Electrical Power distribution status in West Africa: Assessment and Perspective Overview

International audienceThis paper deals with the presentation of some of the issues and perspectives of electrification in West Africa. Due to poverty and technological weakness, the electrical grid is made of a dispersed low density of consumption points, in a very vast geographical area. Many solutions including Renewable Energy Source (RES) intended to solve the access to energy for people have been implemented. But common solutions in terms of power availability and quality are not effective, especially in rural areas. The opportunity given by renewable energy resources integration, is not yet effective, considering novelty of the approaches of distributed generation and micro grid applications. The inventory of operational power plants and the planned ones in West Africa is discussed. A state of the art of the potentialities of microgrid (MG) thought as efficient solutions to those issues in the literature are presented.Cet article traite de la présentation de certains enjeux et perspectives de l'électrification en Afrique de l'Ouest. En raison de la pauvreté et de la faiblesse technologique, le réseau électrique est constitué d'une faible densité dispersée de points de consommation, dans une zone géographique très vaste. De nombreuses solutions dont les sources d'énergie renouvelables (SER) destinées à résoudre l'accès à l'énergie des personnes ont été mises en œuvre. Mais les solutions communes en termes de disponibilité et de qualité de l'énergie ne sont pas efficaces, en particulier dans les zones rurales. L'opportunité offerte par l'intégration des ressources d'énergie renouvelable n'est pas encore effective, compte tenu de la nouveauté des approches de production distribuée et des applications de micro-réseaux. L'inventaire des centrales électriques opérationnelles et celles prévues en Afrique de l'Ouest est discuté

Characterization of Coffea arabica monofloral honey from Espírito Santo, Brazil

In this study, samples of coffee honey produced in Espírito Santo State, Brazil, were characterized based on their melissopalynology, physicochemical and nutritional properties, and mineral and caffeine contents. The caffeine content in the nectar from coffee flowers was measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Blends of honey were obtained from three Coffea arabica crops, each with 10 colonies of Africanized Apis mellifera. All honey samples contained monofloral (75–78%) pollen belonging to C. arabica. Physicochemical parameters (total acidity, pH, moisture, dry matter, ash, and qualitative hydroxymethylfurfural) were within the approved limits established by EU legislation. Coffee honey contains high levels of ascorbic acid (294.68 mg kg−1) and low amounts of total flavonoids (3.51 ± 0.18 mg QE kg−1). The most abundant minerals were potassium and calcium (962.59 ± 154.3 and 343.75 ± 25.56 mg kg−1, respectively). The caffeine content in coffee nectar (1.64 mg kg−1) was approximately 8-fold lower than that in honey (12.02 ± 0.81 mg kg−1).20325225

Characterization Of Coffea Arabica Monofloral Honey From Espírito Santo, Brazil

In this study, samples of coffee honey produced in Espírito Santo State, Brazil, were characterized based on their melissopalynology, physicochemical and nutritional properties, and mineral and caffeine contents. The caffeine content in the nectar from coffee flowers was measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Blends of honey were obtained from three Coffea arabica crops, each with 10 colonies of Africanized Apis mellifera. All honey samples contained monofloral (75-78%) pollen belonging to C. arabica. Physicochemical parameters (total acidity, pH, moisture, dry matter, ash, and qualitative hydroxymethylfurfural) were within the approved limits established by EU legislation. Coffee honey contains high levels of ascorbic acid (294.68 mg kg-1) and low amounts of total flavonoids (3.51 ± 0.18 mg QE kg-1). The most abundant minerals were potassium and calcium (962.59 ± 154.3 and 343.75 ± 25.56 mg kg-1, respectively). The caffeine content in coffee nectar (1.64 mg kg-1) was approximately 8-fold lower than that in honey (12.02 ± 0.81 mg kg-1). © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.20325225

Hepatitis A and E outbreak surveillance during 2015–2017 in Kashmir, India: Is the water to blame?

Waterborne diseases, such as Hepatitis A and E, are major public health concerns in most of the developing nations, indicating the need for proper outbreak prevention, surveillance, and timely management. This study presents data regarding the prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of hepatitis A and E outbreaks as well as water quality in Kashmir, India, during 2015–2017. Hepatitis outbreaks were initially investigated by rapid response teams, under the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme. Suspected cases were further evaluated by blood sampling to confirm the disease along with water sampling evaluation. Between 2015 and 2017, 23 disease outbreaks were recorded; among these, four outbreaks occurred in 2015, 12 in 2016, and seven in 2017. Specifically, 12 of the total outbreaks were concerned with hepatitis A infection, 10 concerned hepatitis E infection, and one involved eight cases of jaundice with neither hepatitis A virus nor hepatitis A virus detected in blood sampling. Overall, during the aforementioned period, 393 cases of hepatitis A or E were detected. Regarding water quality, which was evaluated using the most probable number method for counting coliform, 38 of 50 water samples were found to be unfit for human consumption and one source was found to be suspicious. This study of prevalence and epidemiology of hepatitis A and E along with its relationship with water quality and socioeconomic factors, such as poor hygiene and lack of access to safe water, aids towards the implementation of effective preventive sanitary measures and public health actions. © 2018 Atlantis Press International B.V

Neutrophils direct preexisting matrix to initiate repair in damaged tissues.

Internal organs heal injuries with new connective tissue, but the cellular and molecular events of this process remain obscure. By tagging extracellular matrix around the mesothelium lining in mouse peritoneum, liver and cecum, here we show that preexisting matrix was transferred across organs into wounds in various injury models. Using proteomics, genetic lineage-tracing and selective injury in juxtaposed organs, we found that the tissue of origin for the transferred matrix likely dictated the scarring or regeneration of the healing tissue. Single-cell RNA sequencing and genetic and chemical screens indicated that the preexisting matrix was transferred by neutrophils dependent on the HSF-integrin AM/B2-kindlin3 cascade. Pharmacologic inhibition of this axis prevented matrix transfer and the formation of peritoneal adhesions. Matrix transfer was thus an early event of wound repair and provides a therapeutic window to dampen scaring across a range of conditions

Splenectomy for the treatment of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Contains fulltext : 47353.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)Plasma exchange is the treatment of choice for patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and results in remission in >80% of the cases. Treatment of patients who are refractory to plasma therapy or have relapsing disease is difficult. Splenectomy has been a therapeutic option in these conditions but its value remains controversial. We report on a series of 33 patients with TTP who were splenectomised because they were plasma refractory (n = 9) or for relapsed disease (n = 24). Splenectomy generated prompt and unmaintained remissions in all except five patients, in whom remission was delayed (n = 4) or who died with progressive disease (n = 1). Four postoperative complications occurred: one pulmonary embolism and three surgical complications. Median follow-up after splenectomy was 109 months (range 28-230 months). The overall postsplenectomy relapse rate was 0.09 relapses/patient-year and the 10-year relapse-free survival (RFS) was 70% (95% CI 50-83%). In the patients with relapsing TTP, relapse rate fell from 0.74 relapses/patient-year before splenectomy to 0.10 after splenectomy (P < 0.00001). Two patients died from first postsplenectomy relapse. Although these results are based on retrospective data and that the relapse rate may spontaneously decrease with time, we conclude that splenectomy, when performed during stable disease, has an acceptable safety profile and should be considered in cases of plasma refractoriness or relapsing TTP to reach durable remissions and to reduce or prevent future relapses