Improving African Internet Traffic through Maximization of Node Centrality

For most African nations, the cost of an Internet subscription is more than the average yearly per capita income – which inherently makes Internet access a quixotic amenity for the majority of Africans. This disproportionate connectivity creates a disadvantage for Africa’s academic potential because most of its Internet traffic is routed through international fiber optic links – which is costlier than direct connections within Africa [1]. One of the causes for slower Internet traffic is the lack of cooperation between the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) across Africa. This study will explore whether we can increase the average closeness of a sample network representing African Internet traffic by designing and testing strategic link-prediction algorithms versus a random link-prediction algorithm

Société De La Surinformation : Etude De La Problématique De L’Infodémie Sur La Vaccination De Covid-19 En RDC

Cette étude descriptive et analytique vise à s’interroger sur la problématique de l’infodémie sur la vaccination de covid-19 en République Démocratique du Congo. A l’ère du numérique, la société de la surinformation est inéluctable comme l’affirme Joël de Rosnay qui soutient que l’on vit « une nouvelle forme de pollution des cerveaux par l’excès d’information » qui engendre plusieurs conséquences négatives et positives. Dans le domaine de la santé, les effets de cette société ont donné naissance à un phénomène appelé « infodémie ». En République Démocratique du Congo, les vaccins contre la Covid-19 ont connu plusieurs résistances dues à cause des infodémies. A  travers cet article, nous réfléchissons sur les faits qui sont au cœur des obstacles à la vaccination afin de mieux les gérer pour une bonne promotion des vaccins Covid-19. 

A triangulation study of the use of traditional medicine and prescribed antischistosomal medicine in communities with high prevalence schistsomiasis infections: perspectives from traditional healers, patients and healthcare workers.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Schistosomes are parasitic worms found in tropical and sub-tropical fresh waters. An estimated 4.5 million South Africans, mainly in settings of rural poverty, are in need of treatment for urogenital schistosomiasis. Women with schistosomiasis are exposed to HIV infection prevalent in African countries. Praziquantel is the treatment used in the mainstream healthcare system to manage schistosomiasis. Although conventional treatment is available, traditional medicine (TM) has been reported to be used for schistosomiasis. This study evaluated the prevalence of the use of traditional medicine and prescribed antischistosomal medicines in communities having high prevalence schistosomiasis infection in ILembe District, KwaZulu-Natal and established whether the unavailability of prescribed antischistosomal medicines led to the use of traditional medicine. Methods Methods This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study using a questionnaire. An exploratory mixed-method approach through interviews was conducted from December 2017 to April 2018 in the ILembe District, KwaZulu-Natal. In addition, a review of medical chart records of patients with schistosomiasis was further carried out to triangulate the information from interviews. Qualitative data were coded and analyzed using thematic analysis while descriptive statistics including frequency and percentage were used for quantitative data, categorical data were presented as tables. Chi-squared tests were performed for the association between continuous variables. A p-value ≤ 0.05 was estimated as statistically significant. Results A protocol mapping evidence of the concurrent use of TM and antischistosomal treatment was drafted. It anticipated findings on identified gaps in the current literature on this topic and provided direction for future research. After mapping for evidence, face-to-face interviews were conducted in phase 1 of this study among 22 traditional health practitioners (THPs) who diagnosed and managed schistosomiasis symptoms based on their knowledge and experiences using plants either alone or in combination with other plants. Senecio serratuloides (Asteraceae) and Hypoxis hemerocallidea (Hypoxidaceae) were prominently used in the study area by THPs for the management schistosomiasis. THPs provided services to individuals who did not want to be treated in the mainstream health care system for schistosomiasis. Following the interviews with THPs, 124 healthcare workers (HCWs) were interviewed with the majority of them (114/124; 91.9%) reporting that Praziquantel was readily available in healthcare facilities. However, most of HCWs (76/124; 61.3%) did not know whether patients seen by them used concurrently TM and Praziquantel for schistosomiasis. No significant relationship between the availability of Praziquantel and the concurrent use of TM by patients for schistosomiasis (X2 = 3.042, p = 0.551) was found. Patients seen by THPs (20) were also interviewed in the same phase 1. They reported that they used TM only for schistosomiasis. Patients attending outpatient departments were also interviewed in this phase. More than half of them (8/15, 53.3%) crossed from TM to the mainstream healthcare system, but they did not disclose their use of TM to HCWs. After the interviews in phase 1, a medical chart review was conducted in phase 2 of the study to analyse the concurrent use of traditional medicine with conventional medicine for schistosomiasis. None of the medical chart records analyzed; documented the concurrent use of TM and Praziquantel. Conclusion TM played a key role in the management of schistosomiasis in the study area. HCWs indicated that although Praziquantel was readily available and free in public sector healthcare facilities, patients used TM for schistosomiasis. HCWs reported not to be aware of whether patients used concurrently TM and Praziquantel for the treatment of schistosomiasis. Further investigations are needed to establish the reasons for use, potential benefits or risks of the concurrent use of modern and traditional medicine for schistosomiasis. Biological studies on TM used for schistosomiasis in the study area are warranted to confirm the pharmacological properties and active compounds of medicinal plants used by THPs for schistosomiasis.Abstract also available in isiZulu in pdf

The burden of diarrhoeal diseases in the Democratic Republic of Congo : A time-series analysis of the global burden of disease study estimates (1990-2019)

This study was not funded. GMO received a scholarship from Chevening to study towards a Masters in Public Health at the University of Aberdeen.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Eckardt points on a cubic threefold

In this paper we survey Eckardt points on a smooth complex cubic threefold with an approach aimed at computing all Eckardt points of a cubic threefold. In addition, we construct cubic threefolds with no Eckardt points but containing triple lines.Comment: References adde

LA CRISE FINANCIÈRE INTERNATIONALE ET LES RISQUES ENCOURUS PAR LES ENTREPRISES CONGOLAISES

L’économie mondiale présente plusieurs façades qui sont, sans doute les éléments constitutifs de son déploiement tangible au sein de chaque société respective de la planète. Nous pouvons citer à l’occurrence les notions des propriétés privées, plus précisément des moyens de production, les concepts de libre échange sur des marchés et la libre concurrence, la notion de l’interventionnisme étatique etc… toutes ces données sont inhérentes au fonctionnement permanemment visible de l’économie dans le quotidien de notre vie. Il convient par ailleurs de souligner qu’une analyse introspective de l’économie mondiale laisse apparaitre un fait indéniable que son fonctionnement au travers l’histoire ne s’opère pas sans neufs. Il existe de cycle de période où l’économie mondiale est parfaitement viable et donc en plein essor ou croissement mais il apparait de temps où elle est fortement frappée par des crises de nature et d’origine diverse et diversifiée retraçant cette histoire mouvementée, l’économiste Paul KSUGMAN note ce qui suit « celles-ci fut cependant suivie par une période de croissance économique soutenue dans le monde industrialisé, ponctué de récessions courtes et modernisés alternant avec reprise vigoureuses et soutenues pendant toute une génération » Notre contribution n’a pas la prétention de s’étendre de manière exhaustive sur l’étude analytique des crises économiques qui ont frappé nos sociétés au cours des temps. Elle a pour objet spécifique de jeter au regard panoramique sur la crise 2008 qui a connu notre humanité contemporaine.L’économie mondiale présente plusieurs façades qui sont, sans doute les éléments constitutifs de son déploiement tangible au sein de chaque société respective de la planète. Nous pouvons citer à l’occurrence les notions des propriétés privées, plus précisément des moyens de production, les concepts de libre échange sur des marchés et la libre concurrence, la notion de l’interventionnisme étatique etc… toutes ces données sont inhérentes au fonctionnement permanemment visible de l’économie dans le quotidien de notre vie. Il convient par ailleurs de souligner qu’une analyse introspective de l’économie mondiale laisse apparaitre un fait indéniable que son fonctionnement au travers l’histoire ne s’opère pas sans neufs. Il existe de cycle de période où l’économie mondiale est parfaitement viable et donc en plein essor ou croissement mais il apparait de temps où elle est fortement frappée par des crises de nature et d’origine diverse et diversifiée retraçant cette histoire mouvementée, l’économiste Paul KSUGMAN note ce qui suit « celles-ci fut cependant suivie par une période de croissance économique soutenue dans le monde industrialisé, ponctué de récessions courtes et modernisés alternant avec reprise vigoureuses et soutenues pendant toute une génération » Notre contribution n’a pas la prétention de s’étendre de manière exhaustive sur l’étude analytique des crises économiques qui ont frappé nos sociétés au cours des temps. Elle a pour objet spécifique de jeter au regard panoramique sur la crise 2008 qui a connu notre humanité contemporaine

Diagnostic Des Geo-Helminthes Chez Les Enfants De 1-10 Ans A L’hopital General De Reference De Kintambo A Kinshasa En RDCONGO

This end-of-cycle work focused on the diagnosis of soil-transmitted helminths in children aged 1-10 years examined at the General Reference Hospital of Kintambo. The socio-demographic results of those diagnosed revealed that individuals of the male sex dominated over the female sex, with 31 cases or 62% against 19 cases or 38%.        According to the distribution of age groups, children whose age varies from 3-4 years were the most affected. The distribution of people diagnosed according to the positive results of soil-transmitted helminth species showed that Ascaris lumbricoides was the most represented species with a number of 37 children diagnosed out of 50, or 74%