Waves: An Exploration of Emotions

Emotions are at the core of every human being. They can dictate the decisions we make whether we are aware of it or not, and can be shown in many ways. For my honors thesis, I created a magazine that explores emotions. I utilized my skills and knowledge in portrait photography to showcase the complexities of happiness, sadness, anger, and anxiety. I also employed my skills in design to not only present these feelings but evoke that specific emotion in my audience with ideas such as color theory and photographic psychology. Color theory encompasses a multitude of practices on how color is used and perceived. Things such as how intense a color is or how different colors look next to each other impact how someone perceives a design or photo. Different colors also have different meanings to the human mind, and I utilized that while creating the magazine. Photographic psychology is another idea I used during my investigation. It is the exploration of how different photographic elements are used to create a piece and how a person views it. By exploring elements such as light, angles, perspective, I was able to express each emotion clearly to the audience. Overall, I was able to create a modern magazine that shows emotions are not one-dimensional

Femmes et images : la production culturelle chez les Africaines

Cet article porte sur la question du génie créateur de la femme africaine et sa capacité à intégrer l’abstraction ; il s’intéresse notamment aux conditions d’émergence de sa production culturelle, découlant de la révolution “féministe”. Il souligne que, même si la prise de la parole dans l’espace public par la femme est un phénomène récent, son expression par l’image remonte à la nuit des temps. L’art relevant du domaine de la fonctionnalité dans les sociétés agraires où la femme, généralement, joue un rôle religieux, l’esthétique relève ainsi de son univers.This article deals with the creative genius of the African woman and her capacity to integrate abstraction ; more specifically, it focuses on the conditions in which her cultural production emerges, conditions that result from the “feminist” revolution. It underlines that, although the legitimation of women’s speech in the public arena is a fairly recent phenomenon, her expression through images is timeless. Because art is being linked to functionality in agrarian societies where women generally play a religious role, aesthetics also comes from her universe

Strain identity of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria bicolor is more important than richness in regulating plant and fungal performance under nutrient rich conditions

This work was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NE/I014527/1).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Studies of the Woody Vegetation of the Welor Forest Reserve (Senegal) for Sustainable Use

The Welor area has been classified as a forest reserve since 1935 while waiting for the outcome of studies for its appropriate exploitation based on its biological potential. Due to lack of information on this potential, the plant resources of this forest reserve have been used improperly and excessively. The present study aims at gathering, with an appropriate approach and efficient tools, information necessary for designing a management plan to ensure a sustainable use of the woody resources of Welor Forest Reserve. The results obtained have provided information on the present condition of the woody flora and the vegetation, the potential and the dynamics of the most exploited woody species, and the root causes of the present state of the vegetation of the Welor Forest Reserve. Forty-six woody species, which belong to 39 genera and 25 families, were identified in this Forest Reserve. The most numerous families were Combretaceae, Capparidaceae, Mimosaceae and Caesalpiniaceae. The shrubs represented about 95% of the woody individuals. The average density of the woody individuals was 75–181 individuals per hectare. Acacia seyal and Balanites aegyptiaca were the dominant woody species with the best population structure. None of the woody species exploited for timber reveals a good structure and a good regeneration. Considering the socio-economic context of the area, it appears that the Welor Forest Reserve could be used as a source for firewood.West African Journal of Applied Ecology Vol. 13 2008: pp. 67-7

La formación profesional en el sector informal : una iniciativa empresarial innovadora para el desarrollo de Senegal

Los objetivos generales planteados en esta tesis doctoral son caracterizar al empresario del sector informal senegalés, analizar su nivel educativo y formativo, así como las necesidades de formación profesional demandadas como estrategia para la modernización del sector informal de Senegal. Esto permitirá identificar posibles déficits formativos y necesidades de intervención en este campo, comprobar si existen diferencias en las necesidades de formación, en función del nivel de importancia que el empresariado senegalés del sector informal otorga a la formación, con lo cual se puede obtener información que puede servir de base a las políticas formativas con un marcado carácter sectorial, y analizar si la innovación es un factor relevante para el empresariado. Se utilizan datos estadísticos de la Agence National de la Statistique et de la Démographie de Senegal y de otras bases de datos internacionales. Asimismo, se elabora un cuestionario dirigido al empresariado senegalés del sector informal. La población objeto de estudio es el conjunto de empresas del sector informal de Senegal ubicadas en las regiones de Dakar y Diourbel y, dentro de ellas, las empresas situadas en Dakar y Touba porque en estas dos ciudades se desarrolla la mayor parte de las actividades empresariales del país. Se presentan los resultados globales de forma descriptiva y, posteriormente, se desagregan estos resultados en función del nivel de importancia que el empresariado senegalés otorga a la formación. Además, se aplica un análisis de regresión logística que permite caracterizar al empresariado del sector informal. Por último, se presenta una serie de recomendaciones dirigidas a mejorar la formación profesional y la situación de las empresas del sector informal con su entorno.The general objectives outlined in this doctoral thesis are to characterize the Senegalese informal sector entrepreneur, to analyze his/her educational and training level, as well as the professional training needs demanded as a strategy for the modernization of the informal sector in Senegal. This will make it possible to identify possible training deficits and intervention needs in this field, to check if there are differences in training needs, according to the level of importance that Senegalese entrepreneur in the informal sector gives to training, with the result that information can be obtained that can be used as a basis for training policies with a marked sectoral nature, and analyze whether innovation is a relevant factor for the entrepreneur. Statistical data from the National Agency of Statistics and Demography of Senegal and other international databases are used. Likewise, a questionnaire is prepared for Senegalese entrepreneur of the informal sector. The population under study is the set of companies in the informal sector of Senegal located in the regions of Dakar and Diourbel and, within them, the companies located in Dakar and Touba because most of the business activities of the country are carried out in these two cities. The overall results are presented in a descriptive way and, subsequently, these results are disaggregated according to the level of importance that Senegalese entrepreneur gives to training. In addition, a logistic regression analysis is applied to characterize the informal sector entrepreneur. Finally, a series of recommendations are presented aimed at improving professional training and the situation of companies in the informal sector with their environment

Élaboration de modèles allométriques d’Acacia Sénéga

La présente étude s’est appesantie sur l’élaboration de modèles allométriques d’une espèce soudanosahélienne (Acacia Sénégal ) dans le but d’asseoir une base de calcul des stocks de carbone. La recherche s’est effectuée en zone sylvopastorale, au nord du Sénégal. Au préalable, l’étude a tenté d’approfondir les connaissances sur la dendrométrie de Acacia Sénégal. Sur le terrain, les paramètres suivants ont été mesurés et fait l’objet d’analyses et interprétations : diamètre à la base, hauteur totale de l’arbre, longueur du tronc, diamètre à hauteur de poitrine, circonférence à hauteur de poitrine et largeur du houppier. La pesée des échantillons de chaque partie (tronc, branche, rameau) de l’échantillon d’arbres composés de 38 pieds d’Acacia Sénégal et leur séchage à l’étuve ont permis de connaître la biomasse sèche de chaque sujet. Ensuite, des modèles allométriques spécifiques (entre la biomasse sèche et les paramètres dendrométriques) ont été générés et les coefficients de corrélation déterminés. Les différentes analyses ont permis d’affirmer que le diamètre à hauteur de poitrine (DHP) est la variable qui offre la meilleure corrélation avec la biomasse aérienne. Parmi les modèles, et par ordre décroissant, nous avons obtenu la relation polynomiale, logarithmique et de puissance. Les modèles retenus ont comme entrée le DBH. De ce fait, le modèle polynomiale (y = 0,032DBH3 - 1,016DBH2 + 10,87DBH + 7,429) présente la meilleure corrélation (R² = 0,963), suivi du modèle logarithmique (y = 13,61ln(DBH) + 17,89) avec une corrélation R² = 0,933 et du modèle de puissance (y = 22,23DBH0,357) pour une corrélation R² = 0,909. L’étude a confirmé l’hypothèse selon laquelle, au sein d’une même espèce, l’élaboration de modèle spécifique reflète plus la réalité et permet de faire une quantification des stocks de carbone plus proche de la réalité que le modèle générique.Mots-clés : modèle allométrique, grande muraille verte, Acacia Sénégal, séquestration de carbone

Valeurs bromatologique et nutritive de jeunes feuilles de Sterculia setigera Del. en milieu soudanien au Sénégal

L’objectif de cette étude est de déterminer la composition chimique et la valeur fourragère des jeunes feuilles de Sterculia setigera A. Del qui ont été évaluées dans la zone soudanienne du Sénégal. Les analyses bromatologiques montrent des teneurs moyennes en matières minérales (MM) et en matière azotée totale MAT assez fortes, respectivement de 122,68 g/kg MS (matière sèche) et de 124 ,52 g/kg MS. Les teneurs  moyennes des constituants pariétaux sont de l'ordre de 478,23 g/kg MS pour NDF (neutral detergent fiber), 394,06 g/kg pour ADF et 153,86 g/kg de MS pour ADL avec un degré de lignification (ADL/NDF) assez important de 0,32. Les résultats obtenus font ressortir des variations suivant les localités. Ainsi, on distingue globalement le fourrage de Kaffrine caractérisé par la matière azotée contenue dans l’ADF (MAADF % MAT), le rapport Ca/P et NDF. Le fourrage de Tambacounda-Kounghel est caractérisé par contre par la matière azotée totale (MAT), l’acide detergent lignin (ADL), la cellulose brute (CB) et l’acide detergent fiber (ADF). Les  unités fourragères (viande et lait) estimées à partir des équations de l’INRA (Sauvant, Perez et Tran, 2004) ainsi que les protéines digestibles dans l’intestin (PDIN+PDIE) sont respectivement de 0,41 kg MS, 0,53 kg MS et 121,86 g/kg MS. © 2013 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Mots clés: Valeur fourragère, terroirs, composition chimique, éléments nutritifs

A 3D model for thickness and diffusion capacitance of emitter-base junction in a bifacial polycrystalline solar cell

Through this paper, we present n+-p-p+ solar cell. Mathematical relations describing the generated carriers’ density are expressed, using among others a new approach involving both junction and back surface recombination velocities in a 3D modelling study.Based on the normalized carriers’ density versus the base depth and operating an open circuit voltage, we study the space-charge layer thickness (Z) versus various parameters such as the grain size (g) and the grain boundaries recombination velocity (Sgb). Hence, the relationship between Z and the diffusion capacitance show that junction in the n+-p-p+ solar cell, when the columnar orientation is considered, is characterized by the plane capacitor properties

Infographic—Getting to market: Roadmap for user access

The Population Council is an established leader in the development of reproductive health technologies. An estimated 170 million individuals worldwide use a highly effective contraceptive that was developed based on science generated by the Council. This infographic provides the Council’s four-stage product introduction framework that spans the continuum from product development to reaching the end-user. Stage 1 is Innovation, Stage 2 is Investment, Stage 3 is Launch, and Stage 4 is Scale Up. The Council works with stakeholders every step of the way from innovation to scale up into health systems. Advocates identify health areas of critical need; users inform our product design; donors, social entrepreneurs, manufacturers, and other market actors invest in our ideas; policymakers and implementers in the public and private sectors assist in launching the health technology; and health-care providers and consumers provide feedback on how well technologies are addressing needs while product designers and manufacturers continuously improve the technology

Urban sprawl development and flooding at Yeumbeul suburb (Dakar-Senegal)

Rapid development of urban centers in Africa is becoming a serious challenge for the coming decades with a wide range of foreseen social, economical and environmental implications. With the natural growth of the population, urban demography has been boosted by rural exodus triggered by serious droughts and increasing rural poverty. With the small resources available for an adequate urban management and the lack of efficient urban policy, Dakar capital of Senegal is characterized by an out of control urbanization process. Among the many impacts noted, flooding has appeared recently as a major threat for poor population leaving in the suburbs of Dakar. This study carried out at the outskirts of the town, in Yeumbeul District (17°24’ North, 14°46’ West), tries from rainfall variability, Digital Terrain Model and land cover change analysis since 1954 to track the interactions between natural and human causes of flooding occurring regularly since 1989. This integrated approach shows that the flooding process is not a mere climate variability related issue, it is tightly bound with poor urban management and occupation of irregular, unsuited land devoted to natural process. Satisfaction of housing needs was, for most poor rural dwellers, only possible through informal land markets, forcing them to settle in cheap yet risky lands. The recent extreme rainfall events reveal that most of these urban sprawls are located in flood prone areas. Environmental impacts of these flooded settlements have been examined. Serious flooding of 2005 has been a great momentum for the State and several other stakeholders to initiate various strategies that are discussed in this paper.Key words: Flooding, rural migration, irregular settlements, Dakar, Senegal