Identifying the Burdens and Opportunities for Tribes and Communities in Federal Facility Cleanup Activities: Environmental Remediation Technology Assessment Matrix For Tribal and Community Decision-Makers

The cleanup of this country's federal facilities can affect a wide range of tribal and community interests and concerns. The technologies now in use, or being proposed by the Department of Energy, Department of Defense and other federal agencies can affect tribal treaty protected fishing, hunting and other rights, affect air and water quality thereby requiring the tribe to bear the burden of increased environmental regulation. The International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management developed a tribal and community decision-maker's Environmental Remediation Technology Assessment Matrix that will permit tribes and communities to array technical information about environmental remediation technologies against a backdrop of tribal and community environmental, health and safety, cultural, religious, treaty and other concerns and interests. Ultimately, the matrix will allow tribes and communities to assess the impact of proposed technologies on the wide range of tribal and community interests and will promote more informed participation in federal facility cleanup activities

Impact des termites dans les champs paysans de riz et de mais en savane sub-soudanienne (Booro-Borotou, Côte-d\'Ivoire)

Les termites appartiennent au groupe des arthropodes et jouent un rôle prépondérant dans les régions tropicales et sub-tropicales. L\'objectif de la présente étude est d\'évaluer les dégâts causés par les termites dans les cultures paysannes de riz (Oryza sativa L.) et de maïs (Zea mays L.). Pour se faire, un échantillonnage préliminaire a été entrepris dans le milieu naturel (savane arbustive) en vue d\'inventorier les espèces de termites présentes dans le milieu afin de les utiliser comme témoin durant cette étude. Six espèces de termites ont été recensées dans le milieu naturel contre respectivement 7 et 4 dans les champs de riz et de maïs. Les ouvriers de termites champignonnistes (Microtermes sp, Ancistrotermes sp) et les xylophages (Amitermes sp.) ont été fréquemment rencontrés dans le système racinaire et à l\'intérieur des tiges des deux cultures et sont considérés comme responsables des dégâts. Certains termites souterrains (Microtermes sp, Ancistrotermes sp et Amitermes sp) endommagent les racines et les tiges de maïs. Ils sont par conséquent responsables de la verse des plantes après sénescence. D\'autres termites comme Pseudacanthotermes sp et Macrotermes sp construisent des placages sur les plants qu\'ils utilisent pour les attaquer. Aucun dégât n\'a été attribué aux termites humivores Cubitermes sp .Termites belong to the athropod group and play a tremendous role in tropical and sub-tropical regions. The aim of this study was to assess the damages caused by termites to the rice (Oryza sativa L) and corn (Zea mays L.) in farmer fields. To reach this goal, a preliminary sampling was undertaken from the natural environment (shrub savannah) in a view of inventorying termites species to be used in this investigation. Six species of termites were identified in the shrub savannah and 7 and 4 while were collected in the rice and corn farms, respectively. The fungus-growing worker termites (Microtermes sp, Ancistrotermes sp) and wood-feeders ones (Amitermes sp) were frequently met in the root system and in the stems of the two crops and they were identified as those responsible for damages. Some subterranean termites (Microtermes sp, Ancistrotermes sp and Amitermes sp) damage the roots and stems of corn. They are subsequently responsible for the fall of crops after senescence. Other termites such as Pseudacanthotermes sp and Macrotermes sp build up outside layers on crop that they use to infest it. No soil-feeding termite (Cubitermes sp) was held responsible for any damage. Keywords: Termites, damage, peasant, rice,corn. Sciences & Nature Vol. 5 (2) 2008: pp. 121-13

Xanthomatose normolipidemique a localisation nasale chez une patiente de 18 ans

Introduction : Exposer un cas de xanthomatose normolipidémique.Observation : il s’agit d’une adolescente de 18 ans qui a présenté une masse des cavités nasales dont le bilan paraclinique a plaidé en faveur d’un xanthogranulome juvénile. L’évolution à court terme a été satisfaisante après l’exérèse chirurgicale par une voie combinée externe et endonasle.Conclusion : il s’agit d’une présentation inhabituelle de la xanthomatose dont les difficultés diagnostiques d’ordre multifactoriel, ont été relevées.Mots clés : Cavités nasales – Xanthomatoses –granulomatoses chroniquesIntroduction : To expose a case of normolipidemic xanthomatosisCase report : An 18 years aged girl has presented a swelling involving the nasal cavities. Paraclinical examens have evoked a case of juvenile xanthogranuloma. Earlier outcome was good after a surgical removal which has combined external and endonasal way.Conclusion: it’s an unusual feature of xanthomatis. The difficulties of diagnosis which seemed caused by many factors have been point out.Keyswords : Nasal cavities – Xanthomatosis – Chronic granulom

Characterization of the dominant microorganisms responsible for the fermentation of dehulled maize grains into nsiho in Ghana

Nsiho (white kenkey) is a type of kenkey, a sour stiff dumpling, produced from fermented maize meal in Ghana. The dominant microorganisms responsible for the fermentation of nsiho were characterized by analysing samples from four traditional production sites at Anum in the Eastern Region of Ghana. During 48 h of steeping dehulled maize grains, the pH values decreased from 6.05 to 5.93 to 3.59 to 3.55, whilst titratable acidity increased from 0.02 to 0.03 to 0.27 to 0.32%. In the subsequent 12 h dough fermentation, the pH decreased from 6.02 to 5.80 to 3.52 to 3.46, whilst titratable acidity increased from 0.25 to 0.27 to 0.35 to 0.38%. The lactic acid bacteria population increased by 2 to 5 log units to concentrations of 107 to 108 CFU/ml during steeping and by 2 to 3 log units from 105 to 106 CFU/g to 108 to 109 CFU/g during dough fermentation. Yeasts counts increased by 3 to 4 log units during steepingand by 2 to 4 log units during dough fermentation. The most frequently isolated lactic acid bacteria responsible for nsiho fermentation were identified as Lactobacillus fermentum (47.1%), Lactobacillus brevis (25%), Lactobacillus plantarum (14.42%), Pediococcus pentosaceus (8.65%) and Pediococcus acidilactici, (4.8%). The dominant yeasts species were Saccharyomyces cerevisiae (47.6%), Candida krusei (29.1%),  Debaryomyces spp., (15%) and Trichosporon spp., (8.3%). This is the first  study to report on the micororganisms involved in nsiho fermentation.Key words: Nsiho, dehulled maize, kenkey, lactic acid bacteria, indigenous African fermented foods

Optimisation de la biométhanisation des effluents de manioc issus de la filière de fabrication de l’attiéké (semoule de manioc)

Cette étude s’est penchée sur les conditions optimales de biodigestion des effluents de manioc de la filière attiéké (semoule de manioc). Ces effluents proviennent de la fabrique d’attiéké d’Azito (village Ebrié de la commune de Yopougon dans le district d’Abidjan). Les six digesteurs expérimentaux utilisés, ont été alimentés comme suit : 1) effluent de manioc; 2) effluent + bouse de vache; 3) effluent + urine ; 4-5 et 6) effluent + urine + différentes quantités de bouse de vache. Aux résultats, les digesteurs ont fonctionné de façon mésophile avec des températures comprises entre 24,0 et 35,6 °C. Les digesteurs sans urine ont un pH variant entre 3 et 4 durant l’expérimentation. Pour ceux contenant de l’urine humaine, le pH a oscillé entre 6,46 et 10,29. Concernant le volume de gaz produit, il est significativement plus important dans les digesteurs contenant de l’urine que dans les digesteurs sans ajout d’urine. Le test d’inflammabilité du gaz produit est positif sauf pour le premier digesteur. Dans l’ensemble, les résultats de l’étude montrent que l’ajustement du pH avec l’urine humaine avant le démarrage du traitement des effluents de manioc issus de la filière de fabrication de l’attiéké par digestion anaérobie, est nécessaire pour l’optimisation du processus de biométhanisation.Mots clés: Digestion anaérobie, effluents de manioc, bioga

Aspects épidémiologiques des accidents vasculaires cérébraux (AVC) aux urgences de l’institut de cardiologie d’Abidjan (ICA)

Introduction: l'objectif de notre étude était de décrire les caractéristiques sociodémographiques et les Facteurs de Risque cardio-Vasculaires (FRV) des patients admis pour accidents vasculaires cérébraux (AVC) dans un service autre que celui de la neurologie. Méthodes: étude transversale rétrospective sur une période de 2 ans (janv. 2010 et déc. 2011), réalisée aux urgences de l'institut de cardiologie d'Abidjan. Résultats: il s'agissait de 176 adultes avec un âge moyen de 60 ans, une prédominance féminine. Les facteurs de risque majeurs retrouvés étaient l'hypertension artérielle dans 86,4% des cas, le diabète dans 11,4% des cas, le tabagisme dans 2,2% des cas. Les motifs de consultation étaient la perte de connaissance dans 36,4% des cas, l'hémiplégie dans 31,8% des cas, les céphalées dans 17,4% des cas, les vertiges dans 10,9% et les palpitations dans 2,2% des cas. La tension artérielle systolique moyenne était à 174 mmHg, la tension artérielle diastolique moyenne était à 105 mmHg et la pression pulsée moyenne était à 70 mmHg. Les AVC étaient associés à une arythmie complète par fibrillation auriculaire dans 11,4% des cas. Les AVC ischémiques représentaient 84,1%. L'évolution aux urgences a été marquée par un décès dans 17% (30) des cas. Conclusion: les AVC constituent un problème majeur de santé publique. Malgré sa prédominance féminine, ils (AVC) touchaient 44% des hommes dans notre étude lorsqu'on sait qu'en Afrique l'activité sociale repose sur les hommes. Ils restent une pathologie grave par la forte létalité

Mitigating information frictions in trade:Evidence from export credit guarantees

Information frictions make foreign trade risky. In particular, the risk of buyer default deters firms from selling abroad. To address this issue, many countries offer export credit guarantees to provide insurance to exporters. In this paper, we investigate the causal effects of guarantees by exploiting a quasi-natural experiment in Sweden and rich register data on guarantees, firms and trade. Estimates from a fuzzy regression discontinuity design show large positive effects on the probability of exporting and the value of exports to the destination for which the guarantees are issued. These results are robust to an alternative approach using a difference-in-differences matching estimator. Further findings suggest that guarantees impact firms heterogeneously and play an important role in resolving buyer default risk and easing liquidity constraints. Larger impacts are observed in non-OECD countries, on smaller, liquidity constrained exporters and for firms selling products that face a relatively high cost of buyer default.</p

Identifying the Burdens and Opportunities for Tribes and Communities in Federal Facility Cleanup Activities: Environmental Remediation Technology Assessment Matrix For Tribal and Community Decision-Makers

The cleanup of this country’s federal facilities can affect a wide range of tribal and community interests and concerns. The technologies now in use, or being proposed by the Department of Energy, Department of Defense and other federal agencies can affect tribal treaty protected fishing, hunting and other rights, affect air and water quality thereby requiring the tribe to bear the burden of increased environmental regulation. The International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management developed a tribal and community decision-maker’s Environmental Remediation Technology Assessment Matrix that will permit tribes and communities to array technical information about environmental remediation technologies against a backdrop of tribal and community environmental, health and safety, cultural, religious, treaty and other concerns and interests. Ultimately, the matrix will allow tribes and communities to assess the impact of proposed technologies on the wide range of tribal and community interests and will promote more informed participation in federal facility cleanup activities. This research was completed money allocated during Round 1 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/iiirm/1000/thumbnail.jp

Volatile compounds of maari, a fermented product from baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) seeds

The volatile compounds associated with baobab seeds fermentation for Maari production were extracted and analysed by Likens-Nickerson simultaneous steam distillation-extraction method and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), respectively. Furthermore, the titratable acidity, tannin content and proximate composition were evaluated. A total of 96 compounds were identified with esters, acids, alcohols and ketones being quantitatively the major groups. Fermentation led to an increase in the concentration of total volatile compounds from 121.6 in unfermented cooked seeds to 809.1 mg kg-1 in the fermented product. Drying resulted in a significant loss of up to 80.7% of the total volatiles.Key words: Volatile compounds, maari, baobab, fermentation

Different environmental variables predict distribution and cover of the introduced red seaweed Eucheuma denticulatum in two geographical locations

In this study we examined abiotic and biotic factors that could potentially influence the presence of a non-indigenous seaweed, Eucheuma denticulatum, in two locations, one outside (Kane'ohe Bay, Hawai'i, USA) and one within (Mafia Island, Tanzania) its natural geographical range. We hypothesized that the availability of hard substrate and the amount of wave exposure would explain distribution patterns, and that higher abundance of herbivorous fishes in Tanzania would exert stronger top-down control than in Hawai'i. To address these hypotheses, we surveyed E. denticulatum in sites subjected to different environmental conditions and used generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) to identify predictors of E. denticulatum presence. We also estimated grazing intensity on E. denticulatum by surveying the type and the amount of grazing scars. Finally, we used molecular tools to distinguish between indigenous and non-indigenous strains of E. denticulatum on Mafia Island. In Kane'ohe Bay, the likelihood of finding E. denticulatum increased with wave exposure, whereas on Mafia Island, the likelihood increased with cover of coral rubble, and decreased with distance from areas of introduction (AOI), but this decrease was less pronounced in the presence of coral rubble. Grazing intensity was higher in Kane'ohe Bay than on Mafia Island. However, we still suggest that efforts to reduce non-indigenous E. denticulatum should include protection of important herbivores in both sites because of the high levels of grazing close to AOI. Moreover, we recommend that areas with hard substrate and high structural complexity should be avoided when farming non-indigenous strains of E. denticulatum