Bulk etch rate measurements and calibrations of CR39 and Makrofol nuclear track detectors

We developed a new method for determining the bulk etch rate velocity based on both cone height and base diameter measurements of the etched tracks. This method is applied here for the calibration of CR39 and Makrofol nuclear track detectors exposed to 158 A GeV In^{49+} and Pb^{82+} ions, respectively. For CR39 the peaks corresponding to indium ions and their different fragments are well separated from Z/beta = 7 to 49: the detection threshold is at REL ~ 50 MeV cm^2 g^{-1}, corresponding to a nuclear fragment with Z/beta = 7. The calibration of Makrofol with Pb^{82+} ions has shown all peaks due to lead ions and their fragments from Z/beta ~ 51 to 83 (charge pickup). The detection threshold of Makrofol is at REL ~ 2700 MeV cm^2 g^{-1}, corresponding to a nuclear fragment with Z/beta = 51.Comment: 4 pages, 6 eps figures. Talk given at the 24th ICNTS, Bologna, Italy (1-5 Sept. 2008

Using the Minimum Data Set (MDS) to Triage Long Term Care Facilities’ Residents for a Systematic Evacuation in the Case of Mass Casualty Disaster Events

Long Term Care facilities preparedness for disasters has been questioned, and evacuation before or during disasters is crucial for life saving. This thesis attempted to develop a systematic triage methodology based on the use of the Minimum Data Set (MDS), which is a powerful resource for gathering residents’ vital information including physical ability, cognitive functioning, and other health related conditions. Our assumption was that 90% of caregivers’ triage categorization will match with the categorization generated from the MDS dataset. To achieve our objectives and aims, we compared the triage categorization carried out by residents’ caregivers versus the MDS generated triage categories. Overall we did not found a strong agreement between caregivers and MDS triage categorization. However, the triage categorization of both homemakers and cooks versus CNAs yield a substantial correlation. Also we found that the work experience was closely related to the agreement between RN and CNAs versus MDS. In conclusion we think that MDS can be used to generate triage categories for long term care residents to facilitate the systematic evacuation of buildings in the case of mass casualty event. But before that, it will be important to conduct further studies with a large sample size of caregivers and the accessibility to the MDS dataset. The validation of the use of MDS dataset to generate triage categories will hugely help long term care facilities to be prepared for evacuation, because it can be the start point for the development of triage application which can be use on both portable and mobile electronic devices

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of mothers and caregivers on infant and young child feeding in Peri-Urban Zones of Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso

Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of mothers/caregivers on infant and young child feeding are key factors for optimal nutritional status, health and growth of the children. A community-based, cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted duringJanuary 2017 to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) of mothers/ caregivers who lived in peri-urban areas of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina-Faso. This study was carried out before a nutrition education-based interventionand included 245 mothers/ caregivers that were randomly selected in the peri-urban communities of Bobo-Dioulasso. A semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire developed based on Food and Agriculture Organization knowledge, attitudes and practices assessment method was used to collect KAP and socio-economic data. Analyses were performed using SPSS version 20. For this study, authorization was obtained from the regional directorate of health of the Hauts-Bassins region. Verbal consent was obtained after the participants had been informed about the study objectives. Among the 245 study participants, 55.1% were aged less than 30 years. More than 3 out of 4 mothers/caregivers (76.3%) were Muslim and 59.2% of them were illiterate. Almost all mothers/caregivers (98.8%) had adequate knowledge for breastfeeding and 87.9% of them knew about exclusive breast feeding up to 6 months. In addition, 91.8% of mothers/caregivers reported that they gave colostrum at birth. Furthermore, 67.5% of the mothers started breastfeeding within one hour after delivery. Based on mothers/caregivers’ report on complementary foods consumed by 6-59 months  children in the previous 24h before the interview, cereals were the most reported consumed food group (89.8%) followed by meat and fish products (28.6%). This study found that mothers/caregivers had adequate knowledge about IYCF in general. However,mothers/caregivers’ practice of complementary feeding was inappropriate. Cereals were the food group consumed by most of children aged 6-59 months raising the needs for interventions, such as cooking demonstrations during postnatal visits in health facilities, to improve complementary feeding in this population. Key words: IYCF, knowledge, attitude, and practices; low income countries; Burkina Fas

Perceptions, usages et vulnérabilité des ressources végétales ligneuses dans le Sud-Ouest du Burkina Faso

Au Burkina Faso, les populations rurales dépendent fortement des ressources végétales ligneuses pour la satisfaction de leurs besoins quotidiens. Dans un contexte de pression anthropique croissante, l’évaluation de la vulnérabilité des espèces s’avère un impératif majeur pour permettre la préservation et la gestion durable de ces ressources. Pour ce faire, des enquêtes semi-structurées ont été menées chez les Sénoufo, un des groupes ethniques dominants du Sud-Ouest du Burkina Faso. La vulnérabilité des espèces citées par les personnes enquêtées a été évaluée sur la base d’un indice de vulnérabilité (Iv) établi à partir de six paramètres. Au total, 73 espèces ont été citées pour lesquelles l’artisanat, le bois de feu et la construction se révèlent être les principales causes de vulnérabilité. Certains aspects des croyances traditionnelles s’avèrent cependant favorables à la conservation des ressources végétales ; ainsi, par exemple, certaines espèces sont interdites à la combustion. Cette étude montre que la combinaison des inventaires de terrain et des enquêtes ethnobotaniquesest indispensable comme approche fiable pour l’identification des espèces menacées

HPLC ANALYSIS AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES STUDIES OF TRUNK BARKS OF ACACIA NILOTICA VAR ADANSONII (GUILL AND PERR) O KTZE (MIMOSACEAE)

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory properties of the aqueous extract and fractions of the trunk bark of Acacia nilotica. Methods: A maceration of the powder of the trunks barks of the plant was realized. Then the aqueous macerate obtained was fractionated with dichloromethane, butanol and ethyl acetate successively. The phenolic compounds of the aqueous extract, butanol and ethyl acetate fractions were identified by HPLC/DAD. Lipoxygenase and phospholipase inhibition tests with the aqueous extract and the butanol and ethyl acetate fractions were carried out. The anti-inflammatory potential of the aqueous extract was assessed in vivo by the anti-edema test with carrageenan and the analgesic test with acetic acid at different doses (200 mg/ml; 400 mg/ml; 600 mg/ml). Aspirin (200 mg/ml) and paracetamol (200 mg/ml) were used as a reference. Results: The HPLC/DAD analysis of the extracts revealed that gallic acid is the most abundant phenol acid in the extracts. The aqueous extract inhibited lipoxygenase (IC50 = 18.32±1.18 μg/ml), phospholipase (11.44±0.32% per 100 μg/ml) and cyclooxygenase (56.48±0.29% for 100 μg/ml) as well as its tested fractions. It also reduced edema and pain in the mice by more than 50% from the 400 mg/ml dose. Conclusion: Aqueous extract of Acacia nilotica has anti-inflammatory properties. Hence its use in traditional medicine in the treatment of inflammation

Réponse à la double inoculation mycorhizienne et rhizobienne du niébé (variété, KVX396-4-5-2D) cultivé au Burkina Faso

Le niébé vit en symbiose avec des champignons mycorhiziens arbusculaires (CMA) et rhizobiums du sol susceptibles d’améliorer sa nutrition hydrominérale et sa croissance. Cette étude avait pour objectif d’évaluer la réponse du niébé (variété KVX 396-4-5-2D) à l’inoculation rhizobienne et/ou mycorhizienne. KVX 396-4-5-2D (KVX) a été inoculée en serre avec cinq inoculums de CMA [Glomus aggregatum (Ga), Glomus mossae (Gm), Rhizophagus irregularis (Ri), Glomus fasciculatum (Gf), Glomus verrucullosum (Gv)] et une souche de rhizobium (ORS 3409). Après 45 jours de culture, les plants ont été récoltés et les paramètres de croissance (hauteur et biomasses), de mycorhization et de nodulation ont été mesurés. Les résultats montrent que l’inoculation améliore la croissance en hauteur et la biomasse totale des plants de KVX. La souche Ga améliore de 70% la production de biomasse totale de KVX. Aussi, la double inoculation ORS3409+Ga est plus bénéfique aux plants de la variété de niébé utilisée avec une amélioration de la croissance en hauteur de 8,82%. De ces résultats, il ressort que l’inoculum Ga améliore significativement la croissance de la variété de niébé KVX au stade floraison-fructification.Mots clés : Champignons mycorhiziens arbusculaires, rhizobium, inoculation, niébé