970 research outputs found
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 Africansâthat is, the Bantu/Cushitic-Ethiopians (Azanians)âthe 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 nationâs 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 Africaâs 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 dâarachide au SĂ©nĂ©gal
Dans la perspective de concevoir une stratĂ©gie de protection intĂ©grĂ©e des nuisibles associĂ©s aux produits post-rĂ©colte au SĂ©nĂ©gal, la bioactivitĂ© des extraits et huile essentielle de Senna occidentalis L. sur les oeufs et adultes de Caryedon serratus (Ol.), a Ă©tĂ© Ă©tudiĂ©e. Les extraits bruts (Ă©thĂ©rĂ© et mĂ©thanolique) et fractions dâextrait (hexane, acĂ©tate dâĂ©thyle, mĂ©thanol) ont Ă©tĂ© appliquĂ©s sur lâinsecteĂ 0,1 ; 0,01 et 0,001 g/ml. Les principaux rĂ©sultats rĂ©vĂšlent que S. occidentalis L. affectent significativement la survie des stades traitĂ©s, selon sa concentration et sa polaritĂ©. Lâextrait Ă©thĂ©rĂ© et la fraction hexanique provoquent 79,17% de mortalitĂ©Â embryonnaire en C1, tandis que la fraction mĂ©thanolique tue 39,58% des oeufs en C1. Les produits polaires (extrait et fraction mĂ©thanoliques) provoquent respectivement 69,92 ± 2,87% et 72,01 ± 6,86%de mortalitĂ©s dâadulte. Par contre, ceux apolaires (Ă©thĂ©rĂ© et hexanique) tuent respectivement en moyenne 30,41 ± 1,74% et 27,9 ± 0,34% des adultes. LâactivitĂ© adulticide de lâhuile essentielle augmente avec la concentration (91,67% pour 3 ml/l et 30,56% pour 1 ml/l). Cette bioactivitĂ© sâexprime aussi par un dĂ©sĂ©quilibre du sex-ratio en faveur de mĂąles, une modification du cycle de dĂ©veloppement, une fĂ©conditĂ© rĂ©duite de 67,2% pour la fraction acĂ©tate et une fertilitĂ© limitĂ©e.Mots clĂ©s : Caryedon serratus, arachide, Senna occidentalis, plantes biocides
Enseignements d'une campagne expérimentale de vaccination contre la rougeole en milieu urbain
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 ïżœyellowïżœ 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 (CambérÚne 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)
Lâobjectif de cette Ă©tude est de quantifier les concentrations en mĂ©taux lourds et de rechercher la prĂ©sence de rĂ©sidus de molĂ©cules mĂ©dicamenteuses des effluents de trois hĂŽpitaux de Dakar (SĂ©nĂ©gal). Câest ainsi que la collecte des effluents a Ă©tĂ© rĂ©alisĂ©e chaque jour sur une pĂ©riode de trois semaines Ă lâentrĂ©e du dĂ©versoir des services de radiologie, de mĂ©decine interne et dâodontologie. Ensuite, des Ă©chantillons composites par semaine ont Ă©tĂ© constituĂ©s pour rechercher leur composition en mĂ©taux lourds et en rĂ©sidus mĂ©dicamenteux. Le transport a Ă©tĂ© effectuĂ© Ă +4 °C et Ă l'obscuritĂ© pour assurer une conservation satisfaisante. Les mĂ©taux lourds ont Ă©tĂ© dosĂ©s par ICP-MS et les rĂ©sidus de mĂ©dicaments ont Ă©tĂ© recherchĂ©s par UPLCMS/ MS. Les mĂ©dicaments identifiĂ©s dans les effluents sont essentiellement des analgĂ©siques et des psychotropes. La concentration en mĂ©taux lourds des effluents des trois hĂŽpitaux est infĂ©rieure aux normes sĂ©nĂ©galaises et de celles de LâOMS fixant les conditions de rejet de mĂ©taux dans les eaux usĂ©es. Cependant, bien que les taux retrouvĂ©s soient tolĂ©rables, leur introduction continuelle en milieu aquatique pourrait ĂȘtre Ă lâorigine dâeffets nĂ©fastes sur les organismes marins par des phĂ©nomĂšnes de bioaccumulation et de biomagnification. DâoĂč lâimportance et la nĂ©cessitĂ© des stations dâĂ©puration pour une bonne gestion et une rĂ©duction des risques Ă©cotoxicologiques liĂ©s aux effluents liquides hospitaliers.Mots clĂ©s : Effluents hospitaliers, mĂ©taux lourds, rĂ©sidus mĂ©dicamenteux, toxicitĂ©
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
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