Pan-Africanism: a contorted delirium or a pseudonationalist paradigm? Revivalist critique

This essaic-article goes against established conventions that there is anything ethno-cultural (and hence national) about the so-called African tribes. Drawing largely from the culture history of precolonial/prepolitical Africans—that is, the Bantu/Cushitic-Ethiopians (Azanians)—the author has demonstrated vividly that far from being distinct ethno-culture national communities, the so-called tribes of African states are better considered subculture groups, whose regional culture practices erstwhile paid tribute to their nation’s main culture center in Karnak. For example, using the culture symbols and practices of some local groups and linking them to the predynastic and dynastic Pharaonic periods, I argued that there is compelling evidence against qualifying Africa’s tribes as distinct ethno-culture national entities. In genuine culture context, I stressed that the Ritual of Resurrection and its twin culture process of the mummification of deceased indigenous Pharaohs tend to suggest that the object of the Bantu/Cushitic-Ethiopians national culture was life (in its eternal manifestation) and then resurrection later, and that there are recurring (culturally sanctioned) ethical examples among the culture custodians of these subculture groups that generally pay tribute to the overarching culture norm. Furthermore, the fact that the Ritual of Resurrection began in the Delta region and ended at the Sources of the Nile, where the spirit of the deceased indigenous Pharaohs was introduced into the spiritual world of their ancestors, contradicts conventional perceptions that ancient Egypt was a distinct national community isolated from precolonial/prepolitical Africa/Azania

Senna occidentalis L., une plante prometteuse dans la lutte contre Caryedon serratus Ol. (Coleoptera, Bruchidae), insecte ravageur des stocks d’arachide au Sénégal

Dans la perspective de concevoir une stratégie de protection intégrée des nuisibles associés aux produits post-récolte au Sénégal, la bioactivité des extraits et huile essentielle de Senna occidentalis L. sur les oeufs et adultes de Caryedon serratus (Ol.), a été étudiée. Les extraits bruts (éthéré et méthanolique) et fractions d’extrait (hexane, acétate d’éthyle, méthanol) ont été appliqués sur l’insecteà 0,1 ; 0,01 et 0,001 g/ml. Les principaux résultats révèlent que S. occidentalis L. affectent significativement la survie des stades traités, selon sa concentration et sa polarité. L’extrait éthéré et la fraction hexanique provoquent 79,17% de mortalité embryonnaire en C1, tandis que la fraction méthanolique tue 39,58% des oeufs en C1. Les produits polaires (extrait et fraction méthanoliques) provoquent respectivement 69,92 ± 2,87% et 72,01 ± 6,86%de mortalités d’adulte. Par contre, ceux apolaires (éthéré et hexanique) tuent respectivement en moyenne 30,41 ± 1,74% et 27,9 ± 0,34% des adultes. L’activité adulticide de l’huile essentielle augmente avec la concentration (91,67% pour 3 ml/l et 30,56% pour 1 ml/l). Cette bioactivité s’exprime aussi par un déséquilibre du sex-ratio en faveur de mâles, une modification du cycle de développement, une fécondité réduite de 67,2% pour la fraction acétate et une fertilité limitée.Mots clés : Caryedon serratus, arachide, Senna occidentalis, plantes biocides

Growth of children receiving a dehydrated potato-soy protein concentrate or corn-soy blend as part of a food aid program in Northern Senegal

Rations distributed by food aid programs are intended to improve the growth of undernourished children. In practice, food programs target individual children and provide a supplement to the family that is intended to increase the energy and nutrient intake of undernourished children. Multiple food rations are available yet few studies have compared their differential effect on the growth of children. The objective of the study was to compare growth in undernourished Senegalese children who received a newly developed dehydrated potato-soy protein concentrate blend (PSB) to those supplemented with the currently available corn-soy blend (CSB). The first child at each site was randomly assigned to receive PSB or CSB and subsequent children alternately received PSB or CSB. Eligibility for obtaining the food ration was basedon criteria determined by the USAID (P.L. 480) Title II Food Aid Program. Children received iso-caloric amounts of the two supplements each month (23,000kcals). Weight, height and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) were taken over a fourmonth period. Z-scores were calculated for weight-for-age (WAZ), weight-for-height (WHZ) and for length/height-for-age measures (HAZ).The study was conducted at 7 clinics which served as food distribution sites in northern Senegal. The study enrolled348 children 18-56 months old with a weight-for-age z-score below the �yellow� zone of the locally available growth chart (equivalent to WAZ < -1.0). WAZ and HAZ significantly increased over time but there was no difference between the two ration groups. In a subset of 280 children (145 PSB, 135 CSB) who attended all four appointments and received the full complement of ration, there was significant and equivalent increase for both groups in WAZ and WHZ. These findings indicate thatchildren participating in the food aid program significantly improved their growth over a four-month period. Using the new PSB as a ration had the same impact on growth as the standard CSB and required less fuel to prepare

Experimental study of slow sand filtration for the treatment of various wastewaters in tropical environment

Wastewater treatment by slow sand filtration is a biological process which consists in filtering wastewater through a porous media. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performances of this biotechnology under tropical climate. Three sand filters were monitored at ONAS (Cambérène wastewater treatment plant in Dakar, Senegal). The filters were built with local materials, and were constituted with a feeding tank of approximately 180 litters, a column (two meters high and 30-25 cm diameter). The filters were filled with sand (75 cm), gravel (25 cm) and wastewater (90 cm). The results showed that with sand of d10 equal to 0.58 mm and flow rate of 0.05 m/h, the filtration cycle was relatively long for the first run with pretreated wastewater. At the level of the primary settling tank, with flow a rate of 0.08 m/h, the removal rates were about 12.75%, 16.31%, 12.92%, 5.45%, 7.09% and 10.50% for TSS, COD, BOD5, nitrogen phosphorus and faecal coliforms respectively. At the level of the clarifier, with a filtration of 0.15 m/h, the removals were 1.4% for TSS, 1.84% for COD, 1.09% for BOD5 11.38% for nitrogen, 5.18% for phosphorus and 1.74% of faecal coliforms.Keywords: Flow rate; filtration cycle, removal; sand filtration; tropical climate, wastewater

Présence de métaux lourds et de résidus médicamenteux dans les effluents des établissements de santé de Dakar (Sénégal)

L’objectif de cette étude est de quantifier les concentrations en métaux lourds et de rechercher la présence de résidus de molécules médicamenteuses des effluents de trois hôpitaux de Dakar (Sénégal). C’est ainsi que la collecte des effluents a été réalisée chaque jour sur une période de trois semaines à l’entrée du déversoir des services de radiologie, de médecine interne et d’odontologie. Ensuite, des échantillons composites par semaine ont été constitués pour rechercher leur composition en métaux lourds et en résidus médicamenteux. Le transport a été effectué à +4 °C et à l'obscurité pour assurer une conservation satisfaisante. Les métaux lourds ont été dosés par ICP-MS et les résidus de médicaments ont été recherchés par UPLCMS/ MS. Les médicaments identifiés dans les effluents sont essentiellement des analgésiques et des psychotropes. La concentration en métaux lourds des effluents des trois hôpitaux est inférieure aux normes sénégalaises et de celles de L’OMS fixant les conditions de rejet de métaux dans les eaux usées. Cependant, bien que les taux retrouvés soient tolérables, leur introduction continuelle en milieu aquatique pourrait être à l’origine d’effets néfastes sur les organismes marins par des phénomènes de bioaccumulation et de biomagnification. D’où l’importance et la nécessité des stations d’épuration pour une bonne gestion et une réduction des risques écotoxicologiques liés aux effluents liquides hospitaliers.Mots clés : Effluents hospitaliers, métaux lourds, résidus médicamenteux, toxicité

The Lausanne Infant Crying Stress Paradigm: Validation of an Early Postpartum Stress Paradigm with Women at Low vs. High Risk of Childbirth-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Stress reactivity is typically investigated in laboratory settings, which is inadequate for mothers in maternity settings. This study aimed at validating the Lausanne Infant Crying Stress Paradigm (LICSP) as a new psychosocial stress paradigm eliciting psychophysiological stress reactivity in early postpartum mothers (n = 52) and to compare stress reactivity in women at low (n = 28) vs. high risk (n = 24) of childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder (CB-PTSD). Stress reactivity was assessed at pre-, peri-, and post-stress levels through salivary cortisol, heart rate variability (high-frequency (HF) power, low-frequency (LF) power, and LF/HF ratio), and perceived stress via a visual analog scale. Significant time effects were observed for all stress reactivity outcomes in the total sample (all p < 0.01). When adjusting for perceived life threat for the infant during childbirth, high-risk mothers reported higher perceived stress (p < 0.001, d = 0.91) and had lower salivary cortisol release (p = 0.023, d = 0.53), lower LF/HF ratio (p < 0.001, d = 0.93), and marginally higher HF power (p = 0.07, d = 0.53) than low-risk women. In conclusion, the LICSP induces subjective stress and autonomic nervous system (ANS) reactivity in maternity settings. High-risk mothers showed higher perceived stress and altered ANS and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal reactivity when adjusting for infant life threat. Ultimately, the LICSP could stimulate (CB-)PTSD research