermic and exothermic peaks that are observed in the DSC curves might be related to the Curie temperature, and the crystallization of the amorphous phase, respectively. The critical exponent values around the magnetic phase transition of the amorphous phase (TC = 480 K), are deduced from the modified Arrott plots, Kouvel−Fisher curves and critical isotherm examination. The calculated values (β = 0.457 ± 0.012, γ = 0.863 ± 0.136 and δ = 3.090 ± 0.004) are near to those of the mean field model, revealing a dominating role of magnetic order arising due to long-range ferromagnetic interactions, as the critical exponents are mean-field-like. The maximum entropy change and the refrigerant capacity values are 1.45 J/kg·K and 239 J/kg, respectively, under a magnetic field of 5 T

Evaluation of the ability of indigenous nematode isolates of Heterorhabditis taysearae and Steinernema kandii to control mango fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis under laboratory, semi-field and field conditions in Northern Benin

We investigated the use of entomopathogenic nematodes to biologically control Bactrocera dorsalis in mango orchards. One isolate of Steinernema kandii (Thui) and two of Heterorhabditis taysearae (Hessa1 and Korobororou F4) were studied for their invasion time and virulence to third instar larvae of B. dorsalis in laboratory and semi field tests, respectively. In addition, the persistence of the same nematode isolates in soil under field conditions was tested. Results showed that all three nematode isolates could penetrate insect larvae after 2 h of exposure time. Furthermore, under semi field conditions, insect mortality was significantly different among EPN application times. The three nematode isolates were highly pathogenic to B. dorsalis with H. taysearae Hessa1 being the most virulent (70.84% +/- 10.46 [SEM] mortality) when EPNs were applied three days before insect introduction in the experimental pots. Moreover, Steinernema kandii persisted in soil up to 32 weeks after nematode application whereas both H. taysearae isolates persisted 30 weeks post application in the mango orchard. In general, four weeks upon nematode application, the density of infective juveniles decreased considerably and remained variable the following sampling dates